Spoilers below for Avengers: Endgame, Hustlers, Marriage Story, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and US. Reader beware.

The following Top 5 list was compiled by Dylan Blight and Ashley Hobley.

For a long period at the start of 2019, I was very creepily listening to the US original soundtrack which included the haunting ‘Tethered Mix’ of ‘I Got 5 On It’ which is used during the films fantastic finale and fight scene.

The first time you watch the movie it’s a brutal ass-kicking for our heroine Adelaide as Red, her doppelganger, seems to have the upper hand at every point. The scene and fight are choreographed with the visual style of a ballet and music video and is memorable enough for that reason alone, but there’s more. After you see the ending of US and rewatch the scene it takes on an entirely new emotional impact as it’s revealed Red was the original Adelaine before they swapped at a very young age. The entire movie changes from a home-invasion to a revenge story and the dynamic of this terrific scene with it.

– Dylan Blight

It’s hard to believe that this sequence was not originally part of the script. According to Jennifer Lopez, it was her suggestion as initially it was meant to just be a flourish at the end of the dance before she met Destiny (Constance Wu). She said that they needed to show Romania performing and it is completely true.

This sequence not only shows her power over the men who frequent the club but shows why Destiny is drawn to her in the first place and seeks her out for advice. The actual performance is amazing and is a testament to Lopez’s dancing ability. The best character introduction of the year. By a country mile.

– Ashley Hobley

The gruesome and terrible murder of Sharon Tate was a moment we all presumed was coming thanks to the continuous updates on what Sharon Tate (as played by Margot Robbie) was up to, as well as the inclusion making sure the audience was well aware of what date it was at nearly all times. 

As Austin Butler as Tex Watson and his Manson Family accomplices make their way up to Cielo Drive it’s the edge of seat terror with questions and hopes to linger in the air. Quentin Tarantino had changed history before with Inglorious Bastards, but was it to be a similar occurrence here? Of course, it was. 

For a film void of violence, especially for a Tarantino film, the films final act is full-blown Tarrantino fantasy. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood goes from a film that was very much a ‘day in he life’ for the most part and was taking place in a very real world to switching gears to a Tarrantino fantasy world with one small change: the Manson Family end up knocking on Rick Dalton’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) house and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) answers the door. What proceeds is a terrifically violent end to the intruders capped off with true fairytale font displaying the name of the movie as Dalton is invited up to the Tate home for a late evening drink.

– Dylan Blight

A perfect scene that superbly bookends the opening. You think that the opening with their letters was just an easy way to introduce you to Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) but to bring it back after everything they and us as the audience have been through with those last few lines. Heartbreaking.

It’s a nice touch to have Henry (Azhy Robertson) reading the letter with us regularly seeing his reading development in the film, as is Charlie skipping over the part about his parents. If there is someone performing a better lip quiver than Adam Driver at the moment, I would be shocked. Such a beautiful moment.

– Ashley Hobley

There is a stack of memorable moments from Avengers: Endgame. Thor killing Thanos, Captain America against Captain America, Black Widow’s sacrifice, Captain America wielding Mjolnir, the ladies of the MCU teaming up. Endgame was full to the brim with these moments but if there is one moment that is stuck in everyone’s memory from 2019, it is of Tony Stark snapping his fingers after saying “and I am Iron Man”.

Robert Downey Jr. and Iron Man kicked off the cinematic juggernaut that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe so it was only fitting that he got to be the ultimate hero and save the day one last time. He also got to prove Cap wrong when he said “You’re not the guy to make the sacrifice play” back in The Avengers and brought to an emotional close Downey Jr.’s stellar run as Tony Stark.

– Ashley Hobley