50 Movies Worth Watching (2018)
2018 was an amazing year for movies. There is so much to enjoy. Whether you are a fan of artsy type films created to win prestigious awards, or summer films bursting with explosions and wild unnecessary car chases, the year has something to offer fans of all cinematic genres. Here is a list of 50 movies that I saw this year that I think you should definitely take some time to watch, ranked in order from my personal least favorite to most. I think everyone should watch a wide genre of movies, and in 2018 I definitely spent more time out of my usual cinematic comfort zone. 2018 had some stinkers, but I won't deny that every movie that I saw took some amount of effort to pull off, and thus is commendable. This is why my list is a top 50 in lieu of 2 lists, one for movies that I liked and another for movies that I did not. Like me, you may find that you like some of the most hated movies, or hate some of the most loved, so watch as many as you can to continue to learn what you love and what you don't.
As is customary with these types of lists, my list is objectively the correct one, and your list does not matter because it is wrong if it differs slightly from mine. After reading, let me know in the comments your subjective changes.
Also, MILD SPOILERS. Anything is fair game here, but most spoilers are accidental as I will try not to reveal major plot points below. Without further ado:
#50 - #26
While I would recommend you watch any of these movies from my list, #50-26 are not my highest recommendations. These are movies that I don't think people should miss, but honestly if you decided to NOT watch them, you wouldn't really be missing too much aside from the exciting conversation that they created. Each of the movies I mention has merit in some type of way, and sometimes I may not do a great job at pointing out that merit, but a large portion of the fun from films comes from watching and experiencing things for yourself, so watch away. Let me know in the comments, or on social media, if any of the next 25 movies make it into your top 10 lists!
#50: Anon
The only reason "Anon" comes in so low on this list is because I have not seen the entire film yet. I started watching this movie on Netflix sometime late in the summer and for what I saw it was very compelling - it hit all of the notes I look for in a science-fiction mystery film. Unfortunately, I don't feel so great ranking it any higher as my viewing is unfinished. Though, what I have seen would likely rank this movie a lot higher than many of the films coming up.
#49: Day of the Dead: Bloodline
#48: 2036 Origin Unknown
As science fiction films tend to rank among my favorites, I had very high hopes for this random film I found on one of the streaming websites. I didn't hate this movie, but it is low on this list because the twist, for me, was not worth the journey. I am usually all for a narrative that casts humanity against artificial intelligence, but this was a boring film. Some nice visuals, but there was a lot left to be desired here even in that regard. Unfortunately, as it is mystery, this movie is not really one that you can put on while you clean the house, and that hurts it.
#47: The Little Mermaid
Definitely not the Little Mermaid you knew as a kid, 2018's "The Little Mermaid" was an absolute mess of a film. The visuals were not striking, the singing was not memorable, the story - easily one of the most forgettable "Free Willy" rips you can find, with a love story mushed in there for flavor. Surprisingly, I had a good time watching this one, but I know it is not amazing film making. All the same, I did want to find out what was going on with the little sister and magician. The movie doesn't do a great job at answering many questions, but it does try to do something new with a familiar character. I don't know why this needed to be "The Little Mermaid," when the story would've likely done just the same without that branding.
#46: The Kissing Booth
I watched this film on a plane because there wasn't really much else that I hadn't seen at that time. It wasn't bad, but I fell asleep during parts and can't really even remember how this thing ends. I maybe didn't even finish it, but I honestly can't remember. What I saw, I remember liking. And what I liked, I remember liking just a little bit more than the first few movies on this list. If you like teen romantic comedies I think you will have a decent time with this one. That is IF you look for those movies.
#45: A Wrinkle in Time
I am objectively not the target audience for this film, but that aside I did not have a good time with this one. It just didn't work for me. The characters, the plot, everything - it just all fell flat to me. I enjoyed this movie's impressive visuals and score, and that allowed me to make it to the end. My wife enjoyed this much more than I did, and I believe has knowledge of the book or books. I didn't have that for this, so I came into the theater with no pre-love and very high expectations (when movies are based on books that did well, I always expect the best of the best in regards to the film, which never helps). Add Oprah and Mindy K. into the mix and I just knew this movie was going to rock my socks off. It did not. I guess it merely wrinkled them.
#44: Extinction
I don't want to give away too much about this movie, but it had the makings to be nearer the opposite end of this list. But the pay off just wasn't there. I loved seeing the characters in this, and the performance were as good as should be expected for a movie that I stumbled across accidentally. I did enjoy watching it though, and would watch it again - I look forward to it. There are likely some clues that I missed early on sometimes a re-watch can make a film stronger. Some of the choices that went into creating these characters, though, hard pass.
#43: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
I really enjoyed the first of these movies, which I watched this year for the first time. I'm not a HUGE fan of ABBA, but I recognize their sound enough to see their songs in film version. After I saw the first one, I wanted answers that the characters didn't seem to care about. No, you don't get 3 fathers. That is not how that works . . . at all. I went to see this sequel not only for the amazing slow and sad version of ABBA's most popular tune "Mamma Mia!" but to finally find out which of the three "dads" was the one true father. Again I left disappointed. I was cheated by this film, and the first, and I think you know when. But I mean, at least I DID get to enjoy the songs, at least the ones sung by those who could carry a tune.
#42: The Meg
I really enjoy it when characters who make dumb decisions get their just desserts. This film is full of characters getting eaten by titular megalodons, and some of those characters made stupid decisions, so I can't even be mad at those beautiful CGI prehistoric sharks. If you are on board the crazy shark movie train, I don't see why you wouldn't watch this movie about a CRA ZEEE SHARRK (doo dooo dooo doo doo doo),
#41: Night School
I was disappointed with Night School not because it is a bad film, but because I was expecting a helluva lot more from this exciting duo of Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish. The plot didn't make enough sense to carry the character progression forward, so I didn't care about any of the film's consequences. Most jokes just didn't land. This movie also came out during a summer where I missed the opportunity to see it in theaters, and by the time I was able to view it I was so eager and had my expectations so high, it could do nothing but either let me down or be the funniest movie that I have ever seen, and it certainly wasn't the latter. This movie does have a lot of heart, no pun intended, and I'd probably watch it again, you know, while cleaning the house. I watch a lot of movies that way, especially if I have seen them before.
#40: Solo: A Star Wars Story
Solo is a perfect example of a film that didn't need to be made. It is not a bad movie by any means - plot makes enough sense, characters have goals and tribulations, characters progress, the directing appears decent, and it even looks beautiful, but I spent the entirety of the film asking myself "why does this need to exist," which is rarely a good question a viewer should ask about a film. It "answers" many of the questions we have had about the character and some other Star Wars lore, but all of those answers can be boiled down to one question: do you care why Hans' surname is Solo? I didn't, but the movie did.
#39: Venom
I had a lot of fun with this movie, even though it is a bad movie. I love the character from the comics. Venom is one of my favorite villains to my favorite superhero, Spider-Man. I wondered how they would pull off the character without Spider-Man, and they did okay. Still, something about this movie felt rushed to me. The CGI worked in most places, but sometimes felt more silly than what I believe was intended. Tom Hardy didn't do it for me, and I don't think he had that much chemistry with the Symbiote. Still, I won't turn down Venom munching enemies heads off. That was a good time.
#38: Rampage
This one was largely a miss for the Rock, however I still thought this was a fun summer movie. I went into this movie expected large animals destroying buildings, all while Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson did something charming and charismatic on screen. If you know what you are getting into, this movie works. You get everything you expect, and I'd say even a little more as there are some surprises. Jeffrey Dean Morgan from the Walking Dead is in this one, and I will forever see him as Negan. Shame the movie didn't allow his character to feed Lucille.
#37: The Predator
I enjoyed this movie, though it is not nearly as powerful as the first Predator film. This movie tries to be a horror, action, comedy, suspense, thriller - all in one. The end result is that it shines at nothing. Still, I can't deny that I had a good time watching large Predator cause explosions against incompetent military men.
#36: The First Purge
I have not seen all of the Purge films, but I really enjoyed this one more than any other. It inspired me to watch the short series, which I also enjoyed. The movie hits all the beats that you'd expect from a Purge movie, but this time the participants are more so forced to do so, which is different from characters who just make stupid mistakes like in the earlier films. It was a nice change of pace, and the struggle of minority inhabitants on the island gave the entire film a strong feeling of oppression. Really enjoyed this one.
#35: Dumplin'
#34: Peter Rabbit
I didn't care about seeing this film as much as I did some of the other movies on my list, but this film was the only one I took my niece and nephew to see in theaters this year, and it was great watching them watch this movie. They really enjoyed it and I had a great time with them. James Cordon did a great job with the voice of the character, and the art director for the film I think deserved more praise than what as received as there was never a moment when I was watching this film where I was taken out of the action or story. I was able to suspend my disbelief from start to finish, which says a lot about a film that is led by a CGI rabbit.
#33: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
#32: Ready Player One
Ready Player One is another disappointing film for me from the year. I began the year by reading this book, and I even have a few chapters broken down on this blog, but the film just didn't work for me. When I finished reading the book, I didn't really think it was that great in the end, and the film suffers from some of the same issues I had with the book. They were both love letters to nostalgia, but not necessarily love letters to strong, believable characters or narrative. This is a must watch if you want to take a trip down memory lane, or even if you want to see some impressively designed scenes.
#31: Proud Mary
I actually completed a full review of this movie up on my blog, and a video review over on my YouTube channel, so go check it out. I really enjoyed this movie, but it is not a perfect film. The relationship between Mary and the kid was believable, but strange the entire film.
#30: Skyscraper
What may seem like throwaway summer film actually is a surprising tale of family and heart. The Rock pulls off much more emotive acting in this exciting action film than he did in his other summer movie, Rampage. I cared about his character, I cared about his family, and I cared about the events of the story as they unfolded. Don't get me wrong, the film is simply an action with the adrenaline of a man saving his family from a burning building, but it works for what it tries to do. Nothing here is wasted, and it was visually impressive.
#29: Maze Runner: The Death Cure
I liked this film just as much as I liked its brother in the book series, however this is a rare example of a time where I prefer the visual experience as opposed to the book. If the second film in the series had a little more love put into it, I think this trilogy would have been much more memorable. Unfortunately, I think the second film turned off fans so that many did not return to see the series' cinematic conclusion. After a few years, it was nice to see the ending.
#28: Cargo
Cargo was a surprising little film I discovered on one of those "what on earth should I watch" nights. It kind of comes and goes, just like cargo does. I was enthralled with the characters, the narrative, the acting, everything. A simple film with a simple premise that drove it forward based on a character getting from point a to point b, though the ending is pretty sad.
#27: Ant-Man and the Wasp
One of the more underrated films from the year. Sure, it isn't Spider-Verse, Aquaman, or even Infinity War, but I really enjoyed what was done with this film. It wasn't stronger than the first in the series, but it took all of the elements from the first and expanded upon them to continue to build the Ant-Man character. I was unimpressed with the villain (what else is new for a Marvel film) and thought her goal was really silly. Additionally, on what basis did she think it would work?! That is not to say that it doesn't (trying not to spoil anything here) but it definitely is the weakest aspect of this film, and if there has to be a reason that people were not buzzed (wasp joke) about it then it was because of a piss-poor villain. I will also admit that the film could have been tightened up (or shrunk) just a touch. However, the post credit scene in this Marvel film is likely one of the best they have ever done.
#26:To All the Boys I've Loved Before
"To All the Boys I've Loved Before" was a story that I thought I would roll my eyes at, but as it turned out I really ended up enjoying it, a lot. I watched this one with my wife and gave her all of my couch commentary, much to my chagrin at the end. "I can't believe that is what this character decided to do," "man, that little sister is my favorite character." It wasn't until near the end of the film that I realized I sounded like my mother watching Game of Thrones with us. "I can't believe they killed so and so, he was TOO fine," says my mom through, well, anything really. But back on topic, this movie had ups and downs, characters made believable decisions (which I always appreciate) and I had a very good time with this one.
#25 - #6
The next few films are movies that I think most people can enjoy, and I don't have a lot of negatives about them. That is not to say that I think any of them are perfect movies, or that I couldn't find some negative qualities that they have, but overall the sum of their parts are enjoyable, watchable, and pretty fantastic films from the year. Some of these movies would definitely not make other peoples lists at all, but for me, all of these films worked on some level. I connected with them and I think you can too.
#25: The Happytime Murders
If you have not already abandoned my thoughts by now, this is probably the one you throw my opinion out the window over. But hey, I love puppetry, I love gross, improper humor, and I love Melissa M. on most days. This movie was exactly what I wanted it to be, and I was not at all disappointed with it like many others were. It made me think of a grosser Roger Rabbit, or more adult Space Jam. I also love buddy cop films, especially ones from the 80s and 90s, and this one gave me beats from those films. It did remind me a lot of 2017's Bright with Will Smith, but I think this one works so much better as a buddy cop film where the cops are from different worlds and must make it work.
#24: Game Night
I heard some great things about this movie and it lived up to my expectations, which never happens. This movie promises humor, suspense, mystery, and intrigue, and it delivers on every single promise. It takes itself just seriously enough and allows the viewers to go along with it for its over-the-top fun.
#23: Crazy Rich Asians
Another movie I was late to the party to. At the core, this movie doesn't really push the envelope when it comes to romance stories. I wouldn't even call it a true-to-form romantic comedy because it ain't really that funny. However, the story worked very well for me. I enjoyed my time inside this story so much that I watched it twice, the second time to share the experience with others. It didn't bore me either time, which is a mark of a successful film I think - if I can watch it twice within a couple of weeks of each viewing, that is a good time. I liked the work that was put into this film as a film. For what this film has accomplished socially, I can commend that too, though full disclosure I don't really care about Asian representation in films. I am still looking for films with strong and believable African-American characters, so I don't really have the desire to put my energy into that fight. Still, it was nice to see.
#22: Deadpool 2
This movie came and went. It doesn't even truly feel as if it came out this year, but that it was a 2016 film that I just got around to watching. Even in the theater it felt like that, as if I paid $1 to see some old movie on the big screen. It doesn't really change the game up in a way that the first film in the series did, and because of the first film in the series this one loses some of the edginess (because we have kinda seen it, quite literally, before). It does work, and the jokes do land more often then they don't land. Domino, I believe is her name, had a super power I didn't even know that I wanted until it was realized on the big screen.
#21: Ralph Breaks the Internet
Got this one in just under the wire. This one boils down to it being a good movie - animated well, story told neatly, written well, etc. - but there was just something missing about it for me. I wanted more growth from the characters, which is always difficult for sequels to pull off. I wanted more interactions between Ralph and Felix, who never really had enough time together in the first film, and would have been cool to see here. It would have been nice for Ralph to find love or something, too. I almost feel like it is a regression of the character, and Ralph seems to end up just as lonely as he began in the first film, what with what happens. Also, CLEAR missed opportunity to not name this film "Ralph Wrecks the Internet." HELLO? What the H*ck were they thinking over there at Disney?
#20: Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle
30 minutes into Mowgli and I was not having a good time. I complained that there was no singing in this version, because I didn't know that going into it. I felt cheated, ripped-off if you will. Any opportunity to listen to those fantastic songs from the Jungle Book is a good time to me, so I wanted to stop watching when I found out how different this Netflix film was. But, I pushed through that hurdle and discovered a neat retelling of the film. You know the story, just change up some minor things here and there, give Mowgli long hair and splash in some Clayton from Tarzan and you have this film. I could tell the CGI moments apart from others, but it still looked good, and you can definitely see that they put a lot of effort into this one. Netflix really does just kind of spit 'em out at this point. Netflix is like a wandering dad who has a kid in all 50 states. "I made that kid on accident," says Netflix.
#19: Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Probably the best movie of the year when it comes down to pure, raw action films. I enjoyed this one, and I think the consensus is that critics did as well. Apparently, it is the best one in the series, but for me it was my introduction into this universe. It is difficult for me to know what came first, Mission Impossible, or the tropes that I know of from action movies. You know the stuff - car chases, cutting the bomb wire at the last minute, jumping onto escaping helicopters to catch the villain - nothing really new was done here, for me. However, what is done is done so immaculately that you would have a harder time not enjoying this movie as opposed to just letting this movie hit you in the face with its nonstop energy. This movie never stops, and I love it.
#18: Tomb Raider
Unlike Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Tomb Raider takes its time with the action. It puts Croft through a physical ringer, and also develops characters and tension. I had a really good time with this, but care about Croft just a little but more than I did from the protagonist in Fallout. I hope this film begins a series because I would love to see Alicia reprise her role as Croft and dive into some more tombs.
#17: Creed II
Simple story here that does not take many risks. It isn't really that different from any other Rocky film. I love the Rocky movies, and this one is no different. It never feels like it wants to be its own thing, though the film tries to tell you that it is becoming one through the character of Apollo. If you are a fan of the Rocky movies and don't like change, this is one you will enjoy. It boils down the same:
- Hero is in a state of victory / championship.
- The Villain reveals himself and challenges the hero.
- Hero wants to fight, but hero's allies do not want him to fight. The hero decides to fight.
- Hero wasn't ready for those hands because he ate too much and wasn't hungry.
- Hero is shamed and needs to find himself.
- Hero finds himself.
- Hero makes amends with family and friends.
- Hero decides that he can defeat the villain, now that he has found himself and regained his allies.
- Hero has an epic training montage.
- Hero wins epic rematch against villain because of the heart of the cards.
Boom. Every Rocky film ever. I love every bit.
#16: Aquaman
Aquaman is, to say the least, zany. When you break it down, it really shouldn't work. The acting was cold. The story was told and not shown a lot of the time. The villains were so extra and incredulous that they were hard to believe. The film really, on most levels, should not have worked. But something about these ugly pieces made a beautifully concocted puzzle in the end, and it does work. Unlike Fallout 76 from Bethesda, this film DOES just work. Visuals aside, the things I hate about this movie are the things that I love. I love that it both takes itself seriously and simultaneously doesn't. I loved every character, every beat, every moment. And, going back to the visuals - they were absolutely breathtaking. DC really shelled out some bucks to make this one, as a large portion of the film is underwater. I don't want to spoil too much, but there is a scene here where Aquaman rides a giant kraken thing wielding an ancient powerful trident, leading an army of fish-men riding dragon-like sea horse things fighting other fish-men riding sharks, and it is absolutely a fantastic time. The best thing about this movie is that you can tell just how much the cast and crew cared about making a good film, and how much they all cared about having a good time while doing it. It is such a shame that this film has to be connected with the DC Universe as a whole.
#15: Incredibles 2
Coming out 14 years after the original, the Incredibles 2 did not disappoint. It was everything that I wanted it to be, not only refreshing from the events of the first film, but a fresh take on superhero films in general. It does what the Fantastic Four movies always fail to do, and that is show what a super family would be like under circumstances that necessitate them to be heroic. The roles are reversed in this sequel and we see Mrs. Incredible, Elastigirl, step into the spotlight, while Bob has to be heroic at home. The animation is astonishing to see, essential visual perfection. The scene with Elastigirl riding her motor bike took some creative liberties with stretch powers that I would not have imagined I would see. The jokes were funny, the family warm. This film honestly represents the reason I think sequels should be made, if they are going to be so: expansion of the character growth, narratives that make sense as continuations from the initial film, and villains that appropriately match the power of the hero and challenge them in regards to their own powers, but also in regards to their narrative struggles. Watch this movie yesterday.
#14: The Cloverfield Paradox
I know this movie is too high on my list but that is what makes this my list and not yours. I enjoyed this movie a lot. I thought the acting was well done, the mystery authentically intrigued me, and the payoff was well earned to me. Not every science fiction film needs to be agonizingly slow-paced, but when one is done with care in regards to the narrative and the characters, they can work better than most films that are paced slowly. This film does its job and expands the Cloverfield story, while also working as a self-contained film.
#13: The Night Eats the World
This movie is a lonely one. It makes the viewer feel just as isolated as the protagonist here. Though I don't like where the film ends up, I like how we get through the journey here. It is intensely introspective as the character is often left alone with his own thoughts during the zombie apocalypse. Other films about a "lone survivor" type hero have done what this film attempts to do much better than what this film accomplishes; however, that doesn't mean that this film doesn't work. If it only added a touch more creativity it may have found itself in one person's (mine) top 10, though I probably am the only one who ranked it so highly. I also tend to dislike the fast moving zombies, but because we don't really spend a large amount of time with them, they don't get in the way. A large portion of the film is the threat of zombies and the isolation from the world, not the actual biting undead themselves.
#12: Love, Simon
Some small part of me really feels as if this film came out in 2017, but I can't find any record of that, but man does March feel like last year (wink). Love, Simon is a patient story of a young kid who struggles with his sexual identity when his secret gets out. It is just as heart wrenching as it is heart warming, and I cared about the character and his struggles throughout the entirety of the film. Every actor was emotionally present in the film, and the struggle for Simon to find his way through his narrative was 100% believable. All of his pain, and all of his happiness felt so real, so much so that by the end of this emotional roller coaster, you will have laughed, you will have cried, but ultimately you will have experienced what I perceive to be a very well written and performed story.
#11: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Obviously one of my top films for the year, I really enjoyed this return to the land of dinosaurs. I loved Chris Pratt as the hero who has to return to the island. I loved the mindless mayhem of every moment because this movie delivered exactly what I expected it to, dinosaurs doing dinosaur things in a very visually appealing way. There were some large scale misses for me, but overall the sum of its parts made for another exciting trip through Jurassic World, and I am all in.
#10: Bird Box
I love this movie for the memes it has produced alone. The internet started by comparing this film to A Quiet Place, but quickly found itself enamored with the story. Besides, we poke fun at the things we love the most. I cared about the adult characters, which I say often, and to no surprise, I didn't give a d*mn about the kids. In fact, one of my personal favorite moments in the film is when Girl gets out of the boat. "SHE TOLD YOU NOT TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT!" I yelled at the screen while my wife rolled her eyes at me. Then, to see the hero drag the little girl, quite literally, back to the boat to save her, deserved and earned. But post-apocalyptic child-abuse aside, this movie is a tense story that can compare to a large number of cinematic heavy weights, beat for beat. Although, I didn't find it scary as much as I found it humorous, which I'm certainly sure is not what the creators of this one were going for.
#9: Bohemian Rhapsody
FINALLY we get to a musical. What the actual hell 2018? Where the (insert bird squawk to bleep out the unnecessary expletives here) were the musicals this year? All of the musicals, at least the ones that I got to see (I may have missed some, but no big ones) were either just famous songs that we already know or favored the story and not the music. Mamma Mia was just Abba songs, A Star is Born didn't really move me with more than a few of the songs, and most of them I don't remember, and Bohemian Rhapsody didn't even have new version of the songs, which I know many people probably didn't want, because tbh no one can do what Freddie Mercury has done. Don't get me wrong, I obviously enjoyed this film as it is in my top 10, I just needed to complain about the lack of quality musicals. And before you say anything, I still have not seen Mary Poppins, nor have I found out how she Returns.
But about Bohemian Rhapsody. Excellent film really. It tells the story of Freddy Mercury and the band Queen. I love Queen music, and this film is basically a dramatized Queen concert with some dramatic narratives sprinkled in. There is even one section of this film where they tell us they have 20 minutes for a concert, and then all 20 minutes of that concert is presented on screen. It was incredible. The narrative drops in and drops out, and if you know anything at all about Freddy Mercury, you know what happens in this movie and you know how it ends. This is really one to watch for those of you, for those of us, who love Queen.
#8: A Star is Born
If, on the other hand you care more about narrative (which, I'll admit, in my movies I often do) A Star is Born is so strong a film. The music, while I don't find particularly memorable outside of 2 or 3 of the songs, only serves to make the narrative moments and character progression so much better. Lady Gaga in the role as the Star who is being born (don't worry, we are not creating any black holes or solar systems with the birth of THIS star, heh heh science jokes) does a very impressive job at pushing this character forward. There are moments where she is just singing, no music or ambient sounds, and you just get lost in her voice. The entire movie is emotionally draining, like a game of emotional tug of war. They are up, then they are down. I loved the characters so much that by the end I was just curled up into a little ball on the floor.
#7: Sorry to Bother You
This one is likely the strangest film on my list. It takes some wild avenues to reach its destination, and the end result is a fantastic film that leaves you with a lot of questions, but in an exciting way. The first being "what on earth did I just watch?" You can't go into this film with any expectations, and if you did then the movie may even be that much better for you. The movie works if you don't have it spoiled for you before you see it. Imagine what eating pizza for the first time would be like if you've never had pizza before. Then imagine the second slice - still delicious, but there is always something about that first experience that stuns and changes you. Some people don't like pizza, just like some people don't like this film. Pizza can be isolating, but everyone knows that you have to either be vegan, allergic or stupid to not like pizza - just like this crazy, cheesy film.
#6: A Quiet Place
For me this is hands down the greatest horror film of the year - if you consider it as such. I know it is probably technically just a suspense, or thriller and not classified as a true to form horror film, but it is the scariest thing that I saw this year (unless you count those horrifying trailers for Teen Titans Go to the Movies, that put me in the psych ward). I saw this movie in theaters twice, and both times the audience experiences was the best I have ever had in a cinema. People really turned it down for this: no crying babies, no one yelling belligerently at the screen as I do at home, no one on their cell phones playing Tetris - you know, what people usually do during movies. That alone was impressive, and made the tone of this movie really create a heavy atmosphere during both viewings. The acting is top notch, EVEN the acting that is done by the children here. I hated the daughter, not because she was a bad actor, but because the movie almost pushed me into that based on her decisions and my natural reaction to those choices. This is the movie that not only made me learn Emily Blunt's name, but also allowed me to see John Krasinki as a leading man outside of a comedic role. Though, it could have been nice if we saw maybe a bear eating a beet in the forest. Just one? Fine, I would have settled for a stapler surrounded by a mould of jelly. That would certainly make stapling quiet. No? Just me?
#5 - #1
We have made it. My top 5 favorite films from 2018. Of course I think you should stop what you are doing tonight and watch every one of these movies, but I know that you won't need to because if you missed a single one of these films in 2018, you are likely missing out on some fantastic conversations at the water cooler. I guess the instead of water cooler, I mean social media.
#5: Black Panther
Black Panther had a tough year to compete for the #1 spot. It is, to me, a perfect superhero movie. The characters work. The narrative works. The villains work. The setting is beautiful, made only more beautiful by the careful attention to detail worked into the set design. The accents and African customs worked into the diegetic energy. This movie is so d*mn good. It is also nice to know that young Black kids will have a Black superhero to look up to. It is incredible that in a year that saw Donald Trump NOT get impeached, Black people saw spectacular representation on film, and no film from this year can say that it accomplished precisely what Black Panther managed to.
I have a whole blog article on this film. You should definitely go and check that out for a deep dive into the titular character and what makes him a hero.
#4: BlacKkKlansman
I did not expect that this film would be so high on my list, especially that it would edge out Black Panther and creep into my top 5 like internet perverts into Anna Kendrick's DMs. Everyone, no matter the ethnicity, race, gender, sex, nationality, whatever identifier one uses these days, needs to watch this movie. I didn't like the end credit scenes giving us footage from real life tragedies, but I understand the choice. The film did a fantastic job at shedding insight through narrative. The characters were rich and complex, and even though the story was very serious, I had a lot of fun with the humor presented in this movie. I laughed a lot, actually. The movie makes you. It manages to work as a drama and a comedy, but the comedic elements never unravel the tension built up by the dramatic, and it works. Some stand out characters such as the Klansman's wife, Adam Driver's officer character, or the crooked cops really made this an interesting film. Surprisingly to me, I though Adam Driver stole the show. He does better here than he does as a villain in Star Wars. I believed his struggle, but I also related to his early-film apathy to not get involved. The events of the movie happened to him, which is a lesson many minorities could stand to learn. No matter how apathetic you are about a cause, there are some issues that you can never run away from, no matter how hard you try. The movie never overly fantasized anything, but felt respective to the source material, and did so in a very fun way.
#3: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
I won't spend too much time on this one as again I have a full blog post about this film. It's the most recent post aside from this one, so check it out to learn more about why this film is ranked so highly on my list.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is my not only my favorite animated film of the year, but is my favorite Spider-Man film of all time. It does all of the characters justice, and serves as a dual love letter to lovers of art and lovers of creative film-making. The movie is fun, and dare I say it - SPECTACULAR.
#2: Annihilation
In a few years down the line, it is likely that I will remember Annihilation being my favorite film of the year. It has everything I love in a film, every box I need to check for things that are my "favorite" things in films. Strong acting? Check. Amazing set design and art direction? Check. Impressive and concussive musical score? Check. Is a science fiction movie? Check. Asks questions, and then subsequently answers enough of those questions, while leaving just enough up to mystery that you don't feel robbed by the end of the experience? Check. Would watch it again and again and again? Check. Black characters? Check. Things close to mythological creatures? Check. Writing that leads to a intriguing plot and character choices? Check. Check. Check.
Annihilation has so many elements that I love in a movie, though I know it may be considered too slow for some. It is an introspective watch that does not take its viewers intelligence for granted.
#1: Avengers: Infinity War
I suspect that you saw this coming. Either you know me personally, you didn't see it earlier on the list, or you just scrolled all the way down here to see what my number 1 pick would be after already deciding to tell me how wrong I was.
This movie was NOT the best film of the year, not by any stretch of the imagination. However, there has NEVER been anything like this film for me in my life. I never cared as much for a Star Wars movie, and even by the end of the Harry Potter films I already knew what was going to happen and was feeling burned out (don't get me wrong, I love that series and re-watch the films every year, sometimes multiple times).
I remember what every painful moment waiting for this movie to come out was like. I remember sitting in the theater as it all unfolded, as all my predictions rang untrue. I remember being paralyzed in the theater as each scene arrived: the Hulk catch hands, watching Iron Man blast aliens with Dr. Strange and Spider-Man. Vision having the stone ripped from his head. Thor using Force lighting that he learned from his time with Tyrion Lanister on the Disney-owned Star Wars planet. I remember the ending, feeling the torturing throbs of the Avengers defeat, Spider-Man's death (and deaths of other characters, I guess), and Tony's face in the moments that Tom Holland melted into ashes in his arms.
So, that is it. That is my list for 50 movies worth watching in 2018, good or bad. All of these films deserve to be watched, if only so you know can keep an eye on your own pallet and remember what poorly made films are like.
Some honorable mentions to movies that I saw for the first time in 2018, but didn't come out during the year:
Split: I LOVE Unbreakable, and unfortunately for me I already knew that Split was a sequel prior to watching. I wish I could have had the experience of discovering that for the first time upon reaching the end of the film.
The Theory of Everything: This is a painful movie, but is so beautiful. Watch it RIGHT NOW. It is on Netflix as 1/1/2019.
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