top of page
Writer's pictureChristina Ding

Indie Films Watch List: 2019 Edition

Remember when we all said that 2020 would be our year? Unfortunately, sometimes situational matters interfere with what we want, so what better way to mourn the year of 2020 than by looking back into the bright, marvelous year of 2019? Having resulted in numerous award winning films, 2019 was truly the year for independent cinema to shine. So without further ado, here are a few of my favorites, hand-picked to help you pass time in quarantine!


1. The Farewell (2019)

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Director: Lulu Wang

Cast: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong, Jiang Yongbo

Synopsis: "In this funny, uplifting tale based on an actual lie, Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) reluctantly returns to Changchun to find that, although the whole family knows their beloved matriarch, Nai-Nai, has been given mere weeks to live, everyone has decided not to tell Nai Nai herself. To assure her happiness, they gather under the joyful guise of an expedited wedding, uniting family members scattered among new homes abroad. As Billi navigates a minefield of family expectations and proprieties, she finds there’s a lot to celebrate: a chance to rediscover the country she left as a child, her grandmother’s wondrous spirit, and the ties that keep on binding even when so much goes unspoken". ~ a24films.com


2. Marriage Story (2019)

Genre: Comedy-Drama, Drama

Director: Noah Baumbach

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Merrit Weaver, Ray Liotta, Alan Alda, Julia Hagerty

Synopsis: "Marriage Story is a 2019 drama film written, directed, and produced by Noah Baumbach. It stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, with Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty, and Merritt Wever in supporting roles. The film follows a married couple, an actress and a stage director (Johansson and Driver), going through a coast-to-coast divorce". ~ Wikipedia


3. Parasite (2019)

Genre: Thriller, Comedy

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Cast: Cho Yeo-jeong, Park So-dam, Choi Woo-shik, Jeong Ji-so, Kang-Ho Song, Lee Sun Gyun, Park Myung-hoon, Jang hye-jin, Lee Jeong,eun, Andreas Fronk, Jeong Hyun-joon, Park Keun-rok

Synopsis: "Parasite (Korean: 기생충;RRGisaengchung) is a 2019 South Korean black comedy/thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Han Jin-won. It stars Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Jang Hye-jin, and Lee Jung-eun and follows the members of a poor family who scheme to become employed by a wealthy family by infiltrating their household and posing as unrelated, highly qualified individuals". ~ Wikipedia


4. Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Director: Taika Waititi

Cast: Taika Waititi, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Roman Griffin Davis, Stephan Merchant, Alfie Allen, Archie Yates, Rebel Wilson, Luke Brandon Field, Brian Caspe, Joe Weintraub, Judith Georgi, Robert East, Gabriel Andrews, Gilby Griffin Davis, Sam Haygar, Hardy Griffin Davis

Synopsis: "Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend -- Adolf Hitler -- Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on". ~ Google

25 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page