10. Tolkien

The life and legacy of one of literature’s greatest ever storytellers, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, was brought to the screen in a tale of beauty and magic in Tolkien and the partnership of director Dome Karukoski and stars Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins made for something very special. Shot with an enchanting eye for the lavish, Tolkien brought together gorgeous imagery with a powerful story of passion, friendship and love and explored how these themes and experiences shape our lives and make us into who we are as individuals. It was a tribute to the power of creativity and after watching this film you couldn’t help but be inspired to create something by it.

9. Aladdin

When it comes to live-action adaptations of classic Disney films, Guy Ritchie’s loud and action-packed rendition of Aladdin certainly takes poll position as being the best adaptation so far. Will Smith brought all of his considerable blockbuster star appeal to this cinematic work and absolutely shined in his performance as The Genie with plenty of light and energy. Newcomers Mena Moussad and Naomi Scott had undeniable chemistry as star-crossed lovers Aladdin and Jasmine, and their charming performance and magical vocals put the sparkle into this tale. Packed together with Ritchie’s trademark rock n’ roll flair and bursting with colour, Aladdin sprinkled plenty of magic for audiences and it was an absolute wish come true.

8. Ad Astra

Director James Gray journeyed to the very edge of our solar system and into the soul of one man in this introspective and breathtaking science fiction film that demanded to be seen on the biggest screen possible. A slow-burn tale of man’s quest for knowledge and his truest self, Ad Astra enchanted its viewers with the phenomenal cinematography of Hoyte van Hoytema, and Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt has never been better with a character that tested every part of himself as a performer. Ad Astra was a film in the grandest scheme of things and was bound together with innovative and thought-provoking ideas related to man’s search for meaning and a desire to explore the cosmos. It has been some time since I can remember seeing a science fiction film of such power, and Ad Astra certainly achieved its mission of delivering the extraordinary.

7. Ford v Ferrari

The adrenaline kicked in at over 7000 RPM here in Ford v Ferrari and all-star director James Mangold captured the passion, competitiveness and brotherhood of the track in a perfect tribute to the golden age of racing. Stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale were perfectly paired together as racing legends Carrol Shelby and Ken Miles, and their joint pursuit of glory on the track absolutely amped up audiences. The film’s racing scenes were wild and uncontrollable and literally put audiences in the driver’s seat and captured the essence of what it means to go fast.

6. Booksmart

When it came to cinematic originality this year it doesn’t get more impressive than actress turned director Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut Booksmart. Packed full of original ideas and some of the best comedy delivered all year, it was a riot of a watch from beginning to end and you were sure to rock out in your seat here. Starring the genius combination of Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever as over-achieving know it all’s Molly and Amy who realise that they’ve done high school all wrong and decide to go crazy for one night only, Booksmart delivered all the goods and then some, re-writing the teen comedy genre in the process. Every single frame of this incredible film was packed full of entertaining goodness and you most definitely found your groove with this one.

5. Hustlers

The hustle was on in this flashy, loud and outrageous true story of a group of women who decided to use their very unique talents to make their own version of the American Dream come true. Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu were super-fly in this one and whether they were strutting about the stage, or staging their own unique enrichment schemes you couldn’t look away. Fun, smart, clever, scandalous and incredibly sexy, Hustlers was a film that absolutely took its audience by surprise and made for one of this year’s most memorable film experiences. 

4. Avengers: Endgame

When it comes to blockbuster films that will define this last decade then it is easily Avengers: Endgame that will reign as the gold standard of what a blockbuster movie experience is. As the culminating event of just over a decade and 22 feature presentations from Marvel Studios films, Avengers: Endgame was the defining moment of one of modern cinema’s greatest ever sagas. Epic moment after epic moment was brought together in this incredible piece of cinema and when our heroes finally assembled, in one of the great moments of cinema history, we knew we had witnessed the extraordinary. They don’t get much bolder or grander than this and this was a film that tugged at all of your emotions and pulled every string of your heart. It was utterly marvellous in every sense of the word.

3. Long Shot

They say opposites attract and they certainly don’t get more different than Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen and these two phenomenal performers were an absolute hoot to watch in 2019’s standout romantic comedy Long Shot. Packed together with incredible laughs and plenty of flirtatious moments, Long Shot was a love story that had plenty to say about both attraction and what we should look for in the ones we love…along with that classic comedy that we’ve come to love from Rogen and director Jonathan Levine. Packed full of light and warmth, this one had me in a fit of uncontrollable laughter and I absolutely loved the journey that Charlotte and Fred underwent to find their own special kind of love. Long Shot was a hilarious and impactful watch from beginning to end and it was sure to leave a smile on your face.

2. Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waititi is a director of incredible spirit and warmth and his work on the sensational Jojo Rabbit proves that he is a filmmaker who rapidly deserves to take over Hollywood thanks to his incredible talents. While on the surface Jojo Rabbit presented itself as a light-hearted comedy, there was much more driving this cinematic feat and at its core was a film of amazing depth and power with a strong focus on themes of love, tolerance, acceptance and freedom. It presented a powerful and sincere message in our very turbulent era and is one of the most powerful statements to come from any working artist in Hollywood today. In my opinion, it was far and away the most important film of the year and its impactful story was sure to strike a chord with all who watched it.

1. Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood

But now, the moment that everyone has been waiting for, when it comes to the best film of 2019 there is only one answer…and that answer is of-course Quentin Tarantino’s ninth feature film, Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood. This tribute to the end of Hollywood’s Golden Age tracked the fortune of two fading stars in an age of rapid change and was packed full of swinging style and bound together by one incredible narrative. It was a piece of cinema that demanded to be seen on the biggest screen possible. In all, I saw this film four separate times at the cinema and it was a thrilling experience each and every time. Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood is a revelatory piece of cinema and Tarantino was working at the top of his game with this one. It’s as if every part of his career was pointing him in the direction of this masterwork and the revered filmmaker, along with his dynamic duo of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt absolutely delivered with this incredible feat of filmmaking. They just don’t get much better than this.

Images: Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Studio Canal, Roadshow Films

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Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father (Tommy Lee Jones) and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of humans on Earth. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and its place in the cosmos. 

Ad Astra, when translated from its Latin verse, means ‘to the stars’ and that’s exactly where director James Gray takes his audience with this incredible feat of filmmaking. Ever since his 1994 debut Little Odessa, Gray has proven himself to be an incredibly versatile narrative storyteller and it feels like his entire life has been leading him to tell this story.

Shaped in part by both Heart of Darkness and The Odyssey, two classics of the narrative form, Ad Astra is the story of man’s search for meaning in the greater cosmos and how his preordained mission takes on extra significance when his feelings and beliefs are woven into it. Here in his film Gray focuses in on an intimate portrait of his protagonist, astronaut Major Roy McBride, and his narrative, which matched with the talent of Brad Pitt, is amazing to see unfold.

Through Ad Astra, Gray presents an incredible vision of the near future and he takes audiences right to the very edge of the solar system. Filled with intricate detail, Gray showcases how no matter where we are destined to go within this universe, our humanity will never leave us and that this human force will continue to shape our destiny.

His vision of a populated solar system is one of Earth transported to it, with both complex geopolitical subcultures and mundane commercialism having placed their mark on the greater solar system. Gray makes the case that no matter what, we cannot escape our humanity and that whatever we want our future to look like, we have to remember that it is our humanity that shapes our reality, whether that be on earth or the greater solar system.

When it comes to shining stars in the twinkling world of Hollywood they don’t get much bigger than Brad Pitt, and here the revered movie icon bears his soul in an incredibly moving performance. As astronaut  Roy McBride, Pitt is elevated to the 1% of the 1%. McBride is the best of the best in this future world, and has devoted his entire life to the pursuit of the further exploration of our solar system and the vastness that lays beyond it. He also lives in the shadow of his father, Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), a man who is both a legend and enigma, and whom Roy never really knew and who he can never escape. In such a situation it’s hard to keep a clear mind, and this is exactly where Pitt takes us with McBride as he undertakes a top-secret mission to locate his father and try and turn him from the path that he is on.

Confident, determined and steadfastly capable in his duties, Pitt’s McBride is an All-American boy who is steadfastly committed to his job, but as he leaves our world for the greater solar system, his mind and the voice inside it starts to play on him and this is where things get interesting. In the endless void of the cosmos, it is Roy’s humanity that comes to the surface and even with all of his control and training he cannot escape his internal emotions. Feelings of anger, fear, rejection, sorrow, pain and ultimately love all rise to the surface here and in the vast emptiness of the black abyss of space Pitt’s McBride has to deal with all of them. Pitt gives one of his most memorable performances here as McBride and it is a career-best for the actor.

In terms of the visual experience, Ad Astra delivers with some of the most exceptional imagery you’ll see all year on the big screen. Gray invokes the words of his film’s title and takes his audience to the vast emptiness of our solar system in a journey that is one of incredible scope mixed in with beautiful colours bathed in pure starlight. Joining forces with esteemed cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, Gray crafts some of the most beautifully rendered images of the cosmos since Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and your jaw will be open in amazement as to how our solar system is realized here.

Together in Ad Astra, these two master image-makers build out a beautifully rendered portrait of space and humanity’s place within it. This is achieved with incredible detail which is applied to the film’s light and dynamic range and it vibrates with bold colours of crisp aqua, burning orange and cool blue. This bold arrangement of colours helps to bring the audience further into the narrative that Gray brings to the big screen here and you will marvel in amazement at the visual glory that is on display here.

If there is a central theme to Ad Astra then it is most definitely how man’s will can extend to accomplish the impossible. As sentient creatures with a developed frontal lobe, our dreams and desires know no horizon and in Ad Astra we have come to tame the very solar system in which we live.

Ad Astra is the examination of humanity on the edge of the cosmos, where it is removed from Earth and placed out into the void of the black abyss of space. But even in this environment, we can never escape its hold over us. While we may search for new worlds and try to answer the question of whether we are alone in the universe or not, this quest for answers, and the quest to know ourselves stems from the very human forces that drive us and Gray’s film is a celebration of this force and the will and drive that it gives us.

Ad Astra is also an exploration of man’ search for connection with his absent father and Gray uses this in relation to the connection between one man’s physical father, as well as to the heavenly godlike influence of the universe that surrounds him. Throughout Roy’s journey, we come to meet a man who has no connection to his father, and who in his mission has the chance to remedy this, along with rescuing him back from the edge of the abyss. But in undertaking this journey, Roy also comes into contact with the extremes of our solar system, and its here that the presence of the divine begins to enter into his life.

This exploration of the interaction between fathers and sons has always been a major part of the work that forms Gray’s lists of credits and here he examines how fathers guide their sons and the direction that this ultimately gives to their lives. Gray does an excellent job of this and as an audience member its fascinating to watch how Pitt’s interactions with Jones shapes the narrative and outcome of this movie.

As a cinematic experience, Ad Astra is bold and beautiful and it takes its audience on a wild and unprecedented adventure. It’s an exploration of the capability and triumph of the human spirit and audiences will come away from it with the feeling that they’ve experienced something truly groundbreaking.

Image: 20th Century Fox

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Watch the all-new trailer below:

Here’s the full synopsis:

Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos.

Directed by filmmaker James Gray (We Own The Night, The Yards, The Lost City of Z), who has come to be regarded as the heir to Coppola, Ad Astra is a thrilling new vision of one man’s impossible mission to head out to the edge of space to find himself and the father who left him. Along with it’s massive set pieces and edge of your seat thrills, Ad Astra focuses in on some massive themes such as the bind between father and son, the maddening quest to go further as a species and psychological problems that loneliness can bring on.

Gray has stated has he wants to make the most cutting edge space film that cinema has ever seen and with his bold use of camera movement and design, he’s producing something that will absolutely succeed 2001: A Space Odyssey as the new standard for the genre. Grey has also informed audiences that Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness has served as a big inspiration for the film and you can feel this journey up the river as Brad Pitt’s astronaut Roy McBride ventures further into the cosmos to find his rogue father.

Pitt has never looked better in a role and the character and circumstances that befall him as McBride in a journey that will test his physical and mental limits, along with his own sense of self as he seeks out his father and the answers that await both of them.

Packed to the brim with thrilling science fiction action, alongside a great character study, Ad Astra looks like an incredible piece of cinema that you’ll need to watch when it arrives in cinemas later this year.

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Here’s the official synopsis:

Twenty years after his father left on a one-way mission to Neptune in order to find signs of extra-terrestrial intelligence, Roy McBride (Pitt), an Army Corps engineer travels through the solar system to find him and understand why his mission failed.

Directed by noted filmmaker James Gray (The Yards, The Lost City of Z), Ad Astra is set to take audiences on an incredible journey through the solar system and Gray is again ready to deliver an extraordinary experience for cinemagoers. His focus here will be upon space as the most unforgiving of all places and he’s been working to make it the most realistic depiction of space travel ever.

The director has also noted that Joseph Conrad’s seminal Heart of Darkness served as an inspiration on the film, and it’s bound to lead into an immense sense of claustrophobia for audiences.

The presence of Pitt is also something to be extremely excited about as he’s been a champion of Gray’s style of filmmaking for a long time now. As a true auteur visionary, Gray was labelled by James Cann as ‘the successor to Coppola” and his films always create a strong emotional reaction from his audience.

Prepare yourself for an incredible journey when Ad Astra arrives in cinemas on May 23.

Image: 20th Century Fox

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