Look, I know it's special to rank films released during the year, but the year for me was so much bigger than those films. I fell in love with new movies, to be sure, but I also fell in love with a lot of other movies. Or, sometimes, I stayed in love with movies. That's a good feeling too. And I don't want to leave those movies off my top ten of 2018.
This seems like a gimmick, doesn't it? If that's what it takes to shine light on ten to forty-nine movies that made an impact on me in 2018 then I'm ok with that. Let's embrace that gimmick and have some fun!
The Mike's Top 10 Films of 2018!
I'm pretty sure I didn't like Mandy. Then again, I didn't hate it as much as some of the people I know who did. I didn't think it was that artisitc, that pretentious, or that good. But it provided a lot of good discussion (that wasn't always good) and had a Cheddar Goblin so I'm starting my list with mercurial thing because that's a fun thing to do.
Number 48 - Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
I like Speed 2. I've seen it a few times, mostly 15-20 years ago, and always thought it was cheeky fun. I watched it again this year, right after I watched Speed for no reason, and I still liked it. Good job, Speed 2.
Number 47 - Hell Fest
This one came out in August to little fanfare and that's probably an accurate amount of fanfare. But, I had a great time watching its goofy horror concept at the theater. It reminds me of the horror movies from when I was a teen, when the horror genre had a bad reputation (because the plots were too goofy for critics and the gore and nudity weren't there for horror buffs) but still produced an effective thriller on occasion. If you like movies like Urban Legend from back then, you'll probably like this.
Number 46 - Real Genius (1985)
An old favorite that I watched a couple of times this year. It's aged so well. The soundtrack still rocks, Kilmer is still charming, and there's still plenty of intrigue trying to understand what Mitch is. You can make Uncle Rico jokes, you can admire a cross section of '80s comic actresses, and you can even laugh. Sometimes that's all you need from a movie.
I never saw this before, because I never thought I needed to. I was wrong about that. It's got that Killer Klowns from Outer Space vibe, which means it's cheeky and goofy and you can deal with it in about 80 minutes and then move on with your life until you repeat the process later. I'm for that.
Number 44 - To Be or Not to Be (1942)
This is in my top ten of all-time, it always makes me smile, and I watched it this year when I needed a laugh. So it's on the list.
Number 43 - Punk Vacation (1990)
An early release from Vinegar Syndrome, my favorite niche label for off the radar exploitation and genre cinema, this feels like the point where after school specials and late '80s z-grade action movies meet on a graph. I'm not sure why it stuck with me so much, but it feels one-of-a-kind as a pulpy bit of cheap cinema.
Number 42 - Three the Hard Way (1974)
If you only know the "blaxploitation" subgenre of the '70s by reputation of films like Shaft, you might be surprised by how varied the films led by African-American superstars of the time period were. One of the most entertaining entries from that time period I've ever come across, Three the Hard Way is fast paced and full of fight and chase scenes, featuring three unique leads - Fred Williamson, NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown, and not-the-NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly - in roles that meet their specific talents. I had a friend recommend this as a alternative to a James Bond movie, and that's a fine comparison
Number 41 - Banshee Chapter (2013)
I still dig the heck out of found footage horror, even though trying to find good examples can be like playing Russian Roulette. This is definitely one of the good ones, with a character's pursuit of a deadly psychotropic medication leading her into a strange world and a meeting with Ted Levine. We all know by now, nothing good happens when Ted Levine shows up. It's rare that a movie gets under my skin anymore, but this one had moments.
This is the movie I sung lyrics from the most in 2018, even if I only remembered about two of them. It's darn catchy. Jane Fonda is beautiful as ever, and Lee Marvin won an Oscar for being goofy and cool at the same time, which seems like the best reason to win an Oscar. I don't think we'll ever see another movie like this, and I love that. One of my favorite 'OH MY GOSH I FINALLY SAW THIS" movies of 2018.
Number 39 - Body Parts (1991)
Eric Red had a hand in some of the most renowned horror films of the 1980s, and his work with Kathryn Bigelow on Near Dark and Blue Steel showed that he has a skill for working with dark characters in complicated relationships. While Body Parts, his second directorial effort, doesn't reach the heights of those films or The Hitcher, it's a high-concept sci-fi/horror flick that's never dull. There are some impressive set pieces here too, which makes it stand out against a lot of genre flicks released in the same era. I'm so excited I finally got to see this one in 2018.
Ever have that experience where you check out a Dolph Lundgren flick because it looks like an action movie that's a gender-swapping twist on a classic serial killer tale and then start watching it and realize it's really an attempt to cash in on that Nic Cage flick 8 Millimeter that's got way more BDSM and latex than you thought and is just all over the place but enjoyable and also a bit sexy? Man, that's a great experience. I recommend it.
Number 37 - Lost Highway (1997)
I've seen this a bunch of times but I just said "all over the place" and "sexy" for the last flick and no movie embodies those terms more than Lost Highway. So it gets a place on the list.
Number 36 - Trouble Bound (1993)
Back to back for Patty Arquette on highways! This time she's less mysterious sultry and more cute sultry. (Both work.) Southwestern noir had a nice resurgence in the early '90s, and this one isn't quite on the level of John Dahl's work on Red Rock West or Kill Me Again but stars Arquette and Michael Madsen (along with a supporting cast including Seymour Cassel and Billy Bob Thornton) help make it one of my favorite finds of 2018.
I had this forced on me by people who were like "OH MIKE TRUE STORIES IS SO GREAT WHY HAVEN'T YOU SEEN TRUE STORIES WE WILL SEND YOU A COPY TO MAKE UP FOR YOUR ERROR YOU FOOL" and, y'know what? They were right. Sometimes you gotta talk that way to people. It's helping them out. Just...don't be a dick. Anyway, this movie is beautiful and I want to hug John Goodman and now I gotta buy the blu-ray to see it in widescreen. Thanks, rude people who are right.
Number 34 - The War of the Roses (1989)
This is one of those movies I've always "liked" but watching it as a middle aged dude really amps it up a notch. This is a mean goddamn movie. I dig that. Plus, the blu-ray has the absolute cutest introduction by Danny Devito, and that's stuck with me all year. It's a dual threat - cute intro, mean movie. A true achievement.
Number 33 - The Devil and Miss Jones (1941)
This is the kind of whimsical early '40s comedy that, if only for a split second, made me think "You know, maybe there's hope for people like Donald Trump." Then I remembered the man and moved on. It's charming and one of my favorite classic film discoveries of 2018. (Sorry if you like Trump, except I'm really not.)
Number 32 - A Place in the Sun (1951)
Back-to-back classics! I think this is the first Elizabeth Taylor movie I've ever seen. It's a heartbreaking drama, filled with forbidden love and murder and whatnot, kinda the anti-matter to The Devil and Miss Jones' matter. Also it had my favorite shot I saw in 2018, which combines beautiful nature photography with young lovers and my attraction to women's shoulders and necks whooooops I typed too much of my thought process but it's still beautiful. Just look at it!
Number 31 - Thirst (1979)
I watched this really early in 2018 and I don't remember why I loved it except that it was a unique, dramatic vampire film with a strong lead performance and some interesting wicker furniture. I need to watch it again, obviously, but I'm really excited to do that. Australian horror from the late 70s and early '80s is lowkey my jam. If it's yours too, find this one.
Ever not see a movie since 1996 and remember not really liking it in 1996 but still getting really excited whenever people mention it and wanting to see it again and then it gets released on blu-ray and suddenly the stars align and life feels great and you remember all the things you loved about that movie you didn't like? Well, I have. And that movie is Celtic Pride and I know it's bad and I believe it's a treasure. I'm not gonna say guilty pleasure. That's something bad people do.
Number 29 - Tapeheads (1988)
This is another film I revisited in 2018 that's suddenly way better than I remember it being because I'm older and wiser. Plus I had a really good reason to watch it, so it's here.
Number 28 - Dorm (2006)
A Stephen King-esque coming of age tale made in Thailand, this one's just on the list because every time I see it I feel the need to champion it as one of the best horror movies of this generation. If you have preconceived notions about early '00s Asian horror you're not alone, but I assure you that Dorm is a one of a kind film full of heart that provides some legitimate chills.
This could be my "most improved" movie of 2018, which is a ridiculous qualifier because the movie is 70 years old and has literally never changed. But again - this is a film I saw when I was young and was like "Oh, sure, it's ok but it's not Casablanca." It still isn't, but come on....that's a ridiculous comparison, Young The Mike. I saw this in theater this year and suddenly realized just how deep and human John Huston's work here was. I like realizing I've gained a better understanding of things with age. Makes me feel like I'm not just spinning my wheels.
Number 26 - Bloodsuckers from Outer Space (1984)
Oh my gosh, you guys, Bloodsuckers from Outer Space is on blu-ray! That blows my mind. I've always loved this little piece of genre cinema because it feels like something people could have made in the country around the farm I grew up on. Sometimes little charms are enough. And it's on blu-ray now! Thank God for Vinegar Syndrome. They are among the best people.
Number 25 - Bad Times at the El Royale
A 2018 release! And for my money (and I know I'm not alone on this) I feel like this is THE movie from 2018 that, 20 years from now, people will look at and not even realize that 2018 audiences basically ignored it. Comparisons to Tarantino did the film no favors, and I'm not sure they're even warranted. Sure it's pulpy and violent and a throwback to another time, but it's also got genuine surprises, great performances, and a soundtrack that shreds. I realize that sounds like a Tarantino movie too, but it's not! Stop mentioning him, people. Just enjoy this one for what it is, because it's pretty darn good.
We all know Walter Matthau can do no wrong. Pretty sure it's one of the commandments or something. But most of the credit for A New Leaf, a film that's equal parts charming and infuriating (don't worry, in a good way) goes to writer/director/co-star Elaine May. This is one of the sweetest mismatched romances I've seen, and even though it creates a lot of debate as to why one character would put up with the other it comes off as a special treat and a truly great film.
Number 23 - Bonnie's Kids (1973)
I've seen this slice of exploitation more times than is necessary, probably, but I always end up going back to it again. High melodrama with beautiful women and plenty of ridiculous twists, it's a favorite that just keeps popping back into my life when there are surely classier movies I could be watching instead. I gotta admire that kind of infectious film; it earns a spot on this list.
Number 22 - Eating Raoul (1982)
I borrowed this movie from my parents, who told me it was hilarious, when I was in my 20s and probably had the DVD with me for 10-15 years. I finally gave it back, and I think maybe I never watched it. So when I got the urge to watch it again (thinking I had watched it) during 2018 - I was in for something special. Two things came of this:
- I ended up with a new(?) favorite and a shiny Criterion blu-ray of it.
- I ended up with A LOT OF QUESTIONS to ask my parents about why they would loan their son their copy of a murderous swingers comedy.
I got to see a generational horror release in theater on my birthday this year, and that's an experience I'll never forget. I had a really great day in the middle of the worst weekend of my year, which reminded me that horror movies can still be a force of good, a healing force for the soul, and a form of art whose power cannot be denied. I don't know why this is so low on this list, except that all the movies on this Top 10 list are pretty damn important to me. This one's gonna have staying power, so maybe it'll be higher on my Top 10 of 2019.
Number 20 - The Ambulance (1990)
I watched more Larry Cohen movies than any other director in 2018, and by a large margin. There are two kinds of filmgoers - those who replied to this sentence with "Who?" and those who replied 'OOOOOOOOHHHH YEAHHHH!" like Macho Man Randy Savage. I prefer the second kind.
This new to blu-ray offering from Cohen is a film I'd never even heard of at the beginning of the year, and it blew me away as one fo the most enjoyable films I've seen in ages. It's an action/horror hybrid about a Marvel comics artist (Eric Roberts) who ends up battling a sinister vintage ambulance. That's almost all I need to say. This movie rules.
A lot of the films from 2018 that made this list are here in large part because of the theatrical experience, which I still value more than some Christians value going to church. (Conversely, you'll only find one film on this list that I first saw via a streaming platform, and that's Mandy which I basically just threw on the end of the list as a joke.) It's possible that I didn't have a better theatrical experience in 2018 than checking out the two volumes of Best F(r)iends with my real friendswho also enjoy the strange delight of seeing Tommy Wiseau on the big screen.
I suppose you have to see Volume 1 to get to Volume 2 (It's a unique experience, I recommend it too), but Best F(r)iends Volume 2 is the most insane thing I saw in 2018. Following up on the Double Indemnity rip off that was part one, this introduces new characters and locations, particularly a strange (often shirtless and overly hairy) character named Rick who is like Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite on steroids with a gun. It's a shame Greg Sestero can't act very well (Wiseau gets the hate but this guy is drier than the desert the film was made in) because this could have been the best thing I've seen all year with a better cast.
Number 18 - Candyman (1992)
I didn't even watch Candyman in 2018, I'm just pumped it's on blu-ray in the States now. I adore it and am so happy its legacy continued in 2018.
Number 17 - The Monster Club (1981)
No year is complete without Vincent Price. I finally got to this one in 2018 and I really wanna look at as the man's last film. It's funny, a little scary, and full of musical numbers and - when you combine that with the star and friend John Carradine as leads - it's more than you can ask for from any horror anthology film.
Treasure of the Sierra Madre was almost my "most improved" movie of 2018 but HOLD ON A SECOND because Laura is better than I remember and oh my gosh serious Vincent Price just swooped in with a steel chair and knocked The Monster Club's Vincent price out of the top 16. Such drama this late in the list!
That ridiculousness aside, I always loved Laura but for whatever reason when I watched it this year it just seemed tragic and amazing and pretty much perfect. I hate when people ask "Why don't people make movies like this anymore?" but in this case...ugh, it's fair.
Number 15 - The Midnight Hour (1985)
I got called "a movie sommelier" when I recommended this to a horror loving friend this year, which was cool because I pretty much lucked into finally seeing it. Sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time. This classic made-for-TV flick is ripe for new life on blu-ray (or at least someone could clean it up for digital sale, right?) but for now it lives on on YouTube as one of the best tributes to Halloween and classic horror tropes that came out of the 1980s.
Number 14 - Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Oh my gosh, Arrow's new blu-ray of this one is so cool. It's always been one of my favorite sci-fi films, thanks to the winding plot, nihilistic feel, and Brad Pitt's unhinged performance, so catching up with it on a shiny new blu with plenty of behind the scenes info was a highlight of my year. Thanks, Arrow.
This one's coming to blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome in 2019, so it just might show up on my best of that year list too. Of course I rewatched my DVD of it just before the blu-ray was released, because that just always happens. Why does the universe enjoy messing with me so much?
The good news is that I remembered why I love this meta-horror flick so much, and that made me more excited for the upcoming blu. If you're a horror fan and think characters in horror movies need to watch more horror films, this is the absolute best film you can find in 2019.
Number 12 - Unsane
Keeping with horror, this is my favorite horror film released in 2018. Steven Soderbergh's in-your-face thriller, which made headlines by being shot entirely on a phone, feels intense and personal as we watch Claire Foy shine as a paranoid woman caught in a mental health/stalker dilemma. Foy had one helluva year and is quickly making a name as one of the best actresses available to filmmakers, and I think her work here is truly special.
Number 11 - Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
I turn to this movie at least once a year, and it always inspires me to keep going. I realize that a convicts and cops joining up to take on a gang that's intent on killing them doesn't seem inspiring, but I look at it from a 'Hey, if they got through the night I can too" type of experience.That's all I ask of the movie, and it never lets me down. It's pretty much always going to be on my Top 10, even if it comes in at Number 11.
Back to 2018! This one surprised me to no end. It's an adult comedy that avoids low hanging jokes and manages to be charming and likable while providing murderous intrigue and some blood and violence. The cast, led by Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman, is perfect throughout but it's the script's insistence that audiences can deal with a smart comedy that elevates this to become a great movie.
Number 9 - The Virginian, Season 4, Episode 1 - "The Brothers" (1965)
The best thing that happened to me from a film-viewing standpoint was getting a chance to co-host Get A Clu!, the world's first (we hope) podcast dedicated to the career of Clu Gulager and how an actor moves through the changing landscape of Hollywood. We've only released two episodes so far, which seems like a small thing, but the effort put into this project by my co-host, the amazing Elbee, and myself has been a passion project. I hate that stupid cliche term, but trust me when I say that we've been digging as deep as we can to make sure we do the man's career justice.
Digging through a 60+ year career in film and TV led us to a lot of unique things, and the most unexpected treasure I found in 2018 was Clu's run as Emmet Ryker on The Virginian from 1963-1968. Each hour and a half of the series basically served as its own movie, focusing on different characters and surprisingly progressive stories. The best episode I saw features Ryker trying to deal with a pair of outlaw brothers involved in the accidental murder of a lawman. It's great television, even through 2018 eyes, with thought provoking human drama. (And, a young Kurt Russell!)
(By the way, if you want to hear more about this you can *CHEAP PLUG ALERT* check out Get A Clu! on iTunes or Ouch My Ego! I'm prouder of this episode than anything else I did this year.)
A couple of weeks ago I was convinced that Creed II was the best thing I saw in 2018, and I'm not unhappy with the me that believed that. The Rocky story never needed to extend past one movie, and now, 42 years and 7 films later, it's still thrilling and has created a new star to carry the torch. The latest entry has Sylvester Stallone and his '80s co-star Lundgren taking a backseat to another East vs. West battle, but it's the relationship between Michael B. Jordan's Adonis and his young fiance, played by rising star Tessa Thompson, that gives the movie real power. Creed II even manages to make the son of Ivan Drago, a one-note character from Rocky IV, into a sympathetic character. One of my friends said "I was kind of rooting for Drago" at the end of the film and if you're a Rocky IV fan who ever thought we'd live in a world where that sentence makes sense well....you're more of a dreamer than I am. This series may never die, and I'm fine with that if they keep finding ways to make movies that are this entertaining and moving.
Number 7 - Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Probably my favorite movie of this decade, and almost everything I could say about it I wrote on this site back in February. Just scroll down from this post, you'll find it. It says so much to me, and I honestly believe it got me through parts of this year. Thanks for that, Llewyn and cat.
This doesn't belong this high on the list based on quality, but don't take that as me saying it's a bad movie. It's not. It's very, very good at what it is. If I was listing my favorite films released in 2018, it would probably be Number 6 there too. It thrilled me like nothing else I saw this year. Is that partially because the original film is one of my two favorite movies? Absolutely. That's human, anyone who says otherwise is just repressing their feelings.
You can't take 1978's Halloween out of the picture when looking at this film, and you can judge this sequwl based on that as you wish. Personally, I think this version added more to that film than anything else with the Halloween name attached to it. Jamie Lee Curtis carries it, using her experience in the series and perhaps her own personal demons (she plays an alcoholic well, that's all I'll say about that) to give Laurie Strode a new life. Michael Myers is intimidating as ever without sacrificing any of the mystique that the original introduced, and a backyard scene featuring motion activated lights is one of my favorite moments in the franchise. I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this film, and even though I know my history with these characters and this franchise influenced that - I don't really care. I love it. It's a great horror movie.
I watch this every Christmas Eve, and it always inspires me to live better and be more thankful for the good in my life. If that's not worth a spot in the Top 5, I don't know what is.
Number 4 - The Blob (1958)
For about a decade I've been talking about visiting Phoenxivlle, Pennsylvania. That's a ridiculous sentence to most, but for me it was destiny. Phonexville is the home of The Blob, or at least the place where most if it was filmed, and the home of Blobfest, an annual celebration of the film hosted at the same theater where part of the movie was filmed.
The Blob has been one of my favorite films since I was a child, and seeing it in that theater, with a enthralled crowd - well, I don't know if I've ever felt more at home. That'll probably go down as my favorite film viewing experience of all-time until the day I die.
Powell and Pressburger's story of a World War II airman who must win the right to return to his newfound love and the land of the living was released on blu-ray by the Criterion Collection this year, amounting to my favorite disc release of 2018. This film is gorgeous, mixing luscious color sequences on earth with rich black and white sequences in the afterlife, and features some truly moving speeches and dialogue choices. 2018 sure seems like a year where I loved melodrama, doesn't it? Yeah, it was that kind of year. I'm very thankful for the films that moved me, and this one moved me more than any other, even on a revisit.
Number 2 - The Night Visitor (1971)
My favorite film find of 2018 is Laszlo Benedek's The Night Visitor, a revenge story in which a wrongly convicted criminal seeks to dispose of the people responsible for his incarceration. That doesn't sound like a unique plot, but the catch is that the lead character is still incarcerated in an imposing tower in an old seaside prison. The way this film pulls its plot off - with daring escapes, plenty of tricks, and even an axe for the horror fans - is perfect. Max von Sydow is fantastic in the lead, and the final shot is....how do you do that chef's kiss motion while typing? Because that's how good the final shot is. This is a super cheap blu-ray, it's probably streaming somewhere, it's one of a kind, I'm ranting, you should see it in 2019.
In the timeline that is 2018, it's ridiculous to me that I could claim any movie was more important than Infinity War. This is what movies were made for. That doesn't make sense in the context of the film - I don't think silent filmmakers were trying to create a world where comic book heroes jump from movie to movie, but it speaks to the filmgoing experience and the cultural impact that movies should strive for. It's a film full of jaw dropping moments, that culminates with perhaps the biggest single moment in a movie over the last I don't even know how many years. Probably since the ending of The Empire Strikes Back.
And yet.....no one actually seems to act like it's a great movie. I've heard "critics" call it "not even a movie" even though they liked it, which makes me think they should not be called critics. The general filmgoing audience liked it, but seemed more into Black Panther - even though that film offered absolutely no dramatic depth. Infinity War is an epic, moving dozens of characters through dozens of locations and intertwining different plots and locations while keeping everything clear. The addition of Josh Brolin's Thanos as an actual character in the franchise, finally, worked on every level, and interactions between established characters who hadn't crossed paths yet go off without a hitch. I'm pumped just thinking about.
Avengers: Infinity War isn't your traditional "Best of" film, but this is no traditional list. Movies are supposed to thrill us, make us laugh, make us feel, and make us talk after they're over. In a relatively weak year for new releases, this movie did all those things better than anything else. It's a triumph that I'll appreciate forever....unless the next film drops the ball and negates it. I don't anticipate that happening, but if it does....we'll always have Wakanda. I'll be disappointed if Endgame doesn't top Infinity War...but I'm sure I'll snap out of it when I remember this one.
By this point you might have guessed that this list is just the informal ramblings of one dude who likes movies. But I hope you found something you like, or maybe even something you'd like to see, among the things listed here. 2018 was a great movie year for me, and I had to share it. That's why we talk about movies, isn't it?
