As I look back across the 2018 film year, I see one of the weirdest collections of cinema since I started seriously studying film. There are some really interesting films here, even if they didn’t all hit the mark. I mean, looking through the list of 113 films I watched (and an embarrassing 40 reviewed), most of these films at least hold some merit, even if the only ones I’d care to revisit under 70 are Venom and Gotti). Analyzing my choices and commentary, there are two unsung stories that I think need to be addressed. The first is that Special Citation for This Is America. That video came and went in a flash storm, as most things on the Internet often do, and yet it is still the greatest piece of content I viewed in all of 2018. No film matched its visual or analytical genius. The second is the impressive field of documentaries on the table. Minding the Gap is one of my favorite docs ever, Watergate is one of the best of the decade, and the rest all offer up some really impressive things. Even last place RBG is two-thirds of a phenomenal movie before trailing off in its final act. It’s still early to ask the question, “Would you change your Top Ten?” and I’m not sure that I would – the eleven films (with a tie for tenth) are easily the best films of 2018, but it gets challenging. What of the magical romance of If Beale Street Could Talk? Or the cynical irony of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs? And surely there’s something I could have done for the masterful Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. But at the end of the day, I have no regrets. Lynne Ramsey’sYou Were Never Really Here is one of my favorite films of the decade. My favorite director Spike Lee returned to form in BlacKkKlansman. Auteurs like Paul Schraderand Yorgos Lanthimos made some of legendary films (The Favourite is already one of my favorite scripts…ever). And 2018 will be remembered for its weird, artsy commentaries on what it means to be human, for better or worse.

Any colored bold name can be clicked on for a link to the original review

While I failed to complete my lists for 2018 in time, I did condense them into one article, which means you can read my Worst of 2018, my Top Eleven of 2018, and the results of the Sacred Wall Awards by clicking on this link right here

  1. You Were Never Really Here
  2. First Man
  3. Black Panther
  4. BlacKkKlansman
  5. Eighth Grade
  6. The Favourite
  7. A Quiet Place
  8. Roma
  9. First Reformed
  10. A Star Is Born *
  11. Can You Ever Forgive Me? *
  12. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
  13. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
  14. If Beale Street Could Talk
  15. The Old Man And The Gun
  16. Suspiria
  17. Burning
  18. Cold War
  19. Widows
  20. Paddington 2
  21. Shoplifters
  22. Ralph Breaks the Internet
  23. The Other Side of the Wind
  24. Blindspotting
  25. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
  26. Crazy Rich Asians
  27. Support the Girls
  28. Mary Poppins Returns
  29. Sorry To Bother You
  30. The Rider
  31. Hearts Beat Loud
  32. A Simple Favor
  33. Hereditary
  34. The Front Runner
  35. The Incredibles 2
  36. Tully
  37. Thoroughbreds
  38. Leave No Trace
  39. Isle of Dogs
  40. Blockers
  41. Wildlife
  42. Christopher Robin
  43. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
  44. Capernaum
  45. Stan and Ollie
  46. Bad Times At The El Royale
  47. Halloween
  48. Mandy
  49. Vox Lux
  50. Green Book
  51. Vice
  52. Unsane
  53. The Tale
  54. The Death of Stalin
  55. Deadpool 2
  56. Most Likely To Murder
  57. The Hate U Give
  58. A Futile and Stupid Gesture
  59. Ocean’s Eight
  60. Boy Erased
  61. The Sisters Brothers
  62. Solo: A Star Wars Story
  63. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!
  64. Revenge
  65. Aquaman
  66. Avengers: Infinity War
  67. I Feel Pretty
  68. Border
  69. A Private War
  70. Bohemian Rhapsody
  71. The Wife
  72. Best Friends (Part 2, then Part 1)
  73. Paul, Apostle of Christ
  74. Ready Player One
  75. Annihilation
  76. Game Night
  77. Beautiful Boy
  78. The Miseducation of Cameron Post
  79. Second Act
  80. I Can Only Imagine
  81. Rampage
  82. How To Talk To Girls At Parties
  83. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
  84. Love, Simon
  85. Life Of The Party
  86. Den of Thieves
  87. Book Club
  88. The Meg
  89. Tag
  90. A Wrinkle In Time
  91. Mary Queen of Scots
  92. The Strangers: Prey At Night
  93. When We First Met
  94. Venom
  95. The Cloverfield Paradox
  96. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
  97. Truth or Dare
  98. The 15:17 To Paris
  99. Sicario: Day of the Soldado
  100. Proud Mary
  101. The Hurricane Heist
  102. At Eternity’s Gate
  103. Holmes and Watson
  104. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
  105. Peter Rabbit
  106. Mortal Engines
  107. Mirai
  108. The Happytime Murders
  109. Mile 22
  110. Fifty Shades Freed
  111. Life Itself
  112. Fahrenheit 451
  113. Gotti

denotes a tie for tenth-place

Special Citation:

  • This Is America

DOCUMENTARIES

  1. Minding the Gap
  2. Watergate
  3. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
  4. Three Identical Strangers
  5. Love, Gilda
  6. Free Solo
  7. RBG