The Top 10 Films of 2018
Every year, I create a list of films I want to see over the course of the year. At the end of 2017, the list I put together for 2018 shocked me. Right from the start, 2018 is the year that I dubbed the Year of The Sequels. Even though some of them are not direct sequels, most of the films I saw this year continued an existing story in some way. The year started off with some incredible disappointments but as the year went on, I was hit with masterpiece after masterpiece. I have also awarded superlatives to films 10-2 to have a little more fun! This is my list of 2018's Best Films.
Top 5 Honorable Mentions
Peter Rabbit (Release Date: 2/9/2018)
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (Release Date: 7/13/2018)
Ralph Breaks The Internet (Release Date: (11/21/2018)
Ready Player One (Release Date: 3/29/2018)
10. Aquaman
Director: James Wan
Writers: David Leslie Johnson-McGodlrick & Will Beall
Stars: Jason Mamoa & Amber Heard
Release Date: 12/21/2018
Superlative: Most Visually Pleasing Film
Aquaman was one of the best characters in 2017's Justice League film and James Wan delivered a film that is worthy of the character. Arthur Curry's journey from part-time superhero to full-time king is an incredibly fun ride. The characters and environments he encounters along the way all make his solo-venture one of the most memorable films from the DCEU. By the end, you will wish you lived in the kingdom of Atlantis.
9. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Director: David Yates
Writer: J.K. Rowling
Stars: Eddie Redmayne & Johnny Depp
Release Date: 11/16/2018
Superlative: Best Opening Scene
Newt Scamander and his fantastic beasts shine once again in another adventure. The Crimes Of Grindelwald picks up where the original left off with Johnny Depp's Gellert Grindelwald wreaking havoc on the Wizarding World but, this time, it's in Paris. A darker tone and having more at stake makes this film The Last Jedi of the Wizarding World franchise since Rowling dives into the deeper lore. The final confrontation is where this film shines and shows what an amazing cast consisting of Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, and Jude Law are capable of bringing to the table.
8. Black Panther
Director: Ryan Coogler
Writers: Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole
Stars: Chadwick Boseman & Micheal B. Jordan
Release Date: 2/16/2018
Superlative: Biggest Cultural Sensation
The first Marvel film of the year created a tone for what the comic-book realm would deliver throughout the rest of 2018. It took the best part of Captain America: Civil War and extended it into an absolutely gorgeous film. T'challa's journey from prince to king and how he triumphs over the ideas of Killmonger collide to bring a fantastic film to life.
7. Ant-Man & The Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Writers: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrer, & Gabriel Ferrari
Stars: Paul Rudd & Evangeline Lily
Release Date: 7/6/2018
Superlative: Most Comedic Film
I thoroughly enjoyed the original Ant-Man film more than others so I of course was really looking forward to Ant-Man & The Wasp. What we got was one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe sequels to date. Everything audiences love from the first Ant-Man film is back but this time Peyton Reed ups the ante (Pun Completely intended). Paul Rudd is always funny as Scott Lang but the film really shines when it highlights Evangeline Lily's Hope Van Dyne as The Wasp.
6. Avengers: Infinity War
Dirctors: Anthony Russo & Joe Russo
Writers: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely
Stars: Robert Downey Jr. & Josh Brolin
Release Date: 4/27/2018
Superlative: Best Marvel Threequel
Infinity War. . . simply saying those two words after April 2018 sends chills down the spines of Marvel fans old and new. Fantastic acting, effects, and all of the most beloved superhero characters coming together to make this one of the best films Marvel has released to date. Thanos has finally arrived and the outcome is worth it.
5. Mary Poppins Returns
Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: David Magee
Stars: Emily Blunt & Lin-Manuel Miranda
Release Date: 12/19/2018
Superlative: Most Likely To Make You Smile
When it was first announced, I had no plans to see a sequel to one of the most legendary Disney films of all time. However, I eventually decided to grab a ticket and was greeted with an absolutely wonderful film. It follows the same points as the original Mary Poppins but brings it to the table with a new flare. From dancing penguins to a cockney accented Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns is a delight from start to finish.
4. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Director: J. A. Bayona
Writers: Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow
Stars: Chris Pratt & Bryce Dallas Howard
Release Date: 6/22/2018
Superlative: Closest In Spirit To Original
Jurassic Park is regarded as one of the best films from the 1990's and the original Jurassic World left a lot of fans wanting more. Fallen Kingdom is the second in the Jurassic World series and restored the faith that some fans lost when the original Jurassic World came out. Fallen Kingdom brings more dinosaurs and ups the darkness from the first World film and brings it closer to how the first Park film felt. Adding to this, a cast led by Chris Pratt makes the film incredibly enjoyable.
3. Incredibles 2
Director: Brad Bird
Writer: Brad Bird
Stars: Holly Hunter & Craig T. Nelson
Release Date: 6/15/2018
Superlative: Longest Wait For A Sequel
The return of the Parr family is something Pixar fans have been looking forward to for a very long time. Thankfully, what we got was everything we wanted and more. Improved animation and original voice cast made it feel as though a fourteen year gap between the two films doesn't even exist. Incredibles 2 feels like its continuing the new era of Pixar that Coco began last year.
2. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse
Directors: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, & Rodney Rothman
Writers: Phil Lord & Rodney Rothman
Stars: Shameik Moore & Jake Johnson
Release Date: 12/14/2018
Superlative: Biggest Surprise Of The Year
Oh, Sony Animation. . . Thank you for making up for The Emoji Movie. I heard great things about Spider-verse before going in. What I wasn't expecting was to witness an incredibly heartwarming film with extremely emotional moments and a sense of humor that almost rivals Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. Miles Morales is the hero that Sony Animation has been waiting for and something tells me he'll be swinging around the Sony-verse a lot longer.
1. Solo: A Star Wars Story
Director: Ron Howard
Writers: Jonathan Kasdan & Lawrence Kasdan
Stars: Alden Ehrenreich & Joonas Suotamo
Release Date: 5/25/2018
Talk about an underdog of a film! Solo: A Star Wars Story had everything going against it when it was first released in theaters. An impressive cast and a simple yet fun plot is what causes this film to thrive. I went into the theater expecting to have a great time and I sure enough had a smile on my face throughout the entire thing. Diving deeper into the lore of Han Solo makes for an extremely fun film and a visually amazing experience in a galaxy far, far away!
Photo Credits:
Aquaman: https://geektyrant.com/news/new-aquaman-photo-shows-atlanteans-riding-sharks-and-sea-dragons
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grendelwald: https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/fantastic-beasts-crimes-grindelwald-exclusive-image-newt-scamander-return/
Black Panther: https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/black-panther-2-movie-news/
Ant-Man & The Wasp: https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/7/17532460/ant-man-and-the-wasp-director-peyton-reed-interview
Avengers: Infinity War: https://www.hindustantimes.com/movie-reviews/avengers-infinity-war-movie-review-the-god-of-all-marvel-films-a-landmark-achieve/story-tPX53nfJSnOLnsPPpJRY4I.html
Mary Poppins Resturns: https://www.slashfilm.com/mary-poppins-returns-costumes/
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/jurassic-world-fallen-kingdom-marketing-leans-top-dino-rampage-1121792
Inredibles 2: https://www.vox.com/summer-movies/2018/6/11/17446668/incredibles-2-review-pixar-jack-jack
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UpqDeP1sE
Solo: A Star Wars Story: http://aldenehrenreich.co/photos/displayimage.php?album=3&pid=5#top_display_media
Top 5 Honorable Mentions
Peter Rabbit (Release Date: 2/9/2018)
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (Release Date: 7/13/2018)
Ralph Breaks The Internet (Release Date: (11/21/2018)
Ready Player One (Release Date: 3/29/2018)
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (Release Date: 7/27/2018)
10. Aquaman
Director: James Wan
Writers: David Leslie Johnson-McGodlrick & Will Beall
Stars: Jason Mamoa & Amber Heard
Release Date: 12/21/2018
Superlative: Most Visually Pleasing Film
Aquaman was one of the best characters in 2017's Justice League film and James Wan delivered a film that is worthy of the character. Arthur Curry's journey from part-time superhero to full-time king is an incredibly fun ride. The characters and environments he encounters along the way all make his solo-venture one of the most memorable films from the DCEU. By the end, you will wish you lived in the kingdom of Atlantis.
9. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Director: David Yates
Writer: J.K. Rowling
Stars: Eddie Redmayne & Johnny Depp
Release Date: 11/16/2018
Superlative: Best Opening Scene
Newt Scamander and his fantastic beasts shine once again in another adventure. The Crimes Of Grindelwald picks up where the original left off with Johnny Depp's Gellert Grindelwald wreaking havoc on the Wizarding World but, this time, it's in Paris. A darker tone and having more at stake makes this film The Last Jedi of the Wizarding World franchise since Rowling dives into the deeper lore. The final confrontation is where this film shines and shows what an amazing cast consisting of Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, and Jude Law are capable of bringing to the table.
8. Black Panther
Director: Ryan Coogler
Writers: Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole
Stars: Chadwick Boseman & Micheal B. Jordan
Release Date: 2/16/2018
Superlative: Biggest Cultural Sensation
The first Marvel film of the year created a tone for what the comic-book realm would deliver throughout the rest of 2018. It took the best part of Captain America: Civil War and extended it into an absolutely gorgeous film. T'challa's journey from prince to king and how he triumphs over the ideas of Killmonger collide to bring a fantastic film to life.
7. Ant-Man & The Wasp
Writers: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrer, & Gabriel Ferrari
Stars: Paul Rudd & Evangeline Lily
Release Date: 7/6/2018
Superlative: Most Comedic Film
I thoroughly enjoyed the original Ant-Man film more than others so I of course was really looking forward to Ant-Man & The Wasp. What we got was one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe sequels to date. Everything audiences love from the first Ant-Man film is back but this time Peyton Reed ups the ante (Pun Completely intended). Paul Rudd is always funny as Scott Lang but the film really shines when it highlights Evangeline Lily's Hope Van Dyne as The Wasp.
6. Avengers: Infinity War
Writers: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely
Stars: Robert Downey Jr. & Josh Brolin
Release Date: 4/27/2018
Superlative: Best Marvel Threequel
Infinity War. . . simply saying those two words after April 2018 sends chills down the spines of Marvel fans old and new. Fantastic acting, effects, and all of the most beloved superhero characters coming together to make this one of the best films Marvel has released to date. Thanos has finally arrived and the outcome is worth it.
5. Mary Poppins Returns
Writer: David Magee
Stars: Emily Blunt & Lin-Manuel Miranda
Release Date: 12/19/2018
Superlative: Most Likely To Make You Smile
When it was first announced, I had no plans to see a sequel to one of the most legendary Disney films of all time. However, I eventually decided to grab a ticket and was greeted with an absolutely wonderful film. It follows the same points as the original Mary Poppins but brings it to the table with a new flare. From dancing penguins to a cockney accented Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns is a delight from start to finish.
4. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Writers: Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow
Stars: Chris Pratt & Bryce Dallas Howard
Release Date: 6/22/2018
Superlative: Closest In Spirit To Original
Jurassic Park is regarded as one of the best films from the 1990's and the original Jurassic World left a lot of fans wanting more. Fallen Kingdom is the second in the Jurassic World series and restored the faith that some fans lost when the original Jurassic World came out. Fallen Kingdom brings more dinosaurs and ups the darkness from the first World film and brings it closer to how the first Park film felt. Adding to this, a cast led by Chris Pratt makes the film incredibly enjoyable.
3. Incredibles 2
Writer: Brad Bird
Stars: Holly Hunter & Craig T. Nelson
Release Date: 6/15/2018
Superlative: Longest Wait For A Sequel
The return of the Parr family is something Pixar fans have been looking forward to for a very long time. Thankfully, what we got was everything we wanted and more. Improved animation and original voice cast made it feel as though a fourteen year gap between the two films doesn't even exist. Incredibles 2 feels like its continuing the new era of Pixar that Coco began last year.
2. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse
Writers: Phil Lord & Rodney Rothman
Stars: Shameik Moore & Jake Johnson
Release Date: 12/14/2018
Superlative: Biggest Surprise Of The Year
Oh, Sony Animation. . . Thank you for making up for The Emoji Movie. I heard great things about Spider-verse before going in. What I wasn't expecting was to witness an incredibly heartwarming film with extremely emotional moments and a sense of humor that almost rivals Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. Miles Morales is the hero that Sony Animation has been waiting for and something tells me he'll be swinging around the Sony-verse a lot longer.
1. Solo: A Star Wars Story
Writers: Jonathan Kasdan & Lawrence Kasdan
Stars: Alden Ehrenreich & Joonas Suotamo
Release Date: 5/25/2018
Talk about an underdog of a film! Solo: A Star Wars Story had everything going against it when it was first released in theaters. An impressive cast and a simple yet fun plot is what causes this film to thrive. I went into the theater expecting to have a great time and I sure enough had a smile on my face throughout the entire thing. Diving deeper into the lore of Han Solo makes for an extremely fun film and a visually amazing experience in a galaxy far, far away!
Photo Credits:
Aquaman: https://geektyrant.com/news/new-aquaman-photo-shows-atlanteans-riding-sharks-and-sea-dragons
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grendelwald: https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/fantastic-beasts-crimes-grindelwald-exclusive-image-newt-scamander-return/
Black Panther: https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/black-panther-2-movie-news/
Ant-Man & The Wasp: https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/7/17532460/ant-man-and-the-wasp-director-peyton-reed-interview
Avengers: Infinity War: https://www.hindustantimes.com/movie-reviews/avengers-infinity-war-movie-review-the-god-of-all-marvel-films-a-landmark-achieve/story-tPX53nfJSnOLnsPPpJRY4I.html
Mary Poppins Resturns: https://www.slashfilm.com/mary-poppins-returns-costumes/
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/jurassic-world-fallen-kingdom-marketing-leans-top-dino-rampage-1121792
Inredibles 2: https://www.vox.com/summer-movies/2018/6/11/17446668/incredibles-2-review-pixar-jack-jack
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7UpqDeP1sE
Solo: A Star Wars Story: http://aldenehrenreich.co/photos/displayimage.php?album=3&pid=5#top_display_media
Your knowledge of film is impressive, your descriptions come thru in a understandable and enjoyable way. Keep up the good way.
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