My Top Ten 2018: The Film Avenger
2018 was one of the most difficult years to formulate a top ten – not because there weren’t any good movies. There were too many good movies. Most of the films that came out last year were enjoyable to one degree or another. I’ve managed to get my list down, but as I see more films from 2018, it may change many times over.
#10: They Shall Not Grow Old
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is not only a modern visionary filmmaker but a filmmaking innovator as well. With his new film, Jackson took century-old film footage of World War I and brought it back to stunning life via the wizards at Weta Digital. Adding sharpness, voices, sound effects, and color to previously silent, stilted black-and-white footage enables modern audiences to experience the war as the men in the footage did. This film will hopefully give this generation a new connection to the real humanity of history and an appreciation of the sacrifices of those who came before them.
#9: Solo: A Star Wars Story
This film was a lot of fun, which is what Star Wars is supposed to be. It definitely did not deserve the box office death it received. Solo got the franchise back to its adventure/fantasy roots, with plenty of interesting characters and fantastic action set pieces. The Kessel Run, in particular, was exciting; and the characters’ reactions made it even more enjoyable. After the insipid, politically-charged brain-drain that was The Last Jedi , Solo was a breath of fresh air. It had likable characters that do things that benefit the plot and have understandable character flaws. Fancy that!
#8: 12 Strong
This film was old-fashioned heroic moviemaking at its finest. It wasn’t tongue-in-cheek action hero stuff, but real-life, natural heroics done in a reverential way. Too many movies done by Hollywood today depict soldiers as demented killers or shell-shocked victims of “the system.” We need more movies like this: about real men, real heroics, and positive stories and portrayals about our military and the good they do in this world. It’s sad that it’s sporadic to see men doing manly things in a movie and not have it be mocked, derided, or played for ironic laughs.
#7: Black Panther
Powerful and poignant, Black Panther was definitely one of Marvel Studios’ better films (though most of them are very good). The cast was superb, with lead Chadwick Boseman just as regal and stoic as he was in Captain America: Civil War. The story was the most compelling part of the film. Today’s vengeance-fueled activists should really digest the story’s excellent ideas and understand that the path to ending bigotry (on all sides) isn’t vengeance or draconian laws, but personal relationships and true changes of heart. As Killmonger and T’Challa exemplify, we have a choice about how we react to terrible experiences and injustice: vengeance and hatred-in-kind or understanding and forgiveness.
#6: Chappaquiddick
Well-acted and skillfully directed, Chappaquiddick was the most accurate, fair, and intellectually honest historical drama I’ve seen in years. In the rampant left-leaning bias and revisionist history of today’s pop culture (see Vice or The Big Short), it just amazed me how well-balanced the film was: letting the facts play out with no hints of the hearsay or innuendo that has followed the Chappaquiddick incident for decades. The facts were damning enough without any salacious conjecture. And there was an interesting arc given to Ted Kennedy– from somewhat sympathetic to a cold (and foolish) political calculator.
Read more in my full review here.
#5: Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Best Mission of all. Fallout was a superb action film– one of the best I’ve ever seen. The car chases were exciting– so expertly cut and shot. Every hair-raising scene ups the stakes again and again and one big sequence leads to an even bigger one. And because we’ve journeyed with most of these characters through three films or more, we really like our heroes and really hate our villain. Speaking of which, the ending left me extremely satisfied and the main villain’s fate was one of the best of any villain. Chris McQuarrie should have studios knocking at his door after this triumph of an action film.
#4: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
This film was one of the most heartfelt and sincere documentaries I’ve seen: created with care and respect for its subject matter. What Fred Rogers was exceptional at was helping kids work through their emotions, and reassuring them that things were going to be okay. He also told us that we were unique and special, fashioned by God for a purpose. While I think that PBS has outlived its usefulness today (at least as a government-funded entity), Mister Rogers definitely did a lot of good for the children of America– and this film conveys that sentiment wonderfully.
#3: Green Book
Green Book was a fantastic story of friendship and mutual understanding. Anchored by outstanding performances from Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, it was an absolute joy to watch. Unlike most modern films that deal with race and the racism of the past, this film didn’t pander to one side or the other. There are no one-dimensional great white bigots or overly-virtuous minorities. This story is about the meeting of two very flawed individuals, how they each learned to question their own presuppositions about one another, and then walked away friends and changed for the better.
Read more in my full review here.
#2: Creed II
This film was just as powerful as its predecessor and did what every good sequel should do: honor what had come before (including the Rocky films) and build upon it. The quiet moments between Adonis and Rocky are some of the best parts of the film, with Michael B. Jordan and Sly Stallone bringing more wonderful performances. The ending was one of the most satisfying I’ve seen in a while– so well executed. Even the villain, Ivan Drago (with Dolph Lundgren’s best performance of his career), and his son are allowed to have a little redemption and understanding.
#1: Avengers: Infinity War
Ten years and the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe have been leading up to this film and it did not disappoint. The Russo Brothers masterfully wove all of the stories and plots of the entire MCU into one masterstroke of storytelling awesomeness. Seeing all the characters interacting was amazing and hilarious at times. Thanos was also well worth the wait, as he is definitely the MCU’s greatest villain. Though the first Avengers film is still my favorite MCU film, this one is right up there on its construction alone. I suppose my full opinion will depend on how Endgame resolves some unanswered questions, as the storylines for both films are inextricably tied together. But unlike Star Wars: Episode IX, I’m in eager anticipation to see what happens next for the Marvel heroes.
