Favorite Movies, TV, and Plays Viewed in 2019

In 2019, I made it a priority to seek out female directors and theater that prioritized race and diverse storytelling. I think I was successful. Here are my favorite things from this year.

Feature Films

A few films that I didn’t get to see yet but would likely be on this list Monos, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Knives and Skin, and Swallow.

Viewed in theater:

1. Parasite (2019)
2. Greener Grass (2019)
3. Honey Boy (2019)
4. The Irishman (2019)
5. Knives Out (2019)
6. Uncut Gems (2019)
7. Rocketman (2019)
8. A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood (2019)
9. Charlie Says (2018) – Montclair Film Festival
10. The Farewell (2019)
11. Good Boys (2019)

Viewed on Netflix:

1. Obvious Child (2014)
2. Princess Cyd (2017)
3. Edge of Seventeen (2016)
4. Shirkers (2018)
5. Private Life (2018)
6. Cam (2018)
7. My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
8. Swiss Army Man (2016)
9. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)
10. Jenny Slate – Stage Fright (2019)
11. Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017)
12. John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch (2019)

Viewed on Amazon Prime:

1. The World of Us (2016)
2. Saving Face (2004)
3. Leave No Trace (2018)

Viewed on Hulu*, DVD**, Mubi:

1. Plus One (2019)*
2. Paris, Texas (1984) **
3. Mommy (2014) **
4. But I’m A Cheerleader (1999)
5. Ask Dr. Ruth (2019)*

Short Films

All of these films are available on Vimeo or YouTube.

1. The Arrival (2017)
2. Verde (2018)
3. Pre-Drink (2019)
4. The Big Shave (1967)
5. Now You Know (2019)
6. sometimes I think about dying (2019)
7. Hot and Tasty (2019)
8. Nevada (2019)
9. East of The River (2019)
10. How does it start (2019)

Television

I don’t get to watch much television and I sometimes have trouble committing to a show, especially since I spend most of my days on sets. Here are some shows that I found clever and thought provoking.

1. Fleabag (Amazon)
2. Sex Education (Netflix)
3. Alone Together (Hulu)
4. Undone (Amazon)
5. Tuca and Bertie (Netflix)
6. Daria (Hulu)
7. Killing Eve (Hulu)
8. Dollface (Hulu)
9. Pen15 (Hulu)

Plays

I didn’t see enough plays this year because they’re expensive!!! But all these plays featured a black cast.

1. MCC’s BLKS
2. Ensemble Studio Theater’s Behind the Sheet
3. Theater for a New Audience’s Fairview
4. Playwrights Horizons’ A Strange Loop (minus the fever dream portion)