So, here's Part II.
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Okay
Green Book
This is yet another one of those films, where a white man is taught by a black man to remedy and change his ways. It does not do anything new with this genre or really comments on modern racism through the lens of the past. It's a feel-good feature for people to be just satisfied that racism was a thing of the past rather than something that is still endemic to the modern day. Still, it was fine for what it was. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali give good performances, and it never gets really offensive. It had good intentions, certainly, and I can't say that it was bad.
Mary: Queen of Scots
If you saw the trailer, you basically get the gist of this. An retelling of the conflict between the titular character and Queen Elizabeth of England in the 16th Century, it seems to recast Mary and the Kingdom of Scotland as progressive liberal Catholics opposing oppressive reactionary English Protestants, which seems dubious historically( what with who James I, Mary's son, believed). It is a dour historical piece likely meant to showcase Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie as actors, and they do well in these roles, but just watch either of their better films if you want to watch it for that specifically.
The Equalizer 2
If I hadn't reviewed this movie, I would've likely forgotten that I had seen it or mostly what it was about, so my prediction in said review was accurate. This was exactly what it was: a brutal action joint with occasional character moments for Denzel Washington, much like the first one was. For what it is, though, it was never dull or bad at any point. It just wasn't terribly memorable or interesting.
Beautiful Boy
This was a fairly frustrating viewing experience. Both Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet are quite good, it has a number of well-done scenes, and it shows a very dark and poignant look into meth addiction. However, it never really came together in the end. The film also had some scenes that could've been done better, and sometimes, the dark scenes depicting the descent of the main character also interact with other scenes that are very heavy-handed with almost after-school levels of melodrama about addiction. Still, it's hard to really get mad at this film, given what it's trying to do, and it does give information at the end about meth addiction, so I do think, in spite of its flaws, that it should be viewed.
Operation: Finale
The 1960 capture of Adolf Eichmann (regarded as one of the architects of the Holocaust) in Buenos Aires is good fodder for historical thrillers (and has been mined by authors like Fredrick Forsthye and Ira Levin for fictional ones), and this film attempts to bring that idea to fruition. Unfortunately, aside from the moments depicting the locating and extradition of Ben Kingsley's Eichmann, along with the interactions between Oscar Isaac as the leading Mossad agent and Eichmann, it feels more perfunctory, just telling the historical parts without any real flourish or intrigue, and I admit, it feels a little too sympathetic to Eichmann's claim that he was only a functionary carrying out a superior's orders (historical evidence shows that he was actually very fanatical and very devout to the Nazi cause). It depicts an interesting period of history, so if you are interested, it is worth watching for those who don't know.
Incredibles 2
Another disappointing Pixar sequel in a string of disappointing Pixar sequels, and probably the most disappointing. The original lent itself well to sequels focusing the growth and adaptation of the titular characters and their world. Where the film really shines is when it actually focuses on that, with Mrs. Incredible becoming an active crime-fighter whilst Mr. Incredible stays behind to raise the children, which lent itself to interesting familial drama. Unfortunately, it is bogged down by said Mrs. Incredible plot, where she fights a villain with... television screens to... brainwash people? I can't remember what the villain's motivation or plot actually was. I just remember that I knew the twist when the character the villain turned out to be was introduced, because modern Disney now focuses on twist villains as a crutch to interesting storytelling. I'm not going to say that it wasn't fun, and it is above other Pixar sequels, but I can't say that I'm looking forward to Toy Story 4 next year.
Skyscraper
In the vein of 90's era Die Hard rip-offs, this basically is "Die Hard, with the Rock in a burning building." It has its tense moments, especially with the Rock trying to get back into the building and his family (including wife Neve Campbell) struggling to escape, but this is more or less a generic thriller. Not to say that it wasn't entertaining (in fact, it was very entertaining), but honestly, just watch Die Hard again.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture
Another biopic, where the interesting, dynamic life behind it (that of National Lampoon founder Doug Kinney) is sandpapered down into a standard biopic format, where he faces love, loss, opposition, and ultimately, posthumous recognition. Despite depicting the raunchy, revolutionary humor and personalities behind the Lampoon, this is ultimately safe for a biopic, with only occasional interesting moments satirizing and homaging Lampoon (and at one point, Saturday Night Live) jokes. Still, it wasn't very inaccurate by what I've read, and it was somewhat interesting to watch this dramatization, so I put above others of this sort.
White Boy Rick
Another Scorsese Knock-Off, with more things going for it than other Scorsese Knock-Offs. It is very stylized, Matthew McCounaghey gives a great performance as the father (as per usual), the dude playing the titular character has a lot of charisma (even if his acting is not up to speed), and I do like how it subtly contrasts darks with harsh electronic lights to give an unnerving feeling. Still, it is a SKO (TM), and fails to really escape from the trappings and predictability that implies.
Wreck-It-Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet
Yet another disappointing Disney sequel. It has the interesting conceit of having Ralph and Penelope leave the rather archaic setting of an Arcade to the more contemporary Internet (with a very creative vision of the internet through electronic character's eyes), and has a good message about how friendships do evolve. Unfortunately, it is also bogged down by product placement (which, fine, a movie like this probably needed that), ideas that never fully gestate, and a plot that runs out of steam towards the middle.
The Happytime Murders
Yes, that infamous scene is in the film. Yes, it is as disgusting as they showed. However, overall, I actually laughed a fair bit. There were a number of good jokes, which weren't overtly reliant on shock value derived from seeing Henson puppets do adult things, and it was somewhat interesting in how it shows a world of humans and puppets (even if a lot of it was cribbed from Who Framed Roger Rabbit). It wasn't great or consistently funny, but it was entertaining for what it could've been.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Whilst not really groundbreaking and having the problems of being yet another origin story, this was pretty alright, for the all the news of its box office disappointment. Alden Ehrenreich manages to capture the charm and charisma of Harrison Ford, it has that pulpy adventure feel that actually inspired the original Star Wars, and the world-building was impressive (going off The Last Jedi). It was fun, but I can't say I thought about it much since I did see it.
Tag
This was charming. A story of a group of men who have a long continuous game of tag (based on a true story), it shows the camaraderie and friendship these men have, and just how fun and weird it could get. All the actors look like they're having fun, and it was never really dull to watch, though it feels more like a cult classic than really one that is beloved in the present.
Mission Impossible: Fallout
I admit, whenever I have to recall what happens in any of these films, I come up empty. The plots are almost irrelevant, since they are more about the elaborate stunts and set pieces, which are usually very impressive and the highlight. This one did kind of have an interesting plot (though one that follows the last one, which I saw a while ago, and couldn't remember), but it is mostly about the action scenes and the exotic locations. I don't fault any of that, and it is usually very fun to watch, but not one to really stick in the hippocampus.
My Dinner with Herve
I was actually really looking forward to this HBO biopic, given that it was about the titular real-life dwarf actor Herve Villechaize (played by Peter Dinklage) in Hollywood, and his struggles dealing with both his upshot to fame and chronic health problems. What I got was decent enough, with Dinklage giving a very impassioned, layered performance to the character and Jaime Dornan's journalist character (based on director Sasha Gervasi, who interviewed the real Villechaize right before the latter's 1992 suicide) also having his own problems. Sadly, we never really get to see his character outside his struggles to handle fame, with Dinklage and Dornan spending most of the film arguing and the journalist never really appreciating Villechaize until the very end. Also, Villechaize's known charity work with abused children is never really brought up, which could've improved the film (especially if they depict him confronting abusers at crime scenes, which he was known to do).
The Mule
I saw this movie two weeks ago, and I'm already forgetting large chunks of it. Clint Eastwood's attempt to tell the story of an octogenarian drug mule (played by Eastwood himself) feels very meandering, with a number of subplots and characters fighting for attention, and comes off more like a more turgid version of Hell or High Water. I can't quite say it was bad, and it boasts a number of good scenes and Eastwood's superb performance, but it feels more like him just stroking his ego as he enters old age.
Mamma Mia: Here We Go
The first one was what it was: a fun romp-y musical where a bunch of actors are engaging in campy, over-the-top renditions of ABBA songs, and it was decent at doing that, even if it wasn't my thing. This one is basically just like the first one, with a different plot and largely different characters. Again, for what it is, a way for people to have fun and nostagically sing ABBA, it does its job well, and I can't honestly fault it too much for doing that.
Oceans 8
Again, another one where actors basically have fun, this time planning and executing an elaborate heist, with twists and near-reveals all around. The Oceans movies are more about just fun and intrigue, and they are generally enjoyable to watch. This was enjoyable to watch, and a nice little reprieve.
Pacific Rim: Uprising
Without the vision of Guillermo del Toro at the forefront, this becomes more generic in both its look and its action. That said, it still features giant robots fighting giant monsters, with likeable characters and a fairly engaging plot. I do like how the brighter colors do capture the spirit of the tokusatsu shows that this series is homaging, and that it does follow-up on the plot of the original without copying it. Again, though, giant Robots fighting giant monsters. What more can be said.
Papillon
Haven't seen the original, so can't comment on its fidelity to that, nor its fidelity to the alleged true story, but as a stand-alone film, it was fairly entertaining. Both Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek give good performances as their archetypes, and it gets fairly dark and disturbing when depicting life in this French prison colony, as well as the elaborate escapes that they plan. The epic scope of it reminds me a lot of Lost City of Z, another Charlie Hunnam film.
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
In attempting to tell the story of Portland alternative cartoonist John Callahan, director Gus Van Sant fails to really find or say anything about him, his life, his work, being disabled, the nature of alcoholism, or even the healing powers of AA. This really sinks the film, especially since it has that air of importance. However, what saves it is showing this man as a full human being, instead of an inspirationally disabled sort many depict these sorts of stories as. It helps that Joaquin Phoenix is great as Callahan (in spite of not being disabled, though that can be forgiven since Callahan got his disability from a car accident), and the other actors play off him well.
The Front-Runner
In the #metoo era, it was perhaps ill-advised to try to frame the story of Gary Hart and the collapse of his 1988 Presidential campaign as a story of a disastardly press smearing him for imagined sexual improprieties (even if they do have a token bit of opposition). That uncomfortable subtext really hurts this film, and undercuts any message it may have had on the press-politics machine, and even the relatively good parts, like Hugh Jackman's performance as Senator Hart.
Flower
This was definitely flawed, with the dark comedy being sometimes too dark and not very comedic, and the plot is hastily put together, with a vague resolution tying things up. However, it is interesting and engaging most of the , and Zoey Deutch gives a pretty involved performance as the lead. It's higher than the rest mainly because of those two, and the ambiguity it plays up very well.
Hotel Artemis
A more sci-fi riff on a concept like Free Fire, this has interesting visuals, memorable characters, and generally good action. The more grungy, slightly dystopian future is fully utilized in the plot and the characters, as opposed to just being dressing for a generic assassin plot. However, its fatal flaw was mostly just not being terribly engaging or consistently fun, leaving it more polarized in terms of tone and interest.
Hell Fest
This had an interesting idea of setting a slasher film within a horror themed carnival, and the problems this inevitably causes. It had a number of good, creative kills and scares to go along with this premise. Unfortunately, it feels too long and often has to stretch out the plot really have many of these scares. Honestly, this might've worked better as a short film. Hell, there was an episode of the TV show Psych that had a very similar premise, and it did it better within 40 minutes.
Aquaman
There's some really good stuff in here, like the bright, colorful visuals (which finally puts an end to the DCEU tendency towards having it be hard to see), the very creative realization of Atlantis, the very sordid and engaging plot, the very creative creatures that pop up, the full utilization of Aquaman's powers. There is also some dumb stuff, like the villain (called "Oceanmaster,"), the sometimes absurd lengths that they go, and the more absurd special effects that pop up. Again, this is better than the other DCEU films excluding Wonder Woman, so maybe this franchise is starting to get better with each try.
The Meg
For what is effectively a high budget version of an Asylum creature feature, this was legitimately entertaining. Jason Staithem has fun romping it up, fighting a giant prehistoric shark, the set pieces are well-done, and it does have a very good, intense climax. This was definitely a funner, better done prehistoric monster movie than Jurassic World 2.
Welcome to Marwen
Flawed, yes, especially its vain attempts to capture how Mark Hogencamp's installation was of real therapeutic value and its seemingly simple resolution to his problems with anxiety, as well as the way Hogencamp is portrayed on occasion. That said, it was consistently entertaining and Carell does give a good performance as the lead, and honestly, the uncanny nature of Marwen and its plastic inhabitants was not as jarring as other reviews have said.
Good
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Melissa McCarthy was quite good, as others have noted, at playing disgraced former celebrity biographer turned celebrity letter forger Lee Israel, showing someone at the end of their rope and how their crimes are led by that desperation. The film does a good job of meticulously deconstructing how the letters were forged and why they fooled so many with their detail. It is a good "true crime" story without much stakes to make it too dark.
The Old Man and the Gun
What may or may not be Robert Redford's last role in a half-a-century long career sees him at his finest, showing off his full range of charm, nostalgia, and genuine fun. Redford really captures the essence of a man who lived by his own code and had little regrets, despite being a bank robber and prison escapee. His excellent performance is enough to elevate an uneven film that varies from standard crime film to period homage with an unstable transitions. So, yeah, go watch this for Redford's performance.
Crazy Rich Asians
Admittedly not exactly my sort of features, this had a lot of charm going for it, with both Constance Wu and breakout star Henry Golding having a ton of chemistry and their relationship having a very heartwarming feel to it. It's a romantic comedy, but a well-done one with likeable characters and a look into the weird world of the titular olde rich in Singapore and the antics they get down to.
Halloween
Being that I've only seen the first three Halloweens, this reboot very graciously decided to follow only the first one, making it easy to follow for someone like me. Whilst not reaching the cleverness and tension of the first one, this version of Michael Myers is a presence that is very demon-like in his invulnerability and single-minded focus to kill. There is a overt presence of evil surrounding his character, and some of the characters lose their lives failing to grasp this. What really elevates this film was Jamie Lee Curtis as an older, paranoid Laurie Strode, now estranged from her own family and obsessed with finally destroying Michael Myers. Curtis is great in the film, showing how a trauma like the events of the first film can have long-term ramifications for a person, especially at a young age, and how it changes someone. Plus, she's pretty badass in the climax.
Rampage
This was the kind of movie I would've loved as a kid. A straight forward, unashamed, action-packed monster movie, which features a lot of monsters, a lot of monsters fighting, and a lot of monsters destroying cities. It really brought back memories of watching these sorts of films on FX or whatever. This was just pure fun, a sheer delight at every minute, with the Rock as an added bonus. This is probably the best video game adaptation made thus far.
Bad Times at the El Royale
Whilst occasionally underexplained and several loose plot threads, this historical thriller is aptly thrilling and uses its setting to great effect, showing the contrast between early Kennedy era glamour and prestige, and the late 60's tumult and disillusionment. Each character is well-defined and fits into a certain part of a larger puzzle, whether at the titular hotel, or within their own past, which all come crashing into this singular location in one glorious sweep. This is sure to be a cult classic within a few years.
Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson is one of those love-him or hate-him sorts. I generally like his films, which never fail to be charming and fun, and this was very charming and fun. That said, this is lower than I originally put it, mainly because I did mull over the film, and I admit, it is a tad jarring that Wes Anderson (probably the whitest of white filmmakers) decided to make this a specifically Japanese set film with Japanese indicators throughout. I don't think it was offensive or particularly condescending, but there is that element hanging over this film, and that really weakens it in my eyes.
Tully
This is one of those films where the leading twist actually caused a complete 180 in my opinion. I had found the film mediocre right up until a major reveal was made. Then, the parts and the themes suddenly clicked for me. I looked over the rest of the film, and saw the sort of commentary it was truly making. I don't want to ruin it for you, so just see it to know what I mean.
Alpha
The trailers made this out to be a fun, family friendly adventure showing the birth of man's domestication of dogs. This was definitely not family friendly or really fun. It was quite dark, showing the main character being brutalized and scarred by the prehistoric world he inhabits, and very epic, with large sweeping shots and a large scale journey. Similarly, the man-wolf dynamic is more subtle than just alluding to humans and dogs, and works as the main relationship that centers the film. It was far better than I ever expected it.
Deadpool 2
I liked the first Deadpool, but I don't think I liked it as much as others. This was definitely an improvement, showing both superb humor and metacommentary on superhero films and their tropes, and legitimately good action and a good character arc for Wade Wilson. I laughed the hell out of many of the jokes (including a jab at Deadpool and Cable's creator Rob Liefeld), and had a hell of a time, especially when a certain character shows up.
Ready Player One
I think maybe I'm kind to this film, because it was far better than the book it was adapting and definitely fixed a lot of the problems it had. It is still an 80's nostalgia-fest with tons of references and a definite movie for more geek insiders, but Spielberg manages to dig through that, and finds a legitimate throughline he could explore, specifically his own long, varied career, the various people he knew, and his rumination on his own complicated legacy within the film world. While not A-List Spielberg, it definitely is one of his more interesting recent works, and has more weight to it than Ernest Cline's book did (Let's hope the upcoming Armada could get such a talent to make it as good).
Annihilation
This was more a pity placement, given how it was mistreated by the studio and its release botched. Whilst this sort of high minded, cerebral science fiction is my bread-and-butter, and I did enjoy this, I never really got to love it as others have. While superb at all levels, including plot, characters, effects and themes, something about it just prevented me from getting invested fully in it. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something was off about this feature. It just didn't really work as well for me. Maybe I might warm to it on subsequent viewings. I do recommend this very much though, since it is very good.
Ant-Man and Wasp
This was the lesser Marvel film of the year, but I can't say I didn't still have a blast at this. Now having the origin story out of the way, the film is able to focus on its size-changing hero and heroine to its full potential, making full use of their powers both in the action scenes and the plot, which make use of the surreal quantum realm in a very Marvel way. It was just pure fun and joy, after the real downer of Infinity War.
Vice
Adam McKay's comedic bio of the 46th Vice President starts a bit shaky, with Christian Bale attempting to act out of very hideous make-up, and the biopic stuff clashing with McKay's attempts at satire. However, once we get into his vice-presidency, it gets really good, showing the meticulousness of Dick Cheney and how he was able to influence most parts of the Bush presidency, and his role in starting the Iraq War. McKay's talent towards satire and righteous anger finally shines through, making up for the lackluster first half.
Mid90's
Jonah Hill's directorial debut eschews him as a lead in favor of exploring his own nostalgia. In this case, he explores the skateboard subculture in, well, mid-90's Los Angeles. It was more counter-cultural and insular than the way I remember skateboarder culture during my own childhood (which was very corporate and sanitized). Hill manages to capture the raw feeling and energy of this particular scene, and more generally, the ups and downs of being an adolescent and trying to find your identity and the people and things you encounter during that journey. It is the kind of film that should be shown to young teens.
Widows
This seemingly high-concept film about a group of widows trying a bank job after their thief husbands are killed during their last one, manages to tie itself into themes of grief, politics, class, economic inequality, and gender. It is all done superbly and is very interesting and invigorating during its runtime. Unfortunately, after I was finished watching, I didn't find myself really thinking about it later on or really considering it. It just kind of went by, which is partially why it is in the middle of this list as opposed to closer to the top.
Eighth Grade
I graduated middle school only around 8 years ago, so watching this was an interesting window into how it differed from my own experience in this short span of time. Just as one example, social media just starting to become a thing when I was in eighth grade, so it wasn't as pervasive as it was depicted here (social media was larger in high school, from my experience). Aside from rumination, this was another classic coming-of-age story in the making. The kind of film that will find its audience with the current generation of middle schoolers (albeit on home video, since it is rated R for stupid reasons), and has resonance both with them and with older people, especially with its exploration of growing up and how troubling and intimidating it can be.
American Animals
A docudrama exploring a strange real-life story, the directors manage to pump more into what appears to be a standard heist-gone-wrong by also exploring the idea of adapting a real-life story to a narrative. It shows how the story changes depending on the perspective of the person telling out, how the fiction and romance of something almost never translates into how to actually execute it, and the necessity of changing true story to fit into a narrative structure.
Assassination Nation
The only thing that really encapsulates this film is.... YIKES! This is raw and disturbing in ways that I find hard to really describe. It is definitely an internet film that actually looks at the dark side of it, focusing on the idea on what happens when the personal data we think is safe and secure is suddenly out for everyone to see. The film shows the degradation of a community because of this, with a particular focus on how these sort of attacks disproportionally affect women. Indeed, the vitriol is eventually centered on our four leads. This reminds me most of the classic Twilight Zone episode "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street", where a community is torn apart and destroyed because of their own paranoia. This is very much of that nature and shows that some things really never change.
First Reformed
A religious film that focuses on being a faithful person in a world that is increasingly chaotic and dystopic without devolving into a bullshit persecution complex narrative? Believe you me, in an era of Pureflix, it is very refreshing to see a religious film where questions of faith, community engagement, and especially environmentalism are handled with complex discussion and deep consideration. Ethan Hawke will probably get an Oscar for his performance, and it is well-deserved. I would honestly prefer if the myriad of Christian movies would be more like this than Pureflix.
Disobedience
Another film that focuses on questions of religion, though this time, centering on concealing an LGBT identity and relationship within the very conservative world of Orthodox Judaism. Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams are great as the two lovers, and it was intriguing enough to explore this insular world, and how being different is cause for being repressed and scorned by the community. I won't say much more, mainly because I'm not terribly qualified to comment on this.
Game Night
This was a lot of fun. Turning a simple murder mystery inside out, gradually snowballing into larger and larger stakes for the main characters, there was never a dull moment watching this film. It always found a new way to grab your attention and keep the film fresh and interesting. Helping was the humor and the fairly stylized cinematography, which gave it a more unique, thriller-y look to what could've just been a mildly funny comedy.
Early Man
I grew up with Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, so I was pretty hyped for this new Aardman feature, and it does deliver. Showing the origins of Association football, there is a charm and an energy to the film that is rare in modern animation, making use of its likeable characters and odd setting to make some creative jokes and puns. It was a delight, especially since it plays inspiration sports tropes straight, making it a real feel-good feature.
Love, Simon
I'm not really qualified to say whether this is something that will resonate with gay teenagers of today, being a college aged straight guy. I will say that this was one of the more charming and feelgood films of the year. Simon's journey as a closeted gay teen and his struggles finding an also closeted pen-pal had its ups and downs, and it does get a little absurd with some of the characters. However, I really enjoyed watching this, and I also find it heartwarming that people came out during screenings of this.
The House With A Clock in its Walls
Another one that I would've adored as a kid. Eli Roth manages to capture the feeling of an 80's Spielberg film without going hard into it like, say JJ Abrams. Thus, the film is both an homage to Amblin films of the 80's, and a standalone entertaining film, with some very creative uses of magic, and a dynamic duo of Jack Black and Cate Blanchett, who steal the show.
Blackkklansman
One thing that Spike Lee can never be accused of is never going all out. Taking the real life story of black Colorado Springs police detective Ron Stallworth and his infiltration of the Ku Klux Klan during the 1970's through voice and impersonation, Lee turns it into a low-key homage of Blaxploitation. It shows the real face of white supremacists as less sinister and more incompetent, with the real obstacle being the institutional police force, who, despite requesting Stallworth to infiltrate a speech by black activist Kwame Ture, is reticent to really deal with the Klan or help Stallworth's investigation.
Avengers: Infinity War
That ending, huh? I won't spoil it, but it was a real gut punch to see such a downer ending. I mean, that was pretty ballsy, and a good penultimate entry within this part of the MCU. That was what solidifed it for me, but after the incredibly disappointing Age of Ultron, this signals more of a return, with all the characters thus far teaming up, working off each other, doing their internal fights, and just trying to tie up loose ends and unfinished scores. What also works about this was Thanos, who is very human in his portrayal, very convinced that, in spite of the atrocity he wants to commit, that he is doing the right thing, and even shows genuine emotion during a key scene. Plus, all the little nods and references here and there. This was probably the best set-up they could have, and hopefully, they follow up on it.
Mary and the Witches' Flower
The debut feature of Studio Ponoc (founded by a former Ghibli producer), this reminded me most of Ghibli's The Cat Returns. It is a straightforward adventure with an adolescent girl sucked into a strange magical world that ... actually, that seems to describe most of Ghibli's products. I think the closer comparison is that, unlike the more heavy and cerebral Ghibli films, The Cat Returns was more straight-forward adventure, which this also pretty much is. It is still very energetic and creative, with gorgeous animation, and I would definitely recommend to Ghibli fans.
Bumblebee
This was ... incredibly good. Unlike the increasingly mean-spirited, almost incomprehensible Transformers films that preceded it, this manages to avoid everything that would make it unpleasant. The CGI on the robots is cleaner and brighter, meaning I could tell them apart and could see the action clearly. It has likeable, memorable characters, with Haliee Steinfeld in particular giving a great performance in the lead. Most of all, it has a lot of heart, and just a ton of fun. A sheer joy to watch.
Blockers
I didn't really expect that this film would actually be more about parents learning to accept their teenage sexuality from the trailer, which seems to just depict the wacky hijinks they get to in the film. I'm right in the demographic that this is likely to unappeal to (this seems oriented towards high schools and middle aged parents), but I found myself both laughing at the jokes and appreciating the underlying message.
The Hate U Give
Unexpectedly powerful does not begin to describe this film. This YA adaptation focuses on police brutality and its effects on black communities, through the lens of a young Black teenage who goes to a white private school. What appears to be a straight-forward coming-of-age slowly incorporates grief, community, white privilege, and the underlying effects of crime and racism on a community, and it deals with it both with appropriate sternness and occasional humor. Amandla Stenberg, who was everywhere this year, gives a great performance as the person forced to navigate all this. One of the last scenes of the film is a real gut punch that just invokes so much power. Again, very not qualified to say if this will have resonance among African Americans, but I was very touched by this.
Overlord
If there is one thing I've learned I do truly love, it's full-on no-holds-barred unashamed horror schlock, and this was right up my alley. Starting off as a WW2 film about an elite squad trying to stop a Nazi communication tower in occupied France, it becomes a full-on horror film as it is revealed that the communication tower is hiding a massive complex where horrific experiments are being held. The two films go very seamless into each other, and there is never a feeling of jarring tonal shift. Hell, the experiments are played up the same way real-life atrocities are in serious war pictures, with surprising respect and diligence. It was fun without going into camp or parody.
A Star is Born
Having never seen any version of this, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Again, unexpectedly powerful is inadequate to describe just how impactful this film was. Beyond the romance plot between Lady Gaga's and Bradley Cooper's character is a fairly dark look into the effects of fame and jealousy, where one rise of fame leads into a fall of fame. This gets very bleak with where it goes and how it handles its characters. Bradley Cooper is able to show musical performances as if one were actually there, while still making it a little stylized. Cooper also brings out the best in the performers, not with Lady Gaga, but also Sam Eliot, Dave Chappelle, and even Andrew Dice Clay, of all people.
Searching
This was very tense and shocking, a kind of high-wire thriller that just throws twists at you at every opportunity. I was in awe as to where this film went, and just how the lengths it actually went. What also works was picking up all the small details. All the little stuff around that help give subtle hints both to the central mystery and to just the world around it. This might require several viewings to get all the little references made. All this, using the gambit of a computer screen film to great effect, focusing on the use of the internet in solving disappearances and how a computer screens captures more of life than we tend to think. This helped me get over my aversion to that particular style cemented by Unfriended.
First Man
I'm something of an Apollo nut. I'm not a full on expert as of now, but I know a fair deal about the program and its history, so this was good to watch on that level, as it seems to recreate many of the events well (including the Apollo 1 incident). However, the main focus is on Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, and his struggles, with training as an astronaut, being selected as the first man on the moon, dealing with the loss of his fellow Astronauts, and especially his relationship with his wife Janet. There is more of a quiet awe and energy to the film, more solemn in its portrayal of Apollo 11 and Armstrong than purely celebratory, but the Moon landing (very meticulously recreated) is shown as the culmination of the past 9 years. It gets emotional and dark at times, but ultimately celebrates the man and the achievement that will secure his name in human history for millenium to come.
Upgrade
This was this years' underrated delight. What starts off as effectively a superhero film with a character who has advanced abilities from an AI installed into him to help with injuries from a car accident gradually becomes more demented in its action and cerebral in its themes, as each character is slowly revealed to be not as they appear, and the situation itself might be more than meets the eye. With this rather intelligent outlooks comes brutal action is both fun and a little sickening to watch. It was the kind of pure energy that more independent films need, and is one of Blumhouse's finest.
Blindspotting
One of the ending scenes of this film is probably the best individual scene of the year. If you see the film, you know what I'm talking about. The trailers made this feature out to be a look into police brutality and the relationship between the black protagonist (Daveed Diggs) and his white childhood friend (Rafael Casal). It is both, but there is a large subplot about gentrification that ties into both of these as well, with the character slowly finding their neighborhood unrecognizable amid these new changes. All help to give an atmosphere to the Oakland neighborhood described and a growing trepidation about these changes in the backdrop of watching these two friends (one a convicted felon) deal with this world.
Hereditary
The degradation of the American family has been a theme in American gothic horror since the days of Edgar Allan Poe. This film takes it in an interesting direction, adding a supernatural twist a la The Shining. However, if there is one film that is it most similar to, it is actually the original Suspiria This was honestly a better Suspiria remake than the actual Suspiria remake. It capture the spirit of it, shares its use of bright colors in junctions of scenes of intensity, and is just weird and insane in fun ways, whilst being its own unique product. The latter is key: in spite of taking a well-worn idea, it manages to infuse a very distinct story and look to the film to make it stand out. It was truly nervewracking to watch, especially with that hell of a climax.
A Quiet Place
While Hereditary was probably the better horror movie, this was simply the better film in general due to its innovation. This is a film that mostly conveys actions without much sound or audible dialogue. Much of it is conveyed through sign language and body language. This helps with making you jumpy whenever a sound comes out, since it is an indication that something terrible is going to happen. That's really the main conceit of the film: making the very idea of sound terrifying. Helping this is John Krasinski's and Emily Blunt's performances, both show the anguish and paranoia they have to endure to protect their families in this climate, especially an infant who is unaware of the dangers that it poses.
The Death of Stalin
The Soviet Union has been a bit of pet interest of mine for a while, so this new film exploring the aftermath of the death of Joseph Stalin and the resulting politicking and scheming was of course of interest to me. Many of the figures were recognizable from my reading of history, including Nikita Khrushchev, Lavrentiy Beria, Georgy Malekov, Vyacheslav Molotov, Marshal Zhukov, and Anastas Mikoyan. Far from being a dry historical take, however, this was an hilarious, darkly comic romp that takes aim at the absurdity and cruelty of the Stalinist system, and how the fall of its dear leader lead to a scenario of infighting reminiscent of the very bourgeois system the USSR replaced. Despite being a comedy within a horrific period like the Stalinist one, it never mocks the victims or trivalizes the bureaucratic system that lead to it. If anything, the humor highlights just how surreally cruel that period was.
If Beale Street Could Talk
Director Barry Jenkins decides to forgo the harsh colors and moody tone of Moonlight, into a more nostalgic, sentimental tone for this film, an adaptation of the James Baldwin novel of the same name. Whilst there are some very bright and romantic scenes in this, it only serves to show how bleak other scenes are, especially when it comes to the prison system and the effects it has on a person. It is a dark film to be sure, where the conclusion is probably going to be harsh, but one that Jenkins infuses with a little optimism. Just enough to show that not all is lost.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The best Spider-Man film ever made. Yes, you heard me correctly. An homage to the entire history of the beloved wall-crawler, its focus more on Miles Morales as he both deals with the responsibility of being the new Spider-Man (and gaining the curse of having his personal life devolve into a complete nightmare) and multiverse antics with a variety of other Spider-beings helps make it distinct from the other films. The two plots are seamless and go together very well, and both help serve Miles' story. Each of the Spider-Beings are unique, fun, interesting, and dynamic in their own ways. Also helping is the unique comic book look to the film that has tons of tiny references and tiny little jokes packed into each corner. The action is so fast-paced and colorful, it is like reading a Spider-Man comic. I loved this film, and I think it is one that I will see in the future.
Sorry to Bother You
It took me a bit to really appreciate this film fully. Granted, I liked the film when I first saw it, and knew just what he was satirizing (i.e. the relationship between capitalism and racism and their varying intersections), but it felt a bit flabby at parts and the somewhat uneven. However, after doing some research into this and its filmmaker Boots Riley and his own political philosophy, my appreciation for this film just jumped. It is astounding that they trojan horsed an explicitly socialist film into American cinemas, especially one that took direct aim at the capitalist order and its dehumanization. Once it all clicked for me, I became a massive advocate for this film. It is a truly radical experiment, a kind of provocative film that'll be talked about and dissected for years, and which modern events will be compared to for generation. So, I must say to Mr. Boots Riley: Bravo.
Best Film of 2018
Black Panther
There really wasn't going to be a competition here. When I saw this film back in February, I knew this would top this list. Not just because it really was a cultural event in a way that many films aren't these days, or that so many people were able to appreciate and love the film or that people have been adopting it to empower further generations. All of that was contributing factor, but at the end of the day, it was just a damn great movie. A perfect amalgamation of action, commentary, Afro-futurism, drama, politics, superheroes. It was truly a great film, one that proved very resonant with most people who saw it. Each of the individual parts of the film are done in such a superb way, from the costuming to the acting to the effects to the story, and this was made with such passion and vision that it's hard to surpass, even among the other Marvel films this year. I really hope this wins Best Picture, because it really deserves it.
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So, yeah, those are my lists. Some time in the next week, I will post a full version. For now, hopefully 2019 isn't our last year. In the meantime, I will continue to do my various series of reviews and commentary, with January bringing a review of the 2012 forgotten blockbuster Battleship. Happy New Year, everyone.
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Okay
Green Book
This is yet another one of those films, where a white man is taught by a black man to remedy and change his ways. It does not do anything new with this genre or really comments on modern racism through the lens of the past. It's a feel-good feature for people to be just satisfied that racism was a thing of the past rather than something that is still endemic to the modern day. Still, it was fine for what it was. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali give good performances, and it never gets really offensive. It had good intentions, certainly, and I can't say that it was bad.
Mary: Queen of Scots
If you saw the trailer, you basically get the gist of this. An retelling of the conflict between the titular character and Queen Elizabeth of England in the 16th Century, it seems to recast Mary and the Kingdom of Scotland as progressive liberal Catholics opposing oppressive reactionary English Protestants, which seems dubious historically( what with who James I, Mary's son, believed). It is a dour historical piece likely meant to showcase Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie as actors, and they do well in these roles, but just watch either of their better films if you want to watch it for that specifically.
The Equalizer 2
If I hadn't reviewed this movie, I would've likely forgotten that I had seen it or mostly what it was about, so my prediction in said review was accurate. This was exactly what it was: a brutal action joint with occasional character moments for Denzel Washington, much like the first one was. For what it is, though, it was never dull or bad at any point. It just wasn't terribly memorable or interesting.
Beautiful Boy
This was a fairly frustrating viewing experience. Both Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet are quite good, it has a number of well-done scenes, and it shows a very dark and poignant look into meth addiction. However, it never really came together in the end. The film also had some scenes that could've been done better, and sometimes, the dark scenes depicting the descent of the main character also interact with other scenes that are very heavy-handed with almost after-school levels of melodrama about addiction. Still, it's hard to really get mad at this film, given what it's trying to do, and it does give information at the end about meth addiction, so I do think, in spite of its flaws, that it should be viewed.
Operation: Finale
The 1960 capture of Adolf Eichmann (regarded as one of the architects of the Holocaust) in Buenos Aires is good fodder for historical thrillers (and has been mined by authors like Fredrick Forsthye and Ira Levin for fictional ones), and this film attempts to bring that idea to fruition. Unfortunately, aside from the moments depicting the locating and extradition of Ben Kingsley's Eichmann, along with the interactions between Oscar Isaac as the leading Mossad agent and Eichmann, it feels more perfunctory, just telling the historical parts without any real flourish or intrigue, and I admit, it feels a little too sympathetic to Eichmann's claim that he was only a functionary carrying out a superior's orders (historical evidence shows that he was actually very fanatical and very devout to the Nazi cause). It depicts an interesting period of history, so if you are interested, it is worth watching for those who don't know.
Incredibles 2
Another disappointing Pixar sequel in a string of disappointing Pixar sequels, and probably the most disappointing. The original lent itself well to sequels focusing the growth and adaptation of the titular characters and their world. Where the film really shines is when it actually focuses on that, with Mrs. Incredible becoming an active crime-fighter whilst Mr. Incredible stays behind to raise the children, which lent itself to interesting familial drama. Unfortunately, it is bogged down by said Mrs. Incredible plot, where she fights a villain with... television screens to... brainwash people? I can't remember what the villain's motivation or plot actually was. I just remember that I knew the twist when the character the villain turned out to be was introduced, because modern Disney now focuses on twist villains as a crutch to interesting storytelling. I'm not going to say that it wasn't fun, and it is above other Pixar sequels, but I can't say that I'm looking forward to Toy Story 4 next year.
Skyscraper
In the vein of 90's era Die Hard rip-offs, this basically is "Die Hard, with the Rock in a burning building." It has its tense moments, especially with the Rock trying to get back into the building and his family (including wife Neve Campbell) struggling to escape, but this is more or less a generic thriller. Not to say that it wasn't entertaining (in fact, it was very entertaining), but honestly, just watch Die Hard again.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture
Another biopic, where the interesting, dynamic life behind it (that of National Lampoon founder Doug Kinney) is sandpapered down into a standard biopic format, where he faces love, loss, opposition, and ultimately, posthumous recognition. Despite depicting the raunchy, revolutionary humor and personalities behind the Lampoon, this is ultimately safe for a biopic, with only occasional interesting moments satirizing and homaging Lampoon (and at one point, Saturday Night Live) jokes. Still, it wasn't very inaccurate by what I've read, and it was somewhat interesting to watch this dramatization, so I put above others of this sort.
White Boy Rick
Another Scorsese Knock-Off, with more things going for it than other Scorsese Knock-Offs. It is very stylized, Matthew McCounaghey gives a great performance as the father (as per usual), the dude playing the titular character has a lot of charisma (even if his acting is not up to speed), and I do like how it subtly contrasts darks with harsh electronic lights to give an unnerving feeling. Still, it is a SKO (TM), and fails to really escape from the trappings and predictability that implies.
Wreck-It-Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet
Yet another disappointing Disney sequel. It has the interesting conceit of having Ralph and Penelope leave the rather archaic setting of an Arcade to the more contemporary Internet (with a very creative vision of the internet through electronic character's eyes), and has a good message about how friendships do evolve. Unfortunately, it is also bogged down by product placement (which, fine, a movie like this probably needed that), ideas that never fully gestate, and a plot that runs out of steam towards the middle.
The Happytime Murders
Yes, that infamous scene is in the film. Yes, it is as disgusting as they showed. However, overall, I actually laughed a fair bit. There were a number of good jokes, which weren't overtly reliant on shock value derived from seeing Henson puppets do adult things, and it was somewhat interesting in how it shows a world of humans and puppets (even if a lot of it was cribbed from Who Framed Roger Rabbit). It wasn't great or consistently funny, but it was entertaining for what it could've been.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Whilst not really groundbreaking and having the problems of being yet another origin story, this was pretty alright, for the all the news of its box office disappointment. Alden Ehrenreich manages to capture the charm and charisma of Harrison Ford, it has that pulpy adventure feel that actually inspired the original Star Wars, and the world-building was impressive (going off The Last Jedi). It was fun, but I can't say I thought about it much since I did see it.
Tag
This was charming. A story of a group of men who have a long continuous game of tag (based on a true story), it shows the camaraderie and friendship these men have, and just how fun and weird it could get. All the actors look like they're having fun, and it was never really dull to watch, though it feels more like a cult classic than really one that is beloved in the present.
Mission Impossible: Fallout
I admit, whenever I have to recall what happens in any of these films, I come up empty. The plots are almost irrelevant, since they are more about the elaborate stunts and set pieces, which are usually very impressive and the highlight. This one did kind of have an interesting plot (though one that follows the last one, which I saw a while ago, and couldn't remember), but it is mostly about the action scenes and the exotic locations. I don't fault any of that, and it is usually very fun to watch, but not one to really stick in the hippocampus.
My Dinner with Herve
I was actually really looking forward to this HBO biopic, given that it was about the titular real-life dwarf actor Herve Villechaize (played by Peter Dinklage) in Hollywood, and his struggles dealing with both his upshot to fame and chronic health problems. What I got was decent enough, with Dinklage giving a very impassioned, layered performance to the character and Jaime Dornan's journalist character (based on director Sasha Gervasi, who interviewed the real Villechaize right before the latter's 1992 suicide) also having his own problems. Sadly, we never really get to see his character outside his struggles to handle fame, with Dinklage and Dornan spending most of the film arguing and the journalist never really appreciating Villechaize until the very end. Also, Villechaize's known charity work with abused children is never really brought up, which could've improved the film (especially if they depict him confronting abusers at crime scenes, which he was known to do).
The Mule
I saw this movie two weeks ago, and I'm already forgetting large chunks of it. Clint Eastwood's attempt to tell the story of an octogenarian drug mule (played by Eastwood himself) feels very meandering, with a number of subplots and characters fighting for attention, and comes off more like a more turgid version of Hell or High Water. I can't quite say it was bad, and it boasts a number of good scenes and Eastwood's superb performance, but it feels more like him just stroking his ego as he enters old age.
Mamma Mia: Here We Go
The first one was what it was: a fun romp-y musical where a bunch of actors are engaging in campy, over-the-top renditions of ABBA songs, and it was decent at doing that, even if it wasn't my thing. This one is basically just like the first one, with a different plot and largely different characters. Again, for what it is, a way for people to have fun and nostagically sing ABBA, it does its job well, and I can't honestly fault it too much for doing that.
Oceans 8
Again, another one where actors basically have fun, this time planning and executing an elaborate heist, with twists and near-reveals all around. The Oceans movies are more about just fun and intrigue, and they are generally enjoyable to watch. This was enjoyable to watch, and a nice little reprieve.
Pacific Rim: Uprising
Without the vision of Guillermo del Toro at the forefront, this becomes more generic in both its look and its action. That said, it still features giant robots fighting giant monsters, with likeable characters and a fairly engaging plot. I do like how the brighter colors do capture the spirit of the tokusatsu shows that this series is homaging, and that it does follow-up on the plot of the original without copying it. Again, though, giant Robots fighting giant monsters. What more can be said.
Papillon
Haven't seen the original, so can't comment on its fidelity to that, nor its fidelity to the alleged true story, but as a stand-alone film, it was fairly entertaining. Both Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek give good performances as their archetypes, and it gets fairly dark and disturbing when depicting life in this French prison colony, as well as the elaborate escapes that they plan. The epic scope of it reminds me a lot of Lost City of Z, another Charlie Hunnam film.
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
In attempting to tell the story of Portland alternative cartoonist John Callahan, director Gus Van Sant fails to really find or say anything about him, his life, his work, being disabled, the nature of alcoholism, or even the healing powers of AA. This really sinks the film, especially since it has that air of importance. However, what saves it is showing this man as a full human being, instead of an inspirationally disabled sort many depict these sorts of stories as. It helps that Joaquin Phoenix is great as Callahan (in spite of not being disabled, though that can be forgiven since Callahan got his disability from a car accident), and the other actors play off him well.
The Front-Runner
In the #metoo era, it was perhaps ill-advised to try to frame the story of Gary Hart and the collapse of his 1988 Presidential campaign as a story of a disastardly press smearing him for imagined sexual improprieties (even if they do have a token bit of opposition). That uncomfortable subtext really hurts this film, and undercuts any message it may have had on the press-politics machine, and even the relatively good parts, like Hugh Jackman's performance as Senator Hart.
Flower
This was definitely flawed, with the dark comedy being sometimes too dark and not very comedic, and the plot is hastily put together, with a vague resolution tying things up. However, it is interesting and engaging most of the , and Zoey Deutch gives a pretty involved performance as the lead. It's higher than the rest mainly because of those two, and the ambiguity it plays up very well.
Hotel Artemis
A more sci-fi riff on a concept like Free Fire, this has interesting visuals, memorable characters, and generally good action. The more grungy, slightly dystopian future is fully utilized in the plot and the characters, as opposed to just being dressing for a generic assassin plot. However, its fatal flaw was mostly just not being terribly engaging or consistently fun, leaving it more polarized in terms of tone and interest.
Hell Fest
This had an interesting idea of setting a slasher film within a horror themed carnival, and the problems this inevitably causes. It had a number of good, creative kills and scares to go along with this premise. Unfortunately, it feels too long and often has to stretch out the plot really have many of these scares. Honestly, this might've worked better as a short film. Hell, there was an episode of the TV show Psych that had a very similar premise, and it did it better within 40 minutes.
Aquaman
There's some really good stuff in here, like the bright, colorful visuals (which finally puts an end to the DCEU tendency towards having it be hard to see), the very creative realization of Atlantis, the very sordid and engaging plot, the very creative creatures that pop up, the full utilization of Aquaman's powers. There is also some dumb stuff, like the villain (called "Oceanmaster,"), the sometimes absurd lengths that they go, and the more absurd special effects that pop up. Again, this is better than the other DCEU films excluding Wonder Woman, so maybe this franchise is starting to get better with each try.
The Meg
For what is effectively a high budget version of an Asylum creature feature, this was legitimately entertaining. Jason Staithem has fun romping it up, fighting a giant prehistoric shark, the set pieces are well-done, and it does have a very good, intense climax. This was definitely a funner, better done prehistoric monster movie than Jurassic World 2.
Welcome to Marwen
Flawed, yes, especially its vain attempts to capture how Mark Hogencamp's installation was of real therapeutic value and its seemingly simple resolution to his problems with anxiety, as well as the way Hogencamp is portrayed on occasion. That said, it was consistently entertaining and Carell does give a good performance as the lead, and honestly, the uncanny nature of Marwen and its plastic inhabitants was not as jarring as other reviews have said.
Good
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Melissa McCarthy was quite good, as others have noted, at playing disgraced former celebrity biographer turned celebrity letter forger Lee Israel, showing someone at the end of their rope and how their crimes are led by that desperation. The film does a good job of meticulously deconstructing how the letters were forged and why they fooled so many with their detail. It is a good "true crime" story without much stakes to make it too dark.
The Old Man and the Gun
What may or may not be Robert Redford's last role in a half-a-century long career sees him at his finest, showing off his full range of charm, nostalgia, and genuine fun. Redford really captures the essence of a man who lived by his own code and had little regrets, despite being a bank robber and prison escapee. His excellent performance is enough to elevate an uneven film that varies from standard crime film to period homage with an unstable transitions. So, yeah, go watch this for Redford's performance.
Crazy Rich Asians
Admittedly not exactly my sort of features, this had a lot of charm going for it, with both Constance Wu and breakout star Henry Golding having a ton of chemistry and their relationship having a very heartwarming feel to it. It's a romantic comedy, but a well-done one with likeable characters and a look into the weird world of the titular olde rich in Singapore and the antics they get down to.
Halloween
Being that I've only seen the first three Halloweens, this reboot very graciously decided to follow only the first one, making it easy to follow for someone like me. Whilst not reaching the cleverness and tension of the first one, this version of Michael Myers is a presence that is very demon-like in his invulnerability and single-minded focus to kill. There is a overt presence of evil surrounding his character, and some of the characters lose their lives failing to grasp this. What really elevates this film was Jamie Lee Curtis as an older, paranoid Laurie Strode, now estranged from her own family and obsessed with finally destroying Michael Myers. Curtis is great in the film, showing how a trauma like the events of the first film can have long-term ramifications for a person, especially at a young age, and how it changes someone. Plus, she's pretty badass in the climax.
Rampage
This was the kind of movie I would've loved as a kid. A straight forward, unashamed, action-packed monster movie, which features a lot of monsters, a lot of monsters fighting, and a lot of monsters destroying cities. It really brought back memories of watching these sorts of films on FX or whatever. This was just pure fun, a sheer delight at every minute, with the Rock as an added bonus. This is probably the best video game adaptation made thus far.
Bad Times at the El Royale
Whilst occasionally underexplained and several loose plot threads, this historical thriller is aptly thrilling and uses its setting to great effect, showing the contrast between early Kennedy era glamour and prestige, and the late 60's tumult and disillusionment. Each character is well-defined and fits into a certain part of a larger puzzle, whether at the titular hotel, or within their own past, which all come crashing into this singular location in one glorious sweep. This is sure to be a cult classic within a few years.
Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson is one of those love-him or hate-him sorts. I generally like his films, which never fail to be charming and fun, and this was very charming and fun. That said, this is lower than I originally put it, mainly because I did mull over the film, and I admit, it is a tad jarring that Wes Anderson (probably the whitest of white filmmakers) decided to make this a specifically Japanese set film with Japanese indicators throughout. I don't think it was offensive or particularly condescending, but there is that element hanging over this film, and that really weakens it in my eyes.
Tully
This is one of those films where the leading twist actually caused a complete 180 in my opinion. I had found the film mediocre right up until a major reveal was made. Then, the parts and the themes suddenly clicked for me. I looked over the rest of the film, and saw the sort of commentary it was truly making. I don't want to ruin it for you, so just see it to know what I mean.
Alpha
The trailers made this out to be a fun, family friendly adventure showing the birth of man's domestication of dogs. This was definitely not family friendly or really fun. It was quite dark, showing the main character being brutalized and scarred by the prehistoric world he inhabits, and very epic, with large sweeping shots and a large scale journey. Similarly, the man-wolf dynamic is more subtle than just alluding to humans and dogs, and works as the main relationship that centers the film. It was far better than I ever expected it.
Deadpool 2
I liked the first Deadpool, but I don't think I liked it as much as others. This was definitely an improvement, showing both superb humor and metacommentary on superhero films and their tropes, and legitimately good action and a good character arc for Wade Wilson. I laughed the hell out of many of the jokes (including a jab at Deadpool and Cable's creator Rob Liefeld), and had a hell of a time, especially when a certain character shows up.
Ready Player One
I think maybe I'm kind to this film, because it was far better than the book it was adapting and definitely fixed a lot of the problems it had. It is still an 80's nostalgia-fest with tons of references and a definite movie for more geek insiders, but Spielberg manages to dig through that, and finds a legitimate throughline he could explore, specifically his own long, varied career, the various people he knew, and his rumination on his own complicated legacy within the film world. While not A-List Spielberg, it definitely is one of his more interesting recent works, and has more weight to it than Ernest Cline's book did (Let's hope the upcoming Armada could get such a talent to make it as good).
Annihilation
This was more a pity placement, given how it was mistreated by the studio and its release botched. Whilst this sort of high minded, cerebral science fiction is my bread-and-butter, and I did enjoy this, I never really got to love it as others have. While superb at all levels, including plot, characters, effects and themes, something about it just prevented me from getting invested fully in it. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something was off about this feature. It just didn't really work as well for me. Maybe I might warm to it on subsequent viewings. I do recommend this very much though, since it is very good.
Ant-Man and Wasp
This was the lesser Marvel film of the year, but I can't say I didn't still have a blast at this. Now having the origin story out of the way, the film is able to focus on its size-changing hero and heroine to its full potential, making full use of their powers both in the action scenes and the plot, which make use of the surreal quantum realm in a very Marvel way. It was just pure fun and joy, after the real downer of Infinity War.
Vice
Adam McKay's comedic bio of the 46th Vice President starts a bit shaky, with Christian Bale attempting to act out of very hideous make-up, and the biopic stuff clashing with McKay's attempts at satire. However, once we get into his vice-presidency, it gets really good, showing the meticulousness of Dick Cheney and how he was able to influence most parts of the Bush presidency, and his role in starting the Iraq War. McKay's talent towards satire and righteous anger finally shines through, making up for the lackluster first half.
Mid90's
Jonah Hill's directorial debut eschews him as a lead in favor of exploring his own nostalgia. In this case, he explores the skateboard subculture in, well, mid-90's Los Angeles. It was more counter-cultural and insular than the way I remember skateboarder culture during my own childhood (which was very corporate and sanitized). Hill manages to capture the raw feeling and energy of this particular scene, and more generally, the ups and downs of being an adolescent and trying to find your identity and the people and things you encounter during that journey. It is the kind of film that should be shown to young teens.
Widows
This seemingly high-concept film about a group of widows trying a bank job after their thief husbands are killed during their last one, manages to tie itself into themes of grief, politics, class, economic inequality, and gender. It is all done superbly and is very interesting and invigorating during its runtime. Unfortunately, after I was finished watching, I didn't find myself really thinking about it later on or really considering it. It just kind of went by, which is partially why it is in the middle of this list as opposed to closer to the top.
Eighth Grade
I graduated middle school only around 8 years ago, so watching this was an interesting window into how it differed from my own experience in this short span of time. Just as one example, social media just starting to become a thing when I was in eighth grade, so it wasn't as pervasive as it was depicted here (social media was larger in high school, from my experience). Aside from rumination, this was another classic coming-of-age story in the making. The kind of film that will find its audience with the current generation of middle schoolers (albeit on home video, since it is rated R for stupid reasons), and has resonance both with them and with older people, especially with its exploration of growing up and how troubling and intimidating it can be.
American Animals
A docudrama exploring a strange real-life story, the directors manage to pump more into what appears to be a standard heist-gone-wrong by also exploring the idea of adapting a real-life story to a narrative. It shows how the story changes depending on the perspective of the person telling out, how the fiction and romance of something almost never translates into how to actually execute it, and the necessity of changing true story to fit into a narrative structure.
Assassination Nation
The only thing that really encapsulates this film is.... YIKES! This is raw and disturbing in ways that I find hard to really describe. It is definitely an internet film that actually looks at the dark side of it, focusing on the idea on what happens when the personal data we think is safe and secure is suddenly out for everyone to see. The film shows the degradation of a community because of this, with a particular focus on how these sort of attacks disproportionally affect women. Indeed, the vitriol is eventually centered on our four leads. This reminds me most of the classic Twilight Zone episode "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street", where a community is torn apart and destroyed because of their own paranoia. This is very much of that nature and shows that some things really never change.
First Reformed
A religious film that focuses on being a faithful person in a world that is increasingly chaotic and dystopic without devolving into a bullshit persecution complex narrative? Believe you me, in an era of Pureflix, it is very refreshing to see a religious film where questions of faith, community engagement, and especially environmentalism are handled with complex discussion and deep consideration. Ethan Hawke will probably get an Oscar for his performance, and it is well-deserved. I would honestly prefer if the myriad of Christian movies would be more like this than Pureflix.
Disobedience
Another film that focuses on questions of religion, though this time, centering on concealing an LGBT identity and relationship within the very conservative world of Orthodox Judaism. Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams are great as the two lovers, and it was intriguing enough to explore this insular world, and how being different is cause for being repressed and scorned by the community. I won't say much more, mainly because I'm not terribly qualified to comment on this.
Game Night
This was a lot of fun. Turning a simple murder mystery inside out, gradually snowballing into larger and larger stakes for the main characters, there was never a dull moment watching this film. It always found a new way to grab your attention and keep the film fresh and interesting. Helping was the humor and the fairly stylized cinematography, which gave it a more unique, thriller-y look to what could've just been a mildly funny comedy.
Early Man
I grew up with Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, so I was pretty hyped for this new Aardman feature, and it does deliver. Showing the origins of Association football, there is a charm and an energy to the film that is rare in modern animation, making use of its likeable characters and odd setting to make some creative jokes and puns. It was a delight, especially since it plays inspiration sports tropes straight, making it a real feel-good feature.
Love, Simon
I'm not really qualified to say whether this is something that will resonate with gay teenagers of today, being a college aged straight guy. I will say that this was one of the more charming and feelgood films of the year. Simon's journey as a closeted gay teen and his struggles finding an also closeted pen-pal had its ups and downs, and it does get a little absurd with some of the characters. However, I really enjoyed watching this, and I also find it heartwarming that people came out during screenings of this.
The House With A Clock in its Walls
Another one that I would've adored as a kid. Eli Roth manages to capture the feeling of an 80's Spielberg film without going hard into it like, say JJ Abrams. Thus, the film is both an homage to Amblin films of the 80's, and a standalone entertaining film, with some very creative uses of magic, and a dynamic duo of Jack Black and Cate Blanchett, who steal the show.
Blackkklansman
One thing that Spike Lee can never be accused of is never going all out. Taking the real life story of black Colorado Springs police detective Ron Stallworth and his infiltration of the Ku Klux Klan during the 1970's through voice and impersonation, Lee turns it into a low-key homage of Blaxploitation. It shows the real face of white supremacists as less sinister and more incompetent, with the real obstacle being the institutional police force, who, despite requesting Stallworth to infiltrate a speech by black activist Kwame Ture, is reticent to really deal with the Klan or help Stallworth's investigation.
Avengers: Infinity War
That ending, huh? I won't spoil it, but it was a real gut punch to see such a downer ending. I mean, that was pretty ballsy, and a good penultimate entry within this part of the MCU. That was what solidifed it for me, but after the incredibly disappointing Age of Ultron, this signals more of a return, with all the characters thus far teaming up, working off each other, doing their internal fights, and just trying to tie up loose ends and unfinished scores. What also works about this was Thanos, who is very human in his portrayal, very convinced that, in spite of the atrocity he wants to commit, that he is doing the right thing, and even shows genuine emotion during a key scene. Plus, all the little nods and references here and there. This was probably the best set-up they could have, and hopefully, they follow up on it.
Mary and the Witches' Flower
The debut feature of Studio Ponoc (founded by a former Ghibli producer), this reminded me most of Ghibli's The Cat Returns. It is a straightforward adventure with an adolescent girl sucked into a strange magical world that ... actually, that seems to describe most of Ghibli's products. I think the closer comparison is that, unlike the more heavy and cerebral Ghibli films, The Cat Returns was more straight-forward adventure, which this also pretty much is. It is still very energetic and creative, with gorgeous animation, and I would definitely recommend to Ghibli fans.
Bumblebee
This was ... incredibly good. Unlike the increasingly mean-spirited, almost incomprehensible Transformers films that preceded it, this manages to avoid everything that would make it unpleasant. The CGI on the robots is cleaner and brighter, meaning I could tell them apart and could see the action clearly. It has likeable, memorable characters, with Haliee Steinfeld in particular giving a great performance in the lead. Most of all, it has a lot of heart, and just a ton of fun. A sheer joy to watch.
Blockers
I didn't really expect that this film would actually be more about parents learning to accept their teenage sexuality from the trailer, which seems to just depict the wacky hijinks they get to in the film. I'm right in the demographic that this is likely to unappeal to (this seems oriented towards high schools and middle aged parents), but I found myself both laughing at the jokes and appreciating the underlying message.
The Hate U Give
Unexpectedly powerful does not begin to describe this film. This YA adaptation focuses on police brutality and its effects on black communities, through the lens of a young Black teenage who goes to a white private school. What appears to be a straight-forward coming-of-age slowly incorporates grief, community, white privilege, and the underlying effects of crime and racism on a community, and it deals with it both with appropriate sternness and occasional humor. Amandla Stenberg, who was everywhere this year, gives a great performance as the person forced to navigate all this. One of the last scenes of the film is a real gut punch that just invokes so much power. Again, very not qualified to say if this will have resonance among African Americans, but I was very touched by this.
Overlord
If there is one thing I've learned I do truly love, it's full-on no-holds-barred unashamed horror schlock, and this was right up my alley. Starting off as a WW2 film about an elite squad trying to stop a Nazi communication tower in occupied France, it becomes a full-on horror film as it is revealed that the communication tower is hiding a massive complex where horrific experiments are being held. The two films go very seamless into each other, and there is never a feeling of jarring tonal shift. Hell, the experiments are played up the same way real-life atrocities are in serious war pictures, with surprising respect and diligence. It was fun without going into camp or parody.
A Star is Born
Having never seen any version of this, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Again, unexpectedly powerful is inadequate to describe just how impactful this film was. Beyond the romance plot between Lady Gaga's and Bradley Cooper's character is a fairly dark look into the effects of fame and jealousy, where one rise of fame leads into a fall of fame. This gets very bleak with where it goes and how it handles its characters. Bradley Cooper is able to show musical performances as if one were actually there, while still making it a little stylized. Cooper also brings out the best in the performers, not with Lady Gaga, but also Sam Eliot, Dave Chappelle, and even Andrew Dice Clay, of all people.
Searching
This was very tense and shocking, a kind of high-wire thriller that just throws twists at you at every opportunity. I was in awe as to where this film went, and just how the lengths it actually went. What also works was picking up all the small details. All the little stuff around that help give subtle hints both to the central mystery and to just the world around it. This might require several viewings to get all the little references made. All this, using the gambit of a computer screen film to great effect, focusing on the use of the internet in solving disappearances and how a computer screens captures more of life than we tend to think. This helped me get over my aversion to that particular style cemented by Unfriended.
First Man
I'm something of an Apollo nut. I'm not a full on expert as of now, but I know a fair deal about the program and its history, so this was good to watch on that level, as it seems to recreate many of the events well (including the Apollo 1 incident). However, the main focus is on Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, and his struggles, with training as an astronaut, being selected as the first man on the moon, dealing with the loss of his fellow Astronauts, and especially his relationship with his wife Janet. There is more of a quiet awe and energy to the film, more solemn in its portrayal of Apollo 11 and Armstrong than purely celebratory, but the Moon landing (very meticulously recreated) is shown as the culmination of the past 9 years. It gets emotional and dark at times, but ultimately celebrates the man and the achievement that will secure his name in human history for millenium to come.
Upgrade
This was this years' underrated delight. What starts off as effectively a superhero film with a character who has advanced abilities from an AI installed into him to help with injuries from a car accident gradually becomes more demented in its action and cerebral in its themes, as each character is slowly revealed to be not as they appear, and the situation itself might be more than meets the eye. With this rather intelligent outlooks comes brutal action is both fun and a little sickening to watch. It was the kind of pure energy that more independent films need, and is one of Blumhouse's finest.
Blindspotting
One of the ending scenes of this film is probably the best individual scene of the year. If you see the film, you know what I'm talking about. The trailers made this feature out to be a look into police brutality and the relationship between the black protagonist (Daveed Diggs) and his white childhood friend (Rafael Casal). It is both, but there is a large subplot about gentrification that ties into both of these as well, with the character slowly finding their neighborhood unrecognizable amid these new changes. All help to give an atmosphere to the Oakland neighborhood described and a growing trepidation about these changes in the backdrop of watching these two friends (one a convicted felon) deal with this world.
Hereditary
The degradation of the American family has been a theme in American gothic horror since the days of Edgar Allan Poe. This film takes it in an interesting direction, adding a supernatural twist a la The Shining. However, if there is one film that is it most similar to, it is actually the original Suspiria This was honestly a better Suspiria remake than the actual Suspiria remake. It capture the spirit of it, shares its use of bright colors in junctions of scenes of intensity, and is just weird and insane in fun ways, whilst being its own unique product. The latter is key: in spite of taking a well-worn idea, it manages to infuse a very distinct story and look to the film to make it stand out. It was truly nervewracking to watch, especially with that hell of a climax.
A Quiet Place
While Hereditary was probably the better horror movie, this was simply the better film in general due to its innovation. This is a film that mostly conveys actions without much sound or audible dialogue. Much of it is conveyed through sign language and body language. This helps with making you jumpy whenever a sound comes out, since it is an indication that something terrible is going to happen. That's really the main conceit of the film: making the very idea of sound terrifying. Helping this is John Krasinski's and Emily Blunt's performances, both show the anguish and paranoia they have to endure to protect their families in this climate, especially an infant who is unaware of the dangers that it poses.
The Death of Stalin
The Soviet Union has been a bit of pet interest of mine for a while, so this new film exploring the aftermath of the death of Joseph Stalin and the resulting politicking and scheming was of course of interest to me. Many of the figures were recognizable from my reading of history, including Nikita Khrushchev, Lavrentiy Beria, Georgy Malekov, Vyacheslav Molotov, Marshal Zhukov, and Anastas Mikoyan. Far from being a dry historical take, however, this was an hilarious, darkly comic romp that takes aim at the absurdity and cruelty of the Stalinist system, and how the fall of its dear leader lead to a scenario of infighting reminiscent of the very bourgeois system the USSR replaced. Despite being a comedy within a horrific period like the Stalinist one, it never mocks the victims or trivalizes the bureaucratic system that lead to it. If anything, the humor highlights just how surreally cruel that period was.
If Beale Street Could Talk
Director Barry Jenkins decides to forgo the harsh colors and moody tone of Moonlight, into a more nostalgic, sentimental tone for this film, an adaptation of the James Baldwin novel of the same name. Whilst there are some very bright and romantic scenes in this, it only serves to show how bleak other scenes are, especially when it comes to the prison system and the effects it has on a person. It is a dark film to be sure, where the conclusion is probably going to be harsh, but one that Jenkins infuses with a little optimism. Just enough to show that not all is lost.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The best Spider-Man film ever made. Yes, you heard me correctly. An homage to the entire history of the beloved wall-crawler, its focus more on Miles Morales as he both deals with the responsibility of being the new Spider-Man (and gaining the curse of having his personal life devolve into a complete nightmare) and multiverse antics with a variety of other Spider-beings helps make it distinct from the other films. The two plots are seamless and go together very well, and both help serve Miles' story. Each of the Spider-Beings are unique, fun, interesting, and dynamic in their own ways. Also helping is the unique comic book look to the film that has tons of tiny references and tiny little jokes packed into each corner. The action is so fast-paced and colorful, it is like reading a Spider-Man comic. I loved this film, and I think it is one that I will see in the future.
Sorry to Bother You
It took me a bit to really appreciate this film fully. Granted, I liked the film when I first saw it, and knew just what he was satirizing (i.e. the relationship between capitalism and racism and their varying intersections), but it felt a bit flabby at parts and the somewhat uneven. However, after doing some research into this and its filmmaker Boots Riley and his own political philosophy, my appreciation for this film just jumped. It is astounding that they trojan horsed an explicitly socialist film into American cinemas, especially one that took direct aim at the capitalist order and its dehumanization. Once it all clicked for me, I became a massive advocate for this film. It is a truly radical experiment, a kind of provocative film that'll be talked about and dissected for years, and which modern events will be compared to for generation. So, I must say to Mr. Boots Riley: Bravo.
Best Film of 2018
Black Panther
There really wasn't going to be a competition here. When I saw this film back in February, I knew this would top this list. Not just because it really was a cultural event in a way that many films aren't these days, or that so many people were able to appreciate and love the film or that people have been adopting it to empower further generations. All of that was contributing factor, but at the end of the day, it was just a damn great movie. A perfect amalgamation of action, commentary, Afro-futurism, drama, politics, superheroes. It was truly a great film, one that proved very resonant with most people who saw it. Each of the individual parts of the film are done in such a superb way, from the costuming to the acting to the effects to the story, and this was made with such passion and vision that it's hard to surpass, even among the other Marvel films this year. I really hope this wins Best Picture, because it really deserves it.
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So, yeah, those are my lists. Some time in the next week, I will post a full version. For now, hopefully 2019 isn't our last year. In the meantime, I will continue to do my various series of reviews and commentary, with January bringing a review of the 2012 forgotten blockbuster Battleship. Happy New Year, everyone.
