The 20 Best Movies of 2018!

It has taken us a while (too long, we know!) to put together our list of the best films of 2018, but when you think about it, we watched over 150 movies in the theater and made over 150 movie reviews for new films, and that's not counting stuff that we saw on streaming services, Redbox, and DVD/Blu-ray. Awards season is over, and now that the Academy has had their (mostly incorrect) say, it's our turn! Sorry for the delay, but guess what?! IT'S TIME!!!!!!!!

Without further ado, here it is, our list of the TOP 20 BEST MOVIES OF 2018! Do you agree with this list? Let us know what your favorite films of the year were!

20. "RBG" - 2018 was the year of the documentary. Though "RBG" is the first to appear on our list, it won't be the last. This film takes a look at the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It explores the struggles she faced being one of the few women in her class at Harvard Law school, it tells of her difficulty finding work right out of college, and it covers her landmark tax case that served to undo injustices of sexual discrimination in law for both men and women. This movie offers a fantastic insight into one remarkable woman's life. It made us laugh, cry, and cheer.

19. "Black Panther" - If "Black Panther" is any indication of what's to come for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's in damn good shape. Marvel has been making a concerted effort in the last few installments of the MCU to better develop its villains. "Black Panther" excels in that area and so many others. From its compelling story to some terrifically vibrant and authentic costumes by Oscar-winner Ruth E. Carter, from its marvelous cinematography by Rachel Morrison to some stellar performances, we thoroughly enjoyed almost all aspects of this film. It also deals with numerous underlying social issues like isolationism versus global outreach. Many will write this off as "just another comic book movie," but that is a reductive assumption and shows a failure (on the part of some) to grasp its more far-reaching themes and the cultural importance and significance it offers.

18. "Upgrade" - We entered the theater to see "Upgrade" with great trepidation. Luckily, this movie rules! This is what "Venom" could have been like if Sony had had the balls to make it R-rated. We were blown away by what we saw. It's a sci-fi horror revenge thriller/superhero-style action romp, which is exactly as bitchin' as you think it's gonna be. It's a damn shame "Upgrade" wasn't marketed more because it's an impressive, entertaining, fun film.

17. "Minding the Gap" - 2018 also seemed to be the year of the skateboard resurgence. When we sat down to watch "Minding the Gap," a highly rated, thoroughly recommended documentary from Hulu, we figured it'd be just another skater flick, but it turned out to be so much more. This is an intimate story exploring the cycle of abuse and how the three young men profiled here were able to find an escape in their favorite pastime. This is a powerful documentary that must be seen immediately.

16. "A Simple Favor" - Though "A Simple Favor" won't click for everyone, we absolutely loved this movie. We found it to be a wonderful mix of dark comedy, taut thrills, and even steamy romance. We love both Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively as actresses, and both of them are wonderful here. The tone may be a bit confusing for some, but those who have a twisted sense of humor like us may find this among their favorites from 2018.

15. "American Animals" - It pains us deeply to include a MoviePass Ventures film in our Top 20 "best of" list (because the company is horrible, deceitful, and dishonest and is full of swindlers, liars, and cheats who do not deserve the slightest bit of recognition or praise), but we cannot deny that"American Animals" is an awesome movie. Director Bart Layton uses a brilliant mix of documentary-style storytelling that includes the actual people involved in this true-life heist story and mixes it with a film that reenacts the story being told. He utilizes some really captivating techniques as we see the same scene play out from different perspectives that offers a great display of how different people can remember the same incident in is such drastically different ways. This is a vastly overlooked film everyone should seek out.

14. "A Star is Born" - Sure, Bradley Cooper's "A Star is Born" may be the fourth iteration of the same material, but he manages to create something entirely its own in this version. With the help of Lady Gaga's tremendous voice and endless charisma, she and Cooper's palpable on-screen chemistry sells a love story for the ages. This is a spectacular film that will make you feel complete joy, tremendous love, and utter heartbreak. Plus, the music is fantastic!

13. "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" - We love preparing for and watching the Oscars every year, but the Academy got it WRONG WRONG WRONG this year. Hands down, the best documentary of 2018 was "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" This film takes a look at the life of Fred Rogers, a man who spent his life preaching love, joy, and acceptance to generations of children. Like Mr. Rogers himself, this documentary is full of pure love and happiness, and the Academy are cowards for tossing him aside so callously.

12. "You Were Never Really Here" - Lynne Ramsay offers a dark, sometimes uncomfortable but important story that may make some viewers uneasy in "You Were Never Really Here." We were captivated and fascinated by this efficacious tale of a flawed vigilante who takes vengeance on those who mistreat children. It is anchored by an intense, nuanced performance by Joaquin Phoenix, one we feel was criminally overlooked this past awards season. "You Were Never Really Here" shows why Phoenix is one of the best actors working in the business today. JUSTICE FOR LYNNE RAMSAY!!!!

11. "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" - You might think that the "Mission: Impossible" film franchise has run out of ideas by now since it has spanned 22 years, but you'd be incorrect. In fact, quite the opposite is true since each installment has gotten better and better. Every single time we think they can't outdo the last movie, they prove us wrong. "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" finds a way to put Ethan Hunt in yet another series of precarious situations to make one hell of a heart-pumping, adrenaline-filled flick with astonishing action, out-of-this-world stunts, and edge-of-your-seat tension. The bathroom scene and the helicopter chase alone make this a must-see. 

10. "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" - Not much could top "Avengers: Infinity War" when it came to 2018 comic book movies, but "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" came pretty darn close. 2018 was a mediocre year for animated features, so we didn't expect much from this, especially considering that the trailers didn't grab us. We were blown away by how amazing this film was. The animation, the story, the action, the comedy, the voiceover work, everything about this movie is incredible! It is easily the best animated film of 2018.

9. "Annihilation" - It's unfortunate that the distributors for "Annihilation" didn't have enough faith in it to release it in theaters in many countries. We were lucky enough to be able to see it on the big screen, and what a spectacular experience it was. This wound up being the best sci-fi film of the year for us. It is an intriguing and unsettling yet beautiful science fiction horror movie that stuck with us all year. The fact that it didn't get nominated for Best Visual Effects is dastardly.

8. "Eighth Grade" - There have been numerous coming-of-age films about young ladies in recent years, but few have truly captured the awkwardness of the middle school years with the same honesty and tenderness as Bo Burnham's"Eight Grade." Elsie Fisher absolutely kills it as main character Kayla, offering one of the most relatable, heartfelt performances of the year. This movie will make you laugh, it'll make you cringe with embarrassment, and it will make you cry. This is an instant classic.

7. "Hereditary" - How Toni Collette didn't get nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars for her performance in "Hereditary," we will never know or understand. Well, actually we do know why, it's genre bias, which is utter BS because she absolutely, without a doubt, should have been recognized for her efforts here. Horror films aren't for everyone, but movies like this elevate the genre to something far beyond simple displays of guts and gore and grossness. "Hereditary" explores grief and how the emotional nature of loss can break a person's spirit. It is taut, intense, shocking, frightening, twisted, and above all, effortlessly made by first-time director Ari Aster.

6. "Blindspotting" - It's unfortunate that more people didn't see "Blindspotting" because it is marvelous. This is a powerful piece of cinema that is impactful and will make you think about what to do when personal connections, loyalty, and lifelong friendships become so volatile that you may be forced to move on from the people from your past. It is sure to take you on an emotional rollercoaster of humor, drama, tension, and it may even bring you to tears by the end of it. Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, who not only wrote the screenplay but also star in the film, are fantastic. They offer up astonishing portrayals of two layered characters that are flawed yet endearing. There are no less than four moments that will leave you speechless. Please, please, please see this outstanding film!

5. "The Favourite" - If you want to see three of the best female performances of 2018, you can find them all in one place: Yorgos Lanthimos's "The Favourite." This devilishly dark comedic period piece is loaded with sharp dialogue and rapier wit that cuts deep with precision-point accuracy. It has gorgeous costumes, astounding sets, intricate makeup work, incredible cinematography, and brilliant acting. This is easily one of the best films of the year.

4. "Avengers: Infinity War" - As silly as it might sound, hardly any 2018 movie impacted us quite as much "Avengers: Infinity War" did by movie's end. It's a culmination of a decade-long build-up that delivered in every way imaginable. This film offers a maniacal villain developed into a well-layered character that even makes a case for his point of view. The film had everything we wanted as fans of Marvel and the comic book movie genre as a whole. Out of all of the films that were released in 2018, this is the one we have revisited the most. We cannot wait for "Avengers: Endgame" to see what will become of some of our favorite Marvel characters.

3. "Paddington 2" - "Paddington 2" was one of the first theatrically-released films we saw in 2018. It set a very high bar for the year, and few movies came close to its greatness. In fact, there are only two others that managed to surpass it. We cannot fully express the sense of joy we experience by watching the "Paddington" movies. This film is 103 minutes of pure, utter happiness. We want to feel the way we do when we watch these movies all the time. It's a movie that will make your face hurt from smiling too much. At the same time, it has several touching moments that will stir up your emotions and may even bring a tear to your eye. This is the perfect film for the whole family.

2. "Sorry to Bother You" - It's difficult to accurately describe the experience of watching a movie like "Sorry To Bother You." On one hand, it is a darkly comedic and socially conscious satire. On the other hand, it is so much more bizarre and "out there" than we could have ever expected. We just knew we were witnessing greatness when we saw it. First-time director Boots Riley has made an interest, unusual, distinctive, stylish, twisty, incredible movie here. It is so boldly bonkers at times that we know some viewers will not get on board with what is going on. We, however, loved everything about it.

1. "BlacKkKlansman" - You can always count on Spike Lee to make arousing, socially relevant cinema. "BlacKkKlansman" is a compelling, thought-provoking film that manages to blend intense drama, dark comedy, and crime thrills into one film with an important message that needs to be said and heard. It shows how times really haven't changed so much over the years, no matter how hard that might be for some to hear. Between its effective direction and cinematography, some terrific acting, and a tremendous score by Terence Blanchard, this movie is the complete package. We missed this in the theater, but when we finally saw it, we were floored by how amazing it was. If we had a Lolo Loves Films award for Best Picture, it would go to Spike Lee's "BlacKkKlansman."

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