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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Based on the true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

With Ford v Ferrari, director James Mangold (Logan, Walk The Line) puts everything up on the big screen here and the result is a film of incredible vision and scope as he tells the ultimate story of David vs Goliath. Placing his audience right on the front line of the race tracks of the mid-1960s, Mangold tells a gripping story of two men, intrepid race car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and maverick driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) as they did the impossible and tried to dethrone Ferrari as the king of Le Mans. With his film, Mangold captures the very essence of the macho competitiveness of the track and it makes for one hell of a rush. His work on Ford v Ferrari is a love letter to the power of racing and those who give their lives to proving that there’s no limit to how fast you can go.

In making this film it’s clear that Mangold had one burning vision: to place his audience right at the heart of the action. And he does just that. The film’s racing scenes are sharp, swift and charged with adrenaline, and Mangold and cinematographer Phedon Papamichael place the action right at the heart of the car chases and crank up the acceleration. Whether it’s the arching corners of Daytona or the power of the Mulsanne Straight, which Christian Bale’s Ken Miles repeatedly guns down, again and again, Mangold absolutely goes for it and there are plenty of moments where you’ll be holding your breath. I can’t remember a piece of cinema that captures the essence of the racing experience quite like Ford v Ferrari, and the throttle doesn’t let up for a moment.

Mangold has assembled one hell of a talented cast for this one and leading the pack is superstar Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby, the legendary automotive designer who was charged to achieve the impossible. Damon’s Shelby is a straight-up Cowboy, and the actor nails Shelby’s iconic Texas twang and is an absolute force of nature here. Comprised of plenty of spark and compelling charisma, Shelby is full-on in his approach to racing and after being tasked by the deuce himself, Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) to beat Ferrari on the Le Mans track he goes for it with everything he’s got. Damon has a lot of fun in the role of Shelby and he jives well with Bale’s Miles and their pairing makes for one amazing dream team.

Placed directly in the driver’s seat of Ford v Ferrari is revered thespian Christian Bale as Ken Miles, a WWII veteran and maverick driver who isn’t one to play by the rules and who likes to do things his own way. A mercurial character in every sense of the word, Miles is a god behind the wheel, and his obsession with speed and a need for the constant pursuit of excellence makes him Shelby’s choice to take on the Le Mans track. Bale once again morphs his personal character into that of Miles and he’s committed to the part. Not only does he get some time behind the wheel here, but he brings to life the concentration and force of will that makes a champion. He works well beside Damon and you’re constantly smiling thanks to his antics both on and off the track.

With Damon’s Shelby as the brains and Bale’s Miles as the action, the vision of Ford v Ferrari arrives on screen in the form of Jon Bernthal’s Lee Iacocca, a sharp-suited, silver-tongued Ford executive who has a vision and who sees Shelby and Miles as Ford’s way to defeat Ferrari head on at Le Mans. In the role of Iacocca, Bernthal turns in a straight-up cool performance and his slick-talking style gives the film plenty of energy. Bernthal is very much the middle man of the film and acts as the go-between between Shelby and Ford Motors. While he’s got his own battles to fight in the hallways of Ford, he’s the ally that Shelby and Miles need to win this historic race and he does a damn fine job here with his performance.

In terms of its style, Ford v Ferrari is a true underdog story of mythic proportions and Mangold captures the essence of this on-screen. He showcases the impossibility of the task ahead of Shelby and Miles in just how the hell can these guys beat Ferrari with a Ford. Mangold takes us through all the steps as these men build out their plan of attack and step by step, through creativity and ingenuity build up a team and a car, in the now-famous Ford GT40, to take on the track and beat Ferrari at their own game. Gear heads will love the detail that Mangold goes into here within the film, as he takes audiences behind the scenes of how this grand car was conceived and then built to win.

Alongside its gripping tale of motorized competition, Ford v Ferrari also has some serious style to it, and Mangold revels in letting this shine through. Set during the zenith of the 1960s, Ford v Ferrari is packed out with the uber macho cool of the decade and this is recognized through everything from production design and wardrobe, along with the film’s thumping soundtrack which is filled out with classic tunes from the era. All of it builds up a portrait that is easy to lose yourself in and amps up the film’s considerable drama and the action that unfurls from there.

But alongside it’s pumping action scenes and slick production style, Ford v Ferreri is ultimately the story of friendship and brotherhood that is shared between two men. Through their competitive spirit and desire to win, Shelby and Miles form a unique partnership and pairing in this film, and Mangold’s story examines how the two of them came together to be champions and the friendship that is at the heart of this. Both of these men truly trust each other and are willing to go all the way to prove that they can indeed win out in the end and Mangold’s film is a testament to the power that we get when we trust in others and work together for a greater goal.

Ford v Ferrari is filmmaking on a whole other level and those who witness it need to view it on the biggest screen possible. This is an incredible piece of cinema to behold and from its direction to performances, style and on-the-edge track action race scenes, all of it will spin you around for one amazing lap.

Image: Ford v Ferrari

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Watch the edgy first trailer below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

Based on the true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

Director James Mangold (Logan, Walk The Line) is returning to cinemas and I couldn’t be more happier with his latest project in the form of the uber macho, ultra cool tale of man and automobile in Ford v. Ferrari, and the colossal story of two mavericks: British racer Ken Miles (Christian Bale) and American designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) who went to war against Ferrari on the legendary track of Le Mans to prove who was top dog in the world of racing.

Set to the tune of The Rolling Stones quintessentially cool song ‘Gimme Shelter’, this first trailer for Ford v. Ferrari buzzes with energy and really gets your heart going thanks to Mangold’s magnificent direction, two stellar performances from his lead stars and a whole lot of track pushing racing!

Keeping to the same style that he first cemented with Logan, Mangold has kept everything in camera and all of the danger on the track is 100% real! With dynamic cinematography and plenty of outlandish wrecks, Mangold wants to give audiences the experience of just how dangerous and addictive the track of Le Mans is and from what I’ve seen here the director has truly succeeded.

Ford v. Ferrari is cinema that’s straight out on the edge and you can prepare yourself for one hell of an adrenaline charged time when this epic piece of sports history comes rolling into cinemas on November 14.

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Well, this visually astute director is back with an even more ambitious project as he’s set to tell the ambitious David and Goliath story of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Man Race when hotshot driver Ken Miles ( Christian Bale) and brilliant automobile designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) went up against Ferrari with a brand new Ford racing team, and all new car, the Ford GT40 in Ford v Ferrari.

It’s a gripping tale of man, machine and competition and in the hands of Mangold we’re definitely in for something special.

Thanks to Entertainment Weekly we now have a brand new look into the film with some simply gorgeous new images which highlight Bale’s Miles and Damon’s Shelby, and you can feel the masculine adrenaline energy at play here.

Opening up about the style that his director wished to evoke, Damon said “as we were making it, we joked that it was the last movie ever. Luckily, we had this great character drama that was inside this other story.” Mangold also discussed his desire for an old-school approach to the filming of Ford v Ferrari saying, “these are real people with love and loss and fears that aren’t handled in three mini-moments between the next 100-decibel, 12-minute action sequence. And it’s an acting tour de force — Matt and Christian have never been better.”

For Mangold everything about Ford v Ferrari had to be practical and this of-course lent itself to the film’s high octane race sequences. Echoing his work on Logan, Mangold said “one of the main goals with Logan was that I felt the superhero genre had gotten so CGI’d, so I wanted to make it as emotionally and physically real as possible. And that very much carried over into Ford v Ferrari. I wanted to see a racing film where the cars weren’t all digital creations [and] we were really out there on the track. And not just so we could talk about it when we’re doing press, but because it actually makes a physical difference when you see it on screen.”

Ford v Ferrari also attracted a phenomenal cast to star alongside Bale and Damon which also includes Caitriona Balfe as Miles wife Mollie Miles, Tracey Letts as Henry Ford II and Jon Bernthal as Lee Iacocca.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Set against the backdrop of 1966’s 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France, the film follows fearless British racer Ken Miles (Bale) and maverick American car designer Carroll Shelby’s (Damon) mission to build a revolutionary car that would allow Ford to challenge the dominating Ferrari brand.

Ford v Ferrari is a film to get really excited about and with the promise of Mangold’s old school visual style, the combination of Christian Bale and Matt Damon and the some full throttle racing, audiences in for one hell of a ride when the film arrives in cinemas on November 14.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

Images: 20th Century Fox

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