The Good and the Wretched Films of 2018

Throughout the year I keep a list of all the new release films I’ve seen, doing a rough ranking as I go. I started doing this in 2016 (and my 2017 list is available here). In late December I do a re-ranking, repositioning films that might not look as good months on or moving up others that benefit from some dwelling time. A dozen or so titles I needed to look up on IMDb because I’d completely forgotten ever seeing them.

If you’re seeking recommendations, the films I’m enthusiastic about are in the top 26: I’d consider the top 11 as must-sees and the others as pretty great. From 27 to 65 are films I considered good – that I enjoyed and are worth seeing if you have the time or inclination. 66 to 130 are the average and mediocre guff, many of which I’ve forgotten or which have merged together in a forgettable blur. From 131 on are the films that I actively hated and which I either napped through, walked out on, or continue to rage against months on.

These are films that I saw in cinemas in Australia or the US in the 2018 calendar year, alternatively were 2018 new releases on streaming services.

Enjoy and have an lovely 2019!

  1. Call Me by Your Name
  2. Tully
  3. The Tale
  4. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
  5. The Children Act
  6. Bohemian Rhapsody
  7. The Kindergarten Teacher
  8. I, Tonya
  9. Breath
  10. Boy Erased
  11. The Hate U Give
  12. Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool
  13. A Star Is Born
  14. Paddington 2
  15. Life Itself
  16. Vox Lux
  17. Puzzle
  18. The Wife
  19. Searching
  20. The Vanishing of Sidney Hall
  21. Love, Simon
  22. Eighth Grade
  23. Green Book
  24. Indivisibili (Indivisible)
  25. Nancy
  26. Teströl és lélekröl (On Body and Soul)
  27. The Breaker Upperers
  28. The Post
  29. The Commuter
  30. How to Talk to Girls At Parties
  31. The Miss Education of Cameron Post
  32. Ben Is Back
  33. Freak Show
  34. RBG
  35. Humor Me
  36. Aus dem Nichts (In the Fade)
  37. Ghosthunter
  38. Flower
  39. Golden Exits
  40. The Land of Steady Habits
  41. Three Identical Strangers
  42. Dark Money
  43. Agnyaathavaasi
  44. I Think We’re Alone Now
  45. Coco
  46. Can You Ever Forgive Me?
  47. Juliet, Naked
  48. Hearts Beat Loud
  49. Kodachrome
  50. Visages villages (Faces Places)
  51. The Quiet Place
  52. Plaire, aimer et courir vite (Sorry Angel)
  53. Disobedience
  54. Acute Misfortune
  55. The Favourite
  56. Instant Family
  57. The Mule
  58. Todos lo saben (Everybody Knows)
  59. Duck Butter
  60. Swimming With Men
  61. Permission
  62. On Chesil Beach
  63. Brad’s Status
  64. Who We Are Now
  65. The Bookshop
  66. Annihilation
  67. Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman)
  68. I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story
  69. Beast
  70. (Das Versprechen) Killing For Love
  71. Ideal Home
  72. Thoroughbreds
  73. Ocean’s Eight
  74. Boundaries
  75. Proud Mary
  76. Second Act
  77. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
  78. Father Figures
  79. The Endless
  80. Lizzie
  81. The Party
  82. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
  83. Beirut
  84. A Simple Favor
  85. Gemini
  86. Vice
  87. Please Stand By
  88. American Animals
  89. Blade Runner 2049
  90. Private Life
  91. Welcome to Marwen
  92. Death Wish
  93. Crazy Rich Asians
  94. 120 battements par minute (BPM [Beats Per Minute])
  95. Backstabbing For Beginners
  96. Koly padayut dereva (When the Trees Fall)
  97. Breaking In
  98. The Front Runner
  99. The Clovehitch Killer
  100. Mary Queen of Scots
  101. Furlough
  102. Widows
  103. Red Sparrow
  104. Den of Thieves
  105. Peppermint
  106. The Spy Who Dumped Me
  107. Blockers
  108. Game Night
  109. Tag
  110. Sierra Burgess is a Loser
  111. Isle of Dogs
  112. BlacKkKlansman
  113. Bad Times at the El Royale
  114. In Darkness
  115. Love After Love
  116. Peter Rabbit
  117. Night School
  118. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
  119. An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn
  120. Destination Wedding
  121. Bamui haebyun-eoseo honja (On the Beach at Night Alone)
  122. Ôtez-moi d’un doute (Just to Be Sure)
  123. Life of the Party
  124. Final Portrait
  125. Chappaquiddick
  126. Fuga (Fugue)
  127. Permanent
  128. Gongjak (The Spy Gone North)
  129. The Girl in the Spider’s Web
  130. Ferdinand
  131. The Darkest Hour
  132. Ready Player One
  133. Beautiful Boy
  134. Book Club
  135. The Black Panther
  136. Mary Poppins Returns
  137. Phantom Thread
  138. Inori no maku ga oriru toki (The Crimes That Bind)
  139. The Happytime Murders
  140. Psiconautas, los niños olvidados (Bird Boy: The Forgotten Children)
  141. 7 Days in Entebbe
  142. Chao shi kong tong ju (How Long Will I Love U?)
  143. Unsane
  144. A Wrinkle in Time
  145. First Man
  146. Bad Samaritan
  147. I Feel Pretty
  148. Crooked House
  149. Menashe
  150. Sorry to Bother You
  151. Condorito: The Movie
  152. Félicité
  153. Holmes & Watson
  154. Sherlock Gnomes
  155. Padi Padi Leche Manasu