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!

'Widows' Review

A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future not their own terms, Veronica joins forces with the other three women to pull off a heist that her husband was planning.

Based on an '80s TV miniseries of the same name, Widows is director Steve McQueen's follow-up to the Academy Award-winning film 12 Years a Slave. In addition to helming the crime drama, Mc-Queen co-wrote the screenplay alongside Gone Girl and Sharp Objects scribe Gillian Flynn. The prestige names circling the picture don't stop there though, as the ensemble is stacked with all-star acting talent I'll discuss momentarily, and acclaimed film composer Hans Zimmer even scores the intricate heist flick. Whether Widows will be a prominent player in the awards race remains to be seen, but I believe it's rightfully earned its spot in the conversation for some coveted Oscars.

From the get-go, McQueen captivates audiences with an intense getaway intercut by glimpses of the tranquil domestic life shared by the four thieves and their spouses. Throughout the film, false reflections are employed as a reoccurring symbol which is not only beautifully photographed by cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, but indicative of the struggle of grieving a loved one as Veronica is often haunted by an image of her deceased husband Harry when she looks out the window. It's also worth mentioning that Widows contains the most unique camera placement I've seen all year, as a one-take conversation inside the back seat of a car is shot from the front passenger side exterior to highlight the change in locale from a poverty-stricken neighborhood to a wealthy one (there's deeper meaning to it, I promise).

On that note, Widows is loaded with commentary related to race, gender, socioeconomic status, political corruption, police brutality, and violence to name the topics most prominent in the narrative. However, the film never feels overburdened by the abundance of subject matter. In fact, everything eventually coalesces in an incredibly satisfying manner within a tense, enthralling thriller. Though it should be mentioned that Widows is not an action-heavy heist movie as it's being marketed. Action is present and incredible in execution, but not abundant. McQueen and Flynn are much more concerned with exploring the ensuing character drama, and Widows is all the better for it.

As I alluded to earlier, Widows has a star-studded cast, and everyone brings their A-game. Viola Davis is sensational in the lead role, demonstrating extensive range that should garner her another Oscar nomination at the very least, while Elizabeth Debicki and Michelle Rodriguez each turn in career-best performances. Cynthia Erivo, who was recently a highlight of Bad Times at the El Royale, continues to show a knack for acting as she matches her experienced costars at every opportunity while Liam Neeson, Jacki Weaver, and Carrie Coon are relegated to small but vital roles.

Brian Tyree Henry and Daniel Kaluuya portray Manning brothers Jamal and Jatemme respectively, lending a sense of gravitas to their characters which makes their screen presence all the more intimidating and impressionable. Kaluuya is only onscreen for about ten minutes, but he really makes the most of it by exhibiting a razor-sharp intensity and collected composure which will surely place him among the year's best supporting performances and most intimidating antagonists. Meanwhile, Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall juxtapose them as a father-son duo of scheming politicians.

I still need to watch American Animals, but for now, Widows easily curb-stomped Ocean's Eight and snatched its crown as the year's best heist film. Unlike the year's other diverse female-lead heist, Widows rejuvenates the genre with stylish filmmaking techniques and a sense of purpose. McQueen's got plenty to say and a lot of ground to cover but somehow gets away executing a complex smash-and-grab without ever sacrificing quality or entertainment value.

Film Assessment: A+