2018 is overlooked as a great movie year. I’m sure it’s because it’s sandwiched between two years that are well-known as outstanding years in film, as 2017 and 2019 boasted big releases from many of the film industry’s biggest names. But looking back at it, 2018 was a hugely successful bridge year stacked with deep genre cuts and debuts/breakthroughs by figures that are now staples within the industry.
And perhaps 2018 is also overlooked because of the anti-climactic, obnoxiously dull awards season race that largely featured two movies that will not be featured anywhere near the following list of my favorites. Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody dominated the long campaign, and it puts a damper on an otherwise exciting, unique, and eclectic set of films that span quite a wide variety of tastes and sensibilities.
Among the movies listed below are debuts from a handful of critically acclaimed masters of the medium, a couple re-imaginings of what superhero movies could be, and a handful of the best horror films released this century. It was a deep year for movies, which is why I’ve expanded this retrospective from the usual 20-25 movies into 30.
As always, I can’t see everything, and even though I saw a lot of movies in 2018 – and even more since – there’s always something new to discover. For that reason, I reserve the right to return and update this list in the future. For now, I feel pretty confident in these choices. But before we begin, the movies I hope to see in the future (but haven’t yet, unfortunately) include: Shadows, Skin, Backstabbing for Beginners, Beautiful Boy, Crazy Rich Asians, Mandy, A Simple Favor, Vice, Searching, Bad Times at the El Royale, Christopher Robin, Overlord, Blockers, The Mule, Unsane, Her Smell, Dragged Across Concrete, Hearts Beat Loud, and Madeline’s Madeline. I hope to see you all, and maybe even review a few.
But for now, lets focus on what I have seen. Here’s the best movies of 2018, ranked:
30. Roma
29. Venom
28. Climax
27. Upgrade
26. Black Panther
25. Creed II
Despite being a bit more obvious in approach than the first, Creed II capitalizes on the emotional pieces set up in the previous installments. Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, and Tessa Thompson show vulnerable sides that carry this movie to a satisfyingly climactic fight. Creed II review
24. In Fabric
In Fabric shows exactly the kind of filmmaker that Peter Strickland can be. He’s not ashamed to wear his influences on his sleeves, but that’s not always a terrible thing. He molds his own style to the style of Giallo movies effortlessly, as if he’s always had this vision in his head. A delightful A24 surprise. In Fabric review
23. Incredibles 2
Incredibles 2 is about as action packed, well-conceived, and carefully executed as sequels can get in the superhero (and animated) genre. Brad Bird and Pixar Studios manage to inject new life into a world we haven’t visited in well over a decade. Incredibles 2 review
22. Deadpool 2
21. If Beale Street Could Talk
20. A Quiet Place
19. Avengers: Infinity War
18. High Life
17. Shoplifters
16. Suspiria
15. Minding the Gap
14. Wildlife
13. BlacKkKlansman
12. Under the Silver Lake
11. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
10. Burning
9. Annihilation
8. The Favourite
The Favourite sees director Yorgos Lanthimos recontextualizing 18th-century British royalty. A searing dark comedy featuring many of 2018s’s best performances, including Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz. The Favourite review
7. First Reformed
6. First Man
5. A Star is Born
4. Widows
3. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
1. Hereditary
READ MORE: Best Movies of 2020, Best Movies of 2021, Best Movies of 2022
