6. Jojo Rabbit – Directed by Taika Watiti

★★★★½

Taika Watiti is proving to be one of the most unique filmmakers out there. He managed to make what I consider one of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: Ragnarok. I was always excited to see what he would make next after seeing that movie and I’m pleasantly surprised. I had heard a lot of mixed reactions towards this movie before I watched it so I had to go in and see for myself. It was really good. The charm and wit of the film are what makes it stand out and really work on a fundamental level. Doing anything related to Nazi Germany in a comedic tone is a massive risk but the way Jojo Rabbit manages to pull it off is awe-inspiring. It is, in essence, a film about love, hate, faith and prejudice in a time and a political landscape that needs it more than ever. It has some of the best visuals I’ve seen in a film due it’s over-the-top imaginative characters and cinematography. There is also a storyline in this film which I had no idea was the main plot, and I was really impressed by the way that it was handled. It wasn’t cliche nor was it pushing an agenda. It was beautiful and wholesome. Just like the rest of this movie. My only small issue is that sometimes the humour can undercut the drama but that’s a rare occurrence. This movie is a really feel-good experience and yet it tackles war in the most mature way I’ve seen in a long time. I highly recommend you go watch Jojo Rabbit.

5. The Irishman – Directed by Martin Scorcese

My god, this movie is one hell of a journey. It’s difficult to watch a three and a half hour movie when you have to study for your exams, so pacing this movie through the last 3 days was quite a challenge, but I have to say, I’m really glad that I did. Seeing De Niro, Pacino, Pesci and Scorcese back for a movie together almost brought tears to my eyes. This movie is so well made and well crafted that you often forget that you’re watching a movie. It just captivates you and doesn’t bore you for a single second of runtime. The amount of personality and vulnerability that Scorcese has lent to this movie is simply phenomenal. It’s a movie that perfectly showcases mortality and intrapersonal relationships. I think it’s needless to say that the actors are phenomenal. This is one of his best films, it’s up there with The Wolf of Wall Street and The Aviator as one of his masterpieces. This is a very lengthy movie which is so densely packed that you feel that, even if it ran for two more hours, no other director working right now could pull something like this off. 2019 has been a year that keeps on giving to cinema. It’s on Netflix, go watch The Irishman, trust me, you will not be disappointed.

4. Little Women – Directed by Greta Gerwig

★★★★½

I think I’m in love with Timothee Chalamet. Jokes aside, Little Women is an incredibly feel-good movie. Out of all the Oscar nominees this year, nothing left me as happy and warm inside as this movie. I haven’t read the book, so this was my first experience with this story and it is incredible. The characters are so well fleshed out and everything is so realistic and has so much heart and charm. It’s directed and shot beautifully. This is a gorgeous film. Soairse Ronan is one of the best actors working in Hollywood right now, everything she’s been in, she’s been nominated for an Oscar and she is very deserving of it. Emma Watson and Florence Pugh are also sensational. I have missed Emma Watson’s film presence and her ability is so visible in this movie. I THINK IT IS NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT TIMOTHEE CHALAMET IS AMAZING. And I was heartbroken by his performance. His character is very relatable and one of the more interesting male characters I’ve seen in these ‘female-driven’ movies. That brings me to my main issue with this movie which is that sometimes it feels like it’s pushing an agenda. If Greta Gerwig didn’t say something about ‘women in society’ every 10 minutes and implied it subtextually it would have transcended this movie into masterpiece and classic status. But for now, it’s just a really, really good movie. My only other issue with it is that the editing makes the time jumps confusing at times and you don’t know whether you’re in the past or the present. This is one of 2019’s best offerings and I think that everyone should watch Little Women. It’s one of the most beautiful movies I’ve watched.