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Slashdot Asks: Your Favorite Movies, TV Shows, and Documentaries of 2019? 107

Posted by msmash from the let's-go dept.
As we approach the weekend -- but more importantly, the end of the year -- it's good time as any to ask about the movies, TV shows, and documentaries from this year that you enjoyed the most or found incredibly insightful. Please list them below in the comments.
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Slashdot Asks: Your Favorite Movies, TV Shows, and Documentaries of 2019? More

Slashdot Asks: Your Favorite Movies, TV Shows, and Documentaries of 2019?

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  • /., The Movie

    • My vote goes to that comedy where a bullying bankrupt billionaire's son became president of a country.

      • My vote goes to that comedy where a bullying bankrupt billionaire's son became president of a country.

        Nah. The writing's garbage, the characters have less longevity than Game of Thrones, and I can't stand that "retro" look - the color saturation makes it almost seem cartoony.

        I preferred the mockumentary about the Scando teenager who complained all the time about impending extinction directly to the audience and all the adults on the show ignored her. It let me relive my teenage angst in exaggerated form.

  • My Favorite Movie (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    My Favorite Movie remains Trading Places (1983). There has not been made such a good movie since.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Rockoon ( 1252108 )
      Californians still see Randolph and Mortimer as true stereotypes of wealthy white people.

    • Who knew Jamie Lee Curtis' line, "It's cheap, it's clean and it's all mine." would have so much relevance once we all went out to find our first apartment.

  • The original one [imdb.com], that is.

    • and in TV shows DC gave us Doom Patrol, which I believe would have received more accolades had it not been hidden away on their streaming service no one uses.

      • Doom Patrol is really the surprise of the year. Not just because of the show itself. But it also stepped up the quality of opening credits. Nowadays most shows just have the name as a tagline and that's it. It's nice they put the effort into bring back this lost art form.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        The Arrowverse DC stuff is a mixed bag, but some of it is decent. The Flash and Batwoman are good. Kinda lost interest in Arrow a few seasons ago.

  • Nothing! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Merk42 ( 1906718 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:37PM (#59516868)
    Everything is bad because I'm a bitter loner stuck in the 90s!

    • Love it. Mod up +1, Brooding

    • John Hughes went downhill in the '90s and, to top it off, Pierce Brosnan became James Bond in the '90s at which point the world turned grey.

    • Everything is bad because I'm a bitter loner stuck in the 90s!

      I was just noticing that this the first holiday season I can remember *without* a blockbuster movie.

      "Bitter loner" notwithstanding, there have been a large number [boxofficemojo.com] of blockbuster movies released for the holiday season.

      I suppose it's the changing technology: people have good display technology in the home now, and find theatres expensive, inconvenient, and give poor experience.

      The upcoming star wars might be a blockbuster, but frankly after 6 (or is it 7?) bland movies in the series, I'm not super excited to

      • Re:Nothing... and it's unusual (Score:4, Insightful)

        by dpille ( 547949 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @05:28PM (#59517266)
        Youngsters don't remember lines around the block to see "Empire Strikes Back". People actually *wanted* to see that one within a week of its release.

        In fairness, youngsters sill want to see plenty of movies within a week of release, they just do so in theaters that have assigned seating and offsite ticket purchases available, obviating any need to wait (or point to waiting) in line.

        Also, Empire opened in 126 theaters before expanding to 824 after a month. Movies like "Playmobil: The Movie" open in 2337 theaters now. Your "bitter loner" memories just don't translate into a comparative point these days.

      • Did they at least try and hide the strings holding up the models this time?

  • I know... (Score:3)

    by war4peace ( 1628283 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:41PM (#59516876)

    ...damn it, drawing a blank. I got nothing.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Z00L00K ( 682162 )

      The only thing that seems reasonably fresh at the moment is The Mandalorian, otherwise the year have been quite meh.

      • Star Wars nerd card pull:
        I have watched it and it's barely above a piece of crap. They try but not nearly hard enough. People are awed by the "little Yoda" (who is neither) and foresee the harrowing inconsistency in the Mandalorian's both attitude and skills. He is the badass in one scene and a total idiot in the next, a heartless soul in another scene and a big heart a couple more scenes down the road. He has an awesome armor but gets knocked down by a naked fist to the helmet, etc. The beskar steel could

  • The Expanse (Score:4, Insightful)

    by xetdog ( 413680 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:44PM (#59516886)

    Outstanding science fiction!

    • Would this appeal to a lukewarm scifi fan? I've seen adverts on Amazon Video and am intrigued.

      • Yes...it is very good. The acting is pretty good too, for the most part. The plot isn't overly complex.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by jlv ( 5619 )

        I'd say yes. The Expanse is just a great show.

        It's science fiction in that it takes place in a plausible future, extrapolated out a possible set of future geopolitical struggles. It's based upon a well written book series that, while unfinished, is going to see it's 9th and final novel published next yet (unlike other unfinished book series that became TV series). It helps that the authors of the books are also writers on the show.

        If you do start to watch it, get through at least the first 4 or 5 episodes

        • I've just finished the first season on Amazon Video and it's really good for a freshman effort!

          You're right about the story lines and having to soldier through the first bit until they get them all on the table. I didn't have any problem following what was happening, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't rewind a time or two to catch some bit of information that went flying past. They unpack A LOT in those first 5 episodes!

          The special effects are outstanding for a TV series, and the music is on point. I've

      • I wouldn't recommend it unless you were fairly hard core as there are a lot of traditional SciFi tropes in it that can be confusing if you aren't familiar with them.

        I really enjoy the series but my wife gave up on it when I had to explain the what was happening behind the what was happening. If you enjoy Clarke, Heinlein, Niven, Pohl then you'll get a lot out of the series.

        Note, that I put up Arthur C. Clark, Robert A. Heinlein, Larry Niven and Fredrick Pohl as SciFi writers that include (somewhat realisti

        • "lot of traditional SciFi tropes"
           
          Er, like what? What could possibly be confusing about The Expanse?

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by mjwx ( 966435 )

            "lot of traditional SciFi tropes"

            Er, like what?

            The Expanse is a great series but both the books and series are full of standard sci-fi and traditional literary tropes like almost dead guy (Lopez lives just long enough to give the Tachi to Holden), Truth drugs (Martian focus drugs), unstoppable power armour (balanced out with ship armour being useless), actor swaps (TBF, they probably couldn't get Brian George, so they had little choice) and a whole bunch of no names given (I.E. Martian guard #3 or in the latest series Martian Prime Minister)

            Don't get me

  • Silicon Valley (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ArchieBunker ( 132337 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:46PM (#59516896)

    Finished up this year and it was still pretty funny. Especially in episode two where Jared flips out.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by rklrkl ( 554527 )

      Silicon Valley hasn't been funny for a few seasons now - whether it's fatigue (the "something good happens then immediately sonething bad as consequence" concept was battered to desth through its entire run), the loss of T.J. Miller (let's face it, Erlich was the best character) or Mike Judge just got bored, I don't know.

      Interesting to note that of all the years it ran, the only Golden Globe/Emmy awards it got were for editing and art direction! The early seasons were by far the funniest shows on at the tim

  • The Game Changers (Score:3)

    by SCVonSteroids ( 2816091 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:47PM (#59516900)

    https://gamechangersmovie.com/ [gamechangersmovie.com]

    Highly recommend. Thought provoking. Debunk debunked.
    This is apparently solid stuff.

    • Some of it is. As usual with documentaries like this there was some cherry picking going on. But it does bring up some interesting points.

      • even with some (expected?) cherry piking, it's a good movie (there's is much FUD about this film on the internet, what is an strong indicative that is a good stuff!)

  • The live every day drama of D.C.! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Gravis Zero ( 934156 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:49PM (#59516908)

    I don't know about the rest of you but watching the drama unfold in D.C. is absolutely thrilling. What better way to rope you into drama than to have actual long-term consequences you can't avoid? The finale is going to be epic and there are so many different horrible ways it could turn out.

    Forget movies, reading the newspaper has become like reading about a train-wreck that's been happening in slow-motion as you sit in one of the train cars that has yet to derail. It's absolutely thrilling and it's completely awful!

    • the reality has indeed overcome the fiction in some areas (what, for me, makes the new documentaries awesome!)

  • 2-3 months ago wikipedia editors unilaterally decided - without a wider consultation - to change the format of the "NNNN in film" page, for 2019. everyone uses that page to find what films are current, across the world. when it was changed to isolate films by country, forcing people interested in the latest films to search through *thirty separate pages*, i simply... stopped watching films.

  • Fave documentary. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by sconeu ( 64226 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:52PM (#59516918) Homepage Journal

    Apollo 11. IMAX version.

  • Apollo 11 (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ToTheStars ( 4807725 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:53PM (#59516922)
    Very different from most documentaries, in that it is composed almost entirely of footage that was recorded during the Apollo program -- no talking heads in retrospectives, or narration, or Ken Burns pan-and-scan; for those ninety minutes, you are transported back to 1969 and you experience Apollo 11 from a perspective that very few could have shared.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      For All Mankind isn't bad. The premise is what if Russia got to the moon first and the space race didn't end.

      Could do with a bit more space and a bit less domestic drama but it's enjoyable.

      • Could do with a bit more space and a bit less domestic drama but it's enjoyable.

        I think this way too :)

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • but love death and robots was pretty neat

  • 2019 Sucked (Score:5, Informative)

    by zidium ( 2550286 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @03:55PM (#59516932) Homepage

    There were just a few movies in 2019 that I really liked, and only one that I took my parents to.

    1. John Wick 3.
    2. Parasite
    3. Joker
    4. Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
    5. Knives Out
    6. Zombieland: Double Tap
    7. Ford v Ferrari

    Not Great but still Good:

    1. Angel Has Fallen
    2. It Chapter Two
    3. Ready or Not
    4. Good Boys

    Terrible:

    1. Ad Astra
    2. Gemini Man
    3. La Llorma
    4. Terminator: Dark Fate

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Compuser ( 14899 )

      My version (similar)

      Good
      1. Knives Out
      2. Ford v Ferrari
      3. John Wick 3.

      OK
      4. Joker
      5. Shazam
      6. Zombieland: Double Tap
      7. Endgame

      Mediocre
      8. Alita
      9. Captain Marvel
      10. Spiderman FFH
      11. Tarantino Hollywood craptacular

      Bad
      12. Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
      13. Lego Movie 2
      14. Hellboy
      15. MIB
      16. Shaft

      Terrible:
      17. Angel Has Fallen
      18. Terminator: Dark Fate
      19. Rambo

      So dumb action sequels were terrible, dumb action sequels with a sense of humor were just bad, both Marvel and auteur cinema is on the decline, comi

    • ParasiteM [imdb.com] is really a good movie!

  • Aniara was good. Very bleak, but it fits with the times.

    • I couldn't even finish watching it. The "mind-holodeck A.I. computer" having a mental meltdown was the breaking point for me.

      The fact that the interior of the supposed spaceship looks like a shopping mall didn't help at all.

      • I couldn't even finish watching it. The "mind-holodeck A.I. computer" having a mental meltdown was the breaking point for me.

        The fact that the interior of the supposed spaceship looks like a shopping mall didn't help at all.

        I take it you don't read much science fiction then, or only hard science fiction, because the vast majority of it requires some suspension of disbelief about on par with Aniara. For example, I'm currently reading a James Tiptree novel about telepathic, synaesthesic manta-ray-like aliens who swap bodies with humans. Some of these aliens are preoccupied with gender dynamics. That all strikes me as infinitely more absurd than anything in Aniara, and yet I'm very impressed with her telling of the story and how

  • Chernobyl (Score:5, Insightful)

    by FFOMelchior ( 979131 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @04:00PM (#59516950)
    I know it's controversial because of some of the liberties taken with this retelling, but the creative choices helped make it both accessible and riveting. A great watch, memorable characters, great takeaways ("What is the cost of a lie?"), really relevant in this age.

    • "Liberties"? Does that mean "lies"? How ironic.

      • Except the creator is very open about what he changed and why. People interested can always find a book with the full history. In fact, the show has inspired many to do just that. That gets a thumbs up from me.

        • He was? Did he put it in the subtitles ("This is a lie"), or did you have to go and read some blog about what parts were lies and what parts were not?

          • He was? Did he put it in the subtitles ("This is a lie"), or did you have to go and read some blog about what parts were lies and what parts were not?

            HBO usually does an "Inside the Episode" thing where most of these changes were discussed. Additionally, I think they mentioned many of the changes before the closing credits of the last episode.

          • Yes, they didn't use period correct balconies on the housing units shown in establishing shots. Real big lies.

  • End of the ******** World

  • Overwhelming amount of Material (Score:4, Insightful)

    by mykepredko ( 40154 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @04:10PM (#59516978) Homepage

    I don't know how anything can be called "best" anymore for a year - simply because of the volume of material and much of it enters into its own after a season or two (I'm thinking Better Call Saul). Note that there are a number of shows I won't watch until the whole season is passed so, if I like it, I can binge (this means that I won't watch Maldorian, Watchman and The Good Place until the seasons finish next year). It should also be pointed out that many of the Oscar contenders are not yet out in theatres so there are things like 1917, Little Women and even the last Star Wars that can't be commented on.

    In terms of what I discovered this year and stood out for me:
    - Peaky Blinders. I like gang stories but this one, especially in the later seasons, is really good
    - Venture Bros. The best thing I've seen from Adult Swim

    What I would recommend from the year:
    - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I still can't decide whether or not it's one of the best movies ever or a terrible one with amazing performances
    - Ford vs Ferrari
    - Knives Out
    - Mrs. Maisal
    - Manhunter
    - Cherynobyl (but make sure that if you watch it with people that you tell them that radiation poisoning isn't contagious)

    Most overrated for the year:
    - The Irishman. Too long with a meh ending. Even though it's a different approach from Scorcese, it doesn't mean it's great.
    - The Joker. Maybe I've read too many comic books about the Joker's origins but this didn't grab me at all

    Biggest disappointment for the year:
    - Game of Thrones. I think the best way to say it is that the story is there but the storytelling sucked.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      The Boys was fun. Bunch of ordinary guys aren't happy about a corporate Justice League with superpowers. Mix of action and comedy.

      The "contagious" thing in Chernobyl was due to the guy's body being contaminated with radioactive dust and later his flaking skin and hair. It was a real thing, they buried some of the victims in special coffins to prevent contaminating the ground in real life. Obviously couldn't risk cremation.

    • Biggest disappointment for the year:
      - Game of Thrones. I think the best way to say it is that the story is there but the storytelling sucked.

      I'm curious, how would you have had it end?

      • First off, I wouldn't want there to be a Season 8. I would have extended Season 7 to maybe 12 episodes with the end of the season - don't forget, Season 7 + 8 is 13 episodes.

        I would reduce the first two episodes of Season 8 to maybe 30 minutes as part of a single movie length episode devoted to destroying the Night King and his army. After everybody has hugged it out, the strategy is outlined knowing that if the Night King is killed using Valeryian steel, the whole army of the dead would be defeated. Jon

    • radiation poisoning isn't contagious
      Depending on situation it is obviously.Or in other words, as a doctor it may happen you have to treat one who is "radioactive" himself and his radiation is hitting you if you don't wear protective gear.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by skam240 ( 789197 )

      Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I still can't decide whether or not it's one of the best movies ever or a terrible one with amazing performances

      I'd have to go with the later personally. The first 30 minutes of the movie nicely establishes DiCaprio's character as an actor passed his prime. The next hour beats that subject to death with maybe at best 10 minutes worth of furthering the plot. As you said though, the acting was in fact quite solid.

      I'm a big Tarantino fan and while I'll say I didn't necessarily dislike this film I will say that I personally find it to be his worst film.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mjwx ( 966435 )

      - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

      This is an exceptional movie. One of Tarantino's best and probably Pitt's best performance since Fight Club.

  • Answers all three.

  • N/A (Score:1)

    by Baleet ( 4705757 )
    Not trying to be a jerk, but I refuse to play along with this media game, which is all a thinly disguised marketing ploy. Web sites, newspapers, and magazines all play the same game every year. Year-end roundup. But in a world with on-demand video, a dreadful movie theater experience, and myself with enough money and desire to see really, really good movies (still haven't seen La Jetee, even though it is on my Prime list), I just don't fit into that scheme any more. Plus, most of the product is more commerc

  • Dishonorable Mention: Game of Thrones (Score:3)

    by Uberbah ( 647458 ) on Friday December 13, 2019 @04:42PM (#59517110)

    Dexter 2013: here's the worst ending to a TV show ever.

    Game of Thrones 2019: hold my beer.

    Goddamned what a shitshow D&D made of what was a contender for GOAT television series. But you still find people who defend it, who I think are the same people who defend The Last Jedi because diversity and great effects. But you can prove it was shit and use D&D's own writing to do so - like Dany mocking the idea in S7 that the people of Westeros "were drinking secret toasts to her name" to turning King's Landing into a medieval Hiroshima "because she wasn't loved" in S8.

  • One of the most insane shows in TV history, and it makes Twin Peaks: The Return look like re-runs of the Andy Griffith show. Incredibly well-shot, insane story, completely trolling the audience and their expectations. I think the director was honestly trying to see how far he could push Amazon and get away with it.

    I declare this scene to be the best of TV in 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]

  • I've enjoyed his utter irreverence. I hope that if his sitcom doesn't pan out, he'll do it again.

  • TV Series: The Virtues
    Film: Elizabeth Is Missing

  • Of all the years I've lived in, 2019 was definitely one of them.

    I got a major kick out of The Americans [imdb.com], but that ended in 2018. So I binged it on iTunes.

    Taylor Swift told people to calm down. I think a lot of people need to.

    ...laura

  • Captain Marvel, Shazam!, Hellboy, Avengers: Endgame, Blacked, Dark Phoenix, Spider-Man: Far From Home, The New Mutants, Joker, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

  • This parody of various documentaries keeps getting better! My favorite this season was Waiting For The Artist was marvelous. Cate Blanchett's short little speech at the end put the whole thing into wondrous perspective.

  • I thought "Counter Point" was good in it's first season, the second (2019) was good too but I can tell it was rushed due to pending Cancellation. That show had a lot of promise. I also liked "The Rook", not sure if that will be back though.

  • Oscar-worthy performances in this film!

    • Forgot to add... it's built on the true story of the development of the Oxford Dictionary.

      Sean Penn was PHENOMENAL in this movie!

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dargaud ( 518470 )
      I second that. And I'll add:

      "The Art of Self-Defense" surprisingly off and twisted,

      "Long Shot" decent comedy with deeper than apparent roots,

      "Stubber" action and comedy that works

      "Yesterday", original story and eternal music

      There are others...

  • The biggest movie for me hasn't even come out yet. But my ass will be glued to a theater seat in a week, that's for sure.

  • I saw a few that I thought were really great. I especially liked Cold Case Hammarskjöld (Trailer [youtube.com]). It's a documentary about a filmmaker and "historians" trying to uncover new evidence in the case of the death of Dag Hammarskjöld. Fascinating!

  • I actually saw a movie this year for the first time in a theater in three or four years.
    Ford vs Ferrari
    I am just a little older than the kid in the move was back in the mid 60's. I built a Ford GT, GT-40 and J car model. I also have a car carrier (with a 68 Mustang fastback) sitting in a box over in the corner behind me as I sit. My first car was a Mustang (the "original" built in 1964 and labeled as a 1965) I bought in 1970.

    I loved the story because I was one of those young people listening on the radio to

  • I should state that I'm a bit of an action junkie and comic junkie so obviously movies will be biased in that direction, but my best of 2019:

    Best Epic: Avengers Endgame
    CGI clusterfuck that it was it none the less formed an amazing end to an epic saga that has spanned 11 years. By itself it's an average movie. But by watching the characters develop over 11 years it was a masterpiece.

    Best Serious Movie: Joker
    I almost didn't see this because I don't like dramas. But man this was a well acted, well written jour

  • The Orville Season 2
    The Expanse Season 4
    The Boys Season 1
    Stranger Things Season 3
  • Shows:
    Demon Slayer (anime)
    Hero Academy (anime)
    The Man In The High Castle
    Fairy Gone (anime)

    Movies:
    Infinity Wars End Game
    Frozen 2
    Detective Pikachu
    Aladdin

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