2018 was a very strong year for international cinema. Here is a list of my favourite films that were released over the past year. I had 4 films that exceptionally stood out for me this year. I will list my top 4 with descriptions and then 16 more in alphabetical order.

1. Burning – Lee Chang Dong – South Korea
   A slow burn thriller from Korean master Lee Chang Dong. We had to wait 8 years for the follow up to the brilliant Poetry, a film I have recently started calling my favourite film ever. Burning is a dark, murky film full of delicious ambiguity. Based off of a Haruki Murakami short story called “Barn Burning.” An exploration of class, male sexual obsession, creation, destruction and the nature of reality. Burning is so many things at once. Every conversation I’ve had about it has focused on different elements depending on who I talk to. Rarely do we get a film with such a richness of meaning that also holds up as an engrossing and entertaining thriller. The performances by the three main characters are electric and a long take that serves as the centrepiece is without question my favourite shot of the year. Burning is South Korea’s first film to get shortlisted for the Foreign Language Oscar and should be seen by everyone.
   
2. Shoplifters – Hirokazu Kore-Eda – Japan
   This years Palme D’or winner is an absolutely crowd pleaser. An offbeat Japanese family drama full of empathy and heartache. Kore-Eda is Japan’s greatest living filmmaker and his prolific output is a gift to the world. Shoplifters feels like a culmination of many themes explored in other Kore-Eda films, yet it is fresh and surprising. The cast is superb, especially the child actors, who in typical Kore-Eda fashion are full of life and understanding. Shoplifters offers a window into a darker reality of Japanese culture that goes wholly unchecked in the tradition family film. If you would like to hear more of my thoughts on this beautiful tear-jerker, I suggest reading my review on the previous page of this site. Side note: While searching for the photo I wanted for this review, I may have had a bit of a cry….
   
3. The Favourite – Yorgos Lanthimos – UK
   When I found out Lanthimos was making a costume drama, I was a little surprised. Upon seeing a trailer, it was clear that this may be the perfect setting for his off-kilter dialogue and twisted sense of humor. A story of political intrigue in the bedrooms of Queen Anne, as two cousins compete for her affection and trust. The majesty of the setting works in delightful contrast to the dark depths of humanity that Lanthimos so loves to explore. The Favourite is an acerbic, silly and surprisingly emotional satire that features 3 of the best female performances of the year. Olivia Colman shines as Queen Anne, falling back on her history as one of U.K.’s best comedic actresses, her portrayal of the sickly, needy monarch is a crowning achievement in her career. Emma Stone has never been more charming and Rachel Weiss has never been scarier. (Or is it the other way around?) Watching the power game the three women play and trying to decide which of them is the most deserving (or least deserving) of happiness is an absolute Joy. There has never been a movie that has this much fun with deception and manipulation. The Favourite is Lanthimos at the top of his game and breathes life into modern costume dramas. One of the best dark comedies ever.
   
4. Climax – Gaspar Noe – France
   Now for something completely different. Climax is a visceral, horrific experience and Gaspar Noe’s best film by far. An acid drenched dance movie that puts its foot on your throat and refuses to let up. The amount of anxiety I felt watching this movie makes it hard to recommend to everybody, but for horror aficionados and people who like a wild ride, this is a must. Long, swirling shots that seem to go on forever and take us on a descent into hell. The year’s best soundtrack and most impressive ensemble cast performance. It is rare that such a genre film cracks my top 5, as I generally gravitate to films that employ subtlety to get their point across, but the bludgeoning I received while watching this movie was the most exhiliarting experience I have had in a theatre in years. This is one I’m gonna watch many times just to remind myself of how it feels to be alive. Sexy, scary and thrilling like no film has ever been.

5-20 (In Alphabetical Order)

Ash is Purest White – Jia Zhang-Ke – China
Blackkklansman – Spike Lee – USA
Blindspotting – Carlos Lopez Estrada – USA
Cold War – Paweł Pawlikowski – Poland
The Death of Stalin – Armando Iannucci – UK
Eighth Grade – Bo Burnham – USA
First Reformed – Paul Schrader – USA
Hereditary – Ari Aster – USA
If Beale Street Could Talk – Barry Jenkins – USA
Isle of Dogs – Wes Anderson – USA
Microhabitat – Jeon Go-Woon – Korea
Minding the Gap – Bing Liu – USA
Roma – Alfonso Cuaron – Mexico
Support The Girls – Andrew Bujalski – USA
Western – Valeska Grisebach – Germany
The Wild Pear Tree – Nuri Bilge Ceylan – Turkey