Better later than never, let’s go back to last year’s art production.
Cinema
I watched 114,5 films this year (the half is because I didn't know Woodstock was 5h 30m when I entered the cinema) including 33 released in 2019 and a lot of great classics.
🏆 Booksmart
Perfect, love it.
I confess my enthusiasm has decreased a bit since but I was really into it for a month. It was the first time I was able to watch a movie on streaming (Netflix) after seeing it in cinema and I did, multiple times.
- Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt are amazing. The tension builds up leads to an exultant finale, the best you can expect from a Tarantino film.
- Avengers Endgame
The climax of an unprecedented shared universe list of films. I admit I got the chills, I cried and yelled with all the movie theatre.
- Ad Astra
What an odd mix, kind of a personal, introspect, pulp space adventure. I was blown away just at the cinematography (Hoyte Van Hoytema) of some scenes. The music, with tracks from Max Richter (damn!), also moved me.
I'm missing good space opera nowadays! Too bad the last part is too ridiculous.
Mentions
I want to cite many more films that I all liked for their uniqueness:
- J'ai perdu mon corps
- Art of selft defense
- Marriage story
- Parasite
- Mid 90's
TV
🏆 Watchmen
What a tour de force! The sequel of a cult and complex comics that respect the original material by being as controversial. Playing with the TV media and the audience like the graphic novel did.
An A-class world-building. Smart Easter eggs. Interesting extra content for the community. It's a masterclass. The official podcast with Damon Lindelof himself is indicative of the passion and work provided.
I loved the work on transitions in the first episodes.
For the third time, Lindelof delivers an outstanding show, and soundtrack: this time with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, but Max Richter and Michael Giacchino did it before.
Mentions
- The Good Place S3
Oh my god! The final moral is following me every day. Best sci-fi show, best ethics show. - Love, Death & Robots
Varying quality but one ground breaking short: The Witness (and Zima is beautiful) - Russian Doll
- Carole & Tuesday
- Star Trek Discovery S2
- The Witcher
- Sex education S1
Too many stupid plots but a Freaks and Geeks vibe! Mama Gillian is great. - Osmosis
A tacky French sci-fi mixing all plots possible instead of focusing on its good initial idea but I could watch the soulless gaze of Agathe Bonitzer all day.
Music video
To be honest, at the end of the year, I had no idea which music videos to feature, except maybe this two from -M- (the so Moulin Rouge Superchérie and this impressive fake oner Thérapie).
So I went hunting and found a bunch of interesting videos but 🏆 Hungry Child from Saman Kesh for Hot Chip is the best one. I just finished Silicon Valley, so I'm surely biased, but the actors are great, the concept fun and the track cool.
I'll continue to dig into Saman Kesh's work, this bit is also great: Too Many Friends by Placebo.
Mentions
The Chemical Brothers’ videos are always qualitative and 2019 is not an exception:
We’ve Got to Try directed by Ninian Doff (also great videos for Miike Snow) and Got To Keep On directed by Michel Gondry & Olivier Gondry, of course.
PUP had really stupid videos as well: a fan made Free at Last and a low-key sci-fi Kids.
In the category "Film director still making music videos", Paul Tomas Anderson has a pretty strong game
Summer Girl for HAIM is the most summery strip and Anima with Thom Yorke is, less bathed in light, but impressive.
Finally, I love the camera work on Vossi Bop - Stormzy, the bullet time in Kids Turned Out Fine - A$AP Rocky by Dexter Navy and this eerie moment in Doin’ Time when giant Lana Del Rey (?) is dancing on the beach, on a driving cinema screen. Yeah.
Video
HOOD COWBOY BEBOP by King Vader
Best Cowboy Bebop adaptation. This left-right camera move is killing me every time, reminds me this too short FX during the final fight scene of Elysium by Neill Blomkamp.
Music
- Lettre infinie - -M-
- No Geography - Chemical Brothers
- Watchmen and mid90s - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
- Metronomy for Ever and Nights Out (10th Anniversary Edition) (Over track 👌) - Metronomy
- Better Oblivion Community Center
Video game trailer
Can I be disappointed that the best video game trailer of the year is for a flight simulator? Yes, I am but the X019 - Gameplay Trailer is still amazing. The music, the edit and, of course, the fraking graphics from the upcoming 🏆 Microsoft Flight Simulator, by the French Asobo, **are moving. And they are already getting back at it with Let it snow! trailer in 2020.
Mentions
I really feel I missed something but the best Cyberpunk 2077 trailer was last year despite the Official Cinematic Trailer E3 2019. The Breath of the Wild Sequel trailer caused a sensation but is lazy. Control has an astonishing art direction and trailers had nothing to do to show it.
Deathloop was a nice surprise from the Arkane Lyon and its E3 2019 trailer is solid.
Death Stranding is out-of-category, more than one trailer, it's the 3-year campaign led by Kojima's videos that I want to celebrate.
I loved the introduction of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Banjo-Kazooie Official Trailer - E3 2019 and all their characters’ videos are entertaining.
I almost forgot the Official Announcement Trailer for Humankind from the Frenchies Amplitude, with a crazy cover of the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Bach, maybe from FlyByNO ¯*(ツ)*/¯
And there was a trailer for a new Half-life game but it's not fun, contrary to this French gem, worst, but funny, dub of the year: Ring Fit Adventure - Vidéo de présentation
Video game
Still difficult to follow the video game calendar but I’ve caught up on some good games this year. I finished Life is Strange, among others. That pushed me to listen to even more of Syd Matters music, always a pleasure.
🏆 Tetris 99
A bit like the late 1 vs. 100, it's a bloody last man standing but playing Tetris. The oldest perfect game design matching with the latest trend, the battle royale. So smart. The execution and choice of distribution are also very good and unexpected.
Mentions
Meditations was a superb idea but felt short, with me, because the few games I tried were more depressing and frustrating than relaxing.
Pokemon Shield was a nice throwback to my late Pokemon days but the game is from another age, it’s baffling.
But it was the Xbox Game Pass year for me, the offer is ridiculously good and it's coming to PC. I discovered the excellent Slay the Spire.
I loved the aesthetics of Void Bastards but didn't follow up, cf my relation with rogue likes in last year's awards.
I'm playing A Plague Tale : Innocence, I've started Outer Wilds but haven't been hooked, I'll retry.
And I definitely want to play Death Stranding, Disco Elysium, Control and maybe Baba is You if I feel smart enough.
Fin