American Factory is an example of my favorite type of documentary. It’s one that merely documents. It has no agenda to push, even though one grows organically throughout.

There are visually stunning scenes throughout, but the acting and writing are the pièce de résistance of Sibyl and should be exactly why you put this film on your radar as one to watch from 2019. It’s certainly going on my end of year favorite list.

It is the kind of ensemble that deserves some kind of recognition as the casting department did a great job, and the chemistry was remarkable.

It’s definitely a well-crafted genre offering. The writing could be better, with more of an emphasis on the relationships than on the plot mechanisms, but the ending is cool. The cast is also very good, but again, if the script were just a tad bit better, the film would get a better rating from me.

For fans of Breaking Bad, it’s a satisfying return to and continuation of the story.

What makes it enjoyable is that it’s a relatively grounded action film…relatively.

Brian Presley wrote, directed, produced, and stars in The Great Alaskan Race, and his reverence for the dire situation and heroics of the mushers are evident throughout. However, passion alone does not make a good movie.

It’s thoroughly engrossing, entertaining, and a lot of fun from beginning to end.

What The Riot Act lacks in gripping pace, it makes up for in stunning cinematography which beautifully captures the moody atmosphere of the era. Intimate performances draw viewers in, despite the underwhelming sense of suspense. Plot twists could be punchier and less obviously foreshadowing.

Hardly any of The Painted Bird is what you would call pleasant. It is often a difficult watch at times but is a consistently engaging one.

The Lighthouse becomes something that few movies can claim to be: memorable. Detractors might shrug it off as self-indulgent, artsy slop, but it’s too damn fun and aesthetics-minded for that accusation to hold much weight.

Thrasher Road is a fantastic story of family and forgiveness.

Despite the involvement of some skilled filmmakers, Portals is a cinematic black hole – vacuous and barely perceptible in the vastness of space lit with far brighter stars.

I won’t spoil anything, but there’s a speech in which Ron describes people’s reactions to his existence that is one of the best written moments of any movie all year.

Everything is one-note, dull and, worst of all, pretentious to the nth degree.

Political intrigues, potential murder plots – oh, and Putin’s rise-to-power and consequent 18-year-reign – Gibney serves it up, warts and all.

As a heartfelt ode to an important historical figure, it works just fine. Just don’t expect the film to mirror Virginia’s success, come award season.

Ozon knows his camera placements, musical cues, and, of course, actors, and here he barely steps wrong, pulling us into the narrative, even while dialing back on his usual extravagance.

Hardcore gorehounds will be disappointed by the lukewarm scares. Fans of throwback films will groan at the lack of tongue-in-cheek references. Anyone who’s seen a film will groan at the stupidity of it all.

Tell Me Who I Am is an incredible real-life mystery.

Waititi masterfully balances the film’s comedy with the seriousness of the subject. He plays with your emotions to heighten the impact of the story’s message. Nothing in this film feels gratuitous and the tonal shift in the film will hit you like a ton of bricks.

Supremely entertaining and hilarious, First Love will melt your brains, punch you in the gut and leave your hearts a-flutter.

Goi and his screenwriter Anthony Jaswinski must have thought that simply stuffing the film with as many shock tactics as possible would suffice. It doesn’t. This ship goes down with her captains.

Parasites is a brilliant film and for a thriller, it’s absolutely unpredictable (except in one big way).

Up There succeeds where many dramas like this fail. It balances action beautifully with dialogue. Especially as dialogue-heavy movies tend to vomit exposition at a sickening rate. A hefty portion of character development and revelation comes from its performances.

The most important thing in Marriage Story really isn’t the divorce itself. It’s Charlie and Nicole as people on their own individual journeys through one of the hardest things a person can ever go through. It’s a beautiful character piece that revels in its protagonists’ quirks and tics.

Personally, I found the subject matter fascinating. I love some sports. Auto racing is not one of them, but I also love stories about saving lives and how innovation and technology is a part of that.

The true success of this film has everything to do with Joaquin Phoenix’s masterful performance.