It looks like I only saw 10 of 2019’s film releases (plus one documentary that I won’t count), so I might as well just rank them all:
10. Captain Marvel - A distant number eleven thanks to the arrogance and unlikability of the title character. I liked every part that wasn’t hers, but not enough to cancel her out.
9. Spider-Man: Far From Home - Another fairly distant one that will probably be displaced whenever I see more from 2019. The whole thing was technically good and fit well with the rest of the MCU, but I’m no longer interested in the MCU now that it’s past its climax in my eyes. Plus, I realized now that I like Spider-Man in his own universe separate from all the other MCU heroes. Also, new MJ is not my preferred MJ.
8. Happy Death Day 2U - I found myself liking the first Happy Death Day even though it deviates from its horror atmosphere about a third of the way through. This sequel barely reaches horror levels and would make more sense being classified as sci-fi. Even though there are several elements that…let’s say the world would call good even though they’re not, they aren’t heavy enough to counteract the likable characters and interesting premise.
7. The Wandering Earth - Someday, I will review this in audio form. Until then, I’ll just say that it’s a very good step for Chinese film, and it’s not even overtly nationalistic. It still falls prey to a lot of little things I dislike about pretty much all movies from China, but I’m guessing they’re steeped in the culture. I hope China tries more sci-fi in the future.
6. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part - I like all the LEGO movies, even the black sheep that is The LEGO Ninjago Movie (the only one that isn’t referenced in this one). They entertain me like real films, not like the glorified commercials everyone labels them as. This one was a fun return to the characters and the heart from the original, and it has a handful of catchy songs, to boot. The only thing missing is Liam Neeson.
5. Justice League vs. the Fatal Five - Nostalgia, plain and simple.
4. Reign of the Supermen -This and The Death of Superman are really just one big movie, so I’m kind of ranking them together (the way Peter Jackson won an Oscar for Return of the King, but it was really for the whole trilogy). I’ve enjoyed the new DC animated universe, even with its hiccups, and I think this is probably the best of the series. It also helps get them a bit further away from the New 52 motif they’ve been saddled with.
3. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu - I’m not even into Pokémon, but this movie did just about everything I wanted it to. The animation looked very good mixed with the live action, and the story had me hooked. Apparently, if you’ve seen the animated Pokémon movies, this one will reward you for it, too.
2. SHAZAM! - The real Captain Marvel, of course. Another winner for DC. Fun, funny, heartfelt, and it looked cool.
1. Avengers: Endgame - Do I need to explain?
And now to ape Paeter's extra categories...
Legacy Movie:
Bone Tomahawk - A horror western with a strong focus on characters. Amazing to think that it’s a film by a first-time writer/director, and the script he used was his first draft. If you can take a handful of brutal deaths (with a pretty long gap between the first couple and the last couple) and a somewhat slow pace, it’s a pretty rewarding film. Also, Kurt Russell.
Most Thought-Provoking:
Avengers: Endgame (unless I can choose Bone Tomahawk or the documentary, One Child Nation)
2019 Movies I still need to see:
Batman: Hush, Brightburn, Broken, The Farewell, Frozen II, Glass, The Highwaymen, Joker, Klaus, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Triple Threat, Wonder Woman: Bloodlines
2020 Movies I’m looking forward to:
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Bloodshot, Sonic the Hedgehog, Superman: Red Son, Wonder Woman 1985
10. Captain Marvel - A distant number eleven thanks to the arrogance and unlikability of the title character. I liked every part that wasn’t hers, but not enough to cancel her out.
9. Spider-Man: Far From Home - Another fairly distant one that will probably be displaced whenever I see more from 2019. The whole thing was technically good and fit well with the rest of the MCU, but I’m no longer interested in the MCU now that it’s past its climax in my eyes. Plus, I realized now that I like Spider-Man in his own universe separate from all the other MCU heroes. Also, new MJ is not my preferred MJ.
8. Happy Death Day 2U - I found myself liking the first Happy Death Day even though it deviates from its horror atmosphere about a third of the way through. This sequel barely reaches horror levels and would make more sense being classified as sci-fi. Even though there are several elements that…let’s say the world would call good even though they’re not, they aren’t heavy enough to counteract the likable characters and interesting premise.
7. The Wandering Earth - Someday, I will review this in audio form. Until then, I’ll just say that it’s a very good step for Chinese film, and it’s not even overtly nationalistic. It still falls prey to a lot of little things I dislike about pretty much all movies from China, but I’m guessing they’re steeped in the culture. I hope China tries more sci-fi in the future.
6. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part - I like all the LEGO movies, even the black sheep that is The LEGO Ninjago Movie (the only one that isn’t referenced in this one). They entertain me like real films, not like the glorified commercials everyone labels them as. This one was a fun return to the characters and the heart from the original, and it has a handful of catchy songs, to boot. The only thing missing is Liam Neeson.
5. Justice League vs. the Fatal Five - Nostalgia, plain and simple.
4. Reign of the Supermen -This and The Death of Superman are really just one big movie, so I’m kind of ranking them together (the way Peter Jackson won an Oscar for Return of the King, but it was really for the whole trilogy). I’ve enjoyed the new DC animated universe, even with its hiccups, and I think this is probably the best of the series. It also helps get them a bit further away from the New 52 motif they’ve been saddled with.
3. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu - I’m not even into Pokémon, but this movie did just about everything I wanted it to. The animation looked very good mixed with the live action, and the story had me hooked. Apparently, if you’ve seen the animated Pokémon movies, this one will reward you for it, too.
2. SHAZAM! - The real Captain Marvel, of course. Another winner for DC. Fun, funny, heartfelt, and it looked cool.
1. Avengers: Endgame - Do I need to explain?
And now to ape Paeter's extra categories...
Legacy Movie:
Bone Tomahawk - A horror western with a strong focus on characters. Amazing to think that it’s a film by a first-time writer/director, and the script he used was his first draft. If you can take a handful of brutal deaths (with a pretty long gap between the first couple and the last couple) and a somewhat slow pace, it’s a pretty rewarding film. Also, Kurt Russell.
Most Thought-Provoking:
Avengers: Endgame (unless I can choose Bone Tomahawk or the documentary, One Child Nation)
2019 Movies I still need to see:
Batman: Hush, Brightburn, Broken, The Farewell, Frozen II, Glass, The Highwaymen, Joker, Klaus, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Triple Threat, Wonder Woman: Bloodlines
2020 Movies I’m looking forward to:
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Bloodshot, Sonic the Hedgehog, Superman: Red Son, Wonder Woman 1985
Last edited by AGoodReed on January 13th 2020, 6:25 pm; edited 1 time in total