Like last year, I decided to make a top 20 of my favorite movies. And 2018 did bring us some gems. It’s based on Dutch release dates, so you might see some movies on this list that are originally from 2017, but came out in 2018 in The Netherlands. And if you miss some movies, it’s possible that it won’t be released here until 2018. It was very tough to create this list and I had to leave of some really good ones. But here are the 20 best films of 2018, according to me.
20. Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut is a perfectly-formed love letter to teenage girls and their long-suffering mothers everywhere. Gerwig channels her own upbringing in Sacremento into the coming-of-age story of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson. Saoirse Ronan is dependably excellent as Lady Bird. While Laurie Metcalfe teases out subtle tear-jerking emotion as her fraught but deeply caring mother.
19. The Death of Stalin
The insult comedy of Iannucci somehow fits the backroom dealing of 1950s Soviet Union. The silly physical comedy, particularly in the early scenes where the men discover Stalin’s corpse, is the best. Iannucci seems to be a master of finding humor in the bleakest scenarios imaginable, exposing the petty human foibles behind history’s greatest horrors.
18. Black Panther
“Black Panther” creates a rich and vibrant world. And the fact that it is the first time we witnessed a majority black cast, tells a powerful and positive back story within the shell of a mainstream superhero blockbuster.
17. Game Night
At first sight, “Game Night” doesn’t look particularly exceptional. Another R-rated US comedy with high concept conceit and Jason Bateman’s bemused face across the poster? But, in a surprise to almost everybody, “Game Night” turns out to be one of the best comedies of the year (if not the best). Thanks to the pointed script, stellar performances and a genuinely intriguing story.
16. Deadpool 2
Directed by one of the guys that killed John Wick’s dog, David Leitch and presented by the studio that killed Wolverine. “Deadpool 2” is not for the faint of heart. Lots of swearing, blood spilling and pop-culture references. Ryan Reynold’s superhero is that savage friend that consistently yells sick burns at everyone while the audience goes, “nice”. Meta as you like, it’s hyper-referential, very funny indeed and has one of the best post-credits sequences in any Marvel movie ever.
15. I, Tonya
Tonya Harding has gone down in the history books as, primarily, a villain. ‘The incident’ at the 1994 Winter Olympics, dwarfed her considerable achievements in figure skating. Craig Gillespie’s propulsive and slickly-edited biopic seeks to re-dress that balance. “I, Tonya” shifts between conflicting viewpoints, but largely presents Harding as a flawed but wronged woman who fought her way through abuse, neglect and prejudice. Margot Robbie is utterly compelling, but it’s Allison Janney who steals the show as Tonya’s hateful mom.
14. Annihilation
“Annihilation” is one of the best sci-fi films of the last years. It’s a mind-blowing trip into an inscrutable heart of darkness that marks writer and director Alex garland as one of the genre’s true greats. It’s an unsettling and hallucinatory tale of destruction and transformation, division and replication. It’s frighteningly unique.
13. Searching
A missing-persons thriller taking place entirely on a computer screen. In effect, the film reverse-engineers an entire character and set of life experiences in ways that we, the users of social media, could probably afford to if want to better understand each other. It’s a world experiences by all of us, in which social media, regardless of identity, is both a glue that binds and a reflection of personal isolation. The way this simple story was executed and how it adds some surprising plot twists, is just excellent. Originality in Hollywood isn’t dead yet.
12. Under the Silver Lake
“Under the Silver Lake” is a down-the-rabbit-hole movie, at once gripping and baffling, fueled by passion and dread but also by the code-fixation opacity of conspiracy theory. The movie is impeccably shot and staged, with an insanely lush soundtrack. When it’s over, you fell like you’ve seen a meta-mystery made by someone who is friends with David Lynch.
11. Love, Simon
“Love, Simon” is the most relatable high school movies of the year and it also just so happens to be groundbreaking in its depiction of a gay character in a mainstream teen flick. Director Greg Berlanti treat all of his characters with empathy, but Nick Robinson is a revelation as the titular Simon. He has charm to spare and “Love, Simon” marks him as a major talent, keeping Simon likeable even when the film’s revealing his shortcomings. This is also a movie that does away with stereotypes. It’s a rare group of movie high-schoolers you’d actually want to hang out with. And it’s a joy to watch the romantic mystery unfold, with unexpected surprises and second-guessing assumptions.
10. Avengers: Infinity War
The movie that left us all wanting more and with so many unanswered questions. But it deserves to be on my list for the sheer audacity of a cast that size and for being the culmination of 18 movies and 10 years’ planning. It’s even cinema and the box office goes to prove it. The only movie I saw in theaters this year more than once.
9. A Quiet Place
“A Quiet Place” came out of nowhere to become one of the best films of the year and for me the best horror film of 2018. And that’s because of its simple storyline, expert performances and ironically its use of sound. It’s a tale about family life and how complicated familial relationships can be at times, especially post-apocalypse. Add to that a strong horror element as the family are stalked by the invaders and remain in an almost constant state of fear at the sound of any noise whatsoever. And it’s a thrilling ride from start to finish. The movie barely puts a foot wrong.
8. Isle of Dogs
This is a masterpiece of modern stop-motion work, right up there with “Kubo and the Two Strings” and that other Wes Anderson stop-motion “Fantastic Mr. Fox”. As with any Wes Anderson movie, “Isle of Dogs” is jam-packed with lovably quirky characters, imaginative ideas, playful banter, and the kinds of perfectly framed shots you could easily hang on your wall as art.
7. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
I can’t think of any other movie franchise, where the movies get better each time. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is the finest action film since 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road”. The intertwining of the personal and professional provides a sturdy backbone for a series of set pieces that, especially in IMAX, are nothing short of astonishing. And that helicopter chase scene is one of the best action sequences I have seen in years. And Tom Cruise may be in his 50s, but he’s still got it! He is the definition of a movie star.
6. A Star is Born
You may have experiences the four existing versions of this tale, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut. It’s a pure drama, that refuses to let you go until it’s wrung you dry of every single emotion. It’s funny, dramatic, heart-wrenchingly sad. Lady Gaga was surprisingly good in her first ever leading movie role. And “A Star is Born” has a killer soundtrack!
5. Christopher Robin
“Christopher Robin” is without a doubt the cutest, sweetest and most heart-felt film of 2018. Seeing A.A. Milne’s beloved characters come to life and going on an adventure with them is such a fun and likeable journey.
4. A Bohemian Rhapsody
It took forever to get made, but what we got was worth the wait. And eventhough it’s paint-by-numbers storytelling, the film is compelling. And Rami Malek plays the role of a lifetime. You get the feeling you’re never watching an actor, you are watching Freddy Mercury. And that last 20 minutes of the film are the absolute highlight!
3. Paddington 2
Paul King’s sequel to 2015’s “Paddington” is a sheer joy, infused with comic instpiration and irresistible sweetness. The set pieces are uniformly inventive, the hybrid live-action/ CGI aesthetics are superb and the cast is fantastic. Only the hardest hearts could resist its good-natured charm.
2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Frances McDormand’s turn as Mildred, a mother experiencing intense grief in the wake of her daughter’s brutal death, is one of deep-welled sadness. The film’s morally complex characters, from Woody Harrelson’s sympathetic but defeated police chief, to Sam Rockwell’s racist doofus cop continue to linger in the memory of nearly a year after release.
1. The Shape of Water
My absolute favorite, number one film of the year. Guillermo Del Toro’s fishy fairytale won big at the Oscar’s and it was well deserved. It’s a beautiful, shamelessly sentimental love story between the mute woman Elisa the fish-man creature from some watery surface. Unconventional love stories are my favorite kind of love story.
Honorable Mentions: The Florida Project, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, Ready Player One, Darkest Hour, Incredibles 2, The Post
