After getting the year's worst out of the way, it is time to root through another cinematic treasure chest of treats. 2018 was a strong year for film and while I'd argue it didn't quite manage to top the unparalleled brilliance of 2017 for me, it doesn't mean the big successes were any less wonderful. There's so much fantastic stuff out there, guys.
Now before y'all start throwing hate at me for the high-charting Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, know that this list is more of a 'favourites', opposed to a 'best of' ranking, meaning that it was informed very much by personal preference and emotional connection, instead of something more objective or unbiased. Idiosyncratic choices are all the rage, don't you know? There are no doubt better-made films than the twenty selected here but these are the ones that most profoundly lodged themselves into my heart or mind, suited my tastes and kept me coming back time and time again.
A disclaimer that this list is based on UK release date, as despite having the privilege of seeing a handful of films early at London Film Festival - including Can You Ever Forgive Me?, The Favourite and A Private War, all of which would have made this list - they are set for general release in the New Year, therefore missing the cut-off point. Blame UK distributors, please (do add my name to any angry emails). I can't claim to have nearly seen every film delivered to the world/UK in 2018, but a good 184 passed my eyes -- you can see a full ranking of every film on my Letterboxd, PerksOfBeingNat.
Honourable mentions go to the following who were, at some stage, in contention for a top twenty position, presented here in alphabetical order: Beast, Disobedience, Incredibles 2, Mary Poppins Returns, Molly's Game, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Ocean's Eight, Red Sparrow, Roma, Shoplifters, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, The Spy Who Dumped Me, Three Identical Strangers and Wildlife.
Without further ado...
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20. Coco
Dir. Lee Unkrich
Released: 19th Jan
Coco is a richly-woven tapestry of culture and celebration, life and death, and family and love. As a film, it obviously paid close attention to stablemate Inside Out, mixing sadness with joy and mastering the balance. Deeply sophisticated in conjuring a vividly-coloured vision and spectacle - for which director Lee Unkrich should be acknowledged - and handling the sort of tricky themes Pixar excels in delivering each and every time, Coco has something for everyone. Adrian Molina and Matthew Aldrich deliver a script packed with emotion and glowing world-building, richly enhanced by a soundtrack and score brimming with charm and infectiousness, as well as some lovely voice performances to boot. Remember Me, I certainly will Coco.
19. Tully
Dir. Jason Reitman
Released: 4th May
Tully and its bold, potentially-alienating ending won't work for everyone and some will likely be unimpressed by the bait-and-switch conclusion - but there's an inherent beauty about the message and the film's unique framing of it. The characters' abilities to bring out the best in one and other is matched by actors who do the same, particularly the extraordinary Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis, who form a fascinatingly compelling dynamic crucial to the narrative's victory. It discovers a deft, sharp balance, thematically and tonally, with some genuine laugh-out-loud moments peppered throughout and more than a handful of searingly smart observations for good measure. Tully is a truly lovely, ruthlessly honest and considered picture that will float around your mind for days, bound with so much heart.
18. I, Tonya
Dir. Craig Gillespie
Released: 23rd Feb
I, Tonya is structurally unpredictable and narratively unreliable, a conscious decision that reflects the stranger-than-fiction, multi-faceted scandal that dominated the media and stirred a frenzy in the mid-1990s. Harding's story is no doubt riveting and the film stacks it with intrigue and contradiction, making terrific use out of the varying versions of events; while I, Tonya's decision to frame Harding so sympathetically suggests an intention slightly more sinister than simply 'telling the truth', there's so much to love. Margot Robbie's career-defining turn brings such complexity to Harding, almost solely responsible for it skating to victory, as well as the brutal honest utilised when poking its themes and subject.
17. Searching
Dir. Aneesh Chaganty
Released: 31st August
Searching is a terrific little find, an effective mystery-thriller that avoids relying on its central premise to do the heavy lifting, crafting an intense, suitably fraught piece that examines our use of social media, self-cultivated identity and how loss shapes our story. Aneesh Chaganty's impressive directorial debut benefits from John Cho formidable lead performance and his self-penned screenplay, which falters only from heavy exposition. For a debut effort and on a (presumably) shoestring budget, Searching is an ambitious, technically-impressive and confident piece worth searching for.
Dir. Robin Campillo
Released: 6th April
BPM is not an easy watch; it really isn't designed to be an easy watch; and it really shouldn't be an easy watch. We are dealing with such important and vital themes, with profound displays of emotion intended to enrage, shock, move and educate us. It is a film, tragically, deeply-rooted in something very real. In presenting a crystal clear, uncompromising examination of the AIDS crisis, we are greeted with a gut-punch of emotion; it is a passionate and resolute piece of filmmaking with a message and meaning. With uniformly excellent performances from the entire ensemble and an unparalleled sense of urgency, 120 BPM is my favourite foreign-language film of the year.
15. A Star is Born
Dir. Bradley Cooper
Released: 3rd Oct
If Gaga is A Star is Born’s beating heart, Cooper is its gentle soul, and they lift each other up. Each stirring in the emotion they evoke through both their acting and singing, they ultimately influence the narrative in entirely different ways. Gaga’s musical talents are showcased in powerful, emotionally-fluctuating glory, thankfully translated into her acting credentials too; meanwhile, Cooper steers the ship valiantly, expressing profound sorrow and hardship in front of and behind the camera. Their energies are perfectly complementary and with such convincing, fantastically-matched chemistry, A Star Is Born culminates in an indescribably powerful moment that refuses to leave a dry eye in the room.
14. Widows
Dir. Steve McQueen
Released: 6th Nov
Widows may feel like old-school filmmaking but it is fantastically contemporary in its themes, refreshing with its female angle. The 130-minute runtime flashes by in a brilliantly-suspenseful blast of adrenaline that will take some beating amongst the genre’s future endeavours. Every single person works together to deliver a thrilling, satisfying and breathtaking experience that toys with the conventions of the style - while ensuring to imbue it with enough depth and surprise of its own. Steve McQueen’s breakout into the multiplex serves him well, without ever, thankfully, dulling his artistic sensibilities; this barn-burning release puts him and his tremendous cast front and centre, with Viola Davis finally getting the complex feature-length leading role that she deserves.
13. A Quiet Place
Dir. John Krasinski
Released: 5th April
A Quiet Place is exceptional filmmaking. Smart, dark, emotional and just a little terrifying, with this astonishing technical accomplishment, the filmmakers have crafted something more than a film -- they have crafted an immense cinematic experience. To permeate such self-awareness into an audience that they are aware of their own noise, their own sound, even their own breathing, is a marvellous feat. Emily Blunt is phenomenal with the rest of the cast impressing too; Beltrami crafts an intense score that helps heighten the tension; and John Krasinski succeeds on a number of fronts, registering a stunning directorial debut that marks him as a director to watch. You'll want to shout loud about A Quiet Place's brilliance.
12. A Simple Favour
Dir. Paul Feig
Released: 20th September
A Simple Favour is so many things but ultimately its own thing. It is completely unable to stay still and ever-shifting, a trait that could have so easily led to a discordant disappointment: but Paul Feig gleefully indulges and, with a sharp script from Jessica Sharzer, effortlessly blends genres and tones with a confidence that keeps the film on track. Feig has always known how to direct his starring ladies and with the splendid Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, everyone thrives; the pair has chemistry and energy aplenty, both delivering career-high performances. Both actresses eat up every bite of this bonkers, uncategorisable experience - and it is an utter joy to witness. An alluring mystery, a nail-biting thriller, a suburbian satire and side-splitting comedy all-in-one, A Simple Favour is a like reinvigorating, bitter and refreshing martini - do yourself a favour, and ask Emily to pour you one out.
Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo
Released: 26th April
Avengers: Infinity War is a minor Marvel miracle, achieving the impossible: a film with upwards of 30 characters, answering questions and ironing out plot lines ten years and eighteen films in the building. Somehow perfectly satisfying - for the moment - and immensely enjoyable, Infinity War is totally thrilling from beginning to shocking close. It's cluttered to within an inch of its life and its overall success will be determined by Endgame next year; but Infinity War was always about Marvel having its cake and eating it too. It has been a gargantuan undertaking but Infinity War is every bit as epic, moving, intense, exhausting, overwhelming, over-indulgent, scattershot and foundation-shaking as I expected - and that's part of its brilliance, always shifting and superbly so. It's definitely a Part 1, but Part 2 cannot come soon enough.
Dir. Christopher McQuarrie
Released: 25th July
Mission: Impossible - Fallout continues the franchise's ascent by tremendously calibrating every individual element into an overall package packed with zeal, imagination and boldness. Stupendous stunts, committed cast performances and sleek visuals marry into a terrific script helmed by a confident director intent on delivering crowd-pleasing thrills and jaw-dropping set pieces that never lose an artistic edge. Fallout shows what can be achieved when the cast and crew are firing on all cylinders, representing a franchise instalment that understands how to balance fan demand with organic progression and development, landing on an incredibly well-rounded, entertaining piece difficult to criticise. Fall in to Fallout!
9. First Man
Dir. Damien Chazelle
Released: 12th Oct
First Man is an endurance test. It's exhausting, it's intense, it's emotional but it's brilliantly rewarding too. An astonishing technical accomplishment, Damien Chazelle's third feature continues his scorching hot streak with an extraordinarily-crafted space film that manages to ponder both the technicalities of such a mission and the deeper emotional impact of those left behind. First Man's refusal to lionise is completely refreshing and a more distant approach - perhaps converse to popular opinion - allows one particularly poignant and profound moment of the narrative to reduce its audience to tears. With a pair of extraordinary performance from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, more sonic magic from Justin Horowitz and further proof that Chazelle is the most talented director of his generation, First Man launches itself comfortably into my top ten films of the year.
Dir. Spike Lee
Released: 24th Aug
Lee's latest joint is unwavering and unignorable; it will leave you speechless. An exhilarating, uncompromising and intrepid piece of impeccably-formulated filmmaking, BlacKkKlansman is not afraid to ask uncomfortable but vital questions that encourage us to face the pressing and urgent issues of our fractured time. Set in the 70s but rooted in the present - a trait emphasised by a concluding montage sequence that should be singed in your mind forevermore - Klansman is, tragically, a defining film of this century. I implore each and every one of you to seek out BlacKkKlansman and listen to its message: be angry, be saddened, be shaken but don't be still.
Dir. Martin McDonagh
Released: 12th Jan
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a darkly cynical, superbly scathing film and while some of its politics will continue to cause a stir, it doesn't take away from what is a well-made, exceptionally-performed and tremendously well-pieced-together feature-length, as timely as it is bold. McDormand's stone-faced, acid-tongued Mildred is a superbly-written character - tortured, complex, strong and determined - so excellently sold by the bold, gutsy actress. With a screenplay that gives Mildred's journey the conviction to make it so captivating, and a director who will not shy away from trickier content, Three Billboards is a triumph of sorts.
Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Released: 2nd Feb
There's so, so very little to fault with Phantom Thread and my love, admiration and appreciation has only grown with distance, time and reflection. It is a thing of ravishing beauty, with the darkness and toxicity at its core wholly transfixing and utterly compelling. Thread's major players - Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville, Jonny Greenwood and the art department - deliver a delicious slice of melodrama that would not be the same absent any of their mesmeric effort. This is the definition of an ensemble, talent oozing from either side of the camera. Phantom Thread is such accomplished filmmaking, cinematically exquisite and oh so finely-woven. Dare I call it a masterpiece?
5. Lady Bird
Dir. Greta Gerwig
Released: Feb 23rd
Lady Bird is a deeply personal but completely universal tale of growth and development, youth and relationships; one told with intimacy, heart and soul. Packed into a wonderful, textured screenplay is a real sense of place and time, enhanced by everything from Jon Brion's score and use of music to Sam Levy's cinematography, which affirms the tone of the piece perfectly. The cast are sensational, with an utterly fantastic lead performance from Saoirse Ronan and a marvellous supporting turn from Laurie Metcalf in particular, although the quality from the entire ensemble is mightily impressive.
All that said though, this really is Greta Gerwig's film and she excels as both writer and director; it is an outstanding piece of filmmaking with so much merit, made all the more notable knowing that this is her directorial debut. It is lovingly, thoughtfully made and the amount of love poured into the film and script is clear for all to see. Lady Bird soars so frequently, charismatic and touching.
4. Hereditary
Dir. Ari Aster
Released: June 15th
Hereditary clawed under my skin like few horrors ever have. A nerve-shredding, heart-pounding experience that deserves to become one of the genre touchstones, Ari Aster's exploration of a family stalked by generational ritual is an unforgettable one. Featuring Toni Collette's earth-shattering, award-worthy lead perfromance (and a collection of tremendous supporting turns, including Alex Wolff and Milly Shaprio's breakthroughs), it is a film so scarring, haunting and nightmarish that its images will be seared on to your brain long after the credits have rolled.
Aster is as strong with a pen in his hand as he is behind the lens, with the first-time feature-length writer-director demonstrating an unbelievable amount of talent and skill in his first major studio venture; the use of deep focus is inspired, an almost artificial world that feeds brilliantly into the film's central conceit -- "they're all pawns in this horrible, hopeless machine", one indistinguishable character remarks. Dollhouse aesthetics are brilliantly bold, vivid and slick, enhanced through some very impressive production design and Pawel Pogorzelski's striking cinematography. A breathless, suffocating experience, Hereditary is not only one of the finest horrors of the decade, but one of the greatest films in general too.
3. Love, Simon
Dir. Greg Berlanti
Released: April 6th
It can be very tempting to ignore a film's quality when you want it to celebrate its very existence. If you're invested in a piece of art succeeding because you admire what it represents, you can often overlook flaws in its fabric. It's happened time and time again and heck, I'm guilty of doing it myself. But here's the thing about Greg Berlanti's Love, Simon: it is a genuinely terrific film in its own right. As impressive as it is important, it is a wildly enjoyable, emotionally-stirring and captivating coming-of-age film that encompasses themes we've seen countless times before in gay stories, but in a decidedly more crowd-pleasing manner this time.
Those that damn the films conventionality are overlooking its purpose; those who dismiss its adherence to the sub-genre's formula are missing the point: Love, Simon's effort to normalise teen LBGT relationships in mainstream cinema doesn't claim to reinvent the wheel, simply chart a new, more inclusive course. That is can be so heart-warming, funny, poignant is a bonus. Adapted from Becky Albertali's novel and with a strong ensemble in tow - led heartily by the impressive, overlooked Nick Robinson - Love, Simon is heartfelt filmmaking bound to inspire and move many.
It can be very tempting to ignore a film's quality when you want it to celebrate its very existence. If you're invested in a piece of art succeeding because you admire what it represents, you can often overlook flaws in its fabric. It's happened time and time again and heck, I'm guilty of doing it myself. But here's the thing about Greg Berlanti's Love, Simon: it is a genuinely terrific film in its own right. As impressive as it is important, it is a wildly enjoyable, emotionally-stirring and captivating coming-of-age film that encompasses themes we've seen countless times before in gay stories, but in a decidedly more crowd-pleasing manner this time.
Those that damn the films conventionality are overlooking its purpose; those who dismiss its adherence to the sub-genre's formula are missing the point: Love, Simon's effort to normalise teen LBGT relationships in mainstream cinema doesn't claim to reinvent the wheel, simply chart a new, more inclusive course. That is can be so heart-warming, funny, poignant is a bonus. Adapted from Becky Albertali's novel and with a strong ensemble in tow - led heartily by the impressive, overlooked Nick Robinson - Love, Simon is heartfelt filmmaking bound to inspire and move many.
Dir. Ol Parker
Released: July 20th
To quote the other musical that dominated the world in 2018, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is "everything you ever want, everything you ever need". A vastly superior sequel in every sense of the word, we return to the sunny Kalokairi with a far tighter script, performances that play out with a wink and nudge and a new director armed with polish and panache. Steerer of the ship, writer-director Ol Parker and producer Judy Cramer are responsible for this fizzy spectacle that amplifies the show-stopping celebration of all things ABBA, with deeper musical cuts creating more brilliant, tender, exuberant moments of unadulterated fun. From the entertaining 'When I Kissed The Teacher' and crowd-pleasing 'Dancing Queen' to the celebratory curtain-call of 'Super Trouper' and heart-rendering 'My Love, My Life' (one of the most emotional moment ever put to film in my humble opinion), Here We Go Again has everything fans of the original could want: the most perfectly-calibrated and gleefully uncompromising piece of escapism.
Oozing with an unparalleled sense of fun that fills you with so much happiness, it sparkles, crackles and bubbles away with pure euphoria for the entirety of its 114-minute runtime, in a beautifully frothy blur of glitter, spandex and picturesque scenery that will make you sing, dance, gasp, cheer and cry - often at the same time. A jukebox musical that catapults you into the stratosphere, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again is so much better than anyone anticipated, and the perfect sequel to Mamma Mia - can we not wait ten years to do it all again, though?
To quote the other musical that dominated the world in 2018, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is "everything you ever want, everything you ever need". A vastly superior sequel in every sense of the word, we return to the sunny Kalokairi with a far tighter script, performances that play out with a wink and nudge and a new director armed with polish and panache. Steerer of the ship, writer-director Ol Parker and producer Judy Cramer are responsible for this fizzy spectacle that amplifies the show-stopping celebration of all things ABBA, with deeper musical cuts creating more brilliant, tender, exuberant moments of unadulterated fun. From the entertaining 'When I Kissed The Teacher' and crowd-pleasing 'Dancing Queen' to the celebratory curtain-call of 'Super Trouper' and heart-rendering 'My Love, My Life' (one of the most emotional moment ever put to film in my humble opinion), Here We Go Again has everything fans of the original could want: the most perfectly-calibrated and gleefully uncompromising piece of escapism.
Oozing with an unparalleled sense of fun that fills you with so much happiness, it sparkles, crackles and bubbles away with pure euphoria for the entirety of its 114-minute runtime, in a beautifully frothy blur of glitter, spandex and picturesque scenery that will make you sing, dance, gasp, cheer and cry - often at the same time. A jukebox musical that catapults you into the stratosphere, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again is so much better than anyone anticipated, and the perfect sequel to Mamma Mia - can we not wait ten years to do it all again, though?
Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Release: February 14th
"If I tried I still couldn't hide my love for you" Renee Fleming sings over the credits of Guillermo Del Toro's wondorous, Best Picture-winning film The Shape of Water, and how apt that is. My favourite film of the year is the most profound love-letter to cinema since Damien Chazelle's dazzling La La Land - itself topping my 2017 list this time last year. Water is a similarly remarkable theatrical accomplishment, both emotionally and intellectually deep, boasting my favourite female performance of all time in Sally Hawkins' almost wordless, endlessly riveting turn as Eliza.
With such an assured vision, Del Toro yet again establishes himself as Hollywood's most visionary director, with a feature-length that could collapse in on itself at any time. Yet with such a confident visionary at the helm in Del Toro, magnificent work from Hawkins and crew, Alexandre Desplat's immersive score and some of the most luscious production design that refuses to be limited by a comparatively smaller budget, that could not be further from reality. The Shape of Water is utterly glorious filmmaking, an enduring cinematic accomplishment that will be remembered for years to come, and something of a cinephiles' dream. Films like The Shape of Water are the reason I so adore cinema.
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And there we are! Thank you for sticking with the list - and for sticking with me throughout 2018. If you clicked on a link, threw me a share or comment, or discussed films with me in person, know how appreciated it is!
Here's to another wonderful year of film.
Love, Nathan x
"If I tried I still couldn't hide my love for you" Renee Fleming sings over the credits of Guillermo Del Toro's wondorous, Best Picture-winning film The Shape of Water, and how apt that is. My favourite film of the year is the most profound love-letter to cinema since Damien Chazelle's dazzling La La Land - itself topping my 2017 list this time last year. Water is a similarly remarkable theatrical accomplishment, both emotionally and intellectually deep, boasting my favourite female performance of all time in Sally Hawkins' almost wordless, endlessly riveting turn as Eliza.
With such an assured vision, Del Toro yet again establishes himself as Hollywood's most visionary director, with a feature-length that could collapse in on itself at any time. Yet with such a confident visionary at the helm in Del Toro, magnificent work from Hawkins and crew, Alexandre Desplat's immersive score and some of the most luscious production design that refuses to be limited by a comparatively smaller budget, that could not be further from reality. The Shape of Water is utterly glorious filmmaking, an enduring cinematic accomplishment that will be remembered for years to come, and something of a cinephiles' dream. Films like The Shape of Water are the reason I so adore cinema.
- - - - - - - - -
And there we are! Thank you for sticking with the list - and for sticking with me throughout 2018. If you clicked on a link, threw me a share or comment, or discussed films with me in person, know how appreciated it is!
Here's to another wonderful year of film.
Love, Nathan x