Hello readers

I’d like to take this opportunity to firstly thank each of you for your contribution to Moviedoc having the most successful year to date, by far. Until July, the most views this blog had received in a month was 639 in October 2018. This record was beaten in July 2019, then totally eclipsed in August and again in October, with the number of views standing at 1,961. As of December 2019, that record has once again been blitzed! Our record number of views that now stands to be beaten in 2020 is 2,853! To add to that, Moviedoc’s star rating for WORKING WOMAN received a mention in a major Australian newspaper and many of our reviews received record numbers of views internationally. This is certainly something I am very grateful of, and have every intention of making Moviedoc even more successful by growing our followers furthermore in 2020. I hope to bring you more reviews of streaming releases, movies from film festivals, a few classics and even an article or two throughout 2020!

Let’s kick off the best and the worst in cinema from 2019, starting with a countdown of the best 20 movies.

20 – MIDSOMMAR

The 2019 actress of the year, for me, is Florence Pugh, who first blew my mind in LADY MACBETH. In Ari Aster’s (writer and director of HEREDITARY) newest movie, Florence Pugh plays Dani, who travels with her boyfriend and several others to an idyllic location in Sweden for a festival and ends up in the hands of a strange cult who have a propensity for violence. The entire first act of MIDSOMMAR is flawless and right up there with the very best of what cinema has to offer this year. The rest summons plenty of mystery and intrigue, rouses moments of suspense, provokes plenty of questions and regular moments of laughter, and above all else, is downright unsettling. Masterful elements of filmmaking are on display here from Ari Aster in a film that is definitely not for the faint-hearted and is definitely the best weird movie of 2019!

4 stars

19 – FREE SOLO

This Oscar-winning documentary takes us inside the mind of Alex Honnold, an American rock climber, and chronicles his preparations and attempt to conquer one of the most dangerous rock-climbing feats in history – with no ropes or safety equipment whatsoever! Yes, this mission of his is every bit as insane and (literally) cliff-hanging an experience as it sounds. Sharing this journey with Alex, a genuine, brutally honest and utterly hilarious man, is incredibly special. So too is the astonishing camerawork, which captures the feat from incredible angles and showcases stunning vistas.

4 stars

18 – PARASITE

Loved equally by audiences and critics around the world (currently placed at #33 on IMDB and with 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, if you don’t mind!), this masterfully mysterious film from South Korea introduces us to an unemployed family who take a curious and dangerous interest in a wealthy family. Social class is high on the agenda of this very deliberate, clever and exciting film that is hilariously laugh out loud one moment and terrifically thrilling the next. If you loved GET OUT, then definitely get onto PARASITE!

4 stars

17 – BALLOON

East Germany, 1979. Two families who are desperate to leave the GDR for the West hatch an incredibly bold plan to escape via a home-made hot air balloon. This true story is immediately suspenseful and remains that way right through until the very end, thanks largely to its structure and screenplay that presents the story from the perspectives of both the families and the Stasi Officers tracing clues as they narrow down their search. 
A story to captivate and a film that genuinely thrills.

4 stars

16 – THE NIGHTINGALE

Shot on location in the Tasmanian wilderness, the story that is told in the uncompromising yet immediately absorbing and truly excellent film THE NIGHTINGALE takes us all the way back to the colonisation of Australia in 1825. In Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania), a 21 year-old Irish convict woman has finished a seven year sentence and is hoping she’ll soon be free with her husband, but a heartless British officer has other intentions. When tragedy strikes, this young woman becomes more determined than ever to create her own freedom and enlists the help of an Aboriginal tracker to guide her safely throughout the Tasmanian wilderness. THE NIGHTINGALE, which recently won 6 AACTA awards including Best Film, isn’t an easy film to endure, but can be rewarding viewing in a variety of ways. Its strikingly authenticity, outstanding originality and the anticipation it builds just to name a few.

4 stars

15 – BURNING

Two films from South Korea in my top 20 this year! Amazing. Given the success and popularity of my number 16 movie of 2019, I almost feel as though BURNING has been incinerated by PARASITE! One of the reasons I’ve chosen BURNING slightly above PARASITE is due to the overwhelming sense of appreciation that strengthened with each passing minute after watching this mystery drama. It’s about a young man who looks after a friend’s cat while she travels to Africa. When back, she returns with an over-confident and mysterious guy that has a shocking secret. BURNING is one of those films that shows you a lot of detail and provokes a growing list of questions in the process. It is a beautifully and skillfully filmed movie that very studiously draws viewers in, evokes the feelings intended and engulfs us in its many mysteries and its meaning that absolutely stands-out. I hope you now have a burning desire to see BURNING!

4 stars

14 – OFFICIAL SECRETS

Keira Knightley gives a terrific performance as British whistleblower Katharine Gun, who leaked information to the press exposing an illegal NSA spying operation by the United States of America. OFFICIAL SECRETS is an utterly compelling true story from beginning to end and is everything I had hoped THE REPORT would and should have been. If you were completely engrossed by the collaborative and non-showy display of empathy, intellect and resilience at work in seeking justice in Oscar-winning film SPOTLIGHT, then OFFICIAL SECRETS is a must-see movie for you.

4 stars

 13 – PAVAROTTI

The representation of this documentary’s titular personality, world-famous opera star, Luciano Pavarotti, and the connection audiences effortlessly form with him are of similar quality and brought to a level that one would expect and ordinarily experience watching an Asif Kapadia (DIEGO MARADONA, AMY, SENNA) documentary. I guarantee you will have an absolutely wonderful time getting to know this hugely endearing and bubbly man that existed inside the enormously talented and passionate singer and performer the world got to know. PAVAROTTI is a superbly edited documentary with a clear purpose that places it a cut above most other documentary features. In fact, it is the best documentary feature I have seen released this year! Highly recommended.

4 stars

12 – AD ASTRA

Filmmaker James Gray has said that AD ASTRA will feature “the most realistic depiction of space travel that’s been put in a movie”.  Though I’m not the most suitable candidate to agreeably affirm this statement, AD ASTRA certainly does feature the most realistic depiction of space travel that’s been put in a movie I have ever seen! Yet, after the pre-release hype, it seems that AD ASTRA has let down audiences, judging by its solid-ish IMDB rating and a very unflattering Rotten Tomatoes audience score. As such, this completely immersive film, which eloquently conveys a very human story about an Astronaut who must accept a highly classified and dangerous new mission that will save many lives if successful, but has deeply personal connections to his past, is now one of the most underrated films of 2019. It is a very human story that conceivably exhibits a world beyond what we know of now with startling and innovative imagery and sound combined. Do not be surprised if in 20 or 30 years from now, what transpires here is based on a true story! A broadly accessible and hugely engaging science-fiction drama, AD ASTRA really did take me ‘to the stars’.

4 ½ stars

11 – 1985

The trajectory of this story involving a closeted man returning to his religious parents home over Christmas after a three year absence begins to look like a foreseeable one. Right at that moment, writer and director Yen Tan adopts a much more subtle and tender approach to the secrets his central character is harbouring, resulting in a powerful and achingly beautiful film shot entirely in black and white.

4 ½ stars

10 – BORDER

Please note, this utterly original Swedish fantasy drama is weirder than CATS, which is no easy feat to achieve! I’m also just as weird for buying this film! But heck, I absolutely loved the journey this hugely fascinating, intriguing and unsettling film took me along on. The plot revolves around customs officer Tina, who possesses a very unique sense of smell that is triggered by all potential wrongdoers entering her country. That is until she crosses path with Vore, a bizarre traveler with a particular agenda she cannot detect whom she becomes inexplicably infatuated by. The plot, its development and sub-plots sometimes enthralled me and were sometimes gloriously grotesque, yet beneath everything that is seen here is a sincere message about humanity and how we desire and connect that blew me away. BORDER is certainly not for all tastes, but those with the palate for foreign arthouse cinema are in for a real treat.

4 ½ stars

9 – SORRY WE MISSED YOU

The working collaboration between writer Paul Laverty and director Ken Loach started in 1996 and remains one of the most truest, earnest and powerful in cinema to this day. SORRY WE MISSED YOU is among the most pertinent and prominent yet. Here, these gentlemen give voice to the hard-working, yet vulnerable families subject to modern day labour exploitation in the United Kingdom as experienced under the roof of a family of four. As their situation gets further and further away from being in their control, the stress levels of viewers equally escalates all the way through to its gripping finish. SORRY WE MISSED YOU has the exact immediate and lasting impact intended and it ought to have.

4 ½ stars

8 – AVENGERS: END GAME

Here’s a plot that needs no introduction! The highest-grossing film of 2019 (so far) is exceptional at just about everything, but namely the seamless way each of its very many characters with their separate stories make a significant contribution to the overall film. This outstanding accomplishment proves that AVENGERS: END GAME is a superhero movie truly motivated by its people and stories. In the mean time, it never forgets how to entertain us with epic action sequences, remains consistently humourous and is absolutely full of heart. Escapism into a world other than our own doesn’t get much better than this pretty much perfect way to end the Avengers’ story. See, look how varied my taste is! 😉

4 ½ stars

7 – KNIVES OUT 

Do not miss what is an instant classic addition to the mystery movie family! It all begins on the morning after the 85th birthday of a well-known and highly-regarded crime novelist named Harlan Thrombey, who is found dead by his housekeeper. Many members of Harlan’s dysfunctional and greedy family quite easily accept his unfortunate passing to be self-inflicted, but not Detective Benoit Blanc, who is certain there is much more to this case than they care for him to know! How KNIVES OUT broadens its scope for clues, culprits and causes surrounding its whodunnit mystery is a work of genius that simply needs to be seen in order to be fully comprehended. These intelligently conceived and impeccably executed facets of the film are major players in it being one of the best and most enjoyable films of 2019. KNIVES OUT is driven by its plotting and characters much more so than set-piece sequences and thrills. As a result, it is inherently funny and hugely engrossing, whose very appealing ensemble cast each make memorable contributions that do not disappoint.

4 ½ stars

6 – CAPHARNAÜM

Though a work of fiction, CAPHARNAÜM is based upon true experiences and derived from hours of real footage filmed by Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki. It follows the plight of a streetwise twelve-year boy named Zain, who is beginning a five-year sentence at a juvenile prison and decides to sue his parents for giving him life! CAPHARNAÜM then retraces Zain’s life prior to this day and details the circumstances that led him to the crime he commits. Without a doubt, what makes this Oscar nominated film so special are those genuine observations made by the camera and their amalgamation with the protagonist’s story to truly emphasise its point. These components of the film are above and beyond in their endeavours to provide eye-opening insight into the daily lives of displaced and deprived refugees. An extraordinary film.

4 ½ stars

5 – THE HATE U GIVE

Top five…. now we’re getting serious! How wholly engaged I was to this story of a young lady whose life drastically changes and is unexpectedly thrust into the public spotlight after she witnesses the fatal police shooting of a close childhood friend. This film was produced and released in the heat of the #blacklivesmatter movement. As such, it intrinsically possesses a searing passion and burning intensity telling this very relevant and contemporary story. THE HATE U GIVE very realistically depicts every angle of the traumatic and terrifying scenario its protagonist finds herself in. The themes this film extracts from the story are massively thought-provoking, but above all else I just loved, loved, loved the message this movie is sending forth to audiences. I was also completely astounded by the performance from star Amandla Stenberg. THE HATE U GIVE is one of the greatest surprises of the year for me. I was expecting it to be solid and to like it. Instead, it is nearly perfect and I loved it from beginning to end.

4 ½ stars

4 – THE LION KING 

Well, well, well. THE LION KING (2019) copped an absolute pounding from the critics, mostly for its lack of originality. But I say, THE LION KING (1994) is so damn perfect, the writers behind this remake would be fools if they thought they needed to meddle with anything other than the visual depiction of this timeless and classic animated film. The technology we now have access to 25 years later has provided this opportunity to greatly enhance the overall experience, and so I commend the vision of director Jon Favreau for recognising this and for remaining committed to doing just that. It was simply breathtaking to see the many wonderful characters that populate THE LION KING come to life the way they did in this remake. For me, THE LION KING (2019) reinvented the magic of the original. The animals are so lifelike, I honestly felt as though I were watching a nature documentary at times! It was difficult to not give this five out of five!

4 ½ stars

3 – NEVER LOOK AWAY

Epic. If I could sum up this three-hour, two-time Oscar-nominated German romantic drama in just a word, it simply has to be EPIC, on every scale. In NEVER LOOK AWAY, a young man named Kurt falls in love with a beautiful fashion student named Ellie, largely because she reminds him of his Aunt Elisabeth, who introduced the aspiring artist to the world of art. This film’s timeline covers several decades and takes us through some of the most pivotal and fascinating moments in history, starting with shortly before WWII during Hitler’s reign. Over these formative years, Kurt’s life and relationship with Ellie will be impacted in ways he could never imagine…. and never look away from. NEVER LOOK AWAY is grand, artistic, beautiful, edge-of-your-seat suspenseful, tragic and features a stunning music score, is lavishly filmed, has a sweeping romance at its core and a handful of the most unforgettable scenes in any movie released this year. If you loved Pedro Almodovar’s THE SKIN I LIVE IN, this film is of very similar style and quality and is therefore a must-see.

4 ½ stars

2 – JOKER

One of the things I find most exciting in cinema is seeing the opposite side of an actor to what the world knows. Take for instance the late and great Robin Williams in ONE HOUR PHOTO or more recently Melissa McCarthy in CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? In this instance, it’s the turn of director Todd Phillips, best known for THE HANGOVER trilogy, to co-write and direct an absolutely outstanding and intense character-driven drama. I doubt anyone could have done this better! The same can be said for Joaquin Phoenix, who is just mind-blowing as the titular character and guarantees himself an Oscar victory in February. Though JOKER is deliberately ambiguous in certain areas, its brilliantly penned screenplay and characterisation work are just as much a winner. You don’t even need to be familiar with or have seen any of the previous films that feature the Joker before seeing or to understand and appreciate this magnificent film. JOKER is hugely thought-provoking and equally tragic and brilliant at once, on so many levels.

4 ½ stars

The Best Film of 2019

GREEN BOOK

I’d like to begin by acknowledging that many critics understandably didn’t take so kindly to this 2019 Academy Awards ® Best Motion Picture winner. My co-writer delves into some of the key reasons for this in her review, so feel free to read on via the link. Nonetheless, like my co-writer, I absolutely loved this film, and for so many reasons too. When executed well enough, cinema has the power to make certain people not only question themselves and their views, but I believe can instigate change for the better in a person. Often by enabling those viewers to identify a part of their very own self in the on-screen character they’re watching. This is exactly what I believe the Tony Lip’s of our world can experience by watching GREEN BOOK. This wouldn’t be possible though if it weren’t for the Oscar-winning screenplay’s outstanding characterisation work and writing, the acting and chemistry between the two lead actors and the film’s effortless and infectious success at engaging a broad audience via a perfect balance of heart and hearty laughter. The journey that transpires in this movie is meaningful, joyous and unforgettable. For me, the goodness that GREEN BOOK does bring to our world and can do in a person far outweighs the criticisms it has been subject to.

4 ½ stars

So despite my accolades for several films in my top 10, none of them quite managed to earn the prestigious 5 star rating from me. Though the top four were especially close!

Speaking of four, here are other films I awarded four stars to this year that most certainly deserve an honourable mention. Most of them are very unlucky to not be a part of my top 20 this year…

LONG SHOT
FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY
BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHE
THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM
APOLLO 11
THE GUILTY
THE FAREWELL
DIEGO MARADONA
2040
BUOYANCY
WORKING WOMAN
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
THE IRISHMAN
MARRIAGE STORY
THE TWO POPES
MINDING THE GAP
FORD v FERRARI
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
WHO YOU THINK I AM
WILD ROSE

Prior to viewing these releases, here are a number of films that I would have penciled in as a certainty to feature in my top 20 at year’s end. However, for one reason or another, the following movies did not make the final cut…

ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD (3 ½ stars)
JUDY (3 ½ stars)
VOX LUX (3 ½ stars)
EVERYBODY KNOWS (3 ½ stars)
PAIN & GLORY (3 ½ stars)
THE REPORT (3 ½ stars)
JOJO RABBIT (3 ½ stars)
TOY STORY 4 (3 ½ stars)
THUNDER ROAD (3 stars)
US (3 stars)
AMAZING GRACE (3 stars)
MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS (2 ½ stars)

Here are some movies that are better than they sound and/or were better than I expected them to be…

MISSING LINK (3 ½ stars)
MID90S (3 ½ stars)
SHAZAM (3 ½ stars)
WATCH THE SUNSET (3 ½ stars)
INSTANT FAMILY (3 ½ stars)
ABOMINABLE (3 ½ stars)
CRAWL (3 stars)
LITTLE (3 stars)

Now, let’s take a look at a few films that really sucked this year…

X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX (1 star)
THE HUSTLE (1 star)
GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (1 ½ stars)

However, worse than these films and worst of all in 2019 for me is…

HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U

Last but not least, let’s move across to my top picks for the best acting performances in motion picture films released in Australia in 2019…

Renee Zellweger in JUDY
Jessie Buckley in WILD ROSE
Natalie Portman in VOX LUX
Nicole Kidman in DESTROYER
Amandla Stenberg in THE HATE U GIVE
Florence Pugh in FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY and MIDSOMMAR

Joaquin Phoenix in JOKER
Antonio Banderas in PAIN & GLORY
Sebastian Koch in NEVER LOOK AWAY
Sunny Siliic in MID 90S
Al Pacino in THE IRISHMAN
Adam Driver in MARRIAGE STORY

Compiled by Leigh for Moviedoc
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