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Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

badseed — Wed, 3 Apr 2019 22:52:27 GMT

Author: badseed

Posted: 04/04/2019 02:52

I've got a new poll up in the movies section if anyone wants to participate.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

PurpleHazel — Mon, 1 Apr 2019 19:04:30 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 04/01/2019 23:04

badseed wrote:

So does it make me public enemy #1 for having only seen two 2018 films theatrically? I really don't go to the movies much for a variety of reasons. Netflix isn't an alternative to the theater to me; it's basically another form of home video. I've used numerous streaming services in the last month and watched quite a few Blurays.

You were able to make a 50-film list and that's an achievement however you saw them. I only saw four 2018 films theatrically. Don't go to the movies as much as I used to -- I'm older than most of you guys. I too used a patchwork of services including Amazon Prime, Netflix, HBO, Hulu (easy to get free month trials from them) and other means. For instance I got a free week trial of the Shudder channel add-on on Amazon just to watch Mandy.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

PurpleHazel — Mon, 1 Apr 2019 18:53:48 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 04/01/2019 22:53

StreetSpirit wrote:

less-passionate fans watched it as well. Same with... obviously OSotW.

My point was that OSotW is a special case, because it's a trial to watch and only more passionate fans of cinema would sit all the way through that Frankenstein patchwork of varied quality footage and unmatched shots reconstructed by several other people 30 years after Welles' death. But anyway, I've made my point and will now let it go.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

CA Dreamin — Mon, 1 Apr 2019 01:05:43 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 04/01/2019 05:05

badseed wrote:

So does it make me public enemy #1 for having only seen two 2018 films theatrically?

Um, no. Last time I checked Jussie Smollett was public enemy #1. But if you want to declare yourself public enemy #2, have fun.

PurpleHazel wrote:

...if I wanted to see a film badly enough, I found a way.

badseed wrote:

If Roma weren't on Netflix I'd have still found, watched and rated it highly.

All well and good. My point was Netflix made Roma so easy to see, less-passionate fans watched it as well. Same with Buster Scruggs and obviously OSotW. And I believe those movies got a minor bump in points as a result. Not a huge bump that drastically improved their rankings, but a noticeable bump. I'll put it this way. Imagine if those movies were not released on Netflix. Would every participant who put those films on their lists have seen them? It's impossible to determine, but my guess is somebody might have missed them.

Hayden, nice takedown of Bohemian Rhapsody 😄 I refuse to watch that movie because it looks like shit, and all of my fellow movie peers who saw it, confirmed that it was shit.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

PurpleHazel — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 23:20:40 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 04/01/2019 03:20

Hayden wrote:

Not to be that person, but Infinity War is the 4th highest grossing film of all time, verging on 3rd. Think you skimmed over the list a bit fast.

No worries. It was so high up I missed it! Fortunately that mistake was just part of an observation and not a larger point. Another incidental observation: apparently, when adjusted for inflation, no superhero movie cracks the top 20. Would've thought Spider-Man or one of the others would've made it in. The rankings vary a little from site to site sometimes based on the formula they use, but the superhero movie absence seems consistent.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

Hayden — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 21:24:18 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 04/01/2019 01:24

travelful wrote:

Can you all explain in more detail what you didn't like about Bohemian Rhapsody? Was it just the writing? Sorry I'm just curious.

Keep in mind I don't go into a film trying to rip it apart, but a lot of things were really awful...

The inaccuracies in the storyline (biopic/reality, etc...) were silly, not to mention the generic lazy errors scattered everywhere. Even as someone who's fond of Malek, and I think it's cool he has an Oscar now, he was definitely putting on an impression rather than an imitation... I could never get out of feeling like I wasn't watching Malek doing a Queen skit. He tried, definitely, and his heart was in it, but it didn't work at all for me. And the lip-sync vocal comparison can't be taken seriously.

Bohemian Rhapsody more than anything feels like an ad to sell greatest hits comps. I haven't a clue what story they were trying to tell, or any moral behind it. The films made it look like Queen hit success out of the blue, it lasted a year or two, then they had a (non-existent) fight/break-up thing, reconciled, reenacted a performance which was filmed and well-documented to a lesser result of the original, and then Mercury died. Every second they could dub over or inject a popular song, they did (even if it hadn't been released yet, because for some reason the band members forgot what was released when apparently), and the only up-and-coming grit they added to the film was the idea of Queen selling their touring van for studio time (which would never happen because it doesn't make sense). The main conflict mid-film is that the title track was considered too long, and the band insisted 'artistry wins out' or something like that, which... also didn't happen, nor is it too interesting.

Brian May definitely wanted to portray the band in a positive light, but it's clear he didn't want anything negative said about him 😕 He's put on to be this glue of the band that could do no wrong (and is an astrophysicist!). It's oddly braggadocios. They made sure everything looked as polished as possible, and the band's legacy couldn't be tarnished by a single thing. It's vanilla. This could've practically been any band at anytime doing anything.

Editing was awful (not just the scenes going around as being 'awfully edited' either). The film had so many cuts it felt like an entire feature within the first 40 minutes. You're never given time to watch. Sound and cinematography were bland textbook, so no positives or negatives there, but it's so unnecessarily meh. Everything is easy, flavourless, uninspired, and at times truly lazy. Writing's not too hot either. What's exciting here?

It comes down to the inaccuracies (for a biopic, lead by the actual band), the taming of Mercury (PG13??), and the general lack of any purpose. I feel bad Mercury didn't have a say... I really don't think he would've liked it. I know production was a hot mess, but if we're not keeping true to life, what's the point of the film?

Everyone's saying people are hating on it for no reason, or the controversy about the director, but its criticism is well deserved. I haven't a clue why I would watch it again. I found it really unenjoyable, and perhaps even made me feel less positive towards Queen 😕 It's a karaoke version of the film it should've been.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

travelful — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 19:56:33 GMT

Author: travelful

Posted: 03/31/2019 23:56

Can you all explain in more detail what you didn't like about Bohemian Rhapsody? Was it just the writing? Sorry I'm just curious.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

Hayden — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 19:32:59 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 03/31/2019 23:32

Quote:

Just saw that Incredibles 2 is ranked 15th in the highest grossing films OAT (according to Wikipedia), while Infinity Wars didn't make the top 50 (the first two Avengers movies are in the top 10). Maybe others are struggling to keep up with the MCU like I am.

Not to be that person, but Infinity War is the 4th highest grossing film of all time, verging on 3rd. Think you skimmed over the list a bit fast.

And, to join in, Shoplifters climbed on my list closer to the deadline... think it rounded out at #4. Really fantastic bit of cinema.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

PurpleHazel — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 19:30:05 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 03/31/2019 23:30

StreetSpirit wrote:

But anyway, my point was Netflix boosted the three movies I mentioned, possibly Black Panther, Infinity War, and Incredibles 2 as well if anyone didn't see them in theaters. If not for Netflix, Other Side of the Wind wouldn't make the list; Buster Scruggs would probably be lower;

Though you had to have Netflix to see Other Side of the Wind, it's so demanding (more so than your average foreign art film) that no one who isn't already a major film buff and Welles fan would like or even sit through it. I'd define a Welles fan who's seen at least one or two films other than Citizen Kane. Since this poll had significantly more participants than the 40s and 40s decade and the film noir polls, I'm assuming that significantly more participants in this poll haven't seen Touch of Evil and/or Magnificent Ambersons, and therefore probably wouldn't be receptive to OSotW. So I don't think it being on Netflix is going to earn it many extra votes (I would've happily caught it in the theater if Netflix hadn't acquired it, so probably a majority of other Welles fans probably would've as well). Black Panther's one of the highest grossing movies of all time -- if it couldn't place higher than it did, Netflix probably didn't help much. Buster Scruggs might've gotten a little bump -- then again the Coens have a built-in fan base here as they do on most movie forums.

Just saw that Incredibles 2 is ranked 15th in the highest grossing films OAT (according to Wikipedia), while Infinity Wars didn't make the top 50 (the first two Avengers movies are in the top 10). Maybe others are struggling to keep up with the MCU like I am.

Quote:

Definitely Shoplifters.

My #1!

I would've preferred Netflix hadn't acquired Roma and it played at the art house theater near me instead: it requires a big screen more than most art films due to the importance of the action in the background.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

badseed — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 19:18:50 GMT

Author: badseed

Posted: 03/31/2019 23:18

So does it make me public enemy #1 for having only seen two 2018 films theatrically? I really don't go to the movies much for a variety of reasons. Netflix isn't an alternative to the theater to me; it's basically another form of home video. I've used numerous streaming services in the last month and watched quite a few Blurays. If Roma weren't on Netflix I'd have still found, watched and rated it highly because of its hype. Sorry my only real sources for movies these days (Letterboxd, Youtube, and awards season) didn't celebrate lesser known but superior films enough for me to get around to them. 🤔

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

cestuneblague — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 18:30:02 GMT

Author: cestuneblague

Posted: 03/31/2019 22:30

There was a breif theatrical run for Roma, mainly just in big-city theateres, I saw it at the Drafthouse a little while back.

But yeah good list as always, as usual plenty I didn't see and a few select ones just found overrated or felt fair-weather towards or maybe we're done in by the hype (Annhilation, Widows, Suspiria, Cold War etc). Forgot about Isle of Dogs but probably would've sneaked in at the lower end of my list. But should have a good list films to see, thanks Hayd-ian.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

CA Dreamin — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 18:24:16 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 03/31/2019 22:24

Hayden wrote:

Quote:

I was pleasantly surprised The Favourite beat out Roma. It's the better movie of the two. And the fact people had to leave their living rooms to see The Favourite makes it's win over Roma even sweeter.

I'm aware Roma was a hit in Mexico, but without Netflix it would not have had as many points in this poll. Other than Hayden, who lives in Mexico where it was a hit, did any participant in this poll see it in theaters? I should have phrased my original statement as such:

Quote:

...the fact people participants of this poll had to leave their living rooms to see The Favourite makes its win over Roma even sweeter.

badseed wrote:

Mandy. Surprised it made this list. Everyone from critics to the horror groups I'm in to BEA loved it. I gave my horror buddies shit for liking it, telling them they wouldn't know an art film if it slapped them in the face. They all seem to think its the most artsy and trippy horror film ever. As an arthouse fan and an advocate for psychedelics, I found it to be neither by a long shot. Expected you guys to know better. Since I was wrong, I can't really even blame y'all. I guess it's just me.

Yeah I guess it is just you. I viewed Mandy as a comedy-horror, and in that regard I enjoyed it. But that maybe that was just me. #29 seems fair. I definitely prefer it over Hereditary.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

badseed — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 17:29:45 GMT

Author: badseed

Posted: 03/31/2019 21:29

I've been on the fence about Bohemian Rhapsody. Its either the worst good movie ever or the best bad movie ever.

Still enjoyed it more than Mandy. Surprised it made this list. Everyone from critics to the horror groups I'm in to BEA loved it. I gave my horror buddies shit for liking it, telling them they wouldn't know an art film if it slapped them in the face. They all seem to think its the most artsy and trippy horror film ever. As an arthouse fan and an advocate for psychedelics, I found it to be neither by a long shot. Expected you guys to know better. Since I was wrong, I can't really even blame y'all. I guess it's just me.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

Hayden — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 17:10:14 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 03/31/2019 21:10

Quote:

I'm aware nobody who submitted lists lives in Mexico City, but Roma had sold out shows here for months (even a full month after the Netflix release!). You'd swear it was Harry Potter or a Marvel film. Lines down cinema blocks, people taking pictures with the poster, etc...

Roma only had a box office of around $4m, but keep in mind it doesn't really reflect the market that went to go see it because tickets were give-or-take 30-35 pesos depending on the cinema. I've never seen a community so proud about a film or as eager to see one as Roma. AMLO even had a screening at Los Pinos (which was free, but still garnered a sizeable crowd). People definitely left their living rooms to see Roma, including myself.

Quote:

that was one of only 3 or 4 movies i saw from all of last year. I thought it was okay...7-8/10 from me

...it got a 3/10 from me... 😨 really didn't like it.

Quote:

Hayden man, thank u so much for making this tourney possible and yes, of course, thanx to all the users that have joined it, I have a more colorful wish-list now.

And not a problem 😄 It's never too much of a hassle.

Quote:

Rachel Weisz & Olivia Colman best female performances, of course, they were amazing

Tied runaways by the way. They both had 44 points. Aparicio was third with 22. Hawke and Phoenix were runaways too (...just noticed the bird connection).

Quote:

I watched The Miseducation of Cameron Post, "a teenage girl is forced into a gay conversion therapy center by her conservative guardians". That is on my top 20 now.

And after some picks I knew would never make it, I think this is the biggest snub. Figured Cameron Post would be a sure-in. Same with Crazy Rich Asians and Lazzaro Felice.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

pa — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 15:57:11 GMT

Author: pa

Posted: 03/31/2019 19:57

hi there, I'm gonna share some random considerations, first thing first:
Hayden man, thank u so much for making this tourney possible and yes, of course, thanx to all the users that have joined it, I have a more colorful wish-list now.

Roma, I loved it, that kind of gorgeousness and enchanting slowness of Michelangelo Antonioni, that kind of quality that makes the movie almost hypnotic in a positive way.
Also The Favorite was a nice one, I'm not sure that I proper understood what the director wanted to convey at the end tho. I have to think about it a little bit more maybe.
Rachel Weisz & Olivia Colman best female performances, of course, they were amazing but I enjoyed more KiKi Layne's one, her performance and Dakota Johnson's one are my favorite of the year.
BlacKkKlansman, it was my #15, I was thinking about it yesterday and probably I should have put it a little bit higher, Spike Lee message was quite deep. The different standpoints of Ron Stallworth and Patrice, people on one side shouting white power and on the other side people shouting black power...I'd like to know what u guys think about what Mr. Lee wanted to convey with this movie.

I watched The Miseducation of Cameron Post, "a teenage girl is forced into a gay conversion therapy center by her conservative guardians". That is on my top 20 now. It's very similar to Boy Erased, "the son of a Baptist preacher is forced to participate in a church-supported gay conversion program after being forcibly outed to his parents".
I didn't know, in my ignorance, that places like these actually exist...and the people that are running these places have no idea of what they are doing.

Blaze, guys, if like Outlaw Country u might find this movie interesting and if u have time to listen to Blaze Foley albums I'm sure you're gonna dig them.
one of my favorite songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMT76_mYDV0
and favorite album so far: Sittin' By The Road by Blaze Foley

Speaking of soundtrack, I loved A Star is Born one, my favorite songs are I'll Never Love Again and Always Remember Us This Way. awesome tunes imo
and obviously I can't forget Suspiria one. At the beginning of the movie the first song started and I wondered who the heck is this band/singer?? I'm not a huge fan of Radiohead, to be honest I'm not a fan at all, that's why I didn't recognize him 🤣 but I do recognize Yorke genius as an artist and his songs in this movie are fabulous.
my favorite is probably this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTZl9KM...mp;index=1

wow...my longest post in five years 🤣

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

travelful — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 14:19:30 GMT

Author: travelful

Posted: 03/31/2019 18:19

Hayden wrote:

Will note I'm quite glad Bohemian Rhapsody was nowhere close to making the cut.

why do you think that is? again I know nothing about film, but that was one of only 3 or 4 movies i saw from all of last year. I thought it was okay...7-8/10 from me

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

CA Dreamin — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 12:52:52 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 03/31/2019 16:52

PurpleHazel wrote:

I was pleasantly surprised The Favourite beat out Roma. It's the better movie of the two. And the fact people had to leave their living rooms to see The Favourite makes its win over Roma even sweeter.

But anyway, my point was Netflix boosted the three movies I mentioned, possibly Black Panther, Infinity War, and Incredibles 2 as well if anyone didn't see them in theaters. If not for Netflix, Other Side of the Wind wouldn't make the list; Buster Scruggs would probably be lower; Roma probably would have had less points but still may have been #2 due to how many points separate it from #3.

PurpleHazel wrote:

I would've liked to see a non-English language film other than Roma crack the top 10, but I guess that's just the nature of the forum.

Definitely Shoplifters.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

PurpleHazel — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 11:56:46 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 03/31/2019 15:56

Hayden wrote:

Will note I'm quite glad Bohemian Rhapsody was nowhere close to making the cut.

In a 50-film list, no small accomplishment!

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

Hayden — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 10:39:07 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 03/31/2019 14:39

PurpleHazel wrote:

I would've liked to see a non-English language film other than Roma crack the top 10, but I guess that's just the nature of the forum.

For a while Cold War was in the top 5. Didn't get a lot of love near the end.

Quote:

I'm happy with it. Nothing at all surprising about the top 2, nor the fact that they blow everything else away on points, but the rest of the list is pretty random. Quite a few near the bottom that I haven't seen so I've got a bit to gain from it.

And yeah... Roma & The Favourite will definitely go down 2018's most notable films come decade-list time (or even in the far future). Possibly even First Reformed, and as it's currently looking, Into The Spiderverse.

Will note I'm quite glad Bohemian Rhapsody was nowhere close to making the cut.

Re: Best Films of 2018 [List]

PurpleHazel — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 02:06:23 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 03/31/2019 06:06

StreetSpirit wrote:

I think it's obvious Netflix, with its ease of access, made an impact on this list. Roma appeared on more individual lists than any other and came in at #2. :-k, I wonder how that happened. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs at #19 and The Other Side of the Wind making the Top 40 with no other means of access.

Think it just reflects the almost universal critical acclaim for Roma. Factoring in number of reviews, it was probably the best-reviewed film of the year. It won Best Picture in all the U.S. critics group awards -- NY Film Critics Circle, Chicago Critics Association, L.A. Critics Association, WAFCA Awards (D.C. critics) -- except the Critics Choice Awards, and guess who won that? The Favourite. Given all that, the biggest surprise is that Roma didn't come in at #1. Also worth noting that The Favourite isn't available on any subscription streaming service -- it's not even available to rent or buy on iTunes and Amazon.

I would've liked to see a non-English language film other than Roma crack the top 10, but I guess that's just the nature of the forum.

Have to admit I relied heavily on the availability of 2018 films on subscription streaming services and HBO, but if I wanted to see a film badly enough, I found a way. It was the pretty great selection of films on Amazon Prime that really encouraged me to participate -- Eighth Grade, You Were Never Really Here, First Reformed, Annihilation, Hereditary, Unsane and others. Surprisingly, Hulu came through in a pinch too -- principally Shoplifters (though there was a major technical problem with the subtitles) and If Beale Street Could Talk.