The 25 movies, shows, and music that defined 2019

We'll start on television, and this HBO success story will lead things off. Though Barry (Bill Hader), the hitman who wants to have a Hollywood life in comedy, still does a solid job of mixing both drama and dark comedy. However, 2019's Season 2 had a more dramatic feel, perhaps because Barry is still having trouble turning his life around.

This unique historical, dramatic miniseries was another hit for HBO and earned 19 Primetime Emmy nominations, winning for Outstanding Limited Series, among others. The miniseries tells the story of the historically tragic Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident and the tales of the clean-up aftermath — with little-known stories, but none less the powerful.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is grown into a comedic goddess, both as a writer and actor. She gave us only two seasons of "Fleabag," but this Amazon Prime Video option was simply stellar. Waller-Bridge's character was more vulnerable, honest and ultimately self-confident during its final season of 2019. She was flawed yet empowering and an example for a whole generation of women — and we wish there was more. 

Speaking of Ms. Waller-Bridge, she was the original showrunner for "Killing Eve's" first season. Though Season Two in 2019 did not garner as high of ratings as the first, the follow-up was arguably just as good and received deserving critical praise. The provocative chemistry between Eve (Sandra Oh) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer) is simply superb, and we can't wait for more.

The world's introduction to Disney+, The "Mandalorian" gives "Star Wars" fans more to enjoy now that the movie franchise has ended (or so we're told). While the title character offers that Boba Fett-like, bounty-hunter feel, it's "The Child," aka "Baby Yoda," who has taken the entertainment world by storm and become a world-wide phenomenon. Just don't expect to get those "Baby Yoda" toys any time soon. 

There is still quality, somewhat edgy and fresh work being done on network television. ABC's "Stumptown" should be at the top of the list of those examples. Cobie Smulders' Dex is a complex, blossoming P.I. trying to keep her life together. There's plenty of action, timely comedy and a lot of honest portrayals that network dramas are missing these days.

We said goodbye to this HBO smash in 2019, and star Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) was as ruthless, cunning and vulgar as we had hoped. Though Dreyfus is great, her stellar cast is what added to the comedic power of "Veep." If there's one cast member who should earn plenty of work from the show, it is Timothy Simons, whose bumbling aide-turned-politician Jonah was as good as they come. 

Time for the movies. It can be argued this was the most anticipated movie of 2019 — even more so than those girls in the snow and that woman with the glow-in-the-dark sword. While Marvel's final installment of the complete Avengers' saga was a bit winded, the bittersweet ending was a fine way to call it a day, not to mention, it was quite the year for actor/writer Jon Favreau, who was executive producer for the film and created "The Mandalorian."

Talented actress/rapper Awkwafina is the star of this comedy-drama, but really an underrated cast lent to the quality of a picture about the family dynamic. Even better, it's relatable to any ethnicity and offers that "Bend It Like Beckham" feel, an avenue that still remains popular with critics and moviegoers alike.

Another major film moment of 2019 came with the highly anticipated sequel release to the ridiculously popular 2013's "Frozen." There are some who believe this was better than the initial animated phenomenon. While critics might not consider it one of the best movies of the year, the level of anticipation and box office success are hard to top.

Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci. Come on, how could this not work? It was a grueling process just to get this crime thriller made, but in the end, it has the makings of another long-lasting Martin Scorsese classic. This stellar gangster movie is well over three hours but often feels much less because of the strong story and great acting we'd expect from all involved.

Critics and fans tend to have a love-hate relationship with this artsy take on the classic Batman villain. One aspect of the film that anybody who saw it should agree about is Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal. The bar continues to be raised when playing this role, and Phoenix delivers a sensational, in-depth look into this diabolical film criminal.

While under-the-radar actors Jimmie Fails and Jonathan Majors do fine jobs in the lead roles, the real star is up-and-coming director Joe Talbot. His directorial debut was a Sundance hit and loosely based on Falls' life while the two grew up in San Francisco. It's a powerful film about friendship and a glimpse of potentially great things to come from Talbot.

It's been quite the year for both Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, but for those able to catch this endearing comedy-drama, they will see these two stars at their best — and at times most vulnerable from a character sense. The film enjoyed plenty of Golden Globe love, and the appearance of Laura Dern added more star-worthy credibility.

Quentin Tarantino's first directorial gig since "The Hateful Eight" (2015) is the tale of an actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double (Brad Pitt) in late 1960s Los Angeles. The movie drew plenty of anticipation and delivered for the most part., and young Julia Butters as child actor Trudi Fraser is a scene-stealer.

Tops on plenty of 2019 "Best of ..." lists, "Parasite" is the kind of foreign film that makes viewers forget they are reading subtitles. It's that enthralling and that good; a poor family lying about its work credentials to infiltrate a wealthy family's home is a creative concept. This dark comedy works well on many fronts and is worthy of the praise it's received. 

While critics might be mixed (OK, maybe more on the downside) on this movie, there is no doubt the final installment of the original "Star Wars" legacy was a perfect way to end the year in film. With some forced dialogue and oddly introduced plot twists, we can understand how "Star Wars" purists can be upset with the picture. Still, there was enough nostalgia to make it worth the effort. And really, nobody was going to be satisfied with the end result.

Where ya been? That's the question for Vampire Weekend as we address the music portion of this list. It took almost six years for Vampire Weekend to release an album. Well it was worth the wait for fans of the band, as "Father of the Bride" certainly had the muscle to draw in a new throng of fans to the mix. The song "2021" coupled with "Harmony Hall" make for the highlights of the Grammy-nominated album. 

For those who do not consider the brightest star — TV, film, music — to shine in 2019 to be Lizzo, take a listen to "Juice" or her breakout album, "Cuz I Love You," for that matter. Still, "Juice" should be considered the gold standard of this mega-smash release (though "Truth Hurts" from the deluxe edition went No. 1). A tasty blend of funk and pop makes "Juice" something special.

Widely considered the musical artist of the 2010s, Swift delivered once again on her seventh studio album. As is the case with Swift's musical style in recent years, it's a mix of everything. "Lover" is about love and all that's good and bad with it, but it's again the quality production and accessible nature of the album that has Swift at the top of the pop world. 

"Old Town Road" in its original release was a late 2018 hit for country-rapper Lil Nas X. However, the 2019 remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus took the song nuclear from a mainstream popularity standpoint. With or without Cyrus, Nas X's tune is still everywhere, and he could be in for a big Grammy night when the awards are presented in January.

McBryde should be praised for her potent single from 2019. Still basking in the glow of 2018's "Girl Goin' Nowhere," "One Night Standards" is as honest a female, musical portrayal as one will find — even for country standards (pun intended). McBride just reinforced she's someone to take serious in the country music world.

Some will argue that Slayer is the true king of thrash metal. In 2019, the band said goodbye with a lengthy farewell tour. Tom Araya, Kerry King and Co. pulled the plug on a career that spanned four decades. While a good number of thrash bands had their sellout, mainstream moments, Slayer stood true to its roots. It's 1986 release, "Reign in Blood," is considered in some circles to be the best trash album ever.

It was a big year for Malone, whose 2018 cut, "Sunflower," featuring rapper Swae Lee, was still relevant when "Hollywood's Bleeding" came out in September. His third studio album produced six singles and featured help from the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Lil Bay and Halsey. While some don't really understand what Malone is all about, or where he's headed, his creativity with those rap/pop/trap/rock stylings is a hit with the masses.

Here's a nice little nugget: Eilish is the first artist born in the 2000s (2001, to be exact) to have a No. 1 single. Her "Bad Guy," of this sensational debut, was nominated for three Grammy awards, including Record and Song of the Year. Eilish's avant-pop fueled release is also expected to lead to Grammy success in early 2020. When it comes time, it will be interesting to see how Eilish follows up this massively successful piece of brilliance.