The Best of 2018

I think it's safe for me to say that every single movie blogger out there has already talked about those 2018 movies he/she thinks were the best of the year. It's almost April, after all. Then there's me who has been trying, for the past couple of months, to watch all those 2018 releases that, for a reason or another, slipped under her radar, and then has kept postponing writing because watching movies and binging new series required so much less energy.

Anyways, I decided to focus on the positive things this year so, instead of my usual best & worst of the year post, I'm doing a best of the year post only. Moreover, bad films and bad performances don't deserve extra attention. 

Without further ado, here are my top 10 films of 2018

PS It was so difficult to do this this year because I've seen so many very good films but very little great ones. 

#10 Bad Times at the El Royal

I was pretty excited about this because of half-naked Chris Hemsworth and the intriguing promotional material. The reviews weren't that good though so when I finally watched it I was expecting to dislike it. On the contrary, I loved it. The twists and turns aren't always surprising but overall the story is compelling and engaging, so are the characters and the performances, and the cinematography is gorgeous.

#9 Hereditary

I was not planning on seeing this as I'm not a fan of horrors, but I eventually checked it out because of the great reviews. And I loved it. Although the ending did not satisfy me, overall the story is so engaging and compelling, that turn really wowed me —Milly Shapiro's performance has been praised so much I was expecting her to be around more. And it has some of the year's best performances, Toni Collette and Alex Wolff's. 

#8 Tully

Young Adult, the other Jason Reitman film starring Charlize Theron, was not my cup of tea. I decided to check out this anyway because Theron is a great actress and I was not disappointed. It's not only Theron though that does a wonderful job here as Mackenzie Davis also gives a terrific performance, and the dialogue is so clever and humorous.

#7 Mission: Impossible - Fallout

I'm not the greatest fan of action flicks and yet I love the Mission: Impossible franchise. I don't know how they do it, but every time they make a new film, it's always better, greater than its predecessor, and this is no different. It's got a complex plot, especially for an action flick, the character of Ethan Hunt is developed even further, the action is spectacular, and Tom Cruise yet again proves he is immortal. 

#6 A Quiet Place

I don't know why, but this wasn't promoted at all in my country. I first heard of it on Twitter and checked for the release date only to find out it already was in cinemas and went as soon as I could. And I'm glad I did because it's literally impossible to have silence in my place so I'm yet to rewatch this. Anyways, this is such a thrilling and suspenseful horror that focuses on the human characters instead of the monsters. And for the first time ever, I cared about horror movie characters. I was so invested in them, I cried. 

#5 First Man

I love Damien Chazelle but I had some reservations about it because of the not so interesting lot and the negative reviews I had read. Needless to say, I loved it. It is a fantastic character study of a man who isolated himself from the world and Ryan Gosling gives such a vulnerable performance filled with pain and feelings. Also, it's visually stunning and Justin Hurwitz's score is perfect.

#4 Juliet, Naked

I added this on my watchlist because of Ethan Hawke but I would have probably never watched it if it wasn't for Big Screen Small Words. Anyways, this is such a charming little film with clever and witty dialogue, relatable drama, terrific performances, and, most of all, a sweet love story that also deals with parenting, second chances and finding one's true self.

#3 Shoplifters

The foreign language movie that deserved the Best Picture nominee instead of BoreRoma, this is the most thought-provoking 2018 release I've seen. It's a complex film that really delves into the nature versus nurture debate, that explores ethical doubts and delivers the real meaning of family and love.

#2 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Western is another genre I'm not the biggest fan of and yet here it is, a western anthology in second place. What can I tell you, the Coen brothers know what they are doing. The six stories are so diverse —some are very humorous, some others are dark and dramatic— and yet all beautifully told and engaging. The characters are shallow and yet they feel real, the performances are great, and Tim Blake Nelson sings some pretty catchy songs. 

#1 A Star Is Born

I was not planning on watching this as it looked so cheesy from the trailer and I'm not into musicals anyways. But it got so many positive reviews, even from people who didn't like the trailer, so I gave it a chance. And boy, I'm glad I did because this is one of the most devastating films I've seen. Sure, the story is predictable but it's so powerful, the performances are spectacular, the chemistry between Cooper and Gaga is terrific, and the soundtrack is fantastic. Also, it made me cry. For ten minutes. And I'm not even a crier.

Best Actor: Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Cooper gives the performance of his career as Jackson Maine and captures the struggles, pain and jelousy of a once-great musician in decline because of alcohol and drugs to perfection. 

Best Actress: Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born

Her performance is so sweet, charming and genuine, you instantly fall in love with Allie. Her singing is flawless, of course, but it's at providing the character with emotional depth that she really excels. 

Best Supporting Actor: Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

With a character that doesn't have a lot of depth and development, Grant' gives an incredibly charismatic, genuine and believable performance as he embodies the insecure agent of chaos to perfection and steals the show from McCarthy. 

Best Supporting Actress: Toni Collette, Hereditary

Collette's performance is so intense, it gets scary. But she also shows so much vulnerability. 

Best Cinematography: Cold War 

Most Overlooked: Wildlife

Paul Dano's directorial debut, co-written with his wife Zoe Kazan, it's a gripping coming-of-age as well as a great portrayal of a woman's existential crisis, with great characters, great performances, and gorgeous cinematography.

Best line: Shoplifters

Giving birth automatically makes you a mother? - Nobuyo (Sakura Ando)