Two of Carlo’s selections are based on modern-day disasters. Two aren’t even really movies. One’s a foreign film, one’s a documentary, and one features 007 with a Southern accent. It’s a motley crew of favorites.
So many movies, so little time. Among those I wanted to see in 2019 but missed:
- A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers
- Apollo 11 – Commemorating the 50th year anniversary of the lunar landing
- Amazing Grace – Aretha Franklin tearin’ it up at church in 1972
- The Farewell – Awkwafina in a much-lauded dramatic role
- Ford v. Ferrari – Christian Bale and Matt Ramon are speed demons
- A Hidden Life – 3 more hours with the brilliant, confounding Terrence Malick
- Jojo Rabbit – Comedic Hitler anti-hate satire
- Cats – For the memes
Though I missed a bunch of great movies this year, I did stream a couple remarkable specials and miniseries. I have included these below just because I can.
5. John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch (dir. Rhys Thomas)
This musical sendup of classic children’s shows (Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Sesame Street, The Mickey Mouse Club) is a strange and fascinating beast. Its weighty themes and off-kilter humor are ill-suited for many kids. Yet its fun-sized packaging also means it will be ignored by many adults. That’s too bad. It’s well-worth a stream for whimsical numbers like “Grandma’s Boyfriend Paul” and especially Jake Gyllenhaal’s epic spaz-out, “Music, Music Everywhere!” Plus, the funniest bit I’ve seen this year is also one of the most tragic (besides Baby Yoda getting whopped). RIP Googy, we hardly knew ye.
4. Fyre (dir. Chris Smith)
Let’s revisit the beginning of last year, when Hulu and Netflix released competing documentaries about the disastrous Fyre Festival within the span of a few days. My favorite of the two, Netflix’s Fyre is a gripping, cringe-inducing account of the fiasco from multiple vantage points. Unlike its Hulu counterpart (Fyre Fraud), it shows the heartbreaking global consequences of what happened, together with the descent of well-meaning marketers into chaos. Sadly, I can relate. When your boss is frequently compared to festival mastermind Billy McFarland, you know it’s time to go.
3. Knives Out (dir. Rian Johnson)
If you’ve ever seen The Office (U.S.), then know this: Knives Out is “Murder in Savannah” the movie. But there’s much more here than Daniel Craig’s ridiculous Southern accent, which alone is plenty (like molasses spilling out of your mouth). Director Rian Johnson knows how to subvert genre expectations. That’s partly why some fans hated The Last Jedi (and why I happened to love it). Well, this is no multi-billion dollar franchise—just a galaxy of stars, a rickety old mansion, and one wild ride from start to finish. No, we’re not talking about Disneyland. But if you’ve got 2 hours and you love a good whodunnit, this is the happiest place on earth.
2. Chernobyl (dir. Johan Renck)
Cover yourself in a blanket of dread. Chernobyl is as enlightening as it is unsettling. What led to the April 1986 nuclear disaster, and what did the fallout mean for factory workers, nearby residents, damage control politicians and an entire nation? And as the series’ tagline asks, “What is the cost of lies?” The nineteen Emmy nominations for this five-episode, six-hour limited series were warranted. Stellar acting, taut script, confident direction – the list goes on. What an ode to a tragic, important piece of history that we shouldn’t soon forget.
1. Parasite (Gisaengchung) (dir. Bong Joon-ho)
My first Bong Joon-ho movie was The Host (2006). What struck me most about this Korean creature feature was how skillfully he wove together comedic, horrific, and dramatic elements—often within the same scene. As Inkoo Kang, film writer for Slate puts it, a classic Bong scene “makes you feel several seemingly irreconcilable feelings at once.” Parasite is a masterclass in this kind of tonal complexity. I don’t want to say much about what actually happens in this movie. I will say that it is about a lower-income family trying to make ends meet. It is funny, tense, and thought-provoking. And the less I say beyond that, the better.
Carlo’s annual movie block will continue with his “Most Anticipated Movies of 2020” later this week. Don’t forget to tell me your favorite movie(s) of 2019 in the comments. See you at the movies!
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