Back in September, I predicted that 2018 would be this decade’s best cinematic run yet. Now that we’ve reached the end, I think I can still hold to that statement; at the very least, the year has seen the most consistent and the most thematically challenging stretch of films this decade. If 2017 saw the movies as a reflection of social and political realities, the best of 2018 only challenged those themes further, and perhaps in even more open-minded ways. Many of this year’s cinema raised questions instead of directly pointing a wagging finger of shame, and perhaps we are at a time when audiences can be trusted to form their own opinions, where cinematic opacity is both crucial and essential. This is of course if you knew where to look, not counting the Bohemian Rhapsody’s or the Green Book’s of the world (another discussion for another time), but for every one of these unfortunate culprits a Black Panther would come in and prove otherwise, even for more commercial audiences. All of this is to say that 2018 was a very strong year for cinema, and those who feel otherwise may have more homework to do.

On Episode 308 (Part 2), we heavily dissected our Top 10 Movies of 2018 (three and a half hours equates to “heavily dissected”), but for those looking for simply a written version of those thoughts by yours truly, see below for my picks for the best films of the year; and these are facts, #FilmTwitter does not understand the concept of opinions (sarcasm folks). And much like the year’s most prominent themes, we honor both cultural and genre diversity, a year that proves open-mindedness thankfully isn’t dead; from daring commercial blockbusters, to the most intimate dramas, to even documentaries, there is still no such thing as film discrimination.

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RELATED: Brendan’s Top 10 Movies of 2017

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10. Suspiria

The year’s most sensory experience of course comes from our most sensual director in the business. Luca Guadagnino follows up his boyhood romance Call Me by Your Name with this social nightmare of a film, and a wildly unique interpretation of Dario Argento’s 1977 giallo classic. Taking place in 1977 Berlin, at the height of the German Autumn and the Red Army Faction, Suspiria functions as an interconnected tale of imperialism, emotional manipulation, and femininity, one that marries its political backdrop with witchcraft as a means of granting those their free will. Watching this coven (led by real-life chameleon Tilda Swinton) desperately attempt to govern themselves, only to arguably become inadvertent culprits of the same colonial ways they may be running away from, is both fascinating and frightening, and a complete onslaught on the senses. It may also be the most musical experience of the year, despite not being a musical, as Thom Yorke’s score and original songs dance a tricky ballet in maintaining a consistent tone, even when things fly almost comedically off the rails. It may be a little too ambitious for its own good, but so are these women. Click here to listen to our full review.

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9. We the Animals

Transitioning from documentary filmmaking to your first scripted feature can sometimes be problematic, but with Jeremiah Zagar’s scripted debut, I cannot recall ever seeing a documentarian tackle his first scripted feature with this much opacity. Zagar understands that children are nature’s most confused beings, which makes We the Animals wildly inventive and immersive in its innocence, and a primitive and tribal visualization of family life in pastoral America. Seen through the eyes of Jonah, the youngest of a family of five on the economic fringes of rural eastern Pennsylvania (my home turf), We the Animals is seemingly more concerned with capturing a mere fragment of time in one boy’s confused youth, unfolding like the scribbles of a child’s secret notebook coming to life. Magical realism is a primary tactic of Zagar’s, functioning as a perfect bridge into the imagination of our young hero (played beautifully by Evan Rosado), a reflection of his loving but equally flawed parents (also played wonderfully by Raul Castillo and Sheila Vand). We the Animals is at once disassociating and full of warmth, where the importance of brotherhood as that source of warmth should not be forgotten (#BodyHeat). Click here to listen to our full review.

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8. Minding the Gap

For how great 2018 was for documentaries, it only felt appropriate to have one on this Top 10 list. That may sound disingenuous on paper, but Bing Liu’s Minding the Gap made for one of the better coming of age tales this year, and probably the one I most want a sequel for (Richard Linklater-style). A tale of evolving friendships, paternal abuse and neglect, and of course skateboarding, Minding the Gap is Bing Liu’s attempt to dissect and visualize the effects that absent and abusive father figures have on their sons; at least two of them find ways to progress forward (using their abusive or absent fathers as an educator), while the third inherits their abusiveness, ironically becoming a father himself. Despite not being ready for it, Bing, Keire, and Zack become forced to grow up on their own terms, and it’s very moving to witness, particularly the devastating final minutes which are also preceded by the best jumpcut of the year, transitioning from Zack’s cruel outlook on women to Bing’s face as he interviews his mother about his abusive stepfather (oof!). I would love to see these young men again, maybe a few years down the road; Hulu, you best be listening. Click here to listen to our full review.

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7. Roma

Almost everyone’s favorite movie of 2018, but it’s easy to see why. Inspired by his own childhood and the house servant who helped raise him (named Libo), Alfonso Cuaron’s latest is a gorgeously visualized story about the people we taken for granted. In the place of Libo we have Cleo (played by teacher-turned-actress Yalitza Aparicio), as we witness a subtle and gradual arc of one becoming slowly aware of the motherly influence she has on the family she works for, and how they always viewed her as such, despite her ignorance. Cuaron’s camera (acting as cinematographer himself) doesn’t just move to establish a sense of place, but a sense of architecture; the house Cleo works for, the entire landscape of 1970 Mexico City, is built and orchestrated to perfection, and serves as a glorious time machine to another place. While the film may have garnered some recent controversy, claiming this not to be Cuaron’s story to tell, Cuaron does a wise thing by not keeping this story too close to the chest; it’s not strictly autobiographical, and serves as his interpretation of what Libo may have experienced, but more importantly the motherly qualities he always saw in her. As such, it’s a beautiful tribute. Click here to listen to our full review.

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6. Annihilation

After my first viewing of Alex Garland’s return to science fiction, I was a bit worried at how well it would hold up, but three viewings later the film has become even more shimmering (pun intended, duh). Annihilation feels like a different movie every time, which is my biggest criteria when looking at science fiction films, how much they continue to evolve and refract. It makes sense that Annihilation is essentially all about refraction, especially emotionally; Garland forces us to watch his film from various points of view among these female characters (not only Natalie Portman’s Lena), and we soon notice how they each take their own “damaged goods” into a world that infuses them all together, becoming one. While you can centralize the film’s themes any way you want, my interpretation has always found its way back to natural selection, taking place in a world that manipulates nature by morphing our inner demons together. Great sci-fi is very rewatchable, and Annihilation qualifies; it may not be quite as strong as Ex Machina, but who cares? Click here to listen to our full review.

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5. Paddington 2

Paul King’s follow-up to the surprise family hit from 2014 is a sequel so honest and sincere it should be required viewing in all elementary schools. With a refreshingly indirect handling of its themes (aka NOT treating children like they’re simple-minded), King uses a loving and marmalade-obsessed Peruvian (and CGI) bear to create an allegory on cultural decency, immigration, and unemployment (the fact that the film was made during the same time as Brexit is no mere coincidence). Like a great pop-up book (perhaps one that would make Wes Anderson proud), the imagination behind Paddington 2 explodes off the screen, and so does its soul, as this is arguably the most soulful family film of the year. Paddington lives by his Aunt Lucy’s motto, “If we’re kind and polite, the world will be right,” and its simplicity doesn’t make it any less correct; his belief in kindness may not be anything new cinematically, but the ripple effect it has on his friends (especially during his absence) is both genuine and educational. Paddington himself is a furry reincarnation of Fred Rogers, so powerful that he can make even the most sensitive and selfish baddies embrace their innermost vulnerabilities, especially one Hugh Grant, who deserves a Nobel Prize for deliciously making fun of himself. Click here to listen to our full review.

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4. The Favourite

Yorgos Lanthimos’ trip to 18th century England is so irreverent in its jabs at the power dynamics of high society that I half expected to see cameo appearances by the cast of Monty Python. Despite being the most consistently amusing film of 2018, The Favourite is actually a different kind of Lanthimos film; while it certainly retains the sociopathic tendencies we’ve come to expect from Lanthimos, we instead get a glimpse into the human and moral ambiguities of these sociopaths, a way that links their respective quests for dominance with a history of either child abuse or loss. It’s a film that effortlessly blurs the line between hilarity and tragedy (William Shakespeare would be proud), but it’s also rooted in a deep pity for these women, understanding how a troubled past has come to define their present. This is perhaps why Olivia Colman is such a standout, blurring that emotional line by just a subtle change in facial expression, but this doesn’t take away from how great Emma Stone (probably a career-best performance) and Rachel Weisz are, as they are all so dependent on one another that it’s practically a performance by a three-headed woman. And then there’s Horatio the duck, who provides what just might be the most well-timed quack in all of movie history. Click here to listen to our full review.

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3. Shoplifters

Not since Satyajit Ray introduced us to the world of Apu in Pather Panchali back in 1955 have we seen such cultural specificity on economic hardship and family, with an emotional calmness that feels heavily inspired by the Ghibli roots of Isao Takahata. In his Palme d’Or winning crime drama, Japanese auteur Hirokazu Koreeda challenges our preconceived notions on family, calmly but beautifully examining the idea of familial choice vs lineage. It’s premise (about a “family” of shoplifters who take in a cold and scarred 5-year old girl left outside her home) may sound grander on the page, but Shoplifters is purely a Hirokazu Koreeda film, instilling a natural tranquility that feels like casual circumstance, as if thievery and poverty are now second-nature for this family. The best thing about Shoplifters is that Koreeda has no answers or clearly defined morals, only questions; were these familial bonds ever genuine, does a loving relationship surpass growing up in a stable environment, and was it right to bring a young girl into a family of thieves? Its stillness may feel like a chore for some viewers, but those willing to embrace its thematic challenges may come away enlightened and moved by its respective performances (Sakura Andô may just break your heart). Click here to listen to our full review.

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2. Blindspotting

As someone who has moved around a lot, having seen many facets of gentrification, Blindspotting offered a secondary viewpoint, and even had me questioning some of my actions. By relocating as much as I have, am I inadvertently contributing to the problems around cultural ignorance resulting from the gentrifying of many big cities? It seems as if Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs are asking us to ponder on these questions, but thankfully they don’t have the answers. Blindspotting is the most socially challenging film of the year, and one that isn’t afraid to emphasize the cultural contradictions even in its main characters; Colin and Miles are essentially both victims and culprits of gentrification, and their actions represent ignorance even in them. To Colin and Miles, the new Oakland is seen as too “hipster”, but to these new inhabitants Colin and Miles are seen as either criminal or posers; it’s a world where all demographics are caught blindspotting one another, which is a daring and refreshing way to tackle the social issues of 2018. It is also a wildly entertaining film, one of the year’s funniest, and predictively the 2018 film that may age better than the rest. Click here to listen to our full review.

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1. The Rider

It was my favorite film of 2018 back in July, and has surprisingly remained so. The Rider is simply the most moving and authentic film I’ve seen in 2018, a reinterpretation of the term ‘docudrama”, and a seamless blend between fiction and nonfiction; nonfiction in its truths behind the scenes, but fiction as a form of catharsis, confession, and wishful thinking by its real-life characters. Chloe Zhao creates what is essentially an “alternate reality” of sorts for Brady Jandreau, a rodeo rider who in real life suffered a head injury leaving him unable to ride again (Jandreau of course plays the lead role here as a “version” of himself, in an incredible performance). Thankfully, Zhao never exploits Jandreau’s rodeo riding injury for the sake of drama, but instead crafts what may have been a therapeutic experience for him, a way of coping and progressing forward, never again wallowing in self-pity. The fact that Zhao at least attempted to give Jandreau this opportunity to move on is why it may be the year’s best directed film, and it makes me wonder how Brady now feels after taking part in this journey; it’s entirely possible that his experience playing this part is just what he and his family needed to cope. The film is beautiful therapeutically but also aesthetically, bridging the gap between classic westerns and indie filmmaking, all the way down to Nathan Halpern’s score which is a fusion of classic musical cues and swells but performed like a post-rock band. It is both a small film and an epic one, but a stunning one nonetheless. Click here to listen to our full review.

To round out my Top 20, here is the rest of my list:
11) Leave No Trace
12) Creed II
13) Wildlife
14) Eighth Grade
15) Cold War
16) Free Solo
17) First Reformed
18) Mission: Impossible – Fallout
19) Isle of Dogs
20) Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Let us know what you think. Do you agree or disagree? We’d like to know why. Leave a comment in the comment section below or tweet us @InSessionFilm.

To hear us discuss our InSession Film Awards and our Top 10 Best Movies of 2018, subscribe to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or you can listen below.

Part 1

Part 2

Download MP3

InSession Film Podcast – Episode 308 (Part 1)
InSession Film Podcast – Episode 308 (Part 2)

Within a jammed pack year of joining this website, joining the Extra Film podcast, to getting married to the love of my life, to losing one of the closest people I’ve ever known, to becoming the proud father of a beautiful puppy, it has been a eventfully, game changing year in my life and while all these things were going on, the year in film was slowly become one of my favorites. The year that was 2018 will go down as the best year of the decade for films with the 2010s. Not only was it one of the best years in terms of movies from week to week, but the quality of the films and the elevation of genres throughout the year was extraordinary. From starting off the year with Paddington 2 to ending the year with If Beale Street Could Talk, I’m still catching up with films because of the consistent richness that was 2018. This was pound for pound the best year for Foreign Language films, Documentaries, Independent films as well as a very solid year for big blockbuster movies. It was also rich in films that shaped or changed the way I thought about the world around, with some films making me want to become a better overall person by the closing credits. I don’t know how 2019 could top 2018 but I will be interesting in seeing how it try to top the best year in film since 2007.

We do encourage you to listen to Episode 308 to hear more about our picks, but as we do every year, listed here is my Top 20 of 2018.

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10. Won’t You Be My Neighbor

While They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead is a great investigative doc into the life of Orson Welles, Won’t You Be My Neighbor is one of the most moving, charming, important documentaries of the decade. The documentary about Fred Rodgers is more about the man and his philosophy than about the innocent show he was making. As stated in the film, Fred Rodgers was a revolutionary and he was completely ahead of his time. By the end of the film, there is a clip from one of the major news networks taking show at his work, blaming this generations “laziness” on Mr. Rodgers and that’s wrong because sufficed to say, I wish we had someone like Mr. Rodgers around that was deeply religious and faith based and innocent but also radical and talk about things no one else wants to talk about on TV, let alone on a children’s program, and by the end of the film, all I could do is marvel at the life that was Fred Rodgers. Director Morgan Neville is the new king of documentaries, and I’m fascinated in what subject he will tackle next. Click here to listen to our full review.

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9. Leave No Trace

This was my first introduction to the main podcast, and who’d of thought that Debra Granik long awaited follow up to Winters Bone would connect with me in such fantastically layered and real way. The two lead performances here from Thomasin McKenzie and Ben Foster are so authentic that I felt like they were really father and daughter. Thus their connection, their bond is so real to me. It takes the ideas of something like Captain Fantastic, a film I enjoy a couple years ago, and expands them into a discussion over the treatment of veterans, what a home and a family should be and what personal independence is. I wasn’t a fan of Winter’s Bone but I was a huge fan of this movie and I hope it doesn’t take almost another decade to get another film from her about people that we never get to see a lot and the lives that they live. Click here to listen to our full review.

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8. The Rider

This was the film that took me so long to see this year and from the moment it starts, I was hooked. I love how Chloe Zhao makes this film almost feel like a bio-pic/documentary within this narrative structure, it’s as real as it could get and feels like something that is personal to everyone that is making it. This movie can strikingly beautiful but also being touching as well as you watch Brady slowly but surely try to put his life back together. It is a film about someone trying to continue their life and live out their dreams but also about coming to an understanding about needing to know when it is time to let things past and move on and find a new passion. This is all he knows and all he thinks he has, and by the end of the film, he realizes that their might be more than that eight seconds. It truly a special film and its one that I will regret the most not seeing on the big screen this year. Click here to listen to our full review.

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7. Roma

Alfonso Cauron’s most personal film of his career is his most visual striking film since Children of Men. The simple story of a maid taking care of a wealthy family in Mexico is not only beautiful from what you are seeing but the story feels so real and from the heart that you can’t fall in love it. It did take a while for it to get going for me, but once this movie gets into it mid act twist, this movie goes on another level and left me wanting to see it again. I wasn’t able to see it on the big screen but that didn’t stop me from loving. Thank you Netflix for giving Cauron a chance at making his vision come true. Click here to listen to our full review.

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6. First Reformed

When I wrote my review for Paul Schrader’s bombastic struggle between of man’s relationship between religion and climate change, I struggled myself in getting out words to describe what the movie was doing to me and I think that was the point. This movie challenged me in ways that many films this year did not and leaves you with lasting images that make you question your beliefs and what you are doing to protect this world. I said that Schrader was making a battle cry, with a sermon of a script, and he picked the perfect vessel to deliver that sermon in Ethan Hawke, who gives the best performance of his career and of the year. Click here to listen to our full review.

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5. Mission: Impossible – Fallout

What can I say that many have already said about what I think will go alongside Mad Max Fury Road as one of the best action films of the decade. From the helicopter chase, to the motorcycle chase through Paris, to the fist fight in the film, director Christopher McQuarrie takes you on an adrenaline fluid ride with characters we have spent five films with but take the time to give us a story that is built from the bones of the rest of the franchise. Tom Cruise is showing what I believe upon re-watch to give one of the most layered performances of his career and you can really feel when watching this film that this might be the one time Ethan can’t fully complete the mission and save everyone. The film lays down this tension from the get go and never lets go. Long live the best franchise in Hollywood and here’s to 2021 and 2022 when we get to accept our next mission. Click here to listen to our full review.

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4. Blindspotting

One of the biggest surprises of the year became also one of the most original story of the year. In a film that follows the last three days of a young man’s probation, we are taken on a world of emotions and a look at the city of Oakland that is a real as any experience in any other major city. This movie is personal and that is because of the script written by the leads of the film in Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, who take their personal struggles and complaints of the city they live in and make them connect within the large world and struggles that many in their communities deal with on a daily basis. With biting humor, tense cultural relevance and the best use of hip hop I’ve seen in film in a long time, this movie is this generations Do the Right Thing and I can’t wait for the next project by these two truly special talents. Click here to listen to our full review.

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3. BlacKkKlansman

Between the conversation on race, the two co lead performances of John David Washington and Adam Driver, and the confidence of Spike Lee as a master filmmaker, this film brings us a timely story of the past while connecting it back to our modern times. This is a wakeup call as well as a cautionary tale that mixes in pure nostalgia of the past and style of 70’s Blaxploitation films, in a world that seems so divided and angry, it took Spike Lee to bring it all together and make us laugh and cry but also make us think. Click here to listen to our full review.

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2. If Beale Street Could Talk

The love story shown from Kiki Layne and Stephen James is the most romantic realistic relationship I was on screen this year, the family dynamics and their values are perfectly portrayed in a script that is a love letter to James Baldwin. Barry Jenkins balances real life issues of accusations of rape as well as mass incarceration as well as it being about innocence and how the color of your skin doesn’t matter if someone’s mind is made up about you, and he does it all with a tender, loving eye behind the camera. Jenkins along with Nicholas Britell’s score paint a beautiful portrait of these characters and the environment and time they live in. If I had more time to digest this movie, it might have made my number one but I also think this movie will be like Moonlight and only grow in my love for it. Barry Jenkins is the real treasure and is slowly turning into one of the best living filmmakers on the planet. Click here to listen to our full review.

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1. Widows

There are so many things I love about this movie: the opening, the empowerment, the political story that is just as interesting as the heist itself. Widows is a deconstruction of a heist movie, taking the genre to new and exciting heights. The best ensemble of the year and twist that, due to the marketing of the film, surprised the hell out of me and then brought this movie to a whole another level. It’s so layered and has a lot going on and while it doesn’t work for everyone, this movie clicked for me at every single moment. By the end of this movie, I wanted to see more, I wanted to be a part of a Chicago world building that hasn’t been as good since The Dark Knight, making that city as much of a character as the actors in the film. If you didn’t see Widows, please see it! I wish more people were talking about this movie because this is a prime example of what we can do when we give visionary directors like Steve McQueen and amazing writers like Gillian Flynn the resources to make not only just a great genre film that is within their style, but a full on masterpiece. Click here to listen to our full review.

To round out my Top 20, here is the rest of my list:
11) Thunder Road
12) The Favourtie
13) Paddington 2
14) The Old Man and the Gun
15) Isle of Dogs
16) Mary Poppins Return
17) First Man
18) Burning
19) Three Identical Strangers
20) Annihilation

Let us know what you think. Do you agree or disagree? We’d like to know why. Leave a comment in the comment section below or tweet us @InSessionFilm.

To hear us discuss our InSession Film Awards and our Top 10 Best Movies of 2018, subscribe to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or you can listen below.

Part 1

Part 2

Download MP3

InSession Film Podcast – Episode 308 (Part 1)
InSession Film Podcast – Episode 308 (Part 2)

Making a Top 10 list is always a difficult challenge, but 2018 was particularly impossible for me to narrow down. I’m very much on record of saying that 2018 was maybe the best year for film yet this decade. At the very least, it was the most consistent for me. Our very first review of the year was Paddington 2, a film that may be listed below. Black Panther and Annihilation came out just a few weeks later as well. Isle of Dogs and You Were Never Really Here soon followed. Once you got to the summer we saw Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, Incredibles 2, Hereditary, American Animals, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Mission: Impossible – Fallout and BlackKklansman – all films I enjoyed to one degree or another. July was especially absurd with back to back films in Leave No Trace, Eighth Grade, Blindspotting, Won’t You Be My Neighbor, Sorry to Bother You and a few others. And that momentum did not relent as we went into the fall, it was just that kind of year where from week to week we were getting films that were enjoyable on some level. I literally had 43 legit, great films that were fighting for a spot in my Top 20. It was a really deep year and it made this exercise – along with figuring out my categories for the InSession Film Awards – extremely strenuous. But it was also a lot of fun as I got to re-live so many great experiences that made 2018 a phenomenal year in terms of film.

We do encourage you to listen to Episode 308 to hear more about our picks, but as we do every year, listed here is my Top 20 of 2018. It pains me that not all of these films could be in my Top 10 (and trust me, I tried), but math is math, so what are you going to do? That being said (after the jump), let’s get into it and go over my Top 10 Movies of 2018.

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RELATED: JD’s Top 10 Movies of 2017

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10. Wildlife

Paul Dano’s direction is one of the most confident I’ve seen in recent years from a first-timer at the helm. His craftsmanship is assertively perspicacious and intuitive with how he moves the camera and stages every frame, his pacing is deliberately methodical, every line of dialogue has purpose, every edit has impeccable timing and he conjures three great performances to compliment his vision so immaculately. As far as directorial debut’s go, it’s one of the very best we’ve seen in recent years (which is sad to me that no one else is talking about that). Dano and Zoe Kazan’s script is also written with acute precision and nuance. Its themes on pride and the lengths parents are willing to go to for financial stability – and ultimately the effects that has on your kids – is visceral and poignant by the end. Carey Mulligan gives perhaps the best performance of her career. In a stacked year for Best Actress, she’s the one that stood out to me as a mother who has to simultaneously humble herself in order to be forceful and take care of her son. The vulnerabilities she displays is mesmerizing. Ed Oxenbould and Jake Gyllenhaaal are equally fantastic as well. Wildlife may not carry the importance of some other great, progressive films in 2018, but it’s among the very best. Click here to listen to our full review.

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9. Leave No Trace

Debra Granik needs to be making movies more than once every eight years. Between Winter’s Bone and now Leave No Trace, it’s clear that she has a voice we need to hear more often. Leave No Trace continues to showcase Granik’s innate ability to organically tell a story, with compelling characters and drama that feels lived-in, and it absolutely slayed me. The dueling perspectives of conformity between Tom and Will lead to a devastating conclusion, but one that offers empathy to both parties. The screenplay by Granik and Anne Rosellini has a lot to say about why community is important, especially for young people who are still figuring out their place in the world, but also why it’s important we carry empathy for veterans and those suffering with PTSD. Ben Foster continues to be one of the best actors working today that nobody talks about in that way, and Thomasine McKenzie is a real gem. I truly hope she becomes the next Jennifer Lawrence and transforms into an actress we see a lot more of in the near future. Foster and McKenzie not only give great individual performances, but their chemistry together is stunning and it made for an emotional experience that few movies matched in 2018. Click here to listen to our full review.

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8. Shoplifters

Hirokazu Kore-eda is one of my favorite directors working today and he did not disappoint with Shoplifters. Kore-eda has made a career of questioning what family means and how it defines us, and Shoplifters continues to palpably tap into that idea as we see an economically poor but warm couple take in a young girl off the streets. However, Kore-eda deconstruct that sense of security, and in a way his career, as he unveils in film’s back half that this couple isn’t exactly the heroes we thought they might be. Instead, they have a devious past with arduous problems of their own that morally conflict and question their true motives in “rescuing” these two young children. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Kore-eda film if he didn’t genuinely explore the relationships in all of that, and it’s those dynamics that truly drive Shoplifters. Our main couple may have a devilish past, but they sincerely love the kids they’ve “adopted” and it leaves them in a weird space of desperately wanting to be parents and have some normalcy, despite their very unconventional circumstances. The results of how all of that plays out is emotionally stirring, thematically hefty and intellectually thought-provoking. Despite it being somewhat familiar for Kore-eda, he twists it in a way that’s still refreshing for him and it could be his best yet. Ando Sakura gives my favorite Supporting Actress performance of 2018 and it’s well deserved. Click here to listen to our full review.

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7. Blindspotting

Blindspotting is one of the funniest films of 2018 while also being the most thematically potent one as well. Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal’s screenplay features smart commentary here on race in America, but what makes it unique and so attainable, is that its commentary is cleverly a natural element to the story of Miles and Colin. The film isn’t interested in being something like Sorry to Bother You for example, it’s more about how real people cope with the ramifications that come with systemic injustice, and the humanity that drives their actions as they attempt to live normal lives despite their reality at times seemingly being anything but acceptable. Which is why the humor that Diggs and Casal bring here is crucial, because that’s how many of us actually deal with our problems in the real world – we mask our pain by indulging in what makes us feel better, and often times that’s just by having a good time with our friends. The screenplay not only taps into that idea vividly, but the humor is really biting and hilarious. The salon scene, need I say more? But what’s really crafty about the film, and that great screenplay, is that the humor never suffocates that commentary. The film explores gentrification, the probation system and its many flaws, police privilege, the ways news outlets portray and manipulate the narrative regarding victims of systemic abuse, and it’s loaded with plentiful nuance regarding those ideas. But perhaps most importantly, I love how the film surveys male bonding and how our neighborhoods shape our ethos. To me, that’s what drives Colin and Miles more than anything else, and it’s really substantial where that goes in the end, as we see some conflict between Miles and Colin that demonstrate what blindspotting means in our current socio-political landscape. Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal give easily two of the best performances of the year, and deserve Oscar nominations. Click here to listen to our full review.

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6. The Favourite

The Favourite is a wild and hilarious romp that is equal parts everything I love about Yorgos Lanthimos, but it’s also quite unique and different for him as well. There’s a quirky energy and tone in the first half that reminded me more of Wes Anderson than it did Lanthimos. Everything from its rousing score, to the film’s lush and evocative color palette, the costuming and set design, Robbie Ryan’s vibrant cinematography and fish-eye technique, the editing, the sharp and biting dialogue, it all felt more in the vein of Anderson or someone of that ilk. But then the film turns once its power dynamics are established, and Lanthimos’ sensibilities and darker undertones grab hold of the film. It may be stark in its mystery and drama, but he continues to balance and implement enough humor that the struggle for power never becomes overbearing. Perhaps more importantly, the quest for power in The Favourite is grounded in women who are grappling with the long term ramifications of loss and abuse. Abigail and Lady Sarah are deplorable at times and do not shy away from engaging in deceitfulness and manipulation in order to gain an advantage, but much of that yearning for power is rooted in something beyond the simple hunger for dominance. Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara’s screenplay gives us subtle insights into their past trauma’s to suggest that what they are truly seeking is refuge. It’s about survival and there’s a poignancy that comes about and gives them sympathy, allowing for more well-rounded and richer characters. Click here to listen to our full review.

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5. First Reformed

First Reformed is a much needed comeback for Paul Schrader, whose resume of recent has been less than stellar. Amplified by a career performance in Ethan Hawke, it’s a fascinating film about a man (Father Toller) who struggles to maintain his faith as he sees the world around him crumble to pieces. By the end, given what he experiences, he finds himself questioning the legitimacy of faith when contemporary realities seem to distort any logical answers that faith may give him. Wondering if God will “forgive him,” he becomes haunted by his tortuous spiritual journey since faith hasn’t provided the answers he’s seeming looking for given his life circumstances. Schrader writes a script that rivals much of his most iconic work – Taxi Driver, Raging Bull – and his direction beautifully captures that tragedy of that progression in Toller. There’s a sharp meticulousness that elevates the film beyond normal conventionality and it makes sense of the twist and turns we see near the end. There’s something profoundly relatable about Toller’s journey here that mirrors our own search for Truth. It cannot be said enough that Hawke should win the Oscar for Best Actor. Truly a remarkable performance. Click here to listen to our full review.

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4. You Were Never Really Here

I’ve joked about how You Were Never Really Here is the best “superhero” film of the year, but in many ways Joe is a melancholic Avenger of sorts. Or maybe a melancholic John Wick. Either way, it’s fascinating to see how this film uses PTSD, a clear psychological hurdle for Joe, and how he channels his past trauma to do something positive with it. It demonstrates, not just how effecting it is on someone’s daily routines, but how it can be a motivator if harvested in a specific way. And it’s really compelling to see Joe become a hero we want to root for, but his demons are weighing on him at every turn. Lynn Ramsay’s sharp and exhilarating direction makes that experience even more enthralling and strikingly visceral. It also comes alive in Joaquin Poenix’s performance, one of the best of his career for my money. There’s something about Phoenix taps into Joe’s ability to both transcend his PTSD (ie. save young women from dangerous situations) and suffer heavily from it. It makes those final moments at the diner so beautiful. The photo above perfectly captures what makes the dynamic between Joe and Nina so wonderful. Click here to listen to our full review.

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3. Eighth Grade

There is a lot of discuss about Bo Burnham’s script for Eighth Grade (which could even be nominated for an Oscar), but it’s Burnham’s direction that truly propels this film perhaps more than anything else. The severe anxiety, awkwardness and tension you feel throughout isn’t because of what’s written on the page, it’s how Burnham stages every moment and how he capture’s Kayla’s own anxiety that makes Eighth Grade so visceral. I’ve talked to death about the pool scene, but it’s extraordinary how you completely sympathize with Kayla’s hesitation and fear without the need for dialogue to spell it out for us. The way that camera zooms and pans to show us the pool party as she becomes smaller in the window is marvelous filmmaking. Or the horrifying car scene and how chilling that moment is as Kayla finds herself in some potential trouble. Again, it’s not what’s on the page that drives that scene, it’s Burnham’s direction. Or the camp fire scene and the emotion emulated there, yes the banter between Kayla and her dad is great, but Burnham captures it with such sincerity. There is a lot to be said about Burnham’s script – it really is one of the best original screenplays of the year – but I beg and please you to no overlook his sensational direction. It’s astounding that he is a first-time director. The confidence he shows, like Paul Dano, is exceptional. Elsie Fisher and Josh Hamilton give remarkable performances of their own. One of the best coming-of-age films in recent years an it’s not even close. Click here to listen to our full review.

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2. Roma

Roma is a masterpiece. It will be the film that defines 2018 in years to come. It’s a personal love letter from Alfonso Cuarón to a person that he admired greatly and the beauty that comes about is no doubt reflective of his passion for her. However, it’s also Cuarón looking into his past and grappling with the broader scope of who she was as an individual with problems of her own and how he may have take her for granted as result. As a child, he probably wasn’t aware of her personal dwellings and so he set out to not just make a tender “thank you,” but also explore her humanity and how her perseverance made his own childhood a better one. In that context, it makes Roma all the more intimate and comprehensive when you realize that Cuarón is simultaneously learning more about this person by exploring her life outside of being a maid, while recalling from his own experiences of her being another family member. You couple that with his direction and technical craftsmanship, which is immaculate in every way, and it makes for a magical experience. The cinematography, sound design, and editing is as elegant as you’d expect from Cuarón. Not enough good things can be said about Yalitza Aparicio and her performance too, a stunning performance for a non-professional. Click here to listen to our full review.

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1. First Man

Nothing surprised me or moved me emotionally in 2018 like Damien Chazelle’s First Man. There is a lot to be said about Chazelle’s direction, his attention to detail, the authenticity of the production design, the re-creation of the moon landing, the sound design of the film, and just the overall immersiveness of the experience. All of that is great and it shouldn’t be overlooked. But what truly moves me about First Man is how all of the NASA stuff is secondary to what the film is really about. Its first and foremost about a father attempting to grieve. I don’t know about you, but I did not expect that at all, and there’s so much beauty poured into Neil’s journey as he attempts to do something that no parent should ever have to – cope over the loss of your own child. But here’s what I find compelling about the film, Neil doesn’t know how to grieve and he becomes emotionally detached from everything around him. He lashes out at friends, becomes distant from his wife and two boys, and he buries himself in his work as what seemingly looks like an attempt to get away from his personal suffering. The truth is, though, his work is actually a tangible way of his dealing with it directly. The Apollo 11 mission, one of historic proportions that will re-define the course of history, is more personal for Neil than it is scientific. It’s an intimate endeavor to get closure. He went all the way to moon…to heal. There’s something about the profundity of that idea that I find so emotionally arresting. I can’t imagine what losing a child is like, but getting as far away as humanly possible from everything (something Neil does literally) is exactly what I do. The gesture Neil takes on the moon, with the bracelet, at the crater, is a cinematic moment that will haunt me forever. It’s breathtaking. It also makes that final moment between Neil and his wife all the more brilliant in how he is finally able to connect with her again. First Man is extravagant filmmaking it every way. The craft is sharp. The story is surprising. The emotion is real. It will linger with me for a long, long time to come. And Justin Hurtitz’s score…a thing of beauty. Click here to listen to our full review.

To round out my Top 20, here is the rest of my list:
11) If Beale Street Could Talk
12) The Rider
13) Won’t You Be My Neighbor
14) Paddington 2
15) Cold War
16) Annihilation
17) Mission: Impossible – Fallout
18) Suspiria
19) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
20) Loveless

Let us know what you think. Do you agree or disagree? We’d like to know why. Leave a comment in the comment section below or tweet us @InSessionFilm.

To hear us discuss our InSession Film Awards and our Top 10 Best Movies of 2018, subscribe to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or you can listen below.

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 308 (Part 1)
InSession Film Podcast – Episode 308 (Part 2)