2018 Movie Ratings – The Comprehensive List

2018 Movie Ratings – The Comprehensive List

On to a new year, and with it – more movie ratings! I’ve also included my favorite of all time and the best from last year. Although Blade Runner 2049 was second last year, it is the only one to crack my top 10 from last year. Call Me By Your Name was phenomenal, but when I think of my top movies, I don’t just necessarily place my highest rated films. I look at other factors that I don’t typically take into account when rating movies originally, such as rewatchability, overall impact and more.

The movies listed under each rating for this year are listed in alphabetical order.

The best of all time:

1. ET
2. Children of Men
3. The Green Mile
4. Man on Fire
5. Wall-E
6. Saving Private Ryan
7. Forrest Gump
8. District 9
9. Blade Runner 2049
10. Interstellar

The best from 2016:

1. Arrival
2. Moonlight
3. La La Land
4. Rogue One
5. 10 Cloverfield Lane
6. Captain America: Civil War
7. Warcraft
8. The Jungle Book
9. Hell or High Water
10. Doctor Strange

The best from 2017:

1. Call Me By Your Name
2. Blade Runner 2049
3. A Ghost Story
4. Baby Driver
5. Dunkirk
6. Logan
7. Mudbound
8. The Big Sick
9. Ladybird
10. Thor: Ragnarok


The Best From 2018

10. A Quiet Place

Sneaking in to my top 10 is the rare horror movie that I actually went and saw. A Quiet Place was incredibly well done and well acted by it’s very small cast. John Krasinski wrote a great screenplay, directed a great movie and acted well too. This was his baby and he did a really good job. I typically do like post-apocalyptic movies as long as they are not too rough, and this one wasn’t violent. It was proof that PG-13 horror movies can do just as well as hard R movies can. I’ll be interested to see how the sequel goes and if Emily Blunt will be the main star in it or not. I think sometimes people who have great years have a better chance to win an Oscar than others, and while Emily Blunt will most likely be nominated for Mary Poppins, I think her performance in A Quiet Place is really going to help her.

9. Kodachrome (Netflix)

A Netflix film that cracks the top 10 again. I was interested originally solely because of the lead actors – Jason Sudekis, Elizabeth Olsen and Ed Harris. They all did great plus the story was really good. Most Netflix films get destroyed, but there will always be 1-2 each year. Last year it was Mudbound and Okja for me, and this year Kodachrome did a good job of carrying that flag early in the year.

8. Avengers: Infinity War

It’s hard not to put this film in any top 10. Sure, superhero movies don’t typically crack the list of most people – they are all good, but it’s more flash than substance. However, this had it all. I actually wish it was longer. I’m really looking forward to seeing how it all ends in a few months with Avengers: Endgame. Even though many people pretty much knew that Thanos was going to snap and that it was going to end on a cliffhanger, I’m really happy with the choices that were made and how it was done to leave everyone wanting so much more. When you go really big scale, you sometimes take the chance of going too big too fast and it brings the whole film crashing down. That was not the case for Marvel.

7. Beautiful Boy

There were a few films about addiction this year, but none were done as well as Beautiful Boy. Amazon put out another great film this year that probably won’t get a lot of love come awards season. Timothée Chalamet is one of the best actors working today and Steve Carell did a remarkable job in a serious role. I don’t know much about director Felix Van Groeningen, as he’s mostly done foreign films, but I’d like to see more from him.

Even outside of the look at addiction, the father/son relationship along with a father who has divorced and remarried is outstanding.

6. Annihilation

This was my most anticipated movie of the year coming into 2018 and it lived up to the hype. It’s a bizarre film that follows four women on a crazy journey into the unknown. This is a movie that it’s best not to know much going in so you can enjoy the thrill ride. It’s another rare horror movie that I really enjoyed, although this one does definitely have it’s violent moments. It’s a great science fiction movie that keeps you guessing and it’s still something I’m thinking and talking about.

Alex Garland knocked it out of the park with Ex Machina and despite the studio trying to interfere, held true to his vision and created an amazing second movie. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

5. Tully

This is a movie that I can’t relate to, but I 100% appreciate. Charlize Theron was outstanding and deserves Best Actress this year in my opinion. The whole cast in addition to her. I really like Ron Livingston and I’ve been a big Mackenzie Davis fan lately with her work on Black Mirror and Blade Runner 2049.

The best thing about this movie is that I wasn’t expecting a twist at all, but yet there is a huge twist at the end. It made me appreciate what women go through in pregnancy and in taking care of children that we typically don’t see. It’s just an amazing movie that everyone needs to see.

4. Blindspotting

Unfortunately, I feel like Blindspotting is going to get lost in the shuffle this year. However, it’s the best movie of the year when it comes to tackling issues in the current racial climate we live in. It follows Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as Collin, a convicted felon who struggles to finish out the final few days of his probation after being arrested for getting in a fight outside a club. It’s an impactful movie that has two of the strongest scenes I’ve ever seen in a movie near the end.

3. Roma

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about this from the beginning. I’ve never been one to watch foreign films because I don’t like subtitles. But I’m glad I watched this one. Alfonso Cuaron already directed arguably the greatest movie of all time in Children of Men, and much of what I love from that film is present in this one despite this being a straight up drama and not a science fiction, dystopian style thriller.

While this isn’t my favorite movie of the year, it’s close. Overall, it’s just not my kind of movie in a few different ways, but bottom line – it is still crafted so very well. The cinematography is the best this year without a doubt, and I won’t complain in any category that it wins an Academy Award in this year. Bottom line – Roma is a damn beautiful movie. It looks beautiful, has beautiful acting and a few scenes that just wow you like you’ve never been wowed when you stop to think of the sheer work that went into making it such an amazing, busy look despite it being so simple of a scene.

The film is a Netflix original and I highly recommend you find a couple of hours where you can stop, do nothing, and enjoy a masterpiece.

2. Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse

This is not only the best animated movie of the year, but it’s also the best superhero movie of the year, the best Spider-Man movie ever and maybe the best superhero movie ever. That’s how good this was. It’s incredibly unique, and while the trailer may throw you off since it’s not a standard animated movie, I highly recommend you find a way to watch this in 3D if at all possible. The film has a great voice cast, and is hilarious with some moments that hit you right in the feels too.

1. A Star Is Born

The minute I saw the first trailer, I knew I was hooked. I wouldn’t shut up about it until it came out, and now I won’t shut up about how amazing it is. I know it’s a remake of a remake…of a remake, but everyone needs to see this. It was a perfect burst on to the movie screen for Lady Gaga, an outstanding directorial debut for Bradley Cooper and an amazing supporting cast of characters to help really drive it home. Not to mention how awesome the soundtrack is.

This movie should be nominated and be a serious contender for: Best Picture, Best Director (Cooper), Best Actor (Cooper), Best Actress (Lady Gaga), Best Supporting Actor (Elliot) and Best Original Song (Shallow, or really pick any of them) – if not even more.

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Most Overrated: The Favourite

This movie just didn’t do it for me. While I do think the acting was great by Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz – the movie overall just didn’t hit me. It was a little slow and too artsy for me. I think the hype grew too much before I saw it, therefore letting me down. I really enjoyed The Lobster, which was a big hit in awards season for Yorgos Lanthimos, but this didn’t have the same magic to me.

Honorable Mention: Black Panther – It’s a good movie, but best picture? Not even close.

Most Underrated: Venom

People immediately thought Venom would be terrible and the critics agreed with it receiving a 28% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Venom wasn’t too bad. Was it perfect? No. Was it the same caliber of movie that MCU movies are? No. But it gets a solid thumbs up from me.

Honorable Mention: Anon (Netflix) – This movie got destroyed by audiences and critics alike, but it plays like a really good Black Mirror episode, so it works for me.

Biggest Disappointment: Mute (Netflix)

Coming off the high of Blade Runner 2049 and the Netflix series Altered Carbon, I was really looking forward to a good futuristic, neo-noir style science fiction film that followed in the same path as those two. Boy did Duncan Jones swing and miss. I defended Warcraft when it came out and got destroyed by critics, but I can’t do anything to help this one. All the actors in it are people that typically draw me to their work, but Mute was a mess. Check out my full review here.

Honorable Mention: A Wrinkle In Time – Good cast, but made me fall asleep.

Most Welcomed Surprise: Aquaman

The DCEU is terrible. Everything about it, minus Wonder Woman (which was still only about a C film to me) has been a thumbs down, including the worst movie ever made in Suicide Squad. Aquaman gave me hope after seeing the first trailers and it lived up to that hope. Critically it did just ok, but I really enjoyed it. It was directed by James Wan who is most known for horror movies, but he also did Furious 7, which was great. I’m a big Fast and the Furious fan overall, and I could see many of the same style choices in this movie. And all of that is ok with me, even though I can see other people being turned off by it.

Honorable Mention: Kodachrome (Netflix) – One of my favorite movies of the year, great acting and story.


2018 Movies

Movies in alphabetical order for each rating under every tier

S-Tier

S-Tier films are looked at as the absolute best of the best. These are movies that I would basically give a perfect score and in my opinion, should be shoo-in’s for the major awards after the year is through. The S means “Super” meaning it’s even better than A-Tier. It’s only for a select few movies and they are all sure to make my Top 10 at the end of the year. Ratings here are 10/10.

A Star is Born – 10/10
Roma – 10/10
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – 10/10
Won’t You Be My Neighbor (Documentary) – 10/10


A-Tier

A-Tier films are movies that should get serious consideration during awards season. They have a great story, great direction, great acting, and everything else that you could possibly want in a movie. They may not be pure perfection, but they are still a fine piece of cinema that deserves recognition. Ratings vary from 8.5-9.5/10.

Annihilation – 9.5/10
Avengers: Infinity War – 9.5/10
Blindspotting – 9.5/10
Tully – 9.5/10
Wrestle (Documentary) – 9.5/10
A Quiet Place – 9/10
Beautiful Boy – 9/10
Bohemian Rhapsody – 9/10
Boy Erased – 9/10
Green Book – 9/10
Kodachrome (Netflix) – 9/10
If Beale Street Could Talk – 9/10
Black Panther – 8.5/10
Can You Ever Forgive Me? – 8.5/10


B-Tier

B-Tier movies are still very enjoyable. While they may lack in a few different places, most of the movie are still great and worth the price of admission. B-Tier will typically have the most movies listed in it’s tier. Ratings vary from 7.5-8.5/10.

Ant-Man and the Wasp – 8.5/10
Aquaman – 8.5/10
The Incredibles 2 – 8.5/10
Isle of Dogs – 8.5/10
Ready Player One – 8.5/10
Sorry to Bother You – 8.5/10
Andre the Giant (HBO Documentary) – 8/10
Anon (Netflix) – 8/10
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs – 8/10
Ben is Back – 8/10
Creed II – 8/10
First Man – 8/10
Game Night – 8/10
Hearts Beat Loud – 8/10
Mission Impossible – Fallout – 8/10
Solo: A Star Wars Story – 8/10
Tag – 8/10
The Tale (HBO) – 8/10
Bumblebee – 7.5/10
Venom – 7.5/10


C-Tier

C-Tier movies can be looked at as films that maybe missed the boat in a few ways, but overall still get a thumbs up. Maybe the writing wasn’t great, or it was just a cash grab kind of movie – yet the film was still enjoyable and you don’t regret spending the money or time to watch it. If it comes on TV down the road – you may stay tuned, you may move on – but while the overall movie may be average, there is still something about it you like. Ratings vary from 6-7.5/10.

If I Leave Here Tomorrow (Documentary) – 7.5/10
Hotel Artemis – 7/10
I Kill Giants – 7/10
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – 7/10
Pacific Rim: Uprising – 7/10
The Cloverfield Paradox (Netflix) – 6.5/10
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – 6.5/10
The Favourite – 6.5/10
Like Father (Netflix) – 6.5/10
Vice – 6.5/10
Fahrenheit 451 (HBO) – 6/10
Oceans 8 – 6/10
Mary Queen of Scots – 6/10
The Front Runner – 6/10


D-Tier

D-Tier movies are not very favorable. While you don’t want to throw tomatoes at the screen, you’re not really looking forward to the next time you get to watch this film. It’s not that you would give it two thumbs way down, it’s just that you wouldn’t be very enthusiastic to give it a thumbs up. Earning a D in school is still a passing grade, but only barely. Ratings vary from 3-5.5/10.

Mute (Netflix) – 5/10
The Outsider (Netflix) – 4.5/10
Paterno (HBO) – 4.5/10
A Wrinkle In Time – 4/10
Next-Gen (Netflix) – 4/10
Skyscraper – 4/10
Support The Girls – 4/10
Extinction (Netflix) – 3.5/10
6 Balloons (Netflix) – 3/10
Amateur (Netflix) – 3/10


F-Tier

F-Tier movies have to be absolutely terrible. Rarely will movies find their way here because typically movies wouldn’t be sent to the big screen if they were truly this bad. If a film finds it’s way here, avoid it at all costs. Ratings vary from 0-2/10.

None…yet.

Updated: January 7, 2019

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