2018 is shaping up to feature a bumper crop of films, capable of winning over the hearts
of audiences and critics alike, using craftsmanship and artistry along with the usual loads of
action and spectacle.
From quirky historical comedies to unexpectedly brilliant animated offerings, these are the
very best films 2018 has to offer so far.
Thoroughbreds
Young actress Anya Taylor-Joy has been busy carving out a niche for herself as a modern-day
scream queen, earning starring roles in critically acclaimed fright flicks The Witch and Split
in just the last few years.
So, it's no surprise first-time writer-director Cory Finley recruited her for his debut black
comedy-thriller Thoroughbreds.
And with the help of his clockwork script and understated, tension-generating direction,
he was able to score a winner on his first outing.
The plot follows a pair of reuniting friends as they scheme to assassinate one's stepfather,
and critics were impressed with Finley's ability to bring a classical feel to the film, which
had a nice balance of darkness and humor about it.
"The technique."
"Holy s---."
After Thoroughbreds, it's clear auteur Cory Finley will be one to watch.
Annihilation
Writer-director Alex Garland has made a name for himself with dark, cerebral sci-fi thrillers
that aim for a realm beyond simple entertainment.
After penning the screenplays for such well-received flicks as 28 Days Later and Dredd, he made
his directorial debut in 2015 with Ex Machina, which earned him his first Academy Award nomination
and a whole lot of interest in what would come next.
His sophomore feature Annihilation proved that the buzz surrounding his first outing
was not a fluke.
Adapted from Jeff VanderMeer's 2014 novel, the mind-blowing, genre-subverting story makes
good use of Garland's talent for atmosphere - not to mention its roundly excellent cast.
Headed up by Natalie Portman and featuring Tessa Thompson, Oscar Isaac, and Jennifer
Jason Leigh, Annihilation follows a team of scientists who dare to explore the Shimmer,
an anomalous area in which the very concept of reality doesn't seem to apply.
The film received massive praise for its stunning visuals and sweeping metaphors, and it was
celebrated for being a film that challenged expectations that left viewers perplexed and
still massively entertained.
Isle of Dogs
Animated films don't get much quirkier than Isle of Dogs, a stop-motion feature from the
King of Cinematic Quirk, Wes Anderson.
The film follows a young Japanese boy in a near-future dystopia on the hunt for his dog,
who - along with all other dogs - has been quarantined on an island after an outbreak
of disease.
The film features voice performances by Bryan Cranston, Ed Norton, Frances McDormand, Harvey
Keitel, Tilda Swinton, and Yoko Ono, to name just a few.
Apart from a few stray dissenters, reviewers were generally won over by the phenomenal
work of the cast and by the film's meticulous artistry.
"Thank you."
Even if Anderson's works aren't necessarily your cup of tea, Isle of Dogs is a must-watch
- if for no other reason than to witness Bryan Cranston channeling Walter White in dog form.
"Me?
Uh, I don't care."
Love, Simon
Whether or not it was any good, Love, Simon was destined to be important, since it was
the first major studio Hollywood film to focus on a gay teen romance.
Fortunately, director Greg Berlanti delivered a film that's notable for more than just that
reason - it's also a funny, disarmingly sweet rom-com that had audiences bawling and laughing
out loud.
Working from a 2015 YA novel, the script is populated with strongly drawn characters,
and actor Nick Robinson earns praise for his leading role among a cast that includes Jennifer
Garner, Josh Duhamel, and Alexandra Shipp.
The film has been noted for its modern soundtrack, diverse cast, and uplifting, feel-good storyline.
Journey's End
This 90-year-old World War I story about British officers pinned down in a dugout over several
days has been brought to the screen many times over.
But while Journey's End might not seem like the kind of movie that might interest modern
audiences, director Saul Dibb and screenwriter Simon Reade, along with an amazing cast, have
crafted it into a meditation on war and death that feels surprisingly timely.
Asa Butterfield stars as Raleigh, a young officer under the command of Sam Claflin's
alcoholic and unstable Captain Stanhope, as the soldier grapples with what it means to
follow orders under the specter of near-certain doom.
Claflin's performance was widely praised, as was that of Paul Bettany as a mild-mannered
officer who exhibits grace under pressure.
The film's period production design was also deemed excellent, as was Dibb's command of
mood and atmosphere.
It might be a movie we've seen plenty of before, but Journey's End is still as riveting today
as it was in its original incarnation.
The Death of Stalin
Scottish writer-director Armando Iannucci is perhaps best-known stateside for his work
on the HBO series Veep, and he's taken that penchant for political satire to a whole new
realm with The Death of Stalin.
This adaptation of a French graphic novel provides an inside look at the chaos, humor,
and horror surrounding the demise of the Russian dictator.
"How old are you?"
"I'm old."
"You are not old!
You're not even a person, you're a testicle!"
It may seem an unlikely subject for a farce - but the pitch-black comedy has been garnering
the kind of eye-popping reviews normally reserved for prestige pictures, with some reviewers
labeling it a masterpiece.
Featuring a stellar international cast which includes Steve Buscemi as Nikita Khrushchev
and Michael Palin as the title tyrant, the ambitious film hit the sweet spot with critics
who praised it for being surprisingly timely and whip-smart.
A Quiet Place
John Krasinski might be best known for his comedic timing in The Office, but he's proven
himself to be much more than just quick-witted, thanks to his directorial debut of the unnerving
original horror film A Quiet Place.
Directing from a screenplay by the writing team of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, Krasinski
stars alongside his real-life wife Emily Blunt in the tale of a family plagued by mysterious
creatures which hunt using sound, forcing their family into a tense and silent existence.
The film has been widely praised for its daring conceptual framework and the cast's creative
and strong performances.
Most importantly, the film is searingly bleak and maddeningly scary, so even beyond its
pure ambition, the movie is a treat for horror junkies of all stripes.
Black Panther
After ten years of blockbuster features, it's no surprise that Marvel Studios is still churning
out quality superhero movies, but Black Panther took things to a new level altogether.
Director Ryan Coogler joined forces with writing partner Joe Robert Cole to create a story
that, with star Chadwick Boseman in the lead, managed to surpass even the highest creative
expectations and stunned even the most optimistic box office watchers with its massive ticket
sales.
The film has been heralded for its importance to black audiences in offering a representative
hero and celebrating African culture, and on top of that, the story structure was astonishingly
good.
Black Panther explores themes of alienation and loss more effectively than a comic book
film has any right to - particularly by way of Michael B. Jordan's conflicted villain
Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, who has been cited as the MCU's best villain ever thanks largely
to Jordan's towering performance.
Paddington 2
Based on the beloved children's character, the first Paddington film was a surprise critical
darling and a moderate hit at the box office.
Its success made a follow-up inevitable, but Paddington 2 does not suffer the sequel slump
- thus far, the film has not earned a single negative review, which gives it the rare distinction
of a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Some reviewers couldn't help but marvel at the fact that the film outdid even its formidable
predecessor.
With the talented Ben Whishaw reprising the title role alongside an appropriately British
cast that includes Hugh Grant in many, many disguises, Paddington 2 ramps up the whimsy,
adventure, and earnestness of the original - and with comparable box office returns,
a third installment is all but assured.
Avengers: Infinity War
Even the eye-popping box office success of Black Panther was only a warm up act for Avengers:
Infinity War, which has shattered as many box office records as it did hearts.
As the first part of the culmination of Marvel's three phase mega-arc, the powerful Infinity
Stones are collected by the Mad Titan Thanos with the goal of eradicating half of all life
in the universe.
Infinity War brought together nearly every important character introduced in the MCU
thus far - and fans responded by putting up the kind of box office numbers which made
it one of the top worldwide hits of all time.
While the movie didn't earn the widespread critical adoration enjoyed by Black Panther,
positive reviews recognized it as a singularly Herculean feat of storytelling, one which
takes time to deliver meaningful arcs for characters we've come to know and love over
the years - and, notably, for its villain.
Josh Brolin's motion-capture performance as Thanos moved some critics to declare the Mad
Titan the MCU's best villain ever, and - especially given the film's amazingly dark cliffhanger
ending - the only one to ever pose a true threat to Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Said ending was a sticking point for some reviewers, who dubbed it a half-movie, but
perhaps their tune will change when the as-yet untitled Avengers 4 debuts in May of next
year.
Tully
Jason Reitman is a man who knows his way around thoughtful, engaging comedy.
The director of hits such as Thank You For Smoking, Juno, and Up in the Air returned
in 2018 with Tully, which reunited him with screenwriter Diablo Cody.
With her famously quippy dialogue, the story centers on Charlize Theron's overburdened
mother figure, who forms an unexpected bond with her unusual nanny, played by Mackenzie
Davis.
While even positive reviews were quick to point out the screenplay's contrivances, critics
were uniformly won over by another outstanding performance from Theron, whose comedic chops
and chemistry with Davis carried the film.
Even negative reviews had to give the actress credit for her passion and skill, and most
reviewers agreed that Tully was a welcome return for the dream team of Cody and Reitman.
While the film may not have burned up the box office, it seems like a candidate for
a strong second life once released to video.
Deadpool 2
Fans of Ryan Reynolds' Merc With a Mouth eagerly awaited the sequel to 2016's ridiculously
huge, comparatively low-budget R-rated hit Deadpool - and Reynolds, along with incoming
director David Leitch didn't disappoint.
"You know, you're a lot taller in the-"
"Shut up, you little a--hole."
Those who were even vaguely familiar with the original knew what they could expect in
terms of insane action and over-the-top vulgarity, particularly with the introduction of the
time-traveling cyborg Cable - but many of them weren't ready for the surprising amount
of character building and emotion brought along this time around.
Zazie Beetz and Josh Brolin both arrived as immediate fan favorites, and Deadpool's assembly
of the mutant superhero team X-Force is said to give the new series a stronger foothold
in franchise land and an emotional payoff that surpasses its predecessor.
It's the rare sequel that lives up to, let alone surpasses the original, but some critics
are calling Deadpool 2 a cut above the phenomenal first run.
"Ooh, I s--- my pants."
"Actually, that may have been me."
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