Something You Said’s top films of 2018
These are the best movies of the year, as voted for by our team of contributors:
1. LADY BIRD
In Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig has written and directed a funny, touching and truthful coming-of-age comedy/drama. Saoirse Ronan is as brilliant as ever, playing the spiky, confident-yet-vulnerable teenage protagonist transitioning awkwardly from childhood into adulthood.
2. LEAVE NO TRACE
Thomasin McKenzie puts in a magnificent performance in a film that intensely grips, as it offers a heartbreaking window into the lives of those who find it impossible to fit in and those who long to do just that. This is an unmissable, slow-burning drama.
3. THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
Entirely worth the many plaudits it has received, this movie tells a tale of vengeance, mourning, anger and dignity, with standout performances from Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson.
4. A QUIET PLACE
Taut and unbearably tense, A Quiet Place delivers inventive, post-apocalyptic horror. Its use of sound, and lack of it, is stunning and there are several moments that will have you jumping out of your seat.
5. AMERICAN ANIMALS
Nail-biting from start to finish, Bart Layton’s film blurs the line between documentary and fictionalised drama, telling the story of a group of young men who carry out the robbery of a rare book from the library at Transylvania University.
6. THE INCREDIBLES 2
If you didn’t think we needed a sequel, so many years on, it turns out you were utterly wrong. The Incredibles 2 is even more entertaining, funny and exciting than its predecessor, while dealing cleverly with family dynamics.
7. COCO
A film that treats life and death with respect and love, Coco is utterly beautiful from start to finish. There are some sweet musical numbers too. Ps: expect to cry.
8. A STAR IS BORN
Bradley Cooper’s Jackson is absolutely believable as a celebrated musician who has become entirely disillusioned and depressed, whilst simultaneously being crippled by alcoholism and tinnitus. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga is sensational as the punchy-yet-sweet, innocent-yet-wise Ally. Their relationship is tender, frustrating, loving and heartbreaking as the dynamic of celebrity shifts. The onstage scenes, particularly, are impressively executed, looking truly authentic and sounding great.
9. EARLY MAN
Suitable for all ages, Early Man is highly enjoyable with its quirky characters and a script that centres around football. Even if you’re not the biggest sports fan, you’ll be able to understand the film’s reference to the importance of being part of a team and standing up for what you believe in.
10. MCQUEEN
Rare TV appearances, and of course, footage of the ground-breaking, outré of his catwalk shows paint, chronologically, the ever-speeding dance and tragic crescendo of the McQueen story.
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(Our team is based all over the world, so something that was released in 2017 in your territory, may have been released in 2018 in theirs):
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Previous winners:
2017: BLADE RUNNER 2049
2016: HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE
2015: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
2014: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
2013: SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
