Marc Savlov’s Top 10 Films of 2018

1) First Reformed

Hawke's Calvinist priest drowning in a crisis of faith is soul-shattering. Paul Schrader's script and direction is merciless.

2) You Were Never Really Here

A gnarly, nasty portrait of righteousness subsumed by rage, Joaquin Phoenix's ex-soldier brings the war back home.

3) Roma

More gravitas than Gravity and all the more human for it. A beautiful and perfect film.

4) Won't You Be My Neighbor?

A medicine for all melancholies and a reminder of what is best in life. (Sorry, Conan.)

5) Hereditary

Terror is a shadow half-glimpsed in the peripheral, but true horror is a conflagration of the soul.

6) Let the Corpses Tan

Outrageous style and unlikely but undeniable substance un-peacefully coexist in this sun-drenched, French fever dream.

7) Bomb City

This scrappy indie upstart recounting the murder of Amarillo scenester Brian Deneke is 100% pure, punk rock heart.

8) Sorry to Bother You

Boots Riley's funky phantasmagoria of socio-racial subversion is the most original film of the year.

9) Burning

Where there's fire, there may not always be smoke, but this South Korean slow-burner enkindles madness and magic.

10) Mandy

Oh, apologies dude sitting behind me, but Mandy just blew my mind. Can I get you a napkin?

Near Misses

Eighth Grade, BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther

Most Overrated

Avengers: Infinity War, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Solo: A Star Wars Story

Most Underrated

Lean on Pete, The Rider, Minding the Gap

Wild Card

No matter how "yuuuge" the wall, inside-outsiders Matanga/Maya/M.I.A., Black Panther, and Isle of Dogs will circumvent that fucker.

Acting Kudos (Male)

Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate), Nicolas Cage (Mandy), Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Acting Kudos (Female)

Dakota Johnson (Suspiria), Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz (Revenge), Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)

Best Director

Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), Hirokazu Koreeda (Shoplifters), Paul Schrader (First Reformed)

Best Original Screenplay

Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You); Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, John Krasinski (A Quiet Place); Bo Burnham (Eighth Grade)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini (Leave No Trace); Jung-mi Oh, Chang dong-Lee (Burning); Josh Singer (First Man)

TV Series/Event

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Worst Film

Night School: Repent, harlequin! And, by the way, you owe me 111 minutes of my life back, Kevin Hart.