Top 10 Films of 2018

Just like that, another year has come and gone. It's become an annual tradition for me to share my ten favorite films of the year and I always enjoy reflecting on what I've seen. If you read most of my reviews, some of these selections may not be that surprising, but I think there may be a couple placements or choices which people won't see coming. This year I've seen 81 new releases in total, which is 10 more than last year. There are still quite a few reviews I need to write, but those will come in due time. Like always, I've noted some honorable mentions and will write a brief blurb about each film to justify its place on my list. I have uploaded reviews for them all, so if you're interested and haven't done so already, you can read my more in-depth thoughts by clicking the blue title once you're done perusing my list. 

Top 10 Films of 2018

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical order): Annihilation, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, If Beale Street Could Talk, Paddington 2, Roma, Thoroughbreds, Vice, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, and You Were Never Really Here.

10. Beautiful Boy

Beautiful Boy turned out to be one of the most emotional viewing experiences I've ever had in the theater. Some may call it emotionally manipulative, but I felt every emotional beat was well-earned on account of a layered story and excellent, career-best performances from Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carrell. The narrative structure is occasionally a little messy, but that only adds to the honest, down-to-earth depiction of addiction in my eyes. As a poignant, tearjerking cautionary tale about the perils of addiction, it more than serves its purpose. Also, have tissues on hand.

9. A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place snuck up on me earlier this year and turned out to be one of the most engaging and creative mainstream horror films I've seen in quite some time. I'm honestly not huge on the horror genre as a whole, but A Quiet Place quickly invested me in its story, concept, and characters with an excellent opening. On account of its terrific technical precision and exceptional core ensemble, Krasinski managed to make a horror film with heart as well as solid scares.

8. Mary Poppins Returns

To put it plainly, Mary Poppins Returns is an utter delight. A simply splendid sequel that is, dare I say it, even better than the original... Thanks to a cheery, whimsical disposition, charming musical numbers, and a towering lead performance from Emily Blunt, it wound up being the spoonful of sugar I needed this holiday season.

7. Avengers: Infinity War

As the cinematic culmination of nineteen films and ten years of storytelling, Avengers: Infinity War is a unique and unprecedented achievement. A blockbuster of this scale simply has never been done. In terms of sheer spectacle, it is astounding, and I'm still impressed the Russo Bros managed to balance that immense ensemble as well as they did. However, my opinion of it has somewhat diminished since my first viewing as I came to the realization the grand spectacle often overshadowed any character growth and Avengers: Endgame could make or break it in the long run.

6. Widows

While being a riveting heist film, Widows is a superb character drama which features tons of well-woven social commentary and some of the best filmmaking I've seen all year. McQueen's got plenty to say and a lot of ground to cover but somehow gets away executing a complex smash-and-grab without sacrificing quality or entertainment value.

5. The Favourite

Devious plotting, elaborate machinations, and a trio of renowned female performers operating at peak capacity made The Favourite one of my favorites. It's sharp, twisted, and delightfully wicked. What more could you request?

4. Eighth Grade

Rarely do modern coming-of-age films offer an authentic representation of teenage life today. Fortunately, Bo Burnham gets it right, and Elsie Fisher provides a lead performance which is wonderfully sincere and among the best acting I've seen all year... and she's only fifteen! Eighth Grade is honest, hilarious, heartfelt, and relatable above all. Eighth Grade reminds audiences of awkward, cringe-worthy mess that is their teenage years, and within minutes, it's like we're reliving the moments we often over-exaggerate as the worst of our brief, privileged existence.

3. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

The hyper-stylized, frenetic animation style seen in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is truly unlike anything else I've ever seen. Not only is the film breathtakingly beautiful, but it understands the idea of Spider-Man better than any of the wall-crawler's live-action outings. Anyone can wear the mask. Anyone can be Spider-Man, which is perhaps why the character's still a staple of pop-culture. It swung towards the top of my list very late in the year, but instantly became a favorite of mine in terms of both animation and cinematic comic-book adaptations! Most importantly, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is a love letter to Spidey and a fitting tribute to the legacy of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

2. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

It's telling when the sixth entry in a long-running spy series manages to up the ante and stand apart as not only the best franchise installment yet but also one of the greatest action films ever made. Mission: Impossible - Fallout is exhilarating from start-to-finish and a pulse-pounding exercise in action. Every major stunt and set piece in Fallout ranks among the best I've seen all year and the genre as a whole. Cruise's willingness to perform the stunts himself only further enhances the insanity, as it lends a greater deal of authenticity to the proceedings. In Fallout, the action, plot, and character all work in tandem to deliver the edge of your seat suspense audiences have come to expect from the series and McQuarrie even dares to question the effectiveness of the franchise's central hero.

1. First Man

In First Man, Damien Chazelle perfectly balances the intimate and grandiose nature of space. There's an imminent sense of danger as you watch astronauts enter a bucket of bolts intent on blasting off into space. In regards to the moon landing, Chazelle positioned one of the most infamous American achievements as an introspective and emotional affair. First Man takes one small step for cinematic space-exploration, and one giant leap for cementing Chazelle's position as one of the most exciting filmmakers working today!

'The Favourite' Review

With only three days left in the year, I'm behind on writing reviews by a substantial margin. There are ten films that I've seen and not yet reviewed, and quite a few I'd like to catch up on at the last minute via streaming or a recently acquired Blu-ray. Therefore, it's impossible for me to review EVERYTHING I've seen in 2018 before 2019 unless I write non-stop and flood social media with review after review. So I've chosen to prioritize reviewing a select few films which are The Favourite, If Beale Street Could Talk, and Vice. I'll do my best to share one review daily till December 31st.

'The Favourite' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director; Yorgos Lanthimos, Best Actress; Olivia Colman, Best Supporting Actress; Emma Stone, Best Supporting Actress; Rachel Weisz, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design.
Won: Best Actress; Olivia Colman.

In the early 18th century, England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne, and her close friend Lady Sarah governs her country in her stead while tending to Anne's ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing, and Abigail sees a chance to return to her aristocratic roots.

The Favourite is the latest, and likely most accessible, film from Greek writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos. For those unfamiliar with Lanthimos' work, I'd advise watching at least one of his previous films so you may be somewhat accustomed to his unconventional filmmaking approach. The only Lanthimos production I'd previously seen was The Killing of a Sacred Deer, but I am quite keen to watch The Lobster soon. At this point, I'd say it goes without saying that Lanthimos' films are eccentric and bizarre, which is precisely what I love about them. Lanthimos didn't write The Favourite, but Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara certainly considered his off-kilter tendencies when fabricating the razor-sharp story and witty dialogue. Though the setting, characters, and general plot are inspired by actual 18th century England, the historical accuracy is most certainly up for debate as story elements were likely embellished for the sake of Lanthimos' vision and artistic liberties were most certainly taken with the lesser known events.

With immaculate costume design, lavish production design, and a series of concertos and sonatas from the likes of renowned Baroque period composers such as Vivaldi and Bach, The Favourite may resemble a traditional 18th century English period piece at first glance, but I can assure you that Lanthimos has whipped up something far more twisted and dastardly than one would expect. The devious plotting and elaborate machinations at the story's center are an utterly fascinating through-line which build and build to an enthralling power-struggle between two unrelenting advisors.

Lady Sarah and Abigail's rivalry is perhaps most intriguing on account of the heightened tension brewing just beneath the surface. As the women seek to out-scheme one another, their ultimate motivations remain a mystery. It's not till the film's phenomenal finale that the audience truly understands each character's endgame. Until then, you will question their loyalties and just how genuine their behavior is. Are their actions selfless or ultimately for selfish gain? The slow, scandalous unspooling of their inner thoughts amidst the conflict only further drew me in. This ever-changing dynamic is further enhanced by the efforts of Academy Award-winning actresses Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. They each exhibit a multifaceted performance which ranks among their very best work to date, and the two actresses dig deep into the unhinged, vindictive psyche of their respective characters while showcasing emotional vulnerability as well. 

Rounding out the trio of powerhouse performances, Olivia Colman's Queen Anne is equally nuanced. Colman often quickly fluctuates between instances of childish pouting, unrestrained anger, and gleeful giddiness, but the mood swings don't feel cartoonish or exaggerated as they would have in the hands of a lesser actress. Needless to say, all three women are outstanding here and well-deserving of the awards recognition sure to come their way. 

As for other supporting cast members, Nicholas Hoult and Joe Alwyn are impressionable and well worth mentioning for their roles as the big-wig Tory politician Harley and the nobleman Masham respectively. 

In summation, you'll be hard-pressed to find another 2018 release which is as wickedly witty as The Favourite. Yorgos Lanthimos' sadistic, dark humor remains unchallenged, and Lanthimos has gained favor in my eyes as one of the most abstract filmmakers working today. I'm further drawn into following his filmmaking career from now on. Fittingly, The Favourite has become not only one of my favorite films in the awards race but one of my favorites of the year as well! 

Film Assessment: A+