This is my favorite time of year. We do get tons of opportunities to celebrate achievements in film throughout the year through reviews, interviews, features and more, but there’s something about the end of the year opportunity to take a step back and assess the overall landscape that truly fills my heart. Right about now there are likely countless “best of the year” lists flooding the web and while you may agree with some more than others, they’re all snapshots of where one individual’s mind-frame, interests and passions lie at that point in time. I love a good big screen thrill and applauding a box office hit as much as anyone, but more so than anything, I love reading about the movies that made a lasting, deeply personal impression.
The list you’ll find below are the movies that did just that for me this year. It’s a list of films that moved me for a variety of reasons from dedication to an existing franchise, to the thrill of seeing an original concept soar, to movies that can make a real difference in the world. These films all mean a lot to me so I hope you enjoy reading through my list, but I also hope you explore the wide variety of creative content that earned “top 10” honors this year and if you choose to make a list of your own, be proud and celebrate it!
10) Free Solo
I’ve got very few limitations when it comes to my career. I love my job so much that day or night, weekend, holiday, family function (sorry mom!), you name it - I’ll drop anything to cover a film. I suspect that’s part of the reason why I was so swept away by Alex Honnold’s story in the documentary Free Solo. Thankfully I’m not risking my life to interview a filmmaker, but Alex’s passion for climbing radiates off the screen in such an infectious way that even though you don’t want him to risk his life to scale a mountainside without any ropes, it’s almost as if you can feel that itch he needs to scratch, and there’s something beautiful about it. Also beautiful (and terrifying)? The visuals in Free Solo. Directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi do a truly incredible job capturing Alex’s journey from the intimate details to the big climbs. And the way they incorporate their work into the movie was an element I didn’t see coming. Free Solo is Alex’s story, but there’s also a very interesting examination of what it means to be an unobtrusive but also an invested documentarian.
9) Bad Times at the El Royale
You know when you find a crazy, twisted, super colorful place and you never want to leave it? No? Okay, maybe that’s just me, but that’s the way I have to describe my experience with Drew Goddard’s second go-around as director on Bad Times at the El Royale. Similar to The Cabin in the Woods, he delivers another wildly well-developed, mysterious and spellbinding location that I simply couldn’t get enough of. A lot of that comes from the way Goddard photographs the El Royale and the stunning display of detail and color, but it’s also got a lot to do with this A+ ensemble. You probably don’t need me to tell you Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson and Chris Hemsworth are all great in the film, but El Royale also features some newer faces that you better be keeping an eye on. Cailee Spaeny had one heck of a debut year on the big screen, shining in every single feature she appeared in. Lewis Pullman goes all-in for this role and that results in him stealing a number of scenes in El Royale. And then there’s one of the biggest new discoveries of 2018 - in the film industry at least - Broadway star Cynthia Erivo. We get a taste of her captivating and commanding presence in Widows, but it’s really on display in El Royale, a lush enigma and explosive collision of seven powerhouse performances.
8) Vice
I watch a lot of horror movies. Very few keep me up at night. In 2018, I think I lost the most sleep after watching Adam McKay’s Vice. I’m not one to even begin to judge the accuracy of every terrifying detail featured in the film; it’s the broad strokes of what the movie gets at that bother me - that the system can be manipulated and it will be manipulated if we allow it to happen. Similar to The Big Short, McKay uses stylistic choices and a rip-roaring pace to convey a significant amount of information in a shockingly digestible way that runs the gamut of emotions from laugh-out-loud comedy to chilling displays of misuse of power, and throughout it all, Christian Bale and Amy Adams are phenomenal as Dick and Lynne. It’d be easy to limit Vice to being a searing assessment of the political system, but the chemistry between Bale and Adams is so strong, it also functions as a highly engaging story of two human beings working to rise in the ranks and see their personal goals through to fruition. Agree or disagree with what they did and how they got there, McKay does ensure that you understand how and why they did it, and that winds up contributing big time to the movie’s long lasting impact.
7) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
I still can’t get over Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Aiming to make an animated movie that feels like reading the pages of a comic book is a nice idea, but actually executing it in a way that, one, is visually appealing and, two, serves the story is a very tall order. On top of that, how many times have we seen a Spider-Man origin story in a feature film at this point? Enough times to make it a bit of a running joke, of course. But in yet another stroke of genius, Spider-Verse embraces that cheeky piece of pop culture and actually manages to use it to make Miles Morales’ (voiced by Shameik Moore) story stronger. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a game-changer for animation, for the superhero genre, and for storytelling as well. Many have said that Spider-Man is the most relatable superhero out there. Well, if that were the case when we only had Peter Parker on the big screen, Spider-Verse just let the hero absolutely run away with that title. The movie offers up more ways than ever to see yourself in a cinematic superhero and even if someone up on that screen doesn’t look exactly like you, the idea that “anyone can wear the mask” is so well-woven into the narrative that it seems nearly impossible to walk out of Spider-Verse not feeling inspired to embrace your own inner hero.
6) Halloween
Sometimes it can be tough to be a horror genre fan, especially when your sub-genre of choice is slasher movies. Don’t get me wrong; we’ve seen many incredible horror movies the last few years but there’s no denying the slasher sequel stigma and even though I like more of those additional installments than most, I also can’t deny the fact that that stigma is fairly well-earned. So when news of a new Halloween sequel broke, the possibility of history repeating itself did cloud my excitement a bit but the more I heard about the story and the more footage I saw from the movie, the more faith I had in it and, in the end, that faith wasn’t misplaced. Director David Gordon Green didn’t just meet my expectations; he far exceeded them. Not only does the new Halloween movie embrace and honor the 1978 original, but it also functions as a piece that takes the franchise a worthy step forward. Even better? This new Halloween movie isn’t just for the long-time fan. If someone out there is thinking about making this their first go-around with “The Shape,” I’d say go for it! It puts the spotlight back on Michael Myers as a true, terrifying force of nature, it has Laurie Strode (Jamie lee Curtis) in the spotlight as a capable, determined hero, and you can feel the importance of their past encounter running through the veins of this film. I’ve got high hopes this new Halloween will drive even more to discover John Carpenter’s original while also using the rich three-generation battle against Michael Myers to pave the way to more successful sequels.
5) Black Panther
Give me more Marvel Cinematic Universe movies like Black Panther. In fact, give me more studio blockbusters like Black Panther. Actually, one more time; give me more movies like Black Panther - period. It delivers as a big-budget spectacle, it adds so many new promising characters to the MCU (favorites being Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Letitia Wright as Shuri and Winston Duke as M’Baku), it’s absolutely brimming with energy, rocks an infectious score, it’s oozing with style courtesy of director Ryan Coogler, and features a hero and villain that far exceed those labels and instead function as fully realized people with meaningful motivations. All of that and I haven’t even begun writing about the positive effects Black Panther could have on the movie industry for years to come. I had high hopes the film would do well but to see it become the third highest earner at the domestic box office, to see it power through almost the entire year and wind up firmly in the awards season conversation and, perhaps most important of all, to see such an overwhelming sense of pride in Black Panther during its release and well beyond it by so many is an industry milestone I treasure.
4) Love, Simon
One of my favorite qualities about Love, Simon is how the story embraces some familiar and effective high school dramedy qualities, but then it adds to them. Sometimes I find that the best way to learn about yourself, is by experiencing someone else’s story and in this case, whether you can identify directly with Simon or perhaps are looking to further understand someone else’s truths, this is the kind of movie that truly could make a difference. Nick Robinson is an excellent anchor for the film as Simon. He offers up a significant amount of access to what Simon is thinking and feeling, and he also really seizes the opportunity to work with such a stellar ensemble. He shares a unique and meaningful connection with each and every member of the cast that beautifully fills out Simon’s world, and enriches the movie as well. Love, Simon is a crowd-pleaser that uses that wide-appeal and accessibility to spread love, increase acceptance, and simply have a positive influence on the moviegoing community. I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing more movies that strive to achieve the same, whether they’re just as successful or not.
3) Eighth Grade
I had some excellent coming-of-age movies in the rotation growing up, but Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade is one of very few recent entries that I think really could have made a big difference in my life had I seen it right around the time I made the transition from middle to high school. Could I identify with every step of Kayla’s journey throughout the film? Far from it, but Burnham has this beautiful touch that shows deep respect for Kayla’s story while also making it feel universal, and even as an adult, there’s something comforting about being able to connect to a character’s experience like that. If Burnham can apply the same warmth, heart and respect to other characters, I’m convinced he can make a movie covering just about anything. Elsie Fisher is also one of the greatest joys to grace the big screen this year and I’m beyond excited to see the next steps of her career. The pair delivered a real gem with Eighth Grade, one that powerfully conjures the feeling of being all alone in the world and like you’re the only one dealing with that specific problem, and then morphing it into feeling deeply loved and supported - by those around you but also by yourself. I may not have a physical time capsule to burn, but I do greatly appreciate the movie’s emphasis on embracing the past and who you’ve become rather than looking at it as a time to shed and forget.
2) Bohemian Rhapsody
At a time when it feels as though there’s a significant amount of negativity in the air, I needed a movie like Bohemian Rhapsody. Yes, it does utilize a toolbox packed with familiar “rise to fame” storytelling techniques, but it certainly worked well for me. As presented in the movie, it works as a story about a man who prevailed, who fought for what felt right and true, and ultimately, that drive and passion changed lives. As uplifting as the movie’s big finish at Live Aid is, it doesn’t let you have that without having the understanding of what it took to get there. Regardless of the creative liberties taken with Queen’s true story, Bohemian Rhapsody is a movie the highlights how art can change the world. Nothing is easy and things can change on a dime, but whether you’re lost, feeling hopeless or perhaps you’re just in need of a hug, the warm embrace of a familiar song or a gigantic crowd of people sharing your love can really make a difference. I find that’s something I like to have on my mind often so I’m thankful Bohemian Rhapsody served as a highly entertaining, visceral reminder.
1) The Favourite
My number one of 2018 goes to the movie I can’t stop watching - The Favourite. The precision of the craftsmanship on display here is nothing short of phenomenal. It’s a big screen chess game filled with make-or-break power plays fueled by passion, spite and selfishness. As much as I’m rooting for Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz to continue to rack up nominations in their respective categories, The Favourite is an ensemble at its best. They elicit this “allegiance whiplash” where, at any given moment, you can be sickened by the behavior of one character, pity another, root for the third, but then have them all switch places in an instant. And as though their performances aren’t strong enough, director Yorgos Lanthimos and the behind-the-scenes team know exactly how to elevate their work from the evolution of the wardrobe, how the camerawork quickly establishes the importance of the geography of the palace, how the score intensifies the mood and tone at just the right moments, and so much more. It’s a movie that firmly digs its claws in within minutes and develops this intoxicating mean-streak that I, for one, can’t get enough of. And then, after nearly two hours of backstabbing, dancing, overindulgence, lust, and jealously, Lanthimos firmly sticks the landing and ensures The Favourite resonates by challenging the viewer to assess the worth of stooping to certain levels to get what you want.
For the rest of Collider’s end-of-the-year content, go here, and check out some more of our lists below: