2019 was an embarrassment of riches when it came to cinema. While it’s true that most years require at least some thoughtful contemplation when it comes to whittling down a top ten, 2019 was especially difficult in curating a “best of” list. In the final year of the 2010s, we had tender space odysseys, biting showdowns between the haves and have-nots, treatises on loves won and lost, and deeply personal stories mined from the past - just to name a few. The movies were a hell of a place to be last year. So, let’s pour one out for the decade as it sails into history by celebrating some of my favorite films of 2019.

I don’t find myself trafficking in hyperbole or superlatives very often, but Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a cinematic masterstroke that deserves every bit of its widespread acclaim. A film that defies both genre and expectation, Parasite is a complex and scathing meditation on class and human nature that bends to the director’s razor-sharp whims. Easy to love and difficult to categorize, Bong Joon-ho’s latest is undoubtedly the best film of the year. This review will detail some broad plot points, so if you prefer a pure experience, I suggest not reading any further. Minor spoilers ahead…