Welcome to ResetEra's official MOTY list for 2018!
Just
in time for after the Academy Awards ceremony, the results for ResetEra's Best Movies of 2018 are finally here.
This year, maybe because of the shorter time frame for the voting process or maybe due to the films themselves (or any other reason), we had our lowest count in individual lists/votes since I've been doing the MOTYs (here and on the other site as well). If you have suggestions of how we can improve in the future the voting thread to incentivise more ResetEra members to vote, don't hesitate to write them here.
Compared to last year's 145 individual lists, this year we had 94. What's very interesting however is the high number of unique films, something I'm always happy to see grow. Last year we've already had a greater number of individual films compared to previous MOTYs, but this year we really went the extra mile. If last year we had 138 unique films in 145 lists, this year in only 94 lists we have 135 films. That's only 3 films less than last year. Another interesting aspect is related to the votes for the number 1 film. While there was a bit of an obvious winner, the film's number 1 picks represented only a bit more than a quarter of its total votes. Compare that to Blade Runner 2049 last year having half of its votes as number one. The number one picks were generally a lot more diverse this year.
Now, before we jump to the top, I do want to thank everyone for voting and sharing their opinion. Just as I did in previous years, I took the liberty of choosing a few quotes for each movie in the top 10 from the voting thread, but if you prefer not to be quoted let me know with a PM and I'll remove your quote. I tried to use as many opinions from different people and I tried to get unique quotes...
You will find the complete list with all the films submitted in the next post, along with their respective number of votes and points. Also links to the voting thread and last year's MOTY will be at the bottom of this post.
One more thing, as I mentioned in the voting thread, to show my appreciation towards your involvement in voting for ResetEra's best films of the year, I will be rewarding a 4K UHD + BluRay edition of our number 1 film. The winner will be chosen through a random name picker and (again as mentioned in the voting thread) only voters who wrote thoughts about their picks will qualify. I've also checked online and there seems to be a different release date for the film's UHD depending on the region, so it will take a little bit of time before the film gets to you. Hopefully this will also prevent the problems we had last year when we reached our fourth name because the first three already owned the film (Yams was last year's winner). More details to come.
So here we go..
01. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
373 Points | 46 Votes | 13 No. 1 Votes
For the very first time (I've tried to go back as far as I could with these lists) there is an animation taking the number one spot. I'm pretty sure if you've quickly glanced at the voting thread you saw this one coming. No genre is safe from the hands of Marvel Entertainment (do a musical next please!), but this superhero movie is definitely different, capturing the hearts of even the most stubborn superhero haters out there like myself. It's a smart and humorous visual feast that's not afraid to embrace the passion it has for its legacy. Finding itself on almost half of the lists submitted, Into the Spider-Verse doubles down on showing what an excellent year for Spidey, 2018 has been.
Here are some thoughts on why Spidey deserves the crown this year:
The ultimate love letter to the character. A well-done story that nails an exceptional balance of heart, humor, and action. An unparalleled visual feast. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is many things, but as a whole, the movie embraces the character's roots in a way none of the adaptations, film or show, have before.
spider-verse effectively mixes both a unique, comic-book inspired 3D aesthetic with 2D stills and effects, making the upmost out of crazy compositions and editing techniques to a dizzying effect. miles morales's journey to save the multiverse is frequently funny, always visually stunning, and surprisingly emotional; whilst the film's final sequences don't quite follow through in a fully satisfactory manner, it still cements itself as this year's greatest superhero movie and perhaps amongst the most creative animated films of all time.
02. The Favourite
270 Points | 39 Votes | 6 No. 1 Votes
How far Yorgos Lanthimos has come in the past 10 years. From the depths of Greek cult filmmaker status all the way to having his latest film, The Favourite, nominated for 10 Academy Awards (the lovely Olivia Colman winning the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role) and grabbing the second place in ResetEra's MOTY 2018. This ridiculous Theresa May biopic can be found as either appalling by some with very different expectations or as being the more accessible film in the director's filmography by his most versed fans. One thing is certain, the film definitely holds the same DNA with Lanthimos' past works and just like with those films, the true nuances show up only after you peel the first layer or two. Hidden between heavy taffeta and lavish decor, the same themes and obsessions can be found, all used once again by Lanthimos to try and create an interesting x-ray of the human mind and heart.
Why people chose it:
A very perverse, very British joy to watch. A fantastic, smart, sharp witted take on period piece drama with three fantastic leading ladies including a Olivia Coleman's best of the year turn as Queen Anne.
While I've highly enjoyed, to varying degrees, all of Yorgos Lanthimos' films, The Favourite is very possibly his best. Though slightly more conventional than his prior work, his love of eccentricity remains on full display throughout. The lavish and typically mannered 18th century setting complements the bizarrely petty and vindictive conflicts that dominate the story perfectly. Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, and Olivia Colman in particular, are delightful throughout, delivering each piece of acerbic wit with a sly and playful fervor that is remarkably amusing. Nicholas Hoult, as well, is hilarious. The ending of the film, satisfyingly eschewing any sort of predictability or neatly defined resolve, is a subtly evocative and melancholic piece of imagery that seems perfect only in retrospect.
03. Avengers: Infinity War
237 Points | 35 Votes | 7 No. 1 Votes
I'm not sure I'm the most qualified to give an opinion on this film, but boy ResetEra (and the whole world apparently) really loves its Marvel superheroes.
With the snap of a finger, Infinity War broke so many records it's not even funny. And it sort of makes sense when we realise that this is pretty much the culmination of all those years of films, be it following individual Marvel superheroes or groups. That + having already a winning formula on their hand + the interesting, fluctuating tone used in the film + a villain people actually people seemed to like for once + that heart rending ending = assured success. Speaking of ending, that's one way of making sure the next film will break even more records. All I can say is… see you on this list next year M Avengers.
I'll let others explain better why this film is on this list:
I'll be perfectly honest. Unless I ended up hating this, this movie was always going to be #1 film of the year. It may have taken 10 years to finally get to this point, but the wait was absolutely worth it. I loved this movie from start to finish and I can not wait until Endgame to see the conclusion of this decade-long journey.
Judging this on a bit of a different scale. It's an action extravaganza without much below the surface, but I was undeniably impressed at it from a conceptual point of view, where it exists as this sequel to so many different movies simultaneously. Moreso than either prior Avengers, I think. And despite the obviously impermanent nature of the ending and some of the events throughout, I found the mood of the film was enough to help me suspend my disbelief. Refreshingly dark, for Marvel, even with all the wisecracks.
04. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
230 Points | 43 Votes | 0 No. 1 Votes
Set piece after set piece, Mission Impossible: Fallout almost begs the question.. can there be too much action in an action film?! The answer is apparently not and the film showed up on 43 lists in the voting thread (only 3 less than Spider-Man, but nobody placed the film on the no. 1 place). While having pretty much all of the script as a sort of afterthought, just a means to prepare the next set piece more than anything else, the film stands out through its impressive and numerous stunts and choreography. It's an action film in its most pure, raw form… a sort of personal ballet orchestrated by Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise. Not sure what kind of magic cocktail they give the famous actor in his scientology practices, but the guy is 56 years old and seeing him do all those stunts is seriously impressive. Plus, Cruise & McQuarrie released that video talking against motion smoothing in TVs. That alone should grant Fallout a place on this list.
Making it clear, this is the best Mission Impossible by a decent margin and I think Rogue Nation is one of my favorite action films in the last 5 years or so. This movie is batshit crazy. There at least 6 sequences that could be other action films climactic scenes. The thrill that pervades throughout Fallout is something else. It's the first time the series has presented a situation that I truly felt ok that's impossible, and then managed to surprise me how they ultimately pulled it off. That goes for this series as well, they keep making these movies better every time, the cruise mission isn't slowing down and it's picking up speed. Right now, I can't fathom how they rachet up where they went with that happened in Fallout but damn if I can't help but be excited to see them try. Tom Cruise running ranking 4/5.
I never expected an action movie to hit the heights of Mad Max Fury Road for a while, but three years later, we have a contender. Brutal fight scenes, a fucking HALO jump, an hour long cat and mouse sequence, a silly amount of twists, it's just a crazy ride that never stops to give you a breath. Yeah, Cavill's acting is still as wooden as ever, and it's getting ridiculous how much Tom Cruise is still doing in these films, but fuck, you gotta sit down and respect the craft.
05. First Reformed
213 Points | 29 Votes | 8 No. 1 Votes
Schrader is a true treasure of cinema and I think probably never got as close as a director to his own writings in "Transcendental style in film" as he did with First Reformed. But more than that, given Schrader's troubled past, distribution wise, with his own films, I'm just so happy with the recognition and success First Reformed is getting (nasty side-eye to the Academy). What a beautiful, almost impeccable and daring film. Yes, there are times when he's doing his usual and goes a bit over, but I don't think Schrader has been this balanced and practical with some of these themes he has worked with for so long. It might be only in the fifth place on this list, but interestingly enough First Reformed holds the highest number of No. 1 Votes after Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
A quietly staggering work, which really sneaks up on you in its intensity, surreality and gut-wrenching bleakness. This is one of the only films from the last few years which I feel actually captures what it is to live in this moment of time - a looming, inescapable sense of despair and destruction which no-one is doing anything about because no-one wants to admit that it's coming, be that because it is convenient to their contorted belief system to ignore it, or that it's convenient to their bottom line (or both, the case may be). Ethan Hawke's performance is subtle but completely crushing, this whole thing really shook me to my core in a way that not much has. If you're looking for a film to get you into radical eco-terrorism, or just to give you a fucking horrendous idea for a cocktail, this is for you.
Ethan Hawke's acting alone makes this worth watching. The minimalist direction also really worked for me and while the story is fundamentally quite simple it touches on a lot of important themes. The ending also really blew me away.
06. Annihilation
211 Points | 36 Votes | 3 No. 1 Votes
Bold and beautiful, Alex Garland's second feature as a director definitely pushes an interesting and ambitious concept. Trying to combine the sensibilities one would find in the sci-fi films of Tarkovsky, like Solaris or Stalker, with the horrifying buildup of films like The Thing or Alien is one hell of an idea to attempt in filmmaking. Not saying he succeeded, but there's definitely a trace of this philosophy marriage in there. While I personally enjoyed my time with it, I definitely felt sometimes that this risky attempt was also Annihilation's worst enemy. It tries too hard at times and it hides a lot of its mistakes behind the mask of cryptic pretensions, but if there's one thing clear… Garland is definitely presenting himself as a director one should follow.
Some thoughts about the film:
Unlike Ocean's 8, this all female cast was given plenty to work with. This is part horror, part hard Sci-Fi and the end result will leave you speechless. The final 20 minutes is without a doubt the most riveting, breath-taking sequence I've seen in a long time. This absolutely belongs amongst the greatest Sci-Fi films of all time.
The last part of this movie had the most alien encounter and atmosphere I can remember seeing in a film ever. As in, this feels like something completely unlike the nature we know. My jaw was on the floor there for a solid fifteen minutes. The whole film was an intriguing mystery even though I had read the books beforehand for this very lose adaption with only some key elements and setup intact. I'm not one for forcing my hobbies and likes onto other people but I convinced my wife to see this through (my second viewing) just in case she would have the same revelatory experience I had despite her aversion for the genre. She didn't take to it like I did but she had a deep & instinctive disturbance over that ending.
07. Hereditary
208 Points | 29 Votes | 7 No. 1 Votes
These past few years have really seen a resurgence in good quality horror films, but maybe because of so many of them share similar sensibilities they start showing a little bit their limits. Nevertheless, watching Hereditary in a fully packed cinema added a whole extra layer to the experience, both in a funny and terrifying way and I have friends who couldn't sleep properly after watching the film. A lot of it is due to Ari Aster's powerful direction, showing a very interesting determination and skill for a debut as it never stops building suspense. Oh and Toni Collette's performance is insanely good, beyond whatever expectation one might have regarding this film, begging for a major award (nasty side-eye to the Academy).
Quite possibly the most tense, unnerving horror film that I've ever seen. When people talk about "slow-burn" horror films, this should be the prime example. From the very first scene, the atmosphere gives off an unnerving, weird vibe as the audience can tell something is wrong, but not entirely sure what it is. The only problem I had with the movie was the ending which I felt was a bit of a lazy rip-off of a certain 1960s film that dealt with the same themes as this one. But the expert use of tension, the understated horror, the phenomenal performances (Toni Collette getting snubbed just goes to show that the Academy will never consider horror to be a serious genre), and the family drama on display made this the only film of 2018 that actually made me feel something. A haunting experience that I will never forget.
Ari Aster creates 2018's arguably best horror movie in a terrific showcase for the recent brilliant American Art Horror Wave. He masterfully composes a story about mental illness, paranoia of its potential hereditary roots, grief, family dynamics and how these are influenced by deeply held family grudge and translates those anxieties on the screen through such dazzingly creepy visuals that make a strong case for the sentiment that, sometimes, the scariest things in life are not the shadows lurking outside of your window but those sneaking through your own home
08. Roma
205 Points | 29 Votes | 6 No. 1 Votes
Taking his time, Cuarón creates frame by frame a living postcard of his personal past. A story about love, time and generosity, Roma will break your heart only to miraculously put it back together in the end, while still leaving you devastated. It is a beautiful film in so many respects, be it the gorgeous cinematography or the ravishing gentle slowness. I was actually expecting to see this film higher up on the list, but maybe it wasn't helped by its release window. Roma proved to be a monumental film in terms of what it represents outside of its artistic content as well. Not only is it a Netflix original with hugely critical success and multiple Academy Awards wins and nominations as well as the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, but this film actually made Netflix change their stance regarding releasing an original film in cinemas before arriving on the platform.
What the voters thought of Cuarón's film:
Not a novel observation here but this is a stunning, stunning film. At times you wonder if the scale, scope and technical mastery of the whole thing is gonna get out of hand (to borrow a take I heard somewhere, it kinda feels like a performance of filmmaking as if it were being judged as an Olympic event), but it maintains the intimacy it needs to keep you invested in its characters, and the tensions between class, capitalism and familial love and care that it paints. It's been out for not even 2 months and has individual scenes that are so technically brilliant and emotionally overwhelming that they're already iconic, somehow.
Roma is a visual masterpiece, exuding a rich and dynamic cinematic language that features some absolutely sublime direction from Alfonso Cuaron. Every sequence appears like a meticulous composition, each piece gradually crafting a deeply resonant portrait of class and motherhood. Though I was initially concerned that the withdrawn approach would result in the characters and their circumstances feeling detached from the exceedingly personal nature of the story, this fear proved unfounded rather quickly. Cleo's story is quietly absorbing, slowly drawing the viewer in through the seemingly mundane minutiae of her life with an emotional undercurrent that reaches its surprisingly effective crescendo in the latter stages of the film. It's a restrained, yet awe-inspiring style of filmmaking that I adored.
09. Black Panther
175 Points | 29 Votes | 0 No. 1 Votes
The true Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards, Black Panther is the third superhero film in this list (or fourth depending on what you think of Tom Cruise). With a pretty endearing cast of characters, a tad absent and ironically anaemic main hero, especially compared to the much more charismatic and spirited villain (played by Andy Serkis.. I kid), Black Panther almost gives the impression of being different from all the other MCU movies. This is another one I was expecting to see much higher on this list given the reaction at the time, but maybe I wasn't reading the room properly. I actually thought it would be a reverse situation with where Avengers is now on the list. Anyway, don't forget… three times Academy Awards winning Black Panther. Wakanda forever.
Here are some thoughts on the film:
For me personally, the general presentation and the story of the character and setting did a lot to break a great amount of the mold that the MCU is generally held accountable towards, and in respect to my personal culture struck some chords I've rarely seen with most --if any-- Hollywood films. For me it's easily among the best of the MCU, if not the overall greatest film they've made so far.
Spider-verse may have stole some of its thunder, but the MCU deserves credit for hyping the movie up to the greatness that it is. Special credit does to the cast and screenwriting for an excellent movie. This also has the best villain that is Killmonger. The CGI may be shoddy, but it makes up for it for excellent costuming designs based on actual African attire. Overall, the significance of this movie should not be forgotten.
10. BlacKkKlansman
151 Points | 30 Votes | 0 No. 1 Votes
If you were worried given his latest output and you were wondering whether Spike Lee still got it, this film comes as a big confirmation. I would go further and say this is one of the best films he's ever directed. Winner of two awards at Cannes Film Festival including the Grand Prix and also an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Blackkklansman has all the qualities you would expect from an exceptional Spike Lee Joint: it has bite, inventiveness, humour, anger, effervescence, heart. Even the imperfections in this film just blend together in a quality that gives the film a unique texture a la Spike. Damn good film. Happy to see it on the list.
Look, Spike Lee always makes interesting movies. Sometimes they're overindulgent, sometimes they don't land, but they're always interesting. I'm not gonna say BlacKkKlansman doesn't overindulge itself at times, but it just works so well as a whole, that I can't hold it against the film. John David Washington was my favorite character in a film this year, with a performance that perfectly balanced the seriousness of the material with a level of humor that I didn't expect. Adam Driver continues to show a range that I never expected as that guy from Girls, and the two make one of the best buddy cop duos ever.
This movie may feel like a comeback for Spike Lee, but not to me. I honestly thought his comeback movie was the underappreciated Chi-raq, but I digress. Great performances from both John David Washington (son of Denzel) and Adam Driver, with an ending that shows how fucked up America still is from a racial standpoint. Given the current political and racial climate in America, I hope this movie isn't the last one we see from Spike dealing with race in America.
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The Best Documentary of the Year
31. Minding The Gap
39 Points | 7 Votes | 0 No. 1 Votes
There are certainly no shortage of skateboard-focused documentaries out there, but the trick to this one is that it only starts out the way you think it will until it quickly shifts gears into a devastating portrait of a dying town and the broken people it has produced. Not all is doom and gloom, but it's hard not to get swept up in the overwhelming nature of Rockford, Illinois' decline with the toll it takes on our three principals, including the director. It's amazing that over 12 years of footage made it into the film, as the 90 minutes it lasts makes the decade go by with a surprising ease, but it never once shies away from pain that's caused to our heroes and even inflicted by them, creating an urgent film that is unforgettable.
It's completely correct and reasonable to be wary about frankly anything trying to 'explain America' right now, but in large part that's because the vast majority of the time they lack the empathy, intimacy and emotional maturity of Minding the Gap. They usually don't have this interior a perspective, either - this is a documentary made by Bing Liu about himself and his friends, two other societally outcast skateboarders in post-industrial Rockford, IL, that in the specificity and closeness of its stories - of cycles of abuse, disenfranchisement, systematic racism and structures of poverty - paint a far wider picture of the pain of contemporary America.
In a year of great docs, this one tops the list. This coming of age story is about a group of friends who grew up dealing with various forms of domestic abuse and used skateboarding as a way of escape. I never thought watching teenagers skateboarding across town would provide such tranquility.
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I want to thank everyone once again for taking the time to participate this year. I was planning on having this one up right before the Academy Awards, but it took a bit longer than I hoped. That being said, given what a clusterfuck some of those awards proved to be, maybe it will generate some conversation in this thread related to our very own picks.
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Voting Thread
MOTY 2017
Happy viewing to those who haven't seen the films!
