Alone in the Dark: The Year In Cinema 2018: Critic's Roundup

The Year In Cinema 2018

A Critical Round-table of the Best in Cinema of 2018

Each January, we at The Superlatives gather together our favorite critics, curators, and cinephiles to review and revel in the past year in film. From the vastly overrated to the criminally under-appreciated, we gather the new discoveries, the endearing masterworks, and the personal moments that make cinephilia so vital- and share them with you.

This installment finds film critic Michael Casey (of the Boulder Weekly); Programmer and co-host of the Superlatives Film Podcast Shay Wescott (of the Friday Night Weird cinema program); Crested Butte Film Festival Screening Committee head Scott Aigner; Author, filmmaker, and journalist Mathew Klickstein; Crested Butte Film Festival Director Michael Brody; Filmmaker and cinephile Erin Brown (of the Salute Your Shorts Film Festival); Critic, filmmaker, and co-host of the Reel Nerds Film Podcast Zach Eastman; and film critic and co-host of the Superlatives Film Podcast Jack Hanley (Mile High Cinema, and the Alone in the Dark Film Blog) venturing boldly into the celluloid Thunderdome that was 2018.

Most Overrated Film of 2018

Scott- HANDS DOWN this is HEREDITARY. While it isn’t a terrible film, don’t tell me you are going to “reinvent the genre” or “bring something new” when you clearly don’t offer anything we haven’t seen before. I’ve been VERY pleased in general with the wave of horror films that have been re-defining the genre in the past couple years — but this simply IS NOT one of them.

Erin- BLACK PANTHER. I know I’m going to get a lot of heat for this. Here’s the thing…. I’m not saying it is a terrible movie. I’m not saying representation is not important. I’m saying it doesn’t live up to the hype. Let’s keep making inclusive mainstream stories, and let’s make sure our scripts don’t undermine our messaging. This film, which masquerades as a mouthpiece for a progressive moment is actually very conservative in its messaging. The underlying message becomes “any attempt from the outside to change an adequate system is bad… is evil.” This sort of black and white, villain vs. hero messaging is typical of the superhero genre and one that I’m hoping will change as more and more humanistic directors tackle the field. Superhero movies are super fun when they are great. I thought this one could have been a lot better.

Shay- It is with a great pain, given I dressed as the precocious Max Fischer this very Halloween, that I have to choose Wes Anderson’s latest outing, ISLE OF DOGS, as my most overrated movie. A combination of actors that I adore, meticulous and beautiful stop motion animation, and of course, dogs upon lovable dogs, didn’t keep this film from feeling completely and utterly empty. It’s not new to accuse Anderson of style over substance, but ISLE managed to take that complaint to a new cringe worthy level for me — as style seems to be the only part of Japanese culture the director is interested in. While Anderson takes the time to add Japanese speaking characters to his world of English speaking dogs (and one Greta Gerwig), the lack of subtitles renders them voiceless and reduces an entire language to a stylistic quirk. Similarly, all the cultural artifacts in the film feel less informed by authenticity and more constrained by their need to be cute and idiosyncratic. If I thought all of this was Anderson’s actual intent, I would be angry, but the effect of this film for me is closer to exhaustion. It is a sensory overload with no discernible humanity to point to. While my favorite characters in Anderson’s oeuvre use their ironic detachment as a shield for their all-too-sincere feelings of isolation, shame, and longing, the characters in ISLE feel so self aware and coldly constructed, it’s hard to believe they have any true feelings at all.

Casey- 393 critics connected with Rotten Tomatoes gave A STAR IS BORN a fresh rating? Sometimes the world surprises you. The film is fine; maybe a decade too late and certainly too much Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) working his way up and down the bottle. The real shame came when Maine mansplained how fame works to Ally (Lady Gaga). Not too mention when he interrupted her final show stopper with a flashback. It would have come across a lot less narcissistic if Cooper wasn’t behind the camera, but he was.

Michael- THE RIDER. Sorry, but the non-professional performances were a total turnoff to me and ruined the script.

Jack- I cannot roll my eyes enough at the latest entry in everybody’s favorite auteur-come-Nazi-sympathizer Lars von Trier’s otherwise respectable canon, THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT. Given the hype (and the recent self-sabotage of von Trier), I was more than prepared for the pointless provocations and heartfelt misogyny; yet despite all the ballyhoo, the real outrage lies in just how bad this projectionist polemic really is. The film is startlingly mediocre and, despite it’s self-promotion as some philosophical cipher of the trials and torments of Von Trier’s favorite victim-du-jour: the difficult white male “artist”, is about as deep as the third-act CGI decent into (well, you know). Nothing ground-breaking or radical here- JACK’S HOUSE is the philosophical equivalent of a first-year photography student taking black and white photos of broken bottle shadows on the street and proclaiming it high art. Remember when von Trier actually had something to say? Is this really the same director of MELANCHOLIA? The real outrage here is that an auteur of such stability has resorted to this- a fragile and phallic last stand against the #METOO movement, political correctness, and the refusal to coddle the fragile egos of “misunderstood male genius”, all whilst clutching his well-worn copy of the CliffsNotes Inferno. Sadly, in the end, it is much sound (and privileged white male fury), but ultimately signifying nothing.

Most Underrated Film of 2018

Shay- WIDOWS. Steve McQueen’s WIDOWS is the culmination of everything I’ve wanted from and felt was lacking in the recent line of “woke” action movies and blockbusters. It truly defies gender and racial stereotypes with a naturalistic quality that feels earned — rather than forced by dropping characters into a story that isn’t theirs. The performances are all noteworthy with my favorite ensemble cast in years. Viola Davis, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, and Cynthia Erivo all turn in stand-alone, strong performances (and you know it’s good when you can get by not even mentioning Robert Duvall and Liam Neeson are also in the cast), but the real stand out is Daniel Kaluuya, who transforms into the year’s most frightening (and in the end, heartbreaking) villain. McQueen also pulls off the feat of making a truly tense and exciting heist film by doubling down on the patience and control of his quieter films. It flirts with a neorealist approach to the robbery including real-time warehouse practice sessions in the place of a flashy, narrated montage. The best scene of the entire film, possibly the year, is not one of flying bullets and explosions but a conversation overhead inside a limo as the camera stays outside, surveying the neighborhood, measuring the tangible distance between run down houses to mansions.

Michael- FIRST REFORMED. The dialogues must be broken down and pondered. I’d also throw in AMATEURS, a vital treatise on modern Europe and possibly, small-town America.

Zach- ANNIHILATION. I’d say more than any thing this film was criminally overlooked as the year has gone on. Despite critical acclaim, ANNIHILATION was doomed to obscurity by a studio not willing to have faith in the gold it possessed. Alex Garland’s more than worthy follow up to EX MACHINA became an undeserved blip on the movie radar and only an eventual cult following will rectify that injustice. ANNIHILATION is a challenging Sci-Fi film that is as thrilling as it is thought provoking, with an insane third act that visually stuns. Its also headed by a crazy talented ensemble cast with Natalie Portman leading the whole journey in one of her best performances. This is one you should seek out if you are in the mood for a mature sci-fi outing.

Scott- This category is tough for me always because it’s hard to say what qualifies as underrated (didn’t make as much money, popular critics hated but I loved, nobody saw). Two jump to mind though when I think of films that probably should have had more talk. One, because it was foreign,seemed quite overlooked and that is BORDER. Such an interesting, weird film. My kind of jam. Another — that also fits the same kind of mold would be SORRY TO BOTHER YOU. I know some people were turned off by the “hokey” special effects — but I loved how weird this film was.

Mathew- BLINDSPOTTING. 2018 was a year that delivered a steady flow of films that dealt with racial tensions in America today. And yet, far too many lacked a certain nuanced multi-dimensionality. Which is why it was so refreshing to see first-time feature filmmakers Carlos López Estrada, Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs pull off this spellbinding coup. Characters here look, act and talk like ordinary lumpen folks populating the meticulously developed bubble of the rugged Oakland they inhabit. They are constantly questioning each other, themselves and their circumstances without relegating any screen time to ivory tower biased over-analysis on the part of the filmmakers. The characters simply live, struggle and endure throughout the duration of the always compelling, compassionately accessible and courageously contradictory hero’s journey that in many ways completely deconstructs films tackling similar topics in not only this year but those from the past as well. Though it’s discouraging that such a contrarian and vivacious take on the soi-disant “hood film” seemed to have been shoved out of the way by louder, brighter, bigger and more conventional films of the genre this year, it’s inspiring to see at least, yes, such brash approaches are still possible when it comes to telling these important stories and that, hopefully, more can come along in the future, too.

Jack- SORRY TO BOTHER YOU. With nods to BLINDSPOTTING, has any other recent film felt so innovative, so fresh, so vital- and so fucking political? Not since vintage Spike has an independent filmmaker so boldly delivered on the promise of magical realism, revolution, and social critique- and make no mistake, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU feels like a goddam proletarian rallying cry. Proof that we need more Socialists making independent films, SORRY is provocative, hilarious, absurd, and, at times, ridiculous- but then again, so is the experience of being black in America. Between SORRY, BLINDSPOTTING, and ATLANTA this year, I’ve finally come to understand what the great author Chester Himes has always asserted: “I always thought I was writing realism,-it never occurred to me that I was writing absurdity. Realism and absurdity are so similar in the lives of American blacks one cannot tell the difference.”

Biggest Surprise(s) of 2018

*Photo courtesy of Marvel Entertainment*

Casey- That the most interesting additions to the Marvel and DC extended universes would come in animated form. Both SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE and TEEN TITANS GO! TO THE MOVIES lightly plays with prior installments, understanding how these, often times conflicting versions of each character, become more than the sum of its parts. Plus, both movies rely heavily on the value of teamwork, something the other MCU and DCEU movies claim to do, but never really pull off.

Scott- Biggest non-surprise is that Yorgos Lanthimos continues to be one of the best things happening in cinema. Biggest surprise would be that someone found a way to take what Nic Cage can offer (not much in terms of talent, LOADS in terms of crazy) and make it work. MANDY is an odd, dark, gonzo, violent film that I’m not sure is for everyone — but for some reason the stylistic sensibilities and passions of director Panos Cosmatos take full advantage of the Nic Cage crazy train.

Shay- UNFRIENDED: DARK WEB turned out to be a surprisingly well crafted and inventive horror movie. Released in the middle of July, the UNFRIENDED sequel seemed like a perfect throw-away movie to kill time and get free air conditioning during a summer afternoon. I was not necessarily prepared to even be awake for the entire movie, let alone be so high on it that I’m still talking about it 6 months later. This movie is a hard sell on so many levels — it’s approach to technology and internet culture may be alienating to those in the wrong demographic and too cynical to those who are the target audience, but out of a whopping 5 people in the theater, I was in the minority (possibly only audience member) who found UNFRIENDED to be, above all, so damn clever. Unlike this year’s SEARCHING with John Cho, DARK WEB, creates a layered mystery that can ONLY exist on the web — using the limitations of its chosen medium to its advantage rather than trying to work in spite of them. With a Black Mirror-esque ending twist that edges this film closer to an implicit critique of class and one percenter bloodlust, rather than Luddite-driven, cautionary tale about dumb teenagers doing bad things online, DARK WEB is way better than it deserves to be.

Jack- The Year Of Real African American Representation. Despite the false award-show platitudes to the backlash of 2015’s #OscarsSoWhite moment, it was 2018 that proved the most refreshingly culturally-saturating year to date for the African American experience in populist cinema. From the inversions of our (Caucasian) canon of Superheros in SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE and BLACK PANTHER, to the invigorating shots of American social and cultural critiques in SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, BLINDSPOTTING, TYREL, and BLACKKKLANSMAN, to the criminally absent depictions of the black and female coming-of-age experience (remedied by THE HATE U GIVE and IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK), has there been a more important year of black cinematic representation in recent memory?

Mathew- AMERICAN ANIMALS Where the hell did this movie come from? AA makes for the brand of experience best exhibiting Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’s adage that “the best way to explain it is to do it”- and the best way to describe AMERICAN ANIMALS is to see it. We need more films like this being made, shown and discussed in a larger public forum. Shockingly this innovative alchemic concoction seemed to go almost wholly unnoticed this year. ANIMALS is not quite a typical narrative, not quite a typical documentary and yet is unlike any previously attempted hybrid on the scene today. By integrating the actual young men who committed the peculiar heist around which the main plot revolves into various scenes containing (exceptionally adept) actors portraying said men, we are constantly reminded that no matter how outlandish and even cartoonish at times certain moments may appear, yes, this story did actually happen … and here are the boys who masterminded the schemes you’re watching unfold before your very eyes! Often times being reminded — quite explicitly — that the overlap between fiction and truth, and the illusions we tell ourselves or choose to believe, comprise a vital part of the shared corporeal reality in which we, the viewers, exist. And like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, it’s an absolute (bird-infested) trip, man!

Best Female Performance of 2018

Scott- I don’t know how someone could pick anyone over EIGHTH GRADE’S 13 year old — Elsie Fisher. This is by far the best performance of the year. So honest, so true, so heart-wrenching, and so spot-on. Not only is it the best performance of the year — but the best depiction of this age/time in someone’s life that I have ever seen.

Mathew- MELISSA MCCARTHY, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? Melissa McCarthy is one of our finest chameleons. One of the strongest actresses working today, McCarthy stretches her talents to the very extremes of both comedy and drama, with perhaps only fellow BRIDESMAIDS alumnus Kristin Wiig (read: THE SKELETON TWINS) keeping up with her genre-bending virtuosity. In portraying the true-life “character” Lee Israel, McCarthy offers up a raw performance that brings together all facets of humor, cynicism, dignity, irreverence, impropriety, vulgarity, ostentation, selfishness, selflessness, compassion, humanity and hope that could (im)possibly fit into one role onscreen. It is McCarthy’s well-tuned ability to take us on a rollercoaster of emotions when it comes to connecting with her character that earns her the recognition of the year’s best performance by any actress in any film. While watching her trod forth in FORGIVE ME, we are constantly ping-ponging from despising or being utterly disgusted by Israel (don’t look under the bed!), to laughing with and rooting for the world-class forger who quickly shifts from bitch to pariah, from vile fiend to literary wit in sixty seconds flat. The fact we can care so deeply for the character while being so irritated and scornful of her in some of the very same moments is what makes for a truly talented performer, and why McCarthy herself has and will never have anything to apologize for.

Erin- Olivia Coleman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz, THE FAVOURITE. How can I choose between three perfect performances that are utterly dependent upon each other? Yorgos Lanthimos delivers another singular and stylized film, this time a comedy set in 18th Century England (but with dirty modern vernacular). THE FAVOURITE (which I think is just perfection) is heavily dependent upon the performances and chemistry of these three outstanding actresses. The sheer genius of the comedy Emma, Olivia, and Rachel bring to this film made every other decision Yorgos made, possible. Without their brilliance, this film could have fallen flat. It was particularly bold for him to embrace modern cursing and it was a huuuuuuuge payoff made possible by brilliant actors. Can I root for all of them to win?

Jack- From her acne, to her vocal apprehensions, to her unconscious slouch, Elsie Fisher (EIGHTH GRADE) broke my fucking heart. Most authentic performance of recent memory.

Casey- Yalitza Aparicio, ROMA. Not only is she an amateur actor, but Cuarón asks a lot of her. From being in practically every shot to carrying this entire project, not too mention embodying Cuarón’s personal affection for the woman who raised him. Many have called her a secular saint, and I think that’s probably as close as anything else. She’s not quite flesh and blood, but we feel her pain, her dejection, her terror, and her love. Hard to scoff at that.

Zach- Olivia Colman, THE FAVOURITE. This year is especially crowded with great female driven films and performances. Yet none made me take pause and focus harder than Olivia Colman’s stunning turn as Queen Anne in the bizarre and masterful film THE FAVOURITE. I remember her from HOT FUZZ and to see how far she has come in that 11 years is all laid out in the new Yorgos outing. Her Queen Anne is a Royal Mess both inside and out, struggling to assert her authority amidst the competition between Weisz and Stone for her favour. I feel her inner suffering throughout as her emotions and heart are taken advantage of, and I revel in the final moments where her arc is complete in a delightfully uncomfortable way. Colman is dynamite. Plain and Simple.

Best Male Performance of 2018

Casey- Ethan Hawke, FIRST REFORMED. Hawke is always good, but words fail me when trying to convey how good he is here.

Shay- Ethan Hawke, FIRST REFORMED. There’s not a lot I can say about Hawke’s performance in FIRST REFORMED that hasn’t already been said or won’t be better said by any of my colleagues on this same piece, but it is undeniable that there is just no one who tops him. His physical appearance is a literal manifestation of excruciating depression and torment. His gaunt demeanor simultaneously suggests a man too distressed to nourish himself and a man obsessed with the facade of control and self containment, as though modesty exists not only in dress and speech, but in the amount of space one takes up in the world. Hawke is so deft at portraying this character using every fiber of his being to deny himself any cathartic emotional release, that I was almost worried for his health. It is simultaneously the most unbearable and fascinating performance of the year by far.

Mathew- JOAQUIN PHOENIX, YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE. There is almost no moment in Lynne Ramsay’s grim and brutal film in which lead Joaquin Phoenix is not quiet, calm and virtually ghost-like. And yet, despite his phlegmatic, stone-faced disposition throughout the vast majority of the film, Phoenix is still able to convey all manner of emotionality at the most extreme levels. Madness, sadness, hurt, fear, frustration, exhaustion, fatalism and, ultimately, profound empathy. How can a character so clearly sociopathic and broken, so remorseless and feral come off as inherently wholesome and gentle? Whether he’s committing the most merciless of murderous hits for his employers, carefully assisting his ailing mother with her convalescence, rescuing a young girl from captivity or ruthlessly taking down the men who abducted her, Phoenix can at once remain both eerily restrained and explosive behind his eyes. He is a master of manifesting eldritch tension, drawing us in as we await the blast of crescendo only such a deft actor as Phoenix can deliver. His being a very special gift that is unparalleled by nearly every other working actor today.

Zach- JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON, BLACKKKLANSMAN. In his role as Ron Stallworth, John David Washington announces himself to the world in a stunning and engaging performance. Through his glance we see how the world around him is not as cut and dry, that assumptions about the perceived state of things is not filled with ideal resolution. By the time we reach the conclusion of the film, his confidence in good always beating evil is dwindled by a sad realization that that the world is much more complicated and will sadly continue to be. I feel Washington, for whatever reason, hasn’t been discussed enough in the grand scheme of BLACKKKLANSMAN. He carries the film in such an admirable and immensely watchable way. The material his character is given is heavy and he carries it like a champ.

Erin- Jim Cummings. In terms of the Academy Awards, I’m rooting for Ethan Hawke to snag the “Best Leading Male” category this year for his performance in FIRST REFORMED. However, there is a performance from an even-more-indie darling this year which is just as strong in an apples vs. oranges sort of way. THUNDER ROAD is a great film. Solid direction, solid writing, solid filmmaking in every way. The score in particular deserves some applause. However, what makes it undeniably memorable is director Jim Cummings’ on-screen performance as Officer Jim Arnaud. Jim’s ability to make sharp turns in his performance absolutely floored me. Moving from a state of composure to breaking down, and quickly back again, Officer Arnauld takes you on a wild ride that is equally dramatic as it is comedic.

Best Personal Discovery of 2018:

Zach- CYNTHIA ERIVO Wow! Just Wow! Cynthia Erivo came in like a force to be reckoned with in 2018. Regardless of whether or not you like BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE or WIDOWS, you cannot deny the presence she brings to the table. This is especially the case in BAD TIMES, where she pulls off a splendid turn as a back up singer who must survive the night of chaos at the El ROYALE. She holds her own and shines amidst a crowded sea of established greats. She pulls that feat once again in WIDOWS. While the excellent heist thriller has her mostly tethered to the latter half, she stands out with gusto as a last minute addition to Viola Davis’ crew. I demand that Hollywood and the Film world in general take note of her and give her more to accomplish in the coming years.

Jack- TYREL. Let me be frank- I’m hardly an apologist for director Sebastián Silva (his canon is at BEST spotty and peppered with as many misses as base hits), but his latest film TYREL is an unexpected masterwork of racial tension and social anxiety in post-Trump America. The plot is simple- at a secluded cabin in the Catskills, Tyler, a young black man, joins his all white friends for a weekend of masculine debauchery. The execution, however, is a masterpiece of psychological horror in the vein of Polanski’s famed “Apartment Trilogy” films. This film is strange and frenetic and unafraid to simmer in the crippling anxieties of facing class privilege, unconscious racism, and the debilitating fear of being the “other”- even amongst the safe space of the “good, progressive folk”. Employing brilliant camera work and a ramped up directorial tension that trumps the manufactured terrors of GET OUT- TYREL trumps most horror films of 2018 (and I contend that it IS a horror film). Indeed, is there anything more terrifying than the realization that the daily minutia of minor indignities and swallowed social humiliations are FAR more persistent and horrifying than the creatures in the dark?

Michael- FOXTROT. Hands down.

Scott- This goes to LUZ. My team and I brought this film to the Crested Butte Film Festival this year after it had only played 2 other U.S. Film Festivals. This film (and really, under the guidance of the amazing director Tilman Singer) is so unique and engaging while also being an homage, a throwback, and a somewhat psychedelic mind-trip is something you should watch. And keep an eye on Tilman Singer who will certainly be bringing us more amazing things in the future.

Mathew- WILDLIFE. Worthy of the likes of literary mavens John Cheever, Raymond Carver and Richard Yates, WILDLIFE a deceptively simple movie, at times as plain in its approach as Joe’s name itself. This is one of director Paul Dano’s tricks here: Telling a story which is in fact quite epochal and elaborate internally in such a superficially common manner, allowing the viewer in, to be seduced by a seeming ordinariness which is in turn belied by a steady realization of what is actually going on. Dano being one of our most superb actors working today, it’s notable that WILDLIFE is his directorial debut (from a script he co-wrote with partner and actress Zoe Kazan, granddaughter of Elia, based on Richard Ford’s 1990 novel). It is no surprise then that the phenomenal cast — capped off by Jake Gyllenhaal who gets closer and closer every movie to his well-deserved Oscar — deliver such pitch-perfect performances. Dano clearly proves that his preternatural understanding of acting is not limited to himself, as he so astutely directs his cast members, young and old, featured and peripheral alike in WILDLIFE, whose music, editing, luminous cinematography and well-crafted scene compositions again exhibit the superior skill-set of a masterful filmmaker who is sure to bring us wilder and wilder projects to come.

Best Documentary of 2018:

Casey- It seemed like just about every movie in 2018 wanted to address present issues with past correlations. This seemed even more prominent in documentary, with a multitude of filmmakers attempting to understand how we got here. From THE KING to WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR, documentarians went in search for America but only Robert Greene truly found it in BISBEE ’17. One part re-enactment of the 1917 deportation of Bisbee, Arizona, one part documentary of the re-enactment, and one part echoes of the past as we see how the ancestors of those who participated — on both sides of the deportation — have fared in the 100 years since. It’s a haunting and harrowing doc, one that isn’t soon to leave you.

Michael- SCIENCE FAIR.

Erin- WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR. I agree with a lot of critics concerning the best doc of the year. I had the experience of seeing WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR in theaters and the entire theater sat through the credits- probably sobbing (I know I was). This film impacted me heavily — I was an emotional mess watching it, in the best way possible. It gave me hope — made me believe in something better. On a personal level, I really loved learning that Fred Rogers was originally on track to do ministry work but then realized that investing in children would be a way to contribute to the world. He told them that their emotions matter, and they don’t have to be controlled by them. Through the TV, he called children into their true identity. It’s a beautiful thing. I myself was a theology major, thinking about working in a church before I made the switch to working in entertainment. I saw that culture was shaping people’s beliefs and that film/TV had the power to destroy or create empathy. I felt really connected to Fred and his decision and thus the film was extra powerful for me.

Shay- SHIRKERS, on the surface, is a bit of an enigma — a documentary about both a film that only completely exists in the minds of its subjects and an ominous, but intangible villain who will never be confronted — but director Sandi Tan’s approach to reclaiming a lost childhood and sharing moments now frozen in time is effectively haunting and cathartic. Reminding me a lot of why I so loved The Disaster Artist, Greg Sestero’s memoir on the making of THE ROOM (and was so disappointed by its film adaptation), SHIRKERS documents the irresistibly salacious, yet futile effort to unravel the mind of an egotistical maniac and regain agency in one’s own narrative. But instead of losing herself to the void of obsession, Tan uses the perspective given to her by time to examine herself and her relationships and to use the surviving footage as preserved time capsule of early 90s Singapore and a pretty convincing argument for an artist ahead of her time.

Zach- THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD. Documentarian Morgan Neville came out with the moving tribute of Fred Rogers with WONT YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? this summer, and is virtually assured of an Oscar come February. Yet he released a second film this year via Netflix that chronicled the final film of a cinematic icon. THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD puts a very rare human face on the final years of Orson Welles in a way that is the definition of bittersweet. Through the recollections of the crew for THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND and intimate conversations with those closest to Welles at that time, Neville seeks to redeem Welles’ final years and present a portrait of a man still in love with telling stories to the very end. Its a fascinating portrait and an important one for those who love and even hate Welles. It would be nice to see this film receive as much love as NEIGHBOR, but that is unrealistic and I’m at least very comfortable in the thought that it’s in the world to enjoy.

Best International Film of 2018:

Jack- I love COLD WAR. Paweł Pawlikowski’s exquisite love letter to Poland, politik, and people under the shadow of the Iron Curtain is simply a masterpiece. Framed through the narrative thread of two lovers who endure through music and the passage of time, COLD WAR is in its own way wholly untranslatable in such a short format. How does one recount the transcendent? The brilliant Mark Kermode described it as “CASABLANCA meets LA LA LAND as re-imagined by Andrzej Wajda or Agnieszka Holland”. Well put- because at its core, COLD WAR is in a way an art house musical- but so much more. It is a love story, yes. It is also a deconstruction of the malleability of identity under the historical imposition of ideology onto the human experience. It is also a tribute to tragic lives of quiet desperation, sacrificed to ever-shifting ideals. It is also about how art informs culture and is occasionally trapped by its potential to be hijacked and manipulated to forge, assimilate, or rebel against our national- and individual- loyalties. The music is haunting. The camera movement is almost ghostly. The leads are simply astonishing, their plaintive gazes aching with regret and sacrifice. And to look at? I simply cannot do it justice here. See COLD WAR immediately.

Scott- This is a tough category for me this year — many outstanding films that I had a hard time choosing between. The one that has stuck with me the most however is Lee Chang-dong’s BURNING. I can’t praise the performances, the pacing, and the subtleties of this film enough.

Mathew- BEAST is a magnificent film. Yet another masterful triumph that received little or no fanfare (in this country, at least), it’s a small picture that slowly yet steadily welcomes the viewer into its psychological thriller trap. Difficult to say more without entering spoiler territory, BEAST is a beautiful, flawless production that hits every correct note a well-constructed “indie” should play. Truly the “little film that could” (and did), BEAST explores so many different places of the soul — the most poignant, the most heart-breaking, and the very, very darkest — that it can be overwhelming … and well worth the breathlessness as we venture forth while watching. A film about judgment, about local reputation in a small town, about forgiveness, backlash and revenge, BEAST is yet another example of an astounding feature directorial debut featuring a spectacular cast you’ve likely not seen before and that — as with director/writer Michael Pearce — proffers a revivifying freshness to the scene that is so desperately needed these days. Thank God (or maybe the other guy?) for BEAST.

Zach- THE DEATH OF STALIN. We Americans didn’t get this UK delight until early this year, but it it was worth the wait. THE DEATH OF STALIN follows a hilarious take on the grasp for power and control in the Soviet Union following the unexpected passing of Josef Stalin. What follows is a biting and clever satire that isn't afraid to blend the very dark with the very slapstick. Armando Iannucci’s grasp on absurdity within reality recalls Ernst Lubitsch to me in the most complementary way. His visual grit blends fabulously with the ridiculous and he isn't afraid to call out what he wants to.

Erin- SHOPLIFTERS. Wowzers. Like… wowzers. See this film. For starters, the young Miyu Sasaki (Yuri) is the CUTEST little girl I’ve ever seen. The child actors are INCREDIBLE. The filmmaker, Hirokazu Koreeda really understands restraint and how powerful our own imagination is. Additionally, he understands how to slowly reveal character and plot in a way that continually subverts your expectations. SHOPLIFTERS poses some interesting questions about the concept of family and what it means to be a mother and a father. I really don’t want to say any more- don’t read about this movie before watching it!

Casey- I knew ROMA was going to be good going into it; I just didn’t know how good. Even better, ROMA made its case for a movie meant to be experienced on the big screen. From those long and patient takes, invoking Gilles Deleuze’s theories of the time-image, to overpowering sound design that places you right then and there. It’s just a treat from the first airliner to pass overhead to the very last.

Personal Favorite Film of 2018:

Shay- Boots Riley’s debut feature SORRY TO BOTHER YOU has more imagination and energy in the first five minutes than any entire film I’ve seen this year. It is so bold and unexpected and really, really fucking funny. The trailer is pretty up front that the film has a lot to say about race, but halfway through, it’s apparent that Riley has a lot more on his mind — and it’s pretty radical. Lakeith Stanfield is perfect, completely at home in the absurd, afro-surrealist universe and Armie Hammer steals the show in the third act as my new favorite amped up psychopath. The combination of SORRY TO BOTHER YOU’s extreme politics wrapped up in bow of magical realism make it a pretty hard pill to swallow for mainstream audiences, but I’m just so happy that it exists and hope more adventurous movie goers will give it a try.

Michael- Andrew Heckler’s BURDEN has been with me since Sundance.

Zach- BLACKKKLANSMAN. Only one film this year stuck with me hard after leaving the theater each time I saw it. When I think of Spike Lee’s latest, I am struck most by how it balances humor and drama without really faltering. I enjoyed watching it for the same reason I love revisiting all his other films, because I have a full cinematic experience. I get to see an interesting story brought to life with vibrant enthusiasm from the man at the helm and then get to walk away with a thought or notion I may not have otherwise considered or felt. BLACKKKLANSMAN does that in strides and hit everything I personally love about film and the film world while telling an important and relevant story. Not to mention it is filled with stellar performances across the board that I could not stop thinking about. I’ve seen it three times this year and plan on watching it again and again for years to come.

Scott- Honestly, my favorite film of this year is HOME ALONE. I’ve watched it about 15 times already this season. But since I’d like to also offer you a film from 2018 — let’s go with a film that I absolutely loved but I won’t watch 15 times in any season — YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE.

Erin- How often do you see a movie in May and find yourself still thinking about it almost daily in December? Choosing FIRST REFORMED by Paul Schrader as my favorite film of the year was an easy decision. Critiques of the church from within the church are my thing- I love that Schrader is owning his faith but looking deeper, asking big questions rather than proporting to know all the answers. The performances, the film-making, and the story all spoke to me. I’ve made everybody in my life watch this. No seriously, EVERYBODY. I’ve never had a film leave me with such equal parts despair and hope. I’ve never had such a prolonged appropriate reaction to the terrible reality of our human condition, and the mess we’ve made of our world. I’ve never felt so weighted down, yet inspired and motivated for more.

Jack- BLINDSPOTTING. How to describe the elation and delight of experiencing this film? What is it all about? Rage and rent and racial disparity to be sure- they’re all put under the saturated spotlight of this modern urban poetry slam. Neighborhoods too- how communities are erased under the guise of preservation and well-meaning liberal intent. And don’t forget code-switching and inequality and identity and gentrification and the justice system and how late-stage capitalism is killing it all. But HOW this story is told…there is a visceral energy that bleeds out from such exuberant and charismatic storytelling. Carlos López Estrada and Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs explode out of Oakland and into the fabric of the American discourse. It’s not often you get to feel the electric pulse of discovery that a new voice- a new MOVEMENT- was announcing itself before you in the dark. I felt it once in 1989 when a kid named Mookie picked up that trash can and I felt it again here. And like DO THE RIGHT THING, BLINDSPOTTING doesn’t offer obvious solutions- but an insight into the rage and restlessness that Dr. King noted inevitably manifests violence into the language of the unheard. It is required viewing, and an astonishing achievement, and my favorite film of 2018.

Special Jury Award(s)

Casey- For many years to come, critics, cineastes and academics will debate the merits of Orson Welles’ THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND. Is it a bookend to KANE? Is it Welles trying to play the New Hollywood game? Is he trying to outdo European cinema? Or mock it? Is it, at its core, a sexist film? Or a lambaste of masculinity? In reality, WIND is probably all those things and much more. There were several movies I saw in 2018 that I eagerly returned to, or plan to, but none quite like THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND.

Mathew- The craftsmanship of THE FAVOURITE. It wins the prize for most mathematically correct screenplay of the year. It looks sensational. The art direction, costume design, mise en scène and re-visitation of the style and compositions of early Peter Greenaway period pieces are, aesthetically, simply the best of the year. It does suffer from a few flaws (casting — and I’ll leave it at that — and some rough edges at times to the editing). Though it is most assuredly another rung in the gilded ladder visionary writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos is slowly ascending toward a safer Hollywood milieu from the days of his breakout masterwork DOGTOOTH, THE FAVOURITE is concurrently a prime example of his earning his way into that heralded realm, through grit, research and good ol’ fashioned blue-collar workmanship. Yes, we’ll likely one day lose Lanthimos to the Marvel/DC/sequel/reboot universe- but at least he’ll be one to have earned, through sweat and blood, the steady paycheck as proven by THE FAVOURITE.

Erin- Ensemble performance: SHOPLIFTERS. The film has a lot of pivotal characters with meaty roles and the performances are effortless and perfect. From the child actors the veteran Lily Franky, every performance and every moment feels emotionally honest. This is a testament to both the actors themselves, but also the direction by Hirokazu Koreeda. This film is still in theaters and it is WORTH IT to see it in theaters. It asks a lot of its audience and so it’s best to give it your full attention.

Shay- Alexis Zabe (cinematography) — TYREL is another film that seems be all about race on the surface, but I think this is more a film about masculinity. It follows young men who’ve grown up in a new landscape of masculinity, who are maybe softened and sheltered by privilege and comfort, who’ve had more freedom and experience expressing emotional fragility and empathizing with experiences that aren’t their own — and yet conflict arises at a boy’s weekend in the Catskills fueled by alcohol, ritualism, and primal instincts that create an otherness between the only black friend, Tyler (his name mistaken by one character for the titular Tyrel) and his white companions. But I think what is uniquely effective about this film is its dizzying, claustrophobic cinematography by Alexis Zabe (who it is worth noting also produced some astoundingly beautiful work last year with THE FLORIDA PROJECT). The very personal weight and torment of being alone and alienated, of feeling uneasy, drunk, confused, misunderstood, and maybe even a little unsafe is all captured in the camera work that will not let you escape the constantly invaded personal space of Tyler’s experience. The visual aesthetic of this film left me with the same visceral emotion of spending an entire evening being physically poked and prodded. While it is a more squirmy, anxiety inducing watch than some may want, TYREL, for me, is a triumph of tightly controlled, experiential, low budget film-making.

Zach- JAMIE LEE CURTIS- HALLOWEEN (2018) She didn’t have to come back. SHE. DID. NOT. HAVE. TO. COME. BACK! David Gordon Green’s latest entry in the beloved horror franchise was a gamble in almost every aspect of its existence. It’s victorious pay off comes from many different angles, but the one that stood out to me (other than Carpenter’s return for music), was getting Curtis to go down this slasher rabbit hole again. Having already revived the character to fine effect ten years earlier in H20 (and then given a pointless end in RESURRECTION), her deciding to come back brought me fan boy confusion and curiosity. Delightfully, the direction she takes Laurie Strode is something pretty astounding. I cannot recall any slasher film that ever made me genuinely cry, but the moment when Laurie disrupts her family dinner at the restaurant and breaks down emotionally is one of the most heart breaking moments in a film this year. Sure, it’s nostalgia driving it somewhat, but she as an actress allows me to feel that pain, fear and anger with her that makes what happens onward a brilliant cathartic experience. She didn’t have to come back to do that… but I am very thankful that she did.

Jack- The Triumvirate of Breakout Debut Performances By Actors Kiki Layne (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK), Elsie Fisher (EIGHTH GRADE) and Yalitza Aparicio (ROMA). Beautiful, heartbreaking, and unbearably authentic. All three moved me to tears.

Best Film of 2018

Casey- Just like the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, you have to win your breed before you can be deemed “Best in Show.” And for 2018, that honor goes to both FIRST REFORMED and ROMA. Every year is a great year at the movies, but in 2018, moviegoers were treated to not one but two career defining masterpieces. What a time to be alive.

*Photo courtesy of Blumhouse Productions*

Zach- BLACKKKLANSMAN. From moment one, Spike Lee doesn’t not disillusion you on what he is about to say. He hasn’t done that from the moment SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT was released. With BK, I feel we get a side of him that is wise but ever prudent. The films story of Ron Stallworth infiltrating the KKK is a story that is right on the level for where everything in the world is right now: absolutely crazy bonkers. Add in solid cinematography, stellar performers, and a dash of pop culture/film history dissection and you have one of the years most engaging films. The fact that this is brought down to earth without providing a sense of humor makes it a important watch that is immensely re-watchable. It’s a film that has a lot to say and thankfully gets to say it all in a thrilling way. And like many of Lee’s films, it uses the relevancy to start an intelligent discussion without being subject to dating itself as the years will roll on. I believe its a film that we are gonna remember, and I sincerely hope we do for a multitude of reasons.

Scott- It’s simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than anyone. All of these statements apply to FIRST REFORMED. As I have stated before, Ethan Hawke has turned in what will easily be a career high for him. Paul Schrader proved (as if he needed to) once again that he is the master of existential crisis. Masterful storytelling and some excellent cinematography to boot. The ending alone will leave you with enough brain tinglings to continue thinking about it for weeks or months — a surefire sign of something gone right.

Erin- FIRST REFORMED. Although Paul Shrader has been making movies for a long time, everything feels intentional in this film. The barren setting, the powerful and understated performance by Amanda Seyfried. Even the metaphors. (Watching Ethan Hawke wash down Whisky with Pepto-Bismol all the while grappling with the reality of climate change and wishing that the truth could burn a little less when it goes down- it’s a powerful thing). I’ve heard people critique the magical realism, but I loved it. I love a little supernatural in my movies. I love wondering if something was real or not. It’s cinema after all! Let’s be bold!

Michael- THE FAVOURITE by the great Yorgos Lanthimos.

Mathew- VICE. It’s a truly rare occasion when “everyone” is right. In this case, they are. (Even if this statement is grammatically incorrect. VICE is that good!)

Jack- Paul Schrader’s magnum opus bookend to TAXI DRIVER is a haunting and devastating mediation on faith, nihilism, longing, catastrophism, the supernatural, repression, and existential crisis- and by FAR the best film of the year. Only three films in memory have left me literally unable to speak when the lights came up (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST and THE TRIBE among them)- now FIRST REFORMED joins them.

Shay- FIRST REFORMED is simply the best the film of 2018. I was skeptical anything would top it when I saw it back in May and while there have been a few films much more tailored to my personal sensibilities since, there is nothing I can, in good faith, argue is a truly better film. It so destroyed me that I’ve honestly had a hard time talking about it. I’ve found myself on the street in broad daylight months later getting choked up over these real feelings of loss and pain and suffering. No film has ever made me so sympathetic to a character struggling with a faith I wasn’t at all invested in beforehand and no film, with my apologies to Al Gore, has ever instilled in me, such a real, overwhelming horror about the destruction of our planet. It is grey, somber, and oppressive, but unforgettably beautiful and Paul Schrader’s level of restraint is what allows it to build to such an effectively catastrophic ending. I also can’t help but love and admire the controversially ambiguous ending — is it unexpectedly hopeful, disappointing sentimental, straight-up nihilistic, or possibly, perfectly bittersweet?

Our Critics :

Shay Wescott is an enthusiast for film, red wine, and wool socks. Originally from the forests of New York State, Shay now lives in mountains of Boulder, Colorado working at the Dairy Arts Center as the Senior Operations Manager by day and programming their Friday Night Weird film series by night. Shay is also the co-host of the upcoming Superlatives Film Podcast, curating the best of under seen and underappreciated independent, art house, and international cinema.

Mathew Klickstein is a longtime journalist, author, filmmaker, arts therapist and playwright. His books include: SLIMED! An Oral History of Nickelodeon’s Golden Age, Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons and his forthcoming comedic novel about “geek culture,” Selling Nostalgia . His work has appeared in such outlets as: Wired, NY Daily News, Vulture and The New Yorker. He is the writer of Sony Pictures’ Against the Dark and directed/produced the feature documentaries Act Your Age: The Kids of Widney High Story and On Your Marc about TV’s Marc Summers. He co-created and was head writer/field producer for a comedic travelogue series on the National Lampoon Network called Collegetown USA and was a casting producer for Food Network’s Restaurant; Impossible. He has also written and produced such theatrical projects as Ladies of the Fly — an immersive, gender-bending rendition of Lord of the Flies — and disLabled in partnership with Denver’s Phamaly Theatre Company. He sits on the Dairy Arts Center’s Boedecker Theater Programming Board and lives in Lyons, Colorado with his wife Becky. Mathew received his BFA in screenwriting from the University of Southern California. His bio is getting harder and harder to condense. www.MathewKlickstein.com

Michael Brody is a writer and filmmaker based in Crested Butte, CO. He is the Artistic and Programming Director of the Crested Butte Film Festival.

Michael J. Casey writes about movies for Boulder Weekly, a weekly print newspaper with a circulation of 34,000. He also writes about beer there too, but tries not to mix them too much. He also contributes to VagueVisage.com and is a bit too infatuated with his essay on how Yasujiro Ozu might have directed Christopher Robin. You can read more of his film-related work here and here.

Erin Brown is a director/writer/editor, whose work has taken her across the United States and around the globe. She has worked on projects with Selena Gomez, Eminem, Zach Galifianakis, and many more heavy hitters including recent collaborators Lena Dunham, Emmy Rossum, and Elisabeth Moss. Erin’s most recent directorial short Rekindled has played in 12 Oscar Qualifying festivals and won 15 awards. Always one to defy socially imposed parameters, Erin’s other short films tell stories in a variety of genres, including experimental (But First…), action-comedy (Hotwire), TV (Adopted), documentary (Wildman Athletica), and foreign-language (Семья). Erin’s video for “Courage Is” by then unsigned band, The Strange Familiar, was picked up by ABC Family for broadcast nationwide. Erin co-founded Salute Your Shorts Film Festival in Los Angeles. As Artistic Director, she curated an outstanding group of films, several of which have since become Oscar nominated. Also a skilled editor, Erin cut Tokyo Project for EP Lena Dunham and Emmy-winning director Richard Shepard. The short premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival and is currently on HBO. When she’s not snuggling with her pets, Erin spends her free time dangling from the ceiling by aerial silks.

Scott Aigner is a Midwesterner at heart and a long time cinephile. Currently a higher education fine art studio instructor in Washington State by trade, he is an artist by passion, and a cinematic obsessive by blood. When not teaching and creating he can be found watching, pondering, and writing about film and heading up the Screening Committee for the Crested Butte International Film Festival. A wide range of his studio practice can be found at thelumierebrothers.com.

Zach Eastman is a writer, critic, producer, and filmmaker based out of Denver, CO. You can hear his cinematic musings as part of the Reel Nerds Podcast.

Jack Hanley is a writer, critic, academic, and filmmaker based in Boulder, Colorado. His upcoming documentary EVIL CHEESEY RIDES AGAIN releases in 2019. Additionally, he is the Host and Moderator of the Crested Butte International Film Festival. Should you have the stomach for it, you can read his cinematic and cultural musings at the Alone in the Dark Film Blog, his Twitter page, and Mile High Cinema. He is the co-host of the upcoming The Superlatives Film Podcast. He can occasionally be found in musty academic settings, usually savagely ruining films for his friends and family.

Alone in the Dark

Sunday, January 27, 2019

The Year In Cinema 2018: Critic's Roundup

The Year In Cinema 2018

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