Plenty of Love and Hate in 2018 Movies

By Mark Pukalo


There is no story about walking out of the theater, knowing that I had just seen the best film of 2018. That light did not go on for me this time around.

The year was filled with very good movies, many that taught us something - or at least attempted to. It just didn't have one that clearly stood out above the rest. But 2018 certainly had it's memorable moments on the big screen and many amazing performances.

There were probably a dozen films I considered at some point might end up at the top of my annual list. Some of them were nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but the one I ultimately picked as No. 1 for 2018 was not one of them. It was simply the one that affected me the most.

"The Hate U Give" is based on the wildly successful book by Angie Thomas, who used part of a phrase from Tupac for the name. The late Audrey Wells wrote a thoughtful screen play and director George Tillman Jr. carefully tells the story of racial tensions, police brutality, gang and gun violence through the eyes of 16-year-old Starr Carter.

Carter, played impeccably by Amandla Stenberg (Rue from the Hunger Games), lives with her family in a black neighborhood but her parents had the opportunity to send her across town to a ritzy prep school where she plays basketball. Starr struggles to live in two totally different worlds, but her life forever changes after witnessing a horrible tragedy.

Russell Hornsby should have been nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his role as the teenager's father, showing his strength and his undying love for his family after serving time in jail to protect his former boss. Common also shows up as Starr's uncle - a straight-laced cop - and the two have one of the most thought-provoking scenes together late in the movie.

The best thing about the film in my opinion is it is not preachy. It simply touches all the right buttons and makes you think, and mostly care. That is why after much thought, "The Hate U Give" is the best movie of 2018 in my eyes.

There were many more amazing moments this year, such as Lady Gaga grabbing the microphone and belting out "Shallow," Rami Malek killing it as Freddie Mercury at Live Aid, beautiful Wakanda!, Sam Rockwell's turn as W, breakout performances from Yalitza Aparicio and Thomasin McKenzie, the ending of Green Book, Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon saying nice things about Michael Moore, the first walk on the moon, Lea Thompson's daughter absolutely loving a pizza, Uncle Drew draining jumpers from long range, that last call to David Duke and so, so much more.

It was a fun year at the theater. Plenty of delicious popcorn and free refills at Riverview 14 GDX. There were also several good movies I enjoyed on the computer in 2018, where I heard the best quote of the year.

Just remember this.

"In all golden afternoons, there are movers, there are shakers and then, there are shirkers."


Here's my top 25 for 2018!


25 (tie). The Miracle Season - It does play a little like an after-school special, but this true story about the tragic death of a high school volleyball player in Iowa is well acted and pulls at the heart strings. Erin Moriarty, Helen Hunt and William Hurt shine.

25 (tie). Operation Finale - Oscar Isaac is brilliant as the leader of a team of Israeli agents who track down Nazi leader Adolf Richmann, who was prominent in organizing the Holocaust before escaping and hiding out in Buenos Aires.

24. Shirkers - This odd little documentary took a little while to get into, but I ended up wanting to watch it multiple times. Three smart young women from Singapore make a unique local movie with the help of their mysterious male mentor, but the film goes missing for many years.

23. Widows - Sometimes you like a movie much better the second viewing and that was the case with this film by Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave). Politics, revenge and crime mix well and Viola Davis roars through another powerful performance while Colin Farrell is effortlessly slimy.

22. First Reformed - Ethan Hawke provides a career highlight performance as the minister of a small church in rural New York - which is being swallowed up by a big new wave congregation - who is dealing with many difficult personal issues. Did not love the ending, which dropped it down a few spots.

21. Solo, A Star Wars Story - Ron Howard directs the pre-story of the great Han Solo and it ends up being a fun ride from start to finish. It is just as compelling as another recent Star Wars spinoff - Rogue One.


20. Free Solo - Fascinating documentary about daredevil rock climber Alex Honnold's quest to climb the dangerous El Capitan in Yosemite without a rope. He is both nuts and amazing.

19. The Rider - The authentic story of a young cowboy in South Dakota who endures a difficult journey after suffering a head injury. Director Chloe Zhao's film pulls you in and makes you care, especially about the main character's autistic sister Lilly.

18. First Man - If there was a list for the best second half of movies for 2018, this would be in the top 10. The first half is a little slow while following a brooding Neil Armstrong, but when the story of the first trip to the moon begins it is stirring.

17. Creed II - The Rocky saga lives on. Michael B. Jordan hits a home run again as Adonis Creed. This time, Creed faces the son of Ivan Drago, the Russian monster who killed his father Apollo in the ring.

16. Leave No Trace - The amazing Thomasin McKenzie steals the screen as the 13-year-old daughter of a veteran with PTSD (Ben Foster), who cannot feel safe in one place. Their journey is both exhilarating and heartbreaking.

15. Searching - This unique modern day mystery follows the disappearance of a widower's daughter. John Cho (Harold from Harold & Kumar) plays the father, who gets pulled in different directions before a somewhat surprising ending.

14. Fahrenheit 11/9 - Yeah, conservatives probably won't like this one, but Michael Moore's latest film about how Trump somehow won a national election is humorous, chilling and interesting. Spoiler Alert: He blames it all on poor Gwen Stefani.

13. Green Book - I have predicted this film will win Best Picture and it is certainly worthy of that in the final 30-40 minutes. Viggo Mortensen might have overplayed his role a bit as an Italian bouncer who takes a job protecting a brilliant black classical pianist portrayed by Mahershala Ali on his trip through the south. While it veers off course a bit in the middle, the film leaves you with a good feeling.

12. 22July - Director Paul Greengrass (United 93) tells the story of the worst terrorist attack in Norway history with incredible authenticity. You feel both hate and love intensely during the journey that keeps you glued to the screen for more than two hours.

11. Roma - Director Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity) provides a masterful subtitled film about the beloved maid of a family in Mexico during the early 1970s. Oscar nominee Yalitza Aparicio is wonderful as she juggles her own difficult life problems and the family's issues. Borras, the dog, also rocks.


10. Won't You Be My Neighbor? - I can't believe the Academy snubbed this film in its Best Documentary category, because I have not heard one bad word about it. I was not a huge Mr. Rogers fan when I was a young boy, but this film is educational and made me appreciate what a great man he was.

9. The Front Runner - Director Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno) brings us back to the story of Gary Hart, who could have easily been President if not for his infidelity with Donna Rice. It is historical, incredibly acted (I'm looking at you J.K. Simmons) and Hugh Jackman portrays the enigma that was Hart very well.

8. Vice - Christian Bale said he channeled "Satan" while portraying former vice president Dick Cheney in a film by Adam McKay (The Big Short). Seems about right. Bale makes Cheney human while the film still ultimately shows he was devious and most-likely criminal.

7. If Beale Street Could Talk - Director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) gives us an emotional film about a young black woman who must carry a baby while the father - her childhood friend - has to fight the system after an unjust arrest. Regina King should win an Oscar as best supporting actress.

6. Bohemian Rhapsody - The story of the historic rock group Queen and its amazing front man Freddie Mercury is hated by many critics, but it won Best Picture at the Golden Globes. I call it a beautiful mess. While it is far from perfect and some of the time line changes can annoy you, I was incredibly entertained for more than two hours. Isn't that what a film is supposed to do?

5. A Star is Born - Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, in her major film debut, are amazing in this story about a troubled rock superstar and a talented underdog he falls for on his journey. The music is great and I can't imagine how anyone would not get emotionally involved in this movie.

4. BlacKkKlansman - It is amazing to me that Spike Lee received his first Oscar nomination this year. This powerful and enjoyable film tracks the true story of a black man who went undercover (on the phone) to become a member of the Klu Klux Klan. Adam Driver more than deserved his best supporting actor nomination.

3. Black Panther - Wakanda Forever! Very rarely do you see a film early in the year that is in the running for the best after 12 months, but this was very close. It is more than a super hero movie, it is about family, culture, nobility and togetherness. Leticia Wright steals the screen in every scene.

2. Crazy Rich Asians - The romantic comedy based on a best-selling novel is fun and emotional from the first minute to the last. Constance Wu is dazzling as she takes on her fiance's snotty rich mother when the couple travels to Singapore for a friend's wedding. The best love story of the year.


1. The Hate U Give - Black Lives (do) Matter. This film does not scream that, but the sentiment is clear and it shows the temptations and the impossible decisions minority youths in the inner city have to make. I truly believe this movie should be watched and discussed in schools. Let's talk about how we treat each other and how the police can deal with minorities and situations better. Great writing, great acting, plenty of heart. That's why it takes the No. 1 spot for the year.


Joe Lunardi's first six out: Instant Family (predictable, but sweet), Juliet, Naked (Unique story), Spiderman into the Spiderverse (best animated feature in some time), Support the Girls, Tag (You're it!), The 15:17 to Paris.

Did not see, but have interest: Cold War, Destroyer, Mary Queen of Scots, Minding the Gap, Shoplifters

High Honorable Mention (recommend): Adrift  (Shailene Woodley), A Private War (Rosamund Pike was amazing), The Avengers: Infinity War (disappointed in the ending, but there is another film to come), Ben is Back, Blindspotting (cool stuff), Blockers (better than expected), Boy Erased, Cam (very unique and courageous), Deadpool 2 and Once Upon a Deadpool (not nearly as good as the original), The Death of Stalin, Eighth Grade (a little over-rated, but still good), The Equalizer 2 (Denzel, my man), Game Night, The Girl in the Spider's Web (way better than expected), Hurricane Heist, Isle of Dogs, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom, Lean on Pete (Steve Buscemi plays a horse racing trainer in the first part of the film), The MisEducation of Cameron Post, Mission Impossible: Fallout, The Old Man & the Gun, On the Basis of Sex (RBG!, a pleasant film but a little too tame to make top 25), RBG, Rampage, Second Act, Set it Up (Pizza baby!!), Social Animals (under-rated), To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Tomb Raider (Alicia Vikander - heart), Tully, Uncle Drew (who knew Kyrie could act?).

Second Honorable Mention (some redeeming value, but beware): Aquaman, A Quiet Place, A Simple Favor (Had potential)  A Wrinkle in Time (Oprah!) Ant Man & the Wasp, Assassination Nation (mindlessly bloody, but I kinda liked it), At Eternity's Gate (Willem DaFoe was really good), Beirut, Bird Box (makes blindfolds popular again), Book Club, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Chappaquiddick, Colette (Better than The Favourite), The Darkest Minds (Amandla Stenberg), Death Wish, Distorted, Dumplin', The First Purge, Hollow in the Land, The Incredibles 2, Kings (Halle), Life Itself (barely avoids worst list), Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, The Meg, M.I.L.F.,The Mule (Clint fails), Night School (Some laughs), Nobody's Fool (Tika Sumpter), Ocean's 8, Private Life, Proud Mary, Ready Player One, Red Sparrow (Jen), Sea Change (was going to be a TV series apparently, weird but held my interest), Skyscraper, Sorry to Bother You (many rate it higher than me), The Spy Who Dumped Me, Superfly, White Boy Rick, UFO, Upgrade, Venom, Welcome to Marwen, The Wife (Glenn Close is very good, though), Wildlife, You Were Not Really Here, 12 Strong.

Can't recommend: The Beyond, The Cloverfield Paradox, The Commuter, Den of Thieves, Disobedience, Don't Worry, He won't get far on Foot, Dragged Across Concrete, The Endless, How it Ends, I Feel Pretty, Incoming, Love Simon, Mile 22, Peppermint, The Sisters Brothers, Super Troopers 2, The Week Of, Thoroughbreds, 2036 Origin Unknown

Worst of the year: Mile 22.

Most overrated: Annihilation, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Favourite

Did not care to see: Alpha, Alex and Me, Bad Samaritan, Billionaire Boys Club, Breaking In, Bumble Bee, Christopher Robin, Dark Games, Dog Days, Every Day, Escape, Fifty Shades Freed, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, Galveston, Gemini, Gotti, The Grinch, Gringo, Halloween, The Happy Time Murders, Here and Now, Hereditary, The Home with a Clock in its Walls, Hunter Killer, Kin, Life of the Party, London Fields, Loving Pablo, Mandy, Mary Poppins Returns, Mid-90s, Midnight Sun, The Nun, On Chesil Beach, Overboard, Overlord, The Padre, Papillon, The Predator, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Reprisal, River Runs Red, Robin Hood, Show Dogs, Siberia, Sicario: Day of Soldado, Slender Man, Spinning Man, Submergence, Terminal, Truth or Dare, Unfriended, Unsane, Vox Lux, Where is Kyra, Winchester, 10x10, 7 Days in Entebbe, 5th Passenger.

PREVIOUS PICKS FOR BEST OF THE YEAR

2017 - The Big Sick

2016 - Lion

2015 - Spotlight

2014 – Birdman

2013 -- Nebraska

2012 – Silver Linings Playbook

2011 – The Descendants

2010 – The Social Network

2009 – Inglourious Basterds

2008 – Frost/Nixon-The Wrestler (tie)

2007 – Once

Best of All Time - Almost Famous

The Worst Movies of 2018

By Mark Pukalo


Once again, I did not torture myself by trying to see everything in 2018. But there were still enough movies, including three that the critics somehow loved, to make up a list of the year's worst.

I'm sure if I decided to see Aquaman or rent Fifty Shades Freed, Gotti, The Happy Time Murders,  The Home with a Clock in its Walls, Life of the Party, The Nun, Sicario: Day of Soldado, Terminal, Truth or Dare and Venom, some of them would have made the dubious list. But we will spare them this time around.

My annual picks for the best of 2018 will be coming in a few weeks before the Oscars. Never have I had a tougher time picking the best and putting the top 15 in order. Honestly, I'm still working on it.

But, until then, please don't rent these 21 films unless you are looking to punish yourselves.


Un-Honorable Mention: The Cloverfield Paradox, Den of Thieves, Incoming, Love Simon, The Sisters Brothers, 2036 Origin Unknown


15. The Commuter - He has a set of skills. Oh, wait, wrong movie. Bad script and Liam Neeson can't save it.

14. Disobedience - Rachel Weisz returns to a Jewish community that shunned her because she was different. Boring and slow.

13. I Feel Pretty - Amy Schumer's film is just not funny at all and has a strange concept.

12. Super Troopers 2 - A few humorous scenes, but mostly just dumb.

11. The Endless - Two brothers return to the cult that they left about decade earlier, because, basically, they were unsuccessful. It's weird, a little annoying, but not at all compelling.


10. Annihilation - A lot of nothing along the way to a confusing ending. Don't understand why critics liked it. Sorry Natalie. Still love ya.

9. Thoroughbreds - Snobby, uninteresting rich girls in Connecticut hatch a murder plan.

8. The Beyond - Confusing, slow science fiction film with an unsatisfying ending.

7. Peppermint - I like Jennifer Garner. But, geez, not as a vigilante. They didn't even show her training to become some sort of super hero.

6. The Favourite - A few laughs from Emma Stone, but I was mostly annoyed by this 18th century story about two women fighting dirty for the affection of the goofy Queen. If you enjoy watching people throw up, it's for you. Apparently the Academy did.

5. How it Ends - Apocalyptic story with not much to offer on its long journey to the West Coast.

4. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - I just don't like Coen Brothers films as much as most people do I guess. Fargo and True Grit were the only passable ones I can remember. This set of tales about random western characters falls flat in my eyes.

3. The Week Of - Adam Sandler and Chris Rock flop in a film that is forced and not particularly entertaining. Even Dan Patrick can't save it. LOL.

2. Don't Worry, He won't get there on Foot - Never found anything amusing or interesting about this film starring Joaquin Phoenix as a man trying to sober up after a crippling accident.

1. Mile 22 - I like Mark Wahlberg, but this is just a bad script with characters you don't care about and a lot of mindless violence. It earns the worst of 2018 very easily, especially since I wasted money at the theater to see it.


PREVIOUS WORST MOVIES OF THE YEAR

2017 - Mother!

2016 - 13 Hours and Hail Caesar!

2015 - Chappie

2014 - The Monuments Men

2013 - The Place Between the Pines

2012 - Cloud Atlas

2011 - Tree of Life