2018 was such a roller-coaster ride that coming up with a few satisfactory paragraphs to introduce this list feels like climbing Mount Everest. But for what it's worth, I can try.....
Is the movie business as we've known it on life support? It's a question I've thought about all year long. Box office-wise, ticket sales went up in 2018, but much of the boost can be attributed to two mammoths (Black Panther and Infinity War) that outperformed everything from 2017. Aside from the handful of event releases (most of which came from Disney, whose utter dominance over the marketplace isn't being talked about as much as it should be), the heat has waned from theatrical movie-going. Search your average social media feed, and you'll discover far more attention being paid to the latest TV or streaming property than anything in theaters (consider the sheer volume of chatter about Netflix's Bird Box, which took me by surprise). In 2014, I bemoaned that movies' cultural dominance appeared on the wane. In 2018, I've reached the "acceptance" stage of grief.
At this time last year, I was overjoyed by the rise of MoviePass. Unfortunately, when I described it as "seemingly too good to be true," it turned out to be exactly that. Poor planning and horrific mismanagement led to constantly changing terms and conditions as well as the company flat-out running out of money at one point during the summer. As such, I cancelled my subscription at the end of November and joined AMC-Stubs A List. It doesn't cover nearly as many theaters as MoviePass, but at $20 per month, it's significantly better than paying full price for each ticket. Nevertheless, in spite of MoviePass the company failing, the underlying concept succeeded. In order to compete with streaming, the theatrical experience needs a subscription plan. Otherwise, it will sink like an anvil in the next few years.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the one thing nearly every one entertainment outlet has talked about in 2018: representation. This year saw a sharp increase in representation from minority groups in front of and behind the camera. This is as it should be going forward; it is both welcome and long overdue. In addition, consider how diversity can give mainstream movie-going a boost, as the success of Black Panther and (to a lesser extent) Crazy Rich Asians can attest to. And while I have qualms with the recent trend in evaluating art for its morality more than anything else (best expressed in a magnificent New York Times piece by the Pulitzer Prize-winning movie critic Wesley Morris), it can't be all bad if good art comes out of it.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the one thing nearly every one entertainment outlet has talked about in 2018: representation. This year saw a sharp increase in representation from minority groups in front of and behind the camera. This is as it should be going forward; it is both welcome and long overdue. In addition, consider how diversity can give mainstream movie-going a boost, as the success of Black Panther and (to a lesser extent) Crazy Rich Asians can attest to. And while I have qualms with the recent trend in evaluating art for its morality more than anything else (best expressed in a magnificent New York Times piece by the Pulitzer Prize-winning movie critic Wesley Morris), it can't be all bad if good art comes out of it.
Finally, I must note that this Top 10 is a little on the weak side. Many of them wouldn't have made the cut for 2017. Still, I highly recommend them all. Is your favorite missing? Oh well. Tough.
As always, I present five runners-up in alphabetical order (consider them a tie for 11th place), followed by the Top 10 in reverse order. Gotta save the best for last.
Runners-Up
First Reformed-- A slowly-moving but haunting tale of a priest slowly losing his mind to radicalism, this effort from the great Paul Schrader lit up the indie scene. Ethan Hawke has rarely been this good.
Green Book-- Yeah, a certain percentage of Twitter brought out their pitchforks for this one, but whatever. I still found it to be wonderfully enjoyable and more perceptive than many give it credit for.
Mission Impossible Fallout-- The M:I movies are fun in the moment but tend to quickly fade from memory. This one lingers more thanks to a tighter plot, better acting, and more memorable action sequences. For my money, it's the best of the series.
Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse-- It's a superhero tale that literally looks like a comic book come to life. Bold, freewheeling, and touching, this is the best screen adventure of your friendly neighborhood web-crawler since Sam Raimi's Spiderman 2.
Widows-- This came oh so close to #10 before being knocked off at the last moment. It's a heist film with all the twists one expects from the genre plus a can't-miss layer of female empowerment and political intrigue. Steve McQueen's first film since 12 Years a Slave was worth the five-year wait.
Barry Jenkins' follow-up to the Oscar-winning Moonlight is another beautifully filmed winner. Wonderfully nuanced and boasting a star-making turn from Kiki Layne (in her debut), this adaptation of James Baldwin's novel should satisfy just about everyone anticipating it. Its subject matter (an innocent black man thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit) is unquestionably political, but it doesn't feel like a sermon. You'd have to have a heart of lead not to feel for and connect with these characters.
Don't be fooled by the PG rating; this emotionally potent story of a father and daughter making the tough transition from living in the wilderness to a more "normal" society is as mature and thoughtful a tale as you're likely to find on screen in 2018. Exploring topics as diverse as the effects of PTSD and the rights of a child adjusting better than her father to the lifestyle transition, Leave No Trace lingers.
High-concept ideas like this (a whole movie where characters must be quiet to avoid alerting predatory creatures) can be something to behold when executed properly. Suspenseful, atmospheric, and always engaging, A Quiet Place is unquestionably the best horror movie of the year and another stellar entry in a rapidly ascending genre.
Make that two high-concept movies in a row that fire on all cylinders. At long last, someone has figured out how to depict the Internet on screen in what feels like a brand new cinematic language. The basic story, a mystery involving a father investigating his daughter's disappearance, is compelling enough on its own, but the movie's style of depicting all events through computer screens, FaceTime, and social media apps elevates it to something uniquely powerful.
Sure, it won't attain it's full power unless you're caught up on your Marvel Cinematic Universe heroes and their adventures. But if you are, prepare to be dazzled. Epic in scope and boasting one of the most charismatic, dangerous villains in superhero movie history, Infinity War delivers what fans have been eagerly awaiting for so long. For a mainstream action movie, it contains scenes of surprising emotional power and an ending that (regardless of how it holds up in future installments) packs a punch.
I thought about tying this movie with Infinity War, but I feel that Black Panther, by virtue of being a self-contained tale, deserves a slightly higher spot on its own. The hype and critical acclaim for this is entirely justified; this movie works in all the ways a solid action-adventure movie should while at the same time exploring deeper themes involving isolationism and class struggle. The fact that Black Panther finished atop the box office in 2018 illustrates how many mainstream movies, the superhero genre in particular, benefit greatly when kids of color see stories starring characters who look like them.
Teenager-centered movies rarely get better than this. Anchored by a phenomenal performance from Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade hits all the right notes, deftly balancing comedy and drama. It didn't play beyond the indie movie scene, but I think it's pretty accessible even for casual movie-goers. Whether you're male or female, you will see aspects of yourself in this story. In addition, this movie made me extraordinarily thankful I didn't go through my teenage years in the social media era.
3. The Hate U Give
Like Eighth Grade, this is another female-driven coming-of-age story, albeit containing far more extraordinary circumstances. Adapted from Angie Thomas' novel, The Hate U Give is unquestionably a cry against racial injustice, but much like If Beale Street Could Talk, it doesn't feel like an angry screed. The full range of characters and viewpoints on display is remarkable; the movie paints with shades of gray and lets its characters and their situations do the heavy lifting. It's a wonderful movie that sadly got lost in the shuffle of fourth-quarter big releases and awards contenders.
2. BlacKkKlansman
Spike Lee hasn't made a joint this effective in a long time. His latest, based on a story so unbelievable you can't believe it's true, is enthralling from start to finish. Though it's set in the 1970s, the parallels between the issues of the day then and now are impossible to miss. With a high-energy approach and an impeccable sense of time and place, this one is meant to be seen and savored. And the coup de grace of course, is that gut-punch of a flash-forward ending. Disconnected from the previous events of the film but linked thematically, it's hard to think of a more fitting note to conclude on.
1. Blindspotting
My top three movies of 2018 all dealt with American racism in some form or another. As tempting as it may be, I'm not ranking them this way just to make a statement; these are the three that lodged in my mind and affected me more than other films in 2018. And Blindspotting stands tallest among them all. Starring Daveed Diggs (best known for playing Thomas Jefferson in "Hamilton") at the top of his game, this is one whirlwind of a film. It digs deep into the effects of gentrification, police brutality, and yes, privilege. It's the first feature-length film for director Carlos Lopez Estrada, but he balances the serious and powerful and the comically absurd with the skill of someone much more seasoned. This is a movie about serious issues that is nonetheless still tremendously entertaining. The climactic, rap-laden scene, while divisive for some, worked wonders for me. Though it's too low-profile to make so much as a scratch in awards season, I hope more people discover Blindspotting in the years to come. I crown it my No. 1 movie of 2018.
Like Eighth Grade, this is another female-driven coming-of-age story, albeit containing far more extraordinary circumstances. Adapted from Angie Thomas' novel, The Hate U Give is unquestionably a cry against racial injustice, but much like If Beale Street Could Talk, it doesn't feel like an angry screed. The full range of characters and viewpoints on display is remarkable; the movie paints with shades of gray and lets its characters and their situations do the heavy lifting. It's a wonderful movie that sadly got lost in the shuffle of fourth-quarter big releases and awards contenders.
Spike Lee hasn't made a joint this effective in a long time. His latest, based on a story so unbelievable you can't believe it's true, is enthralling from start to finish. Though it's set in the 1970s, the parallels between the issues of the day then and now are impossible to miss. With a high-energy approach and an impeccable sense of time and place, this one is meant to be seen and savored. And the coup de grace of course, is that gut-punch of a flash-forward ending. Disconnected from the previous events of the film but linked thematically, it's hard to think of a more fitting note to conclude on.
My top three movies of 2018 all dealt with American racism in some form or another. As tempting as it may be, I'm not ranking them this way just to make a statement; these are the three that lodged in my mind and affected me more than other films in 2018. And Blindspotting stands tallest among them all. Starring Daveed Diggs (best known for playing Thomas Jefferson in "Hamilton") at the top of his game, this is one whirlwind of a film. It digs deep into the effects of gentrification, police brutality, and yes, privilege. It's the first feature-length film for director Carlos Lopez Estrada, but he balances the serious and powerful and the comically absurd with the skill of someone much more seasoned. This is a movie about serious issues that is nonetheless still tremendously entertaining. The climactic, rap-laden scene, while divisive for some, worked wonders for me. Though it's too low-profile to make so much as a scratch in awards season, I hope more people discover Blindspotting in the years to come. I crown it my No. 1 movie of 2018.
