The Best (and Worst) of 2018

Best Movie: Aquaman

(2. A Star is Born 3. First Reformed 4. A Simple Favor 5. The Favourite 6. Can You Ever Forgive Me? 7. Paddington 2 8. If Beale Street Could Talk 9. Annihilation 10. Mandy)

James Wan's visionary and epic movie is without doubt the most entertaining film of the year. Funny, spectacular and filled with so much heart, Aquaman gave us heroes to cheer for, villains to fear and new, magical places to travel to. And the scale of the third act alone is one of the grandest things ever depicted on screen. I already saw it three times and I simply cannot wait to see it again.

Best Actor: Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine in A Star is Born

(2. Ethan Hawke, First Reformed 3. Tom Hardy, Venom 4. Christian Bale, Vice 5. Viggo Mortensen, Green Book)

Cooper's beautiful and haunting work as Jackson Maine is his best performance to date. We like him, we root for him, yet we all know that his story won't end happily. Cooper's incredible singing voice adds so much to the movie but it's his haunted aura that really sells him as the doomed singer. It's an unforgettable work and one that it will be very hard for him to top in the future.

Best Actress: Lady Gaga as Ally in A Star is Born

(2. Emma Stone, The Favourite 3. Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me? 4. Toni Collette, Hereditary 5. Saoirse Ronan, Mary Queen of Scots)

Lady Gaga gives it her all as Ally - her heart, her soul and her incredible voice. She is shy, she is lost, she is strong, she is passionate. Watching her is so compelling because Gaga make her Ally feel like an actual person, with all the imperfections. And the most amazing thing is that Gaga's acting actually matches the strength of her singing voice here.

Best Supporting Actor: Sam Elliott as Bobby Maine in A Star is Born

(2. Nicholas Hoult, The Favourite 3. Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me? 4. Mahershala Ali, Green Book 5. John Krasinski, A Quiet Place)

Sam Elliot's beautiful work as Bobby adds so much to the tragedy of the movie - we don't know Bobby that well but we know just enough - we know he was there for his brother while also dealing with his hard life. A bit of a father to him, a bit of a companion but always a bleeding heart since he knows he cannot rescue Jackson from the darkness within him, always ready to claim him for itself.

Best Supporting Actress: Blake Lively as Emily Nelson in A Simple Favor

(2. Olivia Colman, The Favourite 3. Elizabeth Debicki, Widows 4. Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place 5. Margot Robbie, Mary Queen of Scots)

Blake Lively bravura turn as wicked and cunning Emily is - along with Tom Hardy's work in Venom - the most entertaining performance of the year. Her Emily is chic, fun and very dangerous. I really hope we will see more of Lively in the films actually worthy of her talents. In this one she proved she can do it all - comedy, drama and thriller.

(10 best performances of the year)

Brokeback Mountain Award for the Most Important Movie of the Year: Black Panther
Best Ensemble: The Favourite (2. Widows 3. A Star is Born 4. Aquaman 5. Black Panther)
Best director: James Wan, Aquaman (2. Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite 3. Paul Schrader, First Reformed 4. Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born 5. Berry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk)
Best adapted screenplay: Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2. If Beale Street Could Talk 3. A Star is Born, 4. Blackkklansman 5. A Simple Favor)
Best original screenplay: First Reformed (2. The Favourite 3. Vice 4. Hereditary 5. Vox Lux)
Best music: Aquaman (2. If Beale Street Could Talk 3. Mandy 4. Annihilation 5. First Man)
Best use of song: She's a mystery to me, Aquaman (2. Ocean to Ocean, Aquaman 3. Thunderstruck, Deadpool 2 4. I can't help falling in love with you, Crazy Rich Asians 5. Rubberband man, Avengers: Infinity War)

Best track: Kingdom of Atlantis, Aquaman (2. Arthur, Aquaman 3. Alien, Annihilation 4. Apollo 11 Launch, First Man 5. Death and Ashes, Mandy)
Best Song: Shallow, A Star is Born (2. Black Eyes, A Star is Born 3. Always Remember Us that Way, A Star is Born 4. Everything I Need, Aquaman 5.Ashes, Deadpool 2)
Best sound: Annihilation (2. A Quiet Place 3. A Star is Born 4. Suspiria 5. First Man)
Best costumes: Aquaman (2. A Simple Favor 3. The Favourite 4. Black Panther 5. Vox Lux)
Best production design: Aquaman (2. The Favourite 3. Annihilation 4. Paddington 2 5. Mary Queen of Scots)
Best cinematography:  A Star is Born (2. Mandy 3. First Reformed 4. Aquaman 5. If Beale Street Could Talk)
Best shot of the year: The Trench, Aquaman (2. Atlantis, Aquaman 3. For Jackson, A Star is Born 4. The Nooses, A Star is Born 5. I wanna catch on fire, A Star is Born) (full post)
Best editing: A Star is Born (2. Annihilation 3. Game Night 4. Assassination Nation 5. Hereditary)
Best visual effects: Aquaman (2. Paddington 2 3. Avengers: Infinity War 4. Deadpool 2 5. Annihilation)
Best make up: Vice (2. Aquaman 3. Annihilation 4. Suspiria 5.Destroyer)
Biggest Disappointment: Burning
Worst Performance by an Actress: Scarlett Johansson, Avengers: Infinity War
Worst Performance by an Actor:  Jim Sturgess, London Fields
Most Overhyped: Burning
Worst Movie of the Year: Cloverfield Paradox 
Most underrated: Assassination Nation (2. A Simple Favor 3. Apostle)
Best Scene of the year: Shallow, A Star is Born (2. Welcome Home, Aquaman 3. The ending, First Reformed 4. The ending, A Star is Born 5. The dance, A Quiet Place 6. Commanding the sea, Aquaman 7. The lobster tank, Venom 8. The accident, Hereditary 9. Sarah returns, The Favourite 10. The landing, Deadpool 2) (full post)
Funniest scene: The lobster tank, Venom (2. The drag queens, A Star is Born 3. The landing, Deadpool 2 4. Roses, Aquaman 5. -I am Groot -I am Steve Rogers, Avengers: Infinity War 6. Who is coming? What the fuck?, A Star is Born 7. Thor meets the Guardians, Avengers: Infinity War 8. Tony meets the Guardians, Avengers: Infinity War 9. Wig throwin', Black Panther)
The most unintentionally funny scene: Robert Duvall in his pyjamas, armed with a gun and racism, Widows (2. That guy that had a rock fall on him and then just walked it off, Aquaman) 
"You Never Can Tell" award for the best dance scene:  A Quiet Place (2. The Favourite 3. A Simple Favor)
The most I cried during the movie:  A Star is Born (2. If Beale Street Could Talk 3. Aquaman)
Best Kiss: First Reformed (2. Arthur and Mera, Aquaman 3. Jackson and Ally's last kiss, A Star is Born 4. Eddie and She-Venom, Venom 5. Stephanie and Emily, A Simple Favor)
Best Fight: Arthur and Mera vs Black Manta on Sicily, Aquaman (2. Atlanna vs the soldiers, Aquaman 3. Bathroom fight, Mission Impossible - Fallout 4. Submarine fight, Aquaman 5. Chainsaw, Mandy)
Best performance under 30 minutes of screentime: Nicholas Hoult, The Favourite (2. Sam Rockwell, Vice 3. Jason Isaacs, Death of Stalin 4. Temuera Morrison, Aquaman 5. Rupert Friend, A Simple Favor)
Best Quote: I will not lie - THAT is love, The Favourite (2. You don't need to apologize. It's a fucked up female's habit. You don't need to be sorry for anything ever, A Simple Favor 3. Unbow your head sister, If Beale Street Could Talk 4. If you trusted love this far, don't panic now - trust it all the way, If Beale Street Could Talk 5. A hero fights for his nation, you fight for everyone, Aquaman 6. I’m done being treated like a shit. Not again, not by you, not by anyone, Widows 7. Cause how you say it is the stuff of angels, A Star is Born 8. One minute doesn't make a man, Mary Queen of Scots)

Best Line delivery: Apparently I have a parasite, Venom (2. You shut your goddamn trash mouth!, Deadpool 2 3. I think you may be a songwriter,  A Star is Born 4. Up. My. Ass., Venom 5. Everything Christian Bale says as Dick Cheney, Vice 6. Bad guys behind us!, Aquaman 7. I'm sorry, EARTH IS CLOSED TODAY, Avengers: Infinity War 8. What?! It's a disgrace!, Black Panther 9. Because no one thinks we have the balls to pull this off, Widows, 10. Something, something, Trident, Aquaman 11. Place looks like my ass. Green Book 12. One. True. King, Aquaman 13. Your...inferior?, Mary Queen of Scots)
Best Opening: A Star is Born (2. Aquaman)
Best Ending: First Reformed (2. A Star is Born 3. Aquaman 4. The Favourite)
The Lisbeth Salander favorite hero award goes to: Arthur, Aquaman (2. Eddie, Venom 3. Avengers, Avengers: Infinity War 4. Okoye, Black Panther 5. Olivia the Dog, Widows)
The Joker favorite villain award goes to: Emily, A Simple Favor (2. Orm, Aquaman 3. Joan, Hereditary 4. Thanos, Avengers: Infinity War 5. Black Manta, Aquaman)
Best comedy performance of the year:  Tom Hardy, Venom (2. Blake Lively, A Simple Favor 3. Awkwafina, Crazy Rich Asians 4. Ryan Reynolds. Deadpool 2 5. Rachel McAdams, Game Night)
Oscar Isaac in Suburbicon award for best performance in a terrible movie: Steven Yeun, Burning (2. Glenn Close, The Wife 3. Paul Rudd, Mute 4. Zoe Kravitz, The Crimes of Grindewald 5. Amber Heard, London Fields)
Best character entrance: Arthur, Aquaman (2. Emily, A Simple Favor 3. Bobby, A Star is Born)
Sweetest scene of the year: Roses, Aquaman (2. Parking lot scene, A Star is Born 3. Atlanna and Thomas meet, Aquaman 4. Jack helps Lee clean her apartment, Can You Ever Forgive Me? 5. The selfie, Aquaman)

The Fly award for the single most disgusting thing in a movie goes to:  Mother Markos, Suspiria (2. The bear, Annihilation 3. Olga's dance, Suspiria. 4. Treating the wounds, Revenge 5. The head covered with ants, Hereditary)
Go off, QUEEN! Wonder Woman award for the best kickass moment delivered by a lady in a movie goes to: Mera in the vineyard, Aquaman (2. Ally protecting Jackson in the pub, A Star is Born 3. Viola Davis shooting Liam Neeson, Widows 4. Atlanna protecting her family from the soldiers, Aquaman 5. Okoye in the club, Black Panther)
Best Chemistry: Jackson and Ally, A Star is Born (2. Atlanna and Thomas, Aquaman 3. Mera and Arthur, Aquaman 4. Thor and Rocket, Avengers: Infinity War 5.Tony and Doctor Strange, Avengers: Infinity War)
Uggie's award for the best dog goes to: Olivia, Widows and Game Night (2. Golden Retriever, Aquaman 3. The Yorkie, The Meg 4. Papillon, Venom)
"Bitch please" sassy diva award goes to: King Nereus, Aquaman (2. Okoye, Black Panther + Avengers: Infinity War 3. Venom, Venom 4. Emily, A Simple Favor 5. Lady Sarah, The Favourite)

Tub Scene award for the hottest sexy scene of the year goes to:  Permission to come aboard?, Aquaman (2. Jackson taking care of Ally's hand in the parking lot, A Star is Born 3.Thor powering the star, Avengers: Infinity War 4. Henry Cavill throwing punches, Mission Impossible - Fallout 5. Steve Rogers sliding in mud in Wakanda, Avengers: Infinity War)
Logan award for the hottest character of the year goes to: Arthur, Aquaman (2. Jackson Maine sans alcoholism and pissing himself, A Star is Born 3. Steve "I have a beard now and I do what I want" Rogers, Avengers: Infinity War 4. Thor, Avengers: Infinity War 5. Emily, A Simple Favor)
Pussy Wagon travel in style award goes to: Mera's ship, Aquaman (2. Jackson's bike, A Star is Born)
J.J. Abrams award for most shattering moment in film goes to: The second to last editing cut, A Star is Born (2. The dog outside the garage, A Star is Born 3. Jackson breaks down in rehab, A Star is Born 4. Annie finds the body in the car, Hereditary 5. Rocket watching Groot die, Avengers: Infinity War)

Amy Dunne award for the most influential haircut goes to: Atlanna, Aquaman (2. Emily, A Simple Favor 3. Mera, Aquaman)
Best Trailer: A Star is Born (2. Mission Impossible - Fallout 3. Aquaman 4. Green Book 5. Vice)
Most rewatched: Aquaman, Venom and A Simple Favor - 3 times
"Am I high or did it actually happen?" question for the most ridiculous movie moment goes to: Where they kill the entire franchise with anything can happen line, Cloverfield Paradox (2. Sarah NOT telling the Queen that Abigail poisoned her, The Favourite 3.Natalie Portman actually cheating on Oscar Isaac, Annihilation 4. Horse people, Sorry to Bother You 5. The baby switch, The Crimes of Grindewald)
The Jar Jar binks facepalm gesture statute for the most annoying character of the year goes to: Black Widow, as played by a bored hag who would rather steal parts from minorities, Avengers: Infinity War (2. Everyone in Cloverfield Paradox)
Matthias Schoenaerts' characters in 2015 (in the films people actually saw) RUN award goes to:  Mahershala Ali from the white devils involved in Green Book (2. All those adorable creatures trapped in this trash universe, The Crimes of Grindewald 3. An actor I actually like - Tom Hollander - being surrounded by the trash cast and crew in Bohemian Rhapsody including Simple Rami Malek and Brian May's sentient powdered wig)
The shirt with the scarlet H letter for the Hypocrite of the year goes to: Hollywood and their silence on Bryan Singer (2. Jennifer Lawrence "I am empowered watch me in another misogynistic trash", Red Sparrow)
"I wish it was a dream" award for the single dumbest plot maneuver goes to: Getting pregnant during the silent apocalypse, A Quiet Place (2. Not revealing to the world your dead husband is a shithead, The Wife 3. Sarah not delivering the letter via her friend and not anticipating Abigail will read it, The Favourite)
How the mighty have fallen award goes to: Duncan Jones, Mute
Flaming dog poo and eternal shame goes to: Every single person who paid money to see Bohemian Rhapsody (2. Jennifer Lawrence starring in yet another disguising male fantasy, Red Sparrow 3. Rami "I know nothing!" Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody 4. AMPAS for what they are about to do today)
Lars Von Trier award for the biggest piece of misogynistic shit goes to: Red Sparrow (2. Burning)
Tree of Life bucket of coffee award for the most boring movie of the year goes to: Roma (2. Burning 3. Cloverfield Paradox 4. Mute)

Highest number of positive mentions:
Aquaman - 52 (-1) = 51, wins = 20
A Star is Born - 37, wins = 12
A Simple Favor - 16, wins = 3
Avengers: Infinity War - 18 (- 2) = 16, wins = 0
The Favourite - 17 (-2) = 15, wins = 2
Venom - 11, wins = 4
Annihilation - 10 (-1) = 9, wins = 1
First Reformed - 8, wins = 3
Black Panther - 8, wins = 1
If Beale Street Could Talk - 8, wins = 0

2018 films I've seen:

Aquaman, 95/100
 A Star is Born, 95/100
First Reformed, 94/100
A Simple Favor, 93/100
The Favourite, 93/100
Can you ever forgive me?, 91/100
Paddington 2, 89/100
If Beale Street Could Talk, 88/100
Annihilation, 87/100
Mandy, 84/100
Mary Queen of Scots, 83/100
Vox Lux, 83/100
Assassination Nation, 83/100
Deadpool 2, 82/100
Mission Impossible: Fallout, 82/100
Vice, 82/100
Revenge, 81/100
Hereditary, 81/100
Searching, 80/100
Black Panther, 80/100
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, 79/100
Old Man and the Gun. 79/100
Green Book, 79/100
Eight Grade, 76/100
The Death of Stalin, 76/100
Infinity War, 75/100
The Tale, 75/100
Blackkklansman, 74/100
First Man, 73/100
Crazy Rich Asians, 73/100
Game Night, 72/100
Destroyer, 71/100
A Private War, 70/100
Venom, 66/100
Tully, 66/100
Suspiria, 66/100
Creed II, 66/100
Overlord, 66/100
Wildlife, 65/100
You Were Never Really Here, 65/100
Thoroughbreds, 65/100
Unsane, 65/100
Ant-Man and the Wasp, 65/100
Colette, 65/100
Apostle, 65/100
Cam, 65/100
The Ritual, 65/100
Upgrade, 65/100
Halloween, 65/100
Teen Titans GO! to the Movies, 65/100
The Incredibles 2, 65/100
Braven, 64/100
A Quiet Place, 64/100
Widows, 64/100
Ocean's 8, 63/100
Ready Player One, 62/100
Disobedience, 61/100
Rampage, 60/100
The Meg, 58/100
Solo, 58/100
Bad Times at the El Royale, 57/100
Tag, 55/100
I Feel Pretty, 53/100
Bird Box, 52/100
Support the Girls, 52/100
Boy Erased, 51/100
Leave no Trace, 51/100
Blockers, 50/100
Life of the Party, 49/100
The Commuter, 47/100
The Front Runner, 43/100
Hold the Dark, 42/100
Crimes of Grindewald, 40/100
The Wife, 39/100
The Nun, 36/100
The Sister Brothers, 36/100
Elizabeth Harvest, 35/100
Burning, 34/100
Mute, 25/100
Bohemian Rhapsody, 24/100
The Predator, 22/100
Under the Silver Lake, 15/100
Red Sparrow, 15/100
London Fields, 14/100
The Happtime Murders, 12/100
Sorry to Bother You, 11/100
Cloverfield Pardaox, 8/100