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Best and Worst Films from February 2019

Best Films from February 2019:

3. At Eternity’s Gate

This was a great month expectedly for new releases for me and ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me’ came very close to getting on this list, but eventually At Eternity’s Gate deserved to get this third spot as it’s a rare biopic that feels fresh and engaging. It explores the last years of Vincent van Gogh superbly through a variety of absolutely fascinating, thought-provoking conversations and excellent, artistic imagery. It also understands its subject and art itself while being elevated by the year’s finest actor performance from Willem Dafoe.

2. Birds of Passage

I did not expect to be blown away by Birds of Passage as I am usually not a fan of crime movies, but this one is miles better than most more acclaimed genre films out there. This Colombian drama features highly authentic characters, setting and also animals with some great symbolism surrounding them, but it’s also a moving, truly epic look into two feuding families that also acts as a fascinating origin story for the huge drug trade problem of this country. The performances are also terrific across the board as is the cinematography and also score.

1. Capernaum

But the best movie I saw this month is another one I watched in the festival circuit and that is the Lebanese tragedy Capernaum. This movie is ridiculously tragic and difficult to watch, but ultimately it’s a necessary look into the Middle Eastern problem of child homelessness. The performances are truly astounding as are the score, direction and cinematography. I found the movie incredibly emotional and touching while continuously being both tragic and grounded in reality. It is very hard to watch, but nonetheless everybody should force themselves to watch this human, beautiful social drama.

Worst Films from February 2019:

3. Halloween: Resurrection

I did have a lot of fun watching Halloween: Resurrection to be honest as its reality show premise is suited for great entertainment values. However, that wasn’t an excuse for its ridiculously thin and stereotypical characters and very uninspired kills.

2. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

This Disney fairy tale is everything I feared it would be – a dull, unforgivably forgettable fantasy flick with boring characters, weak storytelling and it’s overly CGI-heavy to the point of becoming soulless and simply put without any magic to it whatsoever.

1. The Favourite

But the worst movie I watched during February is easily this bad, overrated period drama from one of the worst directors working today Yorgos Lanthimos. Yes, The Favourite is painful to sit through with all the vomiting, cursing and historical inaccuracies filling the picture to the point of becoming pointless and simply inexcusable as a historical film. It’s thus one of the worst films of 2018.