Top 10 of 2018

Still working on a mega-post of Everything Else new I saw this year, but here's the top 10. Not necessarily the best -- I don't consider myself an authority on that -- but the 10 that meant the most to me.

"Three bags of Tostitos Scoops I noticed."

"There was a special on these tonight. Three for one."

"Three for one?"

"Yup."

"How can that be profitable for Frito-Lay?"

I didn't expect much out of Game Night, particularly as it was released in February, a notable wasteland for quality movies. So imagine my shock when this turned out to be a near perfect piece of popcorn entertainment. It starts with an exceptionally tight and funny script by Mark Perez (whose previous credits included The Country Bears and Herbie Fully Loaded, so you could be forgiven for not expecting much) and has a phenomenal cast of well-drawn characters, led by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams (the latter of whose full comedic gifts are on display for a director who actually knows what to do with her). Jesse Plemons is the MVP, though, playing a "weird" neighbor the game night group continually tries to avoid. Nothing is wasted here; it's a lean 100 minutes with no lulls in the humor or action. And there is an ADORABLE DOG. What more could you want? (Streaming on HBO. For purchase on Amazon/YouTube/iTunes/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Aunt Lucy said, if we're kind and polite the world will be right."

I found the first Paddington movie charming, but the sequel is something quite special. With a story that celebrates community and family (and the magic of marmalade sandwiches!), and even has something to say about the criminal justice system, this is a sequel along the lines of Toy Story 2 -- one that deepens the characters and our affection for them. I'd long been a fan of Ben Whishaw, but between this and Mary Poppins Returns, he's a definite favorite. And Hugh Grant turns in a gloriously hammy performance as the film's villain. Much has been said about the new Mary Poppins movie and how we need movies like that now, and this is very much a film with that kind of spirit and optimism. I think we could use as many of these as we can get. (Streaming on HBO. For purchase on Amazon/YouTube/iTunes/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Sometimes I think that when I'm older, I'll have a daughter of my own or something... and I feel like if she was like me, then being her mom would make me sad all the time. I'd love her because she's my daughter, but I think if she turned out like me that being her mom would make me really sad."

So, I wasn't *exactly* Kayla when I was in eighth grade. I thankfully had a little circle of friends to bouy me through that harrowing time. But there's a lot for me to identify with in this movie, even as a (*gulp*) forty-three year old. The being invited to a schoolmate's party and knowing it was just because their parents made them invite you. The wanting to impress a guy and pretending to be more experienced than you are. The feeling like you're already a failure and a disappointment at barely the start of your life. And perhaps especially the finding out that that person you sort of avoided because you thought they were a little weird is actually pretty great. (Available to rent on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube/Google Play/Vudu.)

"Stand up straight. Stand up. Only pussies and little girls slouch."

Lynne Ramsay's first feature since We Need to Talk About Kevin, You Were Never Really Here is a Taxi Driver for the 21st century, where our modern-day Travis makes his living taking out the likes of Sport and his Iris is a bit more proactive. To say that Joaquin Phoenix's Joe has a lot of demons is an understatement. We see almost as much of his suicide attempts and ideations as his violence against others. And perhaps the most frightening thing is how easy it is to root for him when his targets are what they are. The use of flashbacks is genius -- usually just brief snatches of memories, enough to drive home how these moments inform what's going on in the current timeline. There are a lot of great scenes, but my favorite includes the greatest use of "I've Never Been to Me" EVER. (Available on Amazon Prime.)

"It's the same story told over and over, forever. All any artist can offer the world is how they see

those twelve notes. That's it. He loved how you see them."

The fact that I could enjoy and be moved by this movie in the midst of a frankly historic assault from my uterus about 45 minutes in is proof enough of its power. I'd never seen any of the previous versions until about a month before this came out, but I prepared for the movie by watching them all (and enjoyed each of them in very different ways). I sincerely think this one is the best (though the Garland version might have been if the studio hadn't botched it). I think it fixes what was hard to like about the Norman Maine character and makes the romance much more believable. Lady Gaga is getting most of the attention and her director and co-star Bradley Cooper seems happy to give it to her. But while Gaga is great, Cooper gives maybe the best performance of his career so far, while beautifully directing the film at the same time. The soundtrack deserves a mention too, as it perfectly portrays the character beats of the movie, particularly Aly's transition from making music in Jackson's world to exploring more of what's inside of her. "I Don't Know What Love Is" is still my favorite. (Still in theaters.)

"We are alone. No matter what they tell you, we women are always alone."

Alfonso Cuaron has been making beautiful, game-changing cinema for years, and every frame of this movie is a painting. Inspired by experiences from his youth, this is very much a meditation on memory. Cuaron gives us a glimpse of the life of a young housekeeper. She is close to the family she works for and lives with, but there's very much a line of demarcation between herself and that family. Things get complicated when she has to rely on them for a very personal matter. This is a very intimate story with a lot of big stuff (including the Corpus Christie massacre) happening in the background. (Streaming on Netflix, but if it's playing at a theater near you, you should definitely see it on a big screen.)

"As it turns out, I'm capable of much unpleasantness."

A bit All About Eve, a bit Mean Girls, but with the fate of a nation at stake. This is the film that is causing the most category confusion for awards voting bodies, because a film with three equal female leads is nigh unheard of, even in this, the Year of Our Lord 2018. It shouldn't be this refreshing to see a movie about women wielding power, but here we are. Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone all shine, and all the men in the movie are glorious side-fops who are chiefly there to look pretty and curry favor so that the ladies can bestow just a little power on them. I love that this isn't your average musty period piece. It feels very modern, to the point of anachronistic (lol that dance!), and is dagger sharp and wickedly funny. One of my New Year's resolutions is to use "Do shhh when I'm thinking" on a regular basis. (Still in theaters.)

"With the right white man, we can do anything."

Dear me, was this ever a year for movies you can't talk about at Thanksgiving! The greatest of which, in my opinion, was Spike Lee's latest, about a black policeman in Colorado who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan. Spike makes no bones about drawing clear parallels between the events of the film and our current nonsense. From discussion of the future political implications of David Duke's outwardly polite appeal, to chants of "America First!" to the movie's final moments, it was an essential reminder of exactly where this mess came from. Seeing the Charlottesville footage on the big screen was almost traumatizing, but it's the perfect final note for a movie that's mad as hell. On a lighter note, there's a cameo in this movie that gave me more delight than any moment in any film this year. If you haven't seen it, I won't dare spoil it, but ... (*heart swells*). (Available to rent on Amazon/iTunes/YouTube/Google Play/Vudu.)

"I don’t have time to be their victim, their AIDS poster boy, their cautionary tale. No, I decide

who I am. I’m going to be what I was born to be, a performer, to give the people what they want.

Go to the heavens, Freddie f***ing Mercury."

This movie had me at Brian May's 20th Century Fox guitar fanfare and never let me go (LET HER GO!). This is pure joy from start to finish and the last twenty minutes are the closest thing our world has come to time travel. Rami Malek is rightly getting much kudos for his incandescent performance as Freddie Mercury, but he's supported by a pretty incredible cast, particularly Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Joseph Mazzello, who play bandmates Brian, Roger and "Deacy," respectively. Their chemistry is amazing and I'm thrilled they were recognized as an ensemble by SAG. (Tom Hollander is great too, as manager Jim "Miami" Beach.) I've heard all the complaints, but ... I just don't care. I feel so differently about it. This is a movie about collaboration, about the power of music to bring people together, and about how hard it can be to be different and sometimes music is all that can pull you through. I've been a fan of Queen for many years, but their music sounds different to me now -- deeper, richer. (Still in theaters, hey hey hey heyyyyy.)

"I'm a quiet soul. My favorite sound in the whole world is the sound of a teacup

finding its place... on a saucer."

A cheat? I would argue not, but regardless, it's far and away my favorite thing I saw this year in any medium. Gadsby is in a pretty classic movie cliche for women -- the Woman Trying To Make It In A Man's World. No matter how many brilliant female comedians there are, it's still seen as a "guy's field" and women who do it just as well or better still play second fiddle, even when they're completely nailing it. Gadsby turns comedy itself on its own head, deconstructing the typical stand-up routine and putting it back together as something else entirely. I watched it four times and it wiped me out every time, and I'm floored that Hannah Gadsby did this night after night for months -- opening up her emotional wounds over and over again for an audience and still managing to make them laugh hysterically. (Streaming on Netflix.)