Seven films to watch out for before 2019 ends

The second half of 2019 has begun, starting the clock to the end of another year. This year's film lineup has been reasonably solid, though it's had its own pitfalls and peaks.

Here are 7 films you should look out for before the year ends:

1. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Maybe you've read the books, maybe you've not. Regardless, a horror film born from a collaboration of André Øvredal and Guillermo Del Toro will hopefully be nothing to sneeze at. The film promises a good package of scares, though unfortunately packed in a somewhat generic setting.

2. It: Chapter Two

Anyone who's got a fear of clowns, stay away. Everyone else, prepare for the end of It as the Losers' Club returns as adults to take on the demonic Pennywise for their final confrontation, a full 27 years after they beat the clown senseless the first time. Hopefully this time the film will take a deep dive into the horror that is Pennywise, the Dancing Clown. The first one, though excellent, fell a little short on that department.

3. Joker

The film may not follow the comics, as said by director Todd Phillips, but that doesn't mean an origin story for the Batman's archnemesis is not worth revisiting. This time, it looks like the society gave birth to the Joker, not a vat of chemicals - or perhaps society is the vat of chemicals that births the Joker.

4. The Addams Family

The childhood black comedy classic returns to the big screen with a computer-animated avatar and a number of callbacks and references in the trailer alone. The only problem foreseen is the lack of Raul Julia as Gomez Addams, though Oscar Issac is undoubtedly up to the task.

5. Doctor Sleep

Fans of the Shining on the left queue, please. After what feels like an eternity - and possibly is, the legendary film gets finally its sequel with a solid cast featuring Evan McGregor as Danny Torrence and Rebecca Ferguson as the villainous Rose the Hat. One can only hope it's as disturbing as the first film.

6. Ford v Ferrari

Unarguably the only other film that does not feature horror in some way or form, Ford v Ferrari is a dramatic take on the legendary rivalry between the two automobile geniuses and giants, particularly on the side of Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari as Ford attempts to engineer the company's legendary 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans win with the help of Carroll Shelby.

7. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Many, many fans were burned bt The Last Jedi, much like the Jedi Temple was burned by Yoda, but the saga continues and the tale of the Skywalker bloodline reaches its end in The Rise of Skywalker, which also co-incidentally promises the return of the Emperor as the apparently dwindling Resistance and the First Order come to blows yet again, perhaps for the last time.