A HIDDEN LIFE

“A Hidden Life” sees director Terrence Malick return to a more narrative based feature after a collection of “stream of consciousness” movies that he began with his masterpiece “Tree of Life” back in 2011. While I have enjoyed these four films with differing results, after “Song to Song”, it felt like Malick had gone just about as far as he could with this style of filmmaking, so I was very pleased when it was announced that his next film, then titled “Radegund”, would see him return to a more plot heavy film.

This new film is based on historical events that occurred during World War II in St. Radegund, Austria. It is the incredible story of Franz Jägerstätter, a simple farmer, who when called up to fight in the war, refused to fight for the Nazis nor pledge allegiance to Hitler. His refusal cost both him and his family dearly, but Jägerstätter's will could not be broken, even if his body was. This simple act of resistance sees Franz jailed and regularly tortured, whilst at home his wife Fani and their two children are treated like pariahs in their local village.

While it is true that “A Hidden Life” sees Terrence Malick tackle a linear narrative for the first time in awhile, it is still presented in the mould of his post-”Tree of Life” films, so if you were not a fan of these recent films, it is fair to say that you will not have your opinion swayed here. The film is filled with stunning imagery, his floating camera constantly on the move, while hushed voice-overs explain the feelings of the people involved in their current situation. Personally, I found the subject of the film very interesting because I have always wondered how Hitler was able to get everyone to follow his will and why no one ever stood up and said “No, this isn't right”. The obvious answer is “fear” and this is shown in the film as we see what happens when Franz Jägerstätter stands up for what he believes in, and what it ultimately costs him. While Malick regularly compares Franz's sacrifice with that of Jesus, he doesn't treat his act of resistance as heroic, mainly due to what this act costs his family. Is staying true to your beliefs worthy of sacrificing your family's happiness or is this just an act of stubbornness on your behalf? There is a scene towards the end that I found very interesting when the Nazi's give Franz an out by offering him a medical position in a hospital rather than fighting. Franz questions if he still would have to pledge allegiance to Hitler and when he is told “yes” he once again refuses. His lawyers try to explain that this is madness and that God does not care what you “say” if your heart is true, but Franz still refuses. It is this moment that I myself questioned his actions as he essentially turns his back on his wife and children for his beliefs. It should be said though that Fani, his wife, stands by Franz's decision until the end.

Speaking of Fani, for me, her character is the heart of “A Hidden Life” and the true hero of the story. Yes, it is Franz's story and he goes through immense hardship, but it is brought on by his own actions whereas for Fani, she is abused and ignored by the townsfolk over something that she herself cannot control. Malick does an excellent job of presenting scenes of Fani attempting to keep the farm running, with no help other than from her sister, while bringing up her two children and shielding them from the truth of the situation. Valerie Pachner is excellent in this role and gives the strongest and most memorable performance within the film. I also loved the early scenes with her and Franz during happier times. Pachner and August Diehl, who plays Franz, have fantastic chemistry together and you really feel the love and strong connection between the two of them. Also the scenes with Franz playing with his girls are just adorable, which does add a weight to the decision he makes later in the film, and just how much it meant to him because you can see how much he loves his kids.

When “A Hidden Life” was first announced, it was stated that Malick was going to shoot the film in German, which I applauded. However this idea was ultimately scrapped, sort of, by the time the shooting of the film began. I say “sort of” because the way Malick has tackled the language issue is to have everyone speak in unsubtitled German, to create a sense of realism of the area and situation, but if it is something that we, the audience, need to hear and understand, these lines are spoken in English. Whilst it sounds a little confusing on paper, it makes perfect sense during the film, and for the most part is a success. I must admit that some of the German actors, such as Franz Rogowski, seemed to struggle a little with their English lines but in regards to the main characters, this experiment works well. All of the voice over narration is in English, and are actually based on the real letters Franz and Fani sent to one another during this time while apart.

One thing you notice while watching “A Hidden Life” is that it looks and feels like it is a Terrence Malick film. That is to be expected so why am I making a big deal about it? The reason why is because this is the first time in a long time that he is not working with his key creative team behind the scenes. This is the first time in his entire career that Jack Fisk has not served as production designer on one of his films, and for the first time since they started working together on “The New World”, Jacqueline West is not the costume designer. Not only that but Emmanuel Lubezki is not the cinematographer on “A Hidden Life” either, who had been working in that capacity with Malick since “The New World”. His camerawork and natural lighting style had become synonymous with the films of Terrence Malick that you almost didn't know where Lubezki ended and Malick began. With this new film, it is obvious just how in control Malick is of his images within his films because he is working with a new cinematographer, Jorge Widmar, on “A Hidden Life” and yet the images are quintessentially those from Terrence Malick. He just sees the world with different eyes and sees beauty in the usually mundane. This film is no different, as it is a visual feast for the eyes, although I must admit I do wish that not every scene was shot with a wide angled lens.

While there is a lot to like about “A Hidden Life”, the film does have its fair share of problems, with the main one being its extended running time. At seven minutes shy of three hours, this is Malick's longest film to date, and unfortunately it feels bloated. I believe that with some extended trimming, that “A Hidden Life” could be a much stronger film as the story doesn't necessitate such a large running time. The opening hour of life on the farm is sublime; I loved every second of it, but it is during the second hour where we are witness to Franz being repeatedly pushed around that mental fatigue starts to set in and you begin to fidget and look at your watch. The repetitive nature of Franz's ordeal begins to tire on the audience, and there is only so many times you can watch the poor man go through the same thing before it loses its impact. The film does come good in the third hour though as questions are raised about free will, faith and the worth of Franz's rebellion. I briefly mentioned the wide angled lens above, and while yes the images are beautiful in this film, I felt this lens let Malick down during the scenes where Franz was incarcerated. His cell looked massive like he had the living space of a five star hotel, and it wasn't until we got an overhead shot of it, that we see just how cramped Franz's living conditions really are. My other big problem with this film is that you never really “feel” the war. I understand that this is not a World War II story per se but rather a story of one man during a time of war, standing up for what he believes in, but personally I felt that you needed to feel the power of the actual war that Franz was protesting against. I am sure that budget constraints play a part in this, as we sometimes hear planes flying overhead but never see them, and the war is represented, in a way, via archive footage edited into the feature, but for me, it just isn't enough. You do not feel the danger, the immediacy nor the approaching touch of this war.

Overall, there is a lot to like about “A Hidden Life” although it is far from perfect. As usual for a Terrence Malick film the visuals are just stunning, but the overinflated running time do take their toll on the viewer. It was fantastic to see this great director tackle a linear narrative again, but I would be lying if I didn't want him to take one extra step back and make another film in the style of his first three films. The film poses an interesting question to Franz's ideal which is that it is “better to suffer injustice than to do it”, but does this still stand true if your loved ones also have to suffer because of it? As usual, I look forward to the next film from Terrence Malick which he has already finished filming (it is titled “The Last Planet” and is the re-telling of several episodes in the life of Christ), but I hope that the post production schedule isn't as long as the three years it took to finish “A Hidden Life”.

3.5 Stars.

 

2019 - IN REVIEW: MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2020

Just like every year that has come before it, there are a plethora of new releases that are slated for release in 2020 that I am eagerly anticipating. From last years list, I'm still waiting on releases for Joe Wright's “The Woman in the Window” and my most anticipated film from 2019, Paul Verhoeven's “Benedetta”, which delayed its post production schedule after the director needed hip surgery and is now due this year. Obviously these are still hugely anticipated and should be considered an extension of the below list (but I do not like including the same titles for multiple years). Besides the titles below that I am shining a spotlight on, 2019 will see a number of new and exciting films from talented directors, the likes of Terrence Malick (“A Hidden Life”), Zach Snyder (“Army of the Dead”), George Clooney (“Good Morning, Midnight”), Francois Ozon (“Summer 84”), Dee Rees (“The Last Thing He Wanted”), Zhang Yimou (who has two films coming out in 2020, “One Second” and the gangster film “Rock Solid”), Sion Sono (“Prisoners of the Ghostland”), Sean Durkin (“The Nest”), Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”), Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”), Christopher Nolan (“Tenet”), David Fincher (“Mank”) and Andrew Dominik (“Blonde”) to name but just a few. All of the above I am looking forward to, but the below eight films are my most anticipated films of 2020.

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

This is the brand new film from director Edgar Wright who promises the film to be a psychological horror film in the vein of Roman Polanski's “Repulsion”. Although details about the film are very limited, I hope that Wright goes for it in terms of darkness and stays away from sprinkling any form of comedy within the film. I have always thought due to his strong visual style that Wright would be perfect to make a great thriller / horror film, if he could reign the comedy in just once. Hopefully that is what we will see with “Last Night in Soho”. The plot synopsis on imdb is as follows: “A young girl, passionate in fashion design, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer. But 1960s London is not what it seems, and time seems to fall apart with shady consequences.” Wright definitely seems to have cast the film well with both Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie (who was excellent in both “Leave No Trace” and “Jojo Rabbit”) appearing to have major roles, with Emma Peel herself, Diana Rigg also in the cast list.

HALLOWEEN KILLS

Of all the films on this list, “Halloween Kills” has the potential to be the worst I believe. It is the latest film in the never ending saga of masked killer Michael Myers, a series I cannot help to love, but it is also the middle film of the latest trilogy, which is a bit iffy as you know the story will not end satisfactorily with any real meaning. It will be a set up to the final film, “Halloween Ends”. Like most of the titles on this list, there actually isn't too much known about the film except by looking at the cast list, a lot of the characters from the original 1978 “Halloween” film seem to be making an appearance. I wonder if they think enough is enough, and they go hunt for Michael Myers this time around? Anyway, director David Gordon Green returns for the same duties to continue the story from his 2018 version of “Halloween”, so from a technical standpoint, you can at least expect it to impress there.

GREEN KNIGHT

I have yet to be disappointed in a film directed by David Lowery, so the inclusion of “Green Knight” on this list is based on his reputation alone. For some reason, I seem to go into Lowery's films underestimating just how good a director and storyteller he actually is, and always come out thinking how great that was with “Pete's Dragon” being the perfect example. This new film is described as “a fantasy re-telling of the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.”, which I have to admit I am not familiar with, but a fantasy film in the hands of David Lowery, complete with Alicia Vikander in the cast, certainly has me excited. I am also pleased to see that Lowery has used his cinematographer, Andrew Droz Palermo, and production designer, Jade Healy, from “A Ghost Story” for this film too.

MACBETH

C'mon, how many versions does there need to be of this classic Shakespeare tale?? I do not know the answer to that, but the majority of the films based on it, do happen to be excellent. But what could make another version so anticipated, especially so soon after Justin Kerzel's very good film from 2017? The simple answer is that this “Macbeth” is being directed by, none other than Joel Coen, sans his brother Ethan. For the first time in his career Joel Coen is directing a film without his brother by his side, and it will be thrilling to see how much of a difference that makes. Also interesting is the fact that Denzel Washington has been cast as Macbeth (this marks the first appearance of Washington in a Coen Brothers film) and Joel Coen's wife, Frances McDormand is filling the role of Lady Macbeth. I must admit that out of all of Shakespeare's plays that I am familiar with, “Macbeth” is the one I respond to the most, so it goes without saying that I am very excited to see the finished product of this one.

ON THE ROCKS

I've said this before but whenever Sofia Coppola has a new film, it is always a big thing for me, so that is the reason for the inclusion of “On the Rocks” onto this list. The film is about “A young mother who reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York”, which seems to hint that their may be some autobiographical element to the film. Not that Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia's dad, has ever been described as a “playboy” but he is definitely larger than life, and I am sure would attract most of the attention of any room he entered. The most exciting thing about “On the Rocks” though is that it is the first time Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray have worked together (on a narrative feature) since their masterful film, “Lost In Translation”, way back in 2003 (oh my god! Has it really been that long since that film came out???). Thankfully Coppola is also reuniting with Phillip Le Sourd, whose cinematography on Coppola's previous film “The Beguiled” was just sublime. I must admit that I have a very good feeling about “On the Rocks”.

GRETEL & HANSEL

Yes this is another horror film, but it is also the brand new film from director Osgood Perkins (the son of Anthony Perkins) who directed one of my favourite horror films of the past ten years; the absolutely chilling “February” (re-titled “The Blackcoat's Daughter” in the US). He then followed it up with another stunner, the Netflix ghost story “I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House”. In the space of two films, Perkins has risen in my eyes from unknown to a modern horror master and I have been anxiously awaiting his third film to be released. It has been four long years between films, and while the film has yet to get a release date here in Australia, it is being released in the US in a couple of weeks on January 31^st. Unlike the rest of the films on this list, we know what this film is about and even have two trailers for it. It is a re-telling of the Brother's Grimm fairytale, but with more of a focus on Gretel, thus the change in title. From what has been revealed through the trailer, it appears to have a strong visual sense, with a pronounced angular look to its production design. Frankly, I have been thrilled by what I have seen so far, and it has made me even more excited for the film. Perkins seems to have made a great choice too in casting Sophia Lillis, from the “It” films, as his “Gretel”. I am not sure how “Gretel & Hansel” will go at the box office though, as it definitely has an arthouse feel to it, but I cannot wait to see this thing.

UNDINE

Even though I am the only person on the planet who was underwhelmed by Christian Petzold's most recent film, “Transit”, this does not make me any less excited for his new one. Petzold has come out and stated that he is beginning a new trilogy that will be based on German myths and fairytales, which sounds like heaven to me. The first of the trilogy is “Undine” that has been described by the production company like so: “Named after the water nymph that seduces men in a number of mythological tales, the German director’s new movie will portray Undine as a history graduate who works as a guide in Berlin in the present day. After her partner leaves her for another woman, she is cursed and compelled to kill the man who betrayed her and return to the waters she was once summoned from. Yet unlike the mythological character, in the film, Undine tries to defy her fate. Immediately after the break-up, she meets Christoph, an industrial diver, and falls in love with him. The two have a wonderful time together until he realises that she is running away from something and starts to feel betrayed.” This sounds absolutely wonderful, and I cannot wait to see Petzold attack the fantasy elements within the film which I hope are pronounced, as opposed to being more allegorical or restrained. Petzold has reunited with his stars of “Transit”, Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski, for “Undine” with Beer playing the title character, and as usual, the film will be shot by Hans Fromm. This one is going to be amazing, I can feel it!

THE FRENCH DISPATCH

My most anticipated film of 2020 is none other than Wes Anderson's latest, “The French Dispatch”, which is his first live-action feature since 2014's “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, which is his best film to date. In between these two films, Anderson made the fantastic animated comedy “Isle of Dogs” . Amazingly, all we still know about the film is that it is “a love letter to journalists set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional 20th-century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in "The French Dispatch" magazine”. To be honest, I do not really care what the story is about because I would be excited for this film no matter what. Wes Anderson just does not make bad films, and his voice is totally unique in cinema today that he always stands out over most of the dreck produced regularly in Hollywood. As usual, Anderson has filled his film with a very strong cast the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan, Kate Winslet, Lea Seydoux, Elisabeth Moss, Bill Murray, the list goes on and on.... His creative team around him remains the same too will Robert Yeoman returning on cinematography duties, with Alexandre Desplat writing the score. I must admit that I am stunned that as of yet we do not even have a still or poster for “The French Dispatch”, let alone a trailer. They must really be trying to keep this thing a secret, which suits me fine, as I would love to go into this a cold as possible with none of its surprises ruined. Anyway, I cannot see how this will not be genius and that is why it is my most anticipated film of 2020.

Well, that is it. My enormous round up of the year that was 2019 is finally over. Hopefully you enjoyed reading it and got something out of it, but how about we go back to watching some new films now?

2019 - IN REVIEW: TOP TWENTY BEST FILMS: #10 - 1

10. HIGH LIFE

Director Claire Denis makes challenging films, refusing to spoon-feed her audiences. Her films are smart, intense and carry a sensibility towards life that is uniquely her own. She makes films like no other and is uncompromising, and she respects her audience enough that she asks questions in her films, without giving an answer at times. That all said, I have definitely found some of her previous films challenging in the past, particularly her well received and reviewed 2013 film, “Bastards”. Her latest is a science fiction film that, shock horror, is unlike any I had seen before and is also her first shot in English. Right from the opening five minutes of “High Life”, I knew that I was going to love it, and I was right as I ended up being mesmerised by this film. It is set in deep space on a spaceship where the inhabitants are all death row prisoners, given a second chance at life by being a guinea pig on a space mission to find and film a black hole. However, one of the inmates on the ship is also conducting her own mission, by performing experiments on the others, attempting to create a pregnancy while in space. As time passes, and relationships break down, life on the ship becomes a violent, bloody affair with plenty of bodily fluids on display too. As I mentioned above, this is not your normal space film, as Denis plays with time, telling the story in a non-linear fashion giving us, the audience, fragments of moments. While these moments may seem inconsequential at the time, they usually have greater meaning as the film goes on, and give you a deeper knowledge of the story as you put the pieces together. However, I will say that there is a brief moment set on Earth on a train, that I am still baffled by. While at times “High Life” can be a violent and bloody film, it is not interested in big action set pieces, as it is a film that you feel more than anything and Denis excels at creating a sensual experience, thanks in large part to the impressive soundscapes she has used in the film. The film is filled with a bizarre collection of characters, some better defined than others, and once again Robert Pattinson shows how great of an actor he really is, as the main character of Monte. I particularly loved his quiet interactions with the baby. Juliette Binoche is her usual great self, playing a character whose moral compass is clearly lacking as she is willing to do anything to get what she wants, and the lovely Mia Goth impresses in an intense role. “High Life” is shot by Yorick Le Saux so it is no surprise that the images within are stunningly gorgeous. I should briefly mention that “High Life” is definitely not for everyone, as those that like to be challenged watching a movie, will get more out of it than your average viewer. I saw the film with my wife (who is a massive Robert Pattinson fan), and while I loved the film, she absolutely hated it.

9. UNCUT GEMS

Speaking of Robert Pattinson, he was the star of “Good Time” which was the Safdie Brothers previous film before “Uncut Gems”, and due to the greatness of that film, I was excited for whatever they did next. What they did was create a film that sees Adam Sandler return to dramatic acting for the first time since 2002 when he made “Punch-Drunk Love” for Paul Thomas Anderson, and Sandler totally smashes it out of the park; he is outstanding. Like that earlier film, “Uncut Gems” has this internal momentum that never sees the film slow down for a minute; just like Sandler's Howard character's lifestyle, it is constantly on the move, going from hustle to hustle in an attempt to make a quick buck. The film is set in New York in 2012 where we meet a jeweller named Howard who is always attempting to make a big score by placing high stakes bets with borrowed money, and jewellery he has pawned from his store for the short term. However the walls begin closing in on him, as debt collectors demand the money he owes them, whilst Howard is also dealing with his upcoming divorce from his wife, while putting in appearances with her family at the same time pretending they are still together, as they have yet to tell their kids. When all seems hopeless, Howard sees a final chance to come out on top, which surprisingly involves Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett, but his plan must be executed like clockwork for it to have any chance. This is exciting filmmaking from the Safdie Brothers, and after both this and “Good Time”, I think it is safe to say that we are witness to a new and important voice in cinema. The film is raw and gritty and just feels of the moment, but it is also so exhausting. As I said, like Howard himself, the film never stops and yet the Safdie's never lose control of their film for an instant, using very fluid camera work and some incredibly long and complex camera moves to tell their tale, thanks to cinematography superstar Darius Khondji. While the majority of the film is set in the dark world of grifters, what makes “Uncut Gems” so special is the way it also details Jewish home life and rituals within the extended family. This is a such a great film, (although it does have quite the potty mouth) with brilliant performances throughout (surprisingly Kevin Garnett is also fantastic as his role increases as the film progresses), and stunning music from Daniel Lopatin. I can see “Uncut Gems” having a huge cult following in the future.

8. BACURAU

The latest film from director Kleber Mendonca Filho, who this time shares directing duties with Juliano Dornelles (who was the production designer on Filho's previous films), is something of a departure from the types of films he previously has made, but it is no less brilliant. “Bacarau” is an exciting mystery that sees a small self contained village slowly ostracised from the rest of Brazil, as all roads leading to it are blocked and they soon realise that the town no longer exists on any map. When the cell phone service also suddenly disappears, and the regular water truck arrives riddled with bullet holes, the residents of Bacurau know that something is up and that they are likely under attack. Though whoever is behind all of this, they are in for a surprise as the residents of this small town rise up to defend what is theirs and what they believe in. What is so great about “Bacurau” is the set up to the whole mystery. Like the locals of Bacurau, we do not know what is going on and only find out as they do. It is incredibly suspenseful because we know that something isn't right, but have no idea exactly what it is. When we do find out though, thankfully it doesn't disappoint, although it does change the tone and style of the film as it is less about suspense and more about action, as the residents prepare to defend their little town. An element that Filho and Dornelles have excelled at is the creating a sense of community amongst the locals. They all feel like they have lived together for awhile and know and accept each other's flaws and eccentricities. This connection is established early in the funeral scene at the start of the film. You witness them mourn together and feel genuine loss for the departed, and their togetherness is just as strong during the end as they fight for their lives. If there is any negative to “Bacarau” it is that the ending feels a little short changed compared to its lead up, but this is minor nitpicking of a great film. “Bacurau” is a well paced film, filled with some stunning images (the water filled coffin is great), held together by a superb ensemble cast. For those that are squeamish, beware, as the final half an hour of the film is very violent and bloody. Click here to read my original review.

7. ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

We are getting to that part of this list where you will notice films that appear on almost every top ten list for 2019, but there is a reason for this: they are all bloody good films. Anyway, Quentin Tarantino's ninth film is a love letter to the Hollywood he knew and loved when he grew up, and the perfect recreation of that era is just sublime. What I love most about it though is that it was all done physically and not with the aid of cgi, and it is clear from the minute details that this is an era close to Quentin's heart. The film is set particularly in 1969, which is important for its extended finale, but it also is a moment in Hollywood history that was the end of an era. Once the 70's took over, cinema changed as the studio system was lost forever, and in “Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood” we watch both Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth look at Hollywood as a place they no longer recognise. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that this film has no plot, it is definitely what you would call a “hang out” film where you literally just hang out with the characters rather than follow an extended narrative. Rick Dalton is a fading television star, known for working on a string of westerns, while Cliff Booth is his long term stunt man. Over the years of working together, the two have become best friends, and we are witness to them both as they wander around Hollywood either on set working, or just driving around the streets. As usual for a Tarantino film, “Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood” has been expertly made, shot on film with cinematography by Robert Richardson who, once again, impresses with his genius. Something that I did notice while watching this film is just how great Tarantino has become at moving the camera this late in his career. Some of his camera moves are just exquisite, but work superbly well in context of whatever scene is being shot. Now, I need to talk about the finale of this film which will involve spoilers, so if you have yet to see “Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood” and do not want it spoiled, skip to the next entry on this list right now. So one thing you do need to have some understanding of to get the most out of this film is Charles Manson and the brutal murder of Sharon Tate. Tate, played by Margot Robbie, plays a significant role in the film as she lives next door to Rick Dalton, and anyone who has some knowledge of her fate, can see where this film is heading and why the year of 1969 is so significant to this story. However this is another of Tarantino's “what if” scenarios similar to the massacre of Hitler in “Inglourious Basterds”, except where I found that bit of altered history exhilarating, the same cannot be said for “Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood”. In the end, the Manson girls end up in Rick Dalton's house instead of Sharon Tate's, due to them being high as a kite, and both Dalton and Booth beat the living crap out of them and killing them, leaving Sharon alive and well to have her baby with husband Roman Polanski. Hooray for Hollywood!! But it does not work for me, because even though these were bad girls with murder on their mind, they never actually got close to committing that crime in the film, so the very brutal, and lets face it, misogynistic beating the girls cop, especially at the hands of Cliff Booth, is a punishment far more harsh than the “crime” they have committed. In “Inglourious Basterds” Tarantino is able to get away with his revisionism because Hitler is still Hitler in that moment and deserves everything he gets, however I do not think it is the same thing with the Manson girls here. In the real world, we know what they did and thus would deserve it, but in the film, they never get a chance to do what history shows they ended up doing. Plus, it is all so brutally done, with the constant bashing of the girl's face into the glass, that I found it a little crass. I also think Tarantino got the tone all wrong in the scene, playing it for laughs, especially when the flame thrower comes out. It is a miss-step in an admittedly great film, which would've been even higher on this list if not for my misgivings of its ending.

6. PARASITE

No doubt the foreign film darling of 2019, Bong Joon-ho's “Parasite” is a film that seems to have connected with everyone, and is universally loved. I have said before that Bong Joon-ho just does not make bad films, but his previous film “Okja” was my least favourite from his filmography. “Parasite” is a massive return to form. It is an incredible black comedy about class struggle, the haves and the have-nots and how the constant looking down on the less fortunate by those that have, causes a powder keg effect within them that is ready to explode in violent retaliation. What is so great about Bong Joon-ho and his films is that he has always attacked social issues within them, but he does so in an entertaining way that never comes across as though he is teaching his audience something. The opening hour of “Parasite” is absolutely perfect as we are witness to a lower class family infiltrate the lives of a well to do one, as they are individually hired by them in different roles without their employers knowing they are all from the same family. The manipulations of the rich family are so funny, but smartly Bong never demonises either family. Both families are handled respectfully. As most people are aware by now, halfway through “Parasite” there is a major twist that sees the film change from a black comedy into a thriller, and while I do not think the second half of the film works as perfectly as the first, it only misses by the tiniest of margins. From the technical side of things, Bong also doesn't put a foot wrong as, like all of his films so far, it has been expertly shot, has a great score and his handle of changing tones is second to none. The ensemble cast all give superb performances but as usual, Song Kang-ho steals the show as the father of the poorer family; he is absolutely hilarious in the first half of the film before being the heart of the more dramatic second half. I was also very impressed by Park So-dam who plays his daughter and who I wasn't aware of before this film. “Parasite” won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, it just won the best foreign film award at the Golden Globes, everyone loves this film; just do yourself a favour and see it! You will not be disappointed.

5. DUMBO

As I already highlighted this film in my “Most Surprising Film of 2019” section, I will keep this brief but again, I absolutely loved Tim Burton's take on “Dumbo”. When the film was announced, I could not imagine how a live-action version of the story would work at all, but Burton proved me wrong creating his best film since “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” from 2007. He lovingly references the animated classic a number of times, while cleverly removing the elements that would not work (for example, the talking animals) in live-action. While the original story only takes up an hour of this new film, the extended story of Dumbo searching for his mother in the second half is beautifully handled and filled with well earned emotion. This is also helped enormously by Danny Elfman who creates one of his most memorable scores yet for a Tim Burton film. Take my advice and disregard the negative reviews this film received and take a chance on this new version of “Dumbo” as I am sure that you will end up very pleasantly surprised in how great it actually is.

4. THE IRISHMAN

In any other year, any of these next four films could have been the best of that year; that is how strong 2019 ended up being at the top. “The Irishman” is the latest crime epic from Martin Scorsese and it is nothing short of a masterpiece. It is baffling now knowing how long in gestation this project was before Netflix stepped up and funded it. It is a sad indictment on the state of Hollywood, that no one was willing to give money to see this film made; especially when the finished product is so strong and one of Scorsese's best. What makes “The Irishman” so great is the film's final half an hour, where we witness these ageing gangsters, alone and full of regret for the brutal things they did when they were younger, waiting until it is their turn to be killed. It is about getting older and looking around and realising that there is no one left; not your family, not your friends, even your enemies are gone, and you have to look within yourself and ask if it was all worth it. Being that is what “The Irishman” is ultimately about, it really was the perfect film for Scorsese and the gang to make at this point in their careers, and it also feels like the perfect swansong for this type of film, an exclamation point if you will. The film is just superb, and even at three and a half hours long, it just flew by. I was very lucky to have been able to see “The Irishman” in a full cinema as there was no way I was going to have my first viewing of a Scorsese gangster epic be on my television set. I had to travel over an hour to get to the only cinema playing the film in Melbourne, but it was definitely well worth the trouble. Let's talk about the gang now, shall we? I have to say that it almost brought tears to my eyes to see Robert De Niro command the screen like he once did regularly; he is simply outstanding as Frank Sheeran, the film's main character, but it was Joe Pesci who surprised me the most, and the way that Scorsese used him. It has become well known that Pesci turned down the role of Russell Bufalino multiple times, refusing to come out of retirement but thank god Scorsese never gave up until he changed his mind because he is the MVP to come out of “The Irishman”. In the previous Scorsese gangster films, he always cast Pesci as the violent, loose cannon. He was in your face, and unpredictable. However, he goes the other way in “The Irishman” giving a quiet, understated performance, that also commands power. You can tell he demands respect but he doesn't do it in a aggressive manner at all. I wasn't expecting this kind of performance from Pesci at all, but he is just superb. It is crazy to think that this is the first time that Martin Scorsese and Al Pacino have worked together, but like De Niro, this is Pacino's best role in years playing the infamous union boss Jimmy Hoffa. It is a very “classic” Pacino performance as he shouts and gets animated at the drop of a hat. It is the showy role of the film, but it works wonderfully well. Besides these three great actors, Scorsese also found a brief (but important) role for Harvey Keitel, with the rest of the cast littered with great actors. I particularly liked Anna Paquin playing the grown up version of Peggy, Frank's daughter. She has very few lines in the film but makes an impression nonetheless, and her chemistry with Al Pacino was lovely. Now briefly a little about Scorsese's contribution to the film, and I loved that for this gangster epic, he handled it completely different than his previous ones. The filmmaking is still mind blowing, but from a style point of view, he has toned it down totally. There is nothing glamorous about this lifestyle at all, as the gangsters never look “cool” at all, and the violence within the film while bloody, is very, very quick. It is never lingered upon once. What makes the main difference though is the fact that it is about an old man looking back on his life, so the tone of the film is more melancholic than expected. I have to make mention quickly about the de-ageing process used in the film, as we see these characters at various stages of their lives, and for me, it was never a problem at all. With the exception of one tiny scene, when a “younger” Robert De Niro threw a punch like a seventy year old, I never focused on it for a second. “The Irishman” is a brilliant film that deserves all the accolades it has been receiving, and if you haven't seen it yet due to the film's extended running time, just do yourself a favour and rectify the situation, as you barely feel the time passing while watching this latest Scorsese masterpiece.

3. PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

The sign of a great movie is when you can sit in the worst seat in a cinema, front row on the very side, while totally exhausted at a film festival to the point that you could not focus at all on the previous film that finished minutes prior to the next one starting, and you still get totally blown away by what you are watching. This is the scenario I faced while watching Celine Sciamma's masterful “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”. It was the second last film I saw for the entirety of MIFF, and I was totally burned out, and briefly considered skipping it due to how much I struggled with the previous session. Obviously I am glad that I didn't do that as I ended up being witness to one of the great romances ever presented on film. The film ended up winning the “audience award” at MIFF which is the highest voted film by MIFF audiences at the festival and it was no surprise as you could just feel it within the cinema, that we all knew as a collective, that we were witness to something very special; the kind of film that does not come around very often. As the credits began, I heard a woman behind me very simply just say “wow!” like she was totally overcome by what she had just watched. The film is about a young painter, Marianne, who is commissioned to do a wedding portrait of Heloise. The catch is that she must do so without her knowledge, as Heloise is totally against the wedding arranged for her, and thus refuses to sit and pose for such a painting. Marianne must closely study and examine Heloise's features while out on day walks with her, so when she returns to the house at night, she can paint the portrait from memory. Initially, these walks are almost in silence, but the women continually get closer as time progresses. This is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking romances I have ever seen in cinema. The first half is just sublime, with the two girls sharing time together but barely saying a word to one another. Everything is done in looks and observations. The subjective point of view shots are so perfect as the camera lingers over Heloise's facial features, her neck, her ears, and her hair. While initially these looks are innocent in nature, they soon change to looks of desire, and suddenly the film becomes very sensual and incredibly erotic, even though very little skin or actual sex is shown on screen. The film almost plays in two halves with the opening half being very cold and quiet, but once the girls finally connect, the film bursts with warmth, colour, laughter and love. As such the performances from the two actresses, Noemi Merlant and Adele Haenel as Marianne and Heloise respectively, also change as the tone of the film does. It is interesting to note that Marianne seems more in control of the tone of the situation in the first half, while that control shifts to Heloise as love enters the second half of the film. Most movie romances are shown via the male gaze but here it is the female gaze and it is a completely different feel. Men express love more in terms of sexuality, whereas women do so in terms of sensuality. The distinction isn't massive but it certainly changes the romantic dynamics which is why this film stands out so much. “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” also has my favourite scene of all of 2019 too, when the women head to the beach at night. Around a camp fire, a large group of women start singing a piece of classical music via acapella and it makes the hair on your neck stand tall. It starts with hums and clapping and before long the music is in full effect and......WOW!! The whole scene is also so emotional too; you cannot help but be moved by it all. This scene also then relates to the film's finale, which I have to say is just perfect; it is devastating, heart wrenching and packed to the gills with emotion, but it is perfect none the less. I think it is probably the best ending to a film since Christian Petzold's “Phoenix” from 2014. I cannot praise this film enough, and implore everyone to see it if they get the chance. It warms my heart that the rest of the world appears to have been spellbound by this film as much as I have; it is something very special. Click here to read my original review.

2. PAIN AND GLORY

I came very close to making the number two spot on this list a tie between Pedro Almodovar's latest “Pain and Glory” and “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”, because I just couldn't split them; they are both truly magnificent films. However what finally tipped the Almodovar film over the edge is that unlike “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” which I went into with no expectations at all, I went into “Pain and Glory” expecting something special. In my experience, there is more chance of being disappointed by a film when you go in expecting it to be good, so when that film ends up exceeding your lofty expectations, it is enough to tip it over the edge into the number two spot. Pedro Almodovar is one of my favourite directors of all time, and his latest film is a thing of absolute beauty and one of his very best films. It is a much smaller in scope and less melodramatic than the films he is famous for, but it is filled to the brim with emotion. It is about coming to terms with the past, and reconnecting with it, so moving ahead into the future becomes easier. It looks at what it is like for someone used to the spotlight, or the “glory” if you will, and the pain they feel when that light is taken away from them and they are unable to do what they love to do most. Most of all though, “Pain and Glory” is about ageing and coming to terms with it. The film is about a film director named Salvador Mallo who is one of Spain's greatest living directors. Well known around the world, he is thought of as a national treasure. However, behind closed doors Salvador is a man struggling with many physical ailments, particularly back related, that find it hard for him to shoot films. It has been awhile since he last made a film, and since cinema is his life blood, this inability to do what he is most passionate about has sent Salvador into a deep depression. Constantly medicated for the pain he suffers, Salvador sleepwalks through life, failing to find inspiration to write again. While getting high on heroin, Mallo starts to remember key moments of his life and the people that meant so much to him and helped shape him into the man he became. These dabbles with heroin predictably send him further towards rock bottom, but a chance encounter with an ex-lover may be just the thing to send Salvador Mallo onto the path of proper healing. There is no doubt that Almodovar has taken from his own life and experiences, but just how autobiographical this film actually is, I am unsure. The whole thing feels very honest and personal though. Almodovar chose Antonio Banderas to play Salvador Mallo, and he has rarely been better. He is very understated in the role and he says so much just through his age weary eyes. It is such a mature performance that had me mesmerised from go to woe. It just felt so honest and real and what I loved most about his performance is that even though he is playing a character based on Almodovar himself, he chose not to mimic the director with his flamboyant gestures, but created his character from scratch. As always, the filmmaking craft is second to none in “Pain and Glory” with Pedro Almodovar at the very top of his game. Jose Luis Alcaine, once again, returns as the director of photography and gives the film a more intimate feel than is usual for his collaborations with Almodovar. “Pain and Glory” is a beautiful looking film, but is never flashy which is perfect for this quiet human drama. Almodovar's other greatest living collaborator, Alberto Iglesias, delivers yet another fantastic score, this time in quite a playful fashion. I also have to say that the ending of “Pain and Glory” is pure perfection, and I welled up with emotion when the credits began. Do not miss this film. Click here to read my original review.

1. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

My favourite film of 2019 is Barry Jenkins exquisite romance “If Beale Street Could Talk”. While the film came out most places in 2018, we weren't blessed with this masterpiece in our Australian cinemas until Valentine's Day of 2019. Even back then, I was fairly sure that this would be my favourite film of the year or if it was to be beaten, it would take a mighty film to do so (and I must admit that a few got closer than I expected). “If Beale Street Could Talk” is also the only film that I watched four times this year, which I think says a lot about just how great this film is. The film is about a young black couple, Tish and Fonny, growing up in Harlem in the 70's, falling in love and wanting to start a life together. However, just when everything is looking up, it all comes crashing down when Fonny is sent to jail for a crime he didn't commit. Soon after, Tish learns she is pregnant with Fonny's baby. Fearing that Tish may have to bring up their child alone if Fonny can not get out of jail, Tish's mother searches for the woman who claimed she was raped by Fonny to get her to understand she made a mistake identifying him. What makes “If Beale Street Could Talk” so amazing is that it is both the most beautiful depiction of a young love, while also being as equally heartbreaking in its depiction of the unjust that was common place to African Americans living in Harlem back then. Jenkins smartly tells the story in a non-linear fashion so we are never bogged down with either the highs or the lows, rather we get to experience both close together. So when we are enjoying how good life is for Tish and Fonny as they find themselves their first home together, we then get brought back down to earth as we return to Fonny's incarceration. The film is also striking in its depiction of family and the differences between the families of both Tish and Fonny. Tish is lucky to have a family that supports her fully and demands she keep her head high and proud over her pregnancy. Meanwhile, Fonny's family, particularly his mother and sister react the complete opposite, claiming the baby will be born of sin and are totally against Tish from having it. Interestingly, Jenkins doesn't demonise Fonny's mother for her outlook on life, rather he presents it as being an extension from the way she herself was brought up. For the film to work as well as it does, Jenkins needed to find the perfect couple to embody the characters of Tish and Fonny and he did so in Kiki Layne and Stephan James. Both are wonderful, but importantly, they have fantastic chemistry together. You totally believe that these two have known each other all their loves and that their love for one another is deep. I was especially impressed by Layne who has a wide eyed innocence to her, before it is lost to the reality of her situation. Speaking of her eyes, I absolutely adore the scene when Tish and Fonny go to the Spanish restaurant for dinner where Fonny's friend works. Just the way she silently watches the man she loves interact with his friend, seeing an aspect of him she hadn't seen before, is just so uplifting. And then later on, when the camera pans down and shows that he has never let go of her hand.......these are little, but absolutely stunning moments. The technical side of “If Beale Street Could Talk” is just as perfect as the narrative side. The cinematography from James Laxton is just exquisite, as is Nicholas Britell's haunting score. I rarely mention music in my reviews because it is something that I know little about, but the music in this film is so, so beautiful. It moved me immensely. In regards to Laxton's images, I know that Barry Jenkins is a huge fan of Wong Kar Wai, and there were a number of times during “If Beale Street Could Talk”, particularly in the images, that I strongly felt this influence. Two scenes in particular reminded me of Wong Kar Wai, the first being the slow motion shot of Fonny working on the wood with his cigarette smoke filling the room as he works, and the other, when the couple leave the restaurant, walking home in the rain with their umbrella. Another aspect of filmmaking that I rarely mention is costume design, but like everything else in this film, Caroline Eselin's clothing choices are spot on perfect for both the era and characters alike. So is there anything I dislike about “If Beale Street Could Talk”? Frankly no, it is as close to a perfect film as you can get and that is why it became my number one film of 2019 early on in the year, and stayed that way right to the end. In a year of impressive films, “If Beale Street Could Talk” stands out from the pack. It is an exquisitely beautiful film.

Well there you have it, that was my  round-up of the year that was 2019; hopefully you got some enjoyment out of it. Now before I finish, lets have a brief look at the upcoming year and my most anticipated films of 2020.

2019 - IN REVIEW: TOP TWENTY BEST FILMS: #20 - 11

Let's get onto the good stuff finally.  I am not going to do any honorable mentions, this is it, my top 20 of 2019, and while the title of this list states that these are the "best" films of 2019, that is not really the case, these are my "favourite" films of 2019.  Alright, enough talk, lets begin with my:

TOP TWENTY BEST FILMS OF 2019

20. TONE-DEAF

This is a film that I gather will be unique to my “best of” list of 2019, as the latest film from Richard Bates Jr is one that has been beset with unfavourable reviews. It is a film that has been universally panned but for me, I thought “Tone-Deaf” was absolutely hilarious and I loved every minute of it. I just seem to “get” Richard Bates Jr and his movies, as this is the third of his four movies that have made it to my end of year list. Only his sophomore effort, “Suburban Gothic” failed to make an impression on me, with his debut film “Excision” totally blowing me away. When I say that I “get” him, I do not mean that I am superior in intellect in any way and those that dislike the film must be void of intelligence, rather that I just seem to be on the same wavelength as Bates Jr, at least in a tonal and comedic sense. His latest film is a very dark comedy about the battle between baby boomers and today's millennials; the fact that they do not gel together and think that the other's way of lifestyle lacks any credence. The boomers think the millennials lack a hard work ethic, whilst the entitled millennials believe the boomers have no sensitivity towards the planet, people's feelings and work with racial stereotypes only. Battle lines are drawn when young millennial Olive rents a countryside house from a widower named Harvey, who thinking he doesn't have a huge amount to live for, decides to tick off a certain item from his bucket list, namely killing someone. And what better person to kill than the representation of the world he hates today. Amanda Crew and Robert Patrick are both hilarious as the archtypes of their generation, each possessing killer comic timing armed with Bates Jr's very funny script. When the film gets dark, this impressive director does not skimp on the blood and gore either. Some of the funniest moments in the film have to do with Harvey's dream sequences who keeps dreaming of modern art baffled by just how it qualifies as art in the first place. However my favourite moment comes right near the end when Harvey forces Olive to play the piano for him; the very piano where he witnessed his wife committing suicide in front of. Olive, believing she is some kind of musical prodigy, starts playing and only a couple of bars into it, is forced to stop with him yelling “Stop! Stop It! YOU'RE JUST AWFUL!!”, but when Olive looks at him quizzically and says “what?”, Robert Patrick had me on the floor with his bewildered delivery of the next line, “YOU DIDN'T KNOW???”. Oh my god, I was in hysterics! Anyway, I know the film only has a rating of 4.8 currently on imdb, but I say give “Tone-Deaf” a chance; you may be like me and end up loving it!

19. A RAINY DAY IN NEW YORK

Ah, there is nothing like the political minefield of liking a Woody Allen film. Anyway.....the latest film from Allen is an absolute delight and my favourite film from him since “Vicky Christina Barcelona” from 2008. It is about a young college student, Ashleigh, who gets an interview with famous director, Roland Pollard, that is to take place in Manhattan. Being as this is a place they have always wanted to go together, Ashleigh and her neurotic boyfriend, Gatsby, decide to make a weekend of it. When Ashleigh meets up with the filmmaker, her interview expands into something more as she finds Roland during a moment of self-doubt and worth, even pondering retirement. She is invited to a screening of his latest film to give her opinion, which begins a day of wacky misadventures with a large number of people she meets from the movie world. Meanwhile, separated from his girlfriend, Gatsby wanders the city, bumping into old friends and finding himself on set of a modern “film noir” movie where he does a scene with the sister of his ex-girlfriend. Gatsby and the girl, Chan, spend some time together, and Chan amusingly messes with Gatsby's mind, getting him to think some “funny business” may be going on with Ashleigh and Roland. Not only that but Gatsby remembers that his mother is having her annual party this weekend, and he is determined not to go, and must attempt to dodge his mother or anyone that may know her. This very funny comedy, bordering on screwball, is one of Woody Allen's best. He has cast the film wonderfully, and everyone gives stellar performances. The cast is filled with stars the likes of Jude Law (who is almost unrecognisable), Liev Schreiber, Rebecca Hall, Diego Luna and Selena Gomez and they are all fantastic, giving light, fun, vibrant performances. The main stars are Timothee Chalamet and Elle Fanning, and they are so good. Chalamet performs completely different than in any other film I've seen him in, and he is just amazing, proving that he appears he can do know wrong (at least onscreen), but it was Fanning that I was most surprised in due to her brilliant comic timing. She is often at the centre of my favourite moments in this film due to her chipping in with the silliest comment at the perfect time. I loved her in this! Finally, Manhattan has never looked better (in the rain), thanks to the expert cinematography from the master Vittorio Storaro. I must admit that I was surprised by how much I loved Woody Allen's latest film; Oh! And I adore the poster for the film too.

18. DOCTOR SLEEP

As many people have already noted, Mike Flanagan did himself no favours in attempting to follow-up one of the most beloved horror films of the 1980's, “The Shining” directed by Stanley Kubrick. It is a classic of the genre and is so well known, that you do not have to have seen “The Shining” to know certain scenes from it: the “Here's Johnny” axe attack being the ultimate example. So how on Earth did Flanagan have the balls big enough to believe he had it in him to not only deliver a worthy follow-up to the Kubrick classic, but to also create his own film that stands on its own two feet?? Truthfully, I do not know how he convinced himself other than he obviously believes in his own talent, because he succeeded in doing both those things supremely well. As big a horror fan as I am, I have to admit that I am not a massive fan of “The Shining”. It is an expertly made film, no doubt about it, but I find the film a cold experience, lacking in emotion and I think that Jack's transformation happens far too quickly without natural progression. “Doctor Sleep” on the other hand is filled to the brim with emotion, but this has always been a strong focus of director Mike Flanagan's work. There is a genuine human connection between the audience and Danny, as he struggles with being an alcoholic and going down the same path his father did. We care about his plight, which makes the ending of the film when he goes back to the Overlook Hotel to fight his mental demons, that much stronger. Away from Danny, and “Doctor Sleep” also works so well as a horror film; it is dark, scary and mean. Early on, Flanagan lets his audience know that he isn't messing around when he brutally kills a child character. From this moment, you know that anyone in this world could die. The highlight of the film is Rebecca Ferguson who plays the film's main antagonist, Rose The Hat, the leader of the Top Knot cult. I never suspected that Ferguson had this in her, as she is terrifying in the role, but what I also liked was that she also had a vulnerability within her too. There is a classic scene when she believes that she has infiltrated the young girl's mind, only to find the tables turned and the girl is in her mind. The terror she feels in this moment when she realises she is not in control is expertly played by Ferguson in this moment. And I loved her entire look too. There is loads of praise I could heap on “Doctor Sleep” (the recreation of the Overlook Hotel and the classic moments within it are just spot on), but all I will say is that this is a fantastic horror film and to give the film a chance, because you will not regret it. The fact that this film flopped at the box office is just the most ultimate tragedy because it is one of the smartest and original horror films to grace cinema screens in ages, and importantly, it is also very scary. One final note, I must say that currently Mike Flanagan is the best horror director we have working today.

17. MARRIAGE STORY

My favourite Ingmar Bergman film happens to be 1973's “Scenes From A Marriage” which is about an unhappy couple engaged in conversations about love, infidelity, loneliness, fulfilment through marriage and identity. The extreme honesty in these conversations and situations that Bergman presents us make it at times a painful experience to sit through, but it is also so powerful at the same time by how human and real it all is. Noah Baumbach's “Marriage Story” is almost the modern equivalent to Bergman's film, even though stylistically they are both very different and narratively, the story's differ somewhat too. What is the same though is that extreme honesty that permeates the film, and just how painful it can be watching the characters going through their divorce. Another thing that is the same is that I also loved “Marriage Story”, despite and because of how painful it is. Baumbach has never been the visual stylist Bergman was, but he excels at giving his actors the space to be their characters and the security to be so vulnerable when they break down. “Marriage Story” is really an actor's piece and Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver have never been better. Despite the title, the film is really about the divorce of Nicole and Charlie (played by the aforementioned actors), and what I really loved about the film is that Baumbach never favours either of the characters, representing both sides fairly. He is not afraid to point out though that even when both parties enter divorce wanting to be fair to the other person, it is such a destructive process that it inevitably becomes about “winning”. He particularly seems sour in regards to lawyers and the law, who appear at times to focus more on their client winning than listening to exactly what their client wants. Baumbach has never been afraid to use autobiographical moments in his film, and his own recent divorce from actress Jennifer Jason Leigh no doubt helped in creating the film's honesty. Another aspect of the film that is great is that the film isn't just about two people divorcing, rather it is two people divorcing whilst attempting to stay together as a family, as the two share a young son together. There is a heartbreaking moment when Adam Driver's character expresses that by Nicole and their son moving to another state, it will be as if he loses the ability to ever parent his son again, and that he needs his son to know that he fought for him. However, the greatest scene in “Marriage Story” happens towards the end, when Nicole and Charlie meet up away from the lawyers in an attempt to deal with their problems fairly for each other. What starts off as a conversation with good intent ends up descending into the most vicious name calling with one of them exclaiming that they wished the other dead before breaking down in tears. It is a long scene and a tour de force from both Driver and Johansson, and again, it is so so painful. I cannot stress just how great these actors are in “Marriage Story”, and how good the film is itself. I wont lie to you and say that it is a fun time at the movies, but it is definitely a film that will make you feel. It is a stunning achievement by all involved.

16. KNIVES OUT

Rian Johnson's latest film, the murder mystery “Knives Out” was probably the most entertaining and out and out fun film that I saw all year. Not once in the whole two hours was I bored, nor did my attention ever waver, rather I was totally enthralled by this twisting, turning murder whodunnit. Whilst I was not one of those who hated Johnson's Star Wars outing, I must admit I was extremely happy when I saw him commit to “Knives Out” as his next film as it felt more in line with the kinds of films he made earlier in his career, such as “Brick” and “The Brothers Bloom”. Johnson has cobbled together quite the amazing cast here with big names filling out most of the roles. What I also like is that Johnson has used most of these actors against type, and they all excel in these different roles. I was particularly impressed by both Jamie Lee Curtis and Don Johnson, but really everyone is great, with Ana de Armas being the standout, which works out well for the movie as she is the story's main character. It is obvious that the entire cast is having a ball making this film, especially Daniel Craig, who plays the “Jessica Fletcher” role with a deep fried southern accent. “Knives Out” is also quite the visual feast with Rian Johnson and his regular cinematographer, Steve Yedlin, giving the film a bright and stylised appearance with some impressive camera moves and angles thrown in for good measure. These types of films are only as good as the mystery within them, and “Knives Out” ticks that box beautifully, whilst being as convoluted and confusing as you would expect, but by the end it all makes sense. Lionsgate's official synopsis of the film describes it as such: “When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death.” As you no doubt have guessed by now, Detective Blanc “suspects foul play”. This is just a fun time at the movies, and I am pleased to hear that Johnson is currently righting another instalment of Benoit Blanc's misadventures of crime.

15. THE VICE OF HOPE

One of the very last films that I saw in 2019, I immediately fell in love with the beautiful sadness of this Italian film from director Edoardo De Angelis. “The Vice of Hope” is set in a seaside town just outside of Naples, known for its lawlessness, where its inhabitants suffer in poverty doing whatever it takes to survive. Our main character, Maria, is a participant within the black market of selling babies, but who finds her job increasingly difficult to do when she, herself, falls pregnant. She starts to lose her cold edge, suddenly seeing these mothers-to-be as real people rather than just a transaction. Things become increasingly hard for Maria when she allows one of the pregnant women escape to let her keep her baby, as her employers find her decision to do so traitorous, and thus want to find Maria and kill her. To make matters worse, is that she has fallen under the spell of the vice of hope (hey, that's the title); believing that perhaps things in her life could get better and have meaning if she were to have her child. However, in the dark world of drugs, prostitution, addiction and the trafficking of children, surely hope is only the beginning of more pain, as the chances of escaping such a world while deep within it, are next to none. To be honest, I have no idea why I loved this film so much. Do not get me wrong, it is superbly directed, well shot, has a fantastic lead performance from Pina Turco and is chock full of emotion, so I am not blind to the fact that this is a great movie, but sometimes you just connect to a film and its characters right from the get-go and that is exactly what happened to me with “The Vice of Hope”. I just loved it so much. The film has a kind of urban fairytale quality to it too which may be another reason it resonated with me so much, which is similar to De Angelis's previous film “Indivisible”. I thought the film's neon soaked cinematography was wonderful, and sometimes when done well, sadness can also be beautiful. There is a wonderful scene about half way through the film when Maria and friends end up at an old amusement park and ride one of the old attractions. In this moment we see Maria at her happiest, as she almost appears to regress back to her childhood, forgetting the seriousness of her current life and enjoying this one moment. And sadly, that is exactly what it is, because even as you are watching it, you have a sense that this moment will be as happy as Maria will ever find herself. I must make mention of the performance of Massimiliano Rossi who plays Carlo Pengue in the film, the only character who appears to have any human decency within him. He is so warm and full of empathy, even though his life is also touched with sadness. What made his performance stand out so much though was that he was also in “Indivisible” playing a character totally lacking in human decency; a character I hated with a passion, and I couldn't believe it when I realised they were both played by the same man. Anyway, there is a lot more going on in “The Vice of Hope” that I have yet to mention too, so if you get a chance, I recommend seeing the film. Most people do have a problem with the film's ending, and I must admit that it was the only part that I didn't love, mainly because it seems to go against the tone and feeling of the rest of the film, but it is growing on me.

14. ANGEL OF MINE

I saw “Angel of Mine” at MIFF this year, totally unprepared for how much I was going to love it. It is an Australian film directed by Kim Farrant whose previous film, the Nicole Kidman starring “Strangerland” I didn't really connect with. That was not a problem with Farrant's latest film as it hit me like an emotional gut-punch. “Angel of Mine” is a dramatic thriller that sees a mother, Lizzie, grieving for the daughter she lost years earlier in a hospital fire, become convinced that the young sister of her son's friend, is actually her daughter. Going off her meds and becoming more and more infatuated with the idea that her daughter is still alive, Lizzie starts to lose her grip on reality and begins to regularly stalk the family in attempt to spend time with Lola, the little girl. As her obsession grows, it becomes increasingly dangerous for everyone involved, including Lizzie. While there are lots of things that I loved about “Angel of Mine”, the main reason is because of the very intense performance from Noomi Rapace as Lizzie. She is simply fantastic and gives everything in this role, to the point that she is incredibly scary at times. She is also able to convey the immense sadness a parent must feel when they lose a child, and Rapace is truly heartbreaking in some scenes. But really it is her intensity that is so impressive. She is known for going deep into roles, but it has been some time since I have seen her attack a role as aggressively as she does that of Lizzie; amazing performance! Rapace has a worthy foe in Yvonne Strahovski who plays Claire, the mother of Lola. There are a number of times when they come face to face and Strahovski is strong enough to hold her own against Rapace and command her half of the scene. The girls are centre stage of “Angel of Mine” but are ably supported by both Luke Evans and Richard Roxburgh who play the husbands. I particularly liked Roxburgh's soft and sensitive performance, and the way that he doesn't immediately demonise Lizzie, understanding how much the poor woman must be going through after losing her daughter. There is an unexpected empathy in him that actually feels very real and human. Besides the performances, I also loved the look of “Angel of Mine”; cinematographer Andrew Commis has created a lush looking world where colours stand out, even though they may be more on the pastel side. It is an incredibly beautiful looking film, and an added pleasure is that the film was shot here in Melbourne too. I must admit that I have been disappointed in the response to “Angel of Mine” and actually expected it to make more of a mark than it ended up doing. It came and went from cinema screens in Australia very quickly, and when it hit home video in America, I was dismayed by people describing the film as a “Lifetime” type movie. It is nothing of the sort! It is deep, meaningful, emotional, painful and very human. It deals with themes of loss, the struggle to move on after suffering a tragedy, mental illness, intuition, and obsession, and I recommend “Angel of Mine” wholeheartedly. I really hope more people see this film, as not only is it impressive as a drama, it is also a cracking thriller too.

13. KNIVES AND SKIN

This film came out of nowhere and is totally amazing! The thing that is mentioned most when people talk about “Knives and Skin” is David Lynch's “Twin Peaks”, and as much as I am a fan of Lynch, over the years I have begun to realise that anything considered a little weird or different, often gets branded with the term “Lynchian”, although very few of these films are even close to having the same feeling as a David Lynch film; they are just weird. As such, I now tend to stay away from things deemed to be “Lynchian” because they rarely are, and yet, something kept clawing at me to give “Knives and Skin” a chance, and boy am I glad that I did. By the time the film was over, I thought it was something very special. And yes, it did indeed have that David Lynch feeling to it while, importantly, also being its own thing. The story of “Knives and Skin” is about how a midwestern community reacts when a schoolgirl goes missing. While initially the town appears to be the perfect place to live and bring up a family, the truth is much less appealing as most people are lost, and just trying to make their way through life, as we are witness to their private moments and the darker underbelly of the town. As you can see, the comparisons to “Twin Peaks” are apt, and yes, “Knives and Skin” is also very weird too. The most amazing thing though is that “Knives and Skin” is also (kind of) a musical as characters regularly burst into song. Ok, I should note that most of these scenes do take place during choir practice but there is one song where all the characters of the film take part in the singing moment, including the missing girl, and it is just sublime. It would take a lot of guts to attempt a scene like this, because the chance of it falling very flat are big, but writer/director Jennifer Reeder gets it just right, making it a highlight of this great film. Like a lot of the films on this list, “Knives and Skin” is also a very painful film as most of the characters are going through something, but it is the portrayal of the lost girl's mother that is just devastating. Marika Engelhardt is shockingly good as this poor mother barely existing in a day to day life. Her body is there, but she is no longer present, swallowed by her enormous grief. She dresses in her daughter's clothes (and her bra, as she tells someone) for the whole film and appears in a daze throughout. There is something so heartbreaking about it all. I find this film hard to talk about because it is full of different characters and plots, and so many weird things happen in the film, but it all feels true to the world Jennifer Reeder has created and to her character's experiences. This is definitely not a film for everyone, but those that like something a little different, and not of the norm, I cannot recommend “Knives and Skin” enough. It is a revelation and I cannot wait to watch it again.

12. BIRDS OF PASSAGE

Going into my viewing of “Birds of Passage”, I actually had no idea what I was walking into. Although I hadn't seen “Embrace of the Serpent”, the previous film by director Ciro Guerra, I was aware of it and assumed that “Birds of Passage” was another journey through a culture I was unaware of, like that film. I had no idea that I was about to be witness to the most incredible gangster story I've seen in a very long time. Set in a small village in Colombia, Rapayet and his family inadvertently get involved in the trafficking of marijuana. While it initially makes them all wealthy, both greed and the corruption of wealth causes the family and the small village where they live, to be ultimately destroyed. “Birds of Passage” blew me away! From a filmmaking perspective, it is a sublimely made film. Right from the opening frame, you know you are in great hands, as the film is beautifully paced and expertly shot, but it is the story that is just so compelling. I think the thing that I loved most about “Birds of Passage” was the way you see the traditions and culture of this small community begin to mean less and less to the group as they become more corrupted by money. At the start of the film, we are witness to this beautiful mating dance ritual that means everything to the community, with one character being chastised just for showing up late to it. They all look out for one another and they are like one big family. However as soon as the drugs enter the picture, it all changes, with paranoia setting in, no-one trusting anyone or looking out for one another anymore. Suddenly the beautiful old patriarch of the group becomes like the “Godmother” willing to kill anyone threatening their new business. The film becomes very violent but it is also filled with the most beautifully surreal moments too, that give “Birds of Passage” a uniqueness. While I guess you could say that the film is predictable in where the story ends up, it is the impressive journey getting there that makes you forgive the familiar conclusion. Not only that, but the final shootout at the mansion in the desert is something else. It is the exclamation point to this fantastic movie!

11. BLISS

I was a big fan of Joe Begos's previous two films, “Almost Human” and “The Mind's Eye”; both films were a throwback to the 80's style of genre story, with their influences worn proudly on their sleeves. Begos's new film, “Bliss”, is something completely different and took me totally by surprise. The film is about a young painter, named Dezzy, who hasn't produced a piece for months. With the bills pilling up, and no money coming in, Dezzy turns to hallucinogenic drugs hoping for some inspiration. She hits up a dealer friend, who supplies her with a new strain called “Bliss” but explains to only take a little as it is super strong. She doesn't listen and takes a massive hit of the drug, causing her to go through some sort of trance before blacking out. When she wakes though, she sees the beginning of a new painting, and its good. She takes another hit in an attempt to finish her masterpiece that then sees her descend into a hell of drug addiction, casual sex and insanity. Except this time when she wakes up, she is covered in blood, and very hungry for another hit. Joe Begos has created one of the best horror films I have seen in ages. The film is exhausting as it never slows down for an instant, with both the camera and Dezzy constantly moving. It is so full on, that I wasn't even sure whether or not I actually liked or hated “Bliss”. The last time this happened to me, where I was so disturbed by a film that I couldn't initially tell how I felt about it, was Richard Bates Jr's debut film, “Excision”, but like that film, I also ended up realising that I actually loved “Bliss”. While his first two films appeared to be riffs on John Carpenter, this time around Begos has created an experience that Gaspar Noe would be proud of. It is raw, it is intense, it is visceral, it is gritty and it is kinetic. There is actually a quote on the trailer that compares “Bliss” to a marriage of the films of Noe and Abel Ferrara and I actually think that is a spot on comparison. Speaking of the trailer, I must admit that I am super annoyed that they give away the type of horror film this ends up evolving into. It is a great surprise and like everything else in this film, I was not ready for how far Begos would go with it. “Bliss” is a ridiculously bloody film by it's end and I freaking loved all of the practical special effects on display here. Thankfully the film is also only 80 minutes long because as I mentioned above, at the constant insane pace that the film moves, it really is an exhausting experience and any longer, I think would've worked against the film. I cannot speak highly enough about “Bliss” and recommend it to all horror nuts. It is certainly different from the norm, and may not be for everyone, but I found it a hugely rewarding experience. I must also give a shout out to actress Dora Madison who goes above and beyond in her portrayal of Dezzy and who is in every scene of “Bliss”; just like the film itself, she is simply outstanding.