Mr. Movie: 2019: A Movie Perspective
Movies were better in 2019. At least I found myself liking more of them than most years. Movies also made a killing at the box office in 2019.
“Avengers: Endgame” — $858,373,000
“The Lion King” — $543,638,043
“Toy Story 4” — $434,038,008
“Captain Marvel” — $426,829,839
“Frozen II” — $421,682,862
“Spider-Man: Far from Home” — $390,532,085
“Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker” — $362,186,406
“Aladdin” — $355,559,216
“Joker” — $333,494,002
“It Chapter Two” — $211,593,228
We saw six movies based on super hero comic books released in 2019. Four of them ended up in the top-10 best grossing films of the year. Three are from Marvel and one — “Joker” — from DC Comics. The other two are “Shazam!” (19) and “Dark Phoenix” (44).
Four of the top-10 grossing movies are from Disney. That includes “Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker” which is owned by the studio. The income total for the four films is approximately $1.117 billion.
Of films in the top-10, three are good movies. One — “Joker” — is a great movie. The rest rank from so-so to awful. I’m confident I’m the only critic that included “Toy Story 4” on my worst of the year list. While it isn’t the worst movie by a long shot, it is one of the most disappointing and — in my opinion — was done purely to pack in some profit.
In 2019 we saw 27 sequels and 16 remakes. Proof — as I’ve been saying for years — that the movie industry is rapidly running out of fresh ideas. The remakes include the awful live-action versions of Disney animated classics.
The good news is not as many TV shows as usual got made into movies. Two of the four — “Downton Abbey” and “Dora The Explorer” — were well done and fun. The other two “Charlie’s Angels” and the animated version of “The Addams Family,” sucked.
Bladder Busting
Movies were longer — or seemed so — in 2019. For those that saw it in theaters, the biggest bladder buster of them all is “The Irishman.” It ran 3:29. I caught it at a 10 a.m. screening. I get up early and drink a pot of coffee before 10. No way do I make it through that movie.
In my review I sent this message to director Martin Scorsese: “Gone with the Wind,” “Ben Hur” and “The Ten Commandments” had intermissions.
Netflix
Other movies busted bladders, too, but there are too many to note them individually. “The Irishman” hasn’t been that much of a problem for most who’ve seen it and who will eventually see the film. It had a very brief theater run for award consideration and then went directly to Netflix where people can hit the pause button when nature calls.
The other two films getting lots of award attention are “The Two Popes” and “Marriage Story.” They, too, were done for Netflix and after an even briefer theater run, ended up on the network.
The Future of Movies & Theaters
A few years ago I interviewed actor, writer, director Dax Shepard and his wife Kristen Bell. He’s best known for the TV show “Parenthood” and her resume includes both Frozen movies. In our conversation, he said TV is the “new movies.” In other words, Shepard and Bell feel that people now would rather see movies in the comfort of their own homes and that some of the best work being done in movies is being done for streaming services and for television.
Translation: people are much happier watching movies in the comfort of their home.
“The Irishman” and “Marriage Story” seem to prove that point. However, some of the films I’ve seen on Netflix aren’t all that good and looked more like the crap we used to endure on TV movies of the week than anything original or worth watching.
I’m not a TV watcher so I can’t comment on that side of things.
That said, Netflix, Apple and Amazon are making more movies. Instead of putting them in theaters, most go straight to their streaming services. This is the future. So where does that put theaters?
On the offense.
In 2018 Regal was picked up by Britain’s Cineworld and Chinese-owned AMC bought out Carmike in 2016. It is the biggest chain in the world and Regal is a close second. Both chains are going all out to get people back into theaters. They have instituted monthly pass options that seem to be having positive results.
That leads to more questions than answers. How does it impact profits? Theaters still have to pay the movie studio most of the price of a movie ticket. Can they sell enough popcorn, sodas and candy to offset that bottom-line cost?
Will studios cut theaters a break in order to get people back into them to watch their products? That remains to be seen. And — last — when does Regal or Cineworld or AMC start making their own movies?
2019’s Best Movies
The best film: “The Irishman”. There is no competition. It is just the best of the bunch when it comes to story, acting and directing. The movie is based on a book and it appears that Martin Scorsese put every page of that book into the movie.
Honorable mentions in no particular order
“Parasite”: The most original film of the year.
“Jojo Rabbit”: Nazis have never been more interesting, or dare I say fun? You have heard a lot of criticism of the movie promoting Nazism but if you see it, you’ll note that the criticism is unfounded and unfair.
“Uncut Gems”: Finally, Adam Sandler does some real acting and he’s incredibly good.
“1917”: The most original use of cinematography in decades.
Others: “Ford v Ferrari”; “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”; “Marriage Story”; “Motherless Brooklyn”; “Rocketman”
The Worst of 2019
So many movies and so little space. As always, I am picking from films that were supposed to be incredible but — in my book — ended up terrible disappointments. The three that stand out the most are:
“Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker”: The franchise died when Harrison Ford’s Han Solo was killed in “The Force Awakens.” And the reboot movie trio just isn’t that much fun. It was the fun and the swashbuckling adventure of the first series that made us fall in love with “Star Wars” in the first place.
“Toy Story 4”: The third movie was the perfect ending for Woody and his toy pals. It’s the only movie I’ve ever been to where critics cried. That says it all. I cried in this one because it appears to have been made simply to pad profits.
“The Good Liar”: Coulda and shoulda been a great film considering it has two of the best actors of all time, Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen. It just gave them nothing original to do.
Others: “Ad Astra”; “Queen & Slim”; “Cats”; “Pet Sematary”; “The Sun is also a Star”; “MIB International”; “Lucy in the Sky”; “Gemini Man”
Best Actors
Joaquin Phoenix tops the list for his incredible work in “Joker.” He goes from hysterical laughter to real tears in mere moments and perfectly plays a man pushing the envelope of sanity. Plus, for once the D.C. Comics’ character is actually in a good movie.
Close but Not Quite
Adam Sandler: He ought to be doing drama all the time. His work in “Uncut Gems” is a gem.
Edward Norton: Plays the perfect Tourette syndrome victim in the mystery thriller “Motherless Brooklyn.”
Shia LeBeouf: He wrote “Honey Boy” based on his boyhood acting experiences with his father and then plays the father character in the movie. Brilliant piece of acting and close to as good as Phoenix.
Honorable Mentions
George Mackay — “1917”
Christian Bale — “Ford v Ferarri”
Adam Driver — “Marriage Story”
Leonardo DiCaprio — “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Brad Pitt — “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Best Actresses
Cynthia Erivo’s work in “Harriet” gets my nod for the best. This is a really powerful performance in a movie that ought to have been longer and gone deeper into Harriet Tubman’s incredible life. The abbreviated, two-dimensional story is unfortunate. Erivo manages to overcome that and give Tubman three dimensions. Look for her to win Golden Globes, the Oscar and other awards. She’s that good.
Close but Not Quite
Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lopez: Johansson’s work in “Jojo Rabbit” and Lopez’s acting in “Hustlers” is supporting acting. But both give mind-blowing performances and helped anchor their movies.
Emma Thompson and Cate Blanchett: Thompson made the cheesy chick flick “Late Night” a total hoot. Blanchett thrives on complex characters, shines in this one and in “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” joins Thompson as one of the year’s two best female narcissists.
Others
Saoirse Ronan — “Little Women”
Jillian Bell — “Brittany Runs a Marathon”
Florence Pugh — “Midsommar”
Charlize Theron — “Bombshell”
Margot Robbie — “Bombshell”
Nicole Kidman — “Bombshell”
Jodie Turner-Smith — “Queen & Slim”
Disappointing Movies
“The Dead Don’t Die” and “Zombieland”: Bill Murray, Adam Driver and a slew of who’s who actors and zombies? What’s not to like? “The Dead Don’t Die” wastes them all and — unfortunately — turned out to be dead on arrival. The same with “Zombieland”. We love the characters and the first movie is the best zombie movie ever. The really unnecessary sequel is one of the worst.
“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”: More Tom Hanks and Mr. Rogers and less of the made up story about the reporter.
“Yesterday”: We all love The Beatles and this almost sci-fi comedy about a world that doesn’t remember them had incredible potential but with nowhere clever to go, falls flatter than a badly done three-part harmony.
The Most Fun, Sleepers & Guilty Pleasure
Three movies this year get the award for being the most fun:
“Knives Out”: A wonderful and very funny and quite original whodunit.
“Good Boys”: What pre-teen boys don’t know about sex had me howling and produced the most laughs done in any movie this year.
“Brittany Runs a Marathon”: First of all, I fell in love with Jillian Bell who is really good in this deep and deeply written comedy about a young woman battling weight, insecurity, love and the grueling training it takes to run a marathon.
Sleepers:
“Dolomite is My Name”: Eddie Murphy has a blast in this one and while few people saw the film, this biopic is getting much deserved award nominations for Murphy and the movie.
“Fighting with My Family”: No wresting for me on picking this one. It’s a biographical account of a family of wrestlers and how one of them managed to capture the attention of the WWE. Lots of laughs and some dramatic moments.
Guilty Pleasure:
“John Wick Chapter 3”: I lost count on the body count halfway through the movie but who cares?
“Midsommar”: Ari Aster’s second flick is as disturbing a horror movie as you’ll ever see.
“Hobbs & Shaw”: Two Fast & Furious characters get their own movie. It’s predictable but Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham have a lot of fun and it translated to a lot of fun for the rest of us.
“Happy Death Day 2U”: I didn’t see the original film but the sequel is the most fun I’ve had with a horror movie in a long time.
The 77th Annual Golden Globes
This Sunday on NBC, the Hollywood Foreign Press will present the Golden Globe Awards to the best of the best in movies and TV. I won’t watch. Several years ago I got tired of the presenter and award-winner political rants and now boycott this, and all other, award programs.
However, I am interested in who gets nominated and who’ll win the awards.
By the way, this year two of my all-time favorite human beings will get special awards. Tom Hanks will receive the Cecil B. deMille Award for his outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry. Ellen DeGeneres gets the second Carol Burnett Award for contributions made to television and the impact her career on the industry.
Last year Burnett picked up the first award and it has been named after her.
Best Picture — Drama
“1917”
“The Irishman”
“Joker”
“Marriage Story”
“The Two Popes”
Three of the nominated films — “The Irishman,” “Marriage Story” and “The Two Popes” — were really made for Netflix. They had brief theater runs. All are great movies but “The Irishman” just has no competition.
The Award goes to: “The Irishman”
My pick: “The Irishman”
Best Picture — Comedy or Musical
“Dolomite is My Name”
“Jojo Rabbit”
“Knives Out”
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
“Rocketman”
A much tougher category than drama. Any of the five could pick up the award. To decide I’d have to put names in a hat and draw one out and I’d be happy with whichever one got picked. However, I have to pick one.
In that case it’s a toss-up between “Jojo Rabbit” and “Knives Out” but neither really has a chance.
The award goes to: “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
The name picked from my hat: “Jojo Rabbit”
Best Director
Bong Joon Ho — “Parasite”
Sam Mendes — “1917”
Todd Phillips — “Joker”
Martin Scorsese — “The Irishman”
Quentin Tarantino — “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Surprise! The most ambitious directing didn’t come from Martin Scorsese who packed the story of the assassination of Jimmy Hoffa into a 3 1/2 hour movie. That belongs to Sam Mendes whose cinematography in “1917” is indescribably complex and like nothing I’ve ever seen in a movie.
Neither will win, however. The accolades are being given to Bong Joon Ho whose “Parasite” is the most original movie of the year and maybe the most original in many years.
The award goes to: Bong Joon Ho
My pick: Martin Scorsese
Best Performance by an Actress — Drama
Cynthia Erivo — “Harriet”
Scarlett Johansson — “Marriage Story”
Saoirse Ronan — “Little Women”
Charlize Theron — “Bombshell”
Renee Zellweger — “Judy”
The best work is Erivo. Her real competition is the excellent performance of Zellweger as Judy Garland. It’s hard to care about the life of an aging alcoholic who we would rather remember as the darling Dororthy.
It’s great acting and Zellweger is convincing. However, Erivo’s performance as Harriet Tubman is powerful and multi-dimensional. It’s the best acting in the category but doesn’t stand a chance.
The award goes to: Renee Zellweger for Judy
My pick: Cynthia Erivo
Best Performance by an Actress — Comedy or Musical
Ana De Armas — “Knives Out”
Awkwafina — “The Farewell”
Cate Blanchett — “Where’d You Go, Bernadette”
Beanie Feldstein — “Booksmart”
Emma Thompson — “Late Night”
Like the drama category, this one is deep with really good performances from some very talented actresses. “Awkwafina” is the favorite. In my book she gave the weakest performance of the group.
I’d pick Emma Thompson. Her work in “Late Night” is narcissism on steroids and makes a fairly lame, predictable comedy a lot of fun.
The award goes to: Awkwafina
My pick: Emma Thompson
Best Performance by an Actor — Drama
Christian Bale — “Ford v Ferarri”
Antonio Banderas — “Pain and Glory”
Adam Driver — “Marriage Story”
Joaquin Phoenix — “Joker”
Jonathan Pryce — “The Two Popes”
I won’t go too deep into this one. All five are very good performances but nothing tops Joaquin Phoenix who did some of the best acting ever!
The award goes to: Joaquin Phoenix
My pick: Joaquin Phoenix
Best Performance by an Actor — Comedy or Musical
Daniel Craig — “Knives out”
Roman Griffin Davis — “Jojo Rabbit”
Leonardo DiCaprio — “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Taron Egerton — “Rocketman”
Eddie Murphy — “Dolemite is My Name”
This is a tough one, too. The favorite is Eddie Murphy who had a blast in what is essentially a comeback film. Comeback is a word I’d use for my favorite performance in this category. Taron Egerton’s portrayal of Elton John made an old rocker and his old worn out music relevant again.
The award goes to: Eddie Murphy
My pick: Taron Egerton
Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates — “Richard Jewell”
Annette Bening — “The Report”
Laura Dern — “Marriage Story”
Jennifer Lopez — Hustlers
Margot Robbie — Bombshell
I liked Laura Dern’s upbeat, new agey divorce attorney in “Marriage Story” the best but “Hustlers” is a part made for Jennifer Lopez and is the role and the performance we’ve been looking for from her since she burst onto the movie scene a couple of decades ago.
The award goes to: Jennifer Lopez
My pick: Laura Dern
Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks — “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Anthony Hopkins — “The Two Popes”
Al Pacino — “The Irishman”
Joe Pesci — “The Irishman”
Brad Pitt — “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Joe Pesci and Al Pacino both rocked in “The Irishman.” For once Pacino didn’t overact and Pesci didn’t come off looking like an angry chipmunk. I’d pick one of them for the award. However, Brad Pitt’s best friend handyman in Quentin Tarantino’s history-altering movie is maybe the best he’s ever been and he’s always pretty good.
The award goes to: Brad Pitt
My pick: Joe Pesci
Best Animated Film
2019 was the worst year for animated movies since I’ve started doing movie criticism in 1990. They all pretty much sucked. And the one animated movie that actually was good — “Abominable” — didn’t get nominated.
Give this one to “Frozen 2”
Best Screenplay
Hand’s down, Steven Zaillian for “The Irishman.” It’s ambitious, highly entertaining and a riveting story that got anchored by equally riveting acting.
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 5:41 PM with the headline "Mr. Movie: 2019: A Movie Perspective."