The Best Movies of 2018… So far
The Year is Only Half Way Done, But Here Are the Best Movies of 2018 So Far!
As depressing as it might sound, 2018 is officially halfway over. There have been a lot of good movies and a lot of bad ones. With about 6 months left to go in the year, it seemed like a good time to take a look back and see what the best movies of 2018 have been so far. Of course, every year we count down the 10 best films, so it seems appropriate to narrow the first half of the year down to the top 5 choices. It was definitely tough to narrow down the choices, especially since Stars & Popcorn has reviewed well over 50 movies that have had theatrical releases since January. The end result is an amalgam of movies from animated to sci-fi to superheroes. In other words, this list has something for everyone.
5. The Incredibles 2
While it might not have been quite as good as the first Incredibles, Incredibles 2 is easily one of the best Pixar sequels and a film that families will absolutely love. The Parr family is back and this time they’re fighting for superhero rights as well as gender equality. Kind of a weird combination, but hey it’s 2018 and we’re supposed to be pretty woke these days. The animation is, well, incredible and it features a lot of what audiences loved about the original. Despite the fact that superhero fatigue might be starting for some, the original heroes of The Incredibles 2 manage to make this one of the best movies of 2018. I would say this is a shoe-in for Best Animated Film at the Oscars, but it’s going to have to go through this next movie first.
4. Isle of Dogs
Back when Isle of Dogs first hit theaters there was a lot of talk about cultural appropriation. I didn’t know that an island covered in dogs what strictly a stable of Japanese culture, but I’m willing to let it slide, because, well, there’s no reason to consider this appropriation in the slightest. Wes Anderson returns to stop-motion animation and delivers a fanciful tale featuring not only some of the best actors in Hollywood but also a ton of Japanese actors. He shows tremendous appreciation for the setting of his film by having the vast majority of the humans played by Japanese actors while the dogs themselves are played by Americans (hence the language barrier between man and animal). I’ve never been a huge Wes Anderson fan, but Isle of Dogs is probably not just one of his greatest films, but one of the best movies of 2018.
3. Black Panther
Let’s face it, Marvel hasn’t been super great with the whole representation thing (unlike DC). Recently though it started to get its act together and it’s gone from a bunch of white guys making of the Avengers to having a black superhero as one of its cornerstone characters moving forward. Chadwick Boseman is absolutely incredible in the role and a welcome addition to the MCU. However, it’s Black Panther’s younger sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) who steals the show. Of course, Michael B. Jordan manages to turn in a pretty stellar performance as one of the best villains in the MCU, Erik Killmonger. Black Panther was the shot in the arm that representation needed in theaters and hopefully it’s success will spur a long overdue trend.
2. Upgrade
For me, Upgrade came out of nowhere. After Blumhouse’s awful Truth or Dare movie, I was hesitant to be excited about anything from the production company, but Upgrade paid off in spades. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it and while writing the review up I knew it was already one of the best movies of 2018. Of course, I have a soft spot for good sci-fi and this film features one of the coolest cyborgs in movie history. At the end of the day, it was a struggle trying to come up with a good reason not to give this film a perfect score, which is a rarity around these parts. Still, it earned every point. While we might say, “not all great movies are good,” Upgrade is a film that is both great and good. If you haven’t seen it, be sure to check it out!
1. Hearts Beat Loud
Coming in at number one is a movie that not many people might have heard of. I got the chance to see an advance screening of Hearts Beat Loud at the Florida Film Festival earlier this year, and since then it’s stuck with me. The reason why I chose it as one of the best movies of 2018 is that it’s exactly the kind of film we need right now. It’s heartwarming, sad in all the right ways, and a film about accepting the people you love unconditionally. If you’re a fan of Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), then you’re going to want to see this movie as soon as possible since it’s the best thing he’s done since Parks and Recreation. The worst part about the film is that the father-daughter band at the center of the story doesn’t really exist. If they did though, I’d own all their albums.