I saw a lot of movies this year.
A lot. So much, in fact, that attempting to list them by just 10 felt like a disservice to the other great films of this year. So what did I do? I blew it up to 20! So, without further ado, let's dive into it! (And yes, I'm aware there's great movies from this year I missed out on. If the film is not here, assume that I didn't see it, or just hated it. Especially if it's your favorite film, then I definitely hated it.)
20. Cargo
Directed by Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke
Written by Yolanda Ramke
It's hard to make zombie films, a genre that is effectively beaten into the ground, interesting, but it says a lot about this year in film that not one, but two, zombie films made this list. First up, Cargo, which answered the zombie dilemma by moving the crisis into an area often underrepresented by media: the Australian outback. Led by a brilliantly understated performance from Martin Freeman, Cargo chooses to focus less on the zombies themselves and more on the human struggles of an apocalypse like this. The setting of Australia is a breath of fresh air from the usual settings of urban or rural America, and the various characters encountered along the trip make the most of their limited screentime to remain truly memorable, and the film's ending turns what was ultimately a foregone conclusion into something a lot more moving.
Best Scene: The confrontation between Andy and Vic on the train tracks goes from a tense struggle to a somber reminder that everyone, even the most apparently vile people, are simply trying to survive, and it's done in an almost dialogue-free exchange.
19. Apostle
Directed by Gareth Evans
Written by Gareth Evans
As The Raid helmer Gareth Evans's first non-Indonesian film, there was a lot of interest to see if Apostle, a Netflix-produced horror mashup, could be as big a success as his previous works despite being so far out of his wheelhouse. And with little effort, it lived up to expectations. Swapping the frenetic action for creeping horror and focusing on vivid imagery and strong performances from an excellent cast, with special standouts being a broody but likable Dan Stevens and a charismatic Micheal Sheen, Apostle isn't a film for the squeamish, but those who stick with it will be rewarded with a creepy film experience like few this year.
Best Scene: The tunnel chase, a masterwork in combining the nerve-wracking thrill of a cat and mouse chase with the scares of a haunted house that somehow manages to add in dark humor as well.
18. Upgrade
Directed by: Leigh Whannell
Written by: Leigh Whannell
A slick, smart throwback to the revenge fantasies of the 70s and 80s, Upgrade adds a fun twist to the concept by moving it to the future and telling the story of Grey Trace, a crippled mechanic who works to avenge the murder of his wife with the help of STEM, a seemingly benevolent AI that gives him not just the ability to walk, but substantial fighting skills as well. What ensues is a fun, pulpy sci-fi thriller bolstered by a charming performance from Logan Marshall-Green that ends with a climax straight out of Black Mirror. If nothing else, this film deserves props for being a better Venom movie than the actual Venom movie, and for about a tenth of the budget.
Best Scene: What else could this be but the ending? A brilliant gut-punch that gets better on a rewatch.
17. Overlord
Directed by: Julius Avery
Written by: Billy Ray and Mark L. Smith
Rumored to be another installment of the Cloverfield franchise, Overlord proved to be both unrelated and largely stronger for it. The other great zombie movie of 2018, Overlord brought together war movies and horror into one wildly enjoyable package. It's a film that knows exactly what it is, and it's filled with scares, shootouts, and just the right amount of character work to make you care about these scrappy underdogs as they find themselves wildly in over their heads.
Best Scene: The injection scene is a rollercoaster of emotion, culminating in maybe the most disturbing use of makeup effects of the year.
16. Mandy
Directed by: Panos Cosmatos
Written by: Panos Cosmatos and Aaron Stewart-Ahn
As someone whose never done drugs, I can say with relative confidence that Mandy is the cinematic equivalent of a bad trip. Aided by the stunning camera work of Benjamin Loeb and a chilling, synth-filled score from the late Johan Johansson, Mandy has an initial dreamlike quality to it that hides a more nightmarish, brutal edge, punctuated with moments of surreal horror or over-the-top violence. The anchor of this is Nicholas Cage, who gives career-best work as an everyman who descends into madness in a rampage of bloodshed against evils ranging from demonic bikers to ominous cultists, led by Linus Roache in a mesmerizing turn. While not the year's best film, it's perhaps it's best experience.
Best Scene: The "seduction" of the titular Mandy, which takes a refreshing turn away from what could've been a clear cliche.
15. Black Panther
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Written by: Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole
An ignored aspect of Black Panther's cultural importance and smash hit success is that it's a damn good film in it's own right. This owes to the vision of Ryan Coogler, who turns the idea of Wakanda, an afrofuturistic hidden utopia, into one of the most spectacular and realized worlds since Pandora, and revamps the supporting cast of T'Challa into a variety of memorable characters, from the snarky tech guru Shuri to the boisterous M'Baku to Killmonger, a contender for the MCU's best villain. A powerhouse performance from Micheal B Jordan, Erik Killmonger is a radical with clear, somewhat reasonable goals and tragic motivation, making the ideological clash between him and T'Challa one much more fascinating than a simple battle over a blue light in the sky.
Best Scene: Killmonger's spirit trip, which removes all the bombast of Wakanda in favor of an emotional moment between father and son, featuring two Oscar-worthy performances from Jordan and Sterling K. Brown.
14. Deadpool 2
Directed by: David Leitch
Written by: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Ryan Reynolds
After the surprise success of the first film, it was uncertain if they could recapture that magic again with Deadpool 2, especially following the departure of director Tim Miller. But with a bigger budget and the direction of John Wick helmer David Leitch, it turns out they made a film that not only matches the original, but surpasses it. With more money and a bigger toybox to play around with, the sequel is often funnier, with much more exciting action sequences and even a fair amount of heart for something so crass. This is helped by a game cast, with the always great Ryan Reynolds joined by uber-stoic Josh Brolin as Cable and a charming Zazie Beetz as Domino, alongside the true scene-stealer of Julian Dennison, whose Firefist is a consistent source of both laughs and emotion. The rare superhero sequel that outdoes it's predecessor in almost every regard.
Best Scene: X-Force getting lost in the high winds is one of the most unexpected twists in a film this year, and it's a gruesome subversion of what could've been something fun on it's own.
13. BlacKKKlansman
Directed by: Spike Lee
Written by: Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Watchel, and Kevin Willmot
Man, it's nice to have Spike Lee making great films again, isn't it? His strongest work in years, BlacKKKlansman is both a grim dissection of race in America and an excellent buddy cop dramedy, helped by the strong chemistry and career-best performances of John David Washington and Adam Driver. It's a film that feels frustratingly on-point from beginning to it's shocking end, which will leave even the most jaded viewers stunned.
Best Scene: The contrasting scenes of Klansman watching Birth of A Nation and a black activist group being told of the lynching of Jesse Washington is a tough, immensely chilling watch.
12. Annihilation
Directed by: Alex Garland
Written by: Alex Garland
Annihilation is an increasing rarity in film these days: a smart, moderately budgeted sci-fi thriller that leaves the audience pondering it long after the credits roll. Partly a road movie of an expedition to the center of the mysterious "Shimmer", the film is also a quiet contemplation of grief, loss, and humanity's connection to nature and the planet as a whole. It's also a compelling horror film, full of deeply unsettling special effects from body horror to some of the most iconic monsters (Who can forget the bear?) in recent memory that ends with one of the best third acts in years. What's not to love?
Best Scene: The bear's attack on the house, a showdown that escalates before finally snapping in a desperate fight for survival.
11. Isle of Dogs
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Written by: Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson's second animated feature after Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs is him applying his eye for detail to create a world bursting with details and affection for the culture being represented. It's a film so visually stunning you sometimes forget it's stop-motion, as it's easy to get lost in the sheer scale of it. It's also got a great cast of both Anderson mainstays and newbies, with an excellently gruff performance from Bryan Cranston, a tough as nails antihero that just so happens to be a dog. In other words: it's a classic Anderson film, a fully-realized film with charming, quirky characters that somehow still feel all too real.
Best Scene: The gang's captivity at the hands of the cannibal dogs seems like a harrowing moment, but it quickly shifts into a deeply depressing, tragic tale that sheds some light on characters that could've been throwaway baddies.
10. Hereditary
Directed by: Ari Aster
Written by: Ari Aster
In a year of great horror films, it takes a lot to emerge as the true best of the bunch, but Hereditary won that particular title by being the complete package: a twisty, shocking, and well-acted nightmare of anxiety and dread that never resorts to gore or jump scares. In a strong cast, Toni Collette gives one of the best performances of the year as the mother of the family who slowly, violently unravels after a series of tragedies, while Alex Wolff gives a surprisingly effective turn as a brother who lives with unspeakable guilt, while Aster's script keeps you guessing and speculating long after the final moments. It's old school horror done right.
Best Scene: What else but the car accident?
9. Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Written by: Christopher McQuarrie
As someone who thought Rogue Nation was just okay, I was a little bit hesitant when they announced Christopher McQuarrie would be returning for another installment in the franchise. After all, wasn't the appeal of these films that each had a different directorial vision behind it? After Fallout, I've decided that maybe I should have a bit more trust in film studios, because I was horribly wrong. A direct continuation of the plotline set up in Rogue Nation, Fallout is one of the best action films of the last twenty years. Led by Tom Cruise, who continues to flaunt his apparent immortality with increasingly insane stunts, Fallout often feels like a "greatest hits" of the action movies of this generation. It's got breakneck car chases, brutal fist fights, and death-defying aerial shootouts. What more could an action junkie want?
Best Scene: Every action scene in this film is a solid contender for the best scene, but the bathroom fight is a knock-down, drag-out, intense brawl unlike anything the franchise had done until that point.
8. Bad Times at the El Royale
Directed by: Drew Goddard
Written by: Drew Goddard
With a body of work that includes Daredevil, The Cabin in the Woods, and Cloverfield, a decent case could be made that Drew Goddard is one of the most underrated writers/filmmakers working today. And, lo and behold, he's handed his own vehicle and uses it to build a wildly entertaining Tarantino homage with an all-star cast. From Hamm's sleazy vacuum salesman to Bridges's rugged "priest" to breakout turns from Lewis Pullman and Cynthia Erivo and a terrifying turn from Chris Hemsworth, it's a solid contender for the best ensemble of the year, and they're given a stellar script to work with. It's truly a film that leaves you guessing, even as you appreciate the skill and craftsmanship at work both behind and in front of the camera.
Best Scene: The one take scene of Jon Hamm's Sullivan as he learns that the El Royale is more than just an ordinary hotel is breathtaking in it's skill and quiet tension and the quiet performance of Hamm, who becomes the audience stand-in with a mix of confusion and horror.
7. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Written by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Absolutely bizarre that we got two great westerns (this and Red Dead Redemption 2) within the space of two weeks of each other, but here we are. Ballad of Buster Scruggs is the western for someone looking for something a bit more odd, with the classic Coen brothers wit and quirkiness to see it through, and it's the strength of the Coens that makes this the rare anthology film to be largely consistent in quality. Even the most meandering of the six stories, Meal Ticket, is still a dark oddball trip with a gutpunch ending, while the Mortal Remains (a horror movie masquerading as a one-scene play) and Gal Who Got Rattled (an honest to god love story) show that they've still got some tricks up their sleeves. Frankly, it's worth it just for the titular hero, who ranks as an all-time great Coens character, played with eccentric, intimidating charm by Tim Blake Nelson.
Best Scene: "Surly Joe" is not only a genuine toe-tapper of a song, but a darkly hilarious setpiece as Buster Scruggs celebrates victory over yet another victim.
6. Avengers: Infinity War
Directed by: Anthony and Joe Russo
Written by: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
The ability to meet the anticipation for it seemed impossible, but Infinity War somehow managed to bring ten years worth of characters together and weave an epic, immensely satisfying tale that spans the galaxy. It also gave us Thanos, an immediately iconic film villain, as not a giant CGI brute, but a genuinely intimidating and sympathetic figure with a fascinating, if reprehensible, agenda thanks to both a strong script and an incredible performance from Josh Brolin. There's time where you can doubt the Marvel formula, but if it can make something like this not just work, but come out as one of the best films of the year, perhaps it's truly unstoppable.
Best Scene: The snap, the definitive moment of 2018 in film, without question.
5. Roma
Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron
Written by: Alfonso Cuaron
Speaking of cinematic achievement, Roma is another masterwork, somehow managing to be both an intimate story of a maid in 70's Mexico and a greater tale of class struggle. Cuaron continues to prove himself as an undisputed master behind the camera, using long, beautifully shot takes that capture both small details of characters and the greater ones of the setting. It's also Cuaron's most personal work, as you come to love and care for the family on the brink of falling apart through the eyes of the maid who serves as an honorary mother figure. It's never a film that beats you over the head with emotion, choosing to let you come around instead, and it's a stronger film for it.
Best Scene: The forest fire, which perfectly encapsulates what Cuaron is trying to say with something as simple as humans coming together to combat tragedy while the one in the foreground drunkenly sings, not a care in the world.
4. First Reformed
Directed by: Paul Schrader
Written by: Paul Schrader
What starts as a tale of a reverend on the edge of a nervous break quickly evolves into so much more, from a critique of Corporate christianity to an ominous warning about climate change and man's seeming powerlessness in the face of it. It's all anchored by a career-best turn from Ethan Hawke, whose Reverend Toller slowly crumbles into an immensely compelling misanthrope. Schrader's script plays the tragedy for all it's worth, often feeling a wreck in agonizing slow motion before culminating in an climax that's as grim as it is frustratingly open-ended.
Best Scene: Toller's first meeting with Micheal is a masterwork in both establishing the struggles of the character and instilling the audience with an intense sense of dread, planting the first seeds of the greater struggle that has turned Micheal into a cynic in both the heads of the viewer and Toller.
3. A Star is Born
Directed by: Bradley Cooper
Written by: Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, and Will Fetters
Bradley Cooper's directorial debut is one that operates with such skill and ease that it feels like it was brought to you by an industry vet. A Star is Born is the kind of brilliant, sweeping, beautiful, and emotionally love story that we very rarely get nowadays, and it contains two wonderful turns from it's leads, as Lady Gaga showcases a mixture of fragility and strength while Cooper channels his very reals struggles with alcoholism to give a performance that feels almost painfully raw without ever overacting for sympathy. The two have an easy chemistry that makes both their regular interactions and the film's many musical scenes a joy to watch , while the later descent into tragedy feels both brutal and entirely inevitable. Somehow, the remake of the remake managed to be the best one.
Best Scene: "The Shallows" is the film's best musical scene, if solely for the slow building of confidence from Gaga before she finally belts out that now iconic tune and totally enraptures the audience, both in the film and out.
2. Sorry to Bother You
Directed by: Boots Riley
Written by: Boots Riley
It's impossible to really sing the praises of Sorry to Bother You without spoiling something about it. Rapper and community organizer Boots Riley's directorial debut is the cinematic equivalent of a kid in a toy store, running from genre to genre to show you this cool trick it learned. While it may not always work, it's always immensely entertaining to watch, and it's helped by an absolutely on-point cast of both up and comers like Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson and established stars like Armie Hammer (who steals the show as a sleazy, charismatic Jeff Bezos expy) and Danny Glover. It's a strong, confident debut and it leaves me immensely excited to see where Riley goes next.
Best Scene: The party at Steve Lift's house is an incredible mixture of cringe comedy, shock humor, and outright surreal horror, and probably the best summary of what the film is going for, alongside having one of the definitive "Oh shit!" moments of the year.
1. Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
Directed by: Bob Perisichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman
Written by: Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman
It's amazing that in the space of two years I went from largely tired of Spider-Man to being unable to get enough of him. While he played a major supporting role in Infinity War and had his own video-game, the strongest Spider-Man media this year was none other than Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, which is not only the best film of the year, it's the best animated film in years and easily the best superhero film of this year. A jaw-dropping animation style that looks ripped from the page is matched with a script that's full of both humor and heart that will satisfy both fans and newcomers to the characters alike, while top-notch voice acting makes characters that could've come off as flat instead feel entirely realized. Watching Spiderverse felt like witnessing a gamechanger in cinematic history, as we witnessed the birth of an absolutely stunning new style be brought to the big screen.
Best Scene: Miles's final fight with Prowler is both physically and emotionally draining, leaving you on the edge of your seat before nearly bringing you to tears.
