Ace Black's List: The 10 Best Movies Of 2019

More than 95 movies from 2019 have been reviewed on the Ace Black Movie Blog. Here are the 10 best:

Directed by Clint Eastwood.

Starring Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, and Olivia Wilde.

The tragedy of an ordinary man caught in a maelstrom, exploring the fine margins between heroism and guilt-by-media. Full review. 

Directed by James Mangold.

Starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon.

The essence of competition on the race track and within corporate boardrooms, and at heart a story of human achievement against the odds as underdogs challenge motorsport's elite. Full review.

Directed by Lulu Wang.

Starring Awkwafina and Zhao Shu-zhen.

When is a wedding not a wedding? When it's a family ruse to say farewell to an unsuspecting matriarch, in this delightful culture displacement comedy. Full review.

Directed by John Lee Hancock.

Starring Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, and Kathy Bates.

The other side of the Bonnie and Clyde pursuit adopts a lyrically fatalistic focus on two uncompromising men devoted to old-school methods, carnage deployed to nullify carnage. Full review.

Directed by Sam Mendes.

Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George Mackay, and Colin Firth.

A technical marvel creating the illusion of a single two-hour continuous shot, this is the front-lines of war as seen by average soldiers on a breathtaking but low-probability mission. Full review.

Directed by Taika Waititi.

Starring Roman Griffin Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, and Thomasin McKenzie.

An irreverent satire with a warm heart, combining the violent death throes of a fascist regime with a tender story of a boy who may yet find salvation. Full review.

Directed by Todd Phillips.

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Frances Conroy, and Robert De Niro.

This gloomy descent into despondency explores soulless wickedness as a reaction to an uncaring world where bullying is tolerated and power celebrated. Full review.

Directed by Fernando Meirelles.

Starring Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins.

An intellectual clash of ideas between the old conservative recognizing his time is up and the upstart progressive unsure if his time has come. Sharply written, beautifully photographed, and magnificently acted. Full review.

Directed by Martin Scorsese.

Starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, and Joe Pesci.

An ordinary life in service of the mob and the Teamsters, this is an epic story about power, politics, male friendship, loyalty, and betrayal. A stellar cast and a dual investment in style and substance yield a sombre and reflective mood, punctuated by episodes of startling violence. Full review.

Directed by Bong Joon-ho.

Starring Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-shik, and Park So-dam.

Contrasting family dynamics mix with irreverent humour, social satire, and architectural contradictions in this sublime story of a subversive household take-over in search of economic short-cuts. Full review.