My top 20 films of 2019
The best 20 films of 2019 (ranked considering direction, script, performances, cinematography, sound, editing, music, and art direction/production design) are from 15 different countries. Three are from France, and two each from Brazil, Turkey, and Japan. Popular films that did not make the cut are "The Irishman", "Joker," "Parasite," "1917,""The Farewell," "The Two Popes," "The Lighthouse" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." Important 2019 films not viewed to date include "A Hidden Life"(USA), "Atlantics" (Senegal), "Atlantis" (Ukraine) and "Our Mothers" (Guatemala).
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- DirectorReza MirkarimiStarsHamed BehdadZhila ShahiAzadeh NobaharWhen the mother of a separated family dies, Jalal the father returns to sort things out but he does not want to take the children with him.One of the most satisfying films of 2019 is this one with a sophisticated screenplay and wonderful performances. Swept all the 3 top awards at the Shanghai film festival. The film could have been set anywhere in the world, not just Iran. My review: https://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2019/11/244-iranian-director-reza-mirkarimis.html
- DirectorCéline SciammaStarsNoémie MerlantAdèle HaenelLuàna BajramiOn an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.Winner of the Best Screenplay award at Cannes as well as the European film awards, the Best film (Golden Hugo) award at the Chicago Film fest, and the Rare Pearl award at the Denver film fest. The film's end sequence is incredibly sophisticated, set to the music of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Original screenplay-writer and director Celine Sciamma has made an outstanding film revolving around the subject of painting portraits. Definitely one of the most rewarding films of 2019 for me! As a film on a lesbian theme, far superior to "Blue is the Warmest Colour," another French film that caught Cannes eye some years ago. My detailed review is at https://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2020/02/248-french-director-celine-sciammas.html
- DirectorPedro CostaStarsVitalina VarelaVenturaManuel Tavares AlmeidaA Cape Verdean woman navigates her way through Lisbon, following the scanty physical traces her deceased husband left behind and discovering his secret, illicit life.Superb use of sound and camera, fascinating performances. My first Pedro Costa film--what a joy to view it. Reminded me of Sokurov's "Mother and Son"--had he made it, it would be probably titled "Wife and Husband." Costa is indeed the Samuel Beckett of cinema. My detailed review is at https://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2020/03/249-portuguese-director-pedro-costas.html
- DirectorKantemir BalagovStarsViktoria MiroshnichenkoVasilisa PerelyginaAndrey Bykov1945, Leningrad. WWII has devastated the city, demolishing its buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and mentally. Two young women search for meaning and hope in the struggle to rebuild their lives amongst the ruins.Amazing performances by the lead pair of actresses and top-notch direction of film dealing with a complex array of subjects--PTSD, social class differences and eagerness of a woman to have a child,My detailed review: https://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2020/02/247-russian-director-kantemir-balagovs.html
- DirectorJuliano DornellesKleber Mendonça FilhoStarsBárbara ColenThomas AquinoSilvero PereiraAfter the death of her grandmother, Teresa comes home to her matriarchal village in a near-future Brazil to find a succession of sinister events that mobilizes all of its residents.Structurally similar to Hollywood films but refreshingly different in presenting a realistic canvas of Brazilian characters and contemporary problems of that wonderful, diverse country. "Bacurau" (2019) picked up the 2nd best award at Cannes--the Jury Prize. It lost out on the Golden Palm to the Korean film "Parasites." I am convinced "Bacurau" was the better film. My reasons are in my review of "Bacurau" moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2019/10/243-brazilian-directors-juliano.html
- DirectorRoy AnderssonStarsJessica LouthanderTatiana DelaunayAnders HellströmRoy Andersson adds to his cinematic oeuvre with a reflection on human life in all its beauty and cruelty, its splendour and banality.One of the best films of 2019 is Swedish director Roy Andersson's "About Endlessness," winner of the Best Director Award at the Venice Film Festival. It might not be a favourite of the typical Scorsese or Tarantino fan. My review discusses the film in detail. https://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2019/12/245-swedish-director-roy-anderssons.html
- DirectorTeona Strugar MitevskaStarsZorica NushevaLabina MitevskaStefan VujisicA Macedonian woman throws herself into a traditionally men-only ceremony, kicking up a ruckus and standing her ground.Reflects the mood of the present day, across the world, encompassing all religions. Men are expected to participate in major religious rituals, while women are kept out by archaic man-made rules. Petrunya is a not-so-pretty but well-educated middle-aged woman hoping for a lucky break in her life. She gets it, when she jumps into a river to get a blessed cross thrown by priests traditionally to be found in the river by a male member who will get luck for the year. A lovely entertaining and humanist film, deserving of the Honors at Berlin and other film festivals.
- DirectorSemih KaplanogluStarsKubra KipEce YükselUmut KurtAsli, a young mother who is trying to find a nanny to get back to work, finally meets young Gulnihal. Gulnihal is also a mother. With Gulnihal coming into her life, Asli faces her secrets which she has been avoiding herself.Director Semih Kaplanoglu, famous for his Yusuf trilogy has often been interested in tales where the protagonist is male. In this film, the director's original screenplay, for a change it is a woman-centric film on two working mothers and their respective infants. One of the best films of 2019 for direction and scriptwriting. My detailed review of the film is at https://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2020/04/251-turkish-director-semih-kaplanoglus.html
- DirectorJean-Pierre DardenneLuc DardenneStarsIdir Ben AddiOlivier BonnaudMyriem AkheddiouA Belgian teenager hatches a plot to kill his teacher after embracing an extremist interpretation of the Quran.A superb look at brainwashing of Muslim youths by Imams who lie and manipulate. Islam is a great religion. The ending is very good.
- DirectorElia SuleimanStarsElia SuleimanTarik KoptyKareem GhneimFilmmaker Elia Suleiman travels to different cities and finds unexpected parallels to his homeland of Palestine.A combination of Tati and Roy Andersson's "You. the living." Interesting that a Palestinian should use a Leonard Cohen song so effectively in this film. A film dedicated to John Berger and the director's parents. Tales of the serpent and eagle,with a the snake repairing a flat tire in gratitude are interesting vignettes. As is a cameo by Gael Bernal as himself. The sequences in Paris and New York are very interesting and thought provoking. The usual Palestinian rancour against Jews is missing--instead there is more self criticism of Palestinians (Muslim men drinking scotch but not allowing their sister to touch alcohol!) with the film stating sadly that the full independence and recognition cannot be expected in the director's lifetime. A Christian director from Nazareth. Suleiman opens the film with open criticism of a church ritual in Palestine with a twinkle in his eye. Suleiman's clearing of his house is not explained sufficiently. The Mother Mary artefacts point to Suleiman being a Roman Catholic when most Palestinian Christians are Orthodox. I need to figure out these details. My detailed review is at http://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2020/01/246-palestinian-director-elia-suleimans.html
- DirectorPedro AlmodóvarStarsAntonio BanderasAsier EtxeandiaLeonardo SbaragliaA film director reflects on the choices he's made in life as the past and present come crashing down around him.Semi-autobiographical film of Pedro Almodovar evolves as a film within a film. Antonio Banderas as the fictional Salvador (a thinly disguised Almodovar) is a delight to watch as is Penelope Cruz as Salvador's mother in his recalled childhood. Almodovar, unfortunately, is not the first to use this technique.
- DirectorKen LoachStarsKris HitchenDebbie HoneywoodRhys McgowanHoping that self-employment through gig economy can solve their financial woes, a hard-up UK delivery driver and his wife struggling to raise a family end up trapped in the vicious circle of this modern-day form of labour exploitation.Though its not as fascinating as Loach's earlier film "I, Daniel Blake", Loach and his recent regular collaborator, screenplay writer Paul Laverty weaves magical punches that can knock you out. The low-key performance of the lead actress deserved the best actress award at Chicago.
- DirectorLadj LyStarsDamien BonnardAlexis ManentiDjebril ZongaA cop from the provinces moves to Paris to join the Anti-Crime Brigade of Montfermeil, discovering an underworld where the tensions between the different groups mark the rhythm.A debut feature film based on a real incident in the director's own life. While the filming is not unique, the open-end is creditable.
- DirectorMaya Da-RinStarsRegis MyrupuRosa PeixotoJohnatan SodréJustino, a 45-year-old Desana native, is a security guard at the Manaus harbor. As his daughter prepares to study medicine in Brasilia, Justino is taken over by a mysterious fever.Director/scriptwriter Maya Da-Rin and co-scriptwriters Pedro Cesarino and Miguel Lopes need to be applauded for developing the script after interacting with the indigenous Indians of Brazil. The treatment of the script reminds you of the Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul's treatment of his famous film "Uncle Boonmee who can recall his past lives." "The Fever" is a work of love and passion that shows the love of traditional Amazonians for their love of the world of the Amazonian forests as compared to the supermarkets and modern medicines that govern the lives of the urban Brazilians. It recalls the Colombian film. Ciro Guerra's "Embrace of the Serpent" (2015). "The Fever" is laudable for the efforts of the filmmakers but fails to impress as a significant work of art unlike the other two films I have compared it with. My detailed review is at https://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2020/04/250-brazilian-director-maya-da-rins.html
- DirectorFrançois OzonStarsMelvil PoupaudDenis MénochetSwann ArlaudThree men, abused by the same priest during their childhood, engage in a fight for justice that will expose their personal experiences and question their life with their wife, family, and colleagues.The film's content is important and I totally concur with it. Not the best work of director Ozon and it reminds one of the punches thrown by Costa-Gavras in his film "Z".
- DirectorKore-eda HirokazuStarsCatherine DeneuveJuliette BinocheEthan HawkeA stormy reunion between scriptwriter Lumir with her famous mother and actress, Fabienne, against the backdrop of Fabienne's autobiographic book and her latest role in a Sci-Fi picture as a daughter of a mother who never grows old.Impressive, yet not as fascinating as a few of Kore-eda's earlier feature films. "The Truth" offers awesome performances (Deneuve, Binoche, and Hawke, in particular) and a very intelligent script that dissects relationships within families. My detailed review is at moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2019/10/241-japanese-filmmaker-and-screenplay.html
- DirectorCenk ErtürkStarsAli AtayHaluk BilginerHande DogandemirSuffering through a mid-life crisis, Omer has to face the angry villagers in order to realize his estranged father's dying wish to be buried under the enshrined Noah Tree which his father claims to have planted half a century ago.Cenk Erturk's debut film is very interesting--only if you are not familiar with the works of Nuri Bilge Ceylan. Erturk recaptures every element of a Ceylan and his wife Ebru Ceylan written script for their recent films. Erturk's "Noah Land" reeks of the structure of Ceylan's "The Wild Pear Tree" (2018) a film like "Noah Land" on how a grown-up man get's to finally reconcile with his father's quirky ideas and actions. Erturk in "Noah Land" even goes to the extent of lassoing the Ceylan thespian of "Winter'Sleep" (2014)--the amazing Haluk Bilginer to play the father figure once again as Ceylan did in his film. Even the Noah tree concept and the small time politics of Turkey hark back to Ceylan's "Once upon a time in Anatolia" (2011). This is not to rate "Noah Land" as a poor film--it is indeed as good and laudable as a Ceylan film in style and content but unfortunately not unique in any respect if you are familiar with Ceylan's works.
- DirectorJoe OdagiriStarsAkira EmotoRirika KawashimaNijirô MurakamiWhy does one need a ferryman? One needs a ferryman where there is a body of water and a bridge does not exist. The village high in the hills has a ferryman, but a bridge is in the works. The poor peasant is about to become even more poor. The people, livestock and goods won't need his services much longer. His life also takes an abrupt turn another way. He meets a young girl on a day when everything was supposed to go like any other day.A film that underscores the values of the past when we rush to embrace the new with two fascinating male actors in lead roles and some interesting visuals captured by the cinematographer.
- DirectorAbel FerraraStarsWillem DafoeCristina ChiriacAnna FerraraThe story of an American artist living in Rome with his young European wife Nikki and their 3-year-old daughter, Dee Dee.Another semi-autobiography captured on film. Tommaso (Willem Dafoe) is the nom de plume of Abel Ferrara. Ferrara's real life wife plays the wife of Tommaso.
- DirectorPema TsedenStarsSonam WangmoJinpaYangshik TsoA family struggles against the conflicting dictates of nature, spirituality, politics, and free will.A sensitive Chinese film made in Tibet revolving around the law of restricting parents to limit their progeny to one child. The "balloon" is an inflated condom, blown by innocent kids unaware of the use of a condom. The sidebar tale of a Tibetan Buddhist nun and her intellectual lover is very interestingly and adeptly developed.