It’s the end of another year and, with that, another year’s worth of cinema. Despite numerous stumbles from blockbuster franchises, the Marvel Cinematic Universe released its epic conclusion after eleven years of storytelling, new directors took the industry by storm and the Oscar-winning line between theatrical cinema and streaming site cinema has been blurred even further. One could argue that the back half of this year alone saw some of the 2010’s best entries. With that in mind, here are the mxdwn Movie’s staff’s top ten films of 2019.

Runner Ups: The Irishman, Uncut Gems, Hustlers, John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum, Knives Out, The Lighthouse and Jojo Rabbit.

#10. Midsommar

Read our review here:

Horror is all about trauma, and in the daylight, your ghosts have nowhere to hide. Maybe this is why very few movies that take place in the dark have scared me as much as Midsommar, which takes place almost entirely in the blazing sun. In Ari Aster’s follow-up to Hereditary, a group of young Americans travel to a small Swedish community to observe a pagan festival and are forced to confront their fears, flaws, biases, and repression. While people (including Aster himself) have called it a breakup movie or a revenge movie, Midsommar never fully picks a side, instead opting to show the terror in everyone and everything—and when you think about it, isn’t that kind of beautiful?

– Alicia Devereaux

After his breakout success with Hereditary, Midsommar proves that Ari Aster has a really unique take on horror. Not only is the film extremely beautiful to look at, but it has an interesting depiction and message about cults and grief. The acting is extremely well done and you really come to care for Florence Pugh’s character as she recovers from death and a breakup in motion.

– Avalon Allen

Midsommar’s untraditional tale of a toxic relationship and its unraveling absolutely floored me. Framing a breakup movie as a horror flick in beautiful Scandinavia, surrounded by flowers, tall grass, and sun, strikes a unique balance between beauty and horror. Featuring Florence Pugh at her best, this Ari Aster directed epic (it’s nearly three hours long) is a must watch for all fans of the genre.

– Anabel Prince

#9. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

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One of Tarantino’s most palatable films, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was an interesting and unique watch as it mimics key traditional aspects of Western films, but within the context of the late 1960s. This stylistic choice set the film apart from others this year. Additionally, Once Upon a Time addressed the public fascination with murder and violence (hence the publication of so many serial killer movies in the past few years) without glorifying Charles Manson or any part of Helter Skelter. This feature, especially for Quentin Tarantino of all people, was a breath of fresh air for anyone tired of the same old murderer biopics that have been rolling out recently.

– Natalie Holderbaum

#8. Little Women

Read our review here:

Having neither read Louis May Alcott’s book nor watched previous Little Women adaptations, I can still deem Greta Gerwig’s latest film a classic. With its witty script, beautiful cinematography and a fantastic cast including the likes of Saorise Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Laura Dern, Little Women captures Alcott’s themes of family and sisterhood beautifully. Even better, she seemingly updates those to match the tastes of the film’s contemporary audience and give its characters more empowerment. Truly this is proof that Gerwig is amongst the best new directors of this decade.

– Ben Wasserman

#7. Joker

Read our review here:

Joker was expertly executed and provided its audience with iconic scenes that are hard to forget. Though the characterization of the Joker may be a little off-based given the political climate this film was born into, the writers did a fantastic job producing a villain storyline unlike any other. The story places the Joker into a realistic context, showing the viewers just how a villain such as himself could have formed in a world much more similar to reality than comic books. This realism is what makes Joker’s narrative so chilling: there could be someone just like him living three doors away from you, and how would you know until it’s too late?

– Natalie Holderbaum

Joker is a masterpiece of filmmaking. Everything from the writing, to its direction, music, cinematography and especially Joaquin Phoenix’s performance was just so masterfully done that it amazes me how we got a movie like this before the decade was out. Todd Phillips talked about beating Marvel in places where they can’t go and Joker proved that by making cinema and comic book movies one and the same. Not only did the film make a billion dollars with an R rating, but it also garnered respect and money from fans who have abandoned, or were damn near close to the point of abandoning, a franchise almost lacking in real meaning. I hope we see more movies like this: movies that aren’t afraid to say something or do something unconventional.

– Noah Pfister

Don’t get me wrong, I love Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, but Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker is another story. Taking cues from the comics but relying solely on an original script, Todd Phillips’ film is a marvel to watch. Blending the elements of mental disorders, New York City’s 1970s crime wave and the hopelessness of being happy, Joker surprised even myself for its deft storytelling, an Oscar worthy performance by Phoenix and an ending that makes you leave the theater shaken, if not already moved. Joker is the movie that had everyone talking and it’s one that can’t simply be described; you have to see it to believe it. Simply put, this is on the same level as The Dark Knight in terms of epicness.

– Rick Rice

A movie that will forever be mired in controversy, Joker might be one of the darkest pieces of serious cinema in the modern era. It’s worth including alone for how much it pushes you to think. The movie as a whole is massively evocative of the landmark Martin Scorcese movie Taxi Driver, but almost unapologetically confronts the extreme violence and frustration of our time. Much of each viewer’s impression of Joker will hinge on whether the movie is a visceral impression of the main character’s violence, or whether it’s a tiptoe up to glorifying the Joker’s brutal fall to madness. Unsurprisingly, Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as this new incarnation of the clown prince of crime is the riveting heart of this beautiful and violent tale.

– Raymond Flotat

 #6. Us

Read our analysis here:

Good horror movies are hard to come by. Well-made horror movies are even rarer. Yet, Jordan Peele delivered two masterful films with both Get Out and this year’s Us. Us is a beautiful warning to society, wrapped in horrifying visuals and constant clues as to what is really going on. No performance this year has managed to matche the duality that Lupita N’yongo brought to both protagonist Adelaide and antagonist Red, and Us is all the better for it.

– Ryan Sterritt

#5. Marriage Story

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Marriage Story is a film that I felt was made for me, despite the fact that I am a woman in her early 20s who has never even been through a divorce. Following the dissolution of a marriage, the film explores concepts of family, romantic love, and just how far we will go to get what we want, even if it means absolutely destroying the people we love. Noah Baumbach’s script and direction, and especially the performances of Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Laura Dern, draw you in the world of these people, portraying a story viewers may tragically already be familiar with.

– Anabel Prince

Despite its depressing subject matter, Marriage Story ends up being one of the most important and genuinely emotional films of 2019. Noah Baumbach manages to create an objective film that isn’t a simple good vs. evil story. Instead it’s one about two people going through one of the roughest moments of their lives and how they deal with those emotions. It’s elevated by two fantastic performances from Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, both of whom give some of their best work yet. Marriage Story is a must see for 2019 and thankfully, with it being on Netflix’s platform, more people can witness the film without buying a ticket.

– Ryan Pineda

#4. The Farewell

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Of all the films I watched this year, The Farewell ‘s story hit home the most. Cheekily marketed as “based on a true lie,” the film follows Awkwafina’s Billie as a Chinese-American woman traveling to see her grandmother with the knowledge that she’s dying of cancer, the catch being her family has withheld this knowledge from Nai Nai in order to spare her the pain. It’s a shock to us but commonplace in China, leading to an intimate portrayal of Eastern vs. Western values on the nature of caring for one’s family. If Lulu Wang can make more films like this, I can’t wait to see what her future holds.

– Ben Wasserman

#3. Parasite

Read our review here:

It’s thrilling enough to see a foreign language film gain so much mainstream traction in the States, but it’s even better when that movie is Parasite. Bong Joon-Ho’s Palme d’Or winner transcends Western concepts of genre, offering some of the funniest movie moments of the year along with some of the most unsettling. It’s not only a brutal social satire but also a masterclass in storytelling that will have you picking up on new details on every rewatch. Thanks to this exposure to Korean cinema and Joon-Ho’s arresting style in particular, I think American filmmakers will begin to challenge their own conventions and push the boundaries of cinema, while American audiences will give more foreign films the attention they deserve.

– Alicia Devereaux

Parasite knocked me out. And to walk into a Bong Joon-Ho film, knowing what to expect from his stories and still be knocked out? That’s a feat. As always, Joon-Ho provides a story so simple, it almost seems fantasy. Excellent performances and tight-lid trailers/reviews made Parasite an absolute must-see of 2019.

– Ryan Sterritt

Parasite is one of those films that sticks with the viewer for months after. Following a poor South Korean family that infiltrates a wealthy household, its twists and turns left me absolutely flabbergasted in the theater. Very rarely does a film cause me to twist and turn in the way Parasite did, despite the lack of gore. This thriller features amazing acting, with its actors perfectly capturing each nuance in its extremely clever script. Everyone and their mother has seen Parasite, and so should you.

– Anabel Prince

If a non-Western film ever deserved the Best Picture Award, Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite deserves it. The Palme d’Or winner is grotesque without being gory, sharp without getting preaching, a scathing indictment of class culture that doubles as an expertly crafted piece of cinema. There are thrills here that will catch you off-guard and keep you thinking long after the film ends, reaching into the fantastical but with a layer of real-world truth that make its themes all the more horrifying.

– Ben Wasserman

#2. Booksmart

Read our review here:

Booksmart, in my opinion, offers a very authentic depiction of the transition between high school and college. I loved the various strange details and personality quirks that every high school character gets, showing how the teenage years are a time of individuality and oddness. It’s also just a really funny film with a very heartwarming friendship between the two leads.

– Avalon Allen

Booksmart is a fun, lighthearted film that has a great cast and tells a high school story you don’t get to hear very often. Olivia Wilde did a great job as the director, telling the story through a genuine lens and boosted in part by the natural chemistry between Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever. And as high school becomes more and more competitive and the stakes get higher, comedies like this are becoming more and more relevant.

– Leilani Reyes

#1. Avengers: Endgame

Read our review here:

Avengers: Endgame wraps up over 11 years of superhero storytelling from Kevin Feige and does so with perhaps one of the largest ensemble casts ever put together. Not only did this film satisfy Marvel fans, but it delivered some of the best action sequences, editing, and acting of all the MCU films. This was a magnificent ending to a magnificent franchise giving fans and audience closure to their comic book heroes.

– Drew Mattiola

Being the finale of eleven years of films, Avengers: Endgame has got to be a favorite of the year. Every character got their own respective farewell, or got to take the next steps of their journeys into the future of the MCU. It incited feelings of nostalgia for the earlier Marvel films and created excitement about what’s to come. Despite hundreds of fan theories analyzing every moment of Infinity War, it still managed to keep me on the edge of my seat and stay surprised all the way through.

– Leilani Reyes

Avengers: Endgame had to be so much. It had to be the season finale of the MCU, a sequel to Infinity War, a sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy, a sequel to Iron Man, to Thor, to Captain America, to EVERYBODY. After the final moments of Infinity War, MARVEL needed to bring it for Endgame. And they brought it. Endgame is the perfect send-off that runs just right and never once felt long. Even with the 5three-hour runtime. It’s every comic book nerd’s wet dream and what a wet dream it was.

– Noah Pfister

A perfect finale to twenty-two films worth of filmmaking. Stellar performances from every member of the cast, Avengers: Endgame is the superhero finale fans always deserved. Completing what the now jealousy-inspiring Marvel Studios has referred to as the Infinity Saga, Endgame is the completion of the mad titan Thanos’ plan to balance the universe. As with Avengers: Infinity War, Josh Brolin plays Thanos with all the magnanimous malevolence the character was designed to exhibit. While Infinity War was about Thanos’ story and whether his vision of purity was right or not, Endgame was entirely about the fallout from that effort, and how much the absence of people that are loved, even just one, rip the heart out of those left. The movie is a fervent resistance to the certainty of death in the name of love and family. Amazingly, it’s hilarious through about 66% of the feature and then pulse pounding for the final third. Robert Downey Jr. deserves special credit, for once again nailing the soul of this complicated story.

– Raymond Flotat