Well, it's about the end of the year! 2018 has been an incredible year for cinema. it was the year I reviewed the most movies of my entire career, with over 60 movies reviewed. It was hard picking a top 25 out of this list. There were many great films I didn't get a chance to see, or just barely didn't make the cut. This list was made without seeing The Favourite, Vice, or If Beale Street Could Talk among others. I'll update the list of any of those movies make the list. At the end of the list, I'll post my full list ranking. So, without further ado, here is my ranking of the top 25 films of 2018!
#25. Incredibles 2
Disney/Pixar delivered the first non-Toy Story sequel I actually enjoyed. From a flashy and fun story to a rousing score by Michael Giacchino, Pixar proves that the story of the Incredibles was not a one-trick pony.
#24. A Quiet Place
Before Bird Box, there was that other sensory-based horror movie at the beginning of the year. Except it was actually pretty good. The sound design was especially impressive on John Krasinski's directorial debut. His and Emily Blunt's performance makes the film an impressive viewing.
#23. Ready Player One
Spielberg proves that he has not lost a step, delivering another sci-fi film I really enjoyed. From fun homages to nostalgia to quick-witted action, Ready Player One is an impressive adaptation of a novel that was once thought to be unfilmable.
#22. Won't You Be My Neighbor?
/https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F789187%2F9bfe4916-00e5-4c75-9bff-526108c297cb.jpg)
"Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers) is a seminal character in the mind of the American pop culture subconscious. With his puppets to his kind words, Rogers had a way of connecting with the children of several generations. This documentary by Oscar winner Morgan Neville follows Rogers and his relations with shaping America to the way that it is. The film is a pure joy, and one of the most poignant looks at a man who was just as charming and brilliant on-screen as he was in his private life. Won't You Be My Neighbor is showing in select theatres and is destroying the specialty box office as we speak."
#21. Wildlife
#21. Wildlife
This is certainly not one of the movies that is an enjoyable viewing. However, writer-director Paul Dano's directorial debut is certainly an important movie. Watching a relationship crumble in the vein of Blue Valentine requires two great acting performances. Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal deliver the most underrated performances of the year. the fact that Wildlife's name will not be called as much during awards season is an absolute crime.
#20. King in the Wilderness
HBO makes some of the best documentaries on the planet. King in the Wilderness is a very personal and honest portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. as a human rather than the almost saintly icon he became. using interviews from actual civil rights leaders, the film really gives a beautiful portrayal of how King became who we honor today.
#19. Widows
Steve McQueen should make more movies. After taking a 5-year hiatus after 12 Years A Slave, McQueen returns to direct this flashy crime-thriller. Built upon grief, pain, and paranoia, Widows was another incredibly underrated film this year anchored by the fabulous Viola Davis. The most surprisingly amazing performance in the film belongs to Elizabeth Debicki.
#18. Eighth Grade
"All in all, Eighth Grade is a triumph. Very few films can fully capture an era, and this might be the first film to fully conceptualize the 2010s for future generations. I hope that we are graced as viewers with a follow up viewing of Kayla Day as he finishes high school in a Boyhood-esque fashion. As a viewer, I was left wanting more, and that can be my only criticism."
Read my full review here.
#17. Revenge
"Every feminist's dream is taking down a patriarchal system, but no film does that in such a violent, gory, and messy way as Revenge. The film follows a party girl (Matilda Lutz) who is brutally tortured to the point of near death by a group of privileged, rich, white men,. As the girl is left for dead, the character comes back with a vengeance, to kill those that caused her so much grief. The film is drastic in its ways, but it takes graphic depictions sometimes to get across the seriousness of issues surrounding the Me Too era of Hollywood. Director Coralie Fargeat brings a fresh, feminine perspective to a film that's violence would make Tarantino blush."
#16. Avengers: Infinity War
What more needs to be said? The most flashy, bloated, and integral Marvel comics movie is here. It is a joy that we have waited for 18 movies to arrive to. Avengers stood up to the expectations and surpassed all of them. The real question is, can Endgame do the same in 2019?
#15. Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Can You Ever Forgive Me? was one of the best movies of the year. Melissa McCarthy proves why she was ever named an Oscar nominee. She gives one of the most honest and yearning performances of the year. Paired with Richard E. Grant's eternal sleaze and Marielle Heller's fabulous direction make one hell of a fun movie. My only wish is that the film wasn't marketed as heteronormative and embraced the queer nature of the film. This is a great entry int he history of LGBT cinema.
#14. Mission: Impossible- Fallout
The sixth Mission Impossible not only proved to be the best entry in the series so far but the best blockbuster film of 2018. With jarring action sequences that rarely allow you to catch a breath, Cruise proves that Ethan Hunt is a character whose adventures we will never get tired of viewing. See this movie in the largest screening format for a stunning experience.
#13. Whitney
"The documentary does a brilliant job of telling the story in a way most documentaries wouldn't dare to do: in a non-linear fashion. Documentaries are supposed to present facts in a way where you are persuaded to understand the filmmaker's point of view. What Whitney will do is present the facts, but then backtrack and change the facts as the story will go along. To most amateur film viewers, this might seems confusing. But this is a flawless dive into the real psyche of Houston, with all of her virtues and vices. Kevin MacDonald does this in a way that makes the viewer empathize with Houston as she struggles to make it in the world, even with the world at her feet. I have seen over 1,500 movies in my life and only cried in 29. Well, this film made an even 30. It is a beautiful film that proved that the world was robbed of great talent when Houston died tragically at the age of 48. The only flaw is the film's running time, which is a girthy two hours. Whitney is in select theatres, but if you miss it, catch it in any way you can. This is one of my must-see films of the year that few will see..."
Read my full review here.
#12. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
"Overall, this film's flashy style combined with its heart and acknowledgment of meme culture makes it's Sony's best Spider-Man film. The smarts and wits of writer/producer Phil Lord prove that Disney screwed the pooch firing him and partner Chris Miller from Solo: A Star Wars Story. Here's hoping that comic book heroes continue to take this approach, and understand the individual heart of each character in stand-alone films."
Read my full review here
#11. First Man
"In short, First Man is not necessarily the motivational piece that one expects. It is more anxiety-producing and pain-oriented than triumphant. Though this could turn off many viewers, the patient mind will be rewarded. By the time they finally reach the moon, the audience felt so relieved after sitting on pins and needles throughout the movie. The film demands the biggest screen possible for viewing by being shot in IMAX. Just a reminder, all films should be viewed in the format they were shot in if at all possible. Even though the film has been a box-office flop so far, it is worth a theatrical viewing or two. Overall, First Man is a cinematic sensation and a film that will dominate at the Academy Awards."
Read my full review here.
#10. Three Identical Strangers
This was my personal favorite for a documentary of the year. the film takes you on so many twists and turns as you explore the amazing story of the identical triplets. What is to come as an amazing story of morality and science. One of the most brilliant documentaries ever should definitely be a priority viewing in every household.
#9. The Old Man and the Gun
In could what possibly be Robert Redford's last film comes one of his most charming performances. Based on the real-life story of Forest Tucker, The Old Man and the Gun follows one of those stories just too good to be true. Director David Lowery proves he is one of the most fascinating auteurs in independent cinema.
#8. Isle of Dogs
"When I think of modern independent cinema, Wes Anderson is almost synonymous with it. Anderson's previous entries like Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel showed us what a unique and individual voice the filmmaker had. Isle of Dogs, Anderson's second stop-motion film continues this tradition. Following a troupe of dogs in a dystopian future where dogs are no longer man's best friend, Anderson take his normal fate for dogs in his films (usually involving a horrible death) and makes them charming, engaging, and interesting for viewers of all ages in his homage to Japanese culture. Assembling an incredible voice cast as only Anderson can, the director strikes gold again with a sweet and smart movie that is fun for all, as long as those all are quirky."
#7. Green Book
This is one of those movies that came entirely out of left field. The project had little buzz while in production. It eventually made a splash in festival season, where it won the audience award at the Toronto Film Festival over a packed field. Green Book is just one of those movies that constantly has a grin on your face. Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen put on master class performances as they perfect their chemistry. This feel-good flick is one you can true to root against in vain but will fall head over heels for.
#6. Roma
Roma is the definition of a passion project. Alfonso Cuaron could have shot any project in the world. Instead, he made a person, black and white, foreign language film inspired by his family nanny. The audacity to make the project certainly pays off, to one of the most visually striking films ever shot. It is amazingly hard to believe that the film is Yalitza Aparicio's first film, which speaks volumes of Cuaron as a director. If Cuaron's name is not called for Best Director on Oscar night, I would be shocked. Do yourself a favor like I did, and try and see this movie on the biggest screen possible. It deserves it.
#5. Annihilation
"Science-fiction is one of the biggest hit or miss genres for me as a film critic. That being said, when it lands, it can be masterful. Annihilation is one of those films that remember that science fiction is a genre about humanity and how we evolve and grow as with various changing fictional circumstances. Annihilation hits this perfectly, as it's an all-star cast of female characters show how they struggle personally with living as hired mercenaries in a mysterious biocentric atmosphere they explore. The film did poorly at the box office as Paramount wasn't quite sure how to promote the film. Don't let that fool you, because Annihilation is one of the best science fiction films ever made, and director Alex Garland joins his place on the Mount Rushmore of Sci-Fi along with names like Kubrick, Scott, and Villeneuve."
#4. Mid90s
"There is some sort of genre that has been brewing up the past five or six years. I'm not sure what to call it, but it focuses on the shunned and frowned of society. Whether it was the transvestite prostitutes of Tangerine, the soul-searching youth of American Honey, or the forgotten motel-bound children of The Florida Project, these films capture their characters essence perfectly. Mid-90s fits into my new favorite, unnamed genre..."
.#3. Sorry to Bother You
"Sorry to Bother You was one of this year's biggest surprises to come out of Sundance. the directorial debut of rapper Boots Riley is not only a fresh film but a fresh new genre of Black Surrealism. The film follows Cassius Green (Lakieth Stanfield) as he goes from a broke bum to rising through the ranks of a telemarketing company. Yet, by doing this, he is giving away his cultural and ethnic identity by using his "white voice" The film was an interesting social commentary while all the while being entertaining and hilarious. The film proves why we need more minority directors in the business, and younger ones as well."
#2. BlacKkKlansman
"The film is one of those movies that shows what truly does make American Cinema great. It is a perfect reflection of our current issues in Trump's America. Lee has delivered us one of those films that we will remember for a very, very long time."
Read my full review here
#1. A Star is Born
"Overall, this might be the best version of A Star is Born. Though it would take multiple viewings to determine this, I believe this is one of those once in a generation movie. Gaga proves that she is one of the best pure entertainers of all time. Bradley Cooper will not only be an amazing actor, but a director to watch for a very long time. I cannot sing this film's praises enough. As soon as it ended, I wanted to re-enter the theater. I could nitpick and try and find a flaw, but I really could not. This was my favorite movie of the year, so far."
Read my full review here
That's it! these were my favorite films of 2018? Didn't see your favorite movies? Below I have posted a link to every movie I saw this year in my personal rank order. Thanks for reading and see you at the movies in 2019!
Click here to see every movie I saw in 2018 ranked.
Comments
Post a Comment