The 10 Best Movies of 2018!

Not Your Average Movie Review Site Means Not Your Average List of the Best Movies of 2018.

The year is quickly coming to an end, which means its the perfect time to sit back and reflect on all of the best movies of 2018. Surprisingly enough, I’ve had the chance to review a lot of really great films this year. While there were a few the managed to get away from me, this year I sat through and reviewed over 100 movies. Needless to say, narrowing it all down all the best movies of 2018 to a list of 10 was pretty difficult. But after hours scouring the internet to check up on what others put on their year-end lists and compared it to my own rating system, I managed to put together a list of what were some of my best-reviewed films this year. It’s a pretty eclectic assortment of movies that offer a bit of something for everyone. So, in the order of when they hit theaters, I present Stars & Popcorn’s Top 10 Best Movies of 2018!

Black Panther

Looking back on 2018, there were more than a few movies I reviewed that got higher overall scores than Black Panther. However, it is arguably one of the most important movies ever made. The superhero genre is quickly becoming pretty crowded, but Black Panther stands out from the crowd because it gave minorities a chance to shine. More importantly, it proved that people actually want to see movies like this, which means Hollywood has no more excuses for not making movies with POC’s front and center. I might not think it deserves the Academy Award for Best Feature Film this year, but being the best and being the most important aren’t always the same thing. That being said, when I sat down to make this list of the best movies of 2018, Black Panther was the first one I wrote down.

Hearts Beat Loud

I’ve been going to the Florida Film Festival for years because, well, I’m a bit of a film snob. This year though I got a chance to see one of the best movies of 2018 before it hit theaters, Heart Beal Loud. The film is probably the most realistic portrayal of a modern family I’ve seen on the big screen and I loved every second. In it, Nick Offerman plays a dad who is dealing with the end of an era. His daughter is leaving for college and he’s facing the dark realization that he’s going to have to give up on his dream job of owning a record store. Over the course of the movie, he has a lot of growing up to do and this is complemented by a similar journey his daughter (played by Kiersey Clemons) goes through as she prepares to leave the nest and fly on her own. It’s a wonderful family film that will leave you with tears in your eyes for the right reasons.

Upgrade

I absolutely loved Upgrade. So much so that it’s one of the few movies that I went to see multiple times in theaters. The film follows by a man, played by Logan Marshall-Green, who is paralyzed after a brutal accident and assault that leaves his wife dead. Luckily he’s given an implanted chip that not only allows him to walk again but also gives him the perfect partner to help hunt down the men responsible. What comes next is far from your typical revenge film with brutal action sequences, incredible performances, and an absolutely chilling ending. It’s not just a hack and slash action flick, and embraces a lot of cerebral concepts related to impending technology in a way that would make even Black Mirror proud. Because of Upgrade I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next movie from writer/director Leigh Whannell.

Blindspotting

In the real world, 2018 was quite a tumultuous year thanks to a horrible, orange-faced, Twitter trolling politician who shall remain nameless. However, it was a much more woke year at the cinema and I enjoyed a lot of the movies that featured people of color both in front of and behind the camera. The first of these films that I want to honor as one of the best movies of 2018 is Blindspotting which was written by and starred Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs. It tells the tale of a rapidly gentrifying area in Compton and the problems that arise for a black man and white man who grew up as best friends in the neighborhood. It’s an interesting study in contrasts as these two friends find themselves with conflicting goals and desires as the hipsters take over the world they grew up in. Blindspotting is a brilliant, thought-provoking comedy that leaves a lasting impression on audiences.

Sorry to Bother You

Sorry to Bother You features a number of similar themes and elements to Blindspotting but chooses to take a much more “magical realism” approach to its storytelling. It also features one of my favorite rising stars, Lakeith Stanfield (who also appeared in The Girl in the Spider’s Web), as well as one of my current Hollywood crushes, Tessa Thompson, both of whom are just incredible in the lead roles. The film takes an absurdist approach to its narrative thanks to first-time feature director Boots Riley who was thankfully brave enough to make this one of the best movies of 2018 with his over the top visuals, characters, and narrative. You’ll be hard pressed to find a film that managed to embrace what might have been fairly common themes for 2018 but twisted them in such a way to make sure they stick with the audience long after the credits roll.