Best & Worst Movies of 2019 (Top 10 List)

By Le Anne Lindsay, Editor Originally posted Dec. 28, 2019

If you follow my site you may ask, didn’t you already post a 2019 List?
True, I listed the films I nominated as a member of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, where each city which has a Critic’s Association turns in an official vote on films, actors, directors by a certain date. To see which took top honors from all 10 voting PFCC members  Click HERE for that post.

Now this, my Annual Best and Worst List has some overlap, but it’s based less on the films that are being paraded for awards season and more on my personal preferences. Take Joker for instance, I nominated it for best film for PFCC. However, as good as it is, it’s not one I would watch again, at least not anytime soon, just too heavy, so it made my top 10, but down further on the list.

In total the List includes 50 Films – 40 in order of what I found the most enjoyable and the last 10 of what I found the most objectionable.

If the title is highlighted that means it’s linked to T&T’s #MiniMovieReview for that movie.

(Note: List was originally published 12/27/19. I update to keep certain posts on top)

Tinsel & Tine’s Top 10 Movies of 2019

1. Avengers: End Game – (Marvel) It had everything, nostalgia, high stakes, emotion, perfect culmination to a 10 year journey!

2. Knives Out (Lionsgate) – Super clever Whodunit, which also doubles as social commentary on class and immigration. I talked about this movie a lot, saw it twice, it took our top Philadelphia Film Critics Circle honors, and yet I never got around to actually writing the #MiniMovieReview. But here’s a great tweet from Jamie Lee Curtis…

3. The Peanut Butter Falcon (Roadside Attraction) – A good road movie relies on chemistry and this one has it in spades  I thought when Dakota’s character caught up with them it would ruin the buddy feel of the movie, but instead her chemistry with both boys enriches the story all the more.

4. Honey Boy (Amazon Studios) – Shia LaBeouf had an amazing year with both these movies, I don’t feel he’s getting enough awards accolades. Honey Boy is raw and revealing and yet very entertaining.

5. Parasite (CJ Entertainment) – I can definitely see someone taking Bong Joon-ho’s film and remaking it with an American cast. I love it as it is – set in South Korea, a wonderfully off the wall dramedy/thriller, commenting on the disparity of the haves from the have-nots. It translates in any language, but I think more people will appreciate it without subtitles.

6. Toy Story 4 (Disney/Pixar) – Why after 25 years do we still care about these toys!?! Because somehow the stories are always suspenseful and emotional. I loved Forky so much I picked him for my Disney+ avatar.

7. Marriage Story (Netflix) – As hard as it is seeing these two very likable people trying to uncouple in a way that will hurt each other the least, yet wind up hurting each other the most – I still wanna watch it again, and plan to soon.

8. Where’d Ya Go Bernadette (Annapurna Pictures) – I don’t think many people even know this movie exists. Maybe those that read the book.  It got bad reviews despite starring Cate Blanchett, but I loved it. It was unexpected, weird and I felt simpatico with Bernadette.

9.  Queen & Slim (Universal Pictures) – Another good road movie. The moments of humor are perfectly placed in this tragic story of a first date ending very, very badly.

10. Joker (Warner Bros) – Dark and disturbing and so well done. It’s impressive that the movie shines a spotlight on those living on the fringe of society struggling with mental health; and at the same time, tells an excellent comic book origin tale.

Tinsel & Tine’s Top 2nd Favorite Movies of 2019

11. Spiderman Far From Home (Marvel) – Kept me guessing
12. Hustlers (STX Films) – Slick, Stylized, with substantive script
13. Captain Marvel (Marvel) – Brie Larson shines, Skrulls surprise
14. Uncut Gems (A24) my stress levels went through the roof for this f’ing guy
15. The Farewell (A24) – family dynamics are complicated in any language
16. Jojo Rabbit (Fox Searchlight) – Hit the right balance. The kid is terrific
17. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood (Sony) – Level of detail astounding
18. Rocketman (Paramount) I liked songs out of order to tell the story
19. Dolemite is My Name (Netflix) Uplifting Eddie Murphy comeback
20. Harriet – (Focus Features) Spiritually told and beautifully shot

Tinsel & Tine’s Honorable Mention Movies of 2019

21. Fighting with My Family (Lionsgate UK) – a feel good, family dramedy,
22. Invisible Life (Amazon Studios) – heartbreaking
23. Good Boys (Universal Pictures) – highly amusing
24. Alita Battle Angel (20th Century Fox) – top-notch robot CGI violence
25. Little Women (Columbia Pictures) – lovely remake w/ feminism lens
26. Swallow (not picked up yet) – extraordinary directorial debut
27. Late Night (Amazon Studios) – surprisingly authentic
28. US (Universal Pictures) – good, but missed being awesome
29. Paradise Hills (Alfa Pictures) – intriguing female driven scifi/fantasy
30. Bombshell (Lionsgate) – seeing conservative characters via liberal lens
31. Booksmart (Annapurna Pictures) – creative coming of age
32. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Sony) – unexpected story framing
33. Longshot (Lionsgate) – great ode to the 90’s rom/coms
34. Little (Universal Pictures) – excellent chemistry btw 3 actresses
35. Ford vs Ferrari (20th Century Fox) – informative, good pacing
36. Gloria Bell (A24) kooky/sad in a good way
37. Abominable (Universal pictures) –  infectious & “Whoop”
38. The Last Blackman in San Francisco (Plan B Ent) – real artistry, but…
39. The Souvenir (A24) – Hated first 20min, then loved it
40. Always Be My Maybe (Netflix) I know, but it was super cute!

Tinsel & Tine’s Worst Movies of 2019

1. Isn’t It Romantic (Warner Bros) what should have been a clever parody on the rom/com genre, turned out to be a big, broad, unfunny stereo-typically bad romantic comedy.

2. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (20th Century Fox) Not only did this movie ruin timelines and plots of both sets of X-men movies, it was a poor farewell to beloved characters and the actors who played them; falling far short of the bar set by Marvel’s Endgame.

3. Cats (Universal) I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but this was sheer and utter nonsense.

4. MIB International (Sony) – Completely Lackluster. Such a shame cause Tessa Thompson & Chris Hemsworth are so good together in Marvel flicks, not sure why the magic didn’t transfer.

5. The Kitchen – This one was a matter of conflicting tones. I’m all for letting actors show their versatility, but you can’t market the movie as a mob-light story, and then delve into full on mob violence, using two comedic actresses as leads, who are crushed by the talents of the third leading actress.

6. High Life (A24) And then there were none plays out on a spaceship penal colony, where Juliette Binoche rapes Robert Pattinson for the elixir of his sperm.

7. Gemini Man (Paramount) – very disappointing. Ang Lee seemed to be too busy with de-aging Will Smith and yes, a really excellent motorcycle chase scene, too remember a tight script should always be your #1 priority and this script was hanging by a thread.

8. Ad Astra (20th Century Fox) – I know there’s something to be commended for not embellishing things for the sake of a Hollywood story, but for me, James Gray goes too far to make his movies dry as black skin after a day in the pool.

9. Last Christmas – (Universal) – What happens when a good Christmas song hits a bad screenplay? It gets put on my naughty list.

10. Little Woods (Neon) Was so excited to receive the screener after missing this Tessa Thompson driven movie in theaters, but that excitement died 25 minutes in, when I realized, desolation for the sake of desolation, does not a movie make.

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