Below are the ten most satisfying and memorable films I saw in 2019:

10. Little Women A-

As literary adaptations go, this one is about as close to perfect as you can hope for. Many such adaptations work far better as TV series, giving the much more expansive stories the space to breathe, and Little Women, in the right hands, would likely have been no excepton. If it must be a feature film, however, you really can't do any better than putting it in Greta Gerwig's assured hands, with which she seamlessly integrates author Louisa May Alcott's own life, and known wishes for her own book. Given how autobiographical the book was, this is perfectly appropriate, and makes for sly storytelling with unique finesse, offering a picture of not just life for women in the midnineteenth century, but of both how far they have come and how little things have changed. It doesn't hurt that the perfectly cast performances are all delightful.

What I said then: Greta Gerwig’s Little Women is a rich text unto itself, a delightful time capsule of 2019 and how we regard ourselves in the context of looking back at 1869. It has layers that are all its own, ripe for discovery.

9. Giant Little Ones A-

A film of subtle and deceptive simplicity which gradually reveals itself to have great impact. Giant Little Ones is that rare "queer film" that never bothers to define its queerness: it's just about the ramifications of a minor sex act between two teenage boys who have been best friends since they were little, how it gets turned into rumor among their peers, and what that means for them, and for us as viewers. Who initiated things becomes a key plot point tied inextricably with true friendship in the fact of blame and misinformation, rendering this that rare film that depicts teenagers with an innate understanding of integrity.

What I said then: The greatness of Giant Little Ones is in its concurrent uniqueness and absolute relatability to contemporary audiences. This movie contains no cliché moments, no emotional “coming out” scenes; in fact, it’s relatively pointed in its refusal to define any character’s sexuality. Within the dialogue comes this great pearl of wisdom: “It sounds like you had a sexual experience with someone you really loved. It may be as simple as that.”

8. Ford v Ferrari A-

Trust me, I can relate to the many of you when you look at this and think, A movie about race car driving? Really? Yes, really! I was skeptical at first as well, and was convinced to give it a try after its shockingly high critical praise, and still this movie exceeded my expectations. It's about more than just racing, but it must be said that the racing sequences are still a big reason to see it: expertly shot and edited, always thrilling to watch. Even at 152 minutes in length, this thoroughly entertaining movie just flies by, thanks inlarge part to electric performances by both Matt Damon and Christian Bale. It should also be noted that, witout exception, everyone who saw this movie after I told them they should has told me I was right. Ford v Ferrari has done all right at the box office but should have been a smash: it's the truly rare movie that I can happily recommend to absolutely anyone who asks what good movies I have seen lately, regardless of sociopolitical background. This is old-school storytelling with a modern lens (literally: it's so well shot!), this year's one movie that really is for everyone.

What I said then: The extraordinary thing about Ford v Ferrari is that I really have nothing to criticize it for. It may not quite be a masterpiece of cinema, but it sure does hold up as near-perfect movie entertainment.

7. Wild Rose A-

This might be the most underrated, criminally ignored movie of the year. What's wrong with you people, get your shit together! If you like movies about singers, you need to drop everything and watch this one. Even if, like me, you're not super into country music. This unparalleled story of a woman who travels from her native Glasgow to pursue her dream of being a country singer in Nashville will lift your spirits, with its music as well as its performances, like you would never expect.

What I said then: This movie is better than Rocketman, certainly better than Bohemian Rhapsody, arguably even better than A Star Is Born. The travesty is that Wild Rose flies under the radar compared to those films — so far under the radar, in fact, in effect there is no radar at all. And this one is better executed, more deeply emotionally affecting, than all three of those others put together.

6. Luce A-

A counterpoint to Ford v Ferrari, I suppose: Luce is dense, complicated, and difficult, posing questions with no easy answers. If you're looking for a challenge as someone with intellectual curiosity, look no further than this film, about an Eritrean-born high school student (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) adopted by a white couple (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth) who may or may not be making veiled threats against his history teach (Octavia Spencer). It plays largely like a mystery, and one that will creep under your skin, keeping you thinking for some time,

What I said then: It’s a provocative exploration of the ways life is unavoidably complicated, often unfair in surprising ways, and even the smartest people can be tragic victims of circumstance. And, sometimes, who the victims even are, exactly, is open for debate.

5. The Reports on Sarah and Saleem A-

Films that tap into the prejudices across the divide between Israel and Palestine are nothing new, but this movie is still something different. The man and woman of the title are of each natuonality, both married but having a secret affair with each other, and it snowballs thanks to a lie on a government report—hence the title—that has nothing to do with their affair, but which the suspicious Israelis interpret to be a threat. Yhe Reports on Sarah and Saleem is thus a masterfully constructed story, with all of its many pieces clicking into place with icreasingly satisfying precision.

What I said then: I would argue The Reports on Sarah and Saleem has a far more feminist bent to it than you’re ever likely to find in any other story like this. The two women here are the strongest characters, with the most dimension. Best of all, [director] Muayad Alayan does not pass judgment on any of these characters, the women or the men — one of each potentially seen, depending on the point of view of the observer, as a victim and as a criminal.

4. Apollo 11 A

2019 has turned out to be a banner year for phenomenal documentary films—the genera accounts for three of the top four movies I saw this year. Apollo 11 was the first of them that I saw, and it is astonishing on ever level: the kind of archival foodtage found that had never been seen before, and the achievement itself, having been in a pre-digital, analog world. Fifty years on, it's easy to take all this for granted, but Apollo 11 illustrates how the event impacted and changed the world in a way unlike anything else I had ever seen. Just imagine any time you felt like your mind was being blown, and then put yourself in the shoes of anyone alive on the planet on July 20, 1969. This film comes the closest to doing that for you, and even if you were already in awe of the very idea of what they did, it will still change your perspective.

What I said then: Todd Douglas Miller, who also did the editing, lets all the footage simply speak for itself. It’s a document of a particular moment in time, with unparalleled historic import, condensed down to 93 minutes. There is not a single moment wasted, not a lull to be found. This jaw-dropping feat of humanity is enough on its own to be mesmerizing from beginning to end — with particularly thrilling moments, of course: the successful rocket launch; the literal landing on the moon; the safe return to Earth eight days later.

3. Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am A

It may be cliché to call any person a legend, but Tori Morrison earns the title—and what tragic irony that I thought of her as a living legend when I watched this film in July, and then she passed away three weeks later. Thankully, Morrison lives on in her immportal works of vial American literature. But also, she lives on in this truly awe-inspiring, revelatory documentary about her and her life, told largely in her own words, both in recent interviews for this film and in archival interviews spanning decades. This film will make you wish you could have known her, and what greater accomplishment is there than that?

What I said then: Morrison, having sat down for multiple long interviews for this film, proves to be a dynamic screen presence. She only has to sit and speak, and she commands attention, all confidence, sincerity and warmth in equal measure, someone quick to express joy while at the same time capable of tapping into deep wells of pain. This is a woman who lacks humility only because she doesn’t need it. There is no particular arrogance in her demeanor; she simply sits comfortably in the knowledge of her skill and talent.

2. The Third Wife A

The one and only narrative feature film I saw this year that, onscreen at least, I would call flawless: the writing, the acting, the editing, the cinematography, the direction: not one false move among them. You may have noticed I tend to be most impressed by well-ecuted stories with a feminist bent, and The Third Wife is no exception, about a 14-year-old married off to a wealthy landowner in 19th century rural Vietnam. It is very specific to a time and place, one I had never seen represented onscreen before, and yet, it still shows that when it comes to patriarchy, it's been the same shit the world over throughout history. The casting of a 13-year-old actor who French kisses one of the other two wives is problematic at best, and I do feel I would be remiss in not mentioning it. That said, when judging all that ended up within every frame of this film, no other narrative feature film in 2019 matches it in its quiet, provocative quality.

What I said then: I have no idea how much leeway to give cultural differences here. If nothing else, there is some comfort in the director having been a woman, with a clear vision of the story she was telling and an intricate understanding of the sexual politics involved. How appropriate was Nguyen Phuong Tra My for this part, then? That’s hard to say. I’m choosing to separate that knowledge from the final product onscreen, which is sublime in its presentation.

1. Honeyland A

This movie is so amazing, and uniquely so, it holds the distinction of being the first year's best movie I have ever chosen that was a documentary. It's so amazing, in fact, such an impressive feat of technical cinematic achievement, I could tell you it was actually a narrative feature film and you would be none the wiser. The story is simple: a lone woman beekeeper in rural Macedonia, outside its capitol city of Skopje, has her livelihood threatened by a family who sets up nearby with their own beekeeping operation. Hatidze is so generous and pure of heart, she keeps offering advice on keeping their business sustainable, which they consistently ignore, long after she should have stopped. One of the many impressive things about this is how it's edited down to the perfect length of 90 minutes, from three years' worth of time spent on principal photography. The fimmakers were simply observers, recording a life, and a way of life, without conducting actual interviews. This is why it feels so much more like a narrative film than your typical documentay—because they had enough footage from which to fashion such a narrative. The georgeous cinematography and stunning scenery are added bonuses, making an indeiible story even better with its visual impact. It's movies like this that make me grateful cinema exists at all.

What I said then: Honeyland is a triumph of editing, of cinematography, of will, of perseverance, of humanity.

Five Worst -- or the worst of those I saw

5. Captive State C

A grand "fake-out" sci-fi movie with so many plot holes they form a giant, gapig pit of tediousness. I'd try to explain both the premise and the plot, except that neiher makes sense. There are aliens. They've taken over all the major cities. This story is set in "occupied" Chicago. Everything else you learn about this incomprehensible movie brings more questions than answers, but you're so bored by the time the movie is over, you don't care what the answers are annyway.

What I said then: Is it possible half the people who saw this movie liked it on some level just because they have no taste? Or brains?

4. Little C

You can imagine the pitch meeting on this one: "An inverted 'black Big,' except now the protagonist is a girl!" Not even the reliably genial Issa Rae can save this total mess of a movie, which has no real understanding of what it's like to be a child. Or how to write a script that makes any sense. The strangest thing about this movie is that it's packed with great actors, who have no hope of saving this sinking ship of a movie. Inept at every turn, this is a movie that could have been clever and fun but just lands on dumb.

What I said then: Nothing in Little makes any sense. It has occasionally enjoyable moments, and surely plenty of people will enjoy it far more than I did. That doesn’t change how fundamentally dumb it is.

3. The Wandering Earth C-

The next time you think you might see a foreign film that also happens to be a disaster movie, don't do it! Okay, I suppose that's unfair; the 2015 Norwegian film The Wave was actually pretty good. The Wandering Earth, on the other hand, is basically China's answer to The Core crossed with Geostorm. Which is to say, this movie about moving the Earth to a new star system thanks to our sun dying out is a steaming pile of garbage.

What I said then: This movie ... has the distinction of being easily the stupidest thing I have watched in at least two years.

2. Godzilla: King of the Monsters C-

But then, Godzilla: King of the Monsters saw how terrible The Wandering Earth was and said, "Hold my beer." This one is a special effects extravaganza with such bad lighting, you can't decipher the incomprehensible chaos even on a visual level. This movie is so idiotic, it gives big, dumb blockbusters a bad name. I even knew this one would be shit before I even went to see it, so I suppose I have only myself to blame.

What I said then: This movie has not one redeeming quality. The closest it gets is that some parts of it are merely average — the acting, for instance — rather than terrible.

1. Cats C-

I gave three movies in 2019 a C-minus, those three being the worst movies I saw all year. What barely edges Cats out as the worst of them all is how many times I looked at the screen in utter bafflement and thought to myself, What the fuck? Strangely, that is the only emotion Cats managed to elicit out of me, which is honestly its greatest sin: it may have neen resentment and anger, but at least The Wandering Earth and Godzilla: King of the Monsters actually made me feel something. Cats is so much more dull and boring than anything this nightmarish in appearance should even be capable of being. The bizarre visuals of Ken-Doll-crotch humanoid cats with CGI fur is the only thing that will keep you awake.

What I said then: This is ... the stuff of nightmares, the stuff that makes you imagine a bad trip after taking acid. Is that what the effects team did before they set about their work?

Complete 2019 film log:

1. 1/4 Shoplifters B
2. 1/5 Mary Poppins Returns B (2nd viewing)
3. 1/6 Mary, Queen of Scots B
4. 1/8 Ben Is Back B
5. 1/14 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse A- (2nd viewing)
6. 1/19 Destroyer B
7. 1/21 Cold War B+
8. 1/26 Stan & Ollie B
9. 2/1 They Shall Not Grow Old B+
10. 2/7 What Men Want B-
11. 2/9 The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part B
12. 2/12 Capernaum B+
13. 2/14 Isn't It Romantic B
14. 2/15 2019 Oscar Nominated Shorts: Animation B
15. 2/17 2019 Oscar Nominated Shorts: Live Action B
16. 2/19 2019 Oscar Nominated Shorts: Documentary B+
17. 2/25 Arctic B+
18. 2/27 Fighting with My Family B+
19. 3/3 The Wandering Earth C-
20. 3/5 Sharkwater Extinction B
21. 3/12 Captain Marvel B
22. 3/13 Apollo 11 A
23. 3/16 Captain Marvel B (2nd viewing)
24. 3/18 Giant Little Ones A-
25. 3/20 Captive State C
26. 3/22 Us B+
27. 3/24 Gloria Bell B+
28. 3/31 Dumbo B-
29. 4/2 Hotel Mumbai B+
30. 4/6 Shazam! B
31. 4/15 Amazing Grace B+
32. 4/17 Little C
33. 4/18 Penguins B+
34. 4/23 High Life C+
35. 4/25 Hail Satan? B
36. 5/4 Long Shot B
37. 5/6 Her Smell B
38. 5/8 Avengers: Endgame C+
39. 5/17 Good Kisser B+ *
40. 5/17 Pokémon Detective Pikachu B
41. 5/19 Pachamama B+ *
42. 5/21 John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum B
43. 5/23 Banana Split B+ *
44. 5/24 Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts B+ *
45. 5/25 Enormous: The Gorge Story B *
46. 5/27 Booksmart B+
47. 6/4 Troop Zero B *
48. 6/5 The Long Haul: The Story of the Buckaroos B+ *
49. 6/8 Rocketman B+
50. 6/11 Godzilla: King of the Monsters C-
51. 6/13 Late Night B+
52. 6/20 Toy Story 4 B+
53. 6/23 The Last Black Man in San Francisco A-
54. 7/6 Midsommar B+
55. 7/10 Yesterday B-
56. 7/13 Wild Rose A-
57. 7/14 Halston B-
58. 7/15 Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am A
59. 7/19 The Farewell B+
60. 7/21 Diamantino C+
61. 7/23 The Lion King A-
62. 7/25 Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood B
63. 7/27 The Third Wife A
64. 7/28 Sword of Trust B+
65. 7/31 Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story B-
66. 8/6 Crawl B+
67. 8/10 The Kitchen B-
68. 8/14 The Reports on Sarah and Saleem A-
69. 8/17 Where'd You Go, Burnadette B-
70. 8/20 Ready or Not B+
71. 8/21 Honeyland A
72. 8/28 Luce A-
73. 8/29 Mike Wallace Is Here B
74. 9/1 The Nightingale B+
75. 9/2 One Child Nation B
76. 9/5 Blinded by the Light B+
77. 9/9 Brittany Runs a Marathon A-
78. 9/11 Tigers Are Not Afraid B+
79. 9/15 Hustlers B+
80. 9/17 Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice B+
81. 9/18 Downton Abbey B **
82. 9/19 Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins B+
83. 9/22 Ad Astra B
84. 9/25 Official Secrets B+
85. 9/27 Judy B+
86. 9/28 Monos B
87. 10/4 Joker C+
88. 10/5 Chained for Life B-
89. 10/9 Ms. Purple B-
90. 10/11 Lucy in the Sky B-
91. 10/16 The Addams Family C+
92. 10/17 Where's My Roy Cohn? B+
93. 10/19 Dolemite Is My Name B
94. 10/24 Zombieland: Double Tap B-
95. 10/25 Parasite B+
96. 10/29 The Lighthouse B+
97. 11/3 Terminator: Dark Fate B
98. 11/5 Jojo Rabbit B
99. 11/7 Harriet B
100. 11/9 Pain and Glory B+
101. 11/11 Last Christmas B-
102. 11/15 The Irishman B
103. 11/16 Ford v Ferrari A-
104. 11/17 The Woman Who Loves Giraffes B
105. 11/18 The Good Liar B
106. 11/24 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood A-
107. 11/27 Knives Out B+
108. 11/28 Waves B+
109. 11/30 Honey Boy B+
110. 12/1 Frozen II B+
111. 12/2 Queen & Slim B
112. 12/11 Marriage Story A-
113. 12/12 Dark Waters B
114. 12/19 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker B
115. 12/20 Cats C-
116. 12/21 Bombshell B+
117. 12/26 Little Women A-
118. 12/28 A Hidden Life B
119. 12/29 Uncut Gems B+

* SIFF festival screening
** Advanced screening