Here it is- the biggest endeavor I've made with this blog so far. I saw fifteen 2019 movies this summer. Sadly, I only wrote full reviews for five of them. But what about the other ten? Well, I slapped them into this series, of course! Here are some short reviews of ten different 2019 films (two of those being short films). Click here to read the last one.
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Release Date: May 17
Starring: Keanu Reeves
Score: 9/10 (Amazing)
The third iteration of the John Wick series might be my favorite so far. This series has managed to consistently impress with some of the best and most thrilling stunts and action scenes you'll see this decade. Every single fight is exciting, fun, brutal, satisfying, and creative. They know when to spice up the action with something different at just the right moments, and it makes the action all the more exciting. The cinematography, the editing, the lighting, and the score all aid to make chapter 3 absolutely thrilling throughout. Besides the action, the story is also fascinating. The way this film expands the hitman world that the first movie sets up is so bizarre and creative. It's so delightfully absurd and convoluted, and I love it. I will say that there are times where the storytelling does get in the way of some of the pacing. The story feels a little overstuffed with info, and it can be hard to follow along. It doesn't drag the story like it did in the second one, but it's still a little much. There are also a few moments that happen in the story that are unrealistic even for this world. Certain things happen in the action that make me question the believability of this world. Like, seriously? No one is going to react that John Wick killed four guys in the middle of a busy walkway in downtown New York? That's hard to buy. But then again, it adds character. And that's what this film has- character. With the amazing action and stunts, gorgeous presentation, entertaining characters, and surprisingly smart and hilarious script, John Wick 3 is probably my favorite yet. It's something I need to think about a little harder, but John Wick 1 and 3 are neck in neck. If you like action movies, then you need to see this one. It is a much see for everyone that loves thrills, kills, and blood spills.
Brightburn
Release Date: May 24
Starring: Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, and Jackson A. Dunn
Score: 6/10 ( Decent)
Brightburn is a pretty entertaining movie, albeit kind of dull and forgettable. It has an amazing premise. It's easily the best part of the movie. The concept of Superman being an evil kid is absolute genius. It has the ability for some great action, thrills, and tension. There is some of that. There are scenes of great tensity, with an eerie atmosphere permeating the movie. The kills are intense, gory, and disturbing in all the right ways. Despite that, this film feels like a missed opportunity. It feels more small scale than it should be. On one hand, it makes the film feel personal and intimate. However, this follows a character who has the powers of Superman. There was so much that the directors and writers could have done, but it wasn't capitalized to its full potential. I think the biggest reason why is because of the pacing. The development of Mr. Brightburn happens way too fast. The storytelling is very rushed, and little to no time is used to develop his character, his parents's characters, or his descent into madness. He changes into an evil being way too quickly. This movie is only an hour and a half when it should have been a minimum of two hours. But despite that, I still enjoyed Brightburn. It has some nice tension, the use of gore is pretty amazing, and I think the performances, for the most part, were pretty solid. It's good for what it is, but with such a fantastic concept, I was hoping for more.
The Dead Don't Die
Release Date: June 14
Starring: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Sara Driver, RZA, Carol Kane, Selena Gomez, and Tom Waits
Score: 7/10 (Good)
I feel like this movie is getting pretty unfairly hated on. Sure, it's not great, but I was very entertained by it. The Dead Don't Die is a homage to classic zombie flicks, told in a modern, deadpan way. It reminded me of a Coen Brothers film in its writing and performances. The story is clever, the characters are entertaining, the performances are all fun to watch, and there are some genuinely hilarious moments. Every scene involving Bill Murray, Adam Driver, and Chloe Sevigny are fantastic, and a certain scene in a jailhouse could very well stand as one of my favorite scenes of the year. The other characters are fun to watch as well, but they don't quite offer the intrigue that the main three do. I will say the biggest problem this film has is that it lacks focus. The plot is all over the place, switching between so many characters. It's disjointed, and it feels like the way scenes were cut together was strewn about randomly. Plus, there's a group of kids in a detention center whose plot thread is completely pointless. They do not impact the main story whatsoever, and their story ends without a conclusion. I think if their scenes were cut, nothing would be lost. Other than that, I definitely found myself having fun with this one. It has some really bad narrative problems, but there's a lot of undeniable charm in its story and characters. This movie won't be for everybody, and I can certainly understand why most aren't too keen on it, but give it a shot. You might like it. As for me, I had a good time, and I would willingly see it again if given the option.
Anima
Release Date: June 27
Starring: Thom Yorke
Score: 6/10 (Decent)
Anima isn't so much a short film as it is a collection of three connected music videos, combining to a 15 minute movie. In that respect, there isn't much here narratively. But then again, this is a music video, so I'm not surprised. I didn't go into this expecting a fully arching story with deep characters. No, this is a collection of beautiful shots and some cool dancing to the tune of some songs off of Thom Yorke's newest album. In that respect, this is pretty great. The visuals are gorgeous and the choreography is mesmerizing to watch. I will say that each segment does get kind of repetitive. There are a lot of the same kind of shots and dance moves in each section without much in the way of spicing things up. After a while, I felt like I had seen it all with each third. And I know this is a big music video for Thom Yorke's album, and since he made the music he should be the main character, I hate to say that he's not the greatest actor. Yeah, I know, this is super nitpicky, especially considering what he does in the film consists of dancing and reacting. He does fine, trust me. There are just moments where his reactions and dance moves come across as goofy. Those parts take me out of the video for a bit. Despite that, this was a fascinating fifteen minutes. It's visually stunning, and the music backing the scenery up is great (although that's more on the album than the visuals itself). I will say that Paul Thomas Anderson has made a perfect companion piece to Thom's music, and while I can't say these are the best music videos I've ever seen, they are still really cool. If you like the artistry of music videos, or if you're a fan of Thom Yorke and Radiohead (like I am), then check it out. I think it'll be worth your time.
Guava Island
Release Date: April 13
Starring: Donald Glover and Rihanna
Score: 4/10 (Mediocre)
This 55 minute short poses many questions on its viewers. The pressing question in my mind was "what is this film trying to be?" It's a feature film, a short film, a music video, a musical, a fantasy film, a thriller, a romantic drama, and a social commentary all rolled into one. I admire the ambition, but the final result is an aimless mess of a story that leaves absolutely no impact. This movie has very odd pacing, with sequences of musical numbers that seem rather out of place, pointless, and confusing. The whole "This is America" sequence in particular is odd, because it's almost exactly like the music video except worse, with weird pauses that completely ruin the flow of the scene. That song section could be cut out completely without altering the movie as a whole. But then there's the scene where Glover sings "Feels Like Summer" to Rihanna with steel drum accompaniment, but then the actual melody of the song starts playing, with vocal harmonies and everything, and the two just start awkwardly dancing. I kept thinking if these characters could hear the music, because why else would that scene be there other than to sell the song? The only thing that this film showed me is that Donald Glover is an immensely talented artist. He can sing, write, dance, and act. He shows all of his talents here very well. But other than that, there's very little of substance here. I like Glover, as well as the animated intro at the beginning (as seemingly pointless as it was), but everything else fell flat. This was pretty underwhelming.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Release Date: July 2
Starring: Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Samuel L. Jackson, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Tony Revolori, and Angourie Rice
Score: 7/10 (Good)
I actually enjoyed this quite a bit more than Homecoming. The characters are likable, their interactions are charming to watch, the action scenes were a lot of fun, and there are some cool uses of special effects. Tom Holland has proven to be a great Spider-Man with this film, and he is such a presence on screen. He is great at portraying the awkward high schooler, and the chemistry he has with everyone in the film is fantastic, particularly Jake Gyllenhaal and Zendaya. The scenes involving Holland interacting with Gyllenhaal and Zendaya were my favorite scenes in the film. And like I said, the action was a lot of fun. It's definitely all stuff that we've seen before, but it's presented in a way that feels fresh, particularly with the special effects. I don't want to spoil why, but once you see it, you'll know what I mean. I also appreciate how this movie follows Endgame by treating that story with humor, as well as focusing on how Parker doesn't feel he can live up to Iron Man. That dilemma was fascinating to watch. If anything, I would have liked to have seen this film dive deeper. I would have loved to analyze the psyche of Spider-Man and the emotional turmoil he's gone through after the death of Iron Man. As for negatives, the first leg of the movie acts as a typical high school comedy. While it's not bad, as it is relatively charming, I think the humor and the intrigue are at their weakest here. It took a while for the movie to draw me in, as it started out relatively standard and dull. And like with Homecoming, I wish the cinematography was better. It is certainly an improvement from Homecoming, especially in the action scenes, but a lot of the shots are close ups. It's disappointing because this movie takes place in Europe, and it doesn't let us soak in the scenery. There could have been some amazing sights if the film took some time to focus on them, even if it means moving the camera back during the conversation and action scenes. A lot of the locations felt more like sets than Europe, even though that's where this film was recorded. With that being said, I had a lot of fun with Far From Home. It's not perfect, but it was a blast to watch. It's a nice light, breezy action film that we all need after the roller coaster that is Endgame. Check it out if you haven't already.
Wild Rose
Release Date: June 21
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Sophie Okonedo, and Julie Walters
Score: 6/10 (Decent)
I went into this film completely blind and I was pleasantly surprised. This is a nice, charming movie with great performances, a well written story, interesting characters, and some good music. The conflict between raising a family and finding success in being a country star in Glasgow was executed very well here, and Jessie Buckley did a fantastic job managing the conflict. Some moments made me want to grab her by her shoulders, shake her, and yell "what are you doing?" in her face, while other moments made me feel genuinely sorry for her. That conflict is the best aspect of this movie. I will say that this movie is pretty familiar, almost to a fault. It's another A Star is Born story, where a girl who dreams of success tries to chase it with the trials of life getting her down. It's not executed poorly, but it doesn't do much new to make it stand out. It's all "been there, done that." Again, it's not a bad thing, but it does make it hard for me to get fully drawn in. And as much as I loved that central conflict, I do wish there was more time with the main character with her family. I get that her not being there for them is the main point, but there aren't a whole lot of scenes with her family. As a result, the side of her with her kids feels under developed and rushed. I think that there could have been more of a balancing act with her facing stardom and her trying to be a decent parent. My final gripe is that this movie is pretty forgettable. I saw this in theaters, and a few hours after I got home, I completely forgot I even saw a movie that day. There wasn't any specific moment that stuck out and it all felt consistently average in its quality. But then again, that quality is pretty good. If you're a fan of this kind of story, I think you'll get a lot of it. As for me, I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It's a nice, light, breezy movie with some entertainment, some drama, some good performances and writing, and some good music. Sometimes, that's all you really need in a film.
The Art of Self-Defense
Release Date: July 12
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, and Imogen Poots
Score: 9/10 (Amazing)
As of writing this, The Art of Self-Defense is my favorite movie of 2019. This is like Coen Brothers meets Napoleon Dynamite. It's hilarious and dark, with great writing, performances, and characters all around. Casey is one of my favorite protagonists of the year, and the arc that he has is amazing. Sensei is a phenomenal character as well, and seeing his true colors being revealed throughout the course of the movie is riveting. I love the message this film has about toxic masculinity, and it presents that message in a very clever, dark, and funny way. There is something so odd yet so smart about The Art of Self-Defense. It has so many opportunities to be a dumb comedy, but it's not. It's surprisingly deep and well thought out, and I love the way this film mixes hysterical black comedy with a deadly serious undertone. I only have two nitpicks with this film; one is that the cinematography could have been better. It's fine for what it is and the shot composition is pretty good. I think the colors are somewhat dull (although I'm pretty sure that is the point). It's not bad looking by any stretch of the imagination, but it could have been a tad more visually interesting, particularly in the few action scenes the film has. My other nitpick is that I wish Casey's arc was a little more gradual. Yes, his arc is amazing, and seeing where he ends up is very satisfying, but the way his arc is structured is a bit choppy. It seems his character develops through stages instead of naturally progressing, and it comes across a bit jarring. But then again, that might also be the point. I absolutely loved every single aspect of this film. Not everyone will like it, but I don't care. This was a blast, and I am stoked to see it again. Plus, this movie gets bonus points for having a montage set to hardcore death metal. That was hilarious.
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
Release Date: July 26
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie
Score: 9/10 (Amazing)
This film gets better the more I think about it. It's such an odd movie in terms of its pacing and structure, but it works. The biggest reasons why are the characters, the performances, and the writing. All of the characters are highly entertaining and surprisingly down to earth, especially for a Tarantino film. The chemistry between Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio is electrifying and I completely believed their friendship. The writing is spectacular, showing a more mature, down to earth Tarantino. I like the way the story weaves its way between the main characters, and the way it incorporates the Sharon Tate story is clever, endearing, and surprisingly heartwarming. The presentation is immaculate. The cinematography has a character of its own, taking on some very creative and unique practices. Certain pans and twists of the camera genuinely caught me off guard in a good way, and I absolutely admire the craft it took to film this movie. Plus, the way this film captures the 60s is amazing. I felt like I was right there in the thick of it, as the era from the locations to the clothing jumped off the screen. It was all so gratifying to watch. This movie is also hilarious. It's one of the best comedies of the year. A lot of great moments come from the characters just talking about whatever. I also appreciate how this film breaks a lot of filmmaking conventions. Some things that Tarantino does here could be labeled as messy, but I found it so gripping and creative. This film felt so fresh and wholly original. There are some moments where the plot feels like its meandering, but because of how entertaining the characters and dialogue was, I didn't mind. This film is almost 3 hours long, and it felt like it was 2 and a half at the most. I loved every second of it. It's not just a great movie, but a love letter to classic cinema, as well as Tarantino's way of saying he made it. I cannot wait to see this again, as I'm sure I'm going to get even more out of it the second time. Check this one out if you haven't gotten the chance to yet.
The Farewell
Release Date: July 12
Starring: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong, and Jiang Yongbo
Score: 8/10 (Great)
There's something so delightful and charming about this film, even though it tackles a rather heavy topic. What makes it so is how down to earth the movie is. The way the characters are written and interact with each other are so genuine and believable that I felt like I was there with the family throughout the entire week the film spans. The themes of family, death, and struggling with culture are all very well realized, and they make for genuinely hilarious and sad dialogue. The entire film is pretty much nothing but dialogue. Not much happens, but I didn't mind because of how interesting the family was. The performances were all fantastic, particularly from Awkwafina, who gave one of my favorite performances of the year. She's so vulnerable and human. It was as if an entire person was emanating from the screen instead of just a character. Of course, it benefits, because this film is based on a true story. The cinematography is gorgeous, the musical score is beautiful, and the writing is as delightful as it is real. As for negatives, there are some moments when the pacing suffers due to some unnecessary moments. For example, as entertaining as it was, did we really need a five minute karaoke sequence? There were also some noticeable continuity errors in a specific scene. If you've seen the film, you probably know what I'm talking about. Other than that, this was great! I loved the characters, the writing, the performances, and the presentation. I can definitely see this film getting some kind of award buzz, which I absolutely think it deserves. You should definitely see this once you get the chance.
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