It’s that time where we get to look back at the best of the best in cinema from the past year! 2018 had a lot of excellent offerings, and it was difficult to parse the list down, but I am excited to share my best of the best with you all. Here are the Top 10 Movies of 2018!
**EDIT 3/28/19: I have rearranged and edited my list slightly since the original December publication, as I watch more films I missed and reconsidered the merits of others I’d already seen. Enjoy!
(See my #20-11 films here!)
2010|2011|2012|2013|2014|2015|2016|2017|2018|2019
#10. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Perhaps it’s just recency bias talking, but this might be the best Spider-Man film of all time. I adored 2004’s Spider-Man 2 as a kid, and this film does have the benefit of hindsight that Raimi’s films did not, but it is still perhaps the best cinematic take on the web-slinger(s) I’ve yet seen. This movie just had it all: gorgeous visual effects, lovable characters, consistent humor, and a real heart at the center of it all that so many superhero films lack. It managed to find the perfect balance of fun and philosophy as they explored what makes the character so beloved by the general public. I still can’t tell you what makes Spidey the best superhero (aside from nostalgia), but he just is, okay? And this film cements it for me forever.
#9. Wildlife
Paul Dano is an actor I respect the hell out of, and his first turn in the writer-director chair is a great one. I wasn’t sure what to make of his slow, understated film at first, but over time as I thought about it more, its subtle brilliance revealed itself to me bit by bit. Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal are fabulous as always in their roles as a couple drifting apart, and their casting was absolute perfection. Seen through the eyes of their teenage son (Ed Oxenbould), we at first see them as he does, unfailing paragons of virtue, but slowly we begin to understand their true natures and the madness at work in their psyches. I was fascinated by the layers of depth hidden beneath such a simple story, and I hope this isn’t the last we see of Dano the Director.
#7/8. (tie) American Animals
2018 brought us two slacker-heist thrillers based on true events, and I loved both of them to pieces. I couldn’t decide which one I liked better, so they share the #7/8 spot together. Told in a unique, documentary-esque format that intercuts the action with interviews from the actual participants in the crime, American Animals explores some fascinating themes like teenage angst, faulty memory, and discovering your purpose in life. It’s a white-knuckle ride that doesn’t relent from the moment the heist begins to the conclusion of the story. Not since 2014’s Whiplash has a movie made me forget to breathe while watching it for the first time, and if you want a first-class thriller with a lot to say, look no further.
#7/8. (tie) Museo
Museo is more of a slow-burner than American Animals, much more interested in the philosophy and aftermath of the heist than in the buildup and execution itself. It not only explores the psyche of a young man who would have the gall to carry out such a crime, but goes deeper into themes like original possession and cultural pride, using the heist as a vehicle to exemplify them. I also loved the way the film breaks the fourth wall by altering the truth in favor of its narrative, much like a museum re-appropriates cultural artifacts for its own gains. It’s like the film is a metaphor for its own existence, something I’ve never seen attempted before and a concept I’ll be pondering for a long time.
#6. Free Solo
While everyone is still hung up on the Mister Rogers doc that is admittedly solid, this is the documentary that really engrossed me this year. This bio-doc about climber Alex Honnold and his attempt to scale the face of El Capitan without safety equipment was thoroughly engrossing, viscerally thrilling, and psychologically fascinating. It’s as much an exploration of the man as of the achievement, painting him in a flawed and realistic light. There’s an element of doubt permeating every scene, and the fact that it is a documentary rather than a biopic means uncertainty lies around every corner, even for the filmmakers. The filmmakers are even characters of their own, often appearing on-screen to debate the merits and morality of filming such a dangerous stunt, with the potential to goad Alex into a deadly accident. I absolutely loved the film and would recommend you check it out on a big screen if you still can.
#5. The Favourite
This is probably my favorite (favourite?) screenplay of the year (though Tully is in close contention). The three-way interactions between Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz are endlessly hilarious and utterly engrossing. Every scene had me on tenterhooks, wanting to see what happens next, following each character’s arc with high interest. I can’t remember the last time I saw a film like this and was still unsure who the protagonist is weeks later. It won’t surprise me if this becomes the champion of awards season given the subject matter: three powerful females disregarding the men in their lives and fighting one another for power. It goes to show you that female leads in cinema don’t have to be all bubblegum princesses or kick-ass ultimate fighters…we need more nuanced, FLAWED characters like these in movies.
#4. Tully
Tully blew me away the first time I saw it. Even disregarding the third-act twist that caught me off-guard, this is one of the most cleverly-woven scripts I have encountered in years. So much is packed into the hour-and-a-half runtime, so much aching insight into themes of motherhood, middle age, depression, and personal fulfillment. Every character is well-considered and well-acted, particularly Charlize Theron’s Marlo, and the dialogue is off-the-charts witty and clever. It is entirely beyond me why this film isn’t even getting a sniff of awards consideration, what with the insanely-talented cast and crew and positive reception. What the hell, everyone?? Go see this movie and petition your local Academy voter to take a second look at this gem.
#3. Roma
Let’s be clear: I loved Roma, and still believe it is a masterpiece. If this list was purely about the technically best-made films of the year, this is the clear number one. But these are my favorite movies, not necessarily the most well-crafted. It is definitely slow and deliberate; the script is simplistic by nature and doesn’t command repeat viewings or serve as an easy watch. Not that those are negatives, but it won’t be the movie I look back on and remember from 2018 the most. Regardless, it is a stunning piece of art with the best cinematography of the year (possibly the decade) and some of the most heartbreaking scenes I can remember. Alfonso Cuaron remains one of my favorite working directors (if not my absolute favorite) and I only hope it won’t take him five more years to give us another powerful story like this one.
#2. Eighth Grade
I love Bo Burnham, and my expectations were sky-high for his cinematic debut. But somehow I was not let down by this one, a charming expose of a teenage girl’s psyche in the social media age. It’s by far the most unique and innovative film I saw this year, and the one that most personally affected me both during and after my viewing(s). Elsie Fisher is a revelation and deserves way more attention than she’s gotten so far…probably my second-favorite performance of the year behind Toni Collette. The story isn’t perfect, but it just doesn’t matter because the film explores topics and themes that no other film has touched before. No film has captured the impact of the digital age on today’s youth like this one did. I hope to god that Bo continues making films like this that are personal to him, because he has a lot of insight to give and the talent to do so effectively.
#1. Shoplifters
It took me a long while to finally see this one, since it wasn’t playing in theaters near me and I had to wait to get my hands on a physical copy. And I’m kicking myself for it now, because this is so clearly the best film of the year for me. Every other film on this list has one or two flaws I can point to – sluggish pacing, thin plotting, etc. – but I truly can’t find a fault in this one. It raises compelling questions about family, love, and loneliness that are not easily answered. On top of that, gorgeous cinematography and wonderful acting sucked me into the world and didn’t relinquish its grasp until the credits rolled, and even then I was still invested in the characters. It has lingered in my memory ever since watching it, and I hope it continues to do so in the years to come.
Conclusion
What a great year for cinema! Here’s to a strong 2019 to close out the decade with a bang. What were your favorite films of the year? What’s higher or lower on my list than on yours? What am I way off base about? Sound off in the comments!
UPDATE: I now have a Letterboxd account! Check out my entire ranked list of 82 films there. You might also find mini-reviews of smaller movies I don’t talk about on this blog.
-Austin Daniel
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Scriptophile 
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