1. She’s Out of My League
Jay Baruchel stares like a nerdy every man who does what every nerdy every man dreams of: catches the attention of a woman (Alice Eve) on the way out of his league. Kirk (Baruchel) is trapped in a dead-end career and feels like whatever luck he’s got is going to run away when he falls back into a friendship with the beautiful, talented Molly. All around Kirk, including his peers and family, wants it to fall apart completely because it simply doesn’t make any sense. Yet Kirk is eager to make this unconventional friendship work, even though he’s the first to admit that Molly is a way out of his league.
2. No Strings Attached
Peak early aught Hollywood rom-com, sticky with a heavy glow of spray tan and packed with mildly satirical twists on popular movie archetypes, No Strings Attached falls short of the great rom-com, but there’s enough talent in front and behind the camera, and just enough synergy between Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher to crack through. Portman stares like a doctor who needs all the physical rewards of a relationship with no mental burden, who turns to an old friend to become her “no strings attached” go-to hookup. And, well, you can imagine what’s going to happen from there. But there’s also a kind of charm floating about, particularly from the supporting cast, and Liz Meriwether’s script feels like a proto-New Girl, with lots of delightful, mutual attributes that are just a little rough around the edges.
3. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
Kevin Smith made his debut with e comedy film clerks and in that black-and-white film, two characters stood out – one the silent type, and one … not the silent type. Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) will feature in a number of Smith’s works, including Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back in 2001. 2019’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot was the much, long, long-awaited revival of the two characters. In this friend sitcom, Jay and Silent Bob find themselves in the same role as many other movie heroes: being rebooted. Saban Films retains the ownership of their Bluntman and Chronic avatars and the identities of Jay and Silent Bob themselves. The titular pair set out on a trip to Los Angeles to do whatever it takes to save Saban and director Kevin Smith from re-launching their identities.
4. What Men Want
Taraji P. Henson is an actress who has the ability to shoot a film based entirely on her talent, and that’s exactly what she does in this romantic comedy of 2019. Henson plays the part of Ali Davis, a female sports agent suffocated by an abnormally high number of men in her career. In her work, this has given her a lot of problems. A random meeting with a specially talented lady, though, gives Ali the power to listen to what men say. With this new insight, Ali succeeds in getting the upper hand over the men in his industry and paves the way for prosperity. Interestingly enough, this film is a reboot of a 2000 film called ‘What Women Want,’ in which a man has the same powers as Ali. This is a funny film that uses some clichés in its plot, but it’s incredibly fun to watch.
5. Big Sick
Most noteworthy for his role as Dinesh in the HBO Silicon Valley series, Kumail Nanjiani proved his immense talent as a screenwriter, as well as the touching rom-com he co-wrote with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. Loosely based on their own existence, it follows the story of an interracial couple dealing with their own cultural differences. So when Emily (Zoe Kazan) gets sick, it’s all set in perspective. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, it was one of the biggest feature films of the year. Bursting with enthusiasm and earnest goodwill, The Big Sick is a witty and enjoyable exploration of passion, commitment, and affection, and a bonafide crowd-pleaser to boot.
6. The Spy Who Dumped Me
The Spy Who Dumped Me is a genuinely amazing globe-trotting comedy that was far too underestimated when it hit the theatres in 2018. Cashier Audrey Stockman (Mila Kunis) and her roommate Morgan (Kate McKinnon) are drawn into an international espionage game when Audrey discovers that her new ex-boyfriend (Justin Theroux) is a hacker who has concealed some highly valuable information in their apartment. It’s no joke that the film is funny — Kate McKinnon can read some of the Home Depot painting swatches, and it’d actually be at least a little funny — but the action set pieces are legitimately on par with the fastest and most intense movies out there. The car chases, man. A complex fight scene. A man is drowned in a cheese fondue, which I might have brought with him, and if that doesn’t get you on board, I’m not sure what’s going to happen.
7. Brittany Runs a Marathon
Brittany Runs a Marathon is not, in the best sense, the movie you think it is. The film stars at Jillian Bell as an overweight woman who sets out to prepare to run the New York Marathon as a means to get in shape, which she often hopes will transform her life for the better. Changes do come, but they’re a combination of good and bad, as Bell’s character discovers the hard way that her problems apply to who she is as a human rather than how she looks outside. It’s an unexpected, sweet, and always amusing comedy with a hint of romance for good measure. But it’s also truly moving, and Bell offers a star-making show that skilfully navigates both comic and emotional terrain. Brittany Runs a Marathon isn’t just one of the best comedies of 2019, it’s also one of the best full-stop movies of the year.
8. What-If
You’d be hard-pressed to think of two more likable, fun players in the game than Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan, and their 2013 rom-com What If is the easy-watching, feel-good love tale you’d imagine. The film takes a fascinating, if ultimately familiar, twist on the genre starring Radcliffe as Wallace, a young man who burns a series of bad relationships that sparks immediate friendship (and undeniable chemistry) with Chantry (Kazan) – who happens to live with her long-time partner. Together, they attempt to figure out what it means to be best friends with someone who may also be your soul. And they do so with the hell of a supporting pair in Adam Driver and Mackenzie Davis as a demonstrative, romantic couple who simply can not hold their hands off each other, an amusing foil couple to Wallace and Chantry’s abstinent affection. Fun, soft, and witty, this is the classic feel-good rom-com with an unbeatable cast.
9. Logan Lucky
Steven Soderbergh has one of the most interesting senses of humor of all the great Hollywood directors. He tends to believe that heists are among the funniest things human beings can take part in. It’s hard to justify that he’s wrong. Logan Lucky is a fun, entertaining heist movie. Steven Soderbergh directed Ocean 11, 12, and 13. Those movies were mostly heist movies starring soft characters in Las Vegas and other exotic locations. Channing Tatum and Adam Driver stars Jimmy and Clyde Logan, Carolina’s blue-collar brothers. After Jimmy quit his job at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, he and Clyde decided to snatch it.
10. Borat Subsequent Movie film
Look out, Sacha Baron Cohen is back to his old tricks for another Borat outing, which once again offers a great deal of cringe comedy, putting unsuspecting participants in some painfully uncomfortable scenarios. Because of the greater fame of both Cohen and his character, this sequel allows him to pull on a variety of different outfits, each with surprising repercussions. Filmed mostly over the last summer, Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm is very much the result of this tumultuous moment in global history, tackling both the coronavirus pandemic and the upcoming US presidential election.
11. Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbook is based on Mathew Quick’s book of the same name, Lawrence won an Oscar for her part in the film. It also stars Bradley Cooper and the acting legend Robert Deniro in prominent roles. Lawrence and Cooper play two struggling people seeking to break their life back together after experiencing serious mental distress. They create an unexpected relationship that has the potential to grow into something more if only they can keep their own baggage from getting in the way. The script by David O. Russell (American Hustle) is witty and emotional, while the two leaders deliver genuinely phenomenal performances and rack up a variety of major award nominations for their work. If you like fine, romantic dramas, you need to watch them. The film is directed by David O. Russell, who has also been lauded for his vision and duties as a producer.
12. Almost Famous
The famous song Tiny Dancers in Cameron Crowe’s Oscar-winning film and is one of many nostalgic moments focused on Crowe’s real-life memories as a young writer for Rolling Stone, and his time on the road with legendary rockers including Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. But Almost Famous is also a stunning coming-of-age tale that follows Crowe’s baby-faced version of himself, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), a boy struggling to make a name for himself as a music writer A band on the verge of the big time as a music writer as he sucked into the Stillwater’s rock ‘n’ roll inner circle. Within the circle, William is struck by the mysterious group leader Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), but she’s in love (or believes she is) with Stillwater’s “mystique guitarist,” Russell (Billy Crudup), and that can’t end well. But as William and Russell establish a true relationship, William risks crossing both personal and professional boundaries and needs to choose which side he wants to be on.
13. Fighting with My Family
A comedy based on the true stories of WWE wrestler Paige, Battling with my family reveals the story of a real-life wrestling family. Written and directed by Stephen Merchant, the film stars Florence Pugh alongside a powerful cast of Dwayne “The Hammer” Johnson, Lena Headey, Vince Vaughn, and others. Pugh and her brother (played by Jack Lowden) are trying for the WWE, and when just one of them makes a cut, Pugh is left to face the world of professional wrestling alone. It may have a touch of an underdog storyline that is frequently seen in sports, but there are honesty and reality to this story that makes it unique.
14. Blow the Man Down
15. Clue
Critics were not exactly fond of Clue when he was released in theatres. They didn’t think that this theatre adaptation of a board game was anything remarkable. The detractors, though, had it wrong with Hint, and in the decades that followed it acquired a substantial cult. A lot of credit for that goes to a great ensemble, including Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, and Lesley Ann Warren. On a dark and stormy night, the mysterious Mr. Brody gathered a party of people to his mansion to extort them. But as the bodies start to pile up, it’s clear that there’s a murderer out there. Hilarious hijinks ensue, with three separate plot consequences.
