10 best scenes in 2018

The most wonderful time of the year is finally here! It's when I get to share my love for the greatest things in movies from last year. Just like in 2017, I'm starting with best scenes of the year. Unfortunately I didn't see all the films I planned - Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, Destroyer, Vox Lux and I didn't finish the one I don't want to watch but have to - Roma, so here we go, this is the list of the best scenes out of 77 2018 releases I watched.

18. The snap, Avengers: Infinity War
17. Moon landing, First Man
16. Hard stare, Paddington 2
15. The ending, The Favourite
14. Atlanna vs the soldiers, Aquaman
13. The Trench, Aquaman
12. Lee's statement in court, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
11. Always Remember Us This Way, A Star is Born

10. The landing, Deadpool 2
There have been plenty of hilarious moments in 2018 films but few made me laugh harder than the ridiculous sequence in which Deadpool's shiny new team gets slaughtered one by one thanks to lack of attention to weather and really bad luck. It has everything - a wood chipper, acid vomit and yes, even Brad Pitt cameo.

9. Sarah returns, The Favourite
The Favourite is filled with combat - word against the word, intrigue against the intrigue, lie against the lie. But the best of it comes after lady Sarah returns from the dead - that is the poisoning by Abigail. There is no charade here - they both know they want the other one gone. And watching them admit that in the open is quite simply delicious to witness as are Weisz's and Stone's wicked performances.

8. The accident, Hereditary
The single most shocking sequence in years. If you didn't know it was coming, you were probably as shocked as Alex Wolfe's character was when it happened. In this scene his character is driving frantically, since his little sister Charlie is having an allergic reaction. When he sees an animal on the road he takes a sharp turn....one that decapitates the sister on a telephone pole. What made it even more shocking was a very smart marketing campaign from A24 which made it look like Charlie is going to be a major part of the film.

7. The lobster tank, Venom
I still don't know whether it was unintentionally or intentionally hilarious but whatever the intentions behind it, the ridiculous sequence in which Tom Hardy, who is clearly having the time of his life in this film, jumps into a lobster tank in a crowded restaurant is one of the most memorable scenes from last year. Yes, there are many better CBMs out there. And their makers would be so lucky to have a gem of such an iconic scene in them.

6. Commanding the sea, Aquaman
This is probably the most epic moment I've ever seen. Arthur, finally wielding the Trident of Atlan, commands the sea creatures to stop fighting.  They obey scattering around him as we go further and see Arthur standing on the head of Karathan, as a King ruling his realm at last. It's amazing that Aquaman starts above the water with a simple lighthouse keeper and the journey leads to such magic under the surface.

5. The dance, A Quiet Place
I was not the fan of this movie, I found the script to be both derivative and incredibly silly. However John Krasinski's direction was really good, particularly when he was directing his beloved wife Emily Blunt (it's a shame she wasn't at the very least nominated for her work here). The film has some genuinely touching moments, all thanks to the acting. The most heartwarming scene happens when the couple - both off and on screen - dance slowly, just the two of them, forgetting about the horrors around them for a moment.

4.The ending, A Star is Born
There have been no moment more shattering the whole 2018, perhaps even if we combined all the other moving scenes in 2018, than the second to last editing cut of A Star is Born. As we watch Ally sing her song for her dead husband we suddenly cut to the happier time when Jackson was still alive and the two were working on that very song together. And then we get one more cut, taking us back to Ally, looking up as if she was trying to see Jackson and then right back at us.

3. The ending, First Reformed
In many ways this right here is the most beautiful scene of the year. In my interpretation this right here is the last thought our protagonist had. In the last moments of his life he imagines the only person he had left who he cared about caring about him back and exchanging a passionate kiss. It's a stunning moment and the second time during the film where it breaks from cold reality. And in what an ecstatic, rapturous way it does so here.

2. Welcome home, Aquaman 
In the astonishingly gorgeous moment Arthur and the audience get their first look at the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. Jason Momoa captures his character's amazement so well and the images we are seeing are simply stunning. All of this is accompanied by the score's best track which sound like something out of Blade Runner. It's been a while since we saw such an intricate and fresh new world in cinema and thanks to the wonderful reception of the film, we will be coming back to Atlantis.

1. Shallow, A Star is Born
In the stunning sequence that is the heart of the movie Ally finally decides to go see Jackson's concert. As she is approaching the stage we hear one of the best tracks from the soundtrack - "Out of Time". Then the song seamlessly goes into "Alibi" and after that Jackson greets Ally. And we all know what happens next. Jackson sings Ally song and she joins him and very quickly magic happens. The love of creating. The love of music. The love of sharing your song with the audience. And sharing it with the one you love. Gaga, beautifully directed by Cooper, sings her heart out and the moment she reaches the biggest part of the song, but not before glancing at her beloved and grabbing the microphone, finally, at last, doing what she always wanted to do - is transcendent and never fails to move me to tears.