Daniel's Top Eleven Films of 2018

Daniel's top eleven films of 2018

Well this was a whirlwind of a year.  With moviepass imploding, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to watch as many movies as usual.  I tried, though - and AMC's A-List certainly helped in the end.  It was a decent year for horror and quiet understated films - sometimes both at the same time. This was also a record-breaking year for me to see documentaries in the theater.  All-in-all, I was definitely able to see a fair amount of good movies in the theater this year.  As always, the order is how I feel at the moment.

11. Hearts Beat Loud

"Every song is a love song....technically"

At least one nice feel-good film always makes it on this list every year. What makes them good, though, is that their primary focus shouldn't be "let's make a nice feel-good film."  Hearts Beat Loud has a nice story, great writing and unique characters.  It follows a close relationship between a single father  (a very subtle portrayal by Nick Offerman) and his daughter (rising star Kiersey Clemons) through trying times.  The film has an LGBT lead character, which is rare - but what's even more rare is that coming out and dealing with being gay isn't the film's focus. While struggles all over the US and the world are still very real and important to show, it's still nice to see a young teen in a film who is comfortable with who she is.

10. The Miseducation of Cameron Post

There were two films out this year (that I know of) about the horrors and dangers of conversion therapy. This one was definitely less known than Boy Erased. While I thought both movies were very good, I thought Miseducation edged out Boy for a few reasons.  This film felt more intimate - as if I were going on this journey with Cameron through her experience.  While Cameron was conflicted, she definitely knew who she was.  It all painted a very real picture of who all of these people were, the good and the bad. This is also Chloe Grace Moretz's best performance to date.  She's gives a subdued performance here, showing Cameron's frustration but also displaying her sense of humor.

9. Overlord

Some argue what genre Overlord falls into - It's part war picture, has a nice mix of horror, sci-fi with a little adventure thrown in. It's scary, creepy, well laid out and very well directed with surprises and reveals thrown in every which way. If the horrors of World War II weren't enough, Overlord tosses in a lot more.   The movie felt very Carpenter-esque, with its own unique takes.  Definitely good gory, suspenseful, nazi-punching fun with a great cast.

8. Spiderman-Into the Spiderverse

There were a lot of good animated films that made my honorable mentions, but this one topped them all. It's clear it was made by fans of the Spiderman universe and all its aspects. Comic books that have been around a long time have a complicated canon where alternate universes and timelines exist, and heroes sometimes get replaced.  Comics still have a long way to go as far as  diversity and representation goes, but glad to say this movie embraces it.  It's also just a good story, well-written, funny and heartwarming and just all around fun.

7. Annihilation

What a gorgeously filmed experience - and Annihilation can definitely be described that way - it's an experience.  A sci-fi movie, that can be labeled horror at times is led by an all powerful, all-female cast. (We need more of that, please.) Nightmarish and beautiful, it's also incredibly thought-provoking - especially on how we perceive would-be aliens, not unlike 2016's Arrival (although the aliens themselves, vastly different.)

6. A Quiet Place

Shhhh

Incredibly well directed,  atmospheric, and frightening, A Quiet Place throws you into a world you immediately cling on to, learn the rules of, and want to survive.  Unlike some horror films, the characters here are intelligent and learn how to navigate in this new world.  They're also likable and you root for them (quietly) from beginning to end.  I love when a director can create a world that makes me think: "How would I survive in this world?" "What things would I do the same/differently than these characters?"  A good horror film will make you think those things for a long time after watching it, and A Quiet Place did just that.

5. Tully

Tully is just a wondrous and wonderful story about an overworked and overtired mom who needs a little help. There's a lot more to it than that, but I feel like I'll spoil it if I say anything more.  It's a sweet, not-quite-simple and uplifting tale with an excellent lead performance by Charlize Theron. It's written by Diablo Cody who, as always, injects humor into a dramatic story in just the right ways.

4. Three Identical Strangers

This is probably a record year for me seeing documentaries in the theater.  There were a lot of really great ones this year, but this one blew me away.  It's a surreal story that pulls you in from the very first moment and continues to surprise you up until the very end.  The pacing is perfect, revealing key aspects of the story at just the right times.  It's surprising and funny, heartfelt and kind of horrific all at the same time.

3. Hereditary

*tongue click*

The horror world seems to be divided on slow burn horror.  To me, it depends on if it's done right.  There's a difference between slow burn and just...slow.  I saw this on opening night and while it had some critic buzz, the audience hype wasn't quite there yet - so I was able to watch it without any preconceived notions.  The audience was also incredibly into the film - they were there to see good horror and Hereditary didn't disappoint.  Some of the fun of Hereditary was feeling the tension build, not just in the film, but in the audience: hearing soft gasps, uncomfortable laughter at times and even the lack of sound of an entire group of people holding their breath.  This wasn't just a horror film; it was a film about grief and family dysfunction. Hereditary is like a roller coaster that builds tension as you're going up and up and up the track and then delivers the scares as you plummet down.  And not to just throw this in - but another perfect performance by Toni Colette. 

2. The Favourite

Where to begin.  This film was fun, funny, dramatic, riveting, had beautiful chemistry between its amazing actresses, thoughtfully directed - I can go on and on.  Olivia Colman is an underrated gem who has spent a lot of her career being a female "that guy".  She's fabulous in everything she does and will be immediately more recognized after this stunning and hilariously droll performance. Rachel Weisz, also great in Disobedience this year, is amazing as always. And Emma Stone gives her best performance to date. Yorgos Lanthimos, who directed my favorite film of 2015, The Lobster, uses a different style here than his last two films which works out marvelously.  

1. Blindspotting

I don't understand why this film isn't getting more awards buzz than it is.  I left the theater feeling breathless, thinking about it non-stop.  I got the DVD for Hanukkah this year and rewatched it to make sure it held up.  It did.  Daveed Diggs, of Hamilton fame leads the cast as a soulful guy caught up in circumstance.  Also incredibly impressive were relative newcomers Rafael Casal & Jasmine Cephas Jones.  All three deserve acclaim for their performances. Diggs & Casal have wonderful chemistry as best friends.  (They're friends in real life and you can see them here bringing Calvin & Hobbes comics to life.)  The film meticulously blends buddy comedy with a focus on important issues like police prejudice and accountability, the perils of gentrification, how white privilege affects the justice system, and the fear of raising a black child in America.  If that wasn't enough, the language is some of the most poetic I've heard in modern film.

Honorable Mentions: Some of these would definitely have made it into my top list, depending on the day.  I believe you're generally affected by movies depending on what's going on in your life and in the world in general.  In no particular order:

RBG/On the Basis of Sex - These go together because they feel like companion pieces - one, a documentary, the other a feature, both do justice to their subject - as does Felicity Jones who plays Ruth Bader Ginsberg in the latter.

Thoroughbreds - Total dark comedy, two sociopath teenagers bond.

Game Night -It's rare when I include straight-up comedies on my lists of 'best of', but this smart one had me laughing non-stop

Black Panther - More than just a marvel movie, it created a whole world.

Love, Simon - Probably not as good as I think it was...it was just nice to see a gay teen romantic comedy in a world of hetero-normativity.

BlackKklansmen - Great true story brought together by two great leads

Ralph Breaks the Internet/Incredibles 2 - Two amazing sequels that may not live up to their respective originals, but were fantastic, nonetheless.

Bird Box - A netflix original, likened to A Quiet Place - creepy and well done.

Eighth Grade - A vastly original & heartwarming film by Bo Burnham & what it's like to be an introvert in the age of social media.

Searching - I wasn't sold on the style of this thriller until I finally watched it.  It uses its premise expertly.

Mary Poppins Returns -  This movie did what it was supposed to - it captured the magic of the original without trying to get rid of its ideals or style.

Green Book - A nice tale of burgeoning friendship brought together by its two leads.

Here are the 2018 Movies I have seen this year (note...not all the movies I saw in 2018)

1.       Insidious 4

2.       Paddington 2

3.       Mom and Dad

4.       Cloverfield: Paradox

5.       The Ritual

6.       Black Panther

7.       Early Man

8.       The Open House

9.       Annihilation

10.   Game Night

11.   Red Sparrow

12.   Thoroughbreds

13.   Strangers 2

14.   Gringo

15.   Love, Simon

16.   A Wrinkle in Time

17.   Unsane

18.   The Death of Stalin

19.   Ready Player One

20.   A Quiet Place

21.   Isle of Dogs

22.   Truth or Dare

23.   Chappaquiddick

24.   Ghost Stories

25.   Beirut

26.   Disobedience

27.   Avengers: Infinity War

28.   The Rider

29.   Tully

30.   Bad Samaritan

31.   Beast

32.   The Seagull

33.   Deadpool 2

34.   Revenge

35.   Solo

36.   Future World

37.   First Reformed

38.   Upgrade

39.   Hereditary

40.   Ocean’s 8

41.   Incredibles 2

42.   Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

43.   Damsel

44.   Hearts Beat Loud

45.   Three Identical Strangers

46.   The Cakemaker

47.   The First Purge

48.   Ant-Man & The Wasp

49.   Sorry to Bother You

50.   Skyscraper

51.   Eighth Grade

52.   Mama Mia: Here we go again

53.   Blindspotting

54.   Christopher Robin

55.   The Miseducation of Cameron Post

56.   Alpha

57.   Scotty & the secret life of Hollywood

58.    BlackkKlansman

59.   Crazy Rich Asians

60.   The Nun

61.   A Simple Favor

62.   Assassination Nation

63.   Searching

64.   Hellfest

65.   The House with a Clock in its Walls

66.   A Star is Born

67.   The Hate You Give

68.   You Might be the Killer

69.   No Escape Room

70.   First Man

71.   Bad Times at the El Royale

72.   The Old Man & the Gun

73.   Halloween

74.   RBG

75.   Can You Ever Forgive Me?

76.   1985

77.   Boy Erased

78.   Border

79.   Making Montgomery Clift

80.   Bohemian Rhapsody

81.   Suspiria

82.   The Girl in the Spider’s Web

83.   Overlord

84.   Life of the Party

85.   Tag

86.   Ralph Breaks the Internet

87.   The Favourite

88.   Anna & The Apocalypse

89.   Green Book

90.   Ben is Back

91.   The Wife

92.   Widows

93.   Roma

94.   Mandy

95.   Dumplin’

96.   Beautiful Boy

97.   Spiderman – Into the Spider-Verse

98.   Mary Poppins Returns

99.   On the Basis of Sex

100.     If Beale Street Could Talk

101.     Mary Queen of Scots

102.     Private Life

103.     The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

104.     Bird Box

105.     Leave No Trace

106.     At Eternity’s Gate
107.   Vice
108.   Destroyer
109.   22 July
110.   Shirkers
111.   Bandersnatch
112.  Stan & Ollie
113.  Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
114.  The Body
115.  Flesh & Blood
116.  Pooka
117.  New Year, New You
118.  Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot