2019 has been a strange year for movies. Last year was a huge year for diversity. This year, no major themes or patterns have emerged outside of the feel-good rock’n’roll movie (Rocketman, Teen Spirit, Yesterday, Blinded by the Light) and the continued reign of the superhero movie. Hopefully the fall will shed some light on what is still a wide open Oscar race. In the meantime, here are a few of my thoughts on the best movies of the year. And, more importantly, here are the best movies of the year so far according to everyone else, all the websites and publications that are much more prestigious than mine.
Booksmart
I was happily surprised to see Booksmart not only on so many Best of lists but at the #1 slot on many of them. I fell in love with these characters from the first trailer and the movie totally delivered. Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein are hilarious as two nerds trying to cram four years of partying into one wild night. I can’t wait to see what these actresses do next, but I hope they work together again some day. I’m also excited for debut director Olivia Wilde’s future projects. The movie has plenty of jokes about sex and drugs but some of my favorite laughs come from the sweeter moments between the two friends when they are dancing together or showering each other with outlandish compliments. This underseen film was truly one of the gems of the year. It would be wonderful if all this critical love turned into some Oscar nominations. Maybe a director nod for Wilde? At the very least, I’d like to see it honored in the Best Original Screenplay category.
High Life
As much I dread the thought, I may have to revisit this movie some day. Everyone else sees something in it that I clearly missed. It was a dark hearted, bleak, unredeemable sci-fi flick that ultimately left me cold. And I’m not someone who has anything against Robert Pattinson. I love the Twilight films. I just felt this was an ugly movie with none of the wonder or poetry that I expect from science fiction. Where’s a Kristen Stewart love triangle when you need it?
John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
How long can they continue making John Wick movies? Probably forever since Part 4 has already been greenlit. And maybe that’s a good thing. This entry was more fun than Part 2, but nothing will ever be as surprising as being introduced to John and his world in Part 1. The knife fight alone in this one is worth the price of admission and will be my main reason for owning the blu-ray. Even though this film almost felt like it was jumping the shark (punching the horse?) at moments, it was still violent fun and there’s plenty more story worth telling.
Toy Story 4
Speaking of Keanu Reeves, his role as Duke Caboom helped make Toy Story 4 one of the most entertaining entries in the series. (Keye and Peele as Ducky and Bunny are a highlight as well.) Woody’s journey to help new friend Forky accept his place as a toy leads him to a reunion with Bo Peep and a new understanding of home. Once again, Pixar manages to find the perfect balance of humor and heart.
Avengers: Endgame
This is the #1 movie on several lists. There is some hopeful Oscar buzz for a Best Picture nod and a nomination for Robert Downey Jr. Marvel and the Russo Brothers completed a near-impossible feat. They brought an eleven-year-long story arc to a satisfying conclusion. That’s a hard landing to stick. They deserve all the accolades coming their way.
Rocketman
Even though it hasn’t made as big a splash as Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman is one of the best movies of 2019. Taron Egerton deserves to be remembered at the end of the year for his performance as Elton John. I would’ve bet there wasn’t a man alive that could have played John convincingly, yet Egerton does it perfectly and without any ego. I’ll be crushed if this one doesn’t get nods for Best Picture and Best Actor.
Us
Similarly, I’ll be disappointed if Jordan Peele’s latest horror flick doesn’t garner nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress. This isn’t just one of my favorite films of the year, it’s one of my favorite horror movies of all time. It’s about more than just a clever concept or a twist ending. The symbolism in this movie is so rich that repeat viewings just make the experience even better. It’s a movie you can explore and talk about endlessly.
Midsommar
This is 2019’s other essential horror film. While I wasn’t a fan of Ari Aster’s film Hereditary, Midsommar was an amazing, unique experience unlike anything else. He also pulled off one of my favorite things in horror that I haven’t seen since The Host—scares in broad daylight. Jordan Peele talked about the imagery and the visual language of the film while interviewing Aster and it truly has to be seen to be believed. Midsommar isn’t your typical horror movie full of jump scares. It’s more like a fever dream you’re sharing with the characters. It’s a very slow burn but it’s hard to shake afterwards.
The Farewell
I was disappointed in this one. It’s okay. I didn’t laugh and cry like I did at Little Miss Sunshine or The Big Sick. The large cast does a good job and I’ll always line up for Awkwafina. I wanted bigger laughs like the cemetery scene. The interactions between Awkwafina and the actress playing her grandmother are the best parts of the film. This will probably be overshadowed by showier films during the second half of the year.
Yesterday
One of the most satisfying movie going experiences of the year. I still stand by that statement. I don’t care that it failed to make it on anyone’s best of the year list. It’s still on mine. This love letter to the Beatles was one of the brightest spots of my summer.
Late Night
Another movie that is probably out of the Oscar race is Late Night. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed it and was hoping for some love for Emma Thompson, only Town and Country included it on their best of list. It’s a shame. It really is a solid, original comedy. Thompson and John Lithgow do some great work in it. Sadly, they won’t be recognized for it. Mindy Kahling will probably also not get a writing nomination either.
Blinded By the Light
This movie only appeared on one or two lists, probably partly due to its late release in August. It is a fun, joyous film. It’s also a must for any Bruce Springsteen fan. The movie is about a Pakistani teenager living in England who becomes empowered once he discovers the music of Springsteen. It’s this year’s Sing Street. I would love to see this movie get some recognition.
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film is also one of his most controversial. From his portrayal of Bruce Lee to Margot Robbie’s limited dialogue to that ending, there’s been plenty of discussion about this movie. Of course, Hollywood loves movies about itself. And Once Upon a Time…recreates Hollywood in the ‘60s. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt’s performances have Oscar potential. Could this be the movie that wins Tarantino his Best Director Oscar? We’ll see. The coming months may bring some steep competition.
Apollo 11
This you-are-there documentary featured previously unseen footage of the Apollo 11 launch and moon landing. It made it onto a lot of “best of the year” lists and will probably score an Oscar nomination. I regret not getting to see it on an IMAX screen.
Under the Silver Lake
David Robert Mitchell’s follow up to the buzzy horror film It Follows is a neo noir that sharply divided critics. It still found its way onto many people’s lists as one of their favorite movies of the year so far. Andrew Garfield stars as a man searching for a missing girl who uncovers a larger conspiracy. I still haven’t seen this one yet. I love detective stories. But movies where the main character may be losing their mind freak me out.
Amazing Grace
This Aretha Franklin concert film has been held up by red tape and legal battles for a long time. This year, it finally saw the light of day. Critics and audiences alike have rejoiced at getting to finally experience one of Aretha’s most powerful performances. This one may well get a Best Documentary nomination too.
Alita: Battle Angel
Despite a disappointing box office that seems to prohibit a sequel, this sci-fi film full of eye candy made it onto a lot of people’s lists. It will probably get nominated in some technical categories. I had hoped this fun movie full of strong performances would find a larger audience and give birth to a series.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
The final chapter of the adventures of Hiccup and Toothless is also the most emotional and the most visually breathtaking. It will definitely be nominated for Best Animated Feature. (Unfortunately, it will be competing against Toy Story 4.)
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Director Joe Talbot wrote and stars in this movie with his friend and co-writer Jimmie Fails. The movie is about gentrification and deals with Talbot’s attempt to restore and move back into his childhood home. The movie received a standing ovation at Sundance and won the Directing Award for U.S. Dramatic Film. I still need to catch up with this one.
The Beach Bum
Director Harmony Korine directs Matthew McConaughey as a Hunter S. Thompson type on a misadventure full of drugs and alcohol. The movie has a fun supporting cast including Snoop Dogg and Jimmy Buffett. This may pop up at the Independent Spirit Awards.
The Dead Don’t Die
Jim Jarmusch celebrates and parodies the zombie flick in his latest film. Bill Murray, Adam Driver, and Chloë Sevigney are just the tip of the iceberg of this impressive cast. This metaphysical dark comedy was one of the highlights of the summer for me.
Gloria Bell
Julianne Moore is getting great reviews for this character piece about a woman in midlife who is different things to different people in her life.
Her Smell
Elisabeth Moss (who was so good in Us!) plays a punk rocker in a downward spiral. This is supposedly one of her strongest performances. I can’t wait to see it.
The Souvenir
A film student begins to find her voice while navigating a turbulent relationship. It won the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.
The Best Movies of 2019 I Haven’t Heard Of
I love my local art house theater (www.kentuckytheater.com). But it only has two screens. So it can only show so many movies a year. And when something becomes popular, it can show even fewer movies. For instance, Once Upon a Time…is in its 5th week and The Farwell is in its 3rd. I think Wild Rose just got cancelled due to the holdovers. For this reason, there are movies I not only don’t get to see, there are some I never even hear about. Here are some of the recurring titles from the best of lists that are completely new to me.
Ash Is Purest White
IMDB describes this movie as “A story of violent love within a time frame spanning from 2001 to 2017.” It sounds pretty epic.
Birds of Passage
Google describes this as “The origins of the Colombian drug trade, as seen through eyes of an indigenous Wayuu family that becomes involved in the booming business of selling marijuana to American youth in the 1970s.” This sounds like a different take on the traditional drug-themed thriller.
Black Mother
Filmmaker Khalik Allah’s experimental film about Jamaica and a tribute to its women.
Climax
Cult film maker Gaspar Noe’s latest horror film is about a dance troupe whose rehearsal descends into a nightmare thanks to drug-laced sangria.
Diane
This is a character piece from Brazil about a self-sacrificing woman fighting an internal battle.
Dragged Across Concrete
According to Google, the plot of this movie is “Police partners descend into the criminal underworld after they are suspended for assaulting a suspect on video.” Vince Vaughn and Mel Gibson star. I’m still not comfortable with Gibson’s comeback. But the movie and Gibson have gotten good reviews.
Fast Color
A woman with supernatural powers must go on the run when her abilities are discovered. This sounds a little bit like Midnight Special. I’m very interested.
High Flying Bird
According to Google, the plot of this movie is, “A sports agent pitches a controversial business opportunity to a rookie basketball player during a lockout.” How did I miss a Soderbergh film produced by Netflix?! I’m surprised they didn’t save such a high profile project for Oscar season.
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
No, this isn’t another adaptation of the Eugene O’Neill play. According to Google, the plot of this movie is, “A man returns to his hometown after a long absence and searches for a woman he has never been able to forget.”
Sorry Angel
According to Rotten Tomatoes, “Well cast and beautifully filmed, Sorry Angel explores a young man's sexual awakening with wit, empathy, and a satisfying depth.”
Standoff at Sparrow Creek
After a mass shooting at a police funeral, a reclusive ex-cop comes out of retirement to solve the case. Wow! This looks intense! Very Reservoir Dogs/Usual Suspects.
Transit
This movie showed up on a LOT of lists. This may be THE foreign film to see. Here’s the plot according to Google: “In an attempt to flee Nazi-occupied France, Georg assumes the identity of a dead author but soon finds himself stuck in Marseilles, where he falls in love with Maria, a young woman searching for her missing husband.”
And now, the best movies of the year so far…according to everyone else.
A.V. Club
(https://film.avclub.com/the-best-films-of-2019-so-far-1835652186/amp)
selected by A.A. Dowd, Katie Rife, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, Mike D'Angelo, Jesse Hassenger, and Lawrence Garcia as of June 20
The Standoff at Sparrow Creek
The Image Book
Cold Pursuit
Grass and Hotel by the River
High Flying Bird
Sorry Angel
Apollo 11
Climax
Transit
Ash Is Purest White
Relaxer
Sunset
Us
Slut in a Good Way
Amazing Grace
High Life
Her Smell
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Little Woods
Under the Silver Lake
Asako I & II
John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
The Souvenir
Booksmart
Too Late to Die Young
Chicago Sun Times
selected by Richard Roeper as of July 5
Avengers: Endgame
Booksmart
Captain Marvel
Echo In the Canyon
Fast Color
Gloria Bell
John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
Rocketman
Toy Story 4
Us
Cinemablend
(https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2477484/the-top-10-films-of-2019-so-far-according-to-cinemablend)
selected by Eric Eisenberg
1. Avengers: Endgame
2. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
3. Booksmart
4. Toy Story 4
5. Tied: The Farewell/Midsommar
7. Rocketman
8. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
9. Tied: The Art of Self-Defense/Crawl
Collider
(http://collider.com/best-movies-2019-so-far/?amp)
selected by Dave Trumbore, Adam Chitwood, Matt Goldberg, Haleigh Foutch, Vinnie Mancuso,
as of June
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Funan
Long Shot
Us
High Flying Bird
Always Be My Maybe
The Kid Who Would Be King
Apollo 11
Under the Silver Lake
Fast Color
Booksmart
Rocketman
Toy Story 4
Climax
High Life
Her Smell
John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
Avengers: Endgame
The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
Complex
(https://amp.www.complex.com/pop-culture/best-movies-2019/)
selected by Khal, Frazier Tharpe, Dria Roland, Brenden Gallagher, Nate Houston, Damien Scott, Zach Frydenlund, Angel Diaz as of June 19
1. John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
2. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
3. Avengers: Endgame
4. Us
5. Booksmart
6. Deadwood: The Movie
7. High Flying Bird
8. Amazing Grace
9. Godzilla: King of the Monsters
10. High Life
11. Little Woods
12. The Beach Bum
13. Homecoming
14. Captain Marvel
15. Triple Frontier
16. Gloria Bell
17. Always Be My Maybe
18. Long Shot
19. The Dead Don’t Die
20. Pokemon Detective Pikachu
21. Greta
22. Starfish
23. Fyre/Fyre Fraud
24. Alita: Battle Angel
25. Shazam!
Den of Geek
(http://amp.denofgeek.com/us/movies/282640/best-movies-2019)
selected by David Crow as of August 5
1. Booksmart
2. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
3. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
4. Us
5. The Farewell
6. Midsommar
7. Toy Story 4
8. Avengers: Endgame
9. Luce
10. The Peanut Butter Falcon
Entertainment Weekly
(https://ew.com/movies/the-10-best-movies-of-2019-so-far/amp/)
selected by Leah Greenblatt and Chris Nashawaty as of June 7
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Apollo 11
Avengers: Endgame
Gloria Bell
Transit
Us
Amazing Grace
Everybody Knows
Booksmart
John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
Esquire
(https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/gmp24561951/best-movies-of-2019/)
selected by Nick Schager as of August 9
1. Transit
2. Under the Silver Lake
3. Climax
4. The Beach Bum
5. Hagazussa
6. Gloria Bell
7. An Elephant Sitting Still
8. The Souvenir
9. Apollo 11
10. Long Day’s Journey Into Night
11. Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood
12. Diane
13. Shadow
14. Ash Is Purest White
15. Birds of Passage
16. John Wick: Chapter 3--Parabellum
17. The Edge of Democracy
18. High Life
19. Plus One
20. The Mountain
21. Skin
22. The Great Hack
23. The Burial of Kojo
24. Avengers: Endgame
25. Fast Color
26. Her Smell
27. The Dead Don’t Die
28. The Art of Self Defense
29. Greta
30. Toy Story 4
Film school rejects
(https://filmschoolrejects.com/best-movies-2019-mid-year/?amp)
selected by Brad Gullickson, Rob Hunter, Luke Hicks, Kieran Fisher, Hayden Cormell, Meg Shields, Sam Olthof, Matthew Monagle, Fernando Andres, Hans Qu, Anna Swanson, Christina Smith, Ciara Wardlow, Jacob Trussell, and Kristen Reid
1. Booksmart
2. Us
3. High Life
4. John Wick: Chapter 3--Parabellum
5. Apollo 11
6. Under The Silver Lake
7. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
8. Fast Color
9. Avengers: Endgame
10. Transit
11. Rocketman
12. Deadwood: The Movie
13. Her Smell
14. Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
15. The Perfection
16. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile
17. I Am Mother
18. High Flying Bird
19. Hagazussa
20. Climax
21. The Standoff at Sparrow Creek
22. Piercing
23. Paddleton
24. Aniara
25. Shazam!
Filmspotting podcast
as of June 28, 2019
Adam Kempenaar:
1. Her Smell
2. Apollo 11
3. Transit
4. Us
5. High Life
Josh Larson:
1. Us
2. The Souvenir
3. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
4. High Life
5. Diane
GQ
(https://www.gq.com/story/the-best-movies-of-2019-so-far/amp)
selected by Max Cea, Codie Steensma, Tom Philip, and Brennan Carley as of June 7
Booksmart
Gully
The Beach Bum
Her Smell
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Bros: After the Screaming Stops
Cold War
High Flying Bird
The Souvenir
High Life
Climax
Transit
Ma
Detective Pikachu
Us
The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
Hollywood Reporter
(https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/10-best-films-2019-1218725)
selected by Jordan Mintzer, John DeFore, Todd McCarthy, Jon Frosch, Caryn James, and David Rooney as of June 17
Birds of Passage
Booksmart
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Non-Fiction
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
Sorry Angel
The Souvenir
Toy Story 4
Us
Indiewire
(https://www.indiewire.com/2019/06/best-movies-2019-so-far-booksmart-the-beach-bum-1202146819/amp/)
selected by Eric Kohn, David Ehrlich, and Kate Erbland as of June 3
Diane
Diamantino
Her Smell
Apollo 11
The Souvenir
High Life
The Beach Bum
Us
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Booksmart
LA Times
selected by Justin Chang and Kenneth Turan as of July 5
Birds of Passage
Maiden
Peterloo
Toy Story 4
Working Woman
Ash Is Purest White
Her Smell
High Life
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
The Souvenir
Mashable
(https://mashable.com/article/best-films-2019-so-far.amp)
selected by Angie Han as of June 26
1. Booksmart
2. Avengers: Endgame
3. Us
4. Apollo 11
5. Toy Story 4
6. Under the Silver Lake
7. Climax
8. Shazam!
9. The Souvenir
10. John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
New Yorker
selected by Richard Brody as of March 30
Ash Is Purest White
Birds of Passage
Black Mother
The Burial of Kojo
The Competition
An Elephant Sitting Still
The Gospel of Eureka
High Flying Bird
Hotel By the River
The Image Book
Pig
3 Faces
Two Plans & a Fancy
Us
New York Times
(https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/26/movies/best-films-of-2019.amp.html)
selected by A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis as of June 26
The Souvenir
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Her Smell
Gloria Bell
Booksmart
Rolling Thunder Revue
The Edge of Democracy
Transit
Paste magazine
(https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/06/best-movies-2019-so-far.html)
selected by Andy Crump, Dom Sinacola, Tim Grierson, Shannon M. Houston, Kyle Turner, Ellen Johnson, Will Leitch, Joelle Monique, Cole Henry, Michael Burgin as of June 12
1. John Wick: Chapter 3--Parabellum
2. Us
3. Avengers: Endgame
4. High Flying Bird
5. High Life
6. Long Day’s Journey Into Night
7. Diamantino
8. The Beach Bum
9. Ash Is Purest White
10. The Souvenir
11. Under the Silver Lake
12. The Wild Pear Tree
13. Booksmart
14. Climax
15. Homecoming
16. Transit
17. The Farewell
18. Shadow
19. Knife + Heart
20. Little Woods
21. Black Mother
22. Non-fiction
23. Dragged Across Concrete
24. Her Smell
25. In Fabric
Polygon
(https://www.polygon.com/platform/amp/2019/3/1/18240450/best-movies-2019)
selected by Karen Han as of July 4
Alita: Battle Angel
Amazing Grace
Apollo 11
Arctic
Ash Is Purest White
The Beach Bum
Booksmart
Cold Pursuit
The Changeover
Dragged Across Concrete
Fast Color
High Flying Bird
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
Midsommar
Pokemon Detective Pikachu
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Toy Story 4
Us
Woman At War
Pop Crush
(https://popcrush.com/best-movies-2019/)
as of June 14
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu
Giant Little Ones
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
Wine Country
Fighting With My Family
Glass
Captain Marvel
Us
Someone Great
Rolling Stone
(https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/best-movies-2019-so-far-travers-848881/)
selected by Peter Travers as of June 24
Amazing Grace
Avengers: Endgame
Booksmart
Diane
An Elephant Sitting Still
High Flying Bird
John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
Knock Down the House
Rocketman
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
The Souvenir
Us
ScreenCrush
(https://screencrush.com/best-movies-of-2019/)
selected by Matt Singer as of June 13
1. 3 Faces
2. High Flying Bird
3. Apollo 11
4. Us
5. Shazam
6. Homecoming
7. Avengers: Endgame
8. Under the Silver Lake
9. Booksmart
10. Triple Frontier
ScreenRant
(https://screenrant.com/best-movies-2019-so-far/amp/)
selected by James Hunt as of June 28
1. Us
2. Booksmart
3. Toy Story 4
4. Avengers: Endgame
5. Rocketman
6. Detective Pikachu
Slashfilm
(https://www.slashfilm.com/ethan-andertons-10-best-movies-of-2019-so-far/)
selected by Ethan Anderton as of July 31
1. The Report
2. Us
3. Avengers: Endgame
4. The Farewell
5. John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
6. Booksmart
7. Honey Boy
8. Blinded by the Light
9. Toy Story 4
10. Brittany Runs a Marathon
Slant
(https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-best-films-of-2019-so-far/amp/)
selected by Sam C. Mac, Peter Goldberg, Chris Barsanti, Christopher Gray, Chuck Bowen, Ed Gonzalez, Steve Mcfarlane, Jake Cole, Carson Lund, and Diego Semerene as of June 21
3 Faces
Ash Is Purest White
The Beach Bum
Birds of Passage
Black Mother
Carmine Street Guitars
Climax
Diane
Dragged Across Concrete
The Eyes of Orson Welles
Her Smell
High Flying Bird
High Life
Hotel by the River
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Pasolini
The Plagiarists
Sorry Angel
The Souvenir
Transit
Taste of Cinema
(http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2019/the-20-best-movies-of-2019-so-far/)
selected by Shane Scott-Travis as of June 13
1. In Fabric
2. Us
3. The Beach Bum
4. Dragged Across Concrete
5. Birds of Passage
6. Knife + Heart
7. Ash Is Purest White
8. High Life
9. Booksmart
10. The Wild Pear Tree
11. John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
12. The Art of Self Defense
13. Hellboy
14. Aniara
15. The Dead Don’t Die
16. All the Gods in the Sky
17. Brightburn
18. Shadow
19. Non-fiction
20. Starfish
Time
(https://time.com/5586670/best-movies-of-2019-so-far/?amp=true)
selected by Stephanie Zacharek as of May 25
The Mustang
Gloria Bell
They Shall Not Grow Old
High Life
Birds of Passage
The Beach Bum
Amazing Grace
Us
The Souvenir
Tokien
Town and country
(https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/gmp27795810/best-movies-of-2019/)
as of June 15
Greta
Everybody Knows
Us
Booksmart
Rocketman
Late Night
Never Look Away
The Souvenir
Transit
Avengers: Endgame
Her Smell
Thrillist
(https://www.thrillist.com/amphtml/entertainment/nation/best-movies-of-2019)
selected by Dan Jackson as of August 16
1. High Life
2. The Souvenir
3. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
4. Ash Is Purest White
5. Peterloo
6. High Flying Bird
7. The Farewell
8. Birds of Passage
9. John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
10. The Nightingale
11. Transit
12. Amazing Grace
13. Us
14. Her Smell
15. Crawl
16. An Elephant Sitting Still
17. Non-fiction
18. Toy Story 4
19. Gloria Bell
20. The Standoff at Sparrow Creek
21. Shadow
22. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
23. The Dead Don’t Die
24. Fyre
25. Velvet Buzzsaw
26. Booksmart
27. The Hole in the Ground
28. Alita: Battle Angel
29. Hail Satan?
USA Today
(https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/1567424001)
selected by Brian Truitt as of June 27
1. Booksmart
2. Us
3. Wild Rose
4. Avengers: Endgame
5. Long Shot
6. See You Yesterday
7. High Life
8. Fast Color
9. Apollo 11
10. John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
Vanity Fair
(https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/06/best-movies-2019-so-far)
selected by Richard Lawson and K. Austin Collins as of June 26
Alita: Battle Angel
Ash Is Purest White
Black Mother
Her Smell
High Life
Peterloo
Sorry Angel
The Souvenir
Toy Story 4
Transit
Variety
(https://variety.com/2019/film/news/the-best-films-of-2019-mid-year-1203244466/amp/)
selected by Peter Debruge and Owen Gleiberman as of June 15
Avengers: Endgame
Birds of Passage
Booksmart
Carmine Street Guitars
Diane
Gloria Bell
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Leaving Neverland
Non-fiction
Our Time
Sauvage
Shazam!
Toy Story 4
Wild Rose
Woman at War
Vox
(https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/culture/2019/6/28/18759856/best-movies-2019-so-far-first-half)
selected by Alissa Wilkinson as of June 28
1. The Souvenir
2. Her Smell
3. Peterloo
4. Black Mother
5. Us
6. The Last Black Man in San Francisco
7. Apollo 11
8. Wild Nights With Emily
9. Under the Silver Lake
10. 3 Faces
11. Wild Rose
12. Fast Color
13. John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum
14. Booksmart
15. Avengers: Endgame
Vulture
(https://www.vulture.com/amp/article/best-movies-2019.html)
selected by David Edelstein, Emily Yoshida, Angelica Jade Bastién, and Bilge Ebiri as of August 10
Arctic
Birds of Passage
Escape Room
Fighting With My Family
Transit
Climax
Diane
The Brink
Ash Is the Purest White
Us
Amazing Grace
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
Trial By Fire
Souvenir
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Midsommar
Wild Rose
Domino
Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
Crawl
Firecrackers
For Sama
Marianne & Leonard
(https://whatculture.com/amp/film/15-best-movies-of-2019-so-far)
selected by Josh Brown and Simon Gallagher as of July 11
1. Avengers: Endgame
2. Booksmart
3. Toy Story 4
4. Paddleton
5. Burning
6. Us
7. Midsommar
8. Long Shot
9. The Art of Self Defense
10. Spider-Man: Far From Home
11. The Last Watch
12. Climax
13. Fighting With My Family
14. Hail Satan?
15. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
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