By 2018 has come and gone and while the writers at Flixist are hammering away their best of 2018 lists, it’s important to look back on all of the quality titles that came out over the past 365 days. To that end, we’ve collected together here our best-reviewed movies of 2018.
It’s tricky putting together a list like this without saying that these are what Flixist considers the best movies of 2018 because while I’m certain a lot of these movies are going to appear on our best lists, this isn’t a site-wide consensus. This is just merely a compilation of what scored a 9 and above over the past year. If you expect to hear us gush about these movies, come back in about a month or so and we can really get down to brass tacks. However, if you wanna catch up on some of the most spectacular movies of 2018, this is a pretty good place to start.
November – 9
“At just under two hours, a moment is never dragged too long. No situation fails to develop in an interesting way. No lines fall flat. No ideas undermine the fever dream logic. The camera never fails to show images worth watching, and the story never fails to build attachments to its characters. It’s a movie that could easily never end, because it barely seems to scratch the surface of its damaged community and its imaginative world by the time the credits roll. And I mean that in the best possible way.” – Kyle
Isle of Dogs – 9
“Do you like Wes Anderson? Then you’ll like Isle of Dogs. It’s got everything we’ve come to expect from the director, who has basically created a genre named after himself. The film is full of his signature symmetrical shots; his stunning mise en scène; the slightly off nostalgia; the same cast of actors; the hipster aesthetics; the deadpan humor and performances; and the subtle, yet effective, relationships. Do you not like Wes Anderson? Well, this might actually be the Wes Anderson movie for you.” – Matt
The Dawn Wall – 9
“If you’re looking for inspiration, look no further. If you’re looking for grade-A storytelling, The Dawn Wall has more than its share–and it’s all true, too. If you’re looking for filmmaking, you’ve come to the right place. Know that these filmmakers were there on the side of this precipice with the climbers, and astound at the dedication to the craft. It’s incredible in every sense.” – Rick
A Quiet Place – 9
“A Quiet Place is the best kind of horror. The kind that sticks with you past the jump scare. That makes you think beyond the blood. The kind that builds tension over horror, and then delivers both perfectly.” – Matt
Batman Ninja – 9
“Batman Ninja is a movie that throws everything and the kitchen sink at you and tells you to have fun. There’s not really any deep symbolism or meditation on Batman or his rogue’s gallery like in other Batman stories. This is a movie that is 100% style over substance, but when the movie is as relentless about its style, all you can do is throw your hands in the air and just enjoy the ride.” – Jesse
Tag – 9
“Like all the best buddy comedies it’s about the group of friends, not the actual gags. Tag‘s ability to weave in that story of friendship while still playing more cartoonish than your average bromance is why it works… I don’t know if Tag ever reaches the emotional heights of some of the better bromances out there, and I don’t think it’s really trying to. This is a comedy first and everything else second, but it works.” – Matt
Eighth Grade – 9
“Eighth Grade does not belittle or sugar coat itself because it deals with children. The film respects both it’s subject matter and audience in portraying a complex picture of growing up. Each little moment builds up the narrative, showing the minefield of confusion, uncertainty, danger, and even joy that adolescence brings.” – Bradley
Mission Impossible: Fallout – 9
“The action is absolutely relentless. You’ll have an exciting prison van breakout seamlessly transitioning into an intense motorcycle chase in the streets of Paris, a shootout that turns into an extended on-foot chase scene, and a completely bonkers helicopter sequence that culminates into a mano-a-mano showdown. I was truly amazed not only by the action, but by the fact that I never tired of it.” – Chris
“Beyond that, real horror escapes the supernatural and focuses on the struggle of these desperate children in a town where no one is safe and no one will help them. There’s bloodshed. There’s death. There’s a heartbreaking abundance of helplessness. Using the very real and present monster of cartel members as the evil force of the film is a risk, but López doesn’t shy away or pull any punches, and she has succeeded in creating something that absolutely wrangles your guts and worms into your thoughts.” – Kyle
Bad Times at the El Royale – 9
“There will be further discussions about Bad Times at the El Royale. I’m not sure when, though. It’s the kind of film that can fly under the radar for years before being “rediscovered,” or one that people will pick up on right away and look to unpack every nook and cranny of it. What can be said, for now, is that even without all that unpacking, El Royale is one heck of a surprising film that relies on thematic and tonal shifts to affect its twists and turns, while telling a story that is far from anything you’ll see on the screen in any other film.” – Matt
“The documentary does a very competent job of lacing together a story of the war from the eyes of those who lived it, bringing them to life in a unique way that has not been attempted on such a scale before. There are moments that may upset some viewers, but it is an important landmark in commemorating an unspeakable tragedy, and an important film for anyone to see. While archive footage was once only available to scholars and researchers, Jackson has made it beautifully accessible, retelling the stories of those who will no longer be forgotten.” – Sian
Widows – 9
“A fusion of stark brutality, underhand crimes and complex systems of political and personal power, Widows is far more just than an awards-season thriller, but a sharp and forceful indictment of corruption on every level of society. It’s not often that I’m able to see a movie and feel physically moved by it, but I sat through this with teeth clenched, it was so tense. Slick, jarring, and paced perfectly, it incorporates slow moments of emotional catharsis, crescendoing into a criminal denouement of theatrical proportions.” – Sian
“The fact that nearly 50 years later the same whimsical and charming magic that made the original a classic can still shine through is a feat no one could predict. In an age of remakes, reboots, and relaunches, it’s incredible to find a movie that so embraces the past and yet feels like its own thing. In fact, the only magic that Mary Poppins Returns is lacking that the original has is the magic of nostalgia, a spell that can only be cast with time.” – Matt
The Favourite – 9.5
“This will be labeled a period piece, owing to the setting and historic nature of the film–an unfortunate label as it’s far too simplistic. The story might have originated with something you overheard at the bar: two people vying for the attention of, and virtual influence over a third more powerful person is a tale as old as time. This agelessness goes far in The Favourite’s success and it builds with each move and countermove, threat and counter-threat. Yet, as a period piece, its presentation is impeccable. The level of detail provided to every aspect of life in a royal palace is unparalleled in visual storytelling. This is the standard for recreating a period from the past.” – Rick
Mandy – 10
“Mandy is a work of pure ambition. Imperceptibly stitched in the middle, it’s both a literary slow burn of The Shining-style dread and an outrageous celebration of midnight movie extremes like Drive Angry. Infusing patience and grace into its pacing, Cosmatos balances this tonal weight and sets Mandy beyond classification within the myriad sub-genres of horror. There may be other films that are similar to pieces of Mandy — to chunks to Mandy — but no film exists that is like Mandy.” – Kyle
Roma – 10
“Roma is one of the most breathtaking movies I’ve seen in 2018. (And I’ve seen plenty.) Cuaron has made another masterpiece. Not only is Roma my favorite movie of the year, it will likely be ranked as one of the best movies of the decade.” – Hubert
