Since 2011, I have been pulling together a list of the best movies of the year according to the Brisbane-based critics who I run into regularly at preview screenings. Those films to have topped prior year lists have been Drive in 2011, Argo in 2012, Gravity in 2013, Boyhood in 2014, Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, La La Land in 2016, Get Out in 2017 and The Favourite in 2018.
To come up with an overall top 10, I’ve used a simple points system and applied it to the list of each critic. It is as follows:
- 3 points for the top film on each list.
- 2 points for the films ranked between 2nd and 5th on each list.
- 1 point for the films ranked between 6th and 10th on each list.
If two films finished on the same score, the film that appeared on the most number of top 10 lists is ranked higher (as an indication of wider approval).
In the 9 years that I’ve putting together this list, we’ve never had such a comprehensive winner. Parasite is the clear choice of Brisbane critics as the best film of 2019. The Palme d’Or winner from South Korean director Bong Joon-ho was ranked in the “top 10” by 11 of 12 critics (it was only my list where it was missing!) and 6 critics had it as their top movie of the year.
Parasite finished 14 points ahead of the second place getter, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (the previous record winning margin was La La Land by 10 points in 2016). The other two films to appear on more than 50% of the critics’ respective “top 10” lists were Knives Out in 3rd place and Us in 4th place.
Another milestone this year was the inclusion of 3 foreign language films in the top 10. In addition to Parasite, both Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Pain and Glory made the cut with 3 critics naming Antonio Banderas (the star of Pain and Glory) as giving the year’s best performance.
The remaining films on the list included two Netflix dramas, The Irishman and Marriage Story, and two comedies, Jojo Rabbit and Booksmart.
On that note, here are the top 10 movies of 2019 according to Brisbane critics…
Brisbane Film Critics - Top 10 of 2019
1. Parasite
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
3. Knives Out
4. Us
5. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
6. The Irishman
7. Jojo Rabbit
8. Marriage Story
9. Booksmart
10. Pain and Glory
You can view a table of all the votes and final scores by clicking here.
A big thanks to all the critics who were able to contribute. Hopefully we'll do it again next year!
You can check out information on all the Brisbane critics (along with their choices for the best and worst of 2019) below.
|
 Matthew Toomey
Born in Brisbane, Matt Toomey was introduced to the world of cinema when he landed a job at a video store fresh out of high school in 1995. A few years later, he started his own website and reviewed movies regularly on a community radio station. In 2005, he joined the team at 612ABC and can be heard reviewing the latest releases every Thursday morning. He can also be heard weekly on regional ABC throughout Queensland.
Website: thefilmpie.com
Twitter: @ToomeyMatt
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| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
If Beale Street Could Talk |
| 2. |
Eighth Grade |
| 3. |
The Guilty |
| 4. |
The Nightingale |
| 5. |
Portrait of a Lady on Fire |
| 6. |
The Report |
| 7. |
The Australian Dream |
| 8. |
Toy Story 4 |
| 9. |
Dogman |
| 10. |
Burning |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Nightingale |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Toy Story 4 |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Australian Dream |
| Best Performance: |
| Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) |
| Worst Film: |
| After |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Cold Pursuit |
 |
|
 Sarah Ward
Sarah Ward is a freelance film critic, arts and culture writer, and film festival organiser. She is the Australia-based critic for Screen International, the film and weekend editor for Concrete Playground, a writer for the Goethe-Institut Australien’s Kino in Oz, and a contributor to Flicks Australia, SBS, SBS Movies and ScreenHub. Her work has been published by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, AACTA, Birth.Movies.Death, Junkee, FilmInk, Lumina, Senses of Cinema, Broadsheet, Televised Revolution, ArtsHub, Metro Magazine, Screen Education and the World Film Locations book series. She is also the editor of Trespass Magazine, a film and TV critic for ABC radio Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, and has worked with the Brisbane International Film Festival, Queensland Film Festival, Sydney Underground Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival.
Websites: concreteplayground.com
screendaily.com/sarah-ward/1100859.contributor
goethe.de/ins/au/en/kul/sup/kio.html
flicks.com.au/author/sarah-ward/
sbs.com.au/guide/person/sarah-ward
sbs.com.au/movies/person/sarah-ward
birthmoviesdeath.com/author/sarah.ward
trespassmag.com
Twitter: @swardplay
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| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Parasite |
| 2. |
The Nightingale |
| 3. |
Portrait of a Lady on Fire |
| 4. |
Pain and Glory |
| 5. |
Us |
| 6. |
High Life |
| 7. |
Burning |
| 8. |
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood |
| 9. |
Marriage Story |
| 10. |
The Irishman |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Little Joe |
| 2. |
Synonyms |
| 3. |
True History of the Kelly Gang |
| 4. |
I Lost My Body |
| 5. |
Atlantics |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Nightingale |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Weathering with You |
| Best Documentary: |
| Varda by Agnes |
| Best Performance: |
| Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory) |
| Worst Film: |
| Cats |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Crawl |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Woman at War |
| 2. |
Parasite |
| 3. |
Sorry We Missed You |
| 4. |
Joker |
| 5. |
Us |
| 6. |
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood |
| 7. |
The Irishman |
| 8. |
Pain and Glory |
| 9. |
Official Secrets |
| 10. |
The Report |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Capital in the 20th Century |
| 2. |
The Spy Gone North |
| 3. |
Memory: The Origins of Alien |
| 4. |
Untouchable |
| 5. |
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Acute Misfortune |
| Best Animated Film: |
| The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part |
| Best Documentary: |
| 2040 |
| Best Performance: |
| Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory) |
| Worst Film: |
| The Nightingale |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Rocketman |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Parasite |
| 2. |
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood |
| 3. |
Pain and Glory |
| 4. |
Marriage Story |
| 5. |
Booksmart |
| 6. |
Us |
| 7. |
Destroyer |
| 8. |
Midsommar |
| 9. |
The Farewell |
| 10. |
Hustlers |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Dolemite Is My Name |
| 2. |
The Day Shall Come |
| 3. |
Little Monsters |
| 4. |
The Perfection |
| 5. |
In Fabric |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Nightingale |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Toy Story 4 |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Australian Dream |
| Best Performance: |
| Florence Pugh (Midsommar) |
| Worst Film: |
| Cats |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Child's Play |
|
 Ella Donald
Ella is a journalist, writer, and academic. She teaches at the University of Queensland, she's a regular contributor to GQ magazine, also she writes profiles, features, and interviews for publications like Vanity Fair, The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, ABC, and The Sydney Morning Herald.
Website: elladonaldwriter.wordpress.com
Twitter: @ellafdonald
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Portrait of a Lady on Fire |
| 2. |
Mystify: Michael Hutchence |
| 3. |
Parasite |
| 4. |
Knives Out |
| 5. |
Jojo Rabbit |
| 6. |
Woman at War |
| 7. |
Booksmart |
| 8. |
Little Woods |
| 9. |
Ford v Ferrari |
| 10. |
Vox Lux |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Little Women |
| 2. |
Dark Waters |
| 3. |
Matthias et Maxime |
| 4. |
Homecoming |
| 5. |
A Hidden Life |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Mystify: Michael Hutchence |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Toy Story 4 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Mystify: Michael Hutchence |
| Best Performance: |
| Brad Pitt (Ad Astra) |
| Worst Film: |
| Joker |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Charlie's Angels |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Parasite |
| 2. |
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood |
| 3. |
The Farewell |
| 4. |
Birds of Passage |
| 5. |
Booksmart |
| 6. |
Knives Out |
| 7. |
Jojo Rabbit |
| 8. |
If Beale Street Could Talk |
| 9. |
The White Crow |
| 10. |
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
1917 |
| 2. |
The Sound of Silence |
| 3. |
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Judy and Punch |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Toy Story 4 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché |
| Best Performance: |
| Awkwafina (The Farewell) |
| Worst Film: |
| Promised |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Zombieland: Double Tap |
|
 Dave Crewe
Freelance film critic with a fondness for arthouse and grindhouse films in roughly equal measure. Obsessed with David Lynch. Founding editor of ccpopculture, and freelances for SBS Movies, Junkee, The Brag, Metro Magazine and Screen Education, amongst others.
Website: ccpopculture.com
Twitter: @dacrewe
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| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Ad Astra |
| 2. |
Parasite |
| 3. |
Pain and Glory |
| 4. |
The Irishman |
| 5. |
Portrait of a Lady on Fire |
| 6. |
Hustlers |
| 7. |
Avengers: Endgame |
| 8. |
If Beale Street Could Talk |
| 9. |
Rocketman |
| 10. |
Us |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Knife + Heart |
| 2. |
Under the Silver Lake |
| 3. |
Colour Out of Space |
| 4. |
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie |
| 5. |
So Long, My Son |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Furies |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Toy Story 4 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Travis Scott: Look Mom I Can Fly |
| Best Performance: |
| Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory) |
| Worst Film: |
| Secret Obsession |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Terminator: Dark Fate |
|
 Rob Hudson
Rob Hudson is the editor of popular culture website modmove.com and reviews film, theatre and music.
Website: modmove.com
Twitter: @modmove
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Parasite |
| 2. |
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood |
| 3. |
The Irishman |
| 4. |
Knives Out |
| 5. |
Jojo Rabbit |
| 6. |
Hotel Mumbai |
| 7. |
Booksmart |
| 8. |
Avengers: Endgame |
| 9. |
The Nightingale |
| 10. |
Us |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Dolemite Is My Name |
| 2. |
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie |
| 3. |
Love, Antosha |
| 4. |
Hail Satan? |
| 5. |
Velvet Buzzsaw |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Nightingale |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Toy Story 4 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Apollo 11 |
| Best Performance: |
| Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) |
| Worst Film: |
| Playing with Fire |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Ready or Not |
|
 Baz McAlister
Walkley Award finalist Baz McAlister is a writer and deputy night editor at The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail, and co-hosts 'Force Material', a podcast about the secrets, history and influences of Star Wars.
Website: bazmcalister.wordpress.com
www.forcematerial.com
Twitter: @bazmcalister
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Jojo Rabbit |
| 2. |
Us |
| 3. |
Parasite |
| 4. |
Knives Out |
| 5. |
Midsommar |
| 6. |
Avengers: Endgame |
| 7. |
Booksmart |
| 8. |
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker |
| 9. |
The Kid Who Would Be King |
| 10. |
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Nightingale |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Toy Story 4 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Free Solo |
| Best Performance: |
| Lupita Nyong'o (Us) |
| Worst Film: |
| Rambo: Last Blood |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Parasite |
| 2. |
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood |
| 3. |
Burning |
| 4. |
Knives Out |
| 5. |
Marriage Story |
| 6. |
Midsommar |
| 7. |
The House That Jack Built |
| 8. |
The Farewell |
| 9. |
Woman at War |
| 10. |
Dragged Across Concrete |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
In Fabric |
| 2. |
Her Smell |
| 3. |
Dolemite Is My Name |
| 4. |
Dogs Don't Wear Pants |
| 5. |
The Art of Self-Defense |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Nightingale |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Frozen 2 |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley |
| Best Performance: |
| Elizabeth Moss (Her Smell) |
| Worst Film: |
| Cats |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Wild Rose |
|
 Nick L'Barrow
Talking about all the latest releases via 60 second video reviews on Instagram! Also, a contributing writer for Novastream and panellist on various podcasts for the Finely Taylored YouTube channel.
Website: instagram.com/nicksflicksfix
novastreamnetwork.com
Twitter: n/a
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Parasite |
| 2. |
The Irishman |
| 3. |
Marriage Story |
| 4. |
Knives Out |
| 5. |
Portrait of a Lady on Fire |
| 6. |
Jojo Rabbit |
| 7. |
Ford v Ferrari |
| 8. |
Joker |
| 9. |
Ad Astra |
| 10. |
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Monos |
| 2. |
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie |
| 3. |
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened |
| 4. |
Paddleton |
| 5. |
Dolemite Is My Name |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan |
| Best Animated Film: |
| How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Australian Dream |
| Best Performance: |
| Adam Driver (Marriage Story) |
| Worst Film: |
| Playing with Fire |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Good Boys |
|
 Shayne Grieve
Shayne currently teaches Film and TV at Grace Lutheran College and tries to justify all his cinema visits as professional development.
Website: thisisfilm.com
Twitter: @ShayneTIF
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood |
| 2. |
The Irishman |
| 3. |
Parasite |
| 4. |
Avengers: Endgame |
| 5. |
Us |
| 6. |
Marriage Story |
| 7. |
Ad Astra |
| 8. |
Knives Out |
| 9. |
If Beale Street Could Talk |
| 10. |
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum |
| |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Toy Story 4 |
| Best Performance: |
| Adam Driver (Marriage Story) |
| Worst Film: |
| Hellboy |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Hustlers |
Garry Williams
Peter Gray
David Edwards
Adam Roboczi
