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Jim Saunders’ Top Ten Films of 2018

The year 2018, for all of its ups and downs, has been one of the best years in film that I’ve lived through in my short 18 years on this planet. Looking back, there were plenty of releases that were very exciting, and narrowing down my 10 favorite films of the year has been a rewarding, albeit difficult, experience. I was generous with five-star ratings this year, so there were plenty of movies I loved that didn’t quite make the cut. So before I share my ten favorites of 2018, here are some honorable mentions: Beautiful Boy, Eighth Grade, First Reformed, First Man, Annihilation, Suspiria , You Were Never Really Here, Creed 2, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Minding the Gap, and Bad Times at the El Royale.

And without further ado, here are my top 10 films of 2018:

10. Widows (Steve McQueen, 2018)

Featuring a superb cast, confident direction, and a gripping third act, Widows is everything you’d want from a heist film and so much more. It’s a shame to see the surprising lack of awards attention for this film, especially given Steve McQueen’s stellar track record and the excellent ensemble cast. Nevertheless, Viola Davis has cemented her place as one of the best actors this decade with this role, and the lack of nominations shouldn’t discourage audiences from seeing this excellent, female-driven drama.

You can read my full review of Widows here.

9. Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018)

Shoplifters is a tragic drama masquerading as a feel-good film; it warms your heart and then proceeds to shatter it into a million pieces. The film’s greatest strength is making you genuinely feel for these morally ambiguous characters; not through emotional manipulation, but by portraying them as utterly human and showcasing their vulnerabilities and flaws. The film feels like a slice-of-life, and it is the portrayal of these characters’ struggles that makes this film truly special.

You can read Cynthia Li’s full review of Shoplifters here.

8. Paddington 2 (Paul King, 2018)

Paddington 2 is the film that unexpectedly came to unite us in our politically divided landscape. It speaks to the power of kindness and human decency that we, unfortunately, need now more than ever. Outside of being utterly cute and wholesome, Paddington 2 contains a funnier and smarter script than it has any right to have, breaking free from the oft-disrespected category of “family film.” Paddington 2 transcends those labels entirely. It’s not “great for a kid’s film” or “great for what it is,” it’s just great. Paddington is certainly the hero we need, if not the one we deserve.

7. If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins, 2018)

If Beale Street Could Talk is a gorgeous film that shares the power of love and hope in the face of adversity. It speaks to the generations of black men torn from their families due to the institutional discrimination that continues to be perpetuated. It’s an important film that demands to be seen, and it is a timeless story that will both resonate and devastate your very being. There’s so much more to say about the film, but the main takeaway is this: It’s easily one of the best films of the year, and Barry Jenkins has still got it.

You can read my full review of If Beale Street Could Talk here.

6. The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018)

Ever since I watched Yorgos Lanthimos’ indie hit The Lobster, I immediately knew this man was making films unlike anyone else in the industry. My impressions were once again validated with the release of The Favourite. Utilizing his darkly eccentric humor to full effect, this film is one of the most unique period pieces I’ve seen to date. As someone who has never been a big fan of period pieces, this film captivated me throughout its runtime. It’s excellently paced, well-written and well-directed, and contains three of the best performances of the year from Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, and especially Olivia Colman, whose childlike mannerisms are equal parts hilarious and tragic. Plus, that ending is perfection.

You can listen to UW Film Club’s podcast on The Favourite here.

5. Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018)

Hereditary is a slow burn that bursts into flames and sets the house on fire. More than just a simple horror film, Hereditary explores the devastating nature of grief and the substantial rupture it creates within a family unit. It’s a drama that builds tension and exploits the psychological fear caused by the unknown presenting itself within the familiar; it’s a bizarre, anxiety-driven experience carried by a career-defining performance from Toni Colette. Though the third act plays out like much more of a conventional horror movie in comparison to the first two, it is terrifying nonetheless and leaves you disturbed beyond belief. It is the best horror movie of 2018, hands down, and Ari Aster has already proven himself as a master horror director on his first outing.

You can read Greg Arietta’s review of Hereditary here.

4. Sorry to Bother You (Boots Riley, 2018)

No other film from 2018 left me as utterly speechless as Sorry to Bother You did. This film is one of the most off-the-wall and hilarious satires in years, and the sheer ambition of writer/director Boots Riley blows me away. It’s imperfect, yes, but its strengths still far outweigh its flaws. Sorry to Bother You is an absolutely bonkers film I didn’t know I needed in my life, and I can’t recommend it enough.

You can read Greg Arietta’s review of Sorry to Bother You here, and you can listen to UW Film Club’s podcast on the film here.

3. Roma (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018)

Roma is, without a doubt, the most aesthetically appealing film of the year. Shot in black-and-white and making good use of the digital 65mm cinematography with a multitude of grandiose one-takes,  Roma is truly a sight to behold. But more than that, the film shows Alfonso Cuarón at his absolute best. Dedicated to the resilience of women in the face of emotional and physical turmoil, Roma is one of the most affecting dramas of the year. If you have a Netflix account and you haven’t seen this yet, you owe it to yourself to check out yet another fantastic film from director Alfonso Cuarón.

You can read Greg Arietta’s review of Roma here.

2. Blindspotting (Carlos López Estrada, 2018)

This film is everything Green Book wanted to be and more, and it breaks my heart to see this masterpiece getting absolutely no awards attention. Blindspotting is an exploration of gentrification and racial identity that blends comedic and dramatic elements so eloquently and in a way unlike most films I’ve ever seen. One moment I would be laughing and the next I’d be physically trembling; it’s one of the most viscerally engaging film experiences I’ve had all year. The chemistry between the leads (Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal) is captivating, and their dynamic plays thoughtfully and incredibly well into the themes of the film. Blindspotting is designed to provoke hours of conversation. It’s a provocative work of art that deserves way more attention than it got.

1.  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Robert Persichetti Jr., Peter Ramsey & Rodney Rothman, 2018)

Spider-Man 2 has long been my favorite superhero film, and also one of my favorite films ever. Beyond being incredibly entertaining, its narrative and character work were surprisingly poignant, and it defined what a superhero story could be while still retaining its charm and levity. I never would have expected that my favorite film of 2018, and my new favorite superhero film, would be an animated feature from SONY. Wow. Jokes aside, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is fantastic in every way imaginable. It feels so refreshing and ambitious in the same year as Infinity War (“the most ambitious crossover event in history”). A particular highlight is its unique animation style, which is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in a Western animated film, mainstream or otherwise. With an intelligent, humorous and touching script and a true understanding of the character(s) of Spider-Man, Into the Spider-Verse is my favorite film of 2018.

You can read Sierra Stella’s review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse here.

Cynthia Li’s Top Ten Films of 2018

This was the first year that I actively saw new releases in the theater rather than waiting for them to come out on streaming services. While MoviePass was still a functioning entity, there were weeks in which I watched a new film every day. However, with that gone along with 2018, it is time for me to look back on my favorite films of 2018. Before I jump into my list, I have to briefly give honorable mentions to First Man, Minding the Gap, Incredibles 2, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, You Were Never Really Here, First Reformed, Annihilation, Blackkklansman and If Beale Street Could Talk. Honestly, I could have made a Top 20 list, but here are my Top 10 films of 2018:

Continue reading “Cynthia Li’s Top Ten Films of 2018” →

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Ivy Pottinger-Glass’ Top Ten Films of 2018

2018 was a pretty spectacular year for film. This past year I particularly enjoyed some films that came from outside of the US and UK — as you’ll see, half of my top 10 favorite films are in languages other than English. It was hard to narrow it down and there are plenty of terrific films that just didn’t quite make the list. My method for choosing these particular films was to ask myself whether, and to what extent, I would implore people to go out of their way to watch the specific film I had in mind. With that being said, here are the 10 films of 2018 that I would very strongly encourage everyone to make time to see…

10. BlacKkKlansman (Spike Lee, 2018)

Cannes Grand Prix 2018 winner BlacKkKlansman comes in at number 10 on my list. Set in the 70s and based on some “fo’real, fo’real sh*t,” the film depicts the unbelievable tale of the first African American police officer in Colorado Springs, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), as he infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan over the phone whilst using his co-worker, Flip Zimmerman, (Adam Driver) for face-to-face interactions. With an expert blend of dark humor and relevance to the present day — especially in light of the film’s release coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the Charlottesville Rally — BlacKkKlansman delivers on all fronts.

9. You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay, 2018)

With one of the most brilliant and intense soundtracks in recent memory, courtesy of maestro Jonny Greenwood, You Were Never Really Here is a psychological thriller that keeps you on edge for the entirety of its short but not-so-sweet 90-minute run time. In her first feature since We Need to Talk about Kevin (2011), Ramsay triumphs again with this equally dark story in which psychologically tortured hitman, Joe (Joaquin Pheonix), rescues the victims of trafficking and inflicts gruesome punishment onto those behind the crimes.

8. Isle of Dogs (Wes Anderson, 2018)

Wes Anderson did it again in 2018 with another charming and witty stop-motion animation, with an all-star cast to boot. I thought that any other Anderson-led animation would pale in comparison to Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), and while I don’t think that Isle of Dogs quite lives up to its predecessor, I can safely say that I extremely enjoyed this canine-packed adventure set within a dystopian vision of the Japanese archipelago 20 years in the future.

7. Eighth Grade (Bo Burnham, 2018)

Not only is Bo Burnham a successful comedian and musician but he’s proven this past year that he’s also a filmmaker to be reckoned with. His directorial debut is more of a horror film than a comedy in that it forces us all to relive the cringe-worthy and downright painful reality of being a young teenager through the trials and tribulations of socially awkward teen Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher), but it’s so endearing and hilarious that it’s definitely worth the trauma of being transported back to early adolescence. Elsie Fisher delivers a veritable masterclass in authentic, natural performance and is so utterly relatable and genuine it’s impossible not to fall in love with her. Sitting through Eighth Grade is pretty agonizing, but it’s worth it . . . I promise.

6. Loveless (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2018)

Bleak and beautifully tragic, Loveless tells the story of a fractured family in an unforgiving, unnamed city in the Leningrad region of Russia. The film centers around the search for a missing child who vanishes whilst his parents are in the throes of a hostile separation. Their son’s disappearance forces the pair to work together in a desperate attempt to find him. It’s a tough watch, and I can’t say it’s a particularly fulfilling one at that, but it is really a tour de force of filmmaking.

5. Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018)

From here on in my list, you’ll see some of the nominees for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. One of the hottest names is Shoplifters. A Palme d’Or winner at Cannes 2018, it certainly lives up to the hype that’s been building up around it for the past few months. Set in Tokyo, the film focuses on an unconventional family that — as you can guess from the title ­— steals and embezzles to make ends meet. It’s a complex tale that takes you on an unexpected emotional journey, especially at the film’s climax, and the performances from the film’s actors, both young and old, are superb all ’round.

4. The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018)

Yorgos Lanthimos, the king of the “Greek Weird Wave” strikes again and this time he’s struck gold. With a spectacular cast including Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, and Nicholas Hoult, it’d be a crime if this film was anything less than brilliant. Though based on the life of Queen Anne — the ruling monarch of Great Britain for a short period in the 18th century — this is not a period drama like one might expect. With wacky cinematography and Lanthimos’ signature dark comedy, The Favourite is possibly the most entertaining films in my top 5 and it’s definitely my “favourite” Lanthimos film thus far.

3. Burning (Lee Chang-dong, 2018)

A surprising snub in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards, this film adaptation captures the sense of mystery and magic of the Haruki Murakami short story on which it is based. Jong-su (Ah-in Yoo) randomly meets Hae-mi (Jong-seo Jun), a girl from his past, and he agrees to look after her cat whilst she is in Africa. She returns alongside Ben (Steven Yeun), an enigmatic stranger, who quickly becomes the object of Jong-su’s fascination after discovering his favorite pastime. This film expertly delivers a sense of magical realism that will keep you bewildered, yet completely transfixed.

2. Cold War (Paweł Pawlikowski, 2018)

Both this and the number 1 film on my list are up for top prizes in Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director and Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards. I had a hard time choosing which one to place first in my own ranking. Paweł Pawlikowski is a formidable filmmaker, and in this cinematic masterpiece, he tells a love story that spans many years and locations, following the turbulent and tragically beautiful course of a relationship between two people who, despite the harshest of conditions, are fated to be together. Shot black and white in “Academy Ratio,” Cold War had some of the most beautiful cinematography I’ve ever seen, so watch it on a big screen if you can.

1. Roma (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018)

There’s a reason why everyone has been talking about Roma. It’s one of those films that will stay with you long after the credits have finished rolling, and that’s why I’ve chosen it as my top film of 2018. It’s a story about family — based on Cuarón’s own childhood in the titular neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City — it follows the story of Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a live-in nanny for a middle-class family. The film beautifully depicts the complex relationship between Cleo and the family with whom she is so close to, and yet will never truly be one of. The film’s cinematography is unobtrusive and yet skilfully artistic, allowing the authenticity and raw emotion of the story to remain the central focus. You can really tell that Cuarón put his heart into this film, and the effects are simply breath-taking.

Review: ‘Shoplifters’ Questions What It Means to Be a Family

Each year it seems that one foreign film captures the eye of the American public. This year, it comes in the form of Roma. Last year, A Fantastic Woman. The year before that The Salesman, whose director infamously refused to accept his academy award in protest of President Trump’s travel ban.  However, despite the critical success of these films, it seems that each year, a group of unique and interesting foreign films get overlooked by the ‘Romas’ of their respective year. One film that I hope doesn’t succumb to this fate is Shoplifters.

Continue reading “Review: ‘Shoplifters’ Questions What It Means to Be a Family” →