My Best of 2019

Best Movies of 2019

With the pause this past summer, my movie numbers for 2019 are down a little. That number is commonly between 75-90. for 2019 it’s closer to 65. Still a lot of movies. Narrowing that to my Top 9 for the year was a challenge. The list ended up with lots of classics this year. So here is The View From The Phlipside’s Top 9 for 2019.

(In no particular order)

The Maltese Falcon – A movie I have loved for years, but somehow never reviewed. This is the movie that makes stars of most of its cast. Humphrey Bogart is at the start of his stardom, it was Sidney Greenstreet’s first movie. Older movies can suffer with modern audiences because of technology, storytelling norms, and changes in acting styles. What makes the classics stand out is that they can transcend these issues. “The Maltese Falcon” does all of that. It catches the mood of what will be called film noir, with the sexual tension, betrayal, and cynicism fully developed. Each character is sharply focused, with clearly defined conflicts. The result is a movie that stands the test of time and repeated viewing.

The Stooge – I’ve had a soft spot for Jerry Lewis since I was a kid. Lewis’s comedy style isn’t universally loved, but his work here shows why he was a star. The team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis caught lightning in a bottle in the 1950s. This is the only movie of the duo that catches some of that magic on screen. A “stooge” is a comic character that is mocked by the others on stage. Here, Lewis brings a deeper level, a human level to the role. He is hired to play the fool to Martin’s fading crooner. Instead, Martin gets a partner who eventually eclipses him. There is a stunning parallel to what would happen to Lewis and Martin in real life. Here, we get to see them at their best. And that’s very, very good.

Papillon – Devil’s Island is one of the legendary prisons in world history. Part of a chain of small islands off the northern coast of South America, it was surrounded by deadly reefs and sharks. None of which intimidated Henri Charriere. He spent years formulating plan after plan to escape. Based on his book, this may or may not represent his real-life adventures. Charierre was a notorious storyteller. What’s important here is the pairing of Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. McQueen as Charierre is relentless in his pursuit of freedom, while Hoffman is the perfect counterweight as the weak, frightened financier who bonds with the con man. Together they dominate the screen time and provide stunning performances that are equal to the legend of Ile du Diable.

3:10 to Yuma – In the 1950s the classic American western began to change. The cowboy had been a hero, pure of motive, strong of character, and a gentleman who tipped his (white) hat to all the ladies. Anything else was a low down, no-good who probably rustled cattle and cheated at cards. With movies like “3:10 to Yuma” (and “High Noon”), we began to get a more nuanced look at our national mythology. The “good guy” wasn’t perfect, the morality of the story wasn’t black and white. Glenn Ford (who often played “good guys”) gives a chilling performance as a cold-blooded killer waiting for either the train to take him to justice, or the arrival of his gang to rescue him. While he waits a local rancher has volunteered to guard him. The moral conflict as Ford’s character increases the bribes and threats was something new to the western. And the genre would never be the same again.

M – Peter Lorre was a well known supporting actor in Hollywood, but had been a star in Europe. In the waning days of silent movies, he offers a character of such horror that he feared might destroy his career. Instead, he leaves behind a performance that is disturbing even today. As a silent, there are stylistic differences for the modern viewer. The acting is exaggerated at times, the pacing is slower than we are accustomed to seeing. But the suspense is built beautifully, and Lorre is astounding. Not light, weekend watching, but a great movie that you should see at some point.

The Entertainer – Laurence Olivier plays a music hall “star” as his career, and the music hall scene shudders to their end. He’s never quite equaled his legendary father, never quite made a success of his marriage or as a parent. But Archie hangs onto the idea of stardom. Olivier’s brilliance was that he could play the weak, wheedling character he does here, or a commanding, dominant character. This is the great actor at the height of his ability (even if the movie was a re-launch for his career). You will feel every ounce of Archie’s shallowness, self-absorption, and fear of being forgotten in every minute of the performance. It’s also a brilliant snapshot of post-war Great Britain, desperately navigating its fall from dominant world power. Brilliant.

Hombre – The change in Hollywood’s approach to the western continued into the 60s and 70s. Here, Paul Newman plays a white man who had been raised in both the white and Native American cultures. As an adult, he has lived with the local tribes. When his adopted white father dies, leaving his estate to the younger man, Newman’s character must step back into a culture that is no longer his own. It’s an unusual performance for Newman, who plays the stoic rather than his more common wise-cracking character. The final conflict and decision result in a non- “Hollywood ending” that I found very satisfying.

Paper Moon – Another movie that I’m not sure how I’ve avoided seeing through all these years. It was a huge hit in its day and launched the career of Tatum O’Neill. Paired with her real-life father to create an onscreen version of their dysfunctional familial relationship, the movie lives up to its reputation. The chemistry between the two (and the tension) is palpable. Add in the outstanding direction of Peter Bogdanovich, and you get a movie that works at every level. The older O’Neill was an enigma as a performer. There are moments when he came off as a pretty boy hack actor, and then he’d turn in something like this. The younger family member’s performance lacks the polish of an experienced actor, but that brings a level of realism that perfects the role. I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed this one.

Taxi Driver – Looking back over the list, it strikes me as a little dark overall. So this may be the perfect movie to slide into this final slot. Robert DeNiro has a resume filled with iconic roles. I don’t know that any of them surpasses this one. The twitching, socially inept, anger consumed character at the center of the action was stunning in its day, and all too familiar today. There are only a few minutes in the entire movie when DeNiro is not on screen and he dominates them all. The only performance that challenges him is Jody Foster, as the teenage prostitute with whom he becomes obsessed. The end of the movie remains one of the most shattering and difficult movie scenes to watch for me.

Unlike some years, there isn’t a long list of “almost made it” movies. I enjoyed a lot of movies, but the movies above had a clear separation from most of the rest. There was only one movie that edged toward the list, “Star Trek – The Wrath of Khan”. After the profound disappointment of “Star Trek – The Motion Picture” (I movie I refuse to include in my personal collection because I dislike it so much), Wrath of Khan was a refreshing return to what made Star Trek such a hit. No matter how I looked at the list above, I couldn’t find a movie that it should replace.

I can hardly wait to see what’s to come in 2020!

Peace.