DEJA DEAD’S Favorite films of 2018

How To Talk To Girls At Parties

When I first saw the title I rolled my eyes, as my impressions of what a film like this could entail flooded my brain with thoughts of an outdated mindset. However, once I realized that it was based on a story by Neil Gaiman and directed by John Cameron Mitchell, I perked up. Suddenly a title like this had endless possibility. Tongue placed firmly in cheek, a carrot on a stick that could lead the unsuspecting mark into a world of madness. The film does not disappoint. With its editing style that is at once out of control and masterfully considered, to its hilarious writing, jarring cinematography, strong soundtrack and a great lively cast, How To Talk To Girls At Parties became one of my favorite films of the year before it was even halfway over. A truly unique vision, I walked out of the theater turned up to 11.

Shoplifters

I went into this one knowing nothing more than the title. I walked out having experienced a beautiful and sad meditation on the definition of ‘family.’ As funny as it is heartbreaking, with a charming cast of characters who all hold secrets of their own. Things are not as they seem, and information is revealed in a slow and deliberate pace which causes ripples throughout the experience, constantly re-coloring what you thought you knew, and leaving plenty of room for interpretation.

Annihilation

It’s hard to believe this film came out in 2018, as it feels like it came out a lifetime ago. I am often distressed by the thought that perhaps there is nothing left to discover on earth. All of the islands have been mapped out, all the elements categorized, an invisible force like gravity can be written out as a numerical equation. It’s boring. You think you know gravity exists because if you drop a book 100 times, it will hit the ground 100 times. But what if the 101st time, it simply didn’t fall? Annihilation is a descent into a mysterious forest on earth, where the book doesn’t fall. Things escalate to an unbelievable fever dream of a finale which left me stunned. I don’t think I blinked or breathed for the last 20 minutes of the film, and the sinister, pulsing noise that reverberates throughout the credits echoed in my mind long after the lights in the theater came back up.

Spider-Man: Into The SpiderVerse

There is on one hand so much to say about this film, and on the other it totally speaks for itself. Hilarious yet emotional, with eye popping face melting animation that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a truly special experience. In this endless assault of superhero films, not to mention Spider-Man films in particular, SpiderVerse sticks out like a sore thumb in the best possible way. This is a film that feels like it should be seen by everyone.

Hereditary

The levels of hype for Hereditary were out of control, with critics calling it “our generation’s Exorcist”, among other things. This was a rare case where the hype was absolutely justified. This is a film that feels like you are witnessing something truly evil. Like you are being let in on a terrible secret. It doesn’t rely on jump scares or quick noises, replacing that instead with a growing sense of unease as the depression and paranoia of the characters melts into pure terror.

The Favourite

Easily my favorite film by Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite lives up to its name. The cinematography is really stunning in this one- something about the fish eye lens in a 1700s setting gives a whole new perspective to what you may at first expect to be the same kind of period piece you’ve seen over and over again. Very quickly this film differentiates itself from the pack with a darkly humorous and wildly escalating battle of subtleties. Probably the best dance sequence of 2018 as well.

Assassination Nation

Just see it. That’s what I told people when it came out, and that’s what I’ll continue to shout from the rooftops. This film smartly and succinctly captures the zeitgeist of the hellscape that is 2018 in America. It’s not preachy, and it doesn’t provide any answers. It’s just a perfect snapshot of a specific mood, cathartic in its representation on a screen as opposed to just building up in your head.

MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A

As inspiring as an artists success story as it is simultaneously infuriating as social commentary, this documentary is as loud and driven as M.I.A herself. Framing the structure of the film around her life-changing visit to the village where she grew up in Sri Lanka, the film dives deep into what drives her, alongside very clear and detailed looks at the various criticisms and controversies she’s gotten wrapped up in. Almost entirely made from home footage, this intimate portrait of one of the most exciting artists of our time will have you galangalangalanging all the way home.

Mortal Engines

A fun and wild adventure that goes from 0 to 60 before the first frame even hits the screen, and then never lets up. I loved every second of it. It's an extremely ambitious film in a way that I haven't seen since Jupiter Ascending. You're given enough context to understand why things are the way they are in this world, but there are plenty of breadcrumbs laid out for anyone who wants to look deeper and try to uncover more. The film also does an excellent job showing that the events unfolding on screen are affecting thousands of people and not just the handful of main characters caught up in it. World building, people!! It's not too serious and some lines of dialogue are pretty corny (though on later reflection, I can justify their presence!), but damn is it a good time. Not every film has to be a slow-burning emotional gut-punch. Sometimes you just need cities on motherfucking WHEELS.

Burning

It is hard to talk about Burning without giving anything away, and yet there’s not much to give away. This is probably the film I’ve had the most interesting discussions about long after the credits finished rolling, as what seems clear at first suddenly becomes more and more vague the more you dissect it. But this is seemingly by design. Based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, this film had a lot of leeway to turn it into a film that breaks the two hour mark. Fans of Murakami’s work will notice plenty of hat tips to the author, featuring recurring imagery and themes from his novels without distracting from the matter at hand. It’s been billed as a thriller but I find that a bit misleading, as it’s slower pace defies the expected definition that a label like that implies. But it’s certainly a journey, and things that happen on and off the screen raise the stakes at a deceptively subtle pace. I also must mention the unbelievable cinematography, including one shot so perfectly framed and with such depth and detail (that not only looks nice but also drives the story forward), that it caused me to audibly mutter “shut the fuck up…” in the theater during my viewing. Don’t miss BURNING!