The year 2018 will be remembered as the year full of memorable movies and moments we cannot forget. From heroic moments to shock and tragedy, we’ve experienced the many emotional roller coasters that were worth taking.
As we look forward to more thrill rides in 2019, let’s look back at 10 movies containing moments that made us happy, sad, mad, and scared. It’s also very likely that these titles will still be talked about for years to come.
10. Widows
“Ocean’s 8” was a fun heist film for the summer crowd, but “Widows” took the genre to unbelievable heights. It’s a dramatic, well-plotted and characterized story that offers much more surprising twists than any other heist film. Viola Davis carries this film, while leading a cast of heavy hitters. While the characters show both good and bad intentions, you understand each of their motivations that makes the suspense more palpable. Thanks to director Steve McQueen, heist films can finally be taken seriously again.
9. A Star Is Born
“A Star Is Born” is like Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet,” a love story that continues to find a new audience each generation. This version is certainly a labor of love from its star, producer, writer, and director Bradley Cooper delivering an excellent modern take with themes of celebrity excess and abuse. It’s also a great showcase for Lady Gaga to prove her acting chops beyond simply playing a pop star in a performance that may finally give her an Oscar. Not to mention, its great soundtrack compliments the experience.
8. First Man
Director Damien Chazelle proves his masterful skills once again by putting the viewer in a first-person view of the famous 1969 moon landing. Ryan Gosling gives another fantastic performance this time as Neil Armstrong, who faces grief and tragedy to achieve the impossible. The space travel sequences are a dizzying experience too extreme even for IMAX, but it adds to the dramatic pathos of this true story. This is one thrill ride that is allowed to leave you in tears.
7. Halloween
After the Rob Zombie remakes, we may never get to see Michael Myers slash his way through the screen again. However, co-writer and director David Gordon Green created a sequel that erases all the previous entries and perfected a horror film paying much respect to the 1978 original. Jamie Lee Curtis naturally evolves her character into a one-woman army in a truly stellar performance. John Carpenter’s return as composer with his iconic theme song is also the cherry on top of this delicious ice cream.
6. Searching
In an age of social media and internet culture, it’s easy to get lost in the deep recesses of technology. This movie succeeds at being both a thriller and a biting satire of the digital age almost like a dire warning for future generations. It’s also told in a unique filmmaking style similar to what Unfriended used except done much better. The performances by John Cho and Debra Messing also add to the drama that works well with the unusual storytelling.
5. Isle of Dogs
Wes Anderson’s second foray into stop-motion animation after 2009’s “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” proves to be his most triumphant yet. His unusual blend of Japanese samurai and Tim Burton’s quirky kind of storytelling is widely appealing to the senses as well as the eyes. The animation and its realism is perfectly amazing, while the voice work by its all-star cast brought a new level of delightful entertainment. If Anderson makes another one, let’s hope he can still bring his same kind of achievement as his live-action films.
4. Avengers: Infinity War
With the biggest cast in a Marvel film yet plus a lot of action scenes and a runtime of two-and-a-half hours, this should not work. But directors Joe and Anthony Russo defy the odds to create an important chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So important, its shocking cliffhanger ending is enough to make you want to immediately see the next part of the story “Avengers: Endgame” this April to see where it goes from there. Another important element is Josh Brolin’s Thanos, who quickly became one the series’ greatest villains as a character with layers to his ultimate plan. All in all, this movie certainly earns all those big bucks and we wanted more.
3. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Tom Cruise miraculously recovered an on-set injury but also made a miracle of a sequel in a series that keeps on rolling. The idea on following up the series’ best entry Rogue Nation especially bringing back writer/director Christopher McQuarrie proves a great thing with more outrageous stunts and a much more emotionally-charged story that brings this franchise full circle. After watching this, you’ll wonder how they’ll be able to top themselves with the next film. With Cruise, anything is possible.
2. Creed II
If the first Creed was like the first “Rocky,” then this film is “Rocky II” and IV combined into a very satisfying experience. Carrying on the theme of fathers and sons, the sequel transformed Ivan Drago from 80s villain to an older sympathetic character without a legacy to call his own. It also deals with Adonis’ own journey to better himself as both boxer and father which makes for very compelling storytelling. Sadly, this marks Sylvester Stallone’s last on-screen role as Rocky Balboa as he wonderfully passes the baton to Michael B. Jordan as the new series lead.
1. Black Panther
Believe the hype, this film is an instant classic in every way. Director Ryan Coogler not only made a great Marvel movie, but also a great movie to call his own with his singular vision and an excellent ensemble. It’s a movie where you can believe a fictional nation like Wakanda could co-exist with the real world and you want to visit there any time you want. This movie can also be seen as a shining example where anyone no matter of race or gender can enjoy it for the purpose of being a great piece of entertainment.
Talking about movies in 2018 was certainly a mouthful, so let’s take a moment to appreciate their time on the screen. That way, it’ll give us something to look forward to throughout 2019.
