| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| GHcool |
Posted - 12/21/2018 : 02:20:40
This year has been very busy for me, so I haven't seen as many films as I usually do. This list is something of a work in progress, but since I have some time now, I present to y'all my favorite films that I saw in 2018:
1. Eighth Grade - The year's best film was written, directed, and stars millennials that I had never heard of until now. I hope to see much more of Bo Burnham and Elsie Fisher in the future.
1. Incredibles 2 - The second year in a row that the year's best film was made by Pixar. The thrilling animation, a brassy score, and fully immersive sound design keep this juggernaut moving.
2. Won't You Be My Neighbor - Like everyone else in my generation, watched "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" as a child. I did not realize that the odd, saintly, caring man on my television was not so much a character it was a real personality. Rogers was a challenge to the modern world to live more ethically and empathetically. This documentary attempts to do the same.
3. A Quiet Place - Tight directing and even tighter editing turn this post-apocalyptic yarn among the scariest films I have ever seen. John Krasinski is a major talent both behind and in front of the camera.
4. Roma - A heartbreaking, empathetic, and thought-provoking portrait of life in Mexico during the 1970s. It feels almost like a beautiful piece of instrumental music. The story doesn't really lead to any sort of resolution and there is no overriding problem the characters have to solve, but the rhythm of the movie strikes me as moving and true.
5. Free Solo - Another great documentary. This one is almost a tryptic. It tells the story of Alex Honnold's ridiculously dangerous climb up El Capitan in California, it tells the story of Honnold's personal life, and it tells the story of how the filmmakers actually filmed Honnold's climb.
I have not yet seen Ballad of Buster Scruggs, BlacKKKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Can You Ever Forgive Me, Eighth Grade, The Favourite, First Man, First Reformed, The Front Runner, Green Book, If Beale Street Could Talk, Leave No Trace, Vice, Welcome to Marwen or Widows. If I see any of them and think they are deserving, I'll amend the list.
What are your choices???? :)
EDIT: I saw Eighth Grade. Its the year's best film. |
| 1 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| benj clews |
Posted - 12/28/2018 : 11:21:48
I don't get to the cinema much and when I do it's either a horror film festival or big blockbusters so my list will reflect this, no doubt missing out some very deserving entries and including the odd obscure film you only see at a festival.
Coco
Narrowly nudging out Incredibles 2 (because I didn't feel I could put two Pixars in this list) and despite the latter being one of the best action films of the year this one delivered the feels in spades. With Inside Out, Pixar explained emotions in a way kids could comprehend and here they pull the same trick but with death- for my money, they should get some kind of public service award.
The Greatest Showman
Yeah, yeah I know it was, strictly speaking, released (very late) last year but the fact this was still playing in February and I watched it solo for my birthday treat... then dragged my daughter along to it the next day... then my wife also a week later... and it's STILL on solid rotation in our house makes this my standout most purely joyful film this year. Even the fact I attended a singalong version in March that was, hands down, the worst cinematic experience of my life cannot blemish the unfettered delight this film continues to offer up.
A Quiet Place
Not much to say about this that hasn't already been said. Smart, high concept horror that avoids lazy jump scares and instead cranks the tension up to ridiculous levels that even managed to keep the Streatham Odeon Friday night crowd quiet for its entire run time.
Mission Impossible Fallout
Pretty much non-stop action of the highest order made all the more effective knowing how much physical work was put into making them happen for real. Bonus points for such dedication to the craft by the filmmakers- Cruise for injuries sustained and McQuarrie for his epic and in-depth SIX hour breakdown of the making of the film on Empire magazine's podcast.
The LaPlace's Demon
A fascinating puzzle box of a film. Set in an undetermined time (but with laptops and mobile phones) and yet shot in 1930s-style black and white. It has everything I love; clockwork mechanisms, a mystery house, something scary moving around killing people and some crazy-ass maths theory that'll boggle your brain and leave you discussing it for hours afterwards. It's like nothing you've seen before or, most likely, will ever see again.
Honourable mentions:
Creed 2 (such tense fights, one of my fillings came out the following day (I'm pretty sure) through clenching my teeth the previous night), One Cut of the Dead (an ingeniously meta-meta documentary, basically what would happen if Christopher Nolan made a low budget zombie movie) and Avengers Infinity War (for sheer audacity and scope). |
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