Top Ten Films 2018

Another year and another "Top Ten" list. 2018 was a great year for film, both studio made, independent and everything in-between. It was actually relatively difficult making this top ten list because I had to leave so many great movies off. So to start I just want to list some honourable mentions that you should really check out if you haven't already: Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Upgrade, BlackKklansman, The Rider, Mandy, Shirkers and Shoplifters.

Now onto the big ten, the films that were my personal favourites of the year 2018. Read on and enjoy!

10. Dogman

This story of a dog groomer being reluctantly dragged into the crime world had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The main character, Marcello is one of this years most lovable characters whilst simultaneously being one of the most infuriating. Nearly every choice he makes is a bad one, setting him down a tragic path. It's not all doom and gloom, there's still a lot of humour to be had with the story that will really surprise you with the places it goes. Read my full review here.

9. A Quiet Place

John Krasinski's latest film is also his best. Every element of this film is so well done, every element of filmmaking working to tell a simple story of family and love. It was also the scariest film of the year, yes Hereditary was creepy but I've never heard a packed cinema crowd be so silent, every slight noise scaring the crap out of everyone in unison. It's a masterclass in how to build tension, my body exhausted after viewing it, every muscle tensed in anticipation of what was going to happen. Read my full review here.

8. Roma

Easily the most beautiful film of 2018. Every shot is a masterpiece, every camera movement used to tell the story and reveal more about the characters. It's a slow burn but it crescendos to a climax that feels like an outburst of emotion, even the coldest of people would have a hard time keeping a dry eye. It's a love letter to a person in the directors own life but also to cinema itself. Despite wanting to see it on the big screen, you will not be killing cinema if you see it on the small screen (it is a Netflix release.), I saw it at home and it still made it's way on to this list. Read my full review here.

7. Blindspotting

When the world is in political turmoil our art reacts but rarely does it react so thoughtfully and as well as it does in Blindspotting, a timely story that delivers a powerful message whilst traversing the the dark and gloomy with joy and humour. It will take you through the whole scale of emotions and leave you completely satisfied on the way out. It's creative, unique and totally original. It's one of the most poignant films of the year and a must see if you haven't gotten around to it yet! Read my full review here.

6. First Man

A somewhat overlooked gem of 2018 despite its wide release. To be fair Damien Chazelle taking on a biopic was a strange turn for the director who's last film was La La Land but he managed to take this epic tale and wittle it down to a singular emotional beat; grief. Not stopping at the story, the film is also incredibly shot, with its own look, taking it back in time. The space scenes were incredibly done, grounding the action within the spacecrafts, grounding the story and creating spectacle by surprising the audience rather than just going for the obvious; it's an incredible film. Read my full review here.

5. Sorry to Bother You

Boots Riley appeared as one of the freshest voices in cinema this year, debuting his feature film that was totally original, creative, unique and yes, absolutely bonkers. Sorry to Bother You holds a mirror to our own society and reflects an askew but familiar version of it back to us. It's rebellious and anarchistic and revels in the joy of its own creativity. No doubt it will split it's audience down the middle with its crazy twists but it's rewarding if you stay on board and I for one definitely had a hell of a time with it. Read my full review here.

4. Black Panther

2018 was the year I started (and finished) working in a cinema and the first big film of my new job was Black Panther. It was amazing to see how much joy this film brought to a lot of people but it was also amazing, as a fan, to see Wakanda brought to life on the big screen. It was a breath of fresh air in the superhero genre and sign of the future, to know that Marvel was learning from past mistakes and were pursuing a more diverse and unique future for their franchise. No film made a bigger stamp on the cultural landscape this year, and it helps that every element works so well together, creating an amazing story of power, race and family. Read my full review here.

3. Suspiria

I would never moan at the word "remake" if all remakes were treated with this much love, care and affection. Director Luca Guadagnino is speedily becoming one of my favourite filmmakers around, his eye for detail and love for the craft can be seen in every frame of this film. It's a love letter to the original film whilst also being it's own unique thing. This is how remakes should be done and there is no doubt that this film will be being studied in the years to come. Tantalising, breathtaking, creepy and beautiful, this film will lure you in and not let go. On a side note, Tilda Swinton deserves all the awards possible for her role(s) in this film, she won't, but she should. Read my full review here. 

2. First Reformed

This film came very close to being first... From the moment it started I was transfixed to the screen. The academy ratio draws you in and the crisp and clear imagery allows you to get up close and personal with the subject, studying their every move. The subject in question is Ethan Hawke, a lesser actor would not be able to pull off a performance quite so intimate and personal, the struggle between faith and environment so perfectly portrayed in every frame of the film. It's an incredible film that creates discussion, takes you on journey and then leaves you hanging on an ending that will definitely not please everyone but it left me thinking deeply about this film since the first time I saw it. It could have been the best film of the year but that fanboy in me got the better of me... Read my full review here.

1. Avengers: Infinity War 

The geek fanboy in me has seeped it's way into this top ten list and yes, Avengers: Infinity War is my number one film of the year. Many of you may close this page when finding this out but no other film brought me so much joy in the cinema. I could't believe what I was seeing, it was like a comic book come to life and it wasn't a mess. It baffles me how well this film is structured, edited and actually makes sense when there is so much going on with so many different weird and wonderful characters. This could have so easily fallen on its face but not only is it good, it's a downright masterpiece, delivering some of the most jaw dropping moments of the franchise yet, with real stakes and emotion. It's my favourite film of the MCU and yes, even with a lot of contemplation and multiple viewings, it definitely is my favourite film of 2018. You can read my full review here.

Not a bad list even if I do say so myself. If you want to know my ranking of every new release in 2018 then you can check out my list on Letterboxd here.

What were your favourite films of 2018? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy New Year and thanks for reading! 

Widows & Suspiria

A double bill for this post, with a review of both Widows and Suspiria. Enjoy!

Widows

Director Steve McQueen has taken an interesting route in his career, having started making films like Hunger and Shame before heading towards Oscar territory with 12 Years a Slave and now into genre filmmaking with Widows. The film was advertised as a heist movie, so be warned that - although the very basic premise is that four thieves wives finish of heist after their husbands are killed - this is not a heist movie. There’s a whole lot going on here: political tensions, class tensions, racial tensions, all set to the backdrop of Chicago. When the film first finished I was satisfied with the result, I had enjoyed the ride. Upon further thinking I realised that there was a lot of stuff in the film that either didn’t make sense, or just didn’t add anything to the story. This film almost has too much going on, it wants to say too much and in doing so, certain elements feel like they have been dropped in order to be topical rather than add anything to the story. We spend large chucks of time with characters only for them disappear for forty minutes and then reappear later. I felt like the widows themselves didn’t actually become the protagonists of the film until halfway through and even now I would argue this was presented more as an ensemble piece. Performances are fantastic; with the stand outs being Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Kaluuya and Colin Farrel. Though I feel like I rarely found out anything about the characters, Farrel seems to the only one with any sense of history. Debicki is the only character with an arc because we have no idea what kind of person Davis’s character was before the events of the film and despite how good Kaluuya is, his character just ends up being a footnote. McQueen obviously knows what he’s doing; there are shots and angles in this film that would never have been done by someone less artistically inclined with this kind of script. Despite the great cinematography and brilliant performances, this film just doesn’t hit all the high notes it sets out to reach.

3.5.5

Suspiria

It’s been a few days since I saw this film and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it, but I’ll try. It’s a remake of the 1977 Italian film of the same name - I liked the original but didn’t love it. I came to it late and although it looks gorgeous, certain elements felt dated and I had a hard time investing in any of the characters. The 2018 remake has the same basic premise but is more Suspiria in vibe and atmosphere than name. It completely sucks you in with its cold yet beautiful scenery, slow pace and hypnotic score composed by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. There’s no mistaking it as Suspiria; it might not be brightly coloured but the experimental camera movements that catch you off guard create that eerie vibe and the creativity that comes with the visual elements really go against everything you expect. It’s a horror film that really unsettles you, something feels off in every scene but not in a bad way. For the long running time I was completely enthralled, totally mesmerised. I only remember one or two moments when I wanted the film to hurry up a bit - not bad for the two-and-a-half-hour experience. My favourite addition to this film was the emphasis on the dance scenes, this time they are staples of the film. The witchcraft is fully on display as they usually depict two scenes at once - one mesmerising, one horrific - they are a marvel to watch and are the best moments in the film. It takes the original and makes it more polished, gives it more to say and leaves the audience with more to think about. You can tell everyone involved is working their hardest to make this film worthy of the original. Director Luca Guadagnino oozes creativity into the narrative whilst his cast work wonders on the performances. If you thought the Fifty Shades series would ruin Dakota Johnson then think again, she’s never been better than in this. Tilda Swinton better get some Academy recognition for playing what could have been most of the characters in this film and just being utterly incredible. The film is absolutely nuts at points but is an absolute blast to watch; it will leave you in a state of confusion as you try and process what you’ve just witnessed but I think I loved it...

5/5

What did you think of the films? Love them hate them, let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!