The Very Best of Curb Your Enthusiasm

By Mark Pukalo

Trouble doesn't find Larry David. He seems to seek it out, and that has led to 12 fun-filled seasons on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

David created the greatest conventional sitcom in history with "Seinfeld," and he has gone farther with Curb. There are wacky situations, odd characters and cringe-worthy hilarious scenes while Larry is not afraid to tackle issues such as divorce, racial relations, sex, religion and politics in a comedic way.

It is basically Seinfeld without any rules on what can be said. It may not be for everyone, but it should be. You know why? We need to be able to laugh at ourselves, at the extremes of important issues and at things that annoy us. The heck with the language. Deal with it. I know I have always hated people that can't park their cars between the lines. Now, after watching Curb, I can call them Pig Parkers and chuckle over it.

Plus, you get great advice from Larry's free-loading house guest Leon, who often brings the ruckus: "You can't pause toast, Larry. It loses it's Essence."

The pandemic gave me a chance to watch the first 100 episodes in the series and I have updated by re-watching the final two seasons to make a list of the top 25, plus honorable mentions. It's not easy to place them, especially after the top few, because they are all "Prett-Ay, Prett-Ay, Prett-Ay Good."


Top 25

1. Season 8, Episode 9: Mister Softee - The music of the Softie truck brings back bad memories for Larry and causes a brutal error to end a softball game, while Bill Buckner saves the day.

2. Season 8, Episode 3: Palestinian Chicken - Larry is torn between some really good chicken, a beautiful new Palestinian girlfriend and his Jewish Heritage.

3. Season 1, Episode 3: Porno Gil - Bob Odenkirk plays Gil, a former porn star who invites Larry and Cheryl to their off-the-beaten-track house for a party that turns into a disaster.

4. Season 2, Episode 9: The Baptism - Larry loses plane tickets to Monterrey, which sends him and Cheryl on a roundabout route to an adult baptism. Larry, of course, causes problems upon arrival.

5. Season 4, Episode 6: The Car Pool Lane - Larry rents a prostitute so he can use the Car Pool Lane to beat the traffic on the way to the Dodgers game, buys pot and gets Funkhouser arrested.

6. Season 8, Episode 7: The Bi-Sexual - Larry uses performance-enhancing drugs to help win a battle with Rosie O'Donnell over a pretty girl. "Where's my ticket?" Larry says on the steps of the Hall of Fame after the blue pill is revealed. Jane retorts: "You're not getting in."

7. Season 12, Episode 4: Disgruntled - Tension is high after a note by a "disgruntled" club member is tacked on the wall at Larry's golf course. Willie Geist from Morning Joe unmasks the mystery club member, or does he?

8. Season 5, Episode 2: The Bowtie - Larry loses the support of the lesbian community and regains it while dealing with his racist dog.

9. Season 12, Episode 1: Atlanta - Larry is hired to attend the birthday party for a wealthy businessman with Leon and Maria Sofia before battling with the hotel cleaning woman. David is not very cordial at the party, argues with a guest - Brooke or Brookie? - and does not get paid.

10. Season 5, Episode 10: The End - Kidney transplant complications lead to death for Larry, who has an interesting brief stay in Heaven before being returned to life.

11. Season 6, Episode 7: The Tivo Guy - The Tivo repairman distracts Larry from Cheryl's frantic call on a shaky airplane and leads to a separation.

12. Season 10, Episode 1: Happy New Year - A MAGA hat proves a perfect people repellent for Larry, who is accused of sexual assault for wanting some pigs in a blanket, while Jeff is mistaken for Harvey Weinstein.

13. Season 1, Episode 9: Affirmative Action - An untended bad racial joke causes all kinds of problems for Larry. It's cringy at times, but very funny.

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14. Season 12, Episode 3 - Vertical Drop, Horizontal Tug - Larry's golf game improves after stealing tips from a coach and that causes problems. Four!!!

15. Season 10, Episode 10: The Spite Store - The finale brings all the stories of the season together as his former secretary finds her memory, spite stores crop up everywhere and Mocha Joe wins.

16. Season 7, Episode 10: Seinfeld - The Seinfeld reunion is finally done and a lack of respect for wood foils Larry's chance to get back with Cheryl.

17. Season 11, Episode 10: The Mormon Advantage - Not a good call! Alexander Vindman catches Larry trying to bribe a city councilman to end a so-so season.

18. Season 3, Episode 8: Krazee-Eyez Killa - Larry befriends and then betrays Wanda Sykes' cheating rap-music star boyfriend.

19. Season 8, Episode 1: The Divorce - Lawyers and girl scout cookies cause problems for Larry as his divorce to Cheryl goes through and he loses out on Dodgers club tickets.

20. Season 2, Episode 7: The Doll - Larry makes the daughter of a TV executive cry after cutting her doll's hair and a broken bathroom latch causes major issues.

21. Season 5, Episode 8: The Ski Lift - Larry hopes to convince the leader of the kidney consortium to move Richard Lewis up on the list for a new organ, but it ends in disaster.

22. Season 12, Episode 7: The Dream Scheme - Jeff, Freddy and Larry use dreaming tactics to get out of things they do not want to do. Guess who gets caught by Susie?

23. Season 8, Episode 5: Vow of Silence - Larry loses his head over some pig parkers, the "chat & cut" is introduced and Oscar does not get his last meal. R.I.P.

24. Season 2, Episode 3: Trick or Treat - Larry's nasty exchange with two teenagers trick or treating without costumes is the centerpiece.

25. Season 10, Episode 8: Elizabeth, Margaret and Phillip - Jon Hamm is hilarious while he mirrors Larry for a future project ... playing Mr. David.

Honorable Mention: Mary, Joseph and Larry (Larry wrecks Christmas), The Bat Mitzvah (Larry has an itch), Beloved Aunt (A typo ruins an obit written by Larry), The Nanny from Hell (Pound cake saves Susie from Cheri Oteri), The Black Swan (Larry commits murder on the golf course), Vehicular Fellatio (car hijinks), The Seder (Larry gets his newspaper stolen), Denise Handicap (Larry finds some advantages dating the disabled), The Shrimp Incident (Larry gets screwed out of some shrimp), The Bare Midriff (Larry is saved on the roof by flabby skin), Interior Decorator (Larry is tackled by a Decorator), Never Wait for Seconds (Fatwa! Off), Shaq (Larry accidentally trips Mr. O'Neal), Thor (Professional wrestler slashes Larry's tires), Ken/Kendra (Larry meets an angry Masseuse and gives the Boss Covid), No Lessons Learned (Larry is jailed. The finale).

My Favorite TV Shows of All Time (Updated)

By Mark Pukalo


I'm not quite sure what was actually the first television show I watched multiple times, more than 50 years ago.

The late 1960s brought us Hogan's Heroes, Bewitched, I Love Lucy, Hawaii Five-O, I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek and many other classics. But I bet my love for the tube started with Marcia, Jan, Greg, Bobby and the others. I can remember that stacked Friday night lineup with the Brady Bunch followed by the Partridge Family, Room 222, The Odd Couple and Love American Style.

I've missed so many great shows over the years. Even more so of late, because so many have gone to streaming like "The Studio" and "Widow's Bay." It's impossible to catch them all and some just don't work for me. 

But here's an "updated" list of the all-time favorites that I have enjoyed. The top two may surprise you, but one is so unique, sometimes inappropriate and funny, it deserves the top spot while the second is perhaps the best written, unfortunately short-lived, and most compelling in my lifetime.

First, here's some well-liked shows I have not seen much or not at all: Abbott Elementary, The Americans, Boardwalk Empire, The Chappelle Show, Deadwood, Dexter, Empire, Fleabag, Friday Night Lights, The Handmaid's Tale, House, Killing Eve, Lost, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, NewsRadio, Oz, Parks and Recreation, Quantum Leap, The Queen's Gambit, Ripley, Riverdale, Severance, Sex in the City, Shogun, The Simpsons, South Park, Stranger Things, Succession, Suits, True Detective, Twin Peaks, WandaVision, Yellowjackets, The 70s Show.

Special Award: Saturday Night Live - Depending on the period, it could be top 10 if included along with Late Night with David Letterman. Dave was the Goat of late night.

Underappreciated/Guilty Pleasures: UFO, Moonlighting, Felicity, American Bandstand, Jericho, The Hudson Brothers, Earth II, Alf.

Honorable Mention: All in the Family, Andor, Battlestar Galactica, Big Little Lies, The Bob Newhart Show, The Carol Burnett Show, Charlie's Angels, Criminal Minds, CSI Miami, Dallas, Family Guy, Family Ties, FBI, Friends, Get Smart, Grey's Anatomy, Happy Days, Hill Street Blues, House of the Dragon, I Love Lucy, The Jetsons, L.A. Law, Landman, Laugh In, Laverne and Shirley, Law & Order, Law & Order Criminal Intent, Lost in Space, The Love Boat, Mad Men, Mare of Eastown, Married. .. With Children, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Miami Vice, Mork & Mindy, My Name is Earl, NCIS, The Night Stalker, Orange is the New Black, Ozark, Poker Face, Rescue Me, The Rockford Files, Scrubs, Star Trek, Taxi, The Testaments, Three's Company, Two and a Half Men, Veep, Welcome Back, Kotter, Welcome to Wrexham, WKRP in Cincinnati, The X Files.

TOP 25 (with favorite character)

25. (tie) Schitt's Creek (Alexis, Annie Murphy) and Hacks (Ava Daniels, Hannah Einbinder); 24. Ted Lasso (Roy Kent, Brett Goldstein); 23. MASH (Corporal Klinger, Jamie Farr); 22. ER (Doug Ross, George Clooney); 21. (The first three seasons of) Arrested Development (Gob Bluth, Will Arnett); 20.  Cheers (Norm, George Wendt).

19. Blue Bloods - This cop show has grown on me over the years and it is a fair depiction of life in the uniform despite the slight right-wing lean. The characters are rich and diverse while the stories have heart. Best Character: Jamie Reagan, Will Estes.

18. The Brady Bunch (left) - It only lasted five seasons, but many of the best moments live on 50 years later. "Sure, Jan." No, it's true. Best Character: Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, Maureen McCormick.

17. Madam Secretary - Tea Leoni made this show tick as she grew into a formidable figure and made for a President we could all support - fearless, smart and fair. Best Character: Stevie, Wallis Currie-Wood.

16. One Tree Hill - The teen drama series really hit home for me because it was centered around basketball and one great cast of characters. While it did get a soap opera-like at times in its pacing, the storylines were always good and there has never been a show with more beautiful women. Best Character: Peyton Sawyer, Hilarie Burton.

15. Entourage - I rewatched all eight seasons and loved every minute. Vince, Johnny Drama, E, Turtle and Ari were fantastic characters and it may be second to One Tree Hill in beautiful women on set. I still love you Sloan! Best Character: Johnny Drama, Kevin Dillon.

14. The Bear - Five-season series that follows the workings of a family-owned restaurant in Chicago with incredibly rich characters and real-life issues. Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri lead a brilliant cast. Best Character: Richie, Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

13. Law & Order Special Victims Unit - Sam Waterson was great in the first Law & Order shows, but the SVU cast and storylines have been stronger in this series. The interesting subjects and scenarios continue. Best Character: Olivia Benson, Mariska Hargitay

12. The Wire - It took me awhile to get around to this inner-city Baltimore police drama and I was blown away by its authenticity. The acting was brilliant through all five seasons. Best Character: Omar Little, Michael K. Williams.

11. Euphoria - I finally binged three incredible seasons in a few weeks this summer and it ended with a bang. Director Sam Levinson built this series around addiction, centering on Rue (Zendaya), along with with an all-star cast. Riveting Season 3 moved this from outside the the top 25 to No. 11. Best Character: Ali, Colman Domingo (right).

10. The Office - The final two seasons aside, it ranks among the best four comedies of all time in my book. Dwight, Michael and the others were brilliant characters at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pa. Best Character: Jim Halpert, John Krasinski.

9.. Breaking Bad - The AMC classic provides an amazing performance by Bryan Cranston as Walter White, who evolves from a chemistry teacher with cancer to an international drug dealer. The final episode is one of the best in TV history. Best Character: Walter White, Bryan Cranston.

8. Modern Family - A remarkably-written sitcom about a diverse family, which takes many hilarious turns along the way. Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy took his place among the best comedic TV stars with his performance over 11 seasons. Best Character: Cam, Eric Stonestreet.

7. The Sopranos - David Chase makes you understand and even like a unique crime family over six thrill-filled seasons. Tony (the late James Gandolfini) commands the show, but Carmela (Edie Falco) takes no backseat as his wife. Best Character: Silvio Dante, Steven Van Zandt.

6. The Pitt - An amazing hospital drama, so compelling and well written that it easily beats the many similar medical shows of the past. Noah Wylie brings Dr. Robbie to life as the main character, but there are so many wonderful people on the show and your eyes never leave the screen. Swept the Grammy awards in its first season and No. 2 was just as good. Best Character: Dr. Mel. Taylor Dearden (left).

5. Game of Thrones - Free HBO on my newest TV plan finally gave me a chance to watch this epic series about kings, queens, dragons and heroes. Never thought I would like it this much, but what an amazing eight years. Best Character: Arya Stark, Maisie Williams.

4. The West Wing - Creator Aaron Sorkin's first of two in the top four (also No. 2) is an incredible journey of seven seasons in the White House with tremendous performances and interesting, topical storylines. Best Character: Josh, Bradley Whitford.

3. Seinfeld - The show "about nothing" lasted nine seasons and rarely had an off half hour. It was one part goofy humor and one part intelligent comedy with Jerry Seinfeld and the cast causing problems wherever they went. Best Character: George Costanza, Jason Alexander.

2. The Newsroom - It only lasted three seasons and 25 episodes, but the cheeky writing and real-life drama make you want to watch shows over and over. The characters are more deep and compelling than in any show in history, in my opinion. Best Character: Will McAvoy, Jeff Daniels.

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm - Trouble does not find Larry David through 12 hilarious seasons of Curb, his character seems to seek it in every episode. The show tackles subjects that sometimes make you cringe, but also make you laugh uncontrollably. Best Character: Leon Black, J.B. Smoove.

Best Movie Characters of All-Time

By Mark Pukalo


If you don't have compelling characters that the audience either cares about or dominate the screen, you probably won't produce a good movie.

A script can be technically brilliant, but if you don't have strong acting performance bringing interesting or humorous characters to life you won't be winning any awards.

Some you love, some you love to hate. But memorable characters are what turn good movies into great ones. The wrong casting can ruin a strong story. When an actor fits a role perfectly it is beautiful to watch.

In more than five decades viewing thousands of films, many characters stand out. In a three-month study I came up with 52 in 52 years that I liked more than any others for various reasons. No list is perfect, but all of these characters moved me or made me laugh in some way over time.

Here's a look at what I came up with, starting with honorable mention:

Honorable Mention: Shane Falco (Keanu Reaves) - The Replacements; Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) - Armageddon; Monty Brogan (Ed Norton) - 25th Hour; Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald) - Sixteen Candles; Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott) - American Pie; Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee) - Mallrats; Natural Rivera (Rosario Dawson) - 25th Hour; Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) - Titanic; Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn) - Dodgeball; Star Carter (Amandla Stenberg) - The Hate U Give; Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence) - Silver Linings Playbook; Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) - Bridget Jones Diary; JoJo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) - JoJo Rabbitt; Emily (Zoe Kazan) - The Big Sick; Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) - Deadpool; Willie Beamon (Jamie Foxx) - Any Given Sunday; Sgt. Elias (Willem DeFoe) - Platoon; Mikey (Jon Favreau) - Swingers; Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) - Once Upon A Time in Hollywood; Lt. John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) - Dances With Wolves; Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) - Black Panther..


TOP 52

52. Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff) - Garden State - Large goes from a prescribed drug stupor to finding himself and a girlfriend in this great film.

51. Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) - Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Penn steals every scene, including when he orders a pizza for Mr. Hand's class.


50. Marty (Natalie Portman) - Beautiful Girls - Natalie was 15 when she played Timothy Hutton's 13-year-old next door neighbor, who was intelligent beyond her years.

49. Taylor (Charlton Heston) - Planet of the Apes - He escapes the damn dirty apes and gets a kiss from Dr. Zira before finding his destiny on the beach.

48. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) - Contact - Jodie has taken on much bigger roles, but the look in her eyes throughout made this character so appealing.

47. Rob Gordon (John Cusack) - High Fidelity - The brooding record store owner takes almost the whole movie to figure out how to show Iben Hjejle how he feels about her.

46. Libby Parsons (Ashley Judd) - Double Jeopardy - Libby is relentless after her husband fakes his murder and steals their son.


45. Jo Galloway (Demi Moore) - A Few Good Men - Jo is all passion and no street smarts, but she gets it done.

44. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) - Lost in Translation - Bill's best dramatic effort brings out his versatile talent without losing his humor.

43. Irwin Fletcher (Chevy Chase) - Fletch - Thank you very little. Just put it on the Underhill's tab.

42. Dr. Zira (Kim Hunter) - Planet of the Apes series - The lovable chimp kisses Charlton Heston goodbye, even though he was so damned ugly.

41. Frank J. Mackey (Tom Cruise) - Magnolia - Cruise kills it with this very crude male supremacist character.


40. Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) - Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Bueller can do no wrong on his trip to the city.

39. Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) - Jerry Maguire - Show him the money. Cuba plays the diva wide receiver role to the hilt.

38. Dr. Evil (Michael Myers) - Austin Powers series - He is worth one milllllllion dollars.

37. Claire Colburn (Kirsten Dunst) - Elizabethtown - Smart, friendly, very perky and attractive. She's the perfect date.

36. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) - Inglourious Basterds - That's a bingo! Waltz has never been and will never be better than in this role.


35. Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) - Caddyshack - The groundskeeper's groundskeeper was determined to get rid of all the gophers, not golfers.

34. Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) - Forrest Gump - Life's a box of chocolates and Forrest endured while enjoying every bit of it.

33. Senator Jay Bulworth (Warren Beatty) - Bulworth - The depressed California senator turned rapper revived his career and zest for life by telling the truth.

32. Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) - 10 Things I Hate About You - The Shrew is tamed by Heath Ledger, but she had plenty of fun terrifying people along the way.

31. Colonel Jessop (Jack Nicholson) - A Few Good Men - The evil military man cannot handle the truth when it is presented.


30. Lester Bangs (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) - Almost Famous - The late great Hoffman gave plenty of life to the real-life music journalist.

29. Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) - Slapshot - Player coach of the Syracuse Chiefs turned his team in a feared bunch of hockey players and placed a bounty on the head of Tim McCracken.

28. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) - Diehard - The coolest voice and personality of all evil criminals, but John McClane bests him in the end.

27. Jules Winnfield (Samuel Jackson) - Pulp Fiction - Philosophical hit man had style, humor and intellect.

26. Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) - Star Wars series - Movie villain for the ages still had some good left in him at the end to help son Luke.


25. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) - The Godfather - He took care of business when needed.

24. Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) - Rocky series - The Italian Stallion goes from bar room brawler to champion.

23. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) - Star Wars series - His slow process from anxious child to master of the force is exhilarating.

22. Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) - Anchorman - Popular newsman's world changes when Veronica Corningstone shows up. Stayed classy in San Diego.

21. Johnny Utah (Keanu Reaves) - Point Break - Former Ohio State quarterback becomes a courageous detective. Vaya Con Dios.


20. Tris (Shailene Woodley) - Divergent series - Tris leaves her family to join Dauntless and does not stop until her unique Divergence saves everyone.

19. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) - Good Will Hunting - Williams' greatest performance as a therapist who helps a street-wise, troubled genius find himself.

18. Lane Meyer (John Cusack) - Better off Dead - Downtrodden after Beth broke up with him, but the man knew how to ski.

17. Sofia (Penelope Cruz) - Vanilla Sky - The angel that tries to save Tom Cruise and says things like, "I'll see you in another life, when we're both cats," with a wonderful accent.

16. William Wallace (Mel Gibson) - Braveheart - Lost his girl, fell for a queen, fought for his country, died for his native Scotland's freedom.

15. Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) - Major League - The "Wild Thing" was at his best in the biggest spots for the Tribe.

14. Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) - Office Space - Hypnotized into the perfect employee, sort of. Impressed the Bobs and Jennifer, who did not wear enough flair.

13. Lucy (Sandra Bullock) - While You Were Sleeping - Sandra won an Oscar for "The Blind Side," but this is her best career performance in my opinion.

12. Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) - Wall Street - The top "evil" character on the list. While he is fun to watch and quite compelling in this film, people like Gekko have made this country worse.

11. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) - The Hunger Games - J-Law fit this role perfectly and was on target from the first and best movie of the series to the finale.


10. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) - Raiders of the Lost Ark - While the sequels were not close to being as good as the original, Indy was an iconic figure throughout.

9. Amanda Jones (Lea Thompson) - Some Kind of Wonderful - The pretty girl from the "other side of the tracks" who is welcomed to the popular group in high school, but is repulsed by attitudes when she gets there and leaves with her dignity.

8. Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) - Bull Durham - The "player to be named later" becomes the conscience of the Durham Bulls, grooms the bonus baby and falls in love with the local girl.

7. James Bond (Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Daniel Craig) - Bond series - OO7 always got the job done and got the girl, no matter who was in the role. My personal preference was Moore, probably because his movies (1973-85) were out when I was growing up.

6. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) - Inglourious Basterds - Aldo the Apache from the Smoky Mountains is the charismatic leader of the Jewish-American guerrilla force which aims to accumulate Natzi scalps.

5. Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) - Hoosiers - A successful but aging basketball coach with a checkered past, including a suspension for punching his player, gets one more chance in tiny Hickory, Indiana.

NOTE: The top four could go in any order. Too close to call.

4. John Blutarsky (John Belushi) - Animal House - Bluto's grade-point average was 0.0, but he loved beer, partying, breaking guitars, climbing ladders at sororities and it led to him to the U.S. Senate.

3. John McClane (Bruce Willis) - Diehard - He was awfully hard to kill. A New York cop that did his best work away from the Big Apple, beating master criminals by any means possible and with some personality.

2. Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) - Almost Famous - The leader of the Bandaids - whose real name is Lady Goodman - goes through a roller coaster of emotions with love and friendship on the road to Morocco. She's no good at goodbyes.

1. John Winger (Bill Murray) - Stripes - Loses his job as a cab driver, his car and his girl within a hour, but the acorn becomes the oak with a little Arrrrrrmy training, sir. Cried his eyes out when Old Yeller died, and that's the facts Jack.

Top Bit Movie Characters of All Time

8. Rachel (Chloe Grace Moretz) - 500 Days of Summer - Uses the word bizzaro well.
7. Lacey Underalls (Cindy Morgan) - Caddyshack - Likes ties
6. Pepper Brooks (Jason Bateman) - Dodgeball - Bold strategy
5. Harry Doyle (Bob Uecker) - Major League - A bit outside
4. Dewey Oxburger (John Candy) - Stripes - Lean, mean fightin' machine
3. Walter Stratford (Larry Miller) - 10 Things I Hate About You - Down with the 411
2. Chazz (Will Ferrell) - Wedding Crashers - Meatloaf!!
1. The Wolf (Harvey Keitel) - Pulp Fiction - Solves problems

Once Upon a Time in 2019

    By Mark Pukalo

     Whether you watched on the big screen, on your computer or in the comfort of your living room, 2019 provided many compelling and entertaining films.

     They took you around the world, tackled big issues, made you laugh, caused you to sing along and made you cry. This amateur critic went to the movies almost every week last year and consumed enough popcorn to fill a dump truck. I ended up viewing a new personal-record 210 films - at the time - in all and still didn't see everything I wanted.
   
     It was a great year at the theater without a real major theme, although some of the best movies were more than two and half hours long. Much like in 2018, it was difficult to pick the best film of the year because any of the top 12 probably could have been placed on top.

    In the end, I could not pick something off the board like in 2018. The best film of 2019 had incredible acting and dialogue. It had plenty of humor. It told the story of a period in time in LaLa Land. You can call it a character study or just a series of entertaining scenes, but by the end it becomes a full movie with Quentin Tarantino steering the ship.

    "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" was the most entertaining and the best film of 2019. Brad Pitt most certainly deserved his best supporting actor Oscar, Andie McDowell's daughter Margaret Qualley dominated the screen in her scenes, Leo was great as usual, Margot Robbie couldn't have been more likable as the real life Sharon Tate, the hippies were darn creepy and Cliff's pit bull Brandy might have been the biggest star of all.

     There were so many great moments this year, from the simple like Emma Nelson and Cate Blanchett singing Cyndi Lauper's "Time after Time" in the car during "Where'd You Go Bernadette?," to the cute as JoJo Betzler reads a fake letter to his new friend inside the wall during "JoJo Rabbit," (above) to the fascinating as the new pontiff is picked in "The Two Popes," to the shocking conclusion of "Parasite," to the emotion of Mister Rodgers visiting a dying man in "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," to the humorous when Enzo the dog sarcastically comments on the cats frolicking on TV in "The Art of Racing in the Rain," to "Alita; Battle Angel" kicking ass, to Maya Erskine's quick wit in "Plus One" and to Elton John (Taron Egerton) beginning his first show at the Troubadour with Crocodile Rock in "Rocketman." Those are just a few. I could go on and on.

    I don't have the ability to see every movie. There are several limited-release films, very well reviewed, that did not even get out on Red Box. .

   I really don't want to be a professional critic.  I prefer not to think of structure and whether the plot works 100 percent. Some movies might be technically sound, but just don't work for me (The Favourite). I want to be entertained, whether that is making me think, laugh and maybe even cry. Or all of the above. The old Jim Valvano test.

   More than 70 films passed that exam in 2019. Here's my list of the Best of the final year in the decade:

     25. Apollo 11 - Because I was just 6 at the time, I barely remember watching the first moon landing on television, so it was very interesting to be able to watch the story unfold again in this well-constructed documentary.

    24. The Rise of Skywalker - While it might sit sixth or seventh best among the films in the Star Wars trilogy, it was still an entertaining final journey. It's weaknesses were far outweighed by its strengths, led by Daisy Ridley's presence.

     23. Joker - The much-deserved Academy Award performance from Joaquin Phoenix drives the film that is about as dark as it gets, but in a good way. I don't believe that director Todd Phillips made the Joker a sympathetic figure like many critics do. I did not take it that way. Phoenix just makes you want to know what will happen to the mad man next.

     22. Rocketman - This movie about the life of Sir Elton John was more of a musical than I expected, but it is quite entertaining. Egerton was terrific - and snubbed unfairly for an Oscar nomination - as the amazing performer and Jamie Bell is strong as Bernie Taupin, the songwriter behind the star.

    21. Official Secrets - Keira Knightley stars as Katharine Gun, the famous English whistleblower who uncovered an illegal United States spying operation in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq. Knightley's powerful, conflicted but righteous, performance was outstanding.

    20. Wild Rose - A troubled young woman (Jessie Buckley) from Glasgow, Scotland has dreams of being a country singer in Nashville. Her journey is both heartbreaking and exhilarating.

    19. Just Mercy - Michael B. Jordan gives a very strong performance as a Harvard law graduate who moves to Alabama to help provide representation for people on death row in the 1980s. He turns his attention to Walter "Johnny D" McMillian (Jamie Foxx), who was unjustly incarcerated for murder.

     18. Plus One - A very likable romantic comedy about a pair of friends who decide to accompany each other to a long list of weddings on their calendar while putting their own disappointing love lives on hold.. Alice (Maya Erskine) is one of my favorite 2019 characters.

    17. Knives Out - An enjoyable mystery with Daniel Craig and the beautiful Ana de Armas leading an outstanding ensemble cast. Took me a while before I decided to see this at the theater, but it was smart and fun from start to finish.

    16. The Farewell - Awkwafina fully deserved her Golden Globe for playing Billi, a Chinese-American who joins her family for a gathering in China to visit her grandmother, who is dying of cancer but has not been told of her disease. The family deals with the traditional decision of keeping the illness from lovable Nai Nai.

    15. 1917 - Director Sam Mendes hits it out of the park with this compelling war film that builds slowly to an amazing final 30 minutes or so. It's a story of perseverance, duty, honor, family and friendship along with the horrors of war. Yes, I have it a little lower than many critics, but that doesn't take away anything from the epic film.

    14. Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of my Voice - A documentary about the woman behind one of the greatest voices in music history. There was a lot I learned in this film, especially about the end of her singing career, that I did not know and the rest just brought back fond memories of Linda - every man's crush in my generation.

    13. Little Women - The seventh film adaptation of the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott is done with expertise by director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), and includes some brilliant acting led by Saoirse (say it right, Sirsha) Ronan and Florence Pugh. Bouncing between past and present early in the film got slightly confusing, but it was long forgotten by the end.

    12. Booksmart - Olivia Wilde provides a very likable comedy in her directorial debut about two bookworms who decide to begin partying in their last days of high school. Beanie Feldstein (Molly) was great, but I especially enjoyed Kaitlyn Dever's vulnerable Amy and not just because she had an Elizabeth Warren bumper sticker on her car.

    11. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - A unique and well-executed take on the greatness of Mister Rodgers, inspired by an article about him titled "Can You Say. ... Hero?" written by Tom Junod that was published in Esquire magazine in the late 1990s. Tom Hanks does Fred proud and the main closing scene is one of the most emotional of the year.


     10. Bombshell - The biographical film centers on the development of a sexual harassment case against Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, and does it with credibility - without extra political sentiment. Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman all take on their characters with grace and class.

     9. Yesterday - I saw one critic actually name this as the worst film of the year and that the main characters had no chemistry. That is incredibly ridiculous. While it had a few moments that people can criticize, when you like the subject matter, the characters and the ending it doesn't matter to me. Loved it from start to finish, and it may have had the line of the year: "Bloody Ed Sheeran."

     8. Parasite - Wasn't sure what to expect when I saw this South Korean, subtitled film, but it sure packed a punch and had you glued to the screen throughout. It wasn't my pick for the Academy Award, but director Bong Joon-ho did a masterful job with this story of family, class warfare and wealth disparity in the world.

     7. Marriage Story - Director and writer Noah Baumbach uses an amazing cast to tell a story of the perils of the early end to a marriage and the heartbreaking process of divorce with a young child. Laura Dern deserved her supporting actress Oscar for playing Nora Fanshaw, Scarlett Johansson's lawyer, while Adam Driver and Scarlett also shine.

      6. The Two Popes - For some, this might be a boring movie, but I was riveted by the dialogue as Pope Francis and Pope Benedict fictitiously (but believably) meet to speak on two sides of the Catholic faith. The imagery and pacing is strong and Jonathan Pryce is so good as Francis, you do not know he is acting. Some say it favored Francis a bit and it did, but it also brought life to Benedict.

     5. Blinded by the Light - The true story of a young Pakistani teenager living in a small town in England, who is introduced to Bruce Springsteen music and it changes his prospective on life. It is directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham) and includes a wonderful speech at the end by lead character Javed (Viveik Kalra) along with a trip to Asbury Park.

     4. The Irishman - Director Martin Scorsese brings Charles Brandt's book "I Heard You Paint Houses" to the screen in a pulsating 3 1/2 hour film that centers on Frank Sheeran, a truck driver who becomes a hit man for the mob. Al Pacino (Jimmy Hoffa) and Joe Pesci (Russell Bufalino) are pitch perfect in their roles and Anna Paquin (Sheeran's daughter) has one of the best small roles of the year.

    3. Avengers: Endgame - Yeah, it's Marvel and it's about cartoonish superheroes, but this three-hour action film had more heart than most of the similar movies put together. It begins with our heroes splintered and beaten, and ends with an uprising to remember. The last scene is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

     1. JoJo Rabbit - A cheeky comedy-drama which both loudly and in subtle ways shows the lunacy of hate and fascism. Taika Waititi writes, directs and stars in the film while amazing 12-year-old Roman Griffin Davis plays the Hitler Youth "JoJo" Betzler, who must deal with finding out his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is a member of the resistance and is hiding a young Jewish woman (Thomasin McKenzie) in the wall at the end of World War II. One of the best endings of the year.

     1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - A movie about movies. That doesn't sound that great, but Tarantino uses all his talent to create compelling characters who weave a story about a period of time in the Hotel California. Leonardo DiCaprio is actor Rick Dalton on the downside of his career, Pitt is his driver and former stunt man and Robbie is the girl next door - sort of. Then, there's the hippies from the beginnings of Charles Manson's cult, Jackie Chan's fight with Pitt and Al Pacino lauding Dalton's performance in "The 14 Fists of McCluskey." Once again, it's Tarantino changing history as the Manson crazies are sidetracked on the way to murder Robbie's Tate. It's off the wall. Crazy. It's just fun. That's entertainment.

     Joe Lunardi's first six out:

     The Art of Racing in the Rain - Many critics didn't like it, but how could you not love Enzo? And the story was just fine to me.

     Atlantics - A romantic drama with a supernatural element that slowly draws you in with a backdrop of Dakar, Senegal. Lead character Mame Bineta Sane (Ada) provides an amazing performance in her first major film.

     Dark Waters - Mark Ruffalo plays Robert Bilott, the man who took down DuPont for their irresponsible business practices with chemicals.

     Harriet - Cynthia Erivo is brilliant as Harriet Tubman, who helped free as many as 70 slaves through the Underground Railroad.
     Uncut Gems - Adam Sandler is a force of nature as a Jewish jeweler with a gambling addiction.

     Waves - The unique and heartbreaking story of a African-American family in the suburbs of an east coast Florida city that takes an emotional journey through important issues to tragedy to dealing with loss. 
          
     Streaming Gems

    Between Two Ferns: The Movie - Laughed more than any movie this year.
    Knock Down the House - Get to know AOC a little better. Interesting documentary about grass roots campaigns.
    El Camino - Breaking Bad sequel does not disappoint.

    High Honorable Mention (42): 

    AD Astra - Solid, but expected more of the plot

    A Dog's Journey - Cute story

    Alita: Battle Angel - Cartoonish Alita is one of the best characters of the year

    Amazing Grace - Some great music from the Queen of Soul

    American Woman - Sienna Miller was fantastic, Should have been nominated

    Angel Has Fallen - Lots of action and intrigue, though formulaic

    Brian Banks - Heartwarming story, but a bit too tame

    Brittany Runs a Marathon - A woman takes the long journey toward finding her true self

    Captain Marvel - Brie Larson shines as a super hero

    Dolemite is my Name - Eddie Murphy is back, but just not enough humor for top 25

    Downton Abbey - Better than expected. Characters are rich

    Dumbo - I enjoyed the big Elephant story. Better than critics say

    Falling Inn Love - Netflix rom-com is likable

    Fighting with My Family - Wrestling fun

    Ford v. Ferrari - Strong acting from Damon and Bale, just a bit over-rated

    Good Boys - Some funny kid stuff

    The Great Hack - Fascinating, scary documentary

    Jumanji: The Next Level - Liked it a lot more than I expected

    High Life - Erotic, outside the box, science fiction film with convicted criminals used as Guinea Pigs to explore a black hole in space.

    Hotel Mumbai - Intense film that is well done

    Hustlers - Jen and Constance were terrific as strippers

    The Last Black Man in San Francisco - Very unique, abstract and interesting story by the end

    Last Christmas - Emilia Clarke can be adorable when not riding a dragon

    Late Night - Emma Thompson plays an iconic TV show host

    The Lion King - Thought they did a nice job bringing back this story

    Long Shot - Kinda dumb in parts, but plenty of humor

    Jexi - I laughed a lot, sorry

    John Wick 3 - Parabellum - Some overdone action, although the script is not bad

    Miracle in Cell No. 7 - Heartwarming and heartbreaking story about a father with a mental disability trying to reunite with his child

    Playing With Fire - Sweet firefighter story, along with some laughs

    The Public - Civil disobedience at a public library with Emilio Estevez

    Queen & Slim - Disappointing, but still enough intrigue to place it here

    The Report - Intense drama about the uncovering of the CIA's 9/11 detention program

    Richard Jewell - Strong film about the jump to conclusion in the Atlanta Olympic bombing.

    Rolling Thunder Revue - Martin Scorsese's brilliant documentary goes behind the scenes during Bob Dylan's tour with several great artists.

    Spiderman: Far from Home - Peter Parker meets Zendaya

    Toy Story 4 - Another fun film in the series

    The Two Killings of Sam Cooke - Documentary about of the greatest singers of all time

    Under the Silver Lake - Weirdest movie of the year. Not quite sure how to take it, but it is compelling

    Us - Chilling horror film from Jordan Peele

    Western Stars - Bruce Springsteen's documentary that followed his new album by the same name is well done and sounds very good.

    Where'd you go Bernadette? - Cate Blanchett rocks

    Who Killed Garrett Phillips? - Displays the worst kind of cops

    Zombieland: Double Tap - Lots of fun in this sequel

    Middle Honorable mention (53) (Had good elements, but also some weaknesses): 

   The Addams Family 

   After

   Aladdin

   Always Be My Maybe - Sweet netflix film

   American Factory - Won Documentary Academy Award

   An Acceptable Loss - Government conspiracy

   Anna  - Don't mess with Sasha Luss

   Miss Bala

   Bennett's War - Disabled war hero returns to the motocross circuit

   The Best of Enemies - Racism in the deep south

   Black Christmas - Bad kids in scream outfits terrorize a sorority

   Black and Blue - Very bad cops, Naomie Harris is very good

   Breakthrough - A bit too religious

   Clemency

   David Bowie: Finding Fame - Interesting documentary about the superstar.

   Dora & the Lost City of Gold - Young Isabela Merced is gorgeous and talented

   Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile - Zac Efron as Ted Bundy?

   Fast Color - Mystical story

   Fast and Furious: Hobbs & Shaw - Lots of action. Not bad

   Five Feet Apart - Haley Lu Richardson is quite appealing in an otherwise formulaic story

   Frozen II - Anna is awesome in the sequel

   Gloria Bell - Julianne Moore as a dating divorcee

   Good Sam - A good Hallmark-type movie

   Happy Death Day 2

   Her Smell - Elisabeth Moss as a druggy rock star

   A Hidden Life - Beautifully shot and acted, but a bit boring

   Homecoming - Beyonce!

   How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

   The Last Summer - Decent Netflix film

   Light of my Life - Apocalyptic story with Casey Affleck trying to protect his daughter

   Judy - Renee Zellweger was good, but she should not have won the oscar

   Justine

   Midway - War movie

   Motherless Brooklyn - Ed Norton in a well acted, but dull city drama

   The Mustang - A convict finds some purpose breaking wild horses

   Otherhood

   Overcomer

   Pain and Glory - Well acted, but not real compelling to me

   The Peanut Butter Falcon - Story is missing something

   Poms - Seniors do some cheerleading

   Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Artsy movie with beautiful Noemie Merlet in the lead

   Ready of Not - Better than expected horror film, with some laughs

   The Red Sea Diving Resort

   Rim of the World

   Screwball - Expose of the cheating A-Rod

   The Secret Life of Pets 2

   Someone Great - Gina Rodriguez and Brittney Snow.

   Stuber - Don't beat me up for rating it this low Dave Bautista. It is not unlikable, though

   The Sun is also a Star - Chance love story could be the best of this section

   Trial By Fire - Laura Dern defends man on death-row

   6 Underground - Ryan Reynolds is a wacky action movie

   The Upside - Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart bring some humor

   See you Yesterday - OK, but poor ending in my opinion

    Some Redeeming Value (51) (Or just not bad enough to make the worst of the year list):

   The Aftermath

   American Son

   An Easy Girl

   Annabelle Comes Home

   Backdraft2

   Beyond the Law

   Can you keep a secret?

   Cats - Francesca Hayward was likable as the lead cat Victoria, allowing it to reach this level.

   Charlie's Angels

   The Coldest Game

   Coma - Russian Sci-Fi

   The Current War - Dull

   The Dead Don't Die - Surprisingly bad with a great cast

   The Dirt - The Motley Crue story

   Doctor Sleep

   Freaks

   Fyre: The Story of the Greatest Party That Never Happened - Interesting, but makes you mad

   Gemini Man

   Godzilla: King of the Monsters

   The Goldfinch - Incredibly disappointing

   The Good Liar

   Greta - I like Chloe Grace Moretz. That saved it

   The Highwaymen

   The Hummingbird Project

   The Hustle - A few isolated laughs from Rebel Wilson

   I am Mother

   Inside Man Most Wanted

   I See You - bad netflix horror/mystery

   Isn't it Romantic? - No.

   The Kid Who Would be King

   The Kitchen

   The Laundromat

   Little

   Men in Black International

   MidSommer - The kids were so dumb. Just get outta there!

   Murder Mystery

   Paddleton

   The Perfection - Very creepy

   Pokemon Detective Pikachu

   Rambo: Last Blood

   Replicas

   Run the Race - Tebow cameo!

   Shaft - Was expecting worse

   Shazam!

   The Souvenir

   Strange But True - Pregnant Margaret Qualley in a chilling film

   Tolkien

   Triple Frontier

   Unicorn Store

   What Men Want

   Wine Country

   X Men: Dark Phoenix

   21 Bridges - RIP Chadwick. He couldn't save a bad plot here, though

   Most Over-rated: MidSommer, The Beach Bum, Ford v. Ferrari, High-Flying Bird

    Can't recommend at all (26): The Art of Self Defense, The Beach Bum, Bottom of the 9th, Captive State, Cold Pursuit, Corporate Animals, Countdown, Crawl, The Curse of La Llorona, Drunk Parents, Fractured, Glass, Hellboy, High-Flying Bird, In the Shadow of the Moon, The Intruder, Io, It Chapter Two, The Lighthouse, Lucy in the Sky, The Platform, Point Blank, Ma, Serenity, Terminator: Dark Fate, 3022

   Worst of the year: Cold Pursuit

   Could not find or haven't gotten to: Transit, Ash is Purest White, 3 Faces, Long Day's Journey into Night, Diane, David Crosby: Remember My Name, Honeyland, Honey Boy

    Did not care to see: Abominable, Adopt a Highway, A Dog's Way Home, The Angry Birds Movie 2, Arctic Dogs, Brightburn, Division 19, Don't Let Go, The Driver, Driven, Ecco, Escape Plan, Escape Room, The Fanatic, Housfull 4, Jacob's Ladder, The Lego Movie 2, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Mayday, Missing Link, Ophelia, Peel, Pet Semetary, The Prodigy, The Professor and the Madman, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, UglyDolls, Unplanned, Where's my Roy Cohn?, Wonder Park, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, 10 Minutes Gone.

PREVIOUS PICKS FOR BEST OF THE YEAR

2018:  The Hate U Give

2017 - The Big Sick

2016 - Lion

2015 - Spotlight

2014 - Birdman

2013 - Nebraska

2012  - Silver Linings Playbook

2011  - The Descendants

2010 - The Social Network

2009 - Inglourious Basterds

2008 - Frost/Nixon-The Wrestler (tie)

2007 - Once

Best of All Time - Almost Famous

 

The Worst Movies of 2019

  By Mark Pukalo


   OK, I finally saw Cats.

   Surprisingly, it was only added to the dishonorable mention list. Francesca Hayward being likable as Victoria, the lead cat, saved it from sneaking into the top 15.

   This list is never complete, but there were certainly enough bad films in 2019 to fill out 15 spots. ... plus. The Fanatic, Brightburn, Pet Semetary and several others might have made the grade if I chose to waste $1.95 on them at Red Box or came across them on HBO.

   Some big stars played key roles in films near the top of my list of stinkers, including Demi Moore, Liam Neeson, Matthew McConaughey (twice) Jesse Eisenberg, Sofia Vergara and Dennis Quaid. Shame on them for not walking out on awful scripts and foregoing the paycheck.

   Yes, I'm not big on horror films. They have to be smart and at least somewhat compelling like "Get Out." Very few are good enough to interest me these days.

   Thankfully, the only one I spent money on at the theatre came in at No. 12. At least the popcorn was good. But, here you go. Not the worst year for really bad movies, but stay away from these rents.


   Dis-Honorable Mention: Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Cats, Crawl, Murder Mystery (Adam and Jennifer can do better), Point Blank. High Flying Bird (Saw this on some best lists. I was totally bored by it), Fractured, In the Shadow of the Moon, Io, Ma, The Platform, 3022, Lucy in the Sky, I See You


   15. Terminator: Dark Fate - Some terrible dialogue and acting. Mindless violence and no real heart to the film.

   14. Countdown - Pretty Elizabeth Lail saves it from being in the top 10. Just a silly horror movie with an ending that really didn't make much sense.

   13. It Chapter Two - Worse than the first chapter. It was 2 hours, 50 minutes of nonsense and stupidity.

   12. Captive State - Futuristic science fiction tale with John Goodman and Vera Farmiga that is hard follow, and honestly you really don't care to. Didn't really get the ending either.

   11. Glass - A real nasty superhero and some mindless script writing. Expected to dislike it and, Bingo.


   10. Hellboy - Thought the big superhero might be some fun, but the film was just filled with violence and gore.You lose track of what's really going on.

   9. The Curse of La Llorona - A dreadfully bad horror film. I kept thinking that Tulsi Gabbard was playing the lead character, too.

   8. The Beach Bum - Think they were going for a modern day "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" in a way, but it was just McConaughey being flat-out annoying for a couple hours. Snoop Dogg saved it from the top 5.

   7. The Intruder - The psychological thriller owns one of the worst scripts of the year and you wonder why this dopey couple could have bought that house in the first place. Quaid is more creepy than he is in those recent commercials.

   6. Serenity - A mystery that you don't care about five minutes into the film, and McConaughey along with Anne Hathaway make it worse.

   5. The Lighthouse - Rented this recently and fast-forwarded through most of it. Dark, uninteresting and ugly. You actually say at one point, "poor seagull."

   4. Bottom of the Ninth - Probably would be No. 1 if anybody had heard about this one. Talented baseball player gets out of jail after a long stint and tries to make the big time again. Bad storytelling and worse acting. Come on Sofia.

   3. The Art of Self-Defense - Eisenberg sleepwalks through this boring film as a young man who tries to learn karate to defend himself after being attacked. They call it a black comedy and I guess that means you hate all the characters.

   2. Corporate Animals - A supposed comedy that isn't the least bit funny. A group of co-workers get trapped in a cave on a retreat with their boss (Moore) and nothing interesting really happens.

   1. Cold Pursuit - Neeson tries hard to soldier through a movie that is poorly written and has some of the worst acting I've seen in a while - especially from the main villain. This becomes the worst film of the year because more was expected from it after the trailer. Let's hope Liam doesn't see this.

 

PREVIOUS WORST MOVIES OF THE YEAR

2018:  Mile 22

2017 - Mother!

2016 - 13 Hours and Hail Caesar!

2015 - Chappie

2014 - The Monuments Men

2013 - The Place Between the Pines

2012 - Cloud Atlas

2011 - Tree of Life

The Best Movies of the Decade: 2010-19

   By Mark Pukalo


   It all went so fast. But what a ride it has been through the 2010s at the theater.

   For more than a decade, I have enjoyed handicapping the best movies of the year and blogging about it. Many times during that period, the films just fell into place. I knew when I walked out of the theater most days where each would rate at the end of the year. Sometimes movies do grow on you with multiple viewings. But the first watch is often the best indicator.

  With 2019 coming to a close, I saw an interesting list of the top 20 movies of the decade on twitter and - of course - had to do it myself. But I found out how hard it was when I wrote out a list of the top few from every year. They did not fall in place easily.

   It was a decade filled with so many thrilling, thoughtful and different movies, although I can't list 20 perfect films. I ranked them with the following criteria:

   1/ How much it moved me.
   2/ How it stood the test of time.
   3/ How significant it was.
   4/ How good the cast was and how the movie flowed.
   5/ How much I wanted to watch it over and over.
   6/ How it rated on the Jim Valvano test (cry, laugh, think)

   Before I get to the best, in my amateur movie critic's opinion, the worst movie of the decade was Jennifer Lawrence's Mother! Just dreadful. The three most-over-rated movies of the past 10 years to me were The Favourite, The Tree of Life and Phantom Thread. Just didn't get them, I guess. All three are popping up on critic's best lists for the decade. I thought about adding Mad Max: Fury Road. But I actually liked the movie. I just didn't think it was good enough to be nominated for awards.

   Here's an updated list of my favorite films of the decade after seeing an abundance of strong efforts at the end of 2019 and watching those on my list again.

   Honorable Mention: 50/50, Argo, Begin Again, Boyhood, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Hunger Games, The Infiltrator, I, Tonya, The Irishman, OJ: Made in America, The Spectacular Now, The Town, Truth, The Way, Way Back, Wind River, Zero Dark Thirty.


    20. The Tillman Story (2010) - Terrific documentary about the life and controversial death of the great Pat Tillman.

   19. Black Panther (2018) - Never thought this would make a list like this before walking into the theater,  but the epic film was terrific in so many ways.

   18. The Hate U Give (2018) - Thought the story of racial tension and injustice was told with grace and depth. It moved me.

   17. The Avengers: End Game (2019) - Yeah, it's a super-hero movie, but I was riveted from start to finish with the story, the emotions and the bits of humor.

   16.. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) - Not sure how this movie will hold up over time, but it is an incredibly written (Quentin Tarantino) and acted (Leo and Brad) film.

   15. Short Term 12 (2013) - A terrific cast that includes Brie Larson, Rami Malek, Kaitlyn Dever (she hasn't seemed to age since then) and John Gallagher Jr. weave a story about a residential treatment center for young people.

    14. BlackKlansman (2018) - Had it ranked eighth for the year, but after watching it 100 times on HBO I think I under-rated it quite a bit.

    13. The Descendants (2011) - George Clooney stars in the emotional Alexander Payne film that explores death, infidelity and family politics all with Hawaii as the backdrop.

    12. Birdman (2014) - Michael Keaton should have won the Oscar for his career-best performance of a troubled theater actor in a film that is shot in a very unique manner, and it works.

    11. Moneyball (2011) - Brad Pitt did a great job playing Billy Beane, the GM of the Oakland Athletics, as he tries to keep the team competitive with a small payroll. Very well written script.


    10. Silver Linings Playbook (2012) - Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper make for a fun couple in the comedy-drama about people dealing with mental illness.

     9. Sing Street (2016) - Yeah, sorry, another coming-of-age film. Boy tries to impress mysterious and gorgeous older girl (Lucy Boynton) by putting together a band and finds out he's pretty good at it.

      8. JoJo Rabbit (2019) - A cheeky comedy-drama which both loudly and in subtle ways shows the lunacy of hate and fascism.

     7. The Big Short (2015) - An incredible cast brings Michael Lewis' book about the country's financial crisis in 2007-2008 to life with plenty of humor and intelligence.

     6. The Social Network (2010) - Jesse Eisenberg hasn't been in many good movies since, but he was great as the enigmatic Mark Zuckerberg in Aaron Sorkin's film about the birth of Facebook.

     5.. Lion (2016) - Amazing and emotional film about a lost little boy in India who tries to complete his journey back home after 25 years. Buckets of tears.

      4. The Big Sick (2017) - Just absolutely loved this romantic comedy based on the true story of how Kumail Nanjiani met his wife. The performances are spot on.

      3. Nebraska (2013) - Still upset Bruce Dern did not win Best Actor over Matthew McConaughey for his performance in this dramatic comedy about family and an old man's final journey in life.

     2. Ex Machina (2015) - Science fiction thriller about a mad, brilliant, rich recluse (Oscar Isaac) who is working on perfecting a beautiful life-like robot (Alicia Vikander). One of the most shocking endings to a movie ever.

     1. Spotlight (2015) - Settled on this at No. 1 because I thought the cast made the true story of the Boston Globe's uncovering of a scandal in the Catholic church so incredibly authentic. I was in news rooms for more than two decades and every actor, every scene was right on point. This is why journalism is so important. People forget that.

Can the Lightning Finally Reach the Promised Land?

By Mark Pukalo


Here we go, again.

The Tampa Bay Lightning approach the 2019-20 season with the pieces in place to make another run at a Stanley Cup. Four or maybe even five times in the past decade the Bolts seemed poised to add a second Cup to their history, but they could not finish the job.

None of those seasons ended with more disappointment and questions than last spring, when the Lightning tied the NHL all-time record with 62 regular-season victories and failed to add another while being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

There were many reasons for that disaster, but the one positive coming out of it is the 2019-2020 version of the Bolts will have a little more anger in their game.
   
“We could sit and pout in the corner, but it’s not going to change anything that happened last year,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos told reporters when training camp opened. “I’m hoping guys come in with that extra motivation and a little chip on their shoulder, because I know I will.”

The Lightning have more than enough talent to play deep into June. The question is, how to do it? Who plays with who, can they add some size without losing their flow, can they be tighter defensively without giving up much offense?

Much of that falls on coach Jon Cooper, who should be under the most scrutiny of his career in Tampa Bay this season. You can say that if Ben Bishop doesn’t come flying out of net in Game 5 of the 2015 Cup finals or if Yanni Gourde gets his stick on a puck inches from the line in Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference finals, Cooper could have two Cups. You could even say if Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman don’t get hurt and the Bolts don’t get overconfident after a 3-0 lead in Game 1, they beat Columbus last year before gaining momentum. Who knows?

But, with all that talent, Cooper hasn’t been able to make the proper adjustments when it really counted to get the team over the finish line first. The fear is he doesn’t have what it takes. The hope is that he has learned a lot from all these experiences, failures, and can put them to use. The thing is though, he may not be Tony Bennett.

Tampa Bay has struggled on offense at key times in the last two postseasons, despite owning the NHL’s best attack, but the biggest improvement must be made on defense.

The Bolts gave up the 11th-most shots per game in the league last season and finished tied for seventh in goals-against per game. That difference happens when you have the best goaltender in the world between the pipes. Andrei Vasilevskiy was outstanding in every way last season and the Lightning don’t have to worry about their goaltending - with capable veteran Curtis McElhinney as the backup - but they would like to limit the rubber the duo sees overall.

Ryan McDonagh, who was a remarkable plus-38 in the regular season in 2018-19, has formed a great partnership with physical Eric Cernak in the top four on the blue line. The dilemma is, who do you play with Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman with Stralman and Dan Girardi gone? Mikhail Sergachev looked like he could get a shot there, but it appears newcomer Kevin Shattenkirk will start the season beside the big Swede.

Shattenkirk could be one of the keys to the season, coming in on a one-year deal to re-establish his reputation after struggling with the New York Rangers before they bought him out. In my opinion, he is a much better defender than people think and if that proves true this season, the Bolts’ blue line will be improved. I’d still like to see Dominik Masin get a look at some point this season as a potential lefty replacement for Braydon Coburn in the future. Let’s hope GM Julien Brisebois doesn’t give up on him too soon.

With Brayden Point arriving late to camp and being held out a few games while finishing his recovery from double hip surgery, the forward lines have been jumbled early on. Cooper seems to have decided to move Stamkos to the wing, at least for now, and play either Gourde or Tyler Johnson in the middle when Point returns. I disagree. But it is bold and there’s nothing wrong with experimenting with a team that will be in the playoffs, unless it is barraged with injuries.

Patrick Maroon adds beef on the fourth line and in front on the power play for the Bolts while rookie Carter Verhaeghe joins the team after a strong season with AHL Syracuse in 2018-19 followed by an excellent training camp. Gemel Smith also adds some size on the fourth line for the Lightning with Cedric Paquette (arm) out for a while.

There will be enough scoring with Stamkos, reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov and Point, but they need to match last season’s secondary production. Gourde and Johnson can score goals while Mathieu Joseph and Anthony Cirelli have the ability to contribute even more after outstanding rookie seasons. If the Bolts can get a rebound season from Ondrej Palat and another 17-20 goals from Alex Killorn, they will be fine up front, no matter how they are configured until the playoffs. I would love to see Palat score 20-25 goals to quiet his detractors.

Good health, reduction of shots against, continued secondary scoring depth and bit more sandpaper will be plenty to win the Atlantic Division.

Then, the hard part begins.

This team is impossible to predict. Have the failures of the past five years damaged their psyche. Or will those disappointments fuel the players at just the right time.

It’s time to enjoy the next six months of hockey. Then, Lightning fans can start worrying again.