15. The Perfection
It’s always hard to predict general audience reactions from the cozy confines of a film festival bubble. Sure, The Perfection smacked Fantastic Fest audiences in the face with its gleeful brand of Hallmark horror, but would those catching it on Netflix feel the same way? Would the film’s depiction of sexual violence feel subversive toa more diverse audience, or would the movie be decried as pure, misguided exploitation?
And herein lies the beauty of Netflix. While the streaming giant does very little to promote its titles – original content or otherwise – this can inadvertently lead to periods where it seems everyone is discovering a show or movie all at once. The Perfection was always going to be too divisive to generate universal acclaim, but watching the majority of audiences react to the film’s twists and turns remains an early standout of 2019. This is an angry movie about gatekeeping and predators, and those who find The Perfection on their wavelength will get to enjoy one of the most delightfully transgressive mainstream films of the past decade. Allison Williams is truly the Scream Queen America deserves right now. (Matthew Monagle)
14. Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s landmark 2018 Coachella performance, watched by millions of fans around the world, is one of the greatest live performances ever recorded. To simply put that on Netflix would have been enough, but not for the director, writer, producer, and star of Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, an extraordinary documentary about the tireless work that goes into putting on such a huge performance and what it meant to everyone there that night.
The film skillfully utilizes grainy film footage and up close shots of the crowd, alternating between both weekends to give the viewer a full sense of the performance that even the live stream couldn’t offer. But perhaps the most astonishing parts are the behind the scenes segments, where we see the singer, having recently given birth, rehearsing for days and weeks on end trying to pull this whole thing off. It’s an insightful, incredible testament to the creative process, a tribute to the hundreds of performers on that stage and a reminder that all that work is worth it in the end. (Hayden Cornmell)
13. Her Smell
There’s been an onslaught of musician biopics lately, each with their own strengths and conventions — but none so far have held a candle to Her Smell. Alex Ross Perry directs Elisabeth Moss as Becky Something, a punk rock star with a toxic aura, a shellshocked entourage, and a baby. Inspired by Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs, the film is divided into five separate scenes throughout a decade of Becky’s life, and each of them is written, shot and performed in a different manner to convey Becky’s shifting headspaces. This marks the third collaboration between Moss and Perry (after Listen Up Phillip and Queen of Earth), as well as the peak of their careers: Moss has always turned in incredible work, but here she truly lets loose with that American New Wave fervor rarely seen today. And Perry, whose filmography has always been obsessed with problematic people and their effect on the people around them, delivers his sharpest study of those themes yet. In a crowded market dominated by reboots and low risks, Her Smell is a triumph of heady, unpredictable filmmaking that puts its characters first. (Fernando Andres)
12. Deadwood: The Movie
Whatever David Milch cobbled together for this impossible production was going to satisfy on some level. Deadwood: The Movie should not be, and over the many years since the television show’s cancelation, I resented the tease of its existence more often than not. Finally having the opportunity to press play on the better-late-than-never finale was anxiety-inducing. So often shows come back, or are rebooted within a medium they were never meant to inhabit, and the result is a stilted, awkward facsimile. Praise be the righteous bastards of the Earth, Deadwood: The Movie is better than good, it’s damn great.
Reality must be stretched to bring many characters back together, but Deadwood was never one for historical accuracy when emotional honesty is the home to truth. Resolution is not its gift, but the affirmation of character. Good, bad, or indifferent, these folks are all they can be. Witnessing the final bout of Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) as he fights to maintain order while his body physically deteriorates hits all the harder knowing that Milch is currently in the decline of Alzheimer’s. Deadwood: The Movie is his last hurrah, charging into the muck of history to explain the wretched present we’re all drowning inside. (Brad Gullickson)
11. Rocketman
The Elton John biopic blends dramatic storytelling, classic rock-n’-roll tunes, and a dash of fantasy to create a magical experience unlike any seen before. Taron Egerton shines as the musical legend, and his performance captures both the highs and lows of John’s tumultuous life. The glamour of stardom, as well as the dark side of fame, are both on full display.
The film notably dramatizes Elton John’s relationship with manager John Reid (Richard Madden) and deconstructs and analyzes the many outside pressures and influences on Elton’s life and career. The story is vividly brought to life with classic Elton John tunes like Crocodile Rock and Honky Cat, set and choreographed in elaborate Broadway-style numbers that blur the line between fantasy and reality. Rocketman brings Elton John’s life to the screen in all its campy, glittery, bedazzled glory, and reminds us that behind all that glitz and glamour is merely a person, like any other, who merely wants to be loved. (Hans Qu)
