On the Top Ten of 2018

For nearly nine years, this blog has reviewed every new film I saw at the cinema and, in 2018, online streaming services too (although this mostly, if not wholly, means Netflix, who flexed their feature film muscles in serious ways). There have been occasional mentions of older films revisited or seen for the first time, or even a TV show, but these were never considered for end of year lists.

Without fanfare, for it hardly seems necessary for the, on average 18 readers, I am ending the blog with this, the best of 2018 (although I am grateful and surprised that it is read). Not because I believe cinema will reach such low depths that nothing will be worth watching, but simply because I cannot give all the writings the time I would like, as will be evident from reading them. Additionally, I simply see far less than I would like or used to, as life continually gets in the damn way.

A top 10 post seems an adequate way to end and my (almost) consistent negative thoughts on Marvel will be reserved only for my lucky friends down the pub from here on. So, this is the top ten of 2018 a list that, as always, is hard to create simply by looking at what did not make it in.

Netflix had a great run of features this year and David Mackenzie's Outlaw King was one of the first to impress. A stripped down historical epic that focused on character not battles. It was a welcome sight to see Spike Lee back with a mainstream release and while BlacKkKlansman wasn't a return to his best form, it was a solid piece of relevant cinema that, if we were judging endings alone, would be top of the list for that powerful gut punch that brought his 70s thriller into the present day. Steffano Sollima did something unexpected and made Sicario: Day of the Saldado as tense as the first. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was the best of Marvel, but still a comic book film and Isle of Dogs was as intricate and lovely as Wes Anderson gets but slightly cold. Solo: A Star Wars Story and Ready Player One were as fun and nostalgic and forever watchable (for children of the 80s) as blockbusters get.

The list:

10. Private Life dir. Tamara Jenkins
9. They Shall Not Grow Old dir. Peter Jackson
8. Annihilation dir. Alex Garland
7. First Man dir. Damien Chazelle
6. Sorry to Bother You dir. Boots Riley
5. First Reformed dir. Paul Schrader
4. The Ballard of Buster Scruggs dir. Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
3. You Were Never Really Here dir. Lynne Ramsey
2. Cold War dir. Pawel Pawlikowski
1. Roma dir. Alfonso Cuarón

Many 'best of' lists this year have Roma at or near the top and maybe it seems predictable to do so here, but it is outstanding. A beautifully shot, affecting piece of work. If the list shows anything it is the changing distribution of cinema. Five of the ten were first screened online, either Netflix or iPlayer and only three were available at cinemas. An interesting year to go out on.

Bye.