From superhero franchises to the latest art-house flops, 2019 was truly a year of movies. We went to the movies in order to learn more about our world; to escape our humdrum lives; and to laugh and cry at the follies of our fellow humans and animals . While every art form has its strengths, cinema is unique for showing us the best — and worst — that movies have to offer.

Even as streaming services and IMAX technology continued to change the way we watch movies, some things stayed the same for movies in 2019: Great storytelling, directing, acting and lighting were the keys to unlocking great cinema. So whether you watched the latest movie on your phone, in a grand multiplex, or just read about it online, you could rest assured that in 2019, movies truly were at the heart of every conversation.

Let’s continue that conversation now, by listing the TOP TEN MOVIES OF 2019:

10. Domestic dramas

9. Quality comedies designed to make us laugh

8. Family movies

7. Horror

6. (TIE) Movies featuring remarkable performances / Movies that became part of the national conversation

5. Stimulating cinema

4. “Hennnry!” “Yes, dear?” “Do you buy tickets to the movies?” “Yes, I bought them online, we can pick them up at the movie.” 

3. Good-but-not-great movies, we honor them for trying

2. Animated movies that are even better regular movies, America when did we lose our way

1. Oscar winners