Baumer's 36 best films of 2018 (top 3 has been revealed)

[Plain Old Tele]

I'm kinda with Ethan here.  

[The Panda]

44 minutes ago, Ethan Hunt said:

At one point the lead character exclaims "this isn't like the movie!" It's essentially a movie for the anti-TLJ crowd

Kind of get your point.  My main problem with the movie was I felt like it had nothing to offer except “Hey, look at this recognizable character lol!”

[TwoMisfits]

Okay, you all have convinced me to put Ready Player One on my watch soon list, since the wildly different takes amuse me (I'll probably fall right in the middle of the two takes, but who knows?  Maybe I'll have a 3rd one - bad movie with no insult intended:)...could happen...

[SchumacherFTW]

15 minutes ago, Telemachos said:

I'm kinda with Ethan here.  

I bet that wouldn't be the case if they used Lawrence of a labia instead of The Shinning 

[baumer]

31 minutes ago, Telemachos said:

I'm kinda with Ethan here.  

 

Yes but your soul is blackened.

[baumer]

#11

Bohemian Rhapsody

Box office:  743 million and counting

Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton...produced by Robert DeNiro and many others

 

The only person who could play Freddie Mercury better than Rami Malek would be Freddie Mercury himself. I was blown away by the cast of Bohemian Rhapsody. The story was incredibly well written and there was never a lull. The cast meshed together so well and I think that made their ability to perform playing legends like Queen even better. This was the first time I've seen Rami Malek's acting but I know he's been on the radar for years. His ability to transform into Freddie Mercury goes beyond makeup & wardrobe. His mannerisms and the confidence you know Freddie Mercury for having were so important for whatever Actor ended up with the part. The efforts they made to recreate their iconic Live Aid performance was incredible. There were times when I actually became overwhelmed watching Rami Malek play Freddie. He was one of the most talented musicians in history and it's a huge task to try living up to that but it was like Rami Malek was born to play this role. He was just that incredible. It's especially apparent at the end of the film where old footage of Freddie Mercury performing with Queen is played as the credits roll.

 

I didn't know much about Queen or Mercury's life.  I feel like I at least know a bit more now.  Very well done film and one that I'm sure will be well represented at the Oscars this year.  

 

@kaijukurt  

I thoroughly enjoyed this. 

 

Rami Malek killed it as Freddie Mercury, and I think the stylishness of it all along with the rapid fire pace is gonna work well with general audiences like it did with me.

 

[baumer]

Okay, serious question @Telemachos...what did you like this year?

[baumer]

#10

Adrift

Box office:  60 million WW

Shaileen Woodley, Sam Claflin

 

 

A film that starts off as part survival adventure, part Nicholas Sparks love story.  At first I began to question why they made the choice to inter cut between the present and then the past...how they met, fell in love and ultimately accepted an offer to sail a boat from Tahiti to San Diego.  But then near the end, it all comes together and if it wasn't hard enough watching the movie, fearing the worse for Richard, then the one small twist just destroyed me, left in puddles.  

 

After Spielberg finished Jaws, he told anyone that would listen, to never film on the open sea, ever.  The elements, the waves, the weather and everything in between basically cause chaos.  Director Baltasar Kormakur did not take heed to that warning and the result is something magical.  To get the feeling of complete isolation, the cast and crew would sail out 2 hours from land to film.  Kormakur is an experienced sailor and I'm sure that came in handy during filming.  Half of the movie takes place on the open water and slowly but surely you see the two characters start to fade.  They haven't given up hope but they are 1500 miles from land, have little food and little water.  How Tammy and Richard survived 41 days on their own is a miracle.  Tammy had to do it all.  Take care of Richard, keep the boat afloat, catch food, make shelters and so on.  There were times when she was in tears and close to going crazy, but she kept going, incredibly reaching Hawaii.  She was not the experienced sailor, that was Richard.  That makes it all the more incredible.

 

There's one big plot twist and I will not reveal that here.  If you know nothing about the story, keep it that way.  Go in blind.  It'll work so much better for you.

 

Shaileen owns the movie.  She's simply a rock.  Her range of emotions are incredible and she has to carry the film most of the way.  Claflin is good too but Woodley has much more to do.  I simply love her performance and I really hope she gets a nomination this year.  She's simply brilliant.

 

@filmlover   Shailene Woodley is easily the best thing about the movie; this is arguably the most challenging role yet of her promising young career, and she hits all of the required beats and makes Tami a more realized person than the script has written her as. It's one of her best performances to date (her best since The Descendants imo). As the only other person in the film with significant screentime, Sam Claflin is also good but doesn't have as much to sink into as his co-star.

 

 

[Plain Old Tele]

3 minutes ago, Christmas baumer said:

Okay, serious question @Telemachos...what did you like this year?

 

I haven't seen many of the big(ger) movies that most of the forum people have seen, so I need to keep my big yap shut.

 

I did like SPIDER-VERSE, though, doesn't that count for something? And MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE? And even *shudder* BLACK PANTHER.  

[baumer]

#9 

Little Italy

Box office:  Not much

Hayden Christiansen, Emma Roberts, Danny Aiello, Andrea Martin, Alyssa Milano, Jane Seymour

 

In the Behind-the-Scenes segment of the DVD of "Little Italy," the film artists described this feel-good movie as "an old school romantic comedy with a modern twist." It was also mentioned that the original title for the film was "Pizza Wars." By the end, the audience was treated to good, wholesome entertainment wrapped in a vicarious experience of mouth-watering pizzas.

Set primarily in Toronto, the community of "Little Italy" includes competing pizza establishments. For years, there has been a running feud between the two eateries, although the owners cannot even recall the source of the conflict. In the bonus track of the DVD, the film was described as a blend of the Hatfields vs. the McCoys and the Montagues vs. the Capulets in "Romeo and Juliet."

The romance of the film was primarily in the relationship of the young people of the two rival pizza joints: Nikki and Leo. From the outset, there is never a doubt that they are deeply in love and that their love will triumph over the dissonance of their families.

The script was nicely built around a set of likable members of the two families. There was clever dialogue that kept returning to the decent values of "tradition, passion, and pride" in the making of pizzas. In the relationships, the major themes were "love, life, and cooking."

The film was especially successful in skillfully incorporating the scenes in which the delicious pizza was made along with the romantic narrative. Perhaps the most imaginative scene was when the pizzas were laced with "reefer" that led to a misdemeanor arrest and a wild frisking scene of the proprietors. The cast was strong with outstanding performances from the young leads.

 

But most importantly, this was a nice throwback to old school 80's and 90's romantic comedies where people fall in love, they make us laugh and everyone lives happily ever after.  I miss the rom-coms from days gone by.  This one did a fantastic job of reminding why I love the genre so much.

 

[baumer]

3 hours ago, Telemachos said:

 

I haven't seen many of the big(ger) movies that most of the forum people have seen, so I need to keep my big yap shut.

 

I did like SPIDER-VERSE, though, doesn't that count for something? And MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE? And even *shudder* BLACK PANTHER.  

 

I didn't care for Spiderverse.  And Black Panther would have made my top 50 but didn't make this list.

[Plain Old Tele]

1 minute ago, Christmas baumer said:

 

I didn't care for Spiderverse.  And Black Panther would have made my top 50 but didn't make this list.

 

I know it doesn't count as a big movie but I liked UPGRADE a whole lot, does this mean we can be friends again?

[4815162342]

3 hours ago, Telemachos said:

Oh no.

 

[baumer]

#8

Avengers Infinity War Part 1

Box office:  2.048 Billion WW

Robert Downey Jr. Chris Pratt, Josh Brolin and so many more

 

 

What more can or needs to be said about this one?  IMO, it's one of the best comic book films ever made.  There has never been a film with this kind of scope to it.  The balancing act that was needed to handle a film with this many characters, is on another level.  The Russo Brothers nailed it and I can't wait for the conclusion.  I don't think you need a long winded review from me.  I loved it.  Most of you have seen it.  

 

 

Loved the movie. Thanos was extraordinary. The best part is not that he is very powerful, but that his contention as to why half te universe needs to be destroyed almost makes sense. Action scenes are superb. Cap's entry got an awesome reaction as did Thor's final fight entry.   @jb007

 

[baumer]

3 hours ago, Telemachos said:

 

I know it doesn't count as a big movie but I liked UPGRADE a whole lot, does this mean we can be friends again?

 

You know Tele, if you weren't my friend, I don't think I could bear it.  

[baumer]

#7

Mandy

Box office:  1.2 million

Nicolas Cage, Bill Duke

 

Watching Mandy is like being privy to someone else's dream.  People show up out of the blue, you go places that you shouldn't be able to go to and things happen randomly.  And this makes it unlike any other film I've ever seen.  It's definitely not for everyone but it's a hypnotic experience.  I don't think anyone could have played the lead role but Nic Cage.  He's allowed to cut loose here...it's like crazy Nic Cage but even more crazy, like he dropped acid, took LSD and snorted COKE all at the same time.  He's awesome.  

 

This takes place in 1983, at Crystal Lake.  

 

Dreams, fantasy, love, torture, psychedelics revenge, and so much more. We're introduced to the colourful, precious, vivid and surreal world of Mandy. Her unique bond to her stories, art and husband drive the beginning of the film and serves as a wonderful example of how special her and her husband are to one another. Mandy, on an unfortunate day, is spotted, by the leader of a twisted LSD cult. Her precious energy was so intoxicating that the cult leader stops at nothing to pursue her, going as far as sacrificing his own followers to summon demons to capture Mandy. Mandy's love for her husband and fantasy world is so strong that even under the effects of the cults practice/medicine, she showed strength and perseverance. Ultimately belittling the cult leader, leaving him so fragile and insecure he had to introduce Mandy to her smouldering demise. Enter stage left, the inner fire that sparked Cage's blood crazed revenge trip, which we all gladly follow and cheer on.

At the end of the day, the movie plot is incredibly simple: "kill everybody who wronged a loved one"... And like any movie with a plot that is slightly similar, you know, for the most part, exactly what's going to come. You're going to see someone face incredibly monumental troubles and with the odds against them, they will succeed. Simple, we've all seen those films before AND definitely some worse. But, that's where the magic of this movie surfaces. We know these things need to happen, but, we're on our toes from start to finish. Everything that is predictable, STILL, delivers in a surprising, awesome, soul satisfying way. And we're given beautiful imagery every step of the way to be immersed in the couples world.

I've argued before with members on this site that every movie is made to make money.  I'm not sure if this one was.  It's so surreal, so over the top and so much different than anything out there that I just don't see it catching on with a mainstream audience.  I found it hypnotic, like it left me in a trance in some ways.  I can't wait to see it again.  

 

If you are at the point where you are tired of Hollywood formula, then this is the film for you.  And it has the best line of the year...."Well aren't you a vicious snowflake!"

 

@The Stingray   

God-tier.

10/10

 

 

[Reddroast]

5 hours ago, Ethan Hunt said:

the film is clearly in favor of toxic fanboy culture and gross over idolization of source material 

The book is in favor of toxic fanboy culture. However i found the film to be classic Spielberg.

[baumer]

#6

Won't You Be My Neighbor

Documentary

Box office:  22.6 million

 

The one disturbing thing about watching this movie is that you realize that although the world needs a man like Mr. Rodgers, we might need him now more than ever, but even though we need him, he would probably be ostracized and ridiculed beyond belief in this cynical time we live in.  Here's a man who truly cared for kids.  There was never any chicanery, no whispers of abuse or molestation or any other nefarious kind of rumour that would exist today.  He loved them and wanted them to grow up believing in themselves.  He also loved people and he tried to help others, including taking a stand with black people in the tumultuous times they lived in.  

 

A stunning film and one that should be a shoe in for best documentary this year.

 

@Rorschach  This is a wonderful and timely documentary that I feel the world needs in a time like this. Mr. Rogers' messages of peace, love, acceptance, etc. remain as poignant and important today as they did during his time on television.

 

 

[baumer]

Top 5 will be completed tomorrow.

 

 

[The Panda]

1 hour ago, TwoMisfits said:

Okay, you all have convinced me to put Ready Player One on my watch soon list, since the wildly different takes amuse me (I'll probably fall right in the middle of the two takes, but who knows?  Maybe I'll have a 3rd one - bad movie with no insult intended:)...could happen...

I didn’t find it insulting or anything.  Probably the definition of a meh movie imo, good VFX though.