Best of 2018

2018 was a decent year in film, but lacked a real strong front-runner despite several very diverse films. I had high hopes for "Beautiful Boy," "The Favourite," "Roma," and "Boy Erased" but all were a bit lackluster. Lucas Hedges, Stephan James, Joe Alwyn, and Timothee Chalamet showed that they are the faces of the future in film, but nothing really stood out in terms of a cinematic masterpiece.

Top Ten (in alphabetical order)
A Star is Born
Avengers: Infinity War
Blackkklansman
Eighth Grade
Green Book
Hearts Beat Loud
If Beale Street Could Talk
Leave No Trace
Mary Poppins Returns
Vice

Best Film of the Year
My pick for Best Picture would have to be "Vice". "Green Book" is a close second and is my prediction to win the Oscar this year, but for my money, I thought Adam McKay's satirical dark-comedy-biopic was the most satisfying.

Best Action Film
"Avengers: Infinity War" was by far the most exciting film experience of the year, and the only film I felt compelled to see multiple times in the theatre. To see "Black Panther" given such an array of awards and recognition over the massive ensemble that the brothers Russo masterfully orchestrated is a bit of a shame. I would expect that if "Avengers: Endgame" is the film that everyone expects it to be, it should get some 2019 recognition.

Scariest Film
"Hereditary" haunted me. There were several scenes that seared their way into my brain, and Toni Collette's performance in particular was legendary, and worthy of Oscar nomination.

Most Overrated
"The Favourite" was an overhyped piece of mediocrity. Great acting by the three leading women, but the story was a bloated period piece that had desperate "Barry Lyndon" nuances. Yorgos Lanthimos is quirky and talented, but this wasn't the best film of the year, much less top ten.

Most Underrated
It is challenging to choose between three independent films that really moved me. "Hearts Beat Loud," "Eighth Grade," and "Leave No Trace" were all breaths of fresh air. Worthwhile viewing experiences filled with an emotional spectrum that a true cinephile would applaud. All driven by strong, young leading ladies, keep an eye on Kiersey Clemons, Thomasin McKenzie, and Elsie Fisher in the future. They are all terrific actresses.

Best Animated
I was a bit surprised by how weak "Ralph Breaks the Internet" ended up being (my son was disappointed as well), and "Incredibles 2" was certainly strong as a sequel, but the best animated film of the year was "Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse." It was clever, fresh, and a visual feast. I'm hoping Marvel capitalizes on its dual success and keeps projects like it in the pipeline to make a parallel universe for us to enjoy.

Biggest Surprise
The decimation at the end of "Avengers: Infinity War" aside, the biggest surprise in film this year had to be that 7 of the 11 highest grossing films of the year are superhero flicks. When will audiences tire of the familiar tropes? Rhetorical question. The answer seems to be never, although DC needs to step up their game and has the opportunity with this year's "Shazam!" and next year's "Birds of Prey," "Wonder Woman 1984," and "Flash." I've said it before, and I'll say it again - DC needs to expand with a film that will move out of Gotham or Metropolis. Something that will rival what Marvel did with the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and the upcoming "Captain Marvel" arc. But alas, DC won't listen to me. Yet...

Biggest Disappointment
I'm not sure anyone expected "Solo" to be an instant classic, but it was destined to fail when the directors were canned mid-way through production. Alden Ehrenreich is an incredible actor, but perhaps wasn't the right pick to play the young Han Solo. Firmly placing doubt in my mind as to the future of the revered Star Wars universe, I think Episode 9 may be the end of the line (critically, not fiscally).

Must-See
Since everyone has already seen "Avengers: Infinity War" I would recommend none other than "Won't You Be My Neighbor." It was left out of the Best Documentary category in what is the biggest snub of the year, and the message is as timely as ever in today's challenging climate. It's beautiful and nostalgic and although you'll be sad to watch Mr. Rogers go again at the end, there is a ray of hope in his legacy. It's not the last we'll see of the Mr. Rogers story either, as Tom Hanks and Marielle Heller ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?") team up for 2019's Oscar hopeful "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood."

Always looking forward, 2019 promises to be even bigger and better than 2018. Here's hoping.