THE 30 BEST
FILMS OF 2018

The 30 Best Films of 2018 reflect a year of bold storytelling, fresh perspectives, and daring creativity. Genre boundaries blurred, diverse voices took center stage, and personal stories resonated globally. Streaming platforms rose in prominence, award-season surprises defied expectations, and box office records were shattered. From prestige dramas to groundbreaking blockbusters, 2018 proved that cinema could be both thought-provoking and wildly entertaining.

From the gripping intensity of Hereditary, which redefined modern horror, to the cultural phenomenon of Black Panther, which set a new standard for superhero storytelling, 2018’s finest films pushed boundaries and redefined genres. The heartfelt nostalgia of Roma offered an intimate, personal vision, while The Favourite blended biting humor with lavish period drama. Whether tackling social issues, exploring personal identity, or delivering pure spectacle, these films captivated audiences and critics alike, proving that great storytelling comes in many forms.

Our rankings take into account critical acclaim, audience reception, and cultural impact to highlight the year’s most unforgettable films. As we count down, we invite you to revisit the defining movies of 2018, films that sparked conversations, shaped trends, and continue to influence cinema today. 

30

Searching

2018 | 1h 42m | USA | ENGLISH | 13+

Top10nerScore70.008 / 100

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"I didn't know her. I didn't know my daughter."

DIRECTOR: Aneesh Chaganty

WRITERS: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Juan Sebastian Baron

STARRING: John Cho, Debra Messing, Michelle La, Joseph Lee, Sara Sohn

GENRE: Mystery, Thriller

SUB-GENRE: Psychological Thriller

THEME: Screenlife, Faux Found Footage

After David Kim’s 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter’s laptop.

Searching reinvents the thriller with its gripping all-screen format, using digital footprints to unravel a missing persons case. John Cho delivers a powerhouse performance, anchoring a suspenseful, emotionally charged journey. Smartly crafted and deeply immersive, it proves that innovation and storytelling can thrive in perfect sync.

29

MID90s

2018 | 1h 26m | USA | ENGLISH | 16+

Top10nerScore70.041 / 100

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"...you wouldn't trade your shit for their shit."

DIRECTOR: Jonah Hill

WRITERS: Jonah Hill

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Christopher Blauvelt

STARRING: Sunny Suljic, Na-kel Smith, Lucas Hedges, Katherine Waterston, Olan Prenatt, Gio Galicia, Ryder McLaughlin

GENRE: Drama

SUB-GENRE: Period Drama

THEME: Coming-of-Age

In 1990s Los Angeles, a 13-year-old spends his summer navigating between a troubled home life and a crew of new friends he meets at a skate shop.

With mid90s, Jonah Hill creates a love letter to the rebellious spirit of adolescence. The film blends 90s nostalgia with poignant moments of personal discovery, set against the vibrant backdrop of skateboarding culture. Strong performances and an iconic soundtrack elevate this honest and relatable coming-of-age tale.

28

Andhadhun

'Shoot the Piano Player'

2018 | 2h 19m | INDIA | HINDI | 15+

Top10nerScore71.215 / 100

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"When a blind man says he saw something, you should listen."

DIRECTOR: Sriram Raghavan

WRITERS: Sriram Raghavan, Yogesh Chandekar

CINEMATOGRAPHY: K.U. Mohanan, Rajeev Ravi

STARRING: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Manav Vij, Radhika Apte, Zakir Hussain

GENRE: Crime, Black Comedy, Thriller

A series of mysterious events changes the life of a blind pianist who now must report a crime that was actually never witnessed by him.

Andhadhun is a brilliantly twisted ride blending black comedy, suspense, and crime. With Ayushmann Khurrana delivering a pitch-perfect performance and Sriram Raghavan’s sharp direction, the film keeps you on edge, constantly flipping the script. A refreshing and darkly humorous take on the genre that never slows down.

27

Climax

2018 | 1h 37m | FRANCE | FRENCH | 18+

Top10nerScore71.530 / 100

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"Humanity is a plague. We don’t deserve to live."

DIRECTOR: Gaspar Noé

WRITERS: Gaspar Noé

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Benoît Debie

STARRING: Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic, Souheila Yacoub, Kiddy Smile, Claude Gajan Maull, Giselle Palmer

GENRE: Horror

SUB-GENRE: Psychological Horror

THEME: Dance Film, Chamber Film

When a dance troupe is lured to an empty school, a bowl of drug-laced sangria causes their jubilant rehearsal to descend into a dark and explosive nightmare as they try to survive the night—and find who’s responsible—before it’s too late.

Gaspar Noé’s Climax is a hypnotic, feverish plunge into disorienting chaos, where frenetic dance sequences evolve into psychological horror. With its surreal visuals and escalating tension, the film invites you to experience the unraveling madness, making it one of the most provocative and unforgettable cinematic experiences of the decade.

26

The Guilty

'Den skyldige'

2018 | 1h 26m | DENMARK | DANISH | 15+

Top10nerScore72.059 / 100

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"You don’t get to decide who lives and who dies."

DIRECTOR: Gustav Möller

WRITERS: Gustav Möller, Emil Nygaard Albertsen

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Jasper Spanning

STARRING: Jakob Cedergren, Jessica Dinnage, Omar Shargawi, Johan Olsen

GENRE: Thriller, Crime, Mystery

SUB-GENRE: Nordic Noir

THEME: Police Procedural, Chamber Film

Police officer Asger Holm, demoted to desk work as an alarm dispatcher, answers a call from a panicked woman who claims to have been kidnapped. Confined to the police station and with the phone as his only tool, Asger races against time to get help and find her.

The Guilty is a gripping, single-location thriller that masterfully builds tension with every passing minute. Cedergren delivers a remarkable performance as a troubled emergency dispatcher caught in a web of guilt and moral dilemma. The film cleverly explores themes of redemption and the consequences of our actions.

25

Green Book

2018 | 2h 10m | USA | ENGLISH | 13+

Top10nerScore72.084 / 100

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"The world's full of lonely people afraid to make the first move."

DIRECTOR: Peter Farrelly

WRITERS: Brian Hayes Currie, Nick Vallelonga, Peter Farrelly

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Sean Porter

STARRING: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalco

GENRE: Drama, Comedy

SUB-GENRE: Biopic, Period Drama

THEME: Road Movie, Buddy

Tony Lip, a bouncer in 1962, is hired to drive pianist Don Shirley on a tour through the Deep South in the days when African Americans, forced to find alternate accommodations and services due to segregation laws below the Mason-Dixon Line, relied on a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book.

Farrelly’s Green Book transforms a civil rights-era road trip into an intimate character study, propelled by Mahershala Ali’s refined gravitas and Viggo Mortensen’s earthy charm. While its approach to race relations is conventional, its warmth, wit, and compelling performances craft an accessible yet thoughtful crowd-pleaser.

24

Sorry to
Bother You

2018 | 1h 52m | USA | ENGLISH | 17+

Top10nerScore72.144 / 100

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"More like apples and the Holocaust."

DIRECTOR: Boots Riley

WRITERS: Boots Riley

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Doug Emmett

STARRING: LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews

GENRE: Satire, Comedy

SUB-GENRE: Absurdist Comedy

THEME: Dystopian

In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success – which propels him into a macabre universe.

A capitalist fever dream wrapped in dark comedy, Sorry to Bother You delivers a knockout punch to corporate greed and racial code-switching. Riley crafts a world both hilarious and horrifying, where Stanfield’s rise up the ranks takes a nightmarish turn. Bursting with audacity and satire, it’s a genre-bending trip that refuses to be ignored.

23

Long Day's Journey Into Night

'Di qiu zui hou de ye wan'

2018 | 2h 18m | CHINA & FRA | MANDARIN | 16+

Top10nerScore72.151 / 100

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"And then my memories would be made of stone."

DIRECTOR: Bi Gan

WRITERS: Bi Gan

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Yao Hung-I, David Chizallet, Dong Jinsong

STARRING: Tang Wei, Huang Jue, Sylvia Chang, Lee Hong Chi

GENRE: Mystery, Drama

Luo Hongwu returns to Kaili, the hometown from which he fled many years ago. He begins the search for the woman he loved and whom he has never been able to forget.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night is a hypnotic dive into memory & regret, where Bi Gan bends time and space with poetic ambition. The film’s neon-drenched dreamscape, culminating in an astounding hour-long single take, blurs reality and illusion, making for a mesmerizing cinematic puzzle that lingers like a half-remembered dream.

22

Leave No Trace

2018 | 1h 50m | USA & CAN | ENGLISH | 13+

Top10nerScore72.372 / 100

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"The same thing that's wrong with you isn't wrong with me."

DIRECTOR: Debra Granik

WRITERS: Anne Rosellini, Debra Granik

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Michael McDonough

STARRING: Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Foster, Jeff Kober

GENRE: Drama

SUB-GENRE: Family Drama

THEME: Survival

A father and daughter live a perfect but mysterious existence in Forest Park, a beautiful nature reserve near Portland, Oregon, rarely making contact with the world. But when a small mistake tips them off to authorities, they are sent on an increasingly erratic journey in search of a place to call their own.

Leave No Trace is a quietly devastating portrait of survival and belonging. Granik crafts a deeply human tale, where McKenzie and Foster’s tender performances anchor a father-daughter bond tested by society’s grip. With restrained storytelling and naturalistic beauty, it lingers like a whispered truth, haunting yet hopeful.

21

Eighth Grade

2018 | 1h 34m | USA | ENGLISH | 14+

Top10nerScore72.555 / 100

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"Growing up can be a little bit scary and weird."

DIRECTOR: Bo Burnham

WRITERS: Bo Burnham

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Andrew Wehde

STARRING: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson, Jake Ryan

GENRE: Drama, Comedy

SUB-GENRE: Cringe Comedy

THEME: Coming-of-Age, Teen Movie

Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school — the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year — before she begins high school.

Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade nails the awkward, isolating reality of modern adolescence with stunning authenticity. Elsie Fisher’s vulnerable performance grounds a film that captures the digital-age anxiety, unspoken pressures, and fleeting joys of middle school. It’s cringeworthy, hilarious, and deeply empathetic—just like growing up.

20

Black Panther

2018 | 2h 15m | USA | ENGLISH | 13+

Top10nerScore73.152 / 100

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"it's hard for a good man to be king."

DIRECTOR: Ryan Coogler

WRITERS: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Rachel Morrison

STARRING: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Winston Duke, Daniel Kaluuya, Sterling K. Brown, Andy Serkis

GENRE: Action, Science Fiction

THEME: Superhero

T’Challa is crowned king of Wakanda following his father’s death, but he is challenged by Killmonger who plans to abandon the country’s isolationist policies and begin a global revolution.

Black Panther seamlessly combines superhero action with rich cultural depth, crafting a vibrant and thought-provoking narrative. Coogler’s direction excels in balancing the world of Wakanda with emotionally grounded character arcs, especially T’Challa’s evolution. A landmark in filmmaking and representation, redefining the genre.

19

Blindspotting

2018 | 1h 35m | USA | ENGLISH | 17+

Top10nerScore73.402 / 100

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"You monsters got me feeling like a monster in my own town!"

DIRECTOR: Carlos López Estrada

WRITERS: Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Robby Baumgartner

STARRING: Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Ethan Embry

GENRE: Comedy, Drama

THEME: Buddy, Hood Film

Collin, a parolee facing his final three days of probation, needs to stay clear out of trouble. Miles, Collin’s hot-tempered best friend, can’t stay out of it. When Collin witnesses a police shooting, the two men’s friendship is tested, sending Collin and Miles on a collision course with each other.

Blindspotting pulses with energy, offering a raw, unapologetic look at race, friendship, and the complexities of gentrification in Oakland. Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs deliver standout performances, skillfully blending humor and social commentary. The film’s poignant emotional depth stays with you long after the credits roll.

18

If Beale Street
Could Talk

2018 | 2h 00m | USA | ENGLISH | 16+

Top10nerScore73.764 / 100

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"Trust it all the way."

DIRECTOR: Barry Jenkins

WRITERS: Barry Jenkins

CINEMATOGRAPHY: James Laxton

STARRING: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris

GENRE: Romance, Drama

19-year-old Tish and her sculptor fiancé Fonny live together in poverty-stricken 1970s Harlem. Wrongly accused of raping a woman, Fonny is sent to prison without trial. Not long after, Tish discovers she’s expecting Fonny’s baby. Tish sets out to get Fonny out of jail before the baby’s born.

If Beale Street Could Talk is a poetic exploration of love and injustice. Barry Jenkins adapts James Baldwin’s novel with grace, creating a visually striking and emotionally charged story. Stunning performances, especially from KiKi Layne and Stephan James, anchor this deeply resonant, heart-wrenching tale of systemic racism.

17

The Wild
Pear Tree

'Ahlat Agaci'

2018 | 3h 08m | TUR, GER, FRA & BUL | TURKISH | 15+

Top10nerScore74.028 / 100

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"All these small-minded, bigoted people like peas in a pod."

DIRECTOR: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

WRITERS: Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Ebru Ceylan

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Gökhan Tiryaki

STARRING: Doğu Demirkol, Murat Cemcir, Bennu Yıldırımlar, Hazar Ergüçlü, Serkan Keskin, Tamer Levent

GENRE: Drama

Fresh out of university, a Turkish young man with literary aspirations returns to his home village, and to his father, a debt-ridden man with a gambling problem.

With The Wild Pear Tree, Nuri Bilge Ceylan delivers a bittersweet, intricately crafted story of a man returning to his roots. The film delves into complex father-son dynamics, dreams unfulfilled, and the weight of expectations. Beautifully shot and thoughtfully paced, it’s a poetic exploration of identity and disillusionment.

16

Mission: Impossible

Fallout

2018 | 2h 27m | USA | ENGLISH | 13+

Top10nerScore74.418 / 100

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"I'll figure it out."

DIRECTOR: Christopher McQuarrie

WRITERS: Christopher McQuarrie

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Rob Hardy, Hugues Espinasse

STARRING: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby

GENRE: Action, Thriller

THEME: Spy

When an IMF mission ends badly, the world is faced with dire consequences. As Ethan Hunt takes it upon himself to fulfill his original briefing, the CIA begin to question his loyalty and his motives. The IMF team find themselves in a race against time, hunted by assassins while trying to prevent a global catastrophe.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout ramps up the stakes with jaw-dropping stunts, razor-sharp pacing, and a complex plot that keeps you guessing. Tom Cruise, in his most thrilling outing yet, delivers a performance that blends charisma and grit. McQuarrie’s flawless direction ensures this is a high-octane thrill ride that’s both smart and exhilarating.

15

La Flor

'The Flower'

2018 | 13h 23m😱 | ARGENTINA | SPANISH | 17+

Top10nerScore74.454 / 100

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"It’s a film within a film, within a film."

DIRECTOR: Mariano Llinás

WRITERS: Mariano Llinás

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Agustín Mendilaharzu

STARRING: Elisa Carricajo, Valeria Correa, Pilar Gamboa, Laura Paredes, Esteban Lamothe, Santiago Gobernori, Mariano Llinás, Romina Paula, Agustina Muñoz, María Villar

GENRE: Anthology Film, Postmodernism

An enormous effort of narrative complexity made up of six independent, successive stories, connected by the same four actresses living very different experiences in very different universes…

Spanning over 13 hours, La Flor is a bold, genre-bending experiment from Mariano Llinás. Each chapter introduces a new world, blending thriller, horror, and drama with playful experimentation. Its sprawling length might daunt some, but for those willing to commit, it’s an exhilarating, one-of-a-kind cinematic odyssey.

14

The Wolf House

'La casa lobo

2018 | 1h 15m | CHILE | SPANISH | 17+

Top10nerScore74.615 / 100

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"I will transfrom my little pigs into beautiful creatures…"

DIRECTORS: Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña

WRITERS: Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña, Alejandra Moffat

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña

STARRING: Amalia Kassai, Rainer Krause, Karina Hyland

GENRE: Animation, Surrealism, Experimental, Horror, Drama

SUB-GENRE: Stop-Motion, Psychological Horror, Psychological Drama

After escaping from a religious colony in Chile, Maria seeks shelter in a mansion where she’s taken in by two pigs, its only inhabitants. Like in a stop-motion dream, the universe of the house reacts to her feelings. The animals slowly morph into humans and the house into a dark, menacing world.

Blending Chilean history with macabre folklore, The Wolf House is a hypnotic fever dream of morphing stop-motion horror. Crafted in a single-shot illusion, it reimagines propaganda’s power through grotesque visuals and eerie whispers, creating an unforgettable descent into paranoia, where every frame oozes dread and genius equally.

13

Isle of Dogs

2018 | 1h 41m | USA & GER | ENGLISH | 10+

Top10nerScore74.984 / 100

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"Whatever happened to man’s best friend?"

DIRECTOR: Wes Anderson

WRITERS: Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola, Kunichi Nomura

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Tristan Oliver

STARRING: Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, Kunichi Nomura, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, Greta Gerwig

GENRE: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

SUB-GENRE: Stop-Motion, Puppet Animation

THEME: Dystopian

In the future, an outbreak of canine flu leads the mayor of a Japanese city to banish all dogs to an island used as a garbage dump. The outcasts must soon embark on an epic journey when a 12-year-old boy arrives on the island to find his beloved pet.

Isle of Dogs is a meticulously crafted love letter to canines and Japanese cinema, blending stop-motion brilliance with Wes Anderson’s signature wit. Overflowing with dry humor, political allegory, and heartfelt loyalty, this quirky adventure wags its tail at dystopian despair, proving man’s best friend is also cinema’s best muse.

12

BlacKkKlansman

2018 | 2h 15m | USA | ENGLISH | 15+

Top10nerScore75.970 / 100

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"America would never elect somebody like David Duke president."

DIRECTOR: Spike Lee

WRITERS: David Rabinowitz, Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Chayse Irvin

STARRING: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Laura Harrier, Jasper Pääkkönen, Corey Hawkins, Paul Walter Hauser, Ryan Eggold

GENRE: Drama

SUB-GENRE: Biopic, Period Drama

THEME: Police Procedural

Colorado Springs, late 1970s. Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer, and Flip Zimmerman, his Jewish colleague, run an undercover operation to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan.

Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman is a razor-sharp fusion of history, satire, and urgent social commentary. Washington and Driver bring humor and grit to a stranger-than-fiction undercover mission, exposing America’s past and present racial divides. Electrifying, audacious, and unflinching, it builds to a gut-punch finale that demands reflection.

11

Happy as Lazzaro

'Lazzaro felice'

2018 | 2h 05m | ITALY, SUI, FRA & GER | ITALIAN | 13+

Top10nerScore76.771 / 100

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"It's a chain reaction that can't be stopped."

DIRECTOR: Alice Rohrwacher

WRITERS: Alice Rohrwacher

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Hélène Louvart

STARRING: Adriano Tardiolo, Agnese Graziani, Luca Chikovani, Alba Rohrwacher, Nicoletta Braschi

GENRE: Drama, Fantasy

SUB-GENRE: Magical Realism

Purehearted teen Lazzaro is content living as a sharecropper in rural Italy, but an unlikely friendship with the marquise’s son will change his world.

In Happy as Lazzaro, Alice Rohrwacher creates a hauntingly poetic narrative that merges magical realism with sharp social commentary. Through Lazzaro’s childlike spirit, the film explores themes of purity, sacrifice, and exploitation, offering both a critique of societal inequality and a quiet celebration of unconditional goodness.

INTRODUCING...

THE TOP 10
BEST FILMS
OF 2018

10

Hereditary

2018 | 2h 08m | USA | ENGLISH | 17+

Top10nerScore76.784 / 100

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"...because NOBODY admits anything they've done!"

DIRECTOR: Ari Aster

WRITERS: Ari Aster

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Pawel Pogorzelski

STARRING: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Gabriel Byrne, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd

GENRE: Horror, Drama

SUB-GENRE: Supernatural Horror, Psychological Horror, Psychological Drama, Family Drama

Following the death of the Leigh family matriarch, Annie and her children uncover disturbing secrets about their heritage. Their daily lives are not only impacted, but they also become entangled in a chilling fate from which they cannot escape, driving them to the brink of madness.

Hereditary dives into the dark heart of family trauma with unsettling precision. Ari Aster’s chilling direction uses grief, possession, and generational curses to craft a horror that lingers. With powerhouse performances, especially Toni Collette’s haunting portrayal, this film isn’t just scary, it’s psychologically devastating at every turn.

09

Avengers

Infinity War

2018 | 2h 29m | USA | ENGLISH | 13+

Top10nerScore77.681 / 100

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"I am inevitable."

DIRECTORS: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

WRITERS: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Trent Opaloch

STARRING: Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatc, Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Karen Gillan, Paul Bettany

GENRE: Action, Science Fiction, Epic

THEME: Superhero

The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy attempt to prevent Thanos from collecting the six all-powerful Infinity Stones as part of his quest to kill half of all life in the universe.

Infinity War shatters expectations with a high-stakes spectacle where heroes face their greatest foe. Balancing humor, heartbreak, and Thanos’ chilling philosophy, the film weaves a sprawling narrative into a relentless, gut-punch, proving the MCU can be both thrilling and devastating in equal measure, all while redefining the genre.

08

The Favourite

2018 | 1h 59m | UK, IRE & USA | ENGLISH | 15+

Top10nerScore78.025 / 100

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"Some wounds do not close; I have many such."

DIRECTOR: Yorgos Lanthimos

WRITERS: Tony McNamara, Deborah Davis

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Robbie Ryan

STARRING: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Alwyn

GENRE: Drama, Black Comedy

SUB-GENRE: Period Drama

England, early 18th century. The close relationship between Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill is threatened by the arrival of Sarah’s cousin, Abigail Hill, resulting in a bitter rivalry between the two cousins to be the Queen’s favourite.

The Favourite turns 18th-century court intrigue into a wickedly sharp battlefield of power, desire, and absurdity. Yorgos Lanthimos blends regal opulence with biting humor, as Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz duel with venomous wit. A lavish, twisted game of survival, where loyalty shifts like candlelight in a drafty palace.

07

Cold War

'Zimna wojna'

2018 | 1h 28m | POLAND, UK & FRA | POLISH | 15+

Top10nerScore78.592 / 100

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"I don’t want to be famous. I want to be free."

DIRECTOR:Paweł Pawlikowski

WRITERS: Paweł Pawlikowski, Janusz Głowacki, Piotr Borkowski

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Łukasz Żal

STARRING: Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Agata Kulesza

GENRE: Romance, Drama

SUB-GENRE: Period Drama

A man and a woman meet in the ruins of post-war Poland. With vastly different backgrounds and temperaments, they are fatally mismatched and yet drawn to each other.

Cold War is a melancholic symphony of love and loss, set against the backdrop of post-war Europe. Paweł Pawlikowski crafts a visually stunning, emotionally charged tale of two souls caught in a never-ending dance of passion, separation, and sacrifice. A haunting exploration of time, place, and the cost of love.

06

Capernaum

'Capharnaüm'

2018 | 2h 06m | LEBANON, USA & FRA | ARABIC | 15+

Top10nerScore78.738 / 100

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"I want to sue my parents for giving me life."

DIRECTOR: Nadine Labaki

WRITERS: Nadine Labaki, Jihad Hojeily, Georges Khabbaz, Michelle Keserwany, Khaled Mouzanar

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Christopher Aoun

STARRING: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawsar Al Haddad, Fadi Kamel Youssef, Cedra Izzam

GENRE: Drama

After running away from his negligent parents, committing a violent crime and being sentenced to five years in jail, a hardened, streetwise 12-year-old Lebanese boy sues his parents in protest of the life they have given him.

Capernaum is a gut-wrenching odyssey of survival, empathy, and lost childhood. Nadine Labaki crafts a raw, unflinching portrait of systemic neglect, anchored by Zain Al Rafeea’s astonishingly natural performance. A searing indictment of injustice and poverty, this deeply human tale lingers long after the credits roll.

05

An Elephant
Sitting Still

'Da xiang xi di er zuo'

2018 | 3h 54m | CHINA | MANDARIN | 16+

Top10nerScore82.461 / 100

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"No matter how far you go, you can never escape yourself."

DIRECTOR: Hu Bo

WRITERS: Hu Bo

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Fan Chao

STARRING: Peng Yuchang, Wang Yuwen, Zhang Yu, Li Congxi, Zhenghui Ling, Xiaolong Zhang, Li Danyi, Kong Wei 

GENRE: Drama, Slow Cinema

THEME: Hyperlink Cinema

In the northern Chinese city of Manzhouli, they say there is an elephant that simply sits and ignores the world. Manzhouli becomes an obsession for the protagonists of this film, a longed-for escape from the downward spiral in which they find themselves.

An Elephant Sitting Still is an unflinching meditation on despair, weaving four lives into a slow-burning symphony of urban desolation. With its hypnotic pacing, suffocating compositions, and unvarnished performances, this four-hour odyssey rejects easy catharsis, instead demanding the viewer to sit still and feel its crushing weight.

04

Burning

'Buh-ning'

2018 | 2h 28m | SOUTH KOREA | KOREAN | 16+

Top10nerScore82.744 / 100

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"It will explode like a bomb."

DIRECTOR: Lee Chang-dong

WRITERS: Lee Chang-dong, Oh Jung-mi

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Hong Kyung-pyo

STARRING: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Soo-kyung

GENRE: Mystery, Drama, Thriller

SUB-GENRE: Psychological Drama, Psychological Thriller

Deliveryman Jong-su is out on a job when he runs into Hae-mi, a girl who once lived in his neighborhood. She asks if he’d mind looking after her cat while she’s away on a trip to Africa. On her return, she introduces to Jong-su an enigmatic young man named Ben, who she met during her trip. One day Ben tells Jong-su about his most unusual hobby.

Burning is a slow-burn psychological mystery that lingers long in the mind. With its mesmerizing cinematography, eerie atmosphere, and intricate character dynamics, it explores themes of obsession, class, and the unsettling uncertainty of human connections. Lee Chang-dong’s masterful direction immerses viewers in its haunting, ambiguous world.

03

Roma

2018 | 2h 15m | MEXICO & USA | SPANISH | 15+

Top10nerScore83.087 / 100

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"No matter what they tell you, we women are always alone."

DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuarón

WRITERS: Alfonso Cuarón

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Alfonso Cuarón

STARRING: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta, Marco Graf, Daniela Demesa

GENRE: Drama

In 1970s Mexico City, two domestic workers help a mother of four while her husband is away for an extended period of time.

Roma is a stunning meditation on memory and class, beautifully shot in black and white. Alfonso Cuarón’s intimate direction invites audiences into the quiet, tender world of Cleo, a domestic worker whose life unfolds with the graceful simplicity of a timeless photograph, full of love, loss, hardship, and quiet resilience.

02

Shoplifters

'Manbiki kazoku'

2018 | 2h 01m | JAPAN | JAPANESE | 15+

Top10nerScore86.045 / 100

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"This is what someone does when they love you."

DIRECTOR: Hirokazu Kore-eda

WRITERS: Hirokazu Kore-eda

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Ryūto Kondō

STARRING: Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Kairi Jo, Miyu Sasaki, Kirin Kiki, Sosuke Ikematsu

GENRE: Drama

SUB-GENRE: Family Drama

On the margins of Tokyo, a family is united by fierce loyalty and a penchant for petty theft. One day the father and son meet an abandoned little girl, and, despite their poverty, the family takes her in. But an incident will expose their secrets that upend their tenuous, below-the-radar existence.

In Shoplifters, Kore-eda weaves a quietly devastating portrait of family, set against the backdrop of societal margins. Through moments of tenderness and moral ambiguity, the film examines how love and loyalty transcend bloodlines, shedding light on the human need for connection. A poignant exploration of what it means to truly belong.

01

Spider-Man

Into the Spider-Verse

2018 | 1h 57m | USA | ENGLISH | 8+

Top10nerScore89.571 / 100

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"Don't do it like me. Do it like you."

DIRECTORS: Rodney Rothman, Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti

WRITERS: Rodney Rothman, Phil Lord

STARRING: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Velez, Zoë Kravitz, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Nicolas Cage, Liev Schreiber, Kathryn Hahn

GENRE: Animation, Action, Comedy

SUB-GENRE: Computer Animation

THEME: Superhero, Family, Coming-of-Age

Struggling to find his place in the world while juggling school and family, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales is unexpectedly bitten by a radioactive spider and develops unfathomable powers just like the one and only Spider-Man. While wrestling with the implications of his new abilities, Miles discovers a super collider created by the madman Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk, causing others from across the Spider-Verse to be inadvertently transported to his dimension.

Into the Spider-Verse flips the superhero genre on its head with a groundbreaking animation style and a heart-pounding, multiverse-spanning adventure. It boldly celebrates diversity, blending quirky humor, thrilling action, and a fresh take on Peter Parker’s legacy. This dynamic, visually stunning reimagining of Spider-Man’s story rightfully earns its place as…
The Best Film of 2018

HONORABLE MENTIONS

A Quiet Place2018
A Star Is Born2018
Annihilation2018
Birds of Passage2018
Can You Ever Forgive Me?2018
Deadpool 22018
Dogman2018
Dragon Ball Super: Broly2018
First Man2018
House of Hummingbird2018
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas2018
Incredibles 22018
Never Look Away2018
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs2018
The Hate U Give2018
The Nightingale2018
The Tale2018
Thunder Road2018
Tumbbad2018
Upgrade2018

THANKS FOR READING!

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Happy watching! And make sure to check out our other lists.

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