2019 in Review -- Movies

Another year in the books, another look back at the movies I saw.

I watched 60 movies in 2019, which puts me just a little bit behind the 64 I watched the year before. The balance this time favored staying at home a bit more; I went to the theater 19 times (and to the symphony for live-to-picture score performances three other times).

As always, my Top 10 Movie List of the year is quite provisional at this point. I have a list of several movies I want to see that feel like they've got a shot at making the list, including Parasite, 1917, Marriage Story, and whatever thing you're about to recommend to me that I just have to see. I'll update this post as I catch up in the weeks and months ahead.

For the moment, here are my picks for the best movies released in 2019:

1. Avengers: Endgame
2. Us
3. Apollo 11
4. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
5. Captain Marvel
6. The Art of Self-Defense
7. Spider-Man: Far From Home
8. Zombieland: Double Tap
9. Toy Story 4
10. Knives Out

It's those first three movies that make the cut of A- or better, that I feel confident would stay on the list no matter how many 2019 movies I catch up with. Yup, a superhero movie actually made the top spot -- but Endgame was the most satisfying movie I saw last year, a satisfying conclusion to a franchise in the way that The Rise of Skywalker tried hard (too hard) to be. The one-two punch of Get Out and Us has me eager for whatever Jordan Peele does next. And Apollo 11 is a fantastic look at momentous history that really puts you there in the moment.

It feels like 2020 is going to be a white-knuckled year that has us all looking to movies for an escape. Bring them on!

Updated 1/24/2020:

1. Avengers: Endgame
2. Us
3. 1917
4. Apollo 11
5. Marriage Story
6. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
7. Captain Marvel
8. The Art of Self-Defense
9. Spider-Man: Far From Home
10. Zombieland: Double Tap