Best 20 of 2018
2018 was a year of greatness, with 9 movies earning a 9 in my Best of list. It was also the year of overrated movies (Call Me By Your Name, Roma, First Man, Shape of Water) and some really bad ones (Mortal Engines, Redbad, Possession of Hannah Grace). Yet, there were enough good movies that didn't make the Best 20-cut. Too bad for I, Tonya (I love you, Allison Janney and Margot Robbie!), Lady Bird, Aquaman, Darkest Hour, Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom and Tomb Raider (finally a great game adaptation!), here are the ones that made it:
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- DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsFrances McDormandWoody HarrelsonSam RockwellA mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder when they fail to catch the culprit.Rarely did I see a better combination of black comedy and drama, as well as a study in anger and forgiveness, displayed by some of the most multi-facetted characters in recent history. The horrible murder of a teenager is the starting point of a series of escalating personal conflicts that sharply divide a small town into two camps. This brings out both the best and worst in its three leads, and the viewers will find their sympathy shifting from character to character over the course of the movie. All thanks to a great scenario and direction by Martin McDonagh (In Bruges) and sublime Oscar-winning performances by Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell. Too bad there was no price left for Woody Harrelson, whose endearing combination of pride and humor evokes sincere emotion. A shame that the Academy thought the Shape of Water deserved the Best Picture Oscar better.
- DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris HemsworthMark RuffaloThe Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.For all those who said that big-budget, action-packed, special-effects-heavy superhero blockbusters would no longer have a future after Deadpool and Logan: wrong!!!! This is the movie that reaps the benefits of a decade's worth of plotting and characterization, pitting Earth's and Space's Mightiest Heroes against an unstoppable force. It is a joy to see how each character gets its moment to shine among the excellent action and setpieces that never get tiresome (although I have some stamina for that), and how the bad guy actually has a valid point. And it is amazing that although this is only one half of the story that ends in the most downbeat fashion, it feels like a complete movie on its own, and still contains enough seeds of hope for us to look forward to the sequel. Even though it is hard to see how Avengers: Endgame will top this one, bring it on anyway!
- DirectorAneesh ChagantyStarsJohn ChoDebra MessingJoseph LeeAfter his teenage daughter goes missing, a desperate father tries to find clues on her laptop.A movie with a tense plot that also manages to perfectly capture the digital Zeitgeist: the action never ventures outside the computer screen, showing how much our lives are intertwined with the digital and social media. This seems restrictive at first, but it is amazing how much of our emotions can be displayed by how we type our sentences in a text, or how we control our cursor. This format isn't afraid to show the obvious dangers, like loss of privacy, identity theft and how much loneliness is often hidden behind a perfect picture; yet the film does not get to preachy, and also shows us how apps allow us to reach out and share our fondest memories. With a solid performance by leading man John Cho, who has definitely outgrown his Harold and Kumar image with this one.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsRami MalekLucy BoyntonGwilym LeeWith his impeccable vocal abilities, Freddie Mercury and his rock band, Queen, achieve superstardom. However, amidst his skyrocketing success, he grapples with his ego, sexuality and a fatal illness.Rami Malek IS Freddie Mercury in the movie that miraculously survived all its behind-the-scenes troubles unscathed. Of course there was controversy about some of the liberties taken with history, and for not showing Freddie's health decline. But there is an emotional truth to Bohemian Rhapsody that makes it a well-balanced overview of the man and how he created his art, together with his friends (including Gwilym Lee as the best Brian May look-a-like I ever saw). Laced with great humor, and an epic finale where the artist embraces his mortality, and gives the performance of a lifetime. An amazing portrait that makes us miss one of the best performers of our time quite a bit more.
- DirectorRyan CooglerStarsChadwick BosemanMichael B. JordanLupita Nyong'oT'Challa, heir to the hidden but advanced kingdom of Wakanda, must step forward to lead his people into a new future and must confront a challenger from his country's past.After the initial euphoria and the deafening sound of box office records breaking, there was quite some backlash to the effect that this was not the ultimate Afro-centric masterpiece that it is given credit for. Well, outside of the hype and the counter-hype, Black Panther just works as an excellent mix of superhero action, blaxploitation, detective story and James Bond adventure, enriched with African culture and art. Even if it is not a masterpiece, no one can deny its unique look, its awesome battles, or its great villain who rivals Thanos for having a valid point. And with the sassy sister as probably the best brainy sidekick any hero could wish for.
- DirectorChristopher McQuarrieStarsTom CruiseHenry CavillVing RhamesA group of terrorists plans to detonate three plutonium cores for a simultaneous nuclear attack on different cities. Ethan Hunt, along with his IMF team, sets out to stop the carnage.Quite simply put, this is probably the best and most purest action movie of the year that isn't a super hero movie. Being the first real sequel in the longstanding series, it reaps the benefit of extending the plot from its also excellent predecessor, while also reusing its memorable characters. But the real achievement lies in its ability to push the envelop on adrenaline-pumping action and death-defying stunts, and mixing them with nail-biting suspense. There was always growth in the series' ambitions, but a successor topping this is simply a little hard to see.
- DirectorJoram LürsenStarsJacob DerwigBarry AtsmaFockeline OuwerkerkIn Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, banker brothers Walraven and Gijs van Hall face their greatest challenge yet when they decide to help fund the Dutch resistance.This is a story from our Dutch WWII history where one wonders why it was never told before. The simple answer was because it involved a case of fraud; but that doesn't do justice to the heroic banker who enabled many Resistance fighters to thwart the German occupiers, at the risk of his own life. This movie sets the record straight, and also lets the audience decide whether Walraven van Hall was a fearless patriot, or perhaps a grown-up boy craving adventure, who didn't completely realize what he was getting himself into.
- DirectorBob PersichettiPeter RamseyRodney RothmanStarsShameik MooreJake JohnsonHailee SteinfeldTeen Miles Morales becomes the Spider-Man of his universe and must join with five spider-powered individuals from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities.Spiderman was the second Marvel hero after Deadpool to make fun of himself and his universe. Of course, with the real-life Spidey on loan to the MCU, this could only work in animated form, which allows for much more self-deprecation and outlandish action. You can leave that to Lego Movie's Phil Lord, as well as creating a fine set of characters, in this case multiple Spider-Men. Or Spider-Women. Or Spider-Pigs. Great for all ages.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTye SheridanOlivia CookeBen MendelsohnWhen the creator of a virtual reality called the OASIS dies, he makes a posthumous challenge to all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune and control of his world.Spielberg is back at the top of his game with a movie that resonates with his love for cinema, gaming, ingenious action and state-of-the-art special effects. This is also one of the few contemporary projects that uses the 80s nostalgia to its full effect, by making it part of the plot rather than a series of hommages to compensate for lack of ideas. Nothing illustrates this better than the masterful interactive nod to his friend Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. And composer Alan Silvestri was just destined to work with Spielberg; both men have a sense of adventure that perfectly matches.
- DirectorArmando IannucciStarsSteve BuscemiSimon Russell BealeJeffrey TamborMoscow, 1953. After being in power for nearly 30 years, Soviet dictator, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, takes ill and quickly dies. Now the members of the Council of Ministers scramble for power.This is one hilarious movie with a dark lining. The glorification of Stalin led to a rule where the excesses were as brutal as they were incredulous, and fuel for one of the funniest black comedies ever made. There is plenty of absurdity to laugh at, yet nowhere does the movie hold back on showing the brutality of the Stalin regime. A great cast of actors with different accents (aslo historically correct in a multi-ethnic Soviet Union) adds to the joy and the terror.
- DirectorBradley CooperStarsLady GagaBradley CooperSam ElliottA musician helps a young singer find fame as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.Technically, this shouldn't have worked: a story already remade twice; a first-time director, and a singer as the leading lady who had her last hit a decade ago. But this is one of those movies where everything clicks. Both Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga give superb performances, and their chemistry is almost tangible. Cooper has a steady hand in directing, but makes it feel very natural: subtle enough to avoid the clichés, but direct enough to get the pain and emotions accross. It's almost impossible not to love these people, the music is beautiful, and Sam Elliot shows again why he is such a great character actor.
- DirectorPeyton ReedStarsPaul RuddEvangeline LillyMichael PeñaAs Scott Lang balances being both a superhero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.After the gut-punch that was Avengers Infinity War, a worthy follow-up that wouldn't be completely obscured by that action-packed behemoth must have been one hell of a challenge. Luckily, Marvel understood that the second Ant-Man would work best if it kept things small, light and personal. Between all the jokes and deliciously creative action, director Peyton Reed gives the movie a surprising amount of heart by focussing on the Pym family drama, and a tragic bad girl. We always wondered where Scott Lang was during Infinity War, and this movie (including the downbeat post-credit scene) gives a satisfying answer.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsMeryl StreepTom HanksSarah PaulsonA cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country's first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.A movie about investigative journalism usually works best when presented as a thriller that slowly uncovers a painful cover-up. Made in an astonishing nine months, but in no way does this unofficial prequel to All The President's Men feels rushed to completion. Spielberg's political thriller is a marvel of building tension, awesome performances and referencing contemporary issues like fake news and media manipulation, with Tricky Dick as the real villain. But the movie also works as a character study of journalists who have a commitment to print the truth, no matter how much it may hurt themselves or their loved ones.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsJohn David WashingtonAdam DriverLaura HarrierRon Stallworth, an African American police officer from Colorado Springs, Colorado, successfully infiltrates the local Ku Klux Klan branch aided by a Jewish surrogate who eventually becomes its leader. Based on actual events.Spike Lee is known for his harsh preachings and relentless social criticism, so it is a delight to see him deal with this story-you-wouldn't-believe with so much dark humor. He pulls his leading men John David Washington and Adam Driver (and the audience) with lots of laughs and blaxploitation references into the ranks of the KKK, who do not seem too bad at first. But the film gets more serious as the veil over the true nature of this organization is slowly lifted (including a chilling account by Harry Belafonte). Despite all the comedy, the ending and especially the epilogue, which shows the parallels with our current political climate, make it clear that racism was and is no laughing matter.
- DirectorAri AsterStarsToni ColletteMilly ShapiroGabriel ByrneA grieving family is haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences.It was a good year for horror, with A Quiet Place and Halloween getting much of the praise, but unfortunately not making my list. The critics and myself were most enarmored by Hereditary, a seamless blend of supernatural horror and family drama where a mother's greatest fear comes through, when an old family trait resurfaces and threatens to tear her family apart. Even though the climax is a bit conventional and disappointing, the road towards it is full of disquieting imagery and shocks of a physical and emotional nature, with a tour-de-force by Toni Collette that deserves an Oscar. However, her Golden Globe snub doesn't predict much good in that direction.
- DirectorSusanne BierStarsSandra BullockTrevante RhodesJohn MalkovichFive years after an ominous unseen presence drives most of society to suicide, a mother and her two children make a desperate bid to reach safety.Receiving equal amounts of praise and derision seems to be the fate of many Netflix productions, and Bird Box is no exception. Well, too bad, because I think that a horror movie where you can't use your sight is the perfect companion piece to A Quiet Place where you couldn't make sound. I am even going as far as saying that BB is better than AQP: the threat, old-fashionedly conveyed through monsters that are merely suggested and never seen, takes a little more suspension of disbelief, but seems even more pervasive and dangerous here, as is the traditional theme of mistrust of the other survivors. What AQP did with a hearing aid, this film does with a GPS and proximity alarm. Holding on to your humanity amidst the terror rarely felt so terrifying.
- DirectorDavid LeitchStarsRyan ReynoldsJosh BrolinMorena BaccarinFoul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson (a.k.a. Deadpool) assembles a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy with abilities from the brutal, time-traveling cyborg Cable.Though not as outrageously funny as his first outing, the Merc with the Mouth again kicks the bad guys around while taking a shot at every conceivable superherocliché and fourth wall in sight with big success. Due to a larger budget, we were able to enjoy Juggernaut and some larger action scenes, but Deadpool will never fail to point any weaknesses in script or himself if he sees them. The post-credit scenes are hilarious in their self-depreciation. It is highly recommended to watch the extended Super Duper Cut for more zany shenanigangs. Please bring on part 3!
- DirectorAlex GarlandStarsNatalie PortmanJennifer Jason LeighTessa ThompsonA biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.Apparently this movie was too off-beat, intelligent and fempowering for general audiences, leading to a direct-to-Netflix release in the Netherlands. This is the kind of sci-fi that thrives on visual ideas rather than logic or clear-cut explanations, but that makes for some fascinating and disturbing scenes, such as flowers growing in human shape and a bear with a human voice. Granted, the movie is not as original as some critis had us believe, mixing elements from classics such as Tarkovsky's Stalker with Starman and the series Lost, but even as a mix of familiar elements, it remains engrossing and thought-provoking until the end.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsMichelle WilliamsChristopher PlummerMark WahlbergThe story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.Another movie that gloriously survived some behind-the-scenes troubles when the controversial Kevin Spacey had to be replaced at the 11th hour. How they managed to re-shoot his scenes with the always reliable Christopher Plummer within such short notice is a testament to sir Ridley Scott's craft, whose storytelling skills outside the sci-fi genre seem to improve with age. Plummer's presence feels so natural to the movie that one could wonder why he wasn't chosen in the first place. He brings out both the humanity and moral bankruptcy of his character in equal measures, breathing life into that old proverb that all the money in the world cannot buy happiness. Or a good character.
- DirectorPhil JohnstonRich MooreStarsJohn C. ReillySarah SilvermanGal GadotOn a quest to save the video game 'Sugar Rush' and to find a replacement, Ralph and his best friend Vanellope travel to the World Wide Web through a Wi-Fi router they find at the arcade.Our favorite game villain is back with his sidekick, glitchy friend Vanellope, when they need to go to the Internet in order to save her game. This enables the makers to crack lots of jokes about the Internet and all its annoyances (like spam, adds and virals), and Disney has a field day in parodying itself with its Disney princesses. The message that you may need to let friends go in order to keep them may not be as rich and touching as the first movie's themes, but as good sequels go, I prefer this one even over Incredibles 2.