The Top 20 Films of 2019: Reexamined
Will 2019 go down as the last “normal” year in movie history? Time will tell, but in the meantime, we’re taking a look back at the year before theaters shut down and popcorn event movies practically evaporated to see what an additional year’s worth of Flickchart user rankings have done to change the shape of the ever-evolving global Flickchart.
On New Year’s Day, as we do every year, we published the then-current list of the Top 20 Films of 2020. Of course, it’s been a year since we did so for 2019, and many more people have seen and ranked the movies on their charts since then, thus changing the global chart. Even this list is only accurate up until the time it was published. Is Avengers: Endgame, the ultimate resolution of 11 years of Marvel Cinematic Universe storytelling, still top dog on the 2019 chart? Read on to find out.
20. Toy Story 4
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Directed by Josh Cooley
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Global Rank: #1,882
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Last Year’s Rank: #9
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #1,449
The fourth installment of Pixar’s flagship franchise has slipped a bit in the rankings, barely holding on to a Top 20 spot. Despite the pandemic, 2020 saw a double dose of Pixar. Onward was one of the last major releases in theaters before lockdowns started happening in North America, and at the other end of the year Soul premiered on Disney+. Next up for the animation superstudio is Luca, eyeing a June 18 release date.
19. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
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Directed by Chad Stahelski
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Global Rank: #1,695
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Last Year’s Rank: #11
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #1,721
You can’t keep a good assassin down. The third film in the John Wick franchise has been surpassed by several films on the 2019 chart but maintained a pretty stable position in the global rankings. In 2020, Keanu Reeves voiced Sage in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, and returned to the phone booth time machine in Bill & Ted Face the Music. A fourth film in The Matrix franchise is almost in the can, and John Wick: Chapter 4 is in the works.
18. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
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Directed by Céline Sciamma
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Global Rank: #1,672
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Last Year’s Rank: outside the Top 20
This arthouse darling – hailed for its breathtaking cinematography and powerful performances – has been on a slow-burn rise for almost a year, and is now one of four new films to claim a spot in our Top 20 of the year. Writer-director Céline Sciamma contributed to the script for the upcoming Les Olympiades, directed by Jacques Audiard, and her next film, Petite maman, is in production.
17. Booksmart
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Directed by Olivia Wilde
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Global Rank: #1,569
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Last Year’s Rank: #12
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #1,848
Though other 2019 releases have pulled ahead, Olivia Wilde‘s acclaimed directorial debut has risen a bit in the rankings since last year. Her followup, the psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling, will see her starring alongside Chris Pine and Florence Pugh and is currently in production. Kaitlyn Dever has been working on the small screen, appearing in the Hulu original series Monsterland. Beanie Feldstein made appearances on The Simpsons and Grey’s Anatomy in 2020, and will star as Monica Lewinsky in season three of American Crime Story in 2021. Her next film, The Humans, is in post-production.
16. Ford v Ferrari
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Directed by James Mangold
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Global Rank: #1,506
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Last Year’s Rank: #19
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #3,283
A Best Picture Oscar nomination surely helped Ford v Ferrari‘s boost in the rankings. Matt Damon will next star in director Ridley Scott‘s The Last Duel, expected in October. Christian Bale has been tapped to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the colorfully-named villain Gorr the God Butcher in director Taika Waititi‘s Thor: Love and Thunder, slated for a 2022 release. Director James Mangold‘s next film will be the romantic drama Juliet, based on the novel by Anne Fortier.
15. Us
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Directed by Jordan Peele
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Global Rank: #1,469
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Last Year’s Rank: #8
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #1,353
An early 2019 hit, Jordan Peele‘s sophomore film has maintained a relatively stable position in the global rankings. IMDb lists an “Untitled Jordan Peele Horror Event” in pre-production for a 2022 release. Lupita Nyong’o will next appear in the political thriller The 355 for X-Men: Dark Phoenix director Simon Kinberg, and have a starring role in the upcoming TV series Americanah. In 2020, Winston Duke appeared in Nine Days and Spenser Confidential. His next film, Heroine, is in pre-production.
14. Midsommar
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Directed by Ari Aster
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Global Rank: #1,324
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Last Year’s Rank: #13
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #1,885
Another sophomore horror hit, following director Ari Aster‘s Hereditary, Midsommar has continued to make its way up in the rankings. No word yet on Aster’s next project, but star Florence Pugh has been busy. After appearing in Greta Gerwig‘s Little Women, she’s thrown her hat in with Marvel. Her character, Yelena Belova, takes up the mantle of Black Widow in the comic books, and will appear not only in the delayed film bearing that name, but the upcoming Disney+ series Hawkeye. Jack Reynor will star in the Russo Brothers‘ Cherry opposite Tom Holland.
13. The Lighthouse
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Directed by Robert Eggers
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Global Rank: #1,306
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Last Year’s Rank: #18
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #2,682
Why yes, we have three sophomore horror movies in a row on this list. Robert Eggers‘ next film, The Northman, is in post-production, and described on IMDb as a “Viking revenge saga set in Iceland at the turn of the 10th century.” It will reunite him with his The Witch star Anya Taylor-Joy, and The Lighthouse‘s Willem Dafoe, as well as star Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, and Ethan Hawke. Before The Northman, Dafoe will appear in Wes Anderson‘s The French Dispatch. In 2020, Robert Pattinson starred in Christopher Nolan‘s Tenet and Netflix’s The Devil All the Time, but made his biggest waves with the announcement that he would star as the title character in director Matt Reeves‘ The Batman for DC.
12. Uncut Gems
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Directed by Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie
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Global Rank: #1,183
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Last Year’s Rank: outside the Top 20
The Netflix thriller that Adam Sandler was sure would net him an Oscar nomination had a Christmas release that was a little too late to get it to register on our Top 20 list a year ago, but it’s certainly risen in the rankings over time. Continuing his partnership with Netflix, Sandler starred in Hubie Halloween in 2020, and will next appear in the basketball drama Hustle, opposite Robert Duvall and Queen Latifah. Since Uncut Gems, the Safdie Brothers have directed a couple of shorts, but there’s no word on their next feature project yet.
#11. Spider-Man: Far From Home
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Directed by Jon Watts
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Global Rank: #1,140
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Last Year’s Rank: #6
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #993
COVID-19 made sure this was the last time we saw the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but 2021 is poised to change that in a big way (at least on the small screen). Director Jon Watts is working on the third film for his Spidey trilogy, and has been tapped to direct a Fantastic Four film for the MCU. Tom Holland has been busy since Far From Home, having voiced Ian Lightfoot in Pixar’s Onward, and appeared in The Devil All the Time for Netflix. Next up are the sci-fi actioner Chaos Walking for director Doug Liman, the crime thriller Cherry for Avengers: Endgame helmers Joe and Anthony Russo, and Ruben Fleischer‘s adaptation of the video game Uncharted. In addition to her role on the TV series Euphoria, Zendaya is part of the star-studded cast for Denis Villeneuve‘s highly-anticipated Dune. Jake Gyllenhaal‘s next project is The Guilty, a police thriller with his Southpaw director, Antoine Fuqua.
#10. Little Women
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Directed by Greta Gerwig
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Global Rank: #966
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Last Year’s Rank: outside the Top 20
Releasing on Christmas Day was not quite soon enough for Little Women to register on last year’s list, but Greta Gerwig‘s follow-up to Lady Bird garnered a Best Picture Oscar nomination and near-universal acclaim. We already caught up with Midsommar‘s Florence Pugh, but what are the other Little Women up to? Saoirse Ronan appeared opposite Kate Winslet in Ammonite, and can next be seen in The French Dispatch from her The Grand Budapest Hotel director Wes Anderson. Eliza Scanlen was in The Devil All the Time on Netflix, and will next appear in Old from M. Night Shyamalan. No word yet on Emma Watson‘s next project. Greta Gerwig is working on, of all things, a Barbie movie, co-written with Noah Baumbach and starring Margot Robbie. Yes, based on the dolls. Yes, this is a real thing.
9. The Irishman
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Directed by Martin Scorsese
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Global Rank: #957
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Last Year’s Rank: #7
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #1,040
Netflix’s biggest prestige pic from 2019 has entered the global Top 1000 on Flickchart, despite heavy criticisms of its de-aging CGI. Martin Scorsese‘s next film, Killers of the Flower Moon, is expected in 2021, and reunites him with both of his heavy hitters, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. De Niro appeared in The War with Grandpa in 2020. He’s expected in The Comeback Trail in 2021, and currently filming the addiction drama Wash Me in the River, opposite Jack Huston and John Malkovich. Al Pacino starred in the Amazon Prime series Hunters in 2020; his next film is the WWII drama Axis Sally.
8. Joker
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Directed by Todd Phillips
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Global Rank: #943
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Last Year’s Rank: #5
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #913
Not surprisingly, given its billion-dollar box office take and steady placement within the Flickchart global Top 1000, a sequel to Joker has been heavily rumored. Meanwhile, it’s been announced that Todd Phillips is working on an as-yet-untitled Hulk Hogan biopic, with Chris Hemsworth attached to star. Joaquin Phoenix followed up his Oscar win with the small drama C’mon C’mon, and is slated to portray Napoleon Bonaparte in Kitbag for his Gladiator director Ridley Scott.
7. Marriage Story
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Directed by Noah Baumbach
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Global Rank: #825
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Last Year’s Rank: #10
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #1,623
Yes, Scarlett Johansson was meant to follow up her dual Oscar nominations (for this and Jojo Rabbit) with her Black Widow solo movie, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s still coming, plus she’s lending her voice to Illumination Entertainment’s animated sequel Sing 2 and rumored to be appearing in a new remake of Little Shop of Horrors. Adam Driver, also fresh off an Oscar nomination for Marriage Story, has kept busy, with Ridley Scott‘s The Last Duel and Leos Carax‘s Annette on his upcoming resume. Noah Baumbach is working on the script for that aforementioned Barbie movie with Greta Gerwig.
6. Jojo Rabbit
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Directed by Taika Waititi
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Global Rank: #788
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Last Year’s Rank: #16
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #2,336
Boosted by its Best Picture Oscar nomination, Jojo Rabbit has found a place well inside Flickchart’s global Top 1000. Director Taika Waititi has certainly kept busy, having directed an episode of The Mandalorian for Disney+ (and performed as the assassin droid IG-11). During last year’s lockdowns, he brought together a large group of celebrities to read Roald Dahl’s book James and the Giant Peach online for charity. He’ll appear onscreen opposite Ryan Reynolds in the delayed Free Guy and in James Gunn‘s The Suicide Squad. Now he’s directing a new MCU extravaganza, Thor: Love and Thunder. Young Jojo himself, Roman Griffin Davis, will next appear in the Christmas movie Silent Night. Thomasin McKenzie starred opposite Amy Ryan in Lost Girls in 2020, and has three movies eyeing 2021 release dates: Edgar Wright‘s Last Night in Soho, M. Night Shyamalan‘s Old, and Jane Campion‘s The Power of the Dog.
5. 1917
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Directed by Sam Mendes
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Global Rank: #572
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Last Year’s Rank: outside the Top 20
The highest-ranked film on this list that wasn’t here last year has a very simple excuse for its lack of inclusion: It didn’t even have a wide release until January of 2020, releasing in a limited fashion in December in order to qualify for its Best Picture Oscar nomination (and wins for Sound Mixing, Visual Effects and Roger Deakins faux tracking-shot cinematography). Sam Mendes, not the most prolific of directors, has kept busy as an executive producer on the spinoff series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, and is producing director Niki Caro‘s Beautiful Ruins, currently in pre-production.
4. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
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Directed by Quentin Tarantino
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Global Rank: #557
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Last Year’s Rank: #2
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #600
Quentin Tarantino‘s latest has maintained a strong position on the global chart. QT does not officially have another film coming yet, but his stars are busy. Leonardo DiCaprio is currently filming Don’t Look Up for director Adam McKay, while Brad Pitt is working on the action flick Bullet Train for Deadpool 2 director David Leitch. Margot Robbie has lent her talents to the delayed films Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway and The Suicide Squad (in which she’ll reprise Harley Quinn), while her future projects include director Damien Chazelle‘s Babylon and David O. Russell‘s next, as-yet-untitled project. And that Barbie movie.
3. Knives Out
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Directed by Rian Johnson
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Global Rank: #471
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Last Year’s Rank: #4
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #873
Rian Johnson hit a universally-acclaimed home run with Knives Out, which, in a different year, could’ve been a strong contender for #1. He’s working on a sequel script. Daniel Craig‘s last outing as James Bond, No Time to Die, was another COVID delay victim. After that, he’s slated to star in director Todd Field‘s The Creed of Violence. Chris Evans appeared in the miniseries Defending Jacob in 2020, and has been announced as the voice of the titular character in Pixar’s Lightyear, a movie about the character who inspired the famous toy from Toy Story. Knives Out‘s breakout star, Ana de Armas, starred in Sergio and The Night Clerk in 2020, and will next appear opposite Craig in No Time to Die, in Adrian Lyne‘s thriller Deep Water, and as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde, for director Andrew Dominik.
2. Avengers: Endgame
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Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
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Global Rank: #281
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Last Year’s Rank: #1
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #228
The Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s crown jewel – and the highest-grossing film of all time – has given up its top spot on the 2019 chart but maintained its relative position in the global rankings. With the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 saw – for the first time in years – no Marvel releases at all, as Black Widow and Eternals both got pushed back. 2021 is looking to remedy this; as the studio looks for new release dates for their next movies, the series WandaVision, set to premiere on Disney+ on January 15, will be the first new MCU content since Spider-Man: Far From Home.
1. Parasite
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Directed by Bong Joon Ho
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Global Rank: #157
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Last Year’s Rank: #3
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #769
Parasite was the first Korean film to win Best International Film (formerly “Best Foreign Language Film”), and the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. It’s also only one of three films to win both the Best Picture Oscar and the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. In other words, the critics love it. But so do Flickcharters, as it has continued to rise in the rankings since its wide release in September 2019. Bong Joon Ho has since been busy adapting his 2013 film Snowpiercer into a TV series for Netflix.
The Fallen
These films appeared in our Top 20 list on January 1, 2020, but have since been surpassed in the rankings. Here’s where they’re at now.
Shazam!
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Directed by David F. Sandberg
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Was: #15
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Now: #23
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Global Rank: #2,304
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #2,318
Captain Marvel
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Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
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Was: #14
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Now: #24
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Global Rank: #2,499
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #2,138
Rocketman
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Directed by Dexter Fletcher
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Was: #20
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Now: #25
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Global Rank: #2,950
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #3,450
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
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Directed by J.J. Abrams
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Was: #17
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Now: #28
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Global Rank: #3,209
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Last Year’s Global Rank: #2,436
Rounding Out the List
Here’s the rest of the current Top 30 films of 2019 on Flickchart:
#21. Doctor Sleep (Directed by Mike Flanagan)
#22. The Farewell (Directed by Lulu Wang)
#23. Shazam! (Directed by David F. Sandberg)
#24. Captain Marvel (Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck)
#25. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Directed by Marielle Heller)
#26. Rocketman (Directed by Dexter Fletcher)
#27. Ready or Not (Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett)
#28. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Directed by J.J. Abrams)
#29. The Peanut Butter Falcon (Directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz)
#30. Ad Astra (Directed by James Gray)