I love films. It’s still one of my favorite pastimes ever since I was a kid to my studies in college and as a student journalist. This year personally was the year of benefitting from AMC A-List (they aren’t sponsoring me here, promise), which allowed me to really watch films more frequently than before as well as continuing to better see several big shifts both in more streaming movies (what a shame that Irishman was a struggle to find in theaters even in SoCal) to the Disney goliath in effect. As always, there were some big disappointments, but for the most part, it was a year of great wins, especially for Asian-Americans.
Something I’m doing slightly differently is trying to embody my favorite films in one word with a short description. As always, I love to compare my favorite films with others (as well as the awards season) so please share your choices too!
10. Little Women — Bonding
Little Women is a smart adaptation that is more than just a slight update — it breathes energy and new life into the classic novel that’s been brought to the big screen countless times before. Not only is Gerwig’s latest simply a lot of fun from a superficial point of view, the film works to be both reverential to its source material and be stronger in its female gaze and perspective. I love the meta commentary and its new editing style that helps to bring a better cadence to the plot and overall, the ensemble cast here works beautifully with one another that is tough to not bring a smile by film’s end.
9. Jojo Rabbit — Endearing
Jojo Rabbit didn’t always work for me admittedly as some moments felt a bit wonky, but as a whole, there’s such a whimsical and engrossing touch that Waititi brings here much like in his other films that keeps the film ringing in my mind as one of my favorites this year. The casting is lovely, especially Roman Davis, who is a wonderful foil and match against nearly everyone else, and the cinematography and set designs are all spectacular. And as much as nearly all the films on this list, this film hist at the heart of family and differences — albeit in one of the most extreme examples as well as a child’s rite of passage into adulthood.
8. Avengers: Endgame—Delicious
2019 was a year of grand finales from the X-Men First Class saga to the Skywalker legacy…and many of them just couldn’t deliver the landing. And yet in comes Marvel with Endgame — a film that delivers fan service in spades and for the most part, does so without feeling undeserved and still surprising the audiences by committing to delivering a fully fleshed out story. What a journey and accomplishment for Marvel Studios that made you care for its characters and still resonate beyond just being a simple superhero action flick.
7. Hustlers — Timely
Hustlers is a film about strippers. No. Let’s try again. Hustlers is a film about the 2008 Great Recession. Not enough? Hustlers is a film about femininity and the American Dream. These descriptors are just a few of the many faces that Hustlers shows off and much like its characters, there are layers here that you don’t quite expect it to explore and really relish in. In a year where class warfare has been the repeating rallying cry for films, Hustlers is a fantastic, multi-layered exploration in a location you might not quite expect yet still find so much meaning and fascinating.
6. Marriage Story — Broken
Marriage Story is the most intimate film on this list and really hinges here on how much you enjoy watching Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver at work. Personally, I thought they were both excellent along with a strong supporting characters in this push-and-pull battle that seems to start amicably enough before escalating to its climax. Here is a wonderful film that complements all the other approaches to relationships this year and still stands on its own and finds some redemption and meaning.
5. Honey Boy —Poignant
Honey Boy sometimes seems a bit lost in its own main character and its meta commentary on its writer, Shia LaBeouf and his childhood. However, let it linger a bit longer and have it really showcase a nice breadth of moments anchored by Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges with a wonderful supporting cast that showcase both PTSD and its candid look at recovery. Plus, there are some wonderful quiet moments that never feel perverse or unnecessary — instead, the whole film feels like both therapeutic and powerful in its look at a problematic father-son relationship.
4. Uncut Gems — Stressful
Calling a movie noisy and headache-inducing are strange compliments but Uncut Gems’ style and mannerisms perfectly reflect its protagonist, Howard Ratner — played by Adam Sandler in one of his best roles. Some of the most tense moments of the year are played out here — all because of a basketball game and a compulsive gambler that you can’t take your eyes away from all complemented with a very 80’s synth soundtrack and odd bursts of spirituality. Discover some absolutely riveting material that will have you at the edge of your seat the whole way through.
3. Queen & Slim — Romantic
Queen & Slim is gut-wrenching from the moment the film hits its 10-minute mark. There’s a strong political message here about racism, police brutality and the African-American gaze. However, to me, these all buttress up this strange romantic story of sorts of two unlikely lovers and vigilantes. The writing in Queen & Slim would come off corny in the hands of a less-skilled auteur, but here, you can’t help but fall in love with the dialogue, just like its two main protagonists who slowly open up to one another like a beautiful butterfly. When you hear the question, “Can you be my legacy?”, I stated to quietly cry because the ending it had come to was well-deserved in terms of its script and devastating as someone invested in the characters.
2. Parasite — Engrossing
On the very surface, Parasite is entertaining as it exaggerates its nuttier moments plus its pacing keeps you strongly engrossed in a story that grows stranger with each passing moment. Dig a bit deeper into its meaning, though, and start to wonder why director Bong Joon-ho is juxtaposing specific scenes and pitting specific characters against one another — there’s a lot to unpack past its pure entertaining spectacle. Much like many other films in this list, not only is Parasite commenting on the inequality in South Korea but the rich vs. poor dynamic plaguing much of the world and does so without feeling preachy. Few other films this year sucks in as Parasite did and feel weighty and fascinating all at the same time.
- The Farewell — Empathetic
My personal favorite film of the year revolved around how much empathy and relatability I had with Lulu Wang’s adaptation of her own story. From the culture clash to its look into identity, this film is one of the best Asian-American films ever made as we as a culture and identity continue to search for truth and meaning in our roles as a second-generation citizen. On top of this, the film has a wonderful sense of humor pitted against the more gravitas-laden moments and so much style and grace that never shies away from its gaze from the Asian-American perspective. (Plus how can you not fall in love with Zhao Shuzhe’s wonderful Nai Nai). Much like Awkafina’s final act in the film, I too have been waiting for such a moment all of my life and feel so liberated to finally be able to express my emotions with Wang and her cast.
