2019 - My Theatrical Movie Experiences Ranked

   Despite the growing success of online-streaming, I still savor my experiences in the theater, and those are the movie events I want to look back on. So, here’s my personal ranking of all the 2021 movies I saw in the theater this year, which means some other really good (and bad) films from 2021 won’t make the countdown. Again, this is my own personal opinion, these films aren’t ranked by the quality of the picture, but simply by how each left their impression on me. I saw 17 in total ... so, let's have some fun looking back at some of what 2019 had to offer.

#17 “Captain Marvel”

An admittedly formulaic Marvel movie, but a somewhat satisfying superhero film all the same, and even though this film doesn’t add much new to the Cinematic Universe, it’s still easy to enjoy. The witty buddy cop chemistry between our lead heroine and a young Nick Furry is the glue that holds the film together. Along with some miraculous de-aging effects, nostalgic 90’s references, and just enough seeds of heart make “Captain Marvel” … not a high-mark, but perfectly okay add-on to this mega franchise. 

#16 “X-Men: Dark Phoenix”

The original long running era of “X-Men” movies under the production of 20th Century Fox comes to a close, and while the final product could have been (should have been) stronger, it still felt like something for me to savor. Sophie Turner owns the screen in her dynamic portrayal of Jean Grey, along with an exciting train fight finale, and some genuine emotional highlights were just enough to balance out an admittedly messy, and unremarkable superhero film, but just barely passable add-on to the series.

#15 “The Lighthouse” 

A unique horror/drama to say the least, with a fascinating old-school film aesthetic, and two outstanding lead performances to boot. Unfortunately, this was a very mixed experience that I loved just as much as I hated. There’s so much to admire from the films ambition, as well as its creative direction, but in the end, while I was engaged by the film, I also left it feeling kind of empty … so, I really can’t tell if this was a win or not. Certainly not without its high marks, like it’s bizarre day-dream scenes, as well as it’s sharp editing, and the commitment from the two leads, but will I want to watch this one again ... probably not. I will say this, the film accomplished something I never thought I’d see in a horror movie … making mermaids scary.      

#14 “Zombieland: Double Tap” 

The first “Zombieland” is personally my all-time favorite zombie movie, and stood tall as one of my top five favorite comedies of the early 2000’s … so I was set for the long-awaited sequel. Needless to say, this was a welcome return to my favorite zombie apocalypse, and more importantly it was just a great reunion with these characters. Still as charming and charismatic as before, still very funny and still a delight to go on a road trip with. Highlights along the way included a white knuckled fight with two zombie look-alikes, another hilarious Bill Murry Cameo, and a typically fun final showdown with a herd of zombies. While the whole zombie craze has died down, the “Zombieland” series thankfully hasn’t lost its bite. 

#13 “Frozen 2” 

The narrative is a little rocky, with an overabundance of new plot details, and it sadly keeps this sequel under the large shadow of its predecessor. Never the less, this was still a fun animated venture, with upbeat musical numbers, gorgeous visuals, and an expanded mythos. Off course it was a welcome reunion with these wonderful characters, namely our two leading ladies, who’s emotional ties carry the film through a less then flowing narrative. Not a perfect sequel, but just good enough to make it worthwhile.     

#12 “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum”

The John Wick movies for me have been consistently passable one-and-done films, in which I’ve liked each movie, but I’ve also had no real interest to give them a second viewing. “Parabellum” is really no exception, but for whatever it’s worth … I liked this one the most. It was gorgeously filmed, breathlessly choreographed, firmly acted, expertly staged, and all together fun. Yet, at the end of the day, it was just a series of cool fight scenes, and not much else, which is perfectly satisfying … for a one-time viewing.

     

#11 “Aladdin”

Was it really necessary to remake one of the most sacred animated movies from my child hood … no … but, I’m not going to pretend I don’t love more than one movie version of “A Christmas Carol” either. As a different version, I liked this live action remake fine, and would go so far to say that it has its own strengths that the animated film didn’t have. Will Smith could never replace Robin Williams, but he was still a delightful Genie in his own right, and it was great just to see Will Smith return to form. While I’ll always have fondness for the animated Princess, I actually thought this Jasmine made for a better role-model. I even found the music fairly well updated, and with some welcome new musical pieces. It’s true that a remake can never recapture the magic of the original, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its own subtle magic either.     

#10 “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” 

This epic monster mash stumbles with a clunky narrative, an overabundance of exposition, kind of a disjointed pace, a really cheesy script, and yet, … I still got what I went to the movie for. The sheer spectacle is there, the monsters are awesome, the battles are exciting, and seeing Godzilla tangle with his arch nemesis King Ghidorah on the big screen is absolutely going to satisfy my inner fan boy. Probably not a movie that I’ll be returning to any time soon, but it gave me just enough that I felt perfectly satisfied, and happy to see yet another Godzilla movie. 

#9 “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

The ninth episode in this epic saga aims high to be a grand, triumphant curtain call, and … it takes a large suspension of disbelief to except certain plot details, the narrative can be a little clunky, and it’s perhaps a little too reliant on nostalgic call backs. Yet, the emotional character highs were still present, the spectacle was in every frame, and the adventure aspect never once let down. Also, with this being the supposed last chapter installment, it was going to be an experience to savor in the theater. For all it's high's and lows over the years, I've loved this third "Star Wars" trilogy, and found this a highly entertaining (if a bit messy) conclusion. Maybe it wasn’t a perfect home run … but an enjoyable entry in the series.

#8 “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Quintin Tarantino’s love letter to 1960’s cinema is short on narrative, but expertly crafted, mostly engaging, relatable in a sense, and it’s clearly a project from the heart of a filmmaker who’s sharing his love of movies. The performances likewise are stellar, especially from Leonardo Dicaprio, who might just be in the running for another Oscar. Not Tarantino’s absolute best film, but still a really good one to add to his filmography.  

  

#7 “Midway”

Despite following a familiar war movie formula to the letter, I’m still a sucker for all these recognizable beats, and loved everything on display. The performances, the buildup, the spectacle, and the heroism on display all made for a genuinely engaging, and occasionally moving experience. The famous battle itself was long overdue for a modern cinematic show-stopper, and for me … it felt rewarding to finally see it come to life … not just with a modern look, but a firmly balanced point of view between both sides of the conflict. 

  
   

#6 “Jumanji: The Next Level” 

My favorite game-based franchise is back for another round of refreshing escapist fun, new creative adventure set-pieces, and three-times the charismatic performances, as this brilliant cast gets to play against different character types. It gives this sequel it’s own identity, along with some freshly planted seeds of heart, and in the end … this was just another really pleasant and exciting new Jumanji adventure that rejuvenated my inner child.



#5 “Spider-Man: Far From Home” 

Tom Holland knocks it out of the park again with another winning Spider-Man film, and he’s still easily my favorite live-action portrayal of the character to date. This time, his latest adventure is out of his element, swinging in different locations, and facing some deceptive new threats. Also, this series once again proves to have my favorite ensemble of supporting characters from any Spider-Man incarnation. Throw in a terrific villain, a nail-biting cliffhanger, and I haven’t been this excited for another live-action Spider-Man sequel sense back in 2004.

#4 “Toy Story 4”

 

I’m one of the most committed fans of the “Toy Story” franchise to walk the earth … like, those films are so near and dear to me that I’ll be holding on to them to the pit of death … and even I initially rolled my eyes at the idea of a fourth film. Low and behold, you can always count on Pixar to do the unexpected and deliver another solid sequel. It was everything funny, romantic, exciting, sentimental and beautiful that the franchise has been built on, and yet, it still wasn’t afraid to take risks, and steer our favorite characters in a new direction. With the sharpest animation on display yet, and another deeply heartfelt ending to add to this series resume of powerful endings, “Toy Story 4” accomplished the unthinkable and added another beautiful chapter to this perfect collection of movies.

     

#3 “Unplanned” 

As you can tell from my list, I’m the kind of guy who goes to the movies for escapist entertainment, but once in a while comes a movie with something meaningful to say in this day’s age, and I feel the need to go and support it. “Unplanned” follows the true story events of a young woman’s life while she worked at Planned Parenthood for eight years, and how the events of her time there transformed her. This is the kind of film destined to divide viewers with its heavy subject material, so it really just depends on what side of the fence you’re on when approaching what the movie has to convey. Personally, I found this a powerful, disturbing, thoughtful and all-around moving picture, bound together by a stirring lead performance from Ashley Bratcher. For all the high-quality entertainment to come from 2019, “Unplanned” left just as meaningful an impact on me. It delivers a message that I’ve supported my whole life, and it’s a movie that I hope doesn’t go unnoticed in the future.

#2 “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” 

From 2010 all the way through 2019, the “How to Train Your Dragon” series has been one of my most cherished long running franchises of the decade, … which has expanded through sequels, shorts, TV shows, and now it all comes to a close with a deeply fulfilling final chapter. While I’d put “The Hidden World” just underneath it’s two predecessors, it was still unmistakably a powerful, beautifully animated, and largely entertaining swan song for the series. It was one of those special movie going experiences that felt like an event, as if I completed a journey that began nearly ten years ago, and now we have a truly great trilogy for a modern age … along with “Star Wars” and “Lord of the Rings”, I think “How to Train Your Dragon” can now be categorized as one of the great movie trilogies. 

#1 “Avengers Endgame” 

2019 marked several franchise finales ranging from “Star Wars”, to “Toy Story”, to “X-Men”, to “How to Train Your Dragon”, even the “Game of Thrones” TV series, and of all these extraordinary events … nothing left a bigger impact on me then “Avengers Endgame”. After 11 years of solid Marvel comic movies, and arguably the greatest roundup of superhero’s in one mega phenomenon, “Endgame” delivered the spectacle, the laughs, the heavy emotion, the creativity, and a rich sense of finality to this epic saga … in short, it’s one of the greatest final chapters I’ve ever experienced, and it’s an event to be remembered through the ages. 

That concludes my recap of theatrical movies through 2019, all around, I thought it was a good year, most films lived up to my expectations, and there were some pleasant surprises. Let’s see what 2020 has to offer next ...