We’re now halfway through the year, which means it’s time to take a look at the best movies from the first half of 2018.
Two quick notes:
1) Even though this post is in July, I am only considering movies that came out through June.
2) Well-received movies that I have not seen yet that might have cracked the top 10 had I seen them: Upgrade; Won’t You Be My Neighbor; Leave No Trace; Love, Simon
10) Tag; 82/100
A great cast with a unique plot, based on a true story. The core cast all hit their marks and give truly great performances. A couple major miscues prevent it from being a great comedy. But “very good” is still nothing to scoff at.
You can read my review here.
9) Ready Player One; 83/100
Fantastic pacing and visually awesome, Ready Player One is, simply put, a fun movie. Some viewers tired of the constant pop culture references, but I enjoyed them all. Probably because it legitimately fit into the story.
You can read my review here.
8) Blockers; 85/100
This was a surprise for me. I thought it would be an average comedy, maybe being in the 70s range, topping out in the high 70s. But the cast was much better than I expected. I didn’t know too much about the three girls, aside from Kathryn Newton’s small role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. But they were great. I especially liked Geraldine Viswanathan, who played John Cena’s daughter. And it was nice to see Ike Barinholtz do well in a larger role than he normally gets.
I didn’t see this one until just a couple weeks ago so I didn’t put out a review,
7) Dead Pool 2; 86/100
An instance of “more of the same” being a very good thing. Felt very similar to the first Deadpool but not in a way that felt recycled. Ryan Reynolds was born to play this character and once again brought the heat. I’m not sure, though, if a threequel would be as successful if they don’t tweak the formula a bit.
You can read my review here
6) Annihilation; 86/100
This was a trippy movie, but in a good way. A great engaging story brought to life by outstanding performances. Natalie Portman (Best Actress) and Tessa Thompson (Best Supporting Actress) could both in the running for nominations come award season.
I wasn’t able to see this until a few weeks after it was released, so I didn’t write a review.
5) Game Night; 87/100
I was so happy this movie was as good as it turned out to be. With such an awesome cast, it would have been a massive letdown had it bombed. But this movie is great. I’d have to go back and look at a complete listing of what’s come out, but it might be a top-5 comedy of the 2010s.
I didn’t see this until a few months after it came out, so I didn’t write a review.
4) The Incredibles 2; 88/100
I was 14 when The Incredibles came out back in 2004. That means I waited literally half my life for the sequel. And man was it worth the wait. The characters, the score, the animation, it was all awesome. Baby Jack-Jack might be the breakout star of the year.
You can read my review here.
3) Black Panther; 92/100
Bumps Thor: Ragnarok and Winter Soldier as the best standalone MCU movie. Chadwick Boseman owns the Black Panther role, and Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger is a top tier villain, Marvel and otherwise. But what really helps set it apart is how deep the cast is. So many strong supporting characters that no other MCU entry (standalone at least) has been able to match so far.
You can read my review here.
2) Avengers: Infinity War; 94/100
The pinnacle of the MCU (at least until Avengers 4 comes out next year). It’s right up there as one of the best superhero movies of all time, though Dark Knight and possibly Logan would probably still edge it out. Still, given the massive scale of the movie — from the plot, to the gigantic cast, everything — makes this the most successful superhero movie. I cannot wait to own this movie and just watch it over and over.
You can read my review here.
1) A Quite Place; 95/100
Just such an awesome movie-going experience. I’m quite curious to see how it holds up on a rewatch at home instead of in a theatre. Emily Blunt is still my current choice for Best Actress and John Krasinski would get the nod for me for Best Director. I hope the buzz lasts and A Quiet Place gets the Oscar recognition it deserves.
You can read my review here.
It’s been a pretty strong year for movies so far. And with quite a few highly anticipated movies still to come, 2018 should prove to be a great movie year.
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