Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2018
Well, 2018 is over so it's time to reflect on the best movies it had to offer. Personally, some movies that I was really looking forward to didn't quite live up to my expectations like last year, but that doesn't mean there aren't some good ones this year and some were totally worth it. Now I'm going to arrange my picks in alphabetical order because I often have second thoughts of where I would rank a movie. Like on my best of 2017 video, I would put Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Lady Bird in my top 5, instead of the places where I initially put them.
Avengers Infinity War
I figured we would start with the biggest movie of 2018. After 10 years of establishing characters we love and a stirring cinematic universe, Marvel Studios brings us a super epic and harrowing challenge for our large cast of heroes to go against Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet. The anticipation and hype for this film could not be overstated, especially from me. And it was quite an experience seeing it in the theater with a large group of my friends. We get really good character team-ups (Stark and Dr. Strange being my favorite pairing), good twists like where the Soul Stone was the whole time, and a chilling, intimidating and complex antagonist who would go down in cinematic history as one of the great villains. And talk about a heavy and despondent ending!
Now if I have to be brutally honest, I would not say this is my favorite Marvel movie of all time; that honor would still go the first Avengers film. I had some thoughts of what this movie would be like, such as having all the heroes go against Thanos to try and finish it, but that may be too much. And there were some characters that I wished got more screentime like Cap and Spidey. Plus I wish Tony Stark and Rocket Racoon would meet up. By Thor and Bucky's standards, a talking raccoon seems normal to them. I want to see someone like Tony be boggled by Rocket. But all nitpicks aside, this was an incredible feat by Marvel and the Russos, and it gets better the more I watch it. I can't wait to see my favorite band of heroes reunite to makes things right again in Avengers Endgame! But I'm scared as well for possible endings for one to two characters. Still, bring on the feels.
Black Panther
Like Infinity War, this one was also an event, though not on the same level. Granted, there had been some other black superhero centered films like Blade, but Black Panther took it to another level. The culture of Wakanda was amazing and the whole movie had a different formula than the other Marvel films which made it all the more refreshing. Heck, without the Marvel Studios logo, I wouldn't think it was a Marvel film. While Chadwick Boseman is a good lead, it's the supporting characters that steal the show from the awesome female characters to Michael B. Jordan as one of the best Marvel villains, Killmonger. I know for some it's popular to call this film overrated, but I was very much into it and still think it's one of the best that the MCU has offered. Sue me. And for a while, I thought this film could rival Infinity War, that is until one other movie popped up but we'll get to it later. Can't say much else except Wakanda forever!
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First Man
Strangely enough, after two successful films centering around jazz, Damien Chazelle chooses to focus his next film on Neil Armstrong and how he went down in history as the first man who walked on the moon. However, with his mastery, he puts together a personal look into the life of Armstrong as well as an intense thriller that highlights the risks involved with space travel. It had noteworthy performances from Ryan Gosling as Armstrong and especially Claire Foy as his wife, as well as gripping and beautiful space scenes. Now, this film would not be everybody's cup of tea, and I know a lot of people put it down for being tedious and/or skipping the flag planting. But again, I've seen the movie and the flag is present on the lunar surface. They even show the publicity of the whole historical event and how America has changed the world with it. And Armstong saw it as more as an American achievement; it was an outstanding human achievement. To sum it up, this movie enthralled me like Chazelle's previous two films.
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Game Night
This year, I saw some previews for comedies that looked like they had some potential, such as Blockers and Tag. But the one I'm selecting as my favorite and one of the most enjoyable comedies I've seen in quite a while is Game Night. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams play Max and Annie, a couple who host game nights for their friends. When Max's showoff brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) comes into town, he invites his brother and company to a murder mystery game night. But things go wrong when Brooks gets kidnapped for real and the game turns scary real.
To start things off, I enjoyed Bateman, McAdams, and the cast. They all had their shining moments. The standouts included Jesse Plemmons as Max & Annie's creepy and super awkward officer neighbor and Billy Magnussen as Ryan who's not very bright. I just love his stupid face. I also have to give a shout-out to the dog in the film who also appeared in Widows. Plus does Rachel McAdams ever age?! Even having her make Pulp Fiction references with a gun makes me love her more. But on top of that, I love the visuals and how it's set up like a game such as a chase scene that looks like Grand Theft Auto or this long take of the characters throwing a priceless egg around and avoiding to be caught. It all amounts into a super funny, dark, and crazy comedy that I had a blast with.
Green Book
We've had some very powerful, provocative films on racism this year like BlackKklansman and Blindspotting. But then there are films like Green Book which deals with similar issues but it's a light-hearted, entertaining, and moving crowd pleaser. Based on a true story, a bouncer named Tony gets a job driving around a pianist for a tour in the Deep South where they run into the discrimination that black people go through in the 60s and learn from each other which results into a nice friendship. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali knock it out of the park with their performances as two polar opposites as this tour becomes a journey of self-reflection. It has the classic formula of a buddy comedy, but with two exceptional performances and a lovely 60s aesthetic, you get one of the best this year.
Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson's second stop-motion film takes us to Japan where the canine population has been exiled on a trash island due to the disease they carry. We follow a young boy who comes to the island in a jet to look for his lost dog with the help of a pack. I must have watched the trailer to this movie over 100 times because I was so captivated by the story, the animation, and the huge cast. And in the end, it exceeded my expectations, so much so that I enjoyed it better than Fantastic Mr. Fox which was the first Wes Anderson movie I've seen. Come to think of it, it's very fitting.
Leading the voice cast is Bryan Cranston as Chief, a stray who's part of a pack of dogs with names of high rank such as Rex, King, Duke, and Boss. They're voiced by Anderson favorites Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Bob Balaban. Together, they help the little pilot find his lost dog as the standoffish Chief learns the value of being a dog to a boy. On top of that, the animation is just phenomenal. I love the attention to detail, especially on Trash Island. There's even this unbelievable segment of a sushi meal being prepped and it looks so fluid and real! I also love the music by Alexandre Desplat whose score gives the film an epic scale. For a year of movies that had its share of disillusions, this film was a major exception.
Mission Impossible: Fallot
Tom Cruise and company returned for the sixth film in the franchise, along with director Christopher McQuarrie who became the first director to come back to direct an MI film. Rogue Nation is by far my favorite of the franchise, and a lot of its characters and plotline are carried on in this film. But again they don't disappoint with the stuntwork provided by Cruise and we get some insane sequences such as a Halo jump and a helicopter chase. Some may recognize this film as the one where Henry Cavill's mustache caused one of the most glaring flaws in Justice League, but I can forgive it for being an exhilarating action flick. Plus I think Cavill looks fine with that stache. Even after 20 years when the first one came out, I never would have thought it would still be at its peak with Fallout. They can pretty much stop at this point for the better of Cruise's health. I don't want that crazy SOB to injure himself again, the way he did with his ankle.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
I have to be honest, I had no idea this was going to be a movie. I saw it initially as another cash grab by Sony, much like Venom. But then, I started to become intrigued by the animation and the story from the trailers. Then when it came out, people went gaga over this film, saying it was the best Spider-Man movie since Spider-Man 2. When I went to see it, I tried to keep my expectations low because I haven't been the biggest fan of Spider-Man 2 or even Spider-Man Homecoming (I still love Tom Holland though.) But after watching the film, I have to say...WOW! I haven't enjoyed a Spider-Man movie this much since the first one by Sam Raimi. First off, the animation style is uniquely spectacular, making it look like an animated comic book. But on top of that, the characters are so likable! We get to see Miles Morales' origin story as he learns from other Spider people from different dimensions how to be a hero. There's a Peter Parker who's a slob, Gwen Stacy, Spider-Noir, Peni Parker, and even a Spider-Pig! And yet this movie balances all these characters and story elements so well! It just has a great blend of humor, depth, and characterization in a beautiful package. This was a huge surprise for me, and I felt this could rival Infinity War as my favorite comic book movie of the year. It was, without a doubt, the most spectacular Spider-Man movie I've seen. Also much love to Stan Lee and all he did for the comic book industry! Rest in peace, Stan.
They Shall Not Grow Old
I felt this was a great year for documentaries. We've had one on RBG, Mister Rogers, and the triplets who got separated and reunited later in their lives, only to find out the shocking reason behind their separation. And one of the most incredible documentaries I've come across was Peter Jackson's documentary on World War I where he shows an intimate look into the British soldiers who gave their lives to fight in the Great War, using their own words from archival interviews. He restores footage from over a hundred years ago and colorizes it, even adding sound to make it come alive so we can share the soldiers' struggle and humanity. It also doesn't shy away from all the death and disease that this Great War carried. This overall was a remarkable documentary and perhaps the best thing that Jackson did since The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I salute Sir Peter Jackson for this film!
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Another documentary that affected me was Won't You Be My Neighbor which showed the life of Fred Rogers and his beliefs and ideas on child development, love, and acceptance. As of now, we're living in a very dark and divisive period in history, and I certainly had my share of baggage this past couple of years. However, this figure from my childhood began to resurface in my mind. I liked watching Mister Rogers when I was young, but like most people, I grew up and moved on. But by golly, right now I felt like I was taking him for granted. Today, every time I watch a video of him, I tear up. And this documentary is a great testament on how "a little kindness makes a world of difference." It even highlights how radical Mister Rogers can be in his own kind and accepting way. An example is how in response to reports of black people being driven away from pools, Mister Rogers had a black officer, played by Francois Clemmons, come over and enjoy having their feet cool off in a little pool. It's also very touching how Clemmons, who was also gay, received the love and acceptance he never got from Fred, whom he considers to be his surrogate father.
Plus I never thought a scene from the show in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe could make me bawl my eyes out. It involves Daniel Tiger singing to his friend, Lady Aberlin, on how he wonders if he's a mistake and not perfect. She sings back to him that she thinks he's not at all a mistake and that he is fine the way he is, which then turns into a duet. The reason why it hit me so much is that I have been struck by depression and extreme self-doubt, believing I'm not good enough or strong enough to do anything. My family always tell me that I am an extraordinary person, capable of anything, but it's hard for me to believe it. I have a habit of comparing my life to other peoples' lives and how little I have. But sometimes I feel like I need to remember this quote from Fred Rogers in his last commencement speech at Dartmouth on what he means when he says it's you I like:
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
I figured we would start with the biggest movie of 2018. After 10 years of establishing characters we love and a stirring cinematic universe, Marvel Studios brings us a super epic and harrowing challenge for our large cast of heroes to go against Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet. The anticipation and hype for this film could not be overstated, especially from me. And it was quite an experience seeing it in the theater with a large group of my friends. We get really good character team-ups (Stark and Dr. Strange being my favorite pairing), good twists like where the Soul Stone was the whole time, and a chilling, intimidating and complex antagonist who would go down in cinematic history as one of the great villains. And talk about a heavy and despondent ending!
Now if I have to be brutally honest, I would not say this is my favorite Marvel movie of all time; that honor would still go the first Avengers film. I had some thoughts of what this movie would be like, such as having all the heroes go against Thanos to try and finish it, but that may be too much. And there were some characters that I wished got more screentime like Cap and Spidey. Plus I wish Tony Stark and Rocket Racoon would meet up. By Thor and Bucky's standards, a talking raccoon seems normal to them. I want to see someone like Tony be boggled by Rocket. But all nitpicks aside, this was an incredible feat by Marvel and the Russos, and it gets better the more I watch it. I can't wait to see my favorite band of heroes reunite to makes things right again in Avengers Endgame! But I'm scared as well for possible endings for one to two characters. Still, bring on the feels.
Like Infinity War, this one was also an event, though not on the same level. Granted, there had been some other black superhero centered films like Blade, but Black Panther took it to another level. The culture of Wakanda was amazing and the whole movie had a different formula than the other Marvel films which made it all the more refreshing. Heck, without the Marvel Studios logo, I wouldn't think it was a Marvel film. While Chadwick Boseman is a good lead, it's the supporting characters that steal the show from the awesome female characters to Michael B. Jordan as one of the best Marvel villains, Killmonger. I know for some it's popular to call this film overrated, but I was very much into it and still think it's one of the best that the MCU has offered. Sue me. And for a while, I thought this film could rival Infinity War, that is until one other movie popped up but we'll get to it later. Can't say much else except Wakanda forever!
Strangely enough, after two successful films centering around jazz, Damien Chazelle chooses to focus his next film on Neil Armstrong and how he went down in history as the first man who walked on the moon. However, with his mastery, he puts together a personal look into the life of Armstrong as well as an intense thriller that highlights the risks involved with space travel. It had noteworthy performances from Ryan Gosling as Armstrong and especially Claire Foy as his wife, as well as gripping and beautiful space scenes. Now, this film would not be everybody's cup of tea, and I know a lot of people put it down for being tedious and/or skipping the flag planting. But again, I've seen the movie and the flag is present on the lunar surface. They even show the publicity of the whole historical event and how America has changed the world with it. And Armstong saw it as more as an American achievement; it was an outstanding human achievement. To sum it up, this movie enthralled me like Chazelle's previous two films.
This year, I saw some previews for comedies that looked like they had some potential, such as Blockers and Tag. But the one I'm selecting as my favorite and one of the most enjoyable comedies I've seen in quite a while is Game Night. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams play Max and Annie, a couple who host game nights for their friends. When Max's showoff brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) comes into town, he invites his brother and company to a murder mystery game night. But things go wrong when Brooks gets kidnapped for real and the game turns scary real.
To start things off, I enjoyed Bateman, McAdams, and the cast. They all had their shining moments. The standouts included Jesse Plemmons as Max & Annie's creepy and super awkward officer neighbor and Billy Magnussen as Ryan who's not very bright. I just love his stupid face. I also have to give a shout-out to the dog in the film who also appeared in Widows. Plus does Rachel McAdams ever age?! Even having her make Pulp Fiction references with a gun makes me love her more. But on top of that, I love the visuals and how it's set up like a game such as a chase scene that looks like Grand Theft Auto or this long take of the characters throwing a priceless egg around and avoiding to be caught. It all amounts into a super funny, dark, and crazy comedy that I had a blast with.
We've had some very powerful, provocative films on racism this year like BlackKklansman and Blindspotting. But then there are films like Green Book which deals with similar issues but it's a light-hearted, entertaining, and moving crowd pleaser. Based on a true story, a bouncer named Tony gets a job driving around a pianist for a tour in the Deep South where they run into the discrimination that black people go through in the 60s and learn from each other which results into a nice friendship. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali knock it out of the park with their performances as two polar opposites as this tour becomes a journey of self-reflection. It has the classic formula of a buddy comedy, but with two exceptional performances and a lovely 60s aesthetic, you get one of the best this year.
Wes Anderson's second stop-motion film takes us to Japan where the canine population has been exiled on a trash island due to the disease they carry. We follow a young boy who comes to the island in a jet to look for his lost dog with the help of a pack. I must have watched the trailer to this movie over 100 times because I was so captivated by the story, the animation, and the huge cast. And in the end, it exceeded my expectations, so much so that I enjoyed it better than Fantastic Mr. Fox which was the first Wes Anderson movie I've seen. Come to think of it, it's very fitting.
Leading the voice cast is Bryan Cranston as Chief, a stray who's part of a pack of dogs with names of high rank such as Rex, King, Duke, and Boss. They're voiced by Anderson favorites Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Bob Balaban. Together, they help the little pilot find his lost dog as the standoffish Chief learns the value of being a dog to a boy. On top of that, the animation is just phenomenal. I love the attention to detail, especially on Trash Island. There's even this unbelievable segment of a sushi meal being prepped and it looks so fluid and real! I also love the music by Alexandre Desplat whose score gives the film an epic scale. For a year of movies that had its share of disillusions, this film was a major exception.
Mission Impossible: Fallot
Tom Cruise and company returned for the sixth film in the franchise, along with director Christopher McQuarrie who became the first director to come back to direct an MI film. Rogue Nation is by far my favorite of the franchise, and a lot of its characters and plotline are carried on in this film. But again they don't disappoint with the stuntwork provided by Cruise and we get some insane sequences such as a Halo jump and a helicopter chase. Some may recognize this film as the one where Henry Cavill's mustache caused one of the most glaring flaws in Justice League, but I can forgive it for being an exhilarating action flick. Plus I think Cavill looks fine with that stache. Even after 20 years when the first one came out, I never would have thought it would still be at its peak with Fallout. They can pretty much stop at this point for the better of Cruise's health. I don't want that crazy SOB to injure himself again, the way he did with his ankle.
I have to be honest, I had no idea this was going to be a movie. I saw it initially as another cash grab by Sony, much like Venom. But then, I started to become intrigued by the animation and the story from the trailers. Then when it came out, people went gaga over this film, saying it was the best Spider-Man movie since Spider-Man 2. When I went to see it, I tried to keep my expectations low because I haven't been the biggest fan of Spider-Man 2 or even Spider-Man Homecoming (I still love Tom Holland though.) But after watching the film, I have to say...WOW! I haven't enjoyed a Spider-Man movie this much since the first one by Sam Raimi. First off, the animation style is uniquely spectacular, making it look like an animated comic book. But on top of that, the characters are so likable! We get to see Miles Morales' origin story as he learns from other Spider people from different dimensions how to be a hero. There's a Peter Parker who's a slob, Gwen Stacy, Spider-Noir, Peni Parker, and even a Spider-Pig! And yet this movie balances all these characters and story elements so well! It just has a great blend of humor, depth, and characterization in a beautiful package. This was a huge surprise for me, and I felt this could rival Infinity War as my favorite comic book movie of the year. It was, without a doubt, the most spectacular Spider-Man movie I've seen. Also much love to Stan Lee and all he did for the comic book industry! Rest in peace, Stan.
They Shall Not Grow Old
I felt this was a great year for documentaries. We've had one on RBG, Mister Rogers, and the triplets who got separated and reunited later in their lives, only to find out the shocking reason behind their separation. And one of the most incredible documentaries I've come across was Peter Jackson's documentary on World War I where he shows an intimate look into the British soldiers who gave their lives to fight in the Great War, using their own words from archival interviews. He restores footage from over a hundred years ago and colorizes it, even adding sound to make it come alive so we can share the soldiers' struggle and humanity. It also doesn't shy away from all the death and disease that this Great War carried. This overall was a remarkable documentary and perhaps the best thing that Jackson did since The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I salute Sir Peter Jackson for this film!
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Plus I never thought a scene from the show in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe could make me bawl my eyes out. It involves Daniel Tiger singing to his friend, Lady Aberlin, on how he wonders if he's a mistake and not perfect. She sings back to him that she thinks he's not at all a mistake and that he is fine the way he is, which then turns into a duet. The reason why it hit me so much is that I have been struck by depression and extreme self-doubt, believing I'm not good enough or strong enough to do anything. My family always tell me that I am an extraordinary person, capable of anything, but it's hard for me to believe it. I have a habit of comparing my life to other peoples' lives and how little I have. But sometimes I feel like I need to remember this quote from Fred Rogers in his last commencement speech at Dartmouth on what he means when he says it's you I like:
"...what that ultimately means, of course, is that you don't ever have to do anything sensational for people to love you."It has been emotional, typing about this documentary. If you haven't seen it, or if you feel down and you are starting to lose faith in the good of humanity, then give it a watch. You might feel a little better and inspired. I guarantee it.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Annihilation (almost forgot that one)
- BlackKklansman
- A Star is Born
- A Quiet Place
- A Simple Favor
- Hereditary
- Mandy
- Widows
- Ready Player One
- The Party's Just Beginning
- Searching
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- Suspiria
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