Editorial: The Best of 2018

At the end of every year, we here on this blog like to celebrate the movies that have been released over the year in two ways: a more-intricate breakdown of the best and worst of the film industry's output, and this; a list of the ten best films released in the UK over the course of 2018. Sadly I haven't seen as many films as previous years (far from the 100 movies witnessed across 2016, but that's university/work for you), and I have definitely missed some of the biggest successes and surprises of the year, including A Star is Born, A Quiet Place and Crazy Rich Asians. But nevertheless, here are the top of the class, starting with...

Honourable Mention - Roma

A current big name in the awards circuit, Alfonso Cuarón's follow-up to 3D hit Gravity is an incredibly personal and visually glorious venture, telling a heart-wrenching story about a maid in Mexico City, her relationship to the ailing family that hired her and the struggles of love and loss. It's an extraordinary tale with an outstanding lead performance by newcomer Yalitza Aparicio, and come Oscar night I wouldn't be against a Best Picture win, but sadly, in this case, it was usurped by ten other movies that I thought were just a little bit better.

10. Sorry to Bother You

I have three questions about this movie:

1. Why the hell did this take so long to reach UK cinemas?
2. How on earth did Boots Riley make a film so meticulous, so insane, and so good on the first try?
3. What the hell is up with that third act?!

Sorry to Bother You managed to be everything I wanted it to be from those wacky trailers, thanks to an original and ingenious premise, superb performances, and an incredibly witty screenplay - which in turn earns its right to go absolutely crazy with an insane final third that can only be seen to be believed. Possibly only one other film has been the same emotional rollercoaster, and I really recommend this one.

9. BlacKkKlansman

Remember when it seemed like Spike Lee had lost the edge that had made him such a big name? Because BlacKkKlansman proves that the man has still got the power. A tale that couldn't have come at a better time, this seemingly-ludicrous true story presents a look at both white and black power groups during the 1970s and details a police investigation of the Ku Klux Klan lead by none other than rookie cop John David Washington - a black policeman. With Adam Driver portraying him in person and Washington talking to members over the phone (including David Duke himself, a great Topher Grace), it's a comedy but still serious look into race relations that ends on a heartbreaking note that does feel a little forced, but nevertheless proves just why it's an important take.

8. Lady Bird

Who would have guessed that one of the best-reviewed films of all time made this list? At a perfectly short runtime, Lady Bird doesn't outstay its welcome but instead makes you wish you were with these characters longer; with Saoirse Ronan reminding us once again why she's one of the best in the business today but Laurie Metcalf stealing the show as her mother - with the relationship between the two being a key aspect and arguably the most interesting of the bunch. Plus I tolerated Timothée Chalamet in it, which is always a plus.

7. Incredibles 2

Well, this surprises no one. While not as perfectly crafted as the original, this fun follow-up still presented a great tale with some of the funniest moments seen this year alongside some grand action and a gripping third act. Plus Jack-Jack fighting a racoon remains one of the greatest moments of the year.

6. First Man

It's becoming clear to me that Damien Chazelle can do no wrong. In his third major motion picture and his first since the stunning La La Land, the modern day auteur reunites with Ryan Gosling to tell Neil Armstrong's journey in the only way he knows how: magnificently. With test sequences being just as engrossing as his troubles at home (Claire Foy is a powerhouse as his wife), it's all topped off by a beautiful conclusion that highlights the true majesty of space travel; the second reminder after 2017's Hidden Figures of just how magic the space program is.

5. Coco

This year's Best Animated Feature winner is a gorgeous delve into the land of Mexican culture, with the Land of the Dead being a creative and outstanding landscape filled to the brim with likeable characters - the main of which being the incredibly-talented Miguel. With genuine twists, a truly emotional finale, and a concept that surpasses expectations, Coco was a marvel to behold and is worth a look in for its musical interludes alone.

4. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

There's a common pattern with my film viewings: the first film I see every year usually ends up in my top ten for the year. Maybe it's because it reminds me of what I started with; maybe it's because January is usually when all the award movies are released, or maybe it's because I have excellent taste and luck out right out of the gate. Nevertheless, Three Billboards turned out to be a surprisingly great film. It's funny, shocking, and features three of the best performances of the year in the form of Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, and Frances McDormand. It could have maybe done without the hero storyline for Rockwell's racist cop, but considering it becomes a matter of redemption I can allow it.

3.  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

A year when Pixar isn't the production company behind the best animated film of the year is always a shocking one, but gosh-darn it Sony Pictures Animation have done it - and to think last year they created the reprehensible Emoji Movie. With the most stunning visuals, the most hilarious script, and the most glorious of characters, Into the Spider-Verse presents one of the best superhero movies of all time and one that highlights the true absurdity of the comic book realm. Also, that post-credits scene. My God, that post-credits scene. That post-credits scene may be the most I've laughed all year at the movies.

2.  The Shape of Water

I have seen many a love story this year: between boy and girl (To All the Boys I've Ever Loved), boy and boy (Love, Simon), witch and robot (Avengers: Infinity War), and witch and muggle (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald). And yet, it was Beauty and the Beast that beat them all, with its visually stunning cinematography and its truly beautiful tale. Topped off with an alluring score by Alexandre Desplat as well as Sally Hawkins' perfect performance, this Best Picture winner really was one of the best, and one I will definitely remember for years to come.

1.  Avengers: Infinity War

Well, duh. It may not technically be the best of the year in terms of story or visuals - certainly with the former, seeing as it's not even finished yet - but as far as movie-going experiences go there will likely be nothing that will top it. With Thanos meeting those high expectations set all those years ago, some of the biggest and most bombastic action sequences and a shocking cliffhanger of an ending, Avengers: Infinity War was something of an impossibility - a film set up over multiple movies that actually deserved the hype. Here's hoping Avengers: Endgame makes as good an ending as this did a beginning.

Incredibles 2 (2018) Film Review

In the pantheon of the greatest animated films to have ever existed, Pixar Animation Studios have their own sub-category of highlights, with the majority of their earliest successes all gaining sequels (and one prequel) over the past decade to mixed results. But amongst them all, only one really deserved a continuation – 2004's The Incredibles. Despite being the studio's biggest risk at the time with its human-centric story and a production team who largely came from outside the company (director Brad Bird bringing on many staff members from previous film The Iron Giant), it also became one of the biggest films of the year; having the fourth-largest box office gross of the year (#1 being Pixar's then-biggest competitor Dreamworks' Shrek 2), earning four Oscar nominations and winning two – Best Animated Feature and Sound Editing – and quickly becoming part of the pop culture zeitgeist thanks to such memorable moments as "Where's my super suit?!" and "No capes!". And yet, despite setting up a potential sequel with its Underminer ending, for the longest time all we got from the franchise was a video game continuation and an amusing short film on the DVD, while director/writer Bird went from another animated classic (Ratatouille) to breaking it into live-action with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and the underwhelming Tomorrowland: A World Beyond. But just like fellow favourites Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story, a long period of time doesn't stop Pixar from making belated sequels. But after years of fans clamouring for a sequel, countless theories on what it could be about and Pixar's unbalanced track record both critically and financially (last year's Cars 3 was a low-point for both the franchise and the studio, only outpacing the oft-forgotten The Good Dinosaur), can the return of everyone's favourite superhero family meet high expectations and prove that this franchise has the power? 

Despite a heroic grand re-entrance to the general public, superheroes still aren't quite as beloved and revered as the Parr family would have assumed, with the "Superhero Relocation program" being shut down following the events of the Underminer (Pixar lucky charm John Ratzenberger) attack – don't worry, we do see this attack in motion – and the government still proclaiming to not be for the heroes' return. But when telecommunications tycoon/life-time superhero fan Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) gets into contact with Bob, Helen and Lucius Best (Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter and Samuel L. Jackson respectively) offering his help and sister Evelyn's (Catherine Keener) technology to bring superheroes back into the spotlight, the whole family's world gets turned upside down. With Helen being pushed into the spotlight as the ambassador of their kind and busy figuring who new supervillain Screenslaver – a being with hypnotic power – is, former patriarch Bob must handle the role of single parenthood, struggling to juggle Violet's (Sarah Vowell) love life, Dash's (Huck Milner, taking over from Spencer Fox) confounded maths problems and, worst of all, Jack-Jack's newly-discovered and rapidly expanding array of superpowers. With both parents going through regular struggles of different natures, and with only a few people on the sidelines to help out – including the return of everyone's favourite fashion designer Edna Mode (Brad Bird) – can the family pull together and work through these problems, for either their own sakes or the world's? 

While elements of the original story are strongly evident in the structure of this continuation – one of the superhero parents running off and fighting a supervillain which the rest of the family will ultimately help out with, a couple of visits to their fashion designer companion, a secretive parent, etc. - thankfully they are kept to just that: little structural pieces that help build a newer story. This technique does appear to be Pixar's main baseline when it comes to its more successful sequels (the comparisons between each Toy Story and Finding Nemo/Dory entry are strong), but it’s the one that works the best (I.e why Cars 3 works much better than Cars 2). In terms of Elastigirl's storyline it works as a solid superheroic story with great action beats and at times truly intense moments. The Screenslaver twist isn't all that massive and their plan not the most concrete, but it still makes for an entertaining baseline for the remainder of the film. But surprisingly the Mr Mom arc works really well, despite being a tried, tested and somewhat outdated formula. The individual plotlines within it all conjoin into what makes the film particularly joyous and funny against the more serious and sombre escapes of Elastigirl, with the Jack-Jack stuff being the highlights of the whole thing. The baby versus racoon moment that US audiences have been raving about? Believe that hype, it's arguably the best moment of the entire movie.  

Much like with Cars 3 and Finding Dory, the growth of animation technology is all on the screen here, with character models being a touch more advanced than before, not to mention the elemental effects and landscapes that surround them, and it's difficult to criticise them. Naturally, the characters do take some getting used to, with Jack-Jack especially being more defined than before, but once you adjust to the slightly newer look of these beloved heroes you quickly fall right back into it. A couple of the newer characters do look a little weird amongst the tried and tested ones though, with Winston looking perhaps a little too much like his voice actor and one of the newer heroes – Reflux – looking just a little too bizarre in a world that already has a few exaggerated character designs. But the superpowers look better than ever, and while the locations aren't as exotic as the forests of Nomanisan Island, the cities still look great and fitting.  

Brad Bird has always been one of the most notable animation directors working in the medium, and his one-two punch of The Incredibles and Ratatouille proved his talents to the world just over a decade. Add a pinch of The Iron Giant and the massive love that has received after failing at the box office, and you can see why he was lapped up for live-action productions. But seeing him back at work here makes you realise just how much you've missed his style, with all his trademark moves back in full swing and feeling as though he never spent 10+ years working on an idea for a follow-up. And teamed up with Good Dinosaur DP Mahyar Abousaeedi, great new visuals are abounding. Unfortunately, one of those new visuals comes in the form of potentially seizure-inducing effects – caused by the villain, no less – but that would be my only recommendation against the film; although cinema chains have now started issuing warnings beforehand so at least the necessary people are aware of this.  

If you ever see a Pixar film with Michael Giacchino attached, you know you're in for a great musical score. Whether it's the surprisingly fun and toe-tapping tunes brought in from Cars 2 to the outright heartbreak that comes from his Oscar-winning work on Up, he delivers, and with his return to the franchise that made him the Hollywood highlight he is today he continues to shine; rarely reusing tracks from before outside of the main theme, while still feeling like a natural continuation of what it is arguably his best score, and in turn one of Pixar's best. With him back on board, it feels all the more joyous to see this franchise back on the big screen, allowing you to bask in his full glory once the credits roll and the fun is (supposedly) all over. 

While there is a noticeable difference in their voices thanks to the large time gap, it is great to once again hear Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter and Sarah Vowell return to their most memorable roles. All three of them slip back into these roles with ease and barely feel different to before, with the relative character developments being especially well-handled, if not a little less as massive as its predecessor. We’ve already gone into depth with Hunter's adventures in the spotlight and Nelson taking on main parental duties, but with Vowell comes an interesting arc which seems like less of her own story and more a side piece to her father's. Granted, it still lends to some comedic moments and she herself does overcome her boy troubles but compared to her arc previously about self-confidence it does seem rather minimal. Brother Huck Milner is a solid replacement Dash, bearing a massive vocal resemblance to his predecessor, but in turn, he seems to have been given a much smaller role here. There's no epic chase across water, but instead just simple maths problems (again just an extension of his father's struggles) and an interest in his dad's old Incredibile - the car from the first film's prologue – and he doesn't even get much in terms of comedic moments. Jack-Jack is a definite scene-stealer though, even threatening to overthrow former highlight Edna Mode (who remains a hilarious character, and who Bird voices with so much ease and joy at this point) as being the franchise's best comedy character. Samuel L. Jackson is given much more to do this time, even if he does still disappear for a short while in the middle, and likewise, you can just hear in his voice how much fun he has in the role of Frozone. Plus, it's nice to see him interact with the whole family more this time around, and how they all work together.  

Also returning are the Underminer (an always perfect John Ratzenberger), Tony Rydinger (Michael Bird, a perfectly fine teenage boy performance) and, more notably, Rick Dicker, the government agent who helps with supers. While Jonathan Banks is a suitable enough replacement for the late Bud Luckey, he can't help but feel like less of a warm character underneath a stern exterior, so it's little wonder he's largely pushed to the side to make way for the new characters. The Deavor duo of Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener are great, with Odenkirk being an especially enjoyable character for just how much he loves supers. Keener on the hand presents a strong female rapport for Helen, with the two making for an intellectual duo against Winston's more action-based thought process. Attached to them is a bunch of new supers, most notable of which being Elastigirl fangirl Voyd (Sophia Bush), who brings with her interdimensional abilities which not only add a new helping of action fun but maybe the best portal work since Thor: The Dark World. She's a fun enough character, but she also feels somewhat underdeveloped by the time the big finale comes, and her input there feels less impactful as a result. Finally, there's Isabella Rossellini as a political ambassador for superhero rights, a role that is short but nonetheless well done and appreciated. 

There's no way Incredibles 2 could live up to the absurdly high expectations of the 2004 original, but that doesn't stop this sequel from being an especially fun and action-packed adventure, with our favourite characters still being superb and the jokes still hitting the high notes. Add an intense third act, a great musical score and Pixar's usual brilliance in the animation field, and we have 2018's biggest comedic hit of the summer (sorry Deadpool 2). 8/10.