THE BEST OF 2019 - The Best MOVIES Of The Year

THE YEAR IN MOVIES - 2019

- 2019 was one of the best years for movies in quite some time. Some of the best dramas, the best horror movies ... some new best-movies-ever from some of our most talented filmmakers. This is the important thing to remember: this was a year in which, no question, the box office was dominated by the very-big blockbusters of a certain company with a mouse as a mascot - but: if you were an open-minded and proactive moviegoer, there were dozens upon dozens of great films of all genres for you to check out. In the theaters, via streaming platforms - wherever they came from, there they were. Support good movies. Talk about good movies. Don't be a "I only care about ____" consumer. At the same time, like what you like. Don't worry about what's "cinema" and what isn't. Marvel's made some of the most exciting movies of the last decade - we should commend them for raising the bar on what's expected from a big franchise blockbuster. At the same time, there's more to movies than Marvel and Star Wars. Don't make those the only two things that dominate the conversation.



DANNY'S BEST MOVIES OF 2019:


1.) Jojo Rabbit

- A minor miracle of a movie, Jojo Rabbit is hilarious and heartfelt and subversive and daring and really, really shouldn't work. But this story about a Hitler-worshipping young boy in Nazi Germany - who slowly begins to shake off the cobwebs and see the error of his ways - somehow becomes both a brilliant satire of times past and a vital reflection of the times we live in now. In an age of "both sides-ism," Jojo is a roundhouse kick to the face of those who preach hatred and intolerance, and its final "f-you" is the year's greatest moment of cinematic catharsis.


2.) Parasite

- Director Bong Joon Ho crafts a cinematic masterpiece in Parasite - adding to his brilliant resume that so far includes modern classics like Snowpiercer and Okja. Parasite, a searing look at class struggle, is also just an incredible piece of edge-of-your seat filmmaking. It's a darkly funny thriller that has Hitchock-ian levels of tension, all while delivering some biting, eat-the-rich social commentary.


3.) Uncut Gems

- One of this year's true cinematic jaw-droppers, Uncut Gems will put directing powerhouses The Safdie Brothers on your radar, and it will also remind you that Adam Sandler is a uniquely talented actor when cast in the right film. This movie never stops, never relents, never slows down. It's kinetic, intense-as-hell. It's not all style, either - there's more going on beneath the surface of this one than in any other movie this year.


4.) The Irishman

- Scorsese's latest feels like a fitting summation of a life in crime films. It revisits many of the same themes we've seen in movies like Goodfellas and Casino - but this time, Scorsese's usual rock and roll filmmaking style is tempered by an elegiac, mournful look at aging characters filled with regret. The movie gives us De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci at their absolute best. And man, it's got some of the most incredibly-written and incredibly-acted scenes of any movie this year.


5.) Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

- This was the rare movie that I saw twice in theaters, and as with many Tarantino films, it got better with each watch. The film is quieter and more contemplative than typical QT fare, but that makes it all the better of a film to live in for a bit and take in all the great little details - from the world-building to the great little dialogue moments to the iconic Brad Pitt performance at its center.


6.) The Lighthouse

- This one may not be for everyone, but it left me leaving the theater on a total movie high. I mean, it's Willem Dafoe slowly going crazy and giving epic Shakespearean rants about how much he hates his fellow lighthouse resident (ably played by Robert Pattinson). This movie is flat-out insane in the best way possible. It's weird and creepy and surreal. Director Robert Eggers (The Witch) does it again.


7.) Us

- Jordan Peele made one heck of a directorial debut with Get Out, but IMO he tops himself with Us. I love how Peele mixes horror and comedy and social commentary into an incredibly entertaining genre mash-up. I love Lupita Nyong'o's crazy-good performance. I love the premise, and the way the movie unfolds, and the jaw-dropping twist ending. More, please.


8.) Midsommar

- Director Ari Aster follows up his horror breakout Hereditary with an even better movie - the trippy, mesmerizing, weird-af Midsommar. The movie floored me. It's a darkly-funny breakup movie, a cautionary tale about Wicker Man-esque killer cults, and ultimately an almost 2001-esque journey of death and rebirth. Not for the faint of heart, Midsommar is nonetheless one of the most unforgettable movies of the year.


9.) Long Shot

- Great comedies are too often underrated by critics and awards-ceremony gatekeepers, but I say that good comedy should be properly recognized! Long Shot is, flat-out, one of the funniest movies of the decade - with a sharp-as-a-tack script that is not just funny, but somehow also emotionally-involving, multilayered, and an astute bit of political commentary to boot.


10.) Apollo 11

- Seeing Apollo 11 in IMAX was one of the most awe-inspiring theatrical experiences I've ever had. Like some kind of time-travel portal to the 1960's, this documentary film's restored footage is expertly-edited in a way that completely immerses you in the Apollo 11 moon landing and the events leading up to it. A truly one of a kind, cosmic journey.


JUST MISSED THE CUT:


11.)  Knives Out

- Rian Johnson's brilliantly-executed murder mystery is a true crowd pleaser. A great cast, a smart script, and a mystery that's more about the why than merely the whodunnit.


12.) 1917

- One of the best war movies ever, Sam Mendes and Richard Deakins remind you that war is hell - in this riveting, visceral World War I film.


13.) The Farewell

- A funny, sad, emotional journey - Awkwafina is amazing in this look at family and love and life and death.


14.) Wild Rose

- Forget A Star Is Born - Wild Rose is the best rags-to-riches music story in a long while. A clap-your-hands-and-cheer movie with an amazing star turn from Jessie Buckley.


15.) Doctor Sleep

- This sequel to The Shining crafts a nearly superhero-level epic from the original book and movie's horror mythology. It's great fun, but also surprisingly poignant.



THE NEXT BEST:


16.) Ford v Ferrari

- A classic underdog movie - with amazing racing sequences to boot - that had my whole theater cheering. Christian Bale delivers another Oscar-worthy performance.


17.) Under the Silver Lake

- A moody, almost Lynch-ian neo-noir from It Follows director David Robert Mitchell, this one takes you down the rabbit hole into Los Angeles' weirdest corners.


18.) Spider-Man: Far From Home

-  One of the most purely fun (and funny!) Marvel movies to date, Far From Home delivers a near-perfect Spider-Man adventure ... filled with awesome action, great villains, and another great turn from Tom Holland.


19.) Little Women

- Writer/director Greta Gerwig puts a fresh, modern, infinitely clever spin on the literary classic. An A-list cast also helps to infuse the film with wit and heart and humor.


20.) Deadwood: The Movie

- The perfect final chapter to one of the all-time great TV series, this HBO film gave us one final go-round with Al Swearengen and the rest of the inhabitants of David Milch's iconic Western drama.


21.) Good Boys

- A hilarious comedy filled with ingeniously dirty humor, this R-rated kid-adventure had me laughing from start to finish.


22.) Alita: Battle Angel

- Sure, this one had some clunky dialogue and uneven plotting - but man, it was also an absolute rush of sci-fi imagination, kick-ass action, eye-popping visuals, and genuine stand-and-cheer moments.


23.) Booksmart

- This gem of a teen comedy gave us a hilarious coming-of-age story about two girls trying to have one great crazy night before graduating from high school. More movies like this, please!


24.) Fighting With My Family

- As a longtime pro-wrestling mark, I was of course excited for this comedic biopic about WWE fan-favorite Paige. But the film - directed by the great comedy mind of Stephen Merchant - was legit great. A funny and rousing underdog story that might just bring a tear to your eye.


25.) John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

- With some of the best/craziest/most holy-$%&# action scenes of any John Wick movie yet, Chapter 3 of the Keanu Reeves-led action staple did not disappoint.



MORE GREAT FILMS OF 2019:


26.) How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

- A visual marvel, this third and final entry in the beloved How To Train Your Dragon series gave us a fun and emotional sendoff to one of the best animated franchises ever.


27.) El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story

- This Netflix original gave us a compelling epilogue to Breaking Bad - with one final, characteristically-intense, darkly funny adventure for Aaron Paul's Jesse Pinkman.


28.) One Cut of the Dead

- This breathtakingly innovative Japanese horror-comedy is like no other zombie movie you've seen before. It will have you asking "WTF?" before the big twist hits - but when it does, you can't help but recognize the movie's genius.


29.) A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

- A moving, surprisingly dark (but don't worry - ultimately uplifting!) story about Mr. Rogers and the man behind the iconic kids' TV character - this film touchingly reaffirms the late Fred Rogers' powerful influence for good in this world.


30.) Dolemite is My Name

- Eddie Murphy rules as Blaxploitation icon Rudy Ray Moore, in this feel-good biopic about making art and living life your way and on your own terms. Oh, and Wesley Snipes in this movie ... who knew he had that in him?


31.) The Last Black Man in San Francisco

- One of the year's most interesting indie flicks, this one is a powerful, at times surreal, moving look at two friends trying to claim a home of their own - and plant a flag in a world that tries hard to hold them back.


32.) Honeyboy

- Who would have thought? Shia LaBeouf's autobiographical film - in which he plays his own dad! - is a fascinating, disturbing, darkly funny look at the perils of a childhood in showbiz.


33.) Zombieland: Double Tap

- Way more funny and entertaining than it probably had any right to be, this delayed sequel was often flat-out hilarious.


34.) Ready or Not

- One of 2019's unexpectedly-awesome films, this over-the-top horror-comedy gave me one of my favorite theater-going experiences of the year - it's one hell of a crowd-pleaser.


35.) Rocketman

- This Elton John musical biopic entertainingly captures the spirit of the flamboyant rock icon, bringing Sir Elton's biggest songs to life in colorful, infectious fashion.


36.) Shazam!

- A super-fun DC Comics movie that perfectly captures the essence of the character's (don't call him Captain Marvel) original comics and also of the recent Geoff Johns re-imagining, this one had the feel of classic 80's kids fare.


37.) Greta

- An underrated horror/thriller that I found to be a lot of fun, Greta features a delightfully unhinged performance from Isabelle Hupert as a freaky stalker who terrorizes her new, younger friend.


38.) Avengers: Endgame

- A tough one to rank, Avengers: Endgame had some of the most memorably-awesome movie scenes of the year, but also felt overlong and overstuffed and not as satisfying or epic as the (IMO) much-better Infinity War. Still, it was ultimately a pretty epic conclusion to this phase of the MCU.


39.) IT: Chapter 2

- While not quite as sharp as the first film, the IT sequel still managed to be a lot of fun - with a great cast brought in to play the adult versions of the Losers Club (including an amazing turn from Bill Hader).


40.) Judy

- A riveting, lovingly-crafted look at the final, drug-fueled years of Judy Garland, this film features a career-best performance from Renee Zelwegger in the lead role.


41.) Ad Astra

- While I don't know that this one ultimately came together as well as I would have liked, I still found Ad Astra to be a gorgeously-directed, admirably ambitious journey into the unknown frontier of deep space.


42.) The Art of Self-Defense

- A hyper-stylized satire, this movie has stuck with me since I first watched it. It's a lot to process, but ultimately this is a pretty biting look at toxic masculinity that I want to revisit.


43.) The Beach Bum

-  A predictably bonkers film from Harmony Korinne (the man who brought us Spring Breakers), The Beach Bum is Matthew McConaughey at his *most* McConaughey. It's the part he was born to play, baby!


44.) Marriage Story

- There's no denying the absolutely incredible acting in this one, from the reliably-great duo of Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. Noah Baumbach is always a fascinating director - his upper-class echo chamber sometimes annoys me - but there's no denying that the guy is an immense talent all the same.


45.) Shadow

- I'll watch anything from legendary director Zhang Yimou, and his latest - shot in stunning black and white - gives some of his most breathtaking visuals yet - including some absolutely eye-popping action scenes.


46.) Hustlers

- I think this one surprised a lot of people, me included. Hustlers, based on a true story, is a mini crime epic in the Scorsese vein - featuring a real movie-star turn from Jennifer Lopez in the lead.


47.) Dark Waters

- This film is maybe the scariest movie of the year - and it's not a horror movie. It's the true story of how chemical companies knowingly poisoned our environment - including major water supplies throughout the country - and how we're still paying for it today. This is a must-watch.


48.) The Dead Don't Die

- What happens when Jim Jarmusch makes a meta zombie comedy? Well, you get The Dead Don't Die - a fourth-wall-breaking deadpan, surreal film in which you get Bill Murray and Adam Driver as small-town cops battling a zombie apocalypse. I mean, what's not to like?


49.) The Kid Who Would Be King

- Attack the Block director Joe Cornish gives us a fun, feel-good re-imagining of the King Arthur story - in a whimsical kid-adventure movie that hearkens back to many an 80's-era classic.


50.) Her Smell

- A gripping, can't-look-away film that shows us a past-her-prime rock star's drug-fueled downfall, this one features an insanely good lead performance from Elizabeth Moss.



HONORABLE MENTIONS - OTHER RECOMMENDED MOVIES FROM THIS YEAR:

- Crawl
- Downton Abbey
- Blinded by the Light
- Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark
- Tolkien
- Pet Semetary
- Ma
- Luce
- Queen & Slim
- Dumbo
- Cold Pursuit
- Angel Has Fallen
- Captain Marvel
- The Aeronauts
- The Report

RANDOM SHOUT-OUTS:

- Serenity - one of the most entertainingly insane movies ever - a future midnight movie classic.

- The Perfection - this Netflix original horror movie, starring Alison Williams, is another future midnight movie classic that wowed me with its sheer audaciousness and level of jaw-dropping insanity.

- Shaft - I don't know if this was "good," but it made me laugh ... a lot ... maybe too much.

- CATS - I don't even know where to begin, but I will say that seeing this one was a true experience!

- Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker - I have complicated feelings about this one. It checks a lot of the surface-level Star Wars boxes, but I can't help but dwell on its rushed plot, aborted character arcs, and undermining of so much of what was great about The Last Jedi.

- Rambo: Last Blood - disappointing overall ... but it was a new Rambo movie and on some level I enjoyed it.

- Joker - another movie I have complicated thoughts about ... but I can't deny the incredible acting central to the film.


INDIVIDUAL 2019 AWARDS:



BEST LEAD ACTOR:

1.) Adam Sandler - Uncut Gems

2.) Christian Bale - Ford v Ferrari

3.) Brad Pitt - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

4.) Robert De Niro - The Irishman

5.) Matthew Rhys - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood



BEST LEADING ACTRESS:

1.) Jessie Buckley - Wild Rose

2.) Awkwafina - The Farewell

3.) Lupita N'yongo - Us

4.) Scarlett Johansson - Marriage Story

5.) Renee Zelwegger - Judy



BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

1.) Willem Dafoe - The Lighthouse

2.) Joe Pesci - The Irishman

3.) Al Pacino - The Irishman

4.) Tom Hanks - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

5.) Wesley Snipes - Dolemite Is My Name



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

1.) Thomasin McKenzie - Jojo Rabbit

2.) Park So-dam - Parasite

3.) Julia Fox - Uncut Gems

4.) Florence Pugh - Little Women

5.) Laura Dern - Marriage Story



BEST DIRECTOR:

1.) Bong Joon Ho - Parasite

2.) The Safdie Brothers - Uncut Gems

3.) Sam Mendes - 1917

4.) Taika Waititi - Jojo Rabbit

5.) Quentin Tarantino - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood



BEST SCREENPLAY:

1.) The Irishman

2.) Jojo Rabbit

3.) Once Upon a Time In Hollywood

4.) Parasite

5.) Long Shot

6.) The Farewell

7.) The Lighthouse

8.) Us

9.) Little Women

10.) Knives Out


And that's a wrap on the Best of 2019. Here's to all the great movies of 2020 - happy movie-watching in the New Year and in the new decade!

THE BEST OF 2019 - The Best GAMES Of The Year

- A lot of my gaming time in 2019 was spent still playing a lot of 2018's best games. God of War, Spider-Man, and others consumed a lot of my time - and distracted me from a lot of this year's new releases. Which is a good reminder: games are way too long now. I am all for giving the consumer value for their purchase, but too many games feel padded in a way that isn't really necessary. This is where the Nintendo Switch has been great - as it's been home to a lot of great games that are substantial, but not necessarily 50+ hour epics with endless sidequests and crafting systems and all the things that define today's AAA games. In fact, I'd say a lot of my favorite games of 2019 - coincidental or not - tended to be back-to-basics sorts of games, that emphasized one or two key gameplay elements and didn't try to be everything to everyone.

I was once again lucky enough to go to E3 this past summer, and it was definitely a strange year at the show. No Sony, for one thing. And just and overall lack of majorly-hyped games. It feels like we're in a bit of a purgatory right now as we wait for the new consoles to launch next holiday. But of course, it's always about the games - and 2020 will bring some titans, from The Last of Us 2 to Cyberpunk to The Avengers. We'll see what lives up to the hype and what doesn't. And hey, new console launches are always exciting - in particular, it's a great time for big new IP to be introduced. We know next to nothing right now about what, games-wise, Sony or Microsoft have in store in terms of next-gen launch games ... so the next several months are going to be really, really interesting.

But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Here are my favorite games of 2019.


DANNY'S BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR:


1.) CONTROL

- From its opening moments, Control radiates ominous atmosphere and gets your pulse pounding. This is the kind of game I allude to above, when I talk about games that focus on doing a couple of things really well. The first thing that Control does well is story and atmosphere. The game's immersive plot - about a secret government agency called The Department of Control, and its fight against an otherdimensional enemy - is insanely cool, unsettling, and addictive. It's The X-Files by way of David Lynch - and the game tells its story through a great mix of cut scenes, gameplay sequences, and supplemental lore doled out via found objects and documents. The game oozes style - filled with moody lighting, disturbing sound f/x, and tons of cool little details in the game environment that add to the narrative. The second thing the game does really well is shoot-'em-up gameplay, with tried-and-true mechanics mixed with some very cool and unique psychic-weapon abilities. Control is one of the best "playing through an awesome, cinematic story" games in quite some time.


2.) LUIGI'S MANSION 3

- I bought the new Luigi's Mansion game on a whim - I hadn't played the previous entries in the series, but was hoping for a fun new Switch game to play over my Thanksgiving travels. I should have known how fun this one would turn out to be - it's vintage Nintendo: filled to the brim with brilliant gameplay flourishes, expertly-designed puzzles, an eye-popping art style, and simple yet challenging design. 


3.) STAR WARS: JEDI FALLEN ORDER

- This game is interesting, in that, on one hand, it's so very clearly directly ripping key game elements from some of today's biggest franchises: Uncharted's traversal, Dark Souls lite combat, and God of War-esque narrative elements. And yet ... on the other hand, all of that, when wrapped in the comforting blanket of the Star Wars universe, makes for a pretty awesome game. I mean, this is what we all wanted, right? You get to play as a Jedi, engage in super-sweet lightsaber combat, and partake in a pretty damn good Star Wars story that takes place after the events of Episode III and Order 666. While rough around the edges, this one is a lot of fun. Sequel, please.


4.) BLOODSTAINED: RITUAL OF THE NIGHT

- This crowd-funded game allowed Castlevania legend Koji "IGA" Igarashi to do what he does best: make awesome 2-D Metroidvania games with incredible art and music. I get that for some, this one had a "been there, done that" feel - especially given the recent glut of these types of games in the indie space. But as someone who counts Castlevania: Symphony of the Night as maybe the greatest game of all time, I was more than happy to take another journey into an IGA-created gothic adventure. And sure, this largely plays like a slightly modernized update of SOTN - but I'll take it! I mean - the art! The music! Nobody does these kinds of games better.


5.) ASTRAL CHAIN

- The latest from Platinum Games (makers of such hack-and-slash adventures as Bayonetta and Nier Automata) is as stylish and action-packed as you'd expect. In fact, it might be the best-looking game I've yet seen on the Switch. The anime-style sci-fi graphics are insanely great, but the game's also got some truly breathtaking, screen-filling action that's just flat-out fun. Add in some interesting combat mechanics and a hokey-but-fun futuristic narrative - and you've got yourself one hell of an action game. Right up there with Platinum's best, and a must-own for anyone with a Switch.


6.) DEATH STRANDING

- This one is hard to quantify, exactly. Hideo Kojima is the kind of singular visionary that the games industry needs more of. But Death Stranding is him going full Kojima, perhaps getting a little too indulgent with his vision. I mean, Death Stranding needs to be played - it's got some of the most striking visuals and unique aesthetics I've ever seen in a game. It's weird af, but in that uniquely Kojima way that is also highly endearing. And the gameplay ... I mean, whereas previous Kojima games like Metal Gear were more traditional and combat-focused, Death Stranding is, at its core, a souped-up walking/hiking simulator. But you're walking through a post-apocalyptic America that's haunted by undead ghosts, and you're Norman Reedus, and you're carrying/protecting a messianic baby that cries through the speaker on your controller. So yeah ... Death Stranding is a videogame and it's weird and hard to describe and I'm not even quite sure what I think of it, but ... I'm glad I played it!


7.) DEVIL MAY CRY 5

- The original Devil May Cry was a foundational game for me. I remember getting it for the PS2, and just being blown away by the graphics, the gameplay, and the over-the-top aesthetics. Cut to almost twenty years later (!), and the franchise is still going strong - with a super good new game that delivers all the crazy action and absurd storylines that you could possibly want from a new DMC. This one doesn't re-invent the wheel - but honestly, it feels like the best Devil May Cry game since the original. 


8.) THE OUTER WILDS

- I know this one is at the top of many critics' best-of-2019 lists, and I can see why. This is one of those hyper-innovative indie games that just exudes creativity and imagination. You are a space explorer in a surreal, colorfully-rendered universe - tasked with solving the mysteries of the new planets you land in, while caught in a Groundhog Day-like time loop that throws a major wrench in your efforts. I'll be honest - I've so far found this game to be oddly mesmerizing but also extremely obtuse and frustrating. But I know I need to give it more time and more patience, and I really look forward to diving back in in the near future.


9.) KINGDOM HEARTS 3

- I'll admit I had somewhat mixed feelings about KH3. I loved the first game when it came out years ago, but even then, I liked it more for its geeky pairing of Disney and Final Fantasy characters than I did for its button-mashing action. KH3, well, it hasn't changed that much from KH1. The graphics are a bit slicker and the gameplay slightly updated ... but this is, unmistakably, Kingdom Hearts. And the story even doubles down on the convoluted craziness that characterized later entries in the series. And yet ... the game is still sort of awesome. I mean, in that uniquely Kingdom Hearts way. It has those magical moments you want and expect from this series. And honestly, there's a joy to this game that not many others can replicate. It's kind of amazing it even exists, after the long wait - decades! - since Part 2. But in 2019, we finally got the trilogy capper and, you know what? It turned out to be as fun and as cool and as awesomely ridiculous as anyone could have hoped.


10.) JUDGEMENT

- So for a while now, I've been wanting to get into the Yakuza series - the cult-fave franchise from SEGA that has been a critical darling for years now. And Judgement - which is a spinoff from the makers of Yakuza - seemed like a good place to start. It was! Judgement is a really cool game that blends action and detective work. You play as a crime-busting lawyer, and the game is refreshingly straightforward while also bristling with cool neo-noir style.


Other New Games I Enjoyed in 2019:

- Untitled Goose Game
- Samurai Shodown
- Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
- Erica
- Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3

THE BEST OF 2019 - The Best ROCK Of The Year

 
- I don't like to live in the past. With most pop-culture, I like to maintain a healthy appreciation for the classics, but I also try to always be in on the conversation around the latest and greatest. But with music - especially here in the ultra-fragmented, hyper-personalized landscape that is 2019 - it can be hard to keep up. Especially when your interest is primarily in rock - a genre where one has to be increasingly proactive to stay current. That's why, for the last few years, I've made it a point to spend some time at the end of the year seeking out the must-listen new music that I missed over the previous several months. It's kind of fun, and it makes for a great supplement to the new music I discovered organically throughout the year.

All that said, the defining musical moments of 2019, for me, mostly involved finally seeing some true legends perform live.

For the first time ever, I saw Sir Paul McCartney in concert - at a huge, epic show held at Dodger Stadium. I was never a huge Beatles fan growing up, but my appreciation for The Beatles and for Sir Paul has really grown in recent years. I was amazed at how great of a show McCartney could still put on in 2019, and just how musically gifted the man truly is. Plus, bonus: Ringo himself showed up and got behind the drums for a trio of songs to close out the show. Amazing.

I also finally saw Iron Maiden live this year - my first time! - and the legendary metal band did not disappoint. At LA's huge Banc of California stadium, Iron Maiden wowed the amped-up crowd with classic song after classic song. Pumping my fist to rock anthems like Fear of the Dark and Run to the Hills was an experience I will not soon forget.

I actually kicked off the year by seeing KISS live as part of their supposedly-final tour. Final or not, the show was a lot of fun, and they had the Forum in LA rocking with plenty of vintage hits. KISS never skimps on the pyrotechnics or theatrics, and Paul Stanley is a uniquely charismatic frontman. As a longtime KISS fan, it was awesome seeing them live one more time.

Another amazing show took place at the Hollywood Bowl in late Summer. I saw a double-bill of Joan Jett and Heart, and man, it was an incredible show. Joan Jett had long been on my concert bucketlist - as she's one of my all-time favorites. It was amazing - and kind of surreal - to finally see her play some of my favorite songs ever, like Bad Reputation, live and in person. I'd seen Heart once before, so I knew they'd be great. But once again, I was absolutely blown away by the ethereal power of Ann Wilson's vocals and the electrifying, mesmerizing guitar-playing prowess of sister Nancy.

I saw Avril Lavigne in concert for the first time ever. Yep, I'm the one person who saw both Avril Lavigne and Iron Maiden live this year. But hey, it's well-documented that I've always been a fan of Avril's semi-guilty-pleasure pop-punk stylings, so it was a fun nostalgia rush to see her live at the Greek Theater and get to sing along to her pretty-impressive catalog of hits.

And finally, I once again saw the one and only "Weird" Al live. Hell yeah. Also taking place at the Greek Theater, this was another uber-fun show from the living legend. Every time I see Al in concert, I'm amazed at the multiple generations of fans who show up, smiles plastered on faces, everyone just happy to experience a night of good vibes and hilarious parody songs. The man is truly a national treasure.

Anyways, on with the show. After all, you can't be content to simply live in the past. So here are my picks for the best of 2019.


DANNY'S TOP ROCK SONGS OF 2019:


1.) Gary Clark Jr - "Pearl Cadillac" / "This Land"

- Gary Clark Jr. has been around for a while now, but he was new to me in 2019. But I'm glad I stumbled onto him - his new album has heavy rock leanings, mixing the funky stylings of Prince with the epic rock balladry of late-period Guns n' Roses. Check out Pearl Cadillac for a hypnotically awesome, funktastic power-ballad. And give This Land a listen for a truly unforgettable, fight-the-power screed against racism.

2.) The Darkness - "How Can I Lose Your Love" / "We Are the Guitar Men"

- The Darkness have been a reliable source for good, ol'-fashioned, no-shame rock n' roll since their early-in-the-decade comeback. And their newest album, while not quite as strong as earlier efforts, still features its share of bombastic, over-the-top rockers that are worthy of The Darkness name. The band always has some tongue in cheek cheekiness in its songs, so even the endearingly earnest Guitar Men seems to coming at us with a knowing wink and a smile.

3.) Weezer - "End of the Game"

- Weezer is having a moment, in what's been a remarkable career of highs and lows. In my opinion, almost every era of Weezer has had its high points - and while it's been a long time since the band put together a whole album's worth of goodness, each album release usually has at least one or two gems. And so it may go with their 2020 release Van Weezer (love the title ...). The first single - End of the Game - is vintage Weezer power-pop wrapped up with an 80's Van Halen-esque bow. I'll take it.

4.) Sleater-Kinney - "Can I Go On" / "Bad Dance"

- Legendary alt-rockers Sleater-Kinney delivered their first album post parting ways with drummer Janet Weiss, but it was, even so, a banger. A couple of favorite songs from the release include the can-do anthem Can I Go On and the apocalyptic party song Bad Dance. These badass women have still got it.

5.) Billie Eilish - "Bad Guy"

- This song was everywhere in 2019, and deservedly so. It's a catchy and mesmerizing piece of futuristic dance-pop-rock, and it helped to make Eilish one of the breakout pop stars of the year. I'll be honest, a lot of pop stuff this year left me pretty cold. But this song stood out as an instant-classic earworm that will likely have some serious staying power.

6.) Ozzy Osbourne - "Under the Graveyard"

- Ozzy dropped some surprise singles towards the end of the year, in anticipation of a new 2020 album. And - wow! - Under the Graveyard is legit. It's a vintage Ozzy song - in 2019 - that conjures up the black magic of 80's-era Ozzy (though with some more modern flourishes). But this is a real-deal head-banger that may just make you bark at the moon.

7.) Tool - "Fear Inoculum"

- I've never been a Tool die-hard, but I have always had a healthy appreciation for the moody, complex, industrial-rock prowess of the band. And of course, I've often used their songs as background when I'm writing and trying to get into a particularly dark and ominous mindset. Anyways, it's easy to see why their long-awaited 2019 album release was a bonafide rock music event. No one does this kind of music quite like Tool - they are practically a genre unto themselves. The album title track, Fear Inoculum, is the new song that grabbed me most.

8.) The Black Keys - "Lo/Hi"

-The Black Keys returned in 2019 with a new album that returned the band to their original alt-rock sound. Lo/Hi feels like vintage Black Keys - something that had been sorely missing from the rock scene for the last couple of years. As soon as those fuzzy guitars kick in, you know you're off to the races.

9.) Sam Fender - "The Borders"

-If you haven't heard Sam Fender, he's a British dude who seriously channels the kind of soulful, introspective rock made famous by the likes of Bruce Springsteen. The Borders is a great example of his style - a song with cinematic lyrics and a driving, fist-pumping rhythm (not to mention a Boss-esque sax interlude). This is some seriously good stuff - I think this guy may be going places.

10.) Yonaka - "Rockstar" / "Fired Up"

- Yonaka is one of those artists who just sounds like the future. Mixing dance-pop with rock guitars, her songs are guaranteed to get you moving and bopping. Fired Up is an energy-filled dance song that's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and Rockstar is a similarly get-up-and-dance kind of song. 

Just Missed the Cut:

11.) Tenacious D - "Hope"
12.) Simple Creatures - "Drugs"
13.) Doll Skin - "Outta My Mind"
14.) Jenny Lewis - “Red Bull & Hennessy"
15.) Charly Bliss - "Hard to Believe"

THE BEST OF 2019 - The Best TV Of The Year

THE BEST OF 2019 - The Best TV Shows of The Year

- So, wow - it's the end of the year, the end of the decade, the end of the world (almost! maybe?!) - and so, as is tradition, I'm here to provide my list of the best of this past year in a number of pop-culture categories - starting with TV. I'll preface by saying that, in the interest of HOW MUCH there is to talk about - we've got best-of-2019 posts, BEST OF THE DECADE (!) posts, etc. - I'm going to aim for brevity in each of this year's Best-Of blog posts. I know, going against my very nature ... but hey: evolve or die, people.

So let's talk TV. 2019 was again a year of WAY TOO MUCH TV. Streaming services everywhere, each with tons of CONTENT ... so much of it seemingly aimed specifically at me. I mean, man, I remember the days when young sci-fi nerd me had basically *one* good show to watch (The X-Files) and a couple of not-as-good shows. Now, there's a whole DC Universe streaming platform with nothing but DC Comics shows and THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE WATCHMEN. Sorry for shouting so much ... I have a lot of pent-up blogging in me that has been screaming to get out. But yeah, there was a time, not that long ago, where I felt like I could reasonably watch pretty much all of the good stuff. Well folks, that day is now very much in the past. I've only just started Succession. I've not yet seen Bojack (it's on my list ... but, man, my list is super long ...). I am but one man, and I can only watch so much.

2019 did, I think, feel like the end of an era though. Game of Thrones was the last great water-cooler TV show. With that having ended, we're left with a lot of content that nobody is watching at the same time. It's a constant state of "no spoilers, please." It's kind of sad. It's so funny though how it's weirdly refreshing that The Mandolorian on Disney Plus is doing one episode per week - it's great. Please get on the bandwagon, Netflix and Amazon. Great pop-culture is meant to be carefully consumed and digested. It needs time to simmer. There needs to be that weekly period of speculation and discussion and theorizing and debate. If we do fully lose that, then I think we will have lost an essential element of the peak Peak TV era that may now be sunsetting. On a similar note, 2019 was also a year of a lot of *very, very good* shows but few truly great ones. The 2018 end of The Americans left a bit of a void, I think. Nothing this year got me quite as hyped as the final season of that all-time classic. But a few things did come close ...



DANNY'S TOP TV SHOWS OF 2019:



1. MR. ROBOT

- Season 1 of Mr. Robot was lightning in a bottle. It was an incredible season of TV ... but the show couldn't quite sustain that momentum through Seasons 2 and 3. But man, the fourth and final season of this mind-bending, twisty, punk-rock show somehow re-captured that lightning. Mr. Robot - like main character Elliot Alderson - could sometimes have multiple personalities. Was it a cyber-thriller? A meditation on mental health and the suffocating pressures of the modern world? A Lynchian mind-%$&#? A meta-narrative about reality vs. fiction? Well, Season 4 struck the perfect balance between all of those things - delivering pulse-pounding intrigue, deep dives down the rabbit hole that is Elliot's mind, and jaw-dropping twists that turned the entire series on its head - making us question everything that had come before. The hype is real about how good Rami Malek was on this show - he gave a captivating, often surreal performance that went to some very deep and very dark places. Christian Slater was similarly great as Elliot's "protector" - the role of a lifetime for one of my favorite-ever actors. Carly Chaikin as Darlene was the unsung star of the series - a punk rock icon who gave the show its sardonic, badass edge. And Portia Doubleday was similarly great as Angela, the girl next door who increasingly became a tragic figure - lost to the tidal wave of Evil. And, oh, I of course have to mention BD Wong as White Rose - an enigmatic villain with a mesmerizing backstory. What an all-time great final episode this show delivered. What a crazy ride it was.


2. FOSSE/VERDON

- In college, a screenwriting professor had us all watch Bob Fosse's autobiographical film All That Jazz. It blew me away, and really opened my mind towards movies that I might have previously considered outside of my comfort zone. So I was really eager to see this new take on the Fosse story, and I was not disappointed. The series got better with each episode. It had capitol "A" ACTING from Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams. It brilliantly weaved back and forth in time and painted an incredibly affecting picture of two creative partners who were both the best and worst things in each others lives.


3. VERONICA MARS

- "A long time ago, we used to be friends ..." - and a long time ago, Veronica Mars was one of TV's most underrated cult-classics-in-the-making. It was an ahead-of-its time mystery series with razor-sharp wit, expertly-plotted mysteries, a kick-ass cast of characters, and one hell of a theme song to boot. Cut to years later - and, amazingly, the show is back - via Hulu - and delivers its best season since the seminal S1. This return to the neo-noir beachfront town of Neptune, CA had it all - a multi-layered mystery, expertly-penned banter, satisfying character arcs for new and old faces a like, and some truly jaw-dropping moments that left me stunned. It was great having V Mars back in 2019.


4. THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES

- I long ago became a full-fledged member of the cult of Danny McBride, Jody Hill, and David Gordon Green. These guys have produced some of the most brilliantly ridiculous and hilariously dark comedy of the last fifteen years - from The Foot Fist Way, to Eastbound & Down, to Vice Principals, and now ... The Righteous Gemstones. This is just a wickedly funny satirical look at a family of evangelical celebrity preachers - that dares to go places that no one else but this warped trio would go to. Few comedies are able to truly shock me, but McBride, Hill, and Green never fail to leave my jaw on the floor.


5. FLEABAG

- How to describe Fleabag to the uninitiated? It's sort of like Curb Your Enthusiasm, but more female, way more British, far less improvised (i.e. not improvised), and with a much deeper emotional core. Okay, so maybe the Curb comparison doesn't 100% work. So really, you just have to watch it. You just have to realize that it's writer and star Phoebe Waller Bridge putting her biting sense of humor and knack for great characters on your TV screen. It's a character getting into ridiculous situations and then getting out of them in brilliantly hilarious ways. It's just really, really good and I highly recommend it. 


6. WATCHMEN

-The funny thing is ... it took me a good couple of episodes to warm up to Watchmen. I mean, it's Watchmen! Only a pseudo-sequel to the greatest comic book ever written, on HBO, with a big budget and top-notch cast and ... I mean, if this wasn't an immediate A+ ... And it took a little while, but by the time we got to Episode 6 - a stunning flashback episode that took one of Alan Moore's biggest comic book mysteries and re-invented in a surprising and jaw-dropping fashion - well, I was all-friggin'-in. Watchmen took a little time to find its footing, but the back half of the season delivered one holy-$%&#-this-is-good episode after another. And as a bonus, the show was a super-cool experiment in multimedia storytelling, with the Peteypedia website dropping weekly bits of series lore that were a legitimately awesome supplement to the episodes. I know Alan Moore can't be proud - but he should be.


7. TRUE DETECTIVE

- I know that S2 of True Detective lost a lot of people (me included), but I'm glad I gave S3 a shot at the beginning of the year. The show got its groove back, delivering a gritty American Gothic mystery that harkened back to the superlative first season. S3 was brimming with atmosphere, danger, suspense - and anchored by two incredible lead performances from leads Mahershala Ali and (in what has to be his best turn ever) Stephen Dorff. The show used the first season's time-jumping conceit to great effect, creating an epic, decade-spanning mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.


8. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

-Don't call it a comeback. Saved from cancellation hell by a last-minute NBC pick-up, B99 was back and better than ever in 2019. Somehow, the show seems to improve with age - the writing just keeps getting sharper, the cast's chemistry keeps getting better, and the show, somehow, was totally hitting its stride in Season 6. It's seriously a national travesty that the great Andre Braugher has not yet won an Emmy for his work on this show. He's made Captain Holt into one of the greatest and funniest sitcom characters of all time.


9. CHERNOBYL

- Well, I was late to the game on this one ... but, no question, Chernobyl is just a masterful piece of storytelling. It's also one of the scariest and most disturbing piece of content I consumed in 2019 - painting a downright nightmarish picture of one of the most dangerous man-made disasters in history. The cast is excellent. The writing is really smart. And it speaks a lot to modern day issues -  showing how denial of the truth in the name of pride and politics can lead to catastrophic disaster.


10. THE SOCIETY

- An underrated gem of 2019, The Society may have come off like just another YA sci-fi series, but it had - seriously! - some of the best and craziest and most jaw-dropping storytelling of any TV show this year. The Society was Lord of the Flies meets Lost meets The West Wing - a teen drama that dared to go dark, to get political, to give us some of the best and most binge-worthy cliffhangers of any show I've seen in years. Netflix is churning out so many series these days that it's hard to keep track - too many get lost in the shuffle. But don't let that happen with The Society. This is one of Netflix's best.


The Next Best:


11. BARRY

-  Barry is a show about an assassin who just wants to be an actor ... and somehow, it works. It's funny and also intense and also often just insanely entertaining. When I think about Season 2 of Barry, I mostly keep coming back to its fifth episode ... aka one of the craziest episodes of TV I've ever seen. In it, Barry runs afoul of a seemingly ordinary suburban dad, who turns out to be a low-key Taekwondo master. The two proceed to have an episode-length battle across town that just escalates and escalates and produces insane moment after insane moment. It's a perfect encapsulation as to why Barry is the bomb.


12. GAME OF THRONES

- I could write pages upon pages about Game of Thrones' epic, flawed, controversial final season. But I'll say this: while I didn't love how it ended, I great enjoyed the journey to get there. I don't know ... this show became so big and had so many moving parts that it was hard for me to look at with too over-critical of an eye. What I mean is: it was clear going into the final season that the show had *a lot* of ground to cover in a very short time, and that we were going to be getting the big story beats - one after another - rather than the deep dives and methodical plotting we'd at times gotten from the show previously. And those big story beats gave us, I think, some all-timer moments. I mean ... Arya by-god Stark and The Night King. Classic. Epic. Applause-worthy. The final season gave us a couple more of those big moments that no show did better than this show.


13. THE MANDALORIAN

- The Mandalorian just really, really works for me. If Star Wars (especially the OG trilogy) is in many ways a space-western, then The Mandalorian doubles down - giving us a classic stoic cowboy hero who rides into town after town, reluctantly serving up some old-fashioned justice. Except this cowboy wears space-armor, travels from planet to planet, and protects Baby by-god Yoda from all manner of scum and villainy. The series has had some flat episodes, but man, when it works it works - and it delivers some endearingly old-fashioned one-and-done storytelling with a Star Wars tinge. And also: that score! Amazing.


14. BROAD CITY

-  What a great final season Broad City had - including but not limited to one of the best final episodes of a TV comedy I've ever seen. Funny and heartwarming and with a lot to say about growing up and adulting and the entire Millennial experience, Broad City went out on a high note that cemented it as one of the defining comedies of this decade.


15. BIG MOUTH

- Big Mouth takes perverse glee in being as filthy as any show has ever been, ever. But what makes this lovingly gross look at the trials and tribulations of puberty so good is that: a.) it's really really smart, b.) it's really really funny, and c.) at it's core, it's one of the most painfully truthful looks at adolescence ever put to screen. Some of the show's biggest laughs come from its most absurd and out-there moments, but what keeps me binge-ing is what lies beneath (cue the Hormone Monster making a snappy joke at my expense).


16. THE HANDMAID'S TALE

-  Season 3 of Hulu's signature series started out, well, pretty slow. But in its second half, it got really really good and took the series into some very dramatic places. June is now a full-blown freedom fighter, and her underground railroad of sorts leading kids out of Gilead led to an emotionally-packed season. Similarly, the rising tensions between Serena and Fred reaches a boiling point - and it's fascinating to see the two at odds. I definitely wouldn't mind if the overall pace of the show picks up in S4 - but there's no doubt it delivered some scary-good drama in S3.


17. THE GOOD PLACE

- At some point, the weighty plot of The Good Place became, perhaps, a bit overwhelming - and the jokes suffered for it. But even so, The Good Place remained (and remains, until its series finale in early 2020!) one of the best overall comedies of the last ten years. There were meditations about morality, incredibly-quotable dialogue, and a killer cast. It's going to feel like we're all in The Bad Place when this one is gone.


18. CRASHING

- An underrated series through and through, HBO's Crashing channeled the humor of comedian Pete Holmes into a very funny, surprisingly deep series about one man's journey through the wild and crazy world of stand-up comedy. Crashing was up and down in S2, but 2019's third and final season was consistently great - bringing the fictionalized Pete's story to a messy yet satisfying end.


19. THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE

- This unlikely prequel to the 80's Jim Henson kid-movie classic was a visually-stunning, unabashedly geeky, whimsical adventure that was a delight to watch through and through. The show picked up as it went - once a lot of the complex world-building was out of the way, it could focus on just being a good, old-fashioned bit of epic fantasy fun. And again, the visuals were flat-out eye-popping - the combination of muppetry and CGI creating a world unlike any other we've seen on TV.


20. THE BOYS

- The Boys took one of the most insane, darkly-satirical comic books I've ever read and, amazingly, gave us one hell of an adaptation. This look at superheroes-gone-wrong maintained the in-your-face tone of the original Garth Ennis comics, while also updating the characters a bit to be relevant for 2019. The result was one of the best Amazon series to date.


21. DEADLY CLASS

- Let me pour one out for this sadly cut-short series that, had it not been prematurely cancelled, could have become one of the all-time greats. This stylish adaptation of the Rick Remender comic book series - about a school for young assassins - did a fantastic job of bringing the book's punk-rock sensibilities to the screen. The cast was uber-talented, the storytelling was compelling, and the soundtrack rocked and rocked hard. Oh what might have been.


22. RICK & MORTY

- This would probably be higher on the list if we'd gotten more than the handful of episodes we got in 2019, but I will say that this pop-cult phenom came out firing on all cylinders at the end of 2019 - with a string of amazing episodes that showcased the series' spot-on humor and intense commitment to never skimping on the sci-fi. The hype for this show can sometimes get out of control, but in many ways it's well-deserved. There's nothing else on TV like Rick & Morty.


TIE: 23. STRANGER THINGS

- I had mixed feelings about Season 3 of Stranger Things, but ultimately, it comes down to that final big moment where the theme song of The Neverending Story saves the day. I mean, that alone ... that's the kind of thing that Stranger Things does so well. It's nostalgia, it's childhood wonder, it's fan-service, it's ridiculous - it's the kind of stuff that, when done right, I'm a huge sucker for. And there was enough done right in S3 that I couldn't help but continue to geek out for Stranger Things.

TIE: 23. BLACK MIRROR

- The abridged Season 5 of Black Mirror didn't quite live up to the series at its best, but it still delivered some pretty cool, thought-provoking installments. I thought "Striking Vipers," the episode about two men who find companionship via a VR videogame, was really well done. It smartly examined modern masculinity, and intriguingly explored the possibilities of reinventing and finding oneself in a virtual world. I also really liked "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too" - the Miley Cyrus episode about a pop star replaced by an AI designed to approximate her. This was a fun and surprisingly poignant episode. Black Mirror has raised the bar so high - but it's still an absolute must-watch.


24. SILICON VALLEY

- The final season of Mike Judge's tech-world satire was, IMO, a return to form for a series that, at times, seemed to go to the same wells over and over again. But with the end of the series' run in sight, Judge and co. delivered a tighter, higher-stakes, and more consequential narrative than we've seen from SV in a while - including a fantastic final episode that picked up ten years later with an Office-style mockumentary. Overall, the final season just felt funnier and more energized - and it served as a reminder that, when on its game, Silicon Valley was one of the best comedies of the decade.


25. THE GOLDBERGS

- You know what? Give it up for the Goldbergs. The show had one of its funniest seasons ever with Season 6, with some truly on-point joke-writing and some deceptively emotional moments. The Goldbergs might be a little old-fashioned in its sensibilities, but it's old-fashioned in the best way possible - it's sitcom comfort food that mixes spot-on pop-culture references with very good joke writing and the occasional, sneakily-heartwarming moment to boot. 


Just Missed the Cut:

- Russian Doll
- G.L.O.W.
- Doom Patrol
- Swamp Thing
- His Dark Materials
- Good Omens
- The Umbrella Academy
- The Other Two
- Riverdale
- American Horror Story: 1984
- Documentary Now


INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:


The Best TV Heroes of 2019:


1.) Elliot and Darlene Alderson -Mr. Robot

2.) Arya Stark - Game of Thrones

3.) Sister Night - Watchmen

4.) The Mandalorian - The Mandalorian

5.) Veronica Mars - Veronica Mars



The Best TV Villains of 2019:


1.) The Homelander - The Boys

2.) Whiterose - Mr. Robot

3.) Aunt Lydia -The Handmaid's Tale

4.) Campbel -The Society

5.) Ms. Coulter - His Dark Materials



The Best TV Anti-Heroes of 2018:


1.) Barry Berkman - Barry

2.) Billy the Butcher -The Boys

3.) Saya - Deadly Class

4.) Crowley - Good Omens

5.) Adrien Veidt - Watchmen