Here we are! Today is the day that I finally finish all my 2019 rankings. As you should be able to guess from the title of the post, it’s about movies I have watched in 2019. I tried my best to mostly include releases from last year, but let me warn you, it’s not my best list ever. I only watched Parasite in 2020 for example. Also, a lot of movies haven’t been out in my territories yet and yeah … don’t judge me too harshly.
10. Instant Family
I need silly content sometimes and I have an absolute soft spot for adoption/foster home stories, especially the ones with a positive message and happy end. So yeah, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea and maybe you won’t find it funny, but I loved how heartwarming it was.
9. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
This movie was by no means perfect, but there was something interesting about it. I really enjoyed seeing the pokémon animated in a real life setting and Ryan Reynolds voicing one of them was just the cherry on top. I think I’d like it if there were sequels to this for sure.
8. The Goldfinch
This movie would have been better served as a limited series, giving every character the time and respect to slowly explore their story. This way it was rushed and confusing at times, but something about it still gripped me. Also, the cinematography was beautiful.
7. The King
When I think of Timothée, I think of a boy. I never expected to watch a scene where he plays a king talking to his men on a battlefield, giving a speech that carries through rows and rows of people and believe his performance, but I did. And it was brilliant! (Most of all, shout out to Joel Edgerton, who was involved in so many parts of the making of this movie though and carried big parts of it.)
6. Long Shot
Maybe not the most obvious choice, but I found this movie funny and poignant? I was really sad that it flopped almost everywhere, because I never like Seth Rogen films, but I liked this one a lot. He works so well with Charlize Theron and it’s a sort of romantic comedy without too much romance and really current jokes.
5. Klaus
If you add any new Christmas movie to your yearly watch list, please, let it be this one. I didn’t just like the animation style, but I absolutely, with all my heart, adored the storyline. I swear, by the end of it, I was in tears and had no regrets.
4. Yesterday
I know that we had Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody and whatnot last year, but … I haven’t actually seen them yet. There is just something that always makes me worry about these biopics not being what I want them to be. Yesterday had it far easier in that department, because while they really dug into the legacy of the Beatles, they made it a whole story of their own. I liked how creative that felt and I really, really liked the cast.
3. The Party’s Just Beginning
This movie is best enjoyed with a lot of trigger warnings concerning graphic scenes of a suicide and warnings about depression. I watched it while I was in a bad place and it didn’t exactly help, but this movie was really great nonetheless. I am so proud of Karen Gillan for pouring her heart into this project and having it set in Scotland none the less!
2. Someone, Somewhere
Yes, I put a French movie in this post! It’s a love story without being a love story at all. It’s about how hard it is for single people in this day and age, especially in a big city. It’s about how you have to have your life in order for you to be able to share it with anyone else. It basically spoke to everything my heart and brain thinks daily.
1. Brittany Runs a Marathon
It’s supposed to be funny, but I cried my way through a lot of parts of this movie. Don’t let the trailer fool you, it’s not about how you have to lose weight in order to become a “better person”. That’s not what happened to Brittany at all, she turned into a bitch as soon as she was skinny if you ask me, but just like the last movie, it’s a lot about how you have to find a way to live with yourself. Also, it’s really motivational. I hate running and I wanted to run for days afterwards.
Honorable Mentions
As you’ve seen these past couple of days, I like to give a shoutout to some movies that haven’t made it in the ranking. Here we go:
- Shazam!
- Avengers: Endgame
- Captain Marvel
- Spider-Man: Far From Home
- Aladdin
- Always Be My Maybe
- Good Boys
- Last Christmas
- Someone Great
- Love at Second Sight
- Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
- Otherhood
Also, because I watched a lot of German content, I also want to specifically mention some movies worth checking out here:
- Der Junge muss an die frische Luft/All About Me
- Golden Twenties
- Cleo
- Traumfabrik
- Nirgendwo
- Trautmann/The Keeper
- Rate Your Date
- O Beautiful Night
That’s it! What did you think of that list? Any surprises on it? Let’s chat!
Life and Other Disasters 
I’d heard about Instant Family but didn’t give it much thought until this, I’m going to watch it on Hulu today 😀 I also started watching Dollface yesterday and it is so so good, thank you for the recommendations!
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I am not saying Instant Family is a work of art or a masterpiece, but I enjoyed it a lot and thought it was really heartfelt 🙂
I am so glad someone is watching Dollface and enjoying it. I feel like that show totally flew under the radar ❤ always happy to recommend stuff!
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I just watched Instant Family last night and I really enjoyed it, it was so cute 😀 Dollface definitely flew under my radar until your post, I’m glad to be giving it a chance, it’s so meta but in a good way
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Oh yay! I am so happy to hear it ❤
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Very interesting picks you have here! I must admit, I’ve seen very few of these (TWO) and I don’t have them in my list.. man. But I do want to see The King.. I’m a fan of Timmy. 😀
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Thank you! I feel like my taste in movies doesn’t really fit the mold haha I watched The King in a movie theatre and it was the best. The only thing I couldn’t take seriously was Robert Pattinson with a French accent haha
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A couple of my favorites from this past year, especially Avengers: Endgame, were on your honorable mentions. And Detective Pikachu was a ton of fun, I’ll agree with you on that.
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I have to say, I didn’t like Endgame all that much. I really preferred Infinity War, but I hear it’s one or the other for most people.
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That sound about right.
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I started reading this post expecting not to have seen any of the movies on the list as I watch so few, but I really enjoyed The King and Klaus too, as well as the live-action Aladdin!
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Yay, I am happy you’ve seen a couple of the films 🙂 I am more of a TV person than movies to be honest, so making those lists isn’t always easy. I also feel like my taste doesn’t usually fit those of the others, but there’s been a couple positive comments so far 😀
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I loved The Goldfinch, too! I was very scared about how Boris will be portrayed but I think they gave his character justice, as time allowed. I’m glad I got to read the book, too. It was actually my longest read for 2019.
Timothee is brilliant in everything, and I loved that I got to see him play a more mature role in The King. He is SO CONVINCING. I have never seen him in any role that he doesn’t give justice. I just watched Little Women and of course, he was amazing yet again.
A couple of days ago, I also watched Brittany Runs a Marathon, and I thought the character arc was quite interestingly played out… and more realistic. It was funny, but like you said, very touching and even a tearjerker during some scenes.
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I admire you greatly for reading The Goldfinch! That is one big book that I don’t think I will ever attempt to read ❤ as I wrote in the post, I think they could have done more with the characters at hand if they only made it into a limited series instead of a movie, but given what they had to work with, I really liked it. Glad you feel the same.
Timmy really is amazing! Little Women hasn't released where I live yet, but I am so excited for it. Him and Saoirse and Greta are a great combo!!
Aaaah! Someone who has seen Brittany Runs a Marathon. I feel like I either have completely mainstream movies on my lists or things no one has ever even heard of haha
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Yes, they are such a trio. I hope they don’t stop after Ladybird and Little Women. Also, Saoirse and Timmy have such chemistry!!
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They have amazing chemistry!! I totally agree ❤
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The King 💙 it’s one of those films I think people appreciate after finishing it cause the build up and the subtle suspense woven throughout made the final battle so incredibly powerful.
Klaus is a Christmas classic. It has everything you could want in a Christmas classic and more. The animation was striking, and this was such an original take on the origin of Santa Clause.
I still need to watch Detective Pikachu and I feel like I will enjoy it purely because of the nostalgia feels.
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The King was very well done. There’s no denying that 🙂
I am glad you agree on Klaus, even though I know we’ve talked about it before. It’s just such a nice take on the tale.
I think you’ll enjoy it too 🙂 It’s sort of predictable and original in a weird way.
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I don’t think I’ve seen many of these movies at all but that made reading about them so much fun!!
I would love to see The King but I haven’t gotten around to it yet but I’m 100% interested!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed Long Shot, like you I don’t think Seth Rogen’s films are usually for me but I’m always willing to give them a shot (pun intended 😂) !!
I would to check out Yesterday as well!
Great post, I loved reading it and I hope you find lots of great movies in 2020 too!! 🙂
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I don’t think I have the most common taste in movies, but that’s okay haha Obviously, I can only recommend all the things I listed. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed Long Shot.
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I seriously didn’t watch enough movies last year. Klaus was so adorable and cute, definitely a favourite. I also enjoyed Detective Pikachu, he’s such a cutie pie! I do agree that I would like a sequel.
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According to letterboxd, where I track my films, I watched about 140 hours of film haha but I still have watched probably at least 10 times as much in TV shows
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I hate to say that I didn’t see one movie on your list, but that’s where I’m at. It’s truly refreshing to not see the same ten mainstream films that I’ve seen on other lists and gives me some movies to try to watch this year that I missed in 2019. 🙂
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Ah, don’t worry about it! When I look at the lists of other people, I mostly haven’t watched anything either haha I also feel like I don’t have the most normal taste in movies, which maybe isn’t a bad thing either. Hope you enjoy the movies you intend to watch in 2020 🙂
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There are so many movies I need to watch now, thank you for the suggestions! You know me, I’m going to look up Instant Family and Long Shot! OH and Klaus! My sister watched it, but I didn’t and I’m a little sad now. It sounds like such a good one ❤
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Definitely pencil in Klaus for next Christmas! You won’t regret it ❤ also, did you watch Deux Moi by any chance? It's the Someone Somewhere movie, Cedric Klapisch was the director and I love a lot of his movies.
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I haven’t watched it, no, but maybe I should!! 🙂
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I LOVED instant family. It was a little cheesy and silly in parts but it made me cry, it was very heartwarming! I think the cast worked brilliantly together too. I definitely need to check out more of the movies from your list here!
x
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Oh yes, I’d never deny that it was cheesy and silly, but the heartwarming part won me over completely. Adoption stories just get me like that!
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