We assembled some friends and colleagues to contribute their favorite feature films of the year. Festival and international films from 2017 were eligible if they were distributed in the United States in 2018. 2018’s festival and international films were likewise eligible, even if they had not yet reached distribution.
Libbie Anderson | The Writers Guild Foundation
#10. SHIRKERS
#9. REVENGE
#8. VOX LUX
#7. FIRST REFORMED
#6. WIDOWS
#5. BURNING
#4. THE FAVOURITE
#3. EIGHTH GRADE
#2. THE RIDER
#1. YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- IZZY GETS THE FUCK ACROSS TOWN: Mackenzie Davis and Carrie Coon’s cover of Heaven to Betsy’s “Axemen”
- LET THE SUNSHINE IN: Isabelle loses her shit as her friends talk pretentiously about nature
- REVENGE: the peyote/cave scene
- THE RIDER: Brady works with Lane on a saddle in physical therapy
- SUPPORT THE GIRLS: Maci pulls the confetti cannon on Lisa
*****
Wesley Caldwell | Pilgrim Media Group
#10. HALLOWEEN
#9. ROMA
#8. BLACKKKLANSMAN
#7. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — FALLOUT
#6. REVENGE
#5. FIRST REFORMED
#4. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
#3. EIGHTH GRADE
#2. ANNIHILATION
#1. HEREDITARY
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- ANNIHILATION: the characters come face to face with the bear monster
- BLACKKKLANSMAN: Flip admits the racism is affecting him and making him contemplate his Jewish roots
- EIGHTH GRADE: Kayla and her dad bond over a fire
- FIRST REFORMED: Toller and Mary take the magical mystery tour
- HALLOWEEN: Michael Myers has fun with a motion-sensor light
- HEREDITARY: Peter takes Charlie on a fateful car ride
- MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT: the bathroom fight / Walker cocks his arm-cannons
- REVENGE: Jen’s peyote trip and her “rebranding”
- ROMA: a peaceful beach day turns dramatic
- SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE: Miles comes into his own and launches into NYC with his new suit
- SUSPIRIA: Susie’s first Volk dance / Olga’s resulting pain
- UPGRADE: Grey lets STEM take over for the first time
*****
Dave Cowden | Walt Disney Studios
#10. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — FALLOUT
#9. SHIRKERS
#8. HEREDITARY
#7. THE RIDER
#6. BURNING
#5. FIRST MAN
#4. HAPPY AS LAZZARO
#3. FIRST REFORMED
#2. WILDLIFE
#1. ROMA
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- ANNIHILATION: the bear, screaming
- AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR: “I-am-Steve-Rogers.”
- LEAVE NO TRACE: the departure
- PRIVATE LIFE: waiting in the diner
- SHOPLIFTERS: father and son share a moment while making a snowman
- SUSPIRIA: the broken-body-dance scene
- WILDLIFE: Joe looks in through the porch window
*****
Mike Dillon | CTVA 102 Instructor/Programmer
#10. BLACKKKLANSMAN
#9. SEARCHING
#7. CAPERNAUM
#6. LEAVE NO TRACE
#5. BODIED
#4. BLINDSPOTTING
#2. ROMA
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- COLD WAR: “Two Hearts” (Yugoslavia version) / Zula sees the empty chair in the audience
- DESTROYER: the dye pack explodes on Silas
- FIRST MAN: the film goes silent as the Eagle’s hatch opens on the moon
- GAME NIGHT: the bullet extraction scene
- IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK: “Unbow your head, sister.”
- MINDING THE GAP: Bing Liu interviews his mother
- THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN: Forrest comes to kiss Jewel goodnight
- SHIRKERS: my beloved mentor uncovers “the kernel for [her] profession”
- SHOPLIFTERS: Grandma’s moment alone at the beach
- SWEET COUNTRY: Sam’s close-up / the judge reads the final summation and verdict
- WIDOWS: the short ride home from Jack’s campaign stop
- WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?: Fred Rogers testifies before (and wins over) the Senate subcommittee
*****
Madi Edson | Orion Pictures
#10. CRAZY RICH ASIANS
#9. UPGRADE
#8. EIGHTH GRADE
#7. INCREDIBLES 2
#6. GREEN BOOK
#5. GAME NIGHT
#4. BEAUTIFUL BOY
#3. BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE
#2. THE FAVOURITE
#1. HEREDITARY
Favorite On-Screen Moments
- ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE: Anna dances through the first morning of the apocalypse
- BEAUTIFUL BOY: David’s breakdown on vacation
- BOY ERASED: final scene / Jared sticks his arm out of the car window
- EIGHTH GRADE: the pool party scene
- THE FAVOURITE: Queen Anne asks if she has a lisp
- HEREDITARY: Peter sits in the car after the accident
- MID90S: Stevie falls from the roof
- NEVER GOIN’ BACK: Angela and Jessie get fired
- ROMA: a man sings in front of the forest fire
- VICE: the fake mid-film credits
- WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?: “Let’s just take some time to think of those extra-special people. Some of them may be right here. Some may be far away. Some may even be in heaven. No matter where they are, deep down you know they always wanted what was best for you. They’ve always cared about you beyond measure and have encouraged you to be true to the best within you.”
*****
ANDRE GOWER | Director, WOLFMAN’S GOT NARDS
#10. ASSASSINATION NATION
#8. LOWLIFE
#7. BODIED
#5. UPGRADE
#4. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — FALLOUT
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE: the snowman scene
- INCIDENT IN A GHOSTLAND: any shot, any scene
- THE LAST MOVIE STAR: Burt Reynolds enters the festival
- THE PREDATOR: all references to THE MONSTER SQUAD
- UPGRADE: the first fight scene / STEM takes over
*****
Drew Leung | Concept Artist
#10. SHIRKERS
#9. ISLE OF DOGS
#7. BLACKKKLANSMAN
#5. A STAR IS BORN
#4. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — FALLOUT
#3. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
#2. BLACK PANTHER
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?: Lee’s emotional turmoil as she traverses multiple settings across New York City
- CRAZY RICH ASIANS: all Awkwafina scenes, especially the brunch scene with Ken Jeong as her father
- MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT: the motorcycle chase scenes (even with the fake BMW R-Nine-T)
- SHIRKERS: whenever Jasmine calls Sandi out during the interview for being “an asshole”
- SORRY TO BOTHER YOU: Cash uses his “white voice” for the first time
- SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE: each time we are shown a quick back-story on any of the Spider-people
- A STAR IS BORN: Lady Gaga’s performance of “I’ll Never Love Again” invokes all of the divas who’ve come before her
*****
Daniel Love | Sony Home Entertainment
#10. MARIA BY CALLAS
#8. ANNIHILATION
#6. FOXTROT
#4. CAPERNAUM
#3. HEREDITARY
#2. FIRST MAN
#1. ROMA
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- BLACK PANTHER: Welcome to Wakanda
- CRAZY RICH ASIANS: animated gossip
- THE DEATH OF STALIN: “New York Zionist Queers in Petticoats!”
- EIGHTH GRADE: the swimming pool scene
- FINAL PORTRAIT: Diego is loaded
- FIRST MAN: a wet Neil Armstrong in the rain
- THE FRONT RUNNER: Ben Bradlee heard LBJ fornicating
- HEREDITARY: the attic
- MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT: refurbishing the Grand Palais men’s room
- SHIRKERS: the montage of growing up in Singapore
- THE SISTERS BROTHERS: amateur scientists engage in a kooky pool party
- SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE: the opening title cards
*****
Henry McComas | Pilgrim Media Group
#10. HEREDITARY
#9. A QUIET PLACE
#8. REVENGE
#6. TULLY
#5. BLACKKKLANSMAN
#4. CAM
#3. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
#2. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
#1. ANNIHILATION
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- ANNIHILATION: the bear (also, shots of the plant-people)
- ASSASSINATION NATION: how the home invasion scene was shot
- BLACK PANTHER: final scene / a motherfucking “spaceship” hovers over a basketball court in Oakland
- BODIED: Adam battle-raps against his girlfriend in a vegan restaurant
- HALLOWEEN: the Jack-o’-lantern resurrection time lapse
- THE PREDATOR: Snow White wakes up to the seven dwarfs in the motel
- A QUIET PLACE: Lee and his daughter finally communicate
- SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE: Biggie’s “Hypnotize”
- THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT: the swimming pool kill
- TERRIFIED: the bathroom scene
- TULLY: the repetitive, day-in-a-life montage of Marlo struggling with breastfeeding and taking care of her children
- UPGRADE: “We have a knife, too.”
*****
Abe Moua | Out Now with Aaron and Abe
#9. YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
#8. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — FALLOUT
#7. GREEN BOOK
#6. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
#4. BLINDSPOTTING
#3. PADDINGTON 2
#2. EIGHTH GRADE
#1. THE RIDER
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS: “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings”
- BLINDSPOTTING: Mac Dre’s “Feelin Myself”
- BLINDSPOTTING: the confrontation between Collin and Miles after the party
- CRAZY RICH ASIANS: the Mahjong scene + Coldplay’s “Yellow” (Mandarin translation)
- EIGHTH GRADE: Kayla stands up for herself at the end
- FIRST MAN: the entire moon sequence
- MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT: the bathroom fight scene
- PADDINGTON 2: the storybook sequence
- READY PLAYER ONE: the car race for the first key
- SORRY TO BOTHER YOU: the staircase rap scene
- SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE: pretty much all of it
- YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE: the kitchen scene / “I’ve Never Been to Me”
*****
Aaron Neuwirth | Out Now with Aaron and Abe
#10. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
#9. FREE SOLO
#8. BLACK PANTHER
#7. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
#6. FIRST MAN
#5. ROMA
#4. PADDINGTON 2
#3. COLD WAR
#2. BLINDSPOTTING
#1. BLACKKKLANSMAN
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- ANNIHILATION: the lighthouse dance climax
- BLACK PANTHER: Killmonger visits the spirit world
- BLACKKKLANSMAN: Harry Belafonte juxtaposed against the Klan watching THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915)
- BLINDSPOTTING: the garage confrontation
- DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT: John makes amends to Dexter
- FIRST MAN: the moon landing
- FREE SOLO: Alex passes the boulder problem
- HEREDITARY: the car accident
- MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT: the bathroom brawl
- ROMA: oceans waves and family embrace
- SORRY TO BOTHER YOU: Cassius raps at Steve Lift’s party
- THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT: the pool scene / “Total Eclipse of the Heart”
*****
Brenda Rivera | Photographer
#10. SORRY TO BOTHER YOU
#5. THE FAVOURITE
#4. SEARCHING
#3. ROMA
#2. DESTROYER
#1. MINDING THE GAP
Favorite On-Screen Moments:
- COLD HELL: Özge takes off her bandages and says, “I’m going to kill you.”
- THE ENDLESS: “He was just this guy I was sort of obsessed with when I was on lithium, Thorazine, and PCP.”
- GHOST STORIES: “Why is it always the last key that unlocks everything?”
- THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT: Jack’s compulsive cleaning disorder kicks in after the second murder
- MANDY: the Erik Estrada knock-knock joke
- MAY THE DEVIL TAKE YOU: Alfie’s mom mangles her face
- THE NIGHT COMES FOR US: Arian’s slow-motion punch to Ito’s face
- RAVENOUS: Céline takes on a horde of zombies
- REVENGE: Jen’s hallucinogenic dream sequence
- TERRIFIED: Clara being slammed around in the bathroom
- WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE: the knife’s shadow on the wall as Jackie stabs a victim
- YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE: the final scene / Joe sitting alone at the diner
*****