Film Feature: The 10 Best Films of 2019, By Patrick McDonald

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UNCUT GEMS

Uncut Gems
Photo credit: A24

I’ll say what others are saying as well, Adam Sandler, who knew? But the key to his performance as gem dealer and gambling addict Howard Ratner is his understanding of the cultural roots embedded in the madness. Yes, this is a very Jewish film, yet it also has underlying themes of the American Dream and its propensity to destroy us. For other “who knew?” moments, how about former NBA star Kevin Garnett emoting over a gemstone, how about pop star The Weeknd willing to be an a-hole, and how about new discovery Julia Fox, who damn near steals the film as Howard’s side hustle. It’s all ballistic in delivery, paced like a goddamn runaway train, by indie film vets (and brothers) Benny and Josh Safie, who co-wrote and co-directed. As the saying goes, write what you know, and the father of the Safdies was a gem dealer. In theaters now, available thru digital in late January 2020.

HIGHLIGHT: Howard’s attempts to rectify all of his shortcomings, until they all run into each other like a multi-car pileup.

WAVES

Waves
Photo credit: A24

It’s a testament to the skill of actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. that he appears twice on this list, portraying two intense but totally different African American teenagers. In WAVES – an absolutely gut punch of emotionalism and redemption – Harrison is Tyler, a high level high school wrestler who is driven to perfection by his damaged father (Sterling K. Brown, fabulous once again). When he injures himself out of competition, the spiral his life takes pulls the whole family down, including his mousy sister (Taylor Russell). WAVES is the story of Tyler and Taylor (in separated stories) and in the background their father and step mother. What the film has to say about loss and healing is monumental, and it never devolves to cheap sentiment. Writer/director Trey Edward Shults (IT COMES AT NIGHT) will hopefully be commenting about the human condition through his films for years. Available thru digital/DVD on January 21st, 2020.

HIGHLIGHT: Taylor Russell communicates more in silence than some actors do in 100 monologues.

Click here for a definitive Podtalk with writer/director Shults, and actors Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Taylor Russell.

MIDSOMMAR

Midsommar
Photo credit: A24

This is hard to describe as a narrative, it’s more of a roller coaster ride of animalistic and intuitive humanism. The second film of writer/director Ari Aster (HEREDITARY) has themes of mental health, decision making, relationships, sex, death and communal interaction … just the usual. Academic outsiders infiltrate a Swedish ceremony that occurs every 90 years, and the rituals within become a test for those outsiders. Both achingly tragic and crassly humorous, the story is a pastiche of life cycle and humanity, which can really challenge your reaction to the experience. This is a great film, the type that comes around rarely or maybe every time Ari Aster creates a new work … he is a exciting new voice. Available thru digital/DVD.

HIGHLIGHT: Don’t be alarmed now, it’s just a spring clean for the May Queen.

Click here for for the full review of MIDSOMMAR.

THE IRISHMAN

The Irishman
Photo credit: Netflix

Forget any intimidation you may feel for this epic … the three-hour-plus length, the “youth-ening" process for the main actors or “Martin Scosese art film.” This is a rock-n-roll ride of American history through the eyes of Master Marty and the story of labor leader Jimmy Hoffa (an Oscar-worthy Al Pacino). Robert De Niro – understanding more about a character than he has in many years – portrays “Irishman” Frank Sheeran as a right hand man to Hoffa, not above or below doing anything to keep his boss on top during the 1950s through the ‘60s. The film is told in flashback, thus the digital youth given to Bobby D, Al P and players Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel and a surprising Ray Romano. It’s one more lap around the track for this generation of film creators and it’s total victory, and a must see for Scorsese admirers. Available thru digital.

HIGHLIGHT: Frank Sheeran’s regrets in old age, and the way that Robert De Niro lives those regrets.

JOKER

Joker
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

If there ever was a film that reflects our images back to us, it would be JOKER. This reimagining of The Batman’s main criminal nemesis is not done like a comic book story, but as a mixture of TAXI DRIVER meets KING OF COMEDY. Joaquin Phoenix is a study in madness as Arthur Fleck, the man who would be the Joker. He lives in an America of crumbling infrastructures, both physically and morally. He has genetic mental illness, and is nurtured in an environment that magnifies this insanity if as he were under a glass with a burning light. It’s featured in the “top spot” not because it’s the greatest cinematic achievement (although crazily different for writer/director Todd Phillips), but because it dares to speak about the diffident American landscape of mental deficiencies. How does a Trump or a Joker rise up? When we ignore the signs and the people that surround us. This isn’t for everyone, it just was for me. In theaters now, available thru digital next week, January 7th, 2020.

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com