The Blu-ray Community Top 25 Films of 2018 (Please Read 1st Post)

[Arawn]

Kind of weird how the writeup for Black Panther is accompanied by an image from Civil War.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by LegacyCosts

Even with an early release and it bombing you guys didn't forget about the awesome Annihilation. Nice.

Why wouldn't we? Annihilation was f*cking incredible.

[The Debts]

Originally Posted by GLaDOS

Why wouldn't we? Annihilation was f*cking incredible.

Because we're all just a bunch of slack jawed morons who watch nothing but comic book movies.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by The Debts

Because we're all just a bunch of slack jawed morons who watch nothing but comic book movies.

I'm a slack jawed moron who watches a lot of things aside from comic book movies.

Case in point, my totally rad-tastic list.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Arawn

Kind of weird how the writeup for Black Panther is accompanied by an image from Civil War.

Nope. I pulled that shot from Black Panther on Vudu (and I couldn't have gotten them mixed up since I don't have a UV for Civil War). It's a flashback scene, so it's probably recycled from Civil War. At the time, I was just like "ah heck why not this shot?" Probably should have picked one of the dream scenes instead.

My write-up was also initially very meh. Had it updated in my OP to be a little more supportive.

[Hazel Motes]

Originally Posted by thewerepuppygrr

the Deadline for your votes is set for:
Thursday (Feb 28th) at noon eastern time (9 am pacific).

Happy New Year, Blu-Ray.com! Let's give 2018 a good send off by rounding up the best films this past year had to offer. You've got two whole months to catch up on anything you've missed.

Guidelines

Like previous years, simply list your top 20 - 25 films in order descending from your favorite, the higher up the film is the more points it'll get, like this:

1. 25 Points
2. 19 Points
3. 18 Points
4. 17 Points
5. 16 Points
................
16. 5 Points
17. 4 Points
18. 3 Points
19. 2 Points
20. 1 Point
................
21. 1 Point
22. 1 Point
23. 1 Point
24. 1 Point
25. 1 Point

Your top film gets 25 points, because it's your favorite so it deserves a little bit extra. This year continues the addition of 21 - 25 as we believe everyone should have a chance to add some runners up, they all get 1 point each, which will hopefully avoid us getting many tie breakers and might allow us to add some little known films that wouldn't of initially gotten many peoples attention last year. If you can't think of extra 5 films worth mentioning, then don't worry, the minimum amount of submission is 20 films, the extra 5 are for people who might want them.

And please, list your films in the order given, no randomly ordered submission will be counted.

The Rules

1) Like mentioned above, Minimum amount of films listed is 20 and Maximum is 25. If you can't list 20 movies you've seen this year, all the films on your list will only receive 1 point each towards the total so be sure to reach that 20 milestone.

2) What counts as a 2018 release? - A film must have been released either limited, wide, on demand, or straight-to-dvd (which ever comes first) in the United States in 2018. This does not include film festivals or released internationally. It may be hard to determine if some films were released in 2018 or not, so that's what the strict rules on this are for. We stick to the US as our guide for no other reason than it is easier that way.

Use the release dates on IMDb if you are unsure if it's eligible. As an example from a previous countdown, Snowpiercer was released in some countries and festivals in 2013, but did not get a limited release in the U.S. until June 27th, 2014. So that film will count as eligible for 2014. Likewise, a movie that doesn't get a wide release until January, but it had a limited release sometime in 2018, would also count.

Classic films that were re-released ARE NOT ELIGIBLE! Please do not include them on your list, you'll be asked to change it and if you haven't changed before the deadline, the films on your list will get 1 point each.

And if you're unsure if a film is eligible, just ask and we will help figure it out for you!

3) Please only make one list - Make only one list on this thread. However, you are free to update and change your original post as often as you'd like until the deadline. It will make tallying very hard if there are multiple lists from one person. Just find your original post and click 'Edit' to make your changes. If you do re-post your list twice or more, I'll message you to remove them.

4) Add a short review of your film choices - In an attempt to personalize the list as a whole, I want members to post a short bit of prose about their choice. This can range from a short sentence consisting of a couple of words to a couple of lines long paragraph, or you can link to a previous review you wrote when the film was released.

This is not compulsory, and you can write these short pieces on however many of your choices you want, even if it's only for your first pick., however the more input the better, the short words of wisdom will be included on the final tallied up list in a well presented manner, and you're list will be linked with you're description so others who see your words will hopefully want to look at your other choices as well.

5) Finally, just to remind you, the Deadline is set for:
Thursday (Feb 28th) at noon eastern time (9 am pacific).
Please make sure you get your list in and make any final edits before this deadline, as any changes after that will not count.

Previous Years:

How strict is the cutoff? I won't be able to get the list done until the evening of the 28th. Will that be okay?

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Hazel Motes

How strict is the cutoff? I won't be able to get the list done until the evening of the 28th. Will that be okay?

Obviously it’s up to thewerepuppy but I think he has been fairly lenient in the past.

Usually the deadline is more for people who have lists on the first few pages who go back an edit their entries. If you’re posting a new one as a new post, it can usually get added on at the end as it takes a few days to tally the results. Sooner the better though to secure your votes.

If you have anything provisional that can be added to the list already in the thread, it would be wise to delete it now so it doesn’t get included and void your proper entry.

[mpstjohn]

Originally Posted by JWFORD

My Friend Dahmer is a 2017 release.

Wasn't aware of that. Guessing that was the limited theatrical run, I didn't get to see it until it came out on Blu-ray in April 2018.

[AKORIS]

I wish I would have had the time to see A STAR IS BORN and THE MULE before the deadline as I'm sure they would have fit on my list somewhere... oh well....

[DanTheMan]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

I wish I would have had the time to see A STAR IS BORN and THE MULE before the deadline as I'm sure they would have fit on my list somewhere... oh well....

Skip sleep tonight.

[Foggy]

Managed to slip Capernaum into my list at the expense of Searching.

[Highfire]

It was difficult to nail down the exact ranking of some of these titles, but this is where things stand with my current mood. A strong showing from titles that were at Sundance 2018:

1. Eighth Grade
2. Hearts Beat Loud
3. You Were Never Really Here
4. Hereditary
5. The Tale
6. Border
7. Puzzle
8. The Miseducation of Cameron Post
9. Damsel
10. RBG
11. Shoplifters
12. Capernaum
13. American Animals
14. Avengers: Infinity War
15. Blackkklansman
16. Free Solo
17. Borg vs. McEnroe
18. If Beale Street Could Talk
19. Love, Simon
20. On the Basis of Sex
21. Annihilation
22. Deadpool 2
23. Beast
24. First Man
25. Madeline’s Madeline

[sawdustandtinsel]

A Few Honorable Mentions:

[Show spoiler]Hereditary, Suspiria, A Private War, Paddington 2, Support The Girls, Tully, The Death of Stalin, Colette, Juliet, Naked and Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot. There were more that I'm forgetting offhand because I'm close to having seen 90 2018 releases by now but you get the idea.

Top 25 of 2018:

[Show spoiler]

#25 Cold War- “Let’s go to the other side. The view will be better there.”


Pawlikowski's follow-up to Ida isn't quite as strong but it is a good lesson in following your heart.

#24 Widows- “…you reap what you sow.”


Once Mcqueen's film finds its footing in the second hour it becomes the best heist film of the year.

#23 Disobedience- “Why else would I be here?”


Lelio has a way with actresses and this film is no exception, an important look at oppressed love in a religious community.

#22 Custody- “We just want peace.”


Legrand will be a filmmaker to watch moving forward, one of the best debuts of the year. This film is probably one of the more realistic portrayals of domestic abuse.

#21. Mission Impossible: Fallout- “Hope is not a strategy.”


McQuarrie is the perfect director for Mission Impossible and Tom Cruise is insane. This is the best franchise film of the year.

#20. Blackkklansman- “America first.”


I've mellowed a tad on this now that I know more about the real Ron Stallworth. Nevertheless, still Lee's best film since The 25th Hour.

#19. The Rider- “Sometimes dreams aren’t meant to be.”


Zhao gives an intimate look at an America that has seemingly been forgotten and the people who struggle to keep their legacies alive.

#18. Can You Ever Forgive Me? - “All my friends are dead.”


Heller proves that The Diary of a Teenage Girl was no fluke and directs McCarthy to a career-best performance.

#17. Leave No Trace- “We can still think our own thoughts.”


Granik builds on Winter's Bone with a more sound philosophy on the relationship between humans, nature, and their respective demons.

#16. Never Goin’ Back- “Have some decency.”


Any film that juxtaposes "How am I Supposed to Live Without You" with two girls drunkenly staring at a stack of pancakes is a winner in my book. Bonus points for using constipation as a legitimate plot point.

#15. Beast- “I didn’t enjoy the company.”


If there was ever a time when a film about accepting somebody, warts and all, was needed, this is it.

#14. Sorry to Bother You- “What I’m doin’ right now won’t even matter.”


The most audacious film of the year anchored by Stanfield and Thomson's performances. Riley has correctly identified the economic struggles that keep us in place and the motives to move up.

#13. First Man- “I think it would be unreasonable to assume it wouldn’t have some effect.”


While I don't think Chazelle has made a masterpiece yet, this isn't a regression. Borrowing from The Right Stuff primarily, First Man assesses the human cost of space exploration as well as the people astronauts love with precision.

#12. A Prayer Before Dawn- “It’s all I’ve got.”


A harrowing look at Thai prison life through the eyes of a fighter trying to fight his way out. Bordering on extreme cinema, Dawn brilliantly shifts its focus to what it means to be a true outsider in a dangerous environment.

#11. First Reformed- “You need someone to take care of you.”


Paul Schrader's long-awaited return to form (his best since Mishima) couldn't have come at a better time, when the world is falling apart, how appropriate.

#10. Annihilation- “Start from the beginning.”


Garland's most visually stunning film to date with a brilliant score.

#9. A Star is Born- “I won’t come and find you.”


Garland>Gaga>Gaynor>Streisand. Cooper was smart enough to know that the audience needs to know who Jackson Maine really is and not what he should be.

#8. Lean on Pete- “I’m gonna get us outta here.”


Haigh understands Middle America better than some Americans do.

#7. The House That Jack Built (DC)- “Don’t look at the acts, look at the works.”


If Seinfeld were a serial killer, he would be something like Jack. R.I.P Bruno Ganz.

#6. Free Solo- “Let’s hope for a low-gravity day.”


Very few documentaries can make a rightful claim of being cinematic. This one can and it wipes the floor with every suspense movie this year.

#5. Roma- “I like being dead.”


Cuaron's manipulation of his actors creates a self-indulging but ultimately moving portrait of the help and what they endure.

#4. The Favourite- “As it turns out, I’m capable of much unpleasantness.”


Lanthimos utilizes the fishbowl lens better than anybody here. A film that will be a joy to revisit over the years.

#3. Never Look Away- “Everything true is beautiful.”


One of the greatest epics about art and the politics that either suppress it or enable it.

#2. Shoplifters- “This is what someone does when they love you.”


The best film about what it means to be a family in quite a long time.

#1. Burning- “There is no right or wrong, just the morals of nature.”


Lee Chang-dong is one the best filmmakers currently working and Burning joins his collection of great works near the top. Like watching a novel unfold, Burning brilliantly unpacks Millenial malaise, ghosting, class war, assumptions, their consequences, and much more.

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by Armchair NZ

Widows made it to NZ streaming services yesterday. So I figured why not. Might as well give it a last-second viewing before the poll deadline.

inserted it at #22 on my list. Which is now definitely and absolutely final.

I'm still surprised Mcqueen was capable of a weak film especially with the mighty viola davis as a lead but here we are.

[Scotty Blue]

1. Aquaman
2. Ready Player One
3. Mission Impossible: Fallout
4. The Incredibles 2
5. Deadpool 2
6. Upgrade
7. Bohemian Rhapsody
8. Mary Poppins Returns
9. Creed II
10. Venom
11.Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
12. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
13. Ralph Breaks the Internet
14. Game Night
15. Widows
16. The Grinch
17. Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindewald
18. The Nun
19.Christopher Robin
20. Crazy Rich Asians

[Zoop]

roma.jpg

01. Roma: A semiautobiographical concept expertly executed, perfectly in synth with Alfonso
Cuaron sensibilities and vision of cinema. I didn't expect social commentary, some deep reflection
or political content. The film has all the author's strenghts: incredibly beautiful cinematography,
extraordinary sound design, terrific period recreation, masterful direction of masses. It also has
some very emotional scenes, with a clear intention to evoke memories through the senses. I think
it felt short in this regard, the movie could've been bolder. Nonetheless, it is a technical marvel
with Cuaron's ambitions perfectly reached.


the mule.jpg


02. The Mule: A personal project for Clint Eastwood, his latest film is classic storytelling. The
screenplay's main concern, as is Eastwood's direction, is in the personal journey in which the main
character embarks, initially with a nothing to lose attitude, and later as a way to find redemption.
Eastwood gives one of the best performances of his career, and his force and wisdom behind the camera
is truly felt, and really moving.


avengers.jpg

03. Avengers:Infinity War: Marvel Films gives it all with these Avengers series, making the right
balance between story, action, humor, and emotion. The large and magnificent cast, unrivaled in
recent years, truly shines, with each character given it's own place within the plot. Constantly
exciting and engaging, this film is one of the best Marvel offerings.


first man.jpg

04. First Man: The film is not so much a biopic of Neil Armstrong, as it is a look at the training
of astronauts, preparation for the voyages to the space, and a little of politics of NASA at the time.
The first trip is so exciting, vibrant, and powerful, that

[Show spoiler]the second trip (the landing on the moon)

feels less intense and important. I found the family drama a little contrived, and I'm still not
convinced of Ryan Gosling's acting, he has become a specialist in emotionless performances. Anyway,
Damien Chazelle shows command of the medium, and I'm looking forward for his next work.


bohemian rhapsody.jpg

05. Bohemian Rhapsody: A biopic that, surprisingly, escapes the genre cliches. This fim has heart,
the necessary facts without becoming a succession of them, and an enjoyable view of the creative
process. Rami Malek's performance in one of the best of the year, he don't restrict himself to
merely imitate, like many actors do with real life characters, he gives a multilayered portrayal
that helps to elevate the entire film. The Live Aid sequences are spectacular on evey level.

[sandman slim]

Gee, I wonder what my number one will be?

Starting with the naughty list, ten I didn't really like, with the three at the top being the worst of the year:

Mile 22
The 15:17 to Paris
12 Strong
The Death of Stalin
Robin Hood
The Meg
Skyscraper
The Rider
Widows
First Man

Yeah, I know. Those last three are on a lot of top tens, just didn't care for them

Next, ten runners up, movies I liked that just missed out for one reason or another:

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Overlord
Kin
The First Purge
The Yellow Birds
Venom
Ant Man & the Wasp
Halloween
The Grinch
Hunter Killer

And two I didn't bother voting for, because I'd be the only points they got:

Muse: The Drones World Tour
Postcards from London

So...

25. Roma
24. Sorry to Bother You
23. They Shall Not Grow Old
22. Aquaman
21. Sicario: Day of the Soldado

20. A Prayer Before Dawn
19. Searching
18. BlacKkKlansman
17. A Star is Born
16. Den of Thieves

15. Deadpool 2
14. The Incredibles 2
13. Mandy
12. Black Panther
11. Solo

10. Bohemian Rhapsody
09. Alpha
08. A Quiet Place
07. Summer of 84

[Show spoiler]
Unlike probably 99.9% of you, I actually have firsthand experience with the "serial killer next door". Guy I grew up with, knew well, had over to my house a few times... Turns out, his idea of fun was driving to another state to murder some random stranger. When I heard he got arrested, figured it was another DUI, then the bottom dropped out of my world. What? Him? Murder??? They got him for one, have fairly strong evidence for three more, and suspect him of another dozen. You really just never know what's going on in someone else's head. Sorry for the digression, but Summer of 84 brought all this back to mind, freaked me right the f out...

06. Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse

[Show spoiler]
We now live in a world where Spider-Ham is a thing that the masses know & love. So happy this got the Oscar for Best Animated Film!

05. Ready Player One

[Show spoiler]
Steven Spielberg directing Chucky, nuff said.

04. Blindspotting

[Show spoiler]
A crime against film that this didn't get nominated for any of the major awards. Daveed Diggs & Rafael Casal are major talents, and deserved recognition for one of the most amazing films of the year. The definition of "cult classic in the making". People will be discovering this film forever, wondering why they never heard of it before.

03. Mission:Impossible - Fallout

[Show spoiler]
One of the best action movies of the decade.

02. Avengers: Infinity War

[Show spoiler]
In pretty much any other year, this would be my number one. A decade in the making, hundreds of characters, and some of the best fx that $200 million can buy. However...

01. Upgrade
I've bored y'all enough with my obsession with this movie, so I'll restrict my comments to this:

Permission granted!!!

[graf1k]

25. Sorry To Bother You | dir. Boots Riley | USA



24. Den of Thieves | dir. Christian Gudegast | USA



23. Game Night | dir. John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein | USA



22. Dogman | dir. Matteo Garrone | Italy



21. Isle of Dogs | dir. Wes Anderson | USA



20. A Quiet Place | dir. John Krasinski | USA



19. Apostle | dir. Gareth Evans | UK / USA



18. Bad Times at the El Royale | dir. Drew Goddard | USA



17. BlacKkKlansman | dir. Spike Lee | USA



16. Mission: Impossible - Fallout | dir. Christopher McQuarrie | USA


15. A Prayer Before Dawn | dir. Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire | UK / France


14. The Endless | dir. Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead | USA



13. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs | dir. Joel & Ethan Coen | USA



12. The Guilty | dir. Gustav Möller | Denmark



11. Shoplifters | dir. Hirokazu Koreeda | Japan



10. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse | Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman | USA



09. The Death of Stalin | dir. Armando Iannucci | UK



08. The House That Jack Built | dir. Lars Von Trier | Denmark



07. Mandy | dir. Panos Cosmatos | USA



06. Hereditary | dir. Ari Aster | USA



05. Upgrade | dir. Leigh Whannell | Australia



04. First Reformed | dir. Paul Schrader | USA



03. Annihilation | dir. Alex Garland | UK / USA



02. Burning | dir. Chang-dong Lee | South Korea



01. The Favourite | dir. Yorgos Lanthimos | UK / Greece

Post Script

[Show spoiler]I should add that among the 2018 movies I didn't get around to seeing and thus cannot rank are:

• Blindspotting
• First Man
• If Beale Street Could Talk
• Eighth Grade
• Mid90s
• Free Solo
• Suspiria
• Roma
• Paddington 2
• Revenge
• Black Panther
• The Night Comes For Us
• Sicario 2: Day of the Soldado
• Venom
• Widows
• Thoroughbreds
• Leave No Trace
• They Shall Not Grow Old
• Assassination Nation

Among others.

EDIT: Last minute shake up as I realized A Prayer Before Dawn was eligible.

[Zoop]

blackkklansman.jpg

06. Blackkklansman: A serious theme treated as a comedy, sometimes with very dark humour, this film is
quintessential Spike Lee. John David Washington, and especially Adam Driver, deliver excellent
performances, and they are supported by a great cast. There are some very lol moments, and the score,
as usual in Lee's movies, is very good. I felt the film wasn't as deep as it could have, because
the focus is more mainstream than reflective, and I think Spike's Lee decision for the ending will be
controversial, but it didn't bother me.


perdida.jpg

07. Perdida/Lost: An interesting thriller, deliverately paced, with well written characters. The main
lead is a welcome change for usual detectives, not only because of her genre, but in the fact that it is
practically asexual. With so many females being portrayed, lately, as sex machines with undefined
sexuality, I've found this aspect refreshing. Locatios are gorgeous, performances are very good, the
story is dark and complex.


alpha.jpg

08. Alpha: The, by now classic, tale of a boy and a wild animal allying in order to survive,
founds an enjoyable and well made entry with this film. Cinematography is splendid, Kodi Smith
Mcphee does a good job at carrying the film on his shoulders, the (fictional) language is a
nice and original touch. Within it's modest ambitions, this picture succeeds enormously, an
example of filmmaking done right.


mission impossible.jpg

09. Mission Impossible:Fall Out : Right now, this franchise is the best in the spy-thriller genre.
The use of practical effects made for spectacular and absorbing action sequences, with Tom Cruise
fully commited to raising the bar with each film. Although I enjoyed more the last two entries, with
the plot somehow lacking in this one, this film has all the ingredients for quality entertainment,
the one that needs to be seen in a large screen.


hold the dark 1.jpg

10. Hold the Dark: An hypnotic experience, with a deliverate pacing, moody cinematography, and snowy
locations. In the surface, the film is a thriller, but the themes of loneliness, isolation, and no-man's
land run underneath every scene and line of dialogue. Jeffrey Wright is good in the lead, more so in the
look for redemption aspect than in the detective angle, and Alexander Skarsgaard is wonderfully creepy in
his psychopatic character.

[Zoop]

a star is born.jpg

11. A Star is Born: Confident debut, from behind the camera, of Bradley Cooper; his film is well
made, with a nice balance of music and drama. The concert scenes are exciting, Cooper's performance
is commited, dialogue is good. Still, the film lost the opportunity to criticize the dark side of
the music industry, offering only a superficial view of this aspect. I felt Lady Gaga wasn´t really
acting, more like portraying herself, which I think works in detriment for the credibility of the
movie.


widows.jpg

12. Widows: This film has material for three different movies (female caper, widow's drama,
and political corruption). The final product feels bloated, but underdeveloped in some of it's
themes and characters. Still, it has generally fine performances, solid filmmaking from Steve
McQueen; and the dark vibe the Gillian Flynn material usually has, that I found compelling
and interesting.


a quiet place.jpg

13. A Quiet Place: Elegant film from John Krasinski, it finds a sligh variation for the post-apocalyptic
genre. The suspense is so carefully managed, that it even disappears for long stretches. Luckily,
performances made up for that with a good work in general. Creatures are well made, production design
is great, score is outstanding.


tiempo compartido.jpg

14. Tiempo Compartido/Time Share: Within the surface of a thriller, this film makes a critique to
greedy enterprises, for their shiny facade and dark core. There is also a subplot about employees
left behind, dissatisfied and frustrated with the lack of opportunities and professional growth.
Miguel Rodarte's performance as one of the employees is outstanding, and the story of family vacations
turn terribly wrong is chilling.


calibre.jpg

15. Calibre: Good film about bad decisions and their awful consequences. The story is dark, and it
grows darker as the film progresses, with a haunting ending that is both congruent and horrible. There
is a strong idea of not belonging, and the paranoia and dread associated with it is always present.