Best Films and TV Shows of 2019

It’s that time of year again, this is my list of the best of all the movies and tv shows I watched in 2019.

Films

All the films I am listing have had their wide release in the UK in 2019, so films like Burning which was released in Korea in 2018 still counts for 2019

Joker

Joker may have been the most buzzed-about film of 2019, well besides Avengers: Endgame that is. It’s the compelling proposition of Joaquin Phoenix as Joker that put the film on my radar when it was first announced.

A bleak and unforgiving look at how society and mental illness can warp a man. This is the darkest incarnation of the iconic Batman villain yet. Of course Joaquin Phoenix doesn’t surprise with his unflinching portrayal as a man at rock bottom. The film also rejuvenated my faith in DC as the Justice League Movie was underwhelming and while Aquaman was fun I do like a dark brooding superhero story. So this feels like a hark back to the Nolan trilogy in the best way possible.

Burning

A Korean film based on a Haruki Murakami short story. A winning combination if you ask me and if you add into the mix Director Lee Chang-dong and actors Yoo Ah-in and Steven Yeun, then you have one of the best thrillers in recent memory. It’s a poetically shot film with a powerful underlying sense of dread that builds and builds until it all comes to a crescendo at the end. I reviewed the film back at the beginning of last year so have a read if you want a full unpacking of my thoughts on the film here.

Midsommar

This film is more than just a film it’s an experience, a WTF am I watching experience that just keeps giving you weirdness after weirdness. It’s also one of the best experiences I’ve ever had watching a film at the cinema as the audience was audibly cringing and gasping together at the craziest parts of the film. My sister kept leaning over and whispering in my ear ‘what are you making me watch?’, well dear only one of the best movies of the year!

Ad Astra

James Grey’s Ad Astra is a slow study on loneliness and emotional wounds that is beautifully complemented by a symbolic journey into the furthest parts of our galaxy. Existential and awe-inspiring, Ad Astra also feels so thoroughly human and personal. Family is at the heart of the film which challenges the audience to take a closer look at what is just in front of them rather than miles and miles away.

Exit

Thanks to the London East Asia Film Festival, I won tickets to the European premiere to see this rather hilarious and smart film from Korea. Exit is a disaster action-comedy, yes that is a thing, and yes this film balances all of these genres tremendously well. The film follows Yong-nam a talented but unemployed rock climber as he tries to save his whole family and his crush from a deadly gas that has been unleashed in downtown Seoul.

Knives Out

Funny, clever and thoroughly entertaining. Knives Out is an all-star comedy whodunnit in the style of Agatha Christie but for the modern age. Ana de Armas stole the film as Marta a nurse caught up in the mystery, and Chris Evan’s first post-Captain America role as Ranson the spoiled playboy of the family was a refreshing and thoroughly un-typecasted role for the actor. Twists and turns abound and no more can be said so go watch it!

TV Shows

Watchmen

HBO’s Watchmen is a fresh and compelling entry in the myriad of superhero centric stories out there at the moment. Rather than be a retelling of the graphic novel, the Watchmen series is its own thing with a storyline that centres around race rather than the cold war. Regina King as Angela Abar/Sister Night is one of the best black female characters I have ever seen on TV. I also think the show was absolutely fantastic, exciting and kept you guessing and in wonder, as the plot twists unfolded.

The Witcher


While Game of Thrones was epic, brilliant, groundbreaking TV it lost its way towards the end due to rather strange creative ideas regarding the plotting of events and the most lacklustre ending of Bran being the one to claim the iron throne. But not to fear Netflix swoops in with the exact remedy we all were seeking, an exciting new fantasy series in the form of The Witcher. This series is so much fun, Henry Cavill is amazing in the role of Geralt of Rivia, not just because he is mind-blowingly handsome but because he inhabits the role so convincingly. Also, the crisscrossing timelines create an interesting jigsaw puzzle of events that you have to slot together to make sense of the story which makes for an enjoyable watch. Love it: the humour, the cinematography, the world-building, the character development, everything.

Chocolate

Heartwarming, tragic, life-affirming are a few ways to describe the Korean language drama Chocolate. The drama follows Lee Kang and Moon Cha-young, a neurosurgeon and a chef as they fall in love while working at a hospice together. They have a complex history that adds another layer of intensity to the story, but the magic of the show is in the way everyone’s lives at the hospice intersect and everyone ends up teaching each other a valuable lesson about life, from the patients with limited time to the cold Lee Kang who softens over time. And at the heart of the show is food, the characters eat according to feelings and elevate food to more than just sustenance, its a way of bonding, of remembrance and of recovery. I wept my eyes out at most episodes because the story touched my heart so much and it became a cathartic and heartwarming moment each week for me, and the soundtrack is beautiful and it’s the only one I’ve listened to on repeat since One Spring Day and Something in the Rain. I will hands down say that this is one of my favourite Korean dramas to date, and I have watched an awful lot of them so that definitely says something about this one.

Autumn 2019 TV Watchlist

These are all the shows I am either already watching or will be watching this autumn.

His Dark Materials - BBC & HBO

To say this adaptation of Philip Pullman’s wildly popular book series is highly anticipated wouldn’t quite cut it. Ever since the divisive end to Game of THrones this year everyone has turned there attention to His Dark Materials as it promises to fill the fantasy, family and intrigue gap that that the end of Thrones has left.

나의 나라 (My Country: The New Age) - Netflix & JTBC

Yang Se-jong and Woo Do-hwan in a period drama together, what else could a girl need? A friendship turned into rivalry, epic fight scenes, beautiful cinematography and a blossoming love triangle!

Besides swoon worthy leads and epic imagery I always like watching Period dramas or 사극 (Sageuk) as they are called in Korea as even though they are highly fictionalised, watching them gives you a glimpse into the countries history. My County: The New Age is set at the end of the Goryeo dynasty and the dawning of the Joseon dynasty which is a rather fascinating time.

This is the Korean drama that everyone is talking about right now and it’s easy to see why. And luckily we get it the same day it’s released so there’s no worries of spoilers or having to wait eons for English subs to come along.

Watchmen - HBO & Sky Atlantic/Now TV

Set in a alternate present, Watchmen follows Det. Angela Abar as she navigates a world where masked vigilantes have been outlawed. As a fan of the Zack Snyder movie I have had this series on my radar since it was announced so I’m thrilled it’s finally nearly here!

배가본드 (Vagabond) - Netflix & SBS TV

A plane crash kills over 200 people including stuntman Cha Dal-gun’s young nephew, with the help of rookie NIS agent Go Hae-ri he will stop at nothing to expose the truth. From the get go this series is heart wrenching, but the pace and execution of the stunts and fight scenes will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Giri/Haji - BBC 2 & BBC iPlayer

Giri/Haji which translates to Duty/Shame follows Kenzo Mori a Detective from Tokyo who travels to London to track down his missing but presumed dead brother who may or may not have killed the relative of a Yakuza member. This drama will be in both Japanese and English in a similar vein to last year’s’ Strangers a thriller set in Hong Kong.

Catherine The Great - Now TV

Helen Mirren is Catherine The Great in this lavish period drama which follows the later life of the Russian Empress as she navigates court life and a multitude of lovers.

Plan Cœur Saison 2 (The Hook Up Plan Season 2) - Netflix

Plan Cœur aka The Hook Up Plan is a French Rom-Com series that focuses on a trio of friends and their adventures and misadventures in love. Season 1 was brilliant and now season picks up 4 months after the events of last season. Julio has given up his job as a male escort but how long will that last and can Elsa really trust him?? Seasons 1 & 2 are streaming on Netflix now so check it out if you haven’t already!

That’s my Autumn 2019 TV Watchlist, what are you planning to watch as the evenings get darker and colder?