It was a year filled with reboots and remakes, throw-away cartoons, mourn porn tear-jerkers, CGI-over-loads, and Cats, but 2019 was still great for film-goers. Creative narratives, powerful performances and gorgeous shots galore made movie-going exciting again, and many from big directors became bonafide events, getting fans out to the theaters, even in the case of Netflix-produced films that made their way to our TV sets at home soon afterward. Awards are subjective, but The Golden Globes (which air this coming Sun., January 6) seemed to miss a lot of the most deserved films and performances this year, opting to honor star-power over dramatic artistry, though many films offered both. It's anybody's guess if the Oscars will do any better in acknowledging our favorites when they're announced at the end of the month, but our writers will be watching and weighing in. L.A. Weekly's film and TV critics shared our Top 10 lists (end of this post) and from them, we created this Best Movies of 2019 list with links to read more about each. Enjoy.


10. Us

https://www.laweekly.com/the-horror-of-us-jordan-peeles-exploration-of-cultural-duality-is-exquisite/

9. A Hidden Life

https://www.laweekly.com/movie-pick-a-hidden-life/

8. Joker

https://www.laweekly.com/review-joaquin-phoenix-isnt-clowning-around-in-joker/

7. Uncut Gems

https://www.laweekly.com/review-uncut-gems-sees-adam-sandler-in-his-hardest-sharpest-role-to-date/

6. Parasite

https://www.laweekly.com/review-bong-joon-hos-parasite-feeds-your-mind-with-savage-social-critique/

5. The Lighthouse

https://www.laweekly.com/review-the-lighthouse-is-a-masterful-mix-of-mariner-myths/

4. Marriage Story

https://www.laweekly.com/marriage-story-is-an-empathetic-love-letter-to-divorce/

3. Dolemite Is My Name

https://www.laweekly.com/eddie-murphy-is-big-pimpin-in-netflixs-dolemite-is-my-name/

2. The Irishman

https://www.laweekly.com/review-scorseses-the-irishman-is-an-electrifying-elegy-to-the-gangster-film/

1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

https://www.laweekly.com/review-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-is-a-flashback-filled-fairy-tale-with-an-ending-you-wont-expect/

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Nathaniel Bell:
1. The Souvenir
2. Sunset
3. A Hidden Life
4. Transit
5. Varda by Agnes
6. The Lighthouse
7. 63 Up
8. Doctor Sleep
9. The Irishman
10. Olivia

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Lina Lecaro:
1. Once Upon a Time In Hollywood
2. Us
3. Dolemite Is My Name
4. The Irishman
5. Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker
6. The Two Popes
7. JT Leroy
8. Toy Story 4
9. Hail Satan
10. The Black Godfather

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Chad Byrnes:
1. The Irishman
2. 1917
3. Marriage Story
4. Parasite
5. Midsommar
6. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
7. Dolemite Is My Name
8. Little Women
9. Knives Out
10. The Souvenir

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Chuck Wilson:
1.  Uncut Gems
2.  Parasite
3.  Ford v. Ferrari
4.  1917
5.  Dolemite Is My Name
6.  Waves
7.  Luce
8.  Give Me Liberty
9.  Marriage Story
10. Fast Color

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Asher Luberto:
1. A Hidden Life
2. A Portrait of a Lady on Fire
3. Marriage Story
4. The Nightingale
5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
6. Booksmart
7. The Irishman
8. The Two Popes
9. Uncut Gems
10. Ford V Ferrari

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Erin Maxwell:
1. Joker 
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
3. The Irishman
4. My Name is Dolemite
5. Parasite
6. Jojo Rabbit
7. Climax
8. Knives Out
9. Marriage Story
10. The Lighthouse