Here’s my top 10 films of 2018. These are not in order of how I rated the script, acting or direction, rather in order of how much I enjoyed watching them. I’ll keep the actual reviews pretty short as I’ve probably posted about them in more detail throughout the year.
I’ve seen 163 new films this year not all released in 2018 but all new to me. At the end of this review I’ll post the full list.
A few honourable mentions that didn’t quite make the list but are well worth checking out are Creep, The Big Sick, Whiplash, Disaster Artist and Mudbound. Now, here is my count down.
10. Mother! 2017
Darren Aronofsky’s divisive movie hit cinemas in 2017 but I saw it this year. Thought provoking, hard hitting and sometimes uncomfortable to watch, this is as good as Jennifer Lawrence has ever been and I was enthralled from start to finish. A quality film even if you disagree with the message.
9. The Hate U Give 2018
I loved the performances given by father and daughter Russell Hornsby (Mav) and Amandla Stenberg (Starr) in this film that follows a family (and the community they live in) as their lives get changed following the police shooting of an unarmed friend. Stunning work.
8. Bad times at the El Royale 2018
Drew Goddard wrote and directed this picture. We have a brilliant ensemble cast that is combined with great production value, an awesome soundtrack and a witty script to give you a Tarantino-esque movie that is just a ton of fun to watch.
7. Detroit 2017
Another one from 2017 that I saw late. About as far away from the fun film that was number 8 in the list as humanly possible. This wrenching movie based on the 1967 Detroit riots left me feeling pretty low about the world and more than a little ashamed about what we as a species are capable of doing to each other. The acting is of the highest calibre and does the script the justice it deserves. Amazing and haunting in equal measure.
6. Kodachrome 2017
This and the number 5 pick were almost interchangeable in ranking. Two father and son road trip movies that hit the spot perfectly. Jason Sudeikis blew me away in this film, he was brilliant and I never thought he had that level of acting talent. Elizabeth Olsen continues to impress too and Ed Harris was great as Jason’s grizzled dad. Seriously impressive stuff.
5. Nebraska 2013
The oldest film in this review. It gets the nod above number 6 for two reasons. 1 is the cinematography, and 2 is Bruce Dern. The movie looks beautiful, every shot could have been a still in an art gallery. Dern is magical in this film and fully deserved his Oscar nomination and in my view shouldn’t have lost out to Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club. It is a beautiful film and I hope more people watch it.
4. A Quiet Place 2018
This stunning horror film had me on edge from start to finish. Deliciously nerve-jangling with almost perfect pacing and an amazing score. A brilliantly surprising film that had me smiling and thinking about it for days after.
3. Avengers: Infinity War 2018
This massive blockbuster had everything I wanted from a superhero film. Almost non-stop action, a villain that stole the show, and twists at the end. An amazing feat of direction from the Russo brothers to bring all those characters together and have a film still make sense. Next April cannot come soon enough!
2. Bohemian Rhapsody 2018
This epic foot stomping movie isn’t without it’s problems but god damn I had a good time watching it. 2 hours and 14 minutes of Queen goodness and the Live Aid finale hit me hard. The feeling I had walking out of the showing has diluted quite a bit over time which is why it isn’t number 1 on my list, but still an awesome watch.
1. A Star Is Born 2018
I loved this film, just stunning. Lady Gaga was sensational, every emotion she tried to convey was believable, I was stunned. Bradley Cooper; we all know he can act and this film is no different, but this was his directorial debut and he took risks but in my opinion they all paid off. Sam Elliot is breathtakingly good too, to tell a story with just a look in one scene is some top class work. I want to see Oscar nominations for all three of these actors next year.
Thanks for all the comments on this years reviews, it’s nice to see people are enjoying them regardless of whether they agree or not. I’ll try to do more next year. Please let me know if there are any films you want reviewing. I will, as the below list shows, watch anything.
See you all next year, you beautiful people.
Films I have watched in 2018:
Great Gatsby (2013)
The Resident
The Wall
A Walk Amongst the Tombstones
Power Rangers
Mothers Day
Bright
Manchester by the Sea
The Shape of Water
Victor Frankenstein
San Andreas
Triangle
True Story
Good Time
Creep
Creep 2
Eye in the Sky
Jupiter Ascending
The Belko Experiment
1922
The Open house
Miss Sloane
The Big Sick
Wind Chill
A Monster Calls
The Babysitter
Smashed
The Lobster
Girl on the Train
Black Panther
Ladybird
Pete’s Dragon
Gods of Egypt
Kill Command
Hidden Figures
The Shallows
Monster Family
Fences
Christine
The people vs Larry Flynt
Nocturnal Animals
Purge, Election Year
John Wick 2
Transformers the Last Knight
Kong Skull Island
The Girl with all the Gifts
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
The Revenent
Whiplash
Detroit
Annihilation
A Quiet Place
Ghost Stories
The Martian
Money Monster
Hacksaw Ridge
Strangers 2 Prey at Night
A Cure for Wellness
While We’re Young
Avengers Infinity Wars
Huntsman Winter War
Pet
The Stanford Prison Experiment
Jeepers Creepers 3
Les Misérables
Atomic Blonde
Blood Family
Passengers
The Conjuring 2
American Made
Warcraft
The Mummy
The Great Wall
The Darkness
Wish Upon
You Get Me
The Midnight Man
Geostorm
Happy Death Day
Mother
La La Land
War Dogs
Disaster Artist
The Captive
BlackkKlansman
Pacific Rim Uprising
Tomb Raider
Extinction
Enemy
Chocolàt
Nebraska
Kodachrome
Glass Castle
Into the Wild
Hot Bot
To the Bone
Walk the Line
Ingrid goes West
Please Stand By
Final Girl
Hope Floats
Rex
A Simple Favour
Jack Reacher 2
Inferno
Beauty and the Beast
Into the Woods
Pyewacket
King Arthur
The Boy
Blood Father
Battle of the Sexes
Solo
A Star Is Born
Venom
Titan
A Star Is Born (1976)
Molly’s Game
The Manchurian Candidate
Oceans 8
Unsane
American Honey
The Commuter
All the Money in the World
Roman J Israel Esq
Resident Evil The Final Chapter
The Hate U Give
Halloween
Bad times at the El Royale
Bohemian Rhapsody
Cleveland Abduction
Fundamentals of Caring
Mudbound
Submarine
Widows
Old Man and the Gun
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore
Ghostbusters
Game Night
Better Watch Out
Mom and Dad
Robin Hood
The Kingsman The Golden Circle
I Kill Giants
Kubo and the Two Strings
Sorry to Bother You
Gone
Friend Request
The Legend of Tarzan
Lights Out
Beautiful Boy
Katie Says Goodbye
Creed 2
Aquaman
Larry Crown
Greatest Showman
Christmas Chronicles
The House
Definitely Maybe
You Were Never Really Here
Ready Player One
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom
Youngy's Film Reviews 