As of making this thread, the year's halfway through, and most of the big movies of the year are already out, so I'd like to make a thread dedicated to discussing film in general for 2018, how impressive the movies of the year might have been, how they compare to other years, what might have happened to affect the industry later down the line, and all the good stuff in between.
So for stuff that has been affecting the industry, it seems like this is a particularly progressive year, moreso than any of the previous years, I'd imagine. With titles like Crazy Rich Asians, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and Searching seeming to form this holy trinity of Asian-American representative media that's been missing all my life, to the milestone of Love, Simon being the first major Hollywood film to focus on a gay romance, to the financial triumph of Black Panther, I'm really hoping that this'll all be a step forward in terms of representation, even if oftentimes it feels like an uphill battle. Things have been getting better, but there's still much work to be done. After all, it was only a year ago that we got Wonder Woman, the first female led superhero film (to be actually good, that is) and Power Rangers which had a diverse cast in terms of both race and orientation (even if only because of the original show being like that in terms of the former), as well as Coco which was just delightful, but then again, 2017 also gave us Ghost in the Shell which was a bit of a disaster in terms of exploring themes like race relations and sexuality, something that the original source material was ironically known to excel at exploring (as well as other works it's inspired, like The Matrix arguably).
Overall, so far, while I've enjoyed most of the films I watched that came out this year to some capacity, it definitely feels a bit underwhelming in my opinion, though that might be because 2017 was, in my opinion, one of the best years ever for film in quite a while, with back to back shots of expertly crafted, amazing films like Logan, The Shape of Water, Blade Runner 2049, and much more. 2018 hasn't brought me anything that's particularly wowed me on the level of the aforementioned movies just yet aside from, funny enough, mostly the superhero movies this year, but then again, we still have a whole 'nother half year to go through. What do you guys think?
I'll be updating it as the year goes on (unless I forget), but here's a run-down of my list of my most to least enjoyed movies I watched that came out this year:
Other movies that I'm interested in watching, some that have already come out but mostly those that haven't come out yet:
So ultimately, what's your input on all that? What do you think of the year for film so far?
So for stuff that has been affecting the industry, it seems like this is a particularly progressive year, moreso than any of the previous years, I'd imagine. With titles like Crazy Rich Asians, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and Searching seeming to form this holy trinity of Asian-American representative media that's been missing all my life, to the milestone of Love, Simon being the first major Hollywood film to focus on a gay romance, to the financial triumph of Black Panther, I'm really hoping that this'll all be a step forward in terms of representation, even if oftentimes it feels like an uphill battle. Things have been getting better, but there's still much work to be done. After all, it was only a year ago that we got Wonder Woman, the first female led superhero film (to be actually good, that is) and Power Rangers which had a diverse cast in terms of both race and orientation (even if only because of the original show being like that in terms of the former), as well as Coco which was just delightful, but then again, 2017 also gave us Ghost in the Shell which was a bit of a disaster in terms of exploring themes like race relations and sexuality, something that the original source material was ironically known to excel at exploring (as well as other works it's inspired, like The Matrix arguably).
Overall, so far, while I've enjoyed most of the films I watched that came out this year to some capacity, it definitely feels a bit underwhelming in my opinion, though that might be because 2017 was, in my opinion, one of the best years ever for film in quite a while, with back to back shots of expertly crafted, amazing films like Logan, The Shape of Water, Blade Runner 2049, and much more. 2018 hasn't brought me anything that's particularly wowed me on the level of the aforementioned movies just yet aside from, funny enough, mostly the superhero movies this year, but then again, we still have a whole 'nother half year to go through. What do you guys think?
I'll be updating it as the year goes on (unless I forget), but here's a run-down of my list of my most to least enjoyed movies I watched that came out this year:
- Black Panther - A tightly made, ambitious film that will hopefully go down as a landmark in film history, even if it occasionally falls into the usual trappings of other MCU films.
- Avengers: Infinity War - This was honestly a bit of a tough call between this or Black Panther being first place, though I guess either way, they're both MCU films. Still, with the epic scope of this movie, it certainly feels like it's one that's ten years in the making, and truly pushes the boundaries of blockbuster making for years to come.
- Incredibles 2 - A sequel worthy of the original and the 14-year wait. A delightful watch that captures the spirit of the original and even manages to come close to matching it.
- Mission: Impossible - Fallout - You know, even as someone who watched all of the MI films, I never found a single one to be particularly memorable, but I'll definitely remember Fallout, along with its breathtaking action sequences and tight, brisk pace. When people say "best action movie with practical sets and stunts," they might be thinking about Mad Max: Fury Road, but I'll be thinking about this.
- Christopher Robin - It's exactly as good as you want it to be, and captures the spirit of the originals quite well. I tore up like three times over, and I honestly almost never cry to movies.
- Deadpool 2 - It's funny, it's profane, it's violent, it's Deadpool, and probably even better than he was in the original.
- Love, Simon - I'm usually not one for romcoms, but this one was a breath of fresh air to watch! It's genuinely a charming movie, and like Black Panther, will hopefully become a landmark as time passes.
- Solo - A Star Wars Story - It was fun. Nothing more than fun, but still fun nonetheless. You guys are just mean. The plot was a little dumb in some places, and yet, at the same time, this is probably the first time a Star Wars work has made me actually interested in the universe, because really, the universe has never been very interesting to explore in the other movies or even the TV shows.
- Ant-Man and the Wasp - This'll probably go down as among the weaker MCU movies for me, and definitely more on the generic side. It's competently made all around for the most part, but after the previous two movies, the inconsequential nature of it being a "fun little side story" works against it, really.
- Sicario: Day of the Soldado - Nowhere near as good as the first Sicario, which is unfortunate even if it's to be expected from a movie that really didn't need to exist, and it suffers quite a bit from a meandering plot among other things, but it's made with an intensity and seriousness, as well as engaging performances (mostly from del Toro) that manage to keep it afloat.
- A Quiet Place - Fun gimmick. John Krasinski's really gone to work after The Office. Emily Blunt is there. I suppose you could also call this a progressive movie in its own right? I'm usually not one for horror movies either, but this was quite good when placed alongside others in the genre.
- Crazy Rich Asians - Romcoms aren't my thing, but I more saw this out of moral obligation than interest anyway. It was good for what it was, and it was fun to actually be able to identify with the characters and cultures presented in a Hollywood movie for once, but it just wasn't my thing ultimately.
- Bungou Stray Dogs: Dead Apple - Did anyone watch this? Seriously, the only other people in the theater were some skinny dude with glasses and a pre-teen girl with her tired dad. I guess it's to be expected when you watch anime movies based on a franchise on limited release. The movie itself was fun in the moment, but also forgettable in the moment, and the storytelling was even a bit weird and confusing at some parts.
- Pacific Rim Uprising - Also fun but ultimately forgettable. I really just used this as a buffer until we get Godzilla: King of the Monsters next year. John Boyega's fun to see though, at least.
- A Wrinkle in Time - Admittedly a bit of a disappointment, not because I was interested in seeing what the big deal was with this supposedly old and acclaimed novel, but more because Ava DuVernay is such a good director and I expected a bit more from her. Best thing I can say about the movie is its acting, but the way the movie told the story was a bit underwhelming.
- Rampage - Mindless fun, but not as fun. Surprisingly, something like The Rock just doing his thing has little novelty value when all he has to bounce off is a big ol' CGI ape.
- To All the Boys I've Loved Before - This probably passed by your radar, but don't feel bad. It's a Netflix movie, after all. Most of them aren't all that good. I guess I can say this is definitely one of the better acted and tightly made Netflix Original movies, but again, romantic comedies just aren't my thing, so I didn't really enjoy myself. Like with Crazy Rich Asians, I moreso saw this out of moral obligation because by God, I'll let producers know we need more diversity if it kills me. (It probably will.)
- Ready Player One - This was just an uncomfortable experience. I actively felt embarrassed for myself as I watched this. In more ways than one, it was like watching Sword Art Online all over again. Take that as you will.
Other movies that I'm interested in watching, some that have already come out but mostly those that haven't come out yet:
- Searching
- You Were Never Really Here
- The Predator
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes
- Venom
- Halloween
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
- Creed II
- Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- Alita: Battle Angel
- Aquaman
- Bumblebee
- Mary Poppins Returns
So ultimately, what's your input on all that? What do you think of the year for film so far?
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