Added by MaxL on 31 Dec 2018 03:25

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My Top 10 Favourite Movies of 2018

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Decade: Rating: List Type:

132

6.5

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018)

My hope was that this would be the definitive film adaptation of The Jungle Book (which I haven't read, so I'm judging by Chuck Jones' Mowgli's Brothers). So is it? Well, they definitely tried. It comes closer than Disney's 2016 version. I do wish the CGI was on par with that movie, but the plot is much more interesting and consistent. The main theme is Mowgli's sense of identity, and I love how the movie constantly plays with the idea of where he belongs. I still prefer Disney's animated classic, but this might be the closest we've got to a faithful adaptation of the story.

MaxL's rating:

608

6.3

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

This happens to be the twentieth movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What I like about the Ant-Man movies is not just their sense of humour and light-hearted disposition, but the fact that their setups are unlike anything else in the MCU: the first one was a heist film, while this one is more like a chase, a race between several parties pursuing the same object. The characters are delightful as ever – even the antagonists are surprisingly relatable – and the special effects are just superb. Overall, it's not quite as good as the first Ant-Man, but still deserving of a spot on the list.

MaxL's rating:

127

6.6

6.3

Revenge (2018)

I usually associate the term "rape revenge" with 70s exploitation films, so why is this such a stellar example? For one thing, it addresses the misconceptions that surround rape, which is extremely important for today's society. The first act is a sharp indictment of how rape is perceived, demonstrating how it can spawn from severe misunderstandings, and anyone but the victim is culpable. Secondly, what follows is a blood-soaked, superbly well directed and well constructed thrill ride that feels utterly real every step of the way. It's a breathtaking battle between hunter and hunted, with the balance of power constantly shifting between the two parties.

MaxL's rating:

219

7.3

7.5

Love, Simon (2018)

Every other year brings a standout coming-of-age drama, and this is the first one I've seen with a gay protagonist. I can't speak for how significant it is to the LGBT community, but it successfully pulled me into Simon's mindset from start to finish. He makes some very dubious decisions that I don't condone, but neither does the movie – the morality is addressed – and we always understand the reason for his actions. My favourite scene is when the bullies get their comeuppance, which might be one of my new favourite scenes in all of cinema; every bully in the world needs to hear those words.

MaxL's rating:

6.7

7.4

The Death of Superman (2018)

Another year, another triumph for the DC animated movies. :-D What impressed me the most about this adaptation of the famous comic book was how it successfully turned the story into its own self-contained movie. It takes its time to establish Superman's relationship with Lois and the Justice League, so you get to know just what's at stake for him. It also demonstrates how beloved he is by the public, particularly when he goes out of his way to protect civilians, so that when the titular event happens, it makes you genuinely emotional. So I thoroughly enjoyed it – much more than the comic, in fact.

MaxL's rating:

606

6.3

7.6

Incredibles 2 (2018)

Well, it was a long wait for this one! :-) But I'd say it was worth the wait. A lot of what made the first movie great is still present here. The animation is spectacular, but my absolute favourite aspect is how the characters interact as a family. All scenes involving Bob at home with the children are excellent. I also love the opening sequence and how the size of everything is conveyed through low angles. Even so, I didn't find the overall story quite as strong or engaging as the first Incredibles, particularly regarding the villain. It's still really good, but it's not as good.

MaxL's rating:

247

6.8

7.1

Bad Times at the El Royale

This is my kind of movie! :-) It's a Drew Goddard film, so I went in with high hopes, and it certainly didn't disappoint. It's a perfect blend of humour and thrills, a dark comedy that develops its characters so well that you genuinely don't want to see them in peril. The cast is more or less an ensemble, and the way we're gradually introduced to them as onlookers in one character's story is ingenious. I love the characters, I love the way the story is told, and I love the overall sense of fun; I can't help but share in the movie's gleeful air.

MaxL's rating:

461

7.5

7.9

Isle of Dogs (2018)

Wes Anderson is one of those auteur directors with a style that's distinctly his own; I'd describe his movies as eccentric and surreal, but very relaxed about it. Of the few Wes Anderson movies I've seen to date, this is by far my favourite. It's a captivating and heartfelt adventure that kind of flows like a dance at times, the action is so exquisitely timed. The dialogue is uniquely blunt and leisurely – I can't think of any other film that's written and performed quite like this – and of course the stop-motion animation is just fantastic. It's a masterful film that I most highly recommend.

MaxL's rating:

238

7.3

7.6

Searching

In a word, wow! This movie has perfected the art of the POV camera. The whole movie plays out on the screens of technological devices within the narrative, and the lengths the movie goes to maintain this style are mind-blowing; at no point is the illusion broken. But style is one thing; it's backed up by a terrific script that tells a legitimately good mystery, and a top-notch central performance by John Cho as a desperate father. On top of that, it's an important film to modern society for tackling issues like child disappearances and online presence. If you haven't seen it, definitely do so.

MaxL's rating:

910

6.7

7.3

Black Panther (2018) (2018)

It's ironic that one of the first movies I saw this year remains the absolute best, but not only is this by far my favourite of the three MCU movies from 2018: I'd say it's my second-favourite of the entire franchise! :-) It boasts a full cast of instantly memorable characters (my personal favourite being Shuri), it has outstanding action scenes, and a compelling storyline about the responsibilities of leadership and how different people choose to approach it. The back-story of T'Challa's father highlights the consequences of a leader's every decision, and Killmonger is easily one of the best Marvel villains ever, because you completely understand his motivation, you know he has to be stopped, but you can't help but feel that he has a point. I even noticed a couple of amusing parallels to James Bond: Shuri is like Q, and Everett Ross is the equivalent of Felix Leiter. I love this movie, and I know I'm not alone, but some of the praise it gets is still exaggerated. The hype built it up as the Schindler's List of superhero movies. Look, it's really good, but it's not that good! Still, I can't deny that it was the movie I enjoyed the most in 2018, and an easy pick for the number one spot.

MaxL's rating:

Voters of this movie list - View all

Welcome to the second of my pair of lists looking back on the movies of 2018. I already did my top ten worst list, which you can see here: www.listal.com/list/my-top-10-least-favourite-4015 Now it's time to talk about the movies this year that I actually liked, the ones that made it all worthwhile. :-)
Before we start, this would normally be the time where I provide a list of ones I haven't seen yet. But like I said before, this will be a much shorter list in comparison to previous years, because I've already seen nearly all the movies from 2018 that came most highly recommended. There are only a handful of films I haven't seen that I recall getting a lot of positive attention, including The Hate U Give, Utøya: July 22, and a couple of movies that proved surprisingly popular with critics: Crazy Rich Asians and Teen Titans Go! To the Movies. Plus, of course, there are the usual awards contenders that are released in the US towards the end of the year but won't be released in my country until the early months of the following year. Eighth Grade, though, is especially noteworthy because, despite coming out in the US last July, it won't be released in the British Isles until fucking April!
I should also mention that I didn't like First Man, A Star Is Born or Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse anywhere near as much as everyone else, and if there are any other movies that you think should be on the list, the same is probably true of them. That's just the nature of differing opinions. The point is: chances are my top ten list will be unlike anyone else's.
Okay, here we go. This is the list I've really been looking forward to! :-) Here are my top ten favourite movies of 2018.

Runners-up:
Avengers: Infinity War
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody
Juliet, Naked
A Quiet Place
Roma
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