Monday, January 7, 2019

FTM 474 - OUR FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2018

Patrick, Adam, and JB name the movies they enjoyed more than other movies in 2018.



Download this episode here. (60.4 MB)

Listen to F This Movie! on Stitcher.

43 comments:

  1. Ok, here goes. I watched 374 movies this year, 224 which were new to me. Watched 8 movies in theatres (thought that would be higher).

    47 of the movies are from 2018. My best-of-what-I've-seen list would be (Keeping in mind I haven't seen much, and most were ones I've seen with the kids):

    1) Annihilation
    2) Mission: Impossible - Fallout
    3) Teen Titans Go To The Movies
    4) Accident Man
    5) Solo: A Chewbacca's Best Friend Story
    6) Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero

    Honourable Mentions: Early Man, Super Troopers 2, Incredibles 2, Uncle Drew

    Now, the best New-To-Me Movies I've seen in 2018 (excluding ones from the list above):

    1) The Insider (1999)
    2) Manhunter (1986)
    3) Riding Giants (documentary - 2004)
    4) Coco (2017)
    5) A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
    6) Black Swan (2010)
    7) Martyrs (2008)
    8) Beverley Hills Ninja (1997)

    Honourable mentions: Petey Wheatstraw (1977), Maidentrip (documentary - 2013), Time Trap (2017), The Santa Clause 2 (2002), Fists Of The White Lotus (1980)

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  2. I stopped listening to the Slash Filmcast a long while ago. I was tired of hearing talking about TV and then talk about the movie they're supposed to because it's apparently a podcast about movies and they have to do it at some point.

    That and other reasons

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  3. Oh, Patrick is on the money here - y'all need to see Sisters Brothers ASAP! It's gorgeous and has really distinctive things on its mind about America, bringing in aspects of our 19th century culture that are usually outside the purview of Westerns, and holding them together on this main thread of cowboy hitmen who might be getting too old for the game.

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    Replies
    1. YES. The last shot moved me in so many ways, too.

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    2. I read the book a couple years ago.

      -That Guy (also really looking forward to the movie but also it's a really good read so F That Book!)

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  4. Just want to elaborate as one of the people who commented that You Were Never Really Here didn't really click with me fully.

    I don't think it was that I was expecting a different or more Hollywood movie, but I think the action sequences felt off to me in a way. I really connected more to the scenes in between the violence than the best mode stuff. Especially parts with his mother or his emotions surrounding this process of his line of work. For example, I thought the scene in the car with the girl was so effective as a look at his character. The way he is so compassionate towards her and despite what we know he's going through he has this sort of respect towards the idea that what she has been through may be so much worse.

    I'm sure it didn't help that the people who recommended this to me really only talked it up as one of the best revenge films they'd seen this year. I thought that stuff was serviceable in the realm of the plot for me, but I was really much more interested in the slower parts.

    I am interested in revisiting with the hope that the rest will work for me in the future.

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  5. Really looking forward to this one guys. 2018 was a cinematic Dark Age for me - hardly saw any - lost all interest in really even discussing and reading about them. Was still popping in to read occasional articles but found myself drawing a blank when it came to commenting and participating in the discussion. I miss it, but that hasn't been enough to overcome my apathy.

    I just watched Tomb Raider (2018) and Venom and as mediocre and/or bonkerswtf they were, they oddly got me excited for some really GOOD movies and thanks to this episode, I'll have a good idea where to start!

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    Replies
    1. Ah, same. If I think back I actually did see a bunch of films this year but except for the ones I really liked, I couldn't muster up any commentary about them. I'm only into politics now lol. Nothing is as dramatic as real life these days.

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  6. Love a Monday episode! Excited to get to work in a couple of hours so I can listen.

    I didn't make a top 10 list, mainly because I'm having trouble putting this stuff in any kind of order, but I made these two categories:

    Movies I liked because of course I did:
    - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
    - A Quiet Place
    - Mandy
    - Searching
    - A Star Is Born
    - Hereditary
    - BlacKkKlansman
    - Mission: Impossible - Fallout
    - MCU x 3

    Pleasant surprises and smaller movies I want to champion:
    - An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn
    - Lifechanger
    - Good Manners (As Boas Maneiras)
    - The Guilty (Den Skyldige)
    - Black '47
    - Heavy Trip (Hevi Reissu)
    - Pity
    - Border (Gräns)

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  7. Great episode. I love that only one film made it on all three lists.

    I've only seen 48 2018 films at this point but my list is roughly the following:
    1. Mandy
    2. You Were Never Really Here
    3. Hereditary
    4. Minding the Gap
    5. Annihilation

    Honorables: BlacKkKlansman, Revenge, Isle of Dogs, Roma, Eighth Grade, Buster Scruggs

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  8. Favorite episode of the year! gives me a good guide to follow for any releases I might have missed.

    Here's a question, Is it possible to agree about all the awesome moments from Mandy mentioned here and yet still really dislike the film?
    I guess it is. Nic cage breaking down in the bathroom, cheddar goblin, the Cenobites, chainsaw fight, all are amazing WOW moments. I just couldn't tolerate the rest of the 100 minutes surrounding those scenes.
    and it's not an aversion towards slower paced or artsy films. I thought having an affinity towards a ghost story and Revenge, Mandy would be in my wheel house.

    What most of my friends found to be beautiful in the photography, the color palette of neon pinks reds and purples felt garrish and unpleasant to look at.

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  9. I saw 148 movies released last year, but Little Italy kept me from finally achieving my goal of seeing everything on your guys' list before listening to the pod.

    Escape Room is good!

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  10. I didn’t list it as my number one, but Paddington 2 is probably the movie I’ve revisited the most now from 2018. That movie really is like the film equivalent of a warm, comforting blanket, and it will undoubtedly creep its way up to being my actual favorite movie of 2018 whenever I revisit my list. I expect to watch it many, many more times.

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  11. This episode was a delight as always!

    So I saw 380 movies this year and spent a lot of time trying to come up with my top 10. There were about 25 movies that were in the list at one point or another, so I finally settled on the ones that I think are the best movies I'll also be most likely to revisit.

    1) Blindspotting
    2) Paddington 2
    3) Bodied (Really disappointed this isn't on more lists. I think the poor distribution hurt it but this thing is fire. If you haven't seen it I can't recommend it enough)
    4) First Reformed
    5) Upgrade
    6) The Night Comes for Us
    7) The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
    8) Revenge
    9) Mandy
    10) Cold War

    Some honorable mentions: Sorry to Bother You, Searching, Hereditary, Annihilation, You Were Never Really Here.

    Still need to see: Roma, Burning, Shoplifters

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  12. I posted my top 10 to Letterboxd (sagerbj86) so check it out if you care. It's pretty close to Patrick's, so I won't bore you. But I would like to put a little attention to a movie I think is really great but didn't make anyone's list here: The Clovehitch Killer.
    RLM did a little recommendation video on it, and I know a lot of people here dont like them, but it really is a tremendous little thriller. The way it gives out information is really interesting, it has a clever structure, and its supported by 2 really great performances. Theres a scene involving Dylan McDermott taking polaroids that is one of the best things you'll see all year.

    Another great podcast guys! These are always my favorite.

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  13. Always my favorite episode of the year from you guys, and this one did not disappoint. Sheila!

    I managed to see "The Sisters Brothers" in the theater. It played for a week, and I was alone in the auditorium. I'm so happy I saw it there though. It's on my Top 20 I published for a local publication, so I suppose that makes it Honorable Mention.

    I still have more to see of course (Beale Street finally arrives in my neck of the woods this week).

    Anyway, my current top 10 from about 90 titles from 2018:
    1. Won't You Be My Neighbor?
    2. Roma
    3. BlackKklansman
    4. Mission: Impossible - Fallout
    5. Eighth Grade
    6. The Favourite
    7. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
    8. Widows
    9. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
    10. Sorry to Bother You

    The problem is you guys have made me think hard about some that just missed the cut, especially Tully, Mandy, You Were Never Really Here, Paddington 2 and Hereditary. All of those I saw a while ago, so maybe they're just not as fresh in my mind. Good thing lists are fluid.

    Looking forward to another year of great content from you guys!

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  14. I'm sad that Mark Jones didn't weigh in on his feelings about Little Italy.

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    Replies
    1. Lol same. I'm positive that and Smallfoot are on his top 10.

      Delete
  15. 1. Mandy
    2. Mom and Dad
    3. Manhunt (The John Woo movie, not the Unabomber doc)
    4. Hereditary
    5. Holmes & Watson
    6. Mission: Impossible: Fallout
    7. Annihilation
    8. You Were Never Really Here
    9. Action Point
    10. The Last Movie Star

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    Replies
    1. Holmes & Watson, is it a typo or did you bang your head?

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    2. No typo. I loved it. P.S. I've been a major sucker for Ferrell's brand of juvenile and silly humor for well over 20 years now.

      Delete
  16. i have not seen much of the 'must see' movies this year. i know of all the one i should see, read a few top 10 list, but somehow nothing really interested me.

    but some things i saw are worth mentioning.

    The Other Side Of The Wind: i'm a huge fan of Orson Welles. i'll watch anything that has his name on it. this movie was a great surprise, and the documentary on on making of the movie, and Welles career a large is also a nice added bonus to watching the movie.

    Annihilation: Adam Riske mentionned it, but it is a must see to any sci-fi fan. i'm not sure i care about the framing device, Natalie Portman telling the story, but the rest is so good that it doesn't bother me.

    Assassination Nation: Patrick talked about it, but it needs to be talked about more. it's a not a movie you love, but i thought it was very efficient in what it's trying to say.

    They Shall Not Grow Old: i've been hearing about it for a while, but now that i saw it, i understand why. no movie ever made you feel the horror of WW1 like this one. another one that you don't like, but appreciate what it's doing.

    Andre The Giant: another great documentary. this one is more standard in its form, but interesting nonetheless because of the subject matter

    and there's a few notable mention, but special that was not mentioned before

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  17. I did not see many new movies this year.

    1. Annihilation
    2. Herditary
    3. The Most Unknown
    4. A Star is Born
    5. The house That Jack Built
    6. Ready Player One
    7. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
    8. Roma
    9. A Quiet Place
    10. Overload

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  18. Despite running a theater, I had less time to actually sit down and watch movies last year than just about any time in the last decade. My top 10:

    1. Spider-man: Into The Spider-Verse
    2. Blindspotting
    3. Mandy
    4. Roma
    5. Three Identical Strangers
    6. Overlord
    7. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
    8. A Star is Born
    9. They Shall Not Grow Old
    10. Won’t You Be My Neighbor

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  19. A great episode as usual. And as usual how you discussed the picks made the episode. Also I love reading through everyone else's top 10.

    2018 was a tough year but a good year for movies (for me at least) My top ten was.

    1) Shoplifters
    2) Mandy
    3) The Favourite
    4) Cold War
    5) Herediary
    6) American Animals
    7) Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse
    8) Climax
    9) Ballard of Buster Scruggs
    10) Upgrade

    Honourable mentions go to Balckkklansman, Suspiria, The Ritual (which came out in Aussie in 2018 on Netflix I think) and Roma.

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  20. Thanks to MoviePass, I got to see about 50 movies in the theater this year (very high for me). That also meant I saw a lot of "ah, why not" type movies.

    1. A Quiet Place
    2. The Favourite
    3. Mid90s
    4. First Man
    5. Mission Impossible: Fallout
    6. Three Identical Strangers
    7. Unsane
    8. Searching
    9. Annihilation
    10. Spider Man - Into the Spider Verse

    A Quiet Place took my top spot early in the year, and may have held on like a boxing champ who gets the benefit of the doubt on the scorecards. No other movie brought the knockout punch needed to dethrone the champ. Mid90s didn't get much love on the site, but it really worked for me. I thought it nailed a lot of kid-friend-growing-up stuff. Unsane was one of those awesome theater experiences for me. I went in expecting nothing (didn't know it was Soderbergh going in), and felt like I was under a spell until the thing ended. I think it's going to be my favorite "underrated" movie of the year. Searching was a blast. I really want to see Annihilation again, because I feel like it may move up the list.

    Other notes: I thought Bad Times at the El Royale was fun. A Star Is Born was very, very good, but the song at the end just didn't stick the landing for me. Hotel Artemis was fun (though I saw it on an airplane, where I feel like standards are lower). Game Night should probably be higher on my list. I liked A Simple Favor a lot in theaters, and I think I loved it when I saw it again at home. Watched as comedy first, mystery second, I think it's a sleeper to creep up my list over time. Paddington 2 was delightful. You Were Never Really Here was very good, but the theater I saw it in has the thinnest walls, and I could hear pretty much every line of Super Troopers 2 playing next door. I need to see it again. Upgrade was fun. Tully was very good. BlackKklansman was good, and felt oddly understated for Spike Lee. Tomb Raider was my biggest "this movie isn't that great, but it isn't bad and I think it's pretty fun" movie of the year. I was disappointed by Widows, Overlord, Sicario 2, and Creed 2 (though I'm glad for anyone who loved them!).

    Movies I didn't get a chance to see, but really want to: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Blindspotting, Bodied, Don't Worry He Won't Get Far on Foot, Eighth Grade, First Reformed, Hereditary, If Beale Street Could Talk, Leave No Trace, Mandy, Mary Poppins Returns, Mohawk, The Old Man and the Gun, Revenge, The Rider, Roma, Sisters Brothers (good book!), Sorry to Bother You, Support the girls

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  21. I saw 77 2018 releases in a theater! Overall, I'm in agreement that it was an underwhelming year, especially compared to 2017. Still, there are at least 10 films I was a huge fan of. My list is...

    Honorable mentions: Revenge, Sorry to Bother You, Destination Wedding, A Quiet Place

    10. Creed II
    9. Eighth Grade
    8. Hereditary
    7. Hell Fest
    6. Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse
    5. Annihilation
    4. Avengers: Infinity War
    3. Mission Impossible: Fallout
    2. First Reformed
    1. Blindspotting

    Really looking forward to another year of F This Movie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, for some reason I can't delete this myself. Go ahead and delete it.

      Delete
  22. I saw 77 2018 releases in a theater! Overall, I'm in agreement that it was an underwhelming year, especially compared to 2017. Still, there are at least 10 films I was a huge fan of. My list is...

    Honorable mentions: Revenge, Sorry to Bother You, Destination Wedding, A Quiet Place

    10. Creed II
    9. Eighth Grade
    8. Hereditary
    7. Hell Fest
    6. Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse
    5. Annihilation
    4. Avengers: Infinity War
    3. Mission Impossible: Fallout
    2. First Reformed
    1. Blindspotting

    Really looking forward to another year of F This Movie!

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  23. Well according to letterboxd, I watched 333 movies in 2018, and 68 of those were 2018 movies. I didn't think it was a great year for movies, but just a good one. These 10 were great though:

    1. Mandy
    2. Avengers Infinity war
    3. Suspiria
    4. Hereditary
    5. You were never really here
    6. Annihilation
    7. The night comes for us
    8. Blackkkklansman
    9. A star is born
    10. Revenge

    Honorable mentions: Unsane, black panther, game night, Halloween, Creed 2, into the spider verse, a quiet place, Eighth Grade.

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  24. I saw 125 (ish) movies from last year. I thought it was a great year for pretty good movie and a poor year for great movies. I am very happy with my Top 4, and the rest are movies I liked.

    I hope this doesn't sound like a dig, because I don't intend it as one, but some of your guys' choices make me more confident in some of the movies I put on my list. Including one that was mocked several times during the episode.

    1. Sorry to Bother You
    2. Death of Stalin
    3. Blindspotting
    4. The Favourite
    5. Black Panther
    6. Aquaman
    7. Widows
    8. Blackkklansman
    9. Mission Impossible: Fallout
    10. Mortal Engines

    Honorable Mentions: Bad Times at the El Royale, Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Three Identical Strangers and Won't You Be My Neighbor.

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  25. Great podcast, cool dudes! And a reminder of how many of this year's good movies I haven't seen yet. Here's my picks, among the ones I've seen:

    10: Avengers Infinity War ("Hi, Drax.")
    9: Hell Fest (Characters unlikable? I wanted to marry Bex Taylor-Claus!)
    8: Annihilation (This year's El Topo)
    7: Hereditary (A powerful, well-made movie I will never watch a second time)
    6: Christmas Chronicles (mostly for the jail scenes)
    5: Mission Impossible Fallout (Oh yeah, I remember action movies)
    4: Halloween (Oh yeah, I remember slasher movies)
    3: Ballad of Buster Scruggs ("Guts is all you had!")
    2: Black Panther ("Wakanda forever!")
    1: Sorry to Bother You (Total flashbacks to the first time I saw Gilliam's Brazil, and having my mind blown by the combo of heady satire, sci-fi cool, and just plain silliness. Here's hoping that, like Brazil, this will be an all-timer for movie nerds for years to come.)

    Worst movie of the year: Fantastic Beasts and the etc. Too many characters, too many subplots, a boring villain, and a who-cares cliffhanger. It does everything wrong that Infinity War did right.

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  26. I saw 292 movies in 2018 and 53 that were released during the year.

    My top 10
    1. Won't You Be My Neighbor?
    2. The Other Side of the Wind
    3. Eighth Grade
    4. First Reformed
    5. Spider-Man: into the Spider-Verse
    6. Roma
    7. A Star is Born
    8. Annihilation
    9. BlacKkKlansman
    10. Ballad of Buster Scruggs

    Honorable Mentions: A Quiet Place, Hereditary, Black Panther, First Man, Mission Impossible: Fallout, Mandy, and They'll love me when I'm Dead

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  27. For me 2018 was the year of every movie was fine to meh. Two movies stayed with me and they were Hereditary and a Korean film Burning.

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  28. Anybody see Minding the Gap? Lot of other bigger, more popular documentaries this year overshadowed it but it's really good and probably my favorite movie of the year. Director Bing Liu goes back to his hometown of Rockford, Illinois and hangs out with a couple of kids he grew up skateboarding with. Starts out as one thing until it becomes something else entirely, very visually inventive, and told in very measured beats until it all comes crashing together at the end. It's on Hulu. Check it out.

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  29. Mark, I loved MINDING THE GAP! I hope people continue to seek it out! I'm a fan of all things Kartemquin - they never miss. I'm so happy for all the accolades Bing Liu is receiving, too!

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  30. Great show yet again!! I want to second, or third, the idea of Patrick and other guests going through old TOP 10 lists.

    There were some movies this year I just could not be bothered to see, and a few more that I hated and thought were "The Emperor's New Clothes." Wont list em because who cares, but here's my 10.

    10. Vice (sorry I loved this one)
    9. A Quiet Place
    8. Roma
    7. The Favourite
    6. Suspiria
    5. BlackkKlansman
    4. Mission Impossible Fallout
    3. A Star is Born
    2. Mandy
    1. First Reformed

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  31. Beyond reading and hearing about the movies of 2018 on FThisMovie!, I had no contact with them. I will definitely get around to seeing some this year. Rather, I sought refuge from present-day craziness in my cinematic sweet spot, which should be evident from the list. All were first watches.

    1. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)
    2. Hercules in the Haunted World (1961)
    3. Let the Right One In (2006)
    4. Ride the High Country (1962)
    5. Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
    6. The Devil’s 8 (1969)
    7. Sister Street Fighter (1975) - Very fun with the English dub
    8. Camille 2000 (1969)
    9. Dirty Pictures (1971)
    10. The Blue Angel (1930) - Marlene Dietrich's debut is a seedy masterpiece

    Honorable Mentions: Nightmare Alley (1947), Goodbye Uncle Tom (1971), Black Magic 2 (1976), Mandingo (1975), Death Smiles on a Murderer (1973)

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  32. Excellent show as usual, gents. Get I must rent/watch "Paddington" so that I can the full impact of this year's surprise sleeper hit, "Paddington 2." :-D

    Here's my worst-to-best list of first-run movies I watched in 2018. Thanks to AMC's A-Plus, this year that total (excluding repertory screenings, otherwise we'd be at 200+) is a whooping 140 first-run pictures. Starting with the bottom-of-the-barrel worst POS flick I saw in 2018:

    140- Sherlock Gnome
    139- The Possession of Hannah Grace
    138- Uncle Drew
    137- The Happy Time Murders
    136- Early Man
    135- Gotti
    134- Mortal Engines 3D
    133- Gold (2018 Bollywood musical)
    132- Bad Samaritan
    131- Little Women
    130- A.X.L.
    129- Skyscraper 3D
    128- Assassination Nation
    127- Pacific Rim: Uprising 3D
    126- A Wrinkle In Time
    125- China Salesman
    124- Tomb Raider 2018
    123- Mid90's
    122- Fahrenheit 11/9
    121- The Old Man & the Gun
    120- The Hate U Give
    119- The 15:17 to Paris
    118- Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell
    117- Hell Fest
    116- Overlord
    115- Mile 22
    114- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D
    113- Let the Sunshine In (French)
    112- Sicario: Day of the Soldado
    111- Best F(r)iends: Volume 2
    110- Peppermint
    109- Ocean's 8
    108- Operation Finale
    107- Rampage
    106- The Wife
    105- Love, Simon
    104- Best F(r)iends: Volume 1
    103- The Girl in the Spider's Web: A Dragoon Tattoo Story
    102- A Private War
    101- Chappaquidic
    100- Ben Is Back
    99- Welcome to Marwen
    98- McQueen (documentary)
    97-Lizzie
    96- Boy Erased
    95- The Predator
    94- A Simple Favor
    93- First Man
    92- Death Wish (2018)
    91- White Boy Rick
    90- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 3D
    89- The Meg
    88- Den of Thieves
    87- Rifftrax Live! Space Mutiny
    86- Vox Lux
    85- Venom
    84- On the Basis of Sex
    83- Nutcracker and the Four Realms 3D
    82- Tag
    81- Searching
    80- Solo: A Star Wars Story
    79- Red Sparrow
    78- You Were Never Really Here
    77- Whitney (documentary)
    76- Sorry to Bother You
    75- Blindspotting
    74- Disney's Christopher Robin
    73- The Equalizer II
    72- 12 Strong
    71- Mirai (anime)
    70- Proud Mary
    69- Bad Times at the El Royale
    68- Twisted Pair
    67- The Commuter
    66- Robin Hood (2018)
    65- KIN
    64- The Spy Who Dumped Me
    63- Alpha
    62- Mary and the Witch's Flowers
    61- Ghost Story
    60- Eighth Grade
    59- Padmavat (Bollywood musical)
    58- The Front Runner
    57- Suspiria 2018
    56- Disobedience
    55- Beirut
    54- Deadpool 2
    53- A Quiet Place
    52- Vice
    51- Can You Ever Forgive Me?
    50- Game Night
    49- Widows
    48- Juliet, Naked
    47- The Mule
    46- Hunter Killer
    45- BlacKKKlansman
    44- Mazinger Z: INFINITY (anime)
    43- Halloween (2018)
    42- Ant-Man and the Wasp 3D
    41- Mary Poppins Returns
    40- Isle of Dogs
    39.- Incredibles 2
    38- Fireworks (anime)
    37- Ready Player One 3D
    36- Anna and the Apocalypse (Scottish post-apocalypse teenage zombie musical)
    35- Rifftrax Live! Krull
    34- Hitler's Hollywood (documentary)
    33- This Is Our Land (French)
    32- Upgrade
    31- Aquaman 3D
    30- Ralph Breaks the Internet
    29- Dead Souls (8-hour documentary)
    28- Superfly (2018)
    27- Creed II
    26- Teen Titans Go to the Movies
    25- Free Solo (documentary)
    24- Bohemian Rhapsody
    23- Beautiful Boy
    22- Stan & Ollie
    21- Crazy Rich Asians
    20- The Favourite
    19- If Beale Street Could Talk
    18- Revenge (French)
    17- The Sisters Brothers
    16- Mary Queen of Scots
    15- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse
    14- Mission: Impossible - Fallout
    13- Hereditary
    12- Bumblebee 3D
    11- Tully

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  33. And my Top 10 of 2018:

    10- THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD (Fathom Events)
    The same year Peter Jackson oversaw one of the worst big-budget releases ("Mortal Engines") his pet project, a colorized-from-archival-B&W-footage tribute to World War I soldiers. From the making-of documentary afterwards to the excellent credits music ("Mademoiselle from Armentieres"), it's a shame most people will have to settle for home video/streaming as their first viewing.

    9- THE DEATH OF STALIN
    Armando Iannucci (HBO's "Veep") dials the farcical political humor up to 11 in this cartoony, foul-mouthed portrayal of Russian politicians power grabbing after Stalin kicks the bucket. Jeffrey Tambor and Steve Buscemi (didn't know Nikita Khrushchev had a NY accent) stand out, but this might be the best ensemble comedy since "Clue."

    8- COLD WAR
    Pawel Pawlikowski ("Ida") wisely uses every one of "Cold War's" 88 minutes to convey a simple opposites-attract love story with a panache for symbolism that carries emotional weight. Too bad that, like Alex Proyas, Pawlikowski seems to only work every four years or so.

    7- A STAR IS BORN (2018)
    More like a director is born, am I right? Sorry! :-P But seriously, Patrick is right: Bradley Cooper won the Hollywood lottery, and the confidence with which he directs this showbiz formula pic is half the fun of experiencing its concert scenes in Dolby Cinema.

    6- GREEN BOOK
    Viggo comes close to crossing into stereotype cartoon racist, but he doesn't and I laughed with his character rather than at him. It's a testament to the filmmakers' skills (including a Farrelly director) and Mahershala Ali's straight-man routine that I'm an unabashed "Green Room" lover when it has become fashionable to bash it. We need more Oscar bait pictures that try to entertain audience along with hammering a message, IMHO.

    5- WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? (documentary)
    The right subject at the right time with filmmakers smart-enough to let our expectations of who Fred Rogers was mislead us into expecting to see dirt on a man that seemed too good to be true. The pic that made me cry the most in a theater until...

    4- ROMA (70mm)
    ... I caught this at Alamo. Thank God it's only occasionally pretentious when it isn't being an excellent depiction of a time and place (Mexico in the early 1970's) that mirrors my own upbringing while also being universally accessible to people from all cultures. An instant masterpiece, and the 70mm film grain made it look so much better.

    3- AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (IMAX 3D)
    The payoff to ten years of superhero adaptations building up to climax, and a superhero achievement that makes "Justice League" and most DC films (except "Wonder Woman" and Nolan's "DK" trilogy) look pathetic. Freaking Thanos is now a mainstream pop-culture character! If that doesn't tell you how high MCU has peaked here, nothing else will.

    2- ANNIHILATION
    I've seen it multiple times, and the ambiguity of the premise/resolution only adds layers of depth to an already-entertaining thinking man's sci-fi epic. The electronic soundtrack alone was worth the upgrade to 4K Blu-ray, as has been every conversations about the film to everyone I've shown the movie too. An underrated gem.

    1- BLACK PANTHER 3D
    Shakespeare in Wakanda, with all the life-and-death stakes and drama that description entails married to Marvel's ability to turn fringe characters into entertaining mainstream superheroes. I haven't laughed so hard, being so engrossed by a villain (Michael B. Jordan) and enjoyed hanging out with supporting characters in any other 2018 release. Black Panther will return, but there can only be a first time when the shout "Wakanda Forever!" gets you teary-eyed in a sold out theater that cheers wildly, and this was it. :-)

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