The 10 Best Movies I Saw In 2018

In many ways, 2018 was a weird year for movies.  We're very close to Oscar nominations and yet, I can't really tell what the front runner is.  We just had a bizarro Golden Globes ceremony where a movie with a Rotten Tomatoes score in the low 60s won best picture (Bohemian Rhapsody).  On the other hand, 2018 saw one of the best superhero movies ever made dominate the box office (Black Panther), a brilliant return to form for Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman) and a better than it should have been Star Wars film bomb at the box office (Solo).  We also saw the tides shifting towards streaming services for quality film releases (Roma), and the rise and fall of Movie Pass (RIP).  That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the movies in 2018.  There's still a bunch of films I need to see (The Favourite, Spider Man Into The Spiderverse, Boy Erased and Widows to name a few) before Oscar season.  However, I wanted to get my top 10 list out of there before the nominations come out.

Here are the 10 best films I saw in 2018, but first, here's a list of films that just missed the cut.  They were all great films, and any of them could have nabbed that 10th slot. For this list, they're on the outside looking in.

Bumblebee
A Quiet Place
Avengers: Infinity War
Creed II
Mandy
Fahrenheir 11/9 
Sorry To Bother You


10) Disobedience - This quiet film about the impact of faith on family, life and love is a film I just happened to stumble upon... and I'm glad I did!  It features two harrowing performances for Rachael Weisz and Rachel McAdams as lesbians living inside and out of an Orthodox Jewish society.  The film is a treat to watch and completely heartbreaking at the same time.

9) Hereditary - One of the most intense and thoughtful horror movies of the last decade.  This tale of a family dealing with grief will leave you in complete disbelief.  It slowly builds to a crescendo of chills and thrills.  It's stayed with me for months.

8) First Man -  This telling of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon was a surprise stinker at the box office, and I can't tell why.  It fits all the check marks that you would want in a movie.  It has a stellar cast, story and is directed with a surgeon's precision.  For the life of me, I can't tell why this one isn't a bigger player in the awards chase.

7) First Reformed - This gripping telling of a priest who has lost his faith isn't for everyone.  In fact, I don't think most people will get it.  However, it's stayed with me and has grown in stature every day since I viewed it.  Ethan Hawke gives a career defining performance and will hopefully be recognized for it.

6) Mission: Impossible Fallout - This may be the best pure action movie ever made with stunts that may never be topped.  The Impossible franchise just won't quit and I don't want it to.  It's the new high water mark for spy thrillers and I can't wait to see where it goes next.  Though, Tom Cruise may eventually die performing one of these signature Impossible stunt sequences.

5) A Star Is Born - A brilliant re-telling of a Hollywood classic, A Star Is Born lives up to the billing.  Both Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper deserve everything that is coming their way.  Bring your tissues and enjoy the ride.

4) BlacKkKlansman - A welcomed return to form for Spike Lee.  This film hits you like a ton of bricks.  Equal parts humorous and scathing takedown of Trumpism, Klansman is the film we need for the times we live in.

3) Roma - Alfonso Cuaron's latest film is a master class in directing and storytelling.  As beautiful as it is bleak, Roma should be the favorite for best picture.  It's a slow burner of a film that almost feels like a documentary that hooks its claws in you and doesn't let go.  It features some of the most intense sequences I can remember and some of the most beautiful imagery in a long time.

2) Black Panther - What more can I say about Black Panther that hasn't already been said.  It's without a doubt the best Marvel film and has a claim in the battle for best superhero movie of all-time.  The biggest question facing this film is whether or not it will be the superhero film to finally enter the best picture discussion.  I can't wait to find out.  Speaking of best picture...

1)  Annihilation - I was hooked from the instant I saw this film.  Director Alex Garland's second sci-fi thriller (behind the wonderful Ex Machina) is the kind of film I wish more people would make.  It felt like a long lost Kubrick film that is worth repeated viewings.  Sadly, it kind of fell by the wayside.  I hope it gets the long life it deserves now that it's available on home video and streaming.  I can't wait to see where Garland goes next.