My Top 12 Films of 2018

Here are the 12 films that moved me most in 2018.  The order is in impact.

The Hate U Give. They had me at the beginning with Russell Hornsby giving “the talk” to his family about what to do when police stop you. (He was excellent in Creed 2 as well.) Amandla Stenberg gives a moving performance as the friend of a young man who is shot during a traffic stop. I really think this film would have done better with a different title. It’s one thing to read about this issue online or in the paper (yes, some of us still do that), but to see it played out so intelligently… Wow.

Blindspotting. Again, this had me on the edge of my small-theater seat – did it play anywhere big? – worrying about Collin. Isn’t that the test? Do we care about the lead character? Daveed Diggs of Hamilton fame plays him in his easygoing, affable manner. It’s his final 3 days of probation – is he going to make it? It’s not perfect, there’s some violence, but it feels real and chlling.

The Guardians. I loved this French film. It’s WWI and battles are being fought far from home but resonate deeply with those tending the land. Director Xavier Beauvois (Of Gods and Men, Le Petit Lieutenant) puts women at the forefront of this perfect film for the #metoo movement. Iris Bry makes a spectacular debut and Nathalie Baye never disappoints. I love that the happy ending (spoiler alert) is the lead character alone with her child.

Green Book. Yes, it’s formulaic but it’s mostly true! And it’s moving, and funny and touching. The performances by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali (can he win Oscar again?) lift the film to best-of-year heights. The ending may feel a little contrived, but it feels right for the film and needed for our times.

Eighth Grade. Again, it just feels right. When Josh Hamilton gets caught spying on his daughter at the mall when she’s out with her friends, we are all caught. The kids she’s with are mostly normal, and the one bad egg is flushed out by the lead character on the drive home. She’s awkward but real and her relationship with her father is touching, as his final speech.

Blackkklansman. Spike Lee returns to top form with this great story taken from a real-life incident. John David Washington does dad Denzel proud and Adam Driver is spot on as his police colleague. Lee is one of the few filmmakers who can tell a story with such passion and skill. This is timely and full-of-life work that features superb acting and a big finish.

Shoplifters. I love Koreda’s films. They have such interesting notions of family. We’re not quite sure of the relationships of this Japanese family, but they exude love and caring. Isn’t that the point? The second half takes a bit of a turn, kind of us slapping us back to reality. But at the same time we ask if tearing the family apart is the right thing. Koreda works great with child actors.

Free Solo. One of my favorite documentaries of the year. The climbs are death-defying and he’s-not-doing-that-is-he? But yes he does and lives to tell about it. Adding his girlfriend to the mix makes it complete. (Check out how they meet cute.) Rom-com meets National Geo meets Into This Air meets biopic.

The Rider. Chinese born Chloé Zhao directs this stunning verité drama about a young rodeo star facing an uncertain future after a terrible accident. It’s based partly on the life of actor Brady Jandreau (he’s cast here with his own relatives and acquaintances in his native South Dakota). It’s beautifully shot and right away we care about Brady and his cohorts. Watching him train stallions is an art in itself. Can’t wait for her third film.  

Museo. I saw this by accident! The A/C broke in AFI’s #2 theater sending me to Museo. And I couldn’t have been happier. Two hapless art thieves steal paintings and then don’t know what to do with them. I could have done with even more of the wonderful family scenes at the beginning, but then the art heist is fun to watch as well. Actor Gael Garcia Bernal never disappoints, does he? (I'll still take Y Tu Mama Tambien over Roma.)

Searching. Talk about being on the edge of your seat. Aneesh Chaganty is the director – there’s a trivia question for you. Everyman John Cho’s daughter disappears and he has to find her. Everything is told through phones and social media. Hard to believe but it works. The proverbial twist may be a little convoluted but it works as does almost everything else in this brisk film.

Bohemian Rhapsody. Bump, bump…. Bump.  Bump, bump…. Bump. So that’s How We Will Rock You emerged. And Bohemian Rhapsody? Cool. Thank you film for sending me to the real Live Aid performance by Freddie Mercury which was more incredible than how the film re-created it. But that’s just natural. As most critics have said, this was not a great film, but it’s FUN!  Good for what ails you. Galileo anyone?

Eight more that I liked: Widows (almost made my top list - I like the twists and anything Cynthia Erivo does); RBG (the documentary is better than the other film out now);  Three Identical Strangers (wow, what a story!); Collette (really intelligent with two great lead performances by Keira Knightly and Dominic West); Leave No Trace (beautifully done); Can You Ever Forgive Me? (thanks to Melissa McCarthy); Creed 2; First Man (for Claire Foy's performance); If Beale Street Could Talk (gorgeous and lyrical); and A Star Is Born (the first hour is astounding).

My Top 12 Films of 2017

These are the 12 films of 2017 that had the biggest impact on me and I thought were best. The first 6, in no particular order, are my favorites.

Lady Bird. I really enjoyed this film, maybe more than any other film in 2017. The mother-daughter relationship at the heart of the film just feels right, especially in the great scene in the thrift store. And then to have Tracy Letts, author of August Osage County and a great actor, as the father is a huge added bonus. Saiorse Ronan gives another sincere and fun performance, and Academy, please nominate Greta Gerwig as best director.

3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. My brother called it a love story between 2 crazy characters. It kind of ends that way in a quirky finish, but of course it’s so much more. Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell provide amazing supporting performances to the singular sensation that is Frances McDormand. It’s a hard film but a rewarding one.

The Post. Well, I worked there a few years after the date of this film and met some of those people, so this was pretty cool for me. The story was brought to Spielberg by a 30-something, independent woman screenwriter so that’s a nice story. As others have said, it keeps you on the edge of your seat even if you do know the ending.

Faces Places. I only wish that the incredible, 89-year-old Agnes Varda would have taken the trip to DC after her appearance with the film in New York this fall.  This is a beautiful film that follows Varda and her 30-something, amazing billboard-artist friend venturing to small towns in France to make a difference in people’s lives through art. The ending is sad, the film uplifting.

Last Flag Flying. I think this ‘Flag’ really flew under the radar. Vietnam Vets and former friends Laurence Fishburn, Steve Carrell and Brian Cranston form quite the entertaining trio as they head to Washington to help Carrell deal with the death of his son in Iraq. These are three of our most captivating actors and it shows. Nothing huge happens but their interplay with the army types is priceless and the ending satisfying. Cheers Richard Linklater.

Call Me By Your Name. The beautifully drawn characters do justice to their exquisite northern Italian setting. I agree with critics that it would be hard to see the key role in someone besides Timothee Chamalet – who I also liked in Lady Bird. I just felt moved by this story, and the father’s speech to his son at the end is spectacular.

The next 6.

Marshall. Like Last Flag Flying, not enough people saw this very well-done film. Chadwick Boseman is again the go-to to play a famous American, and his pairing with Josh Gad works wonders. Instead of the typical biopic, we get a slice of amazing life here where Thurgood Marshall must win a court battle without being allowed to speak in court.

Step. It helped that I saw this in the presence of all the stars, but what an inspiring story! It couldn’t have been scripted any better. A step team in Baltimore, girls with difficult and different family stories, persevere and conquer all. Very uplifting and well-done.

Columbus. Who would’ve thought that Columbus, Indiana, is a tourist destination? Apparently the director discovered the town—and its amazing, world-famous architecture—and built a movie script around it. The friendship that develops between the outsider and the hometown young woman has feelings beyond any romance. You walk out with a smile.

Mudbound. What a powerful film! Yes, you knew that bad things were coming, but still the performances, the circumstances, the filming all were excellent. Mary J. Blige does stand out as the mother but the two WWII soldiers were wonderful as well. This was another female director that should have been nominated.

Downsizing. Alexander Payne not only takes a crazy scenario – the Brigadoon-like idea of stepping into another world and never returning – but he specifically follows through with it showing the process agonizingly and humorously step by step. Once Chistoph Waltz shows up, laughs follow and a cool journey ensues.  

Summer 1993. Spain’s nomination for the 2018 Oscar, this is a beautiful film that shows life as a 6 year-old whose parents die in an accident and she goes to live with her aunt and uncle. They are very welcoming but still the transition is difficult, and the acting that they get from the kids is amazing. Like Call Me By Your Name, I will go live in their small-town European villa anytime. Just tell me when.

Others I really enjoyed:

Graduation

The Square (a breakout performance by 50 year-old Claes Bang)

Paterson (the joke with the dog and the mailbox is priceless)

Jane (wow, what a life Jane Goodall has lived)

Bombshell: Hedy Lamarr (another wonderful film by a female director)

Dunkirk (visually spectacular)

The Big Sick (maybe if it came out later it would have made my top 12 – really liked it)