I usually let Kevin bask in the glory of a top 50 list every year, but there were so many solid titles in 2018, that I decided to make my own list of 50 films I consider to be must-sees.
Today, I’ll be announcing entries 50-26 and tomorrow 25-1 will drop alongside our year-end podcast in which Kevin, Ken, and I will go over our top 10s along with other highlights of the year.
While there was no clear-cut standouts this year for my top five, there was an abundance of great pictures involving a great number of talented filmmakers and performers. God, I love movies.
#50 – LET THE CORPSES TAN directed by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani
This may have been a case of style of substance, but damn if I didn’t love every perfectly crafted shot in this beautiful homage. I love what this duo is doing and can’t wait to see what they come up with next. Full review by Chris Luciantonio
#49 – BORDER directed by Ali Abbasi
Extremely odd, yet strangely heartfelt, this is one you won’t soon be able to unsee.
#48 – THE GUILTY directed by Gustav Möller
I have a soft spot for one-location films, and this is an incredibly effective thriller taking place entirely in an emergency call center. Full review
#47 – WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? directed by Morgan Neville
#46 – UNFRIENDED: DARK WEB directed by Stephen Susco
#45 – THE DISTANT BARKING OF DOGS directed by Simon Lereng Wilmont
#44 – BUYBUST directed by Erik Matti
It may be light on plot, but who needs that when you have 309 stunt men and women and 1,278 extras help bring this chaotic actioner to life. Full review
#43 – A QUIET PLACE directed by John Krasinski
Full review by Blake Crane
#42 – ISLE OF DOGS directed by Wes Anderson
#41 – THE CLEANERS directed by Hans Block and Moritz Riesewick
A fascinating documentary about the individuals who scrub sites like Facebook and Twitter of objectionable content. Full review
#40 – BLUE MY MIND directed by Lisa Brühlmann
An impeccably shot body horror film using a young woman’s transformation into a mermaid as an allegory for womanhood. Full review by Blake Crane
#39 – THOROUGHBREDS directed by Cory Finley
#38 – UPGRADE directed by Leigh Whannell
Great cinematography coupled with fun, over the top action sequences make this one of the best Sci-fi films I’ve experience this year. Full review
#37 – GAME NIGHT directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein
There were a few surprisingly good comedies to come out this year, Blockers being another that just missed this list, but Game Night stands out as one of the funniest movies of 2018.
#36 – THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS directed by Tim Wardle
An utterly enthralling documentary about triplets separated at birth, only to randomly find each other years later. As if that story isn’t crazy enough, the revelation of why they were separated makes for an even more fascinating journey.
#35 – SHIRKERS directed by Sandi Tan
Another great doc about a magnificent looking film made by a group of incredibly talented teens stolen and lost for decades.
#34 – TIME SHARE directed by Sebastian Hofmann
A wonderfully strange dark comedy about a man forced to share his time share with another family during their vacation. Netflix buried this release with little to no advertising but it’s absolutely worth your time. Full review by Chris Luciantonio
#33 – THE WORLD IS YOURS directed by Romain Gavras
Another great film buried by Netflix, this crime thriller looks gorgeous and contains an ample amount of humor to boot.
#32 – SUPPORT THE GIRLS directed by Andrew Bujalski
A light and fun comedy propelled by a fantastic group of actors led by Regina Hall in an award-worthy performance.
#31 – MINDING THE GAP directed by Bing Liu
2018 saw a lot of skateboarding movies, but none quite as personal as this documentary. Tragic, uplifting, and wonderful. This is available on Hulu.
#30 – BURNING directed by Lee Chang-dong
While not as taken with this as many of my colleagues, I can’t deny the lasting impression this slow-burn thriller gave me. Full review by Chris Luciantonio
#29 – PRIVATE LIFE directed by Tamara Jenkins
Another low-key Netflix release, this is a great dramatic comedy about a couple struggling to have a child and the tremendous amount of stress it causes.
#28 – DAMSEL directed by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner
An outrageous and gloriously absurd Western that had me giggling from minute one.
#27 – VICE directed by Adam McKay
McKay’s comedic style may not be for everyone, but it really worked for me in this ridiculous biography of our former Veep. Performances were fantastic across the board as well. Full review
#26 – THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST directed by Desiree Akhavan
Boy Erased may be the more popular conversation camp movie released this year, but Akhavan’s adaptation of Emily Danforth’s novel is not one to miss.
