Knives Out

Knives Out is a murder mystery comedy that harkens back to classic whodunit stories of the past like those of Agatha Christie and even the Clue board game. After a wealthy and well known crime novelist is found dead, apparently from suicide, his family gathers together for what they first think is to learn what he left them. As it turns out, there's more to his death than what many believe as a private detective is hired by an anonymous figure to reveal the truth of what happened. Having previously tackled a galaxy far away, Rian Johnson gets back to his small budget roots in this witty and well directed film. Johnson works with an incredible ensemble cast that includes Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, and many more. While it initially draws you in by asking how and why Plummer's Harlan Thrombey died, it takes a turn very early on by actually going back and showing you how and why while making you believe that the rest of the story is about keeping Craig's detective from figuring it out. But, much like with any good mystery story, there's a twist that one never suspected if you were to pay attention to what everyone told from their point of view. Everything about this film pays homage to similar films of the past, not only through its ingenious and clever writing, but also the the music, cinematography, editing, and production design. While there are certain aspects that don't work without a suspension of disbelief, the way Johnson tells his story makes you ignore them entirely. Though one thing that is hard to ignore is the many weird speeches Benoit Blanc, Craig's detective, makes when comparing certain things to the case he's working on anytime he hits a dead end. Having made such an original and fresh mystery, Johnson's Knives Out is a fun ride from beginning to end with a cast that you don't know how to really feel once it finishes. Over all: 100%
2019 top list so far:

1. Jojo Rabbit

2. Judy

3. Avengers: Endgame

4. Knives Out

5. Ready or Not

6. Doctor Sleep

7. Frozen II

8. Joker

9. The Lighthouse

10. Toy Story 4

11. Hustlers

12. Shazam!

13. Spider-Man: Far From Home

14. Villains

15. Zombieland: Double Tap

16. Rocketman

17. The Current War

18. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

19. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

20. Ad Astra

21. It Chapter 2

22. Godzilla: King of the Monsters

23. Once Upon a Time In Hollywood

24. Hobbs & Shaw

25. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

26. Us

27. Aladdin 2019

28. Pokemon Detective Pikachu

29. Captain Marvel

30. The Lion King 2019

31. Yesterday

32. Pet Sematary 2019

33. The Upside

34. Dark Phoenix

35. Cold Pursuit

36. Glass