I always have trouble coming up with my top ten list, and this year has been worse than ever. It’s not that there weren’t plenty of great movies (there were), but nothing stood out far and above for me this year. Usually, I can count on one clear favorite movie of the year, but that’s not the case this year. In fact, my top film changed just yesterday after I re-watched a film on my list. Depending on a given day, this list could be very different, and that includes the top spot. In fact, you should really just consider the first four films listed as a four-way tie for my favorite movie. I couldn’t bring myself to actually have a four-way tie, though, so this is the order I settled on right before I published the list.
Before I get to the list, I always like to post a reminder that this is my personal list of my favorite films of the year. This does not mean that I find these films perfect. In fact, a lot of films I chose are not as technically good as films left off my list (for example, Roma is considered by critics and filmmakers alike to be a masterpiece, and while I recognize the technical beauty of the film, it did not resonate with me). Also, I tend to look for two main qualities when it comes to a film: did it make me think and did it entertain me? If it does both, then it’s near the top of the list. But if a movie is entertaining enough even without being all that thought-provoking, it can still end up on my list because I believe spectacle is important in cinema. I like watching movies that allow for analysis, but I also like turning my brain off an simply being wowed. With that written, here are my favorite films of 2018.
(Final note: I don’t want to waste much space on plot summaries, so don’t expect much. If you haven’t heard of some of these, consider checking them out. Or don’t. No big deal.)
1. First Reformed
This little seen film from Paul Schrader (writer of Taxi Driver) about a priest (Ethan Hawke) dealing with multiple issues (the environment, personal regret, alcoholism, faith, the changing church, etc.) stuck with me long after I watched it. I did not think of it as my favorite film until I watched it again recently and appreciated the style of Schrader’s filmmaking. The mostly static camera created a sense of a world existing that the characters were simply passing through (which reinforced the theme of the world that remains when we are gone). It wasn’t style for style’s sake, and it made me think even more about what the movie was all about. What put the movie over the top for me was Hawke’s performance. Finally, this is Ingmar Bergman by way of Taxi Driver. That might seem like a strange combination, but it worked completely for me, making First Reformed my favorite film of the year.
2. You Were Never Really Here
This is another film that I loved after watching it a second time. Writer/director Lynne Ramsay provides a masterclass in “less is more” filmmaking. We’re given just enough snippets and moments to piece together a backstory and full character while also being given glimpses and aftermaths of violence that are much more effective than blatant scenes of gore. And Joaquin Phoenix continues to be one of the most interesting actors working today.
3. Annihilation
For most of the year, this was my favorite film. I have a soft spot for sci-fi, especially smart sci-fi. When you add a trippy, mesmerizing ending, then it becomes one of my favorite films of the year. And honestly, if you ask me to make this list again in a week, any of my top four films could end up as number one. Writer/director Alex Garland has quickly become one of the best science-fiction filmmakers in Hollywood.
4. Mission: Impossible - Fallout
This is the movie I had in mind when I brought up spectacle. The series somehow manages to keep one-upping the previous entry, mainly thanks to Tom Cruise’s devotion (or death wish?) to practical stunts. This entry also stands out for being an actual sequel with callbacks going all the way back to the first film. The best way to sum up my love of this film is this: it’s a two and a half hour long action movie, and I wish it was an hour longer.
5. The Sisters Brothers
I’m a big fan of westerns, especially off-beat entries, and The Sisters Brothers definitely fits that bill. There are plenty of typical western elements (gun fights, bounty hunting, gold panning), but it’s more about the relationship between the titular brothers. John C. Reilly’s character repeatedly talks about his feelings to his more rough brother (Joaquin Phoenix). It’s the rare western that provides everything you want from the genre while also providing welcome surprises.
6. Hereditary
Speaking of surprises, Hereditary was one of the only films this year to truly shock me. For spoiler reasons, I can’t get into it specifically, but if you’ve seen the film, you can probably guess which moment got me. That’s always welcome, but it’s the overall creepiness of the film that places it in my top ten. Having a horror film in my top ten has become an unintended tradition for me, and nothing got under my skin or surprised me like this movie. Also, Toni Collette is amazing.
7. Solo: A Star Wars Story
The Star Wars franchise has me very conflicted these days. I’ve been disappointed by the main films, yet I love the side movies. Solo is one of the most purely enjoyable entries in the series. Some have deemed it unnecessary (yes, some elements, like how he got his last name, are not needed), but since when did a film have to be necessary to be enjoyed. No, I don’t need to know how Han got his blaster or how he met Chewbacca, but I had a good time finding out, and that’s all I wanted from this film.
8. Aquaman
This one might leave some people scratching their head. Believe me, I never thought Aquaman would end up in my top ten. The weirdness of the film won me over. Director James Wan leans heavily into the underwater world, using influences like H. P. Lovecraft to present a very different looking comic book movie. Sure, there is a lot of CG work, but it’s used for good: Aquaman gave us Dolph Lundgren riding a sea-dragon and an octopus playing drums. I had a lot of fun with this movie, and while others found it to have too much plot, too much CG...just too much everything, I found it to be the most entertaining comic book movie of the year.
9. Black Panther
Black Panther could easily have taken the spot above Aquaman, and it only didn’t because Aquaman is a weirder movie, and I like weird stuff. Honestly, “Black Panther” is the better film, and I still love that it is basically a James Bond film within the MCU. I just had slightly more fun watching Aquaman, and fun matters to me. Black Panther is still one of the best comic book movies in recent memory, and I love that it stands on its own rather than simply playing a part in the Marvel ninety movie master plan. The fact that this film is on my list at all should be a testament to its worth as I typically have a “one comic book movie only” rule for my top ten list.
10. The Death of Stalin
I also have an unofficial “at least one comedy” rule for my list, and that’s where The Death of Stalin comes into play. If you like Veep or In the Loop, then this is the movie for you. Writer/director Armando Iannucci continues to deliver the funniest political satire. The only problem is that it’s possible to become a bit depressed by the history of the events portrayed, but the comedy is the point. What can we do but laugh?
Honorable Mention: First Man, If Beale Street Could Talk, Instant Family, A Star Is Born, Paddington 2, The Rider, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, BlacKkKlansman, The Favourite, Mary Queen of Scots
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