Top 93 Ranked

Best 2018 Movies of All Time

Modern Classics and Award Winning Cinema Masterpieces

Explore the best films of the year, from Oscar winners to breakout indie hits. See which cinematic masterpieces defined the industry and captured hearts.

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About Movies in 2018

In the rearview mirror of film history, 2018 stands out as the year that the traditional Hollywood power structure finally yielded to a new reality. It was a twelve month stretch where the industry stopped merely talking about representation and started proving its commercial and artistic viability on a global scale. If you look back at the box office charts and the awards season darlings, you see a year defined by barriers being dismantled in real time.

The defining cultural moment arrived early in the year with Ryan Coogler's Black Panther. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe was already a juggernaut, this film became something much larger than a superhero installment. It was a legitimate cultural phenomenon that shattered the outdated industry myth that Black led casts could not travel internationally. It earned over a billion dollars and eventually became the first superhero movie nominated for Best Picture, signaling that the Academy was ready to take populist genre filmmaking seriously if it had something profound to say.

While Marvel was hitting its stride, the summer belonged to Crazy Rich Asians. It was the first major studio film with a predominantly Asian cast in a modern setting in a quarter century. Its success revitalized the romantic comedy genre, which many pundits had declared dead, and proved that audiences were hungry for specific, culturally grounded stories told through a classic glossy lens.

On the prestige side of the aisle, 2018 was a year of staggering visual ambition. Alfonso Cuaron gave us Roma, a deeply personal, black and white masterpiece that solidified Netflix's status as a top tier film studio. It ignited fierce debates about the future of the theatrical experience, yet the artistry on screen was undeniable. Simultaneously, we saw the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a film that fundamentally changed the language of animation. Its hyper kinetic, comic book come to life aesthetic made every other animated film of the decade look safe and dated by comparison.

The year also felt like a turning point for how we view stardom. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga delivered A Star is Born, a massive hit that felt like a throwback to old school Hollywood glamour. Meanwhile, Yorgos Lanthimos turned the period drama on its head with The Favorite, offering a wickedly sharp, female led power struggle that replaced stuffy historical tropes with punk rock energy and fisheye lenses.

Beyond the big hits, 2018 was remarkable for its depth. We had the visceral horror of Ari Aster's Hereditary, the silent tension of A Quiet Place, and the urgent social commentary of Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman. It was a year where it felt like there was a masterpiece for every kind of fan. We remember 2018 because it didn't just give us great movies; it gave us a new blueprint for what the film industry could look like when it actually started to look like the world around it. It was the year high art and high concept finally learned how to speak the same language.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
93
2018 in Hotel Artemis (2018)
Hotel Artemis
2018

Los Angeles, June 21st, 2028. While the streets are being torn apart by riots, the Nurse, who runs a clandestine hospital for criminals in the penthouse of the Artemis, a closed old hotel, has a rough night dealing with troublemaker clients: thieves, assassins, someone from the past and the one who owns the place and the whole city.

Science Fiction
Action
1h 34m
Drew Pearce
92
2018 in The Nun (2018)
The Nun
2018

A priest with a dark past and a novice nearing her final vows are sent by the Vatican to Romania to investigate a nun's death and face a demonic force.

Horror
1h 36m
Corin Hardy
Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, Bonnie Aarons, Jonas Bloquet
91
2018 in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
2018

Three years after Jurassic World was destroyed, Isla Nublar now sits abandoned. When the island's dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.

Action
Adventure
2h 9m
J. A. Bayona
Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith

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90
2018 in The Predator (2018)
The Predator
2018

When a young boy accidentally triggers the universe's most lethal hunters' return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist can prevent the end of the human race.

Science Fiction
Action
1h 47m
Shane Black
Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Sterling K. Brown, Jacob Tremblay
89
2018 in Adrift (2018)
Adrift
2018

Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp couldn't anticipate that they would be sailing directly into one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. In the aftermath of the storm, Tami awakens to find Richard badly injured and their boat in ruins. With no hope of rescue, Tami must now find the strength and determination to save herself and the only man she has ever loved.

Thriller
Romance
1h 36m
Baltasar Kormákur
Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin, Jeffrey Thomas, Elizabeth Hawthorne
88
2018 in Upgrade (2018)
Upgrade
2018

A brutal mugging leaves Grey Trace paralyzed in the hospital and his beloved wife dead. A billionaire inventor soon offers Trace a cure — an artificial intelligence implant called STEM that will enhance his body. Now able to walk, Grey finds that he also has superhuman strength and agility — skills he uses to seek revenge against the thugs who destroyed his life.

Action
Thriller
1h 40m
Leigh Whannell
Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Melanie Vallejo
87
2018 in Destroyer (2018)
Destroyer
2018

When Erin Bell was a young cop, she was given an undercover assignment that ended badly and destroyed her life. Years later, she must face her demons in order to make peace with her past.

Thriller
Crime
2h 1m
Karyn Kusama
Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Sebastian Stan
86
2018 in The Happy Prince (2018)
The Happy Prince
2018

In 1895, Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was the most famous writer in London, and Bosie Douglas, son of the notorious Marquess of Queensberry, was his lover. Accused and convicted of gross indecency, he was imprisoned for two years and subjected to hard labor. Once free, he abandons England to live in France, where he will spend his last years, haunted by memories of the past, poverty and immense sadness.

Drama
1h 41m
Rupert Everett
Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Emily Watson, Colin Morgan
85
2018 in The Equalizer 2 (2018)
The Equalizer 2
2018

Robert McCall, who serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed, embarks on a relentless, globe-trotting quest for vengeance when his former partner is murdered.

Action
Thriller
Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Orson Bean
84
2018 in American Animals (2018)
American Animals
2018

Lexington, Kentucky, 2004. Four young men attempt to execute one of the most audacious art heists in the history of the United States.

Drama
Crime
1h 57m
Bart Layton
Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson
83
2018 in The Hate U Give (2018)
The Hate U Give
2018

Raised in a poverty-stricken slum, a 16-year-old girl named Starr now attends a suburban prep school. After she witnesses a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend, she's torn between her two very different worlds as she tries to speak her truth.

Crime
Drama
2h 13m
George Tillman Jr.
Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, KJ Apa
82
2018 in Ben Is Back (2018)
Ben Is Back
2018

19-year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns home to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve morning. Ben's mother, Holly, is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son staying clean. Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother's undying love for her son is tested as she does everything in her power to keep him safe.

Drama
1h 43m
Peter Hedges
Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton
81
2018 in Capernaum (2018)
Capernaum
2018

After running away from his negligent parents, committing a violent crime and being sentenced to five years in jail, a hardened, streetwise 12-year-old Lebanese boy sues his parents in protest of the life they have given him.

Drama
2h 6m
Nadine Labaki
Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shifera, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawsar Al Haddad
80
2018 in Wildlife (2018)
Wildlife
2018

14-year-old Joe is the only child of Jeanette and Jerry — a housewife and a golf pro — in a small town in 1960s Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerry loses his job (and his sense of purpose) he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves.

Drama
1h 45m
Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan, Ed Oxenbould, Zoe Colletti
79
2018 in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
2018

Gellert Grindelwald has escaped imprisonment and has begun gathering followers to his cause—elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one capable of putting a stop to him is the wizard he once called his closest friend, Albus Dumbledore. However, Dumbledore will need to seek help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

Fantasy
Adventure
2h 14m
David Yates
Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol
78
2018 in Skyscraper (2018)
Skyscraper
2018

Framed and on the run, a former FBI agent must save his family from a blazing fire in the world's tallest building.

Action
Thriller
1h 42m
Rawson Marshall Thurber
Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, Chin Han, Roland Møller
77
2018 in White Boy Rick (2018)
White Boy Rick
2018

The story of Richard Wershe Jr., a teenager who became an undercover informant for the police during the 1980s, and was ultimately arrested for drug trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

Crime
Drama
1h 51m
Yann Demange
Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bel Powley
76
2018 in The Seagull (2018)
The Seagull
2018

At a picturesque lakeside estate, a love triangle unfolds between the legendary diva Irina, her lover Boris, and the ingénue Nina.

Drama
Romance
1h 38m
Michael Mayer
Annette Bening, Saoirse Ronan, Corey Stoll, Elisabeth Moss
75
2018 in On the Basis of Sex (2018)
On the Basis of Sex
2018

Young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of sex discrimination.

Drama
History
2h 0m
Mimi Leder
Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston
74
2018 in At Eternity's Gate (2018)
At Eternity's Gate
2018

Famed but tormented artist Vincent van Gogh spends his final years in Arles, France, painting masterworks of the natural world that surrounds him.

Drama
1h 51m
Julian Schnabel
73
2018 in The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
2018

Toby, a cynical film director finds himself trapped in the outrageous delusions of an old Spanish shoe-maker who believes himself to be Don Quixote. In the course of their comic and increasingly surreal adventures, Toby is forced to confront the tragic repercussions of a film he made in his idealistic youth.

Adventure
Comedy
Adam Driver, Jonathan Pryce, Stellan Skarsgård, Jordi Mollà
72
2018 in Instant Family (2018)
Instant Family
2018

When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15 year old girl, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight.

Comedy
Drama
1h 58m
Sean Anders
Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Allyn Rachel, Isabela Merced
71
2018 in Clint Eastwood: Last of the Legends (2018)
Clint Eastwood: Last of the Legends
2018

Documentary
52m
Joe Hume
Kyle Eastwood, Stéphane Moïssakis, David Sztanke
70
2018 in Beirut (2018)
Beirut
2018

In 1980s Beirut, Mason Skiles is a former U.S. diplomat who is called back into service to save a colleague from the group that is possibly responsible for his own family's death. Meanwhile, a CIA field agent who is working under cover at the American embassy is tasked with keeping Mason alive and ensuring that the mission is a success.

Action
Thriller
1h 49m
Brad Anderson
Jon Hamm, Rosamund Pike, Shea Whigham, Dean Norris
69
2018 in Minding the Gap (2018)
Minding the Gap
2018

Three young men bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship.

Documentary
1h 33m
Bing Liu
Keire Johnson, Zack Mulligan, Bing Liu, Nina Bowgren
68
2018 in Creed II (2018)
Creed II
2018

Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight against an opponent with ties to his family's past, Adonis Creed is up against the challenge of his life.

Drama
Action
2h 10m
Steven Caple Jr.
67
2018 in Searching (2018)
Searching
2018

After David Kim's 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter's laptop.

Drama
Mystery
1h 42m
Aneesh Chaganty
John Cho, Michelle La, Debra Messing, Joseph Lee
66
2018 in Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
Mary Queen of Scots
2018

In 1561, Mary Stuart, widow of the King of France, returns to Scotland, reclaims her rightful throne and menaces the future of Queen Elizabeth I as ruler of England, because she has a legitimate claim to the English throne. Betrayals, rebellions, conspiracies and their own life choices imperil both Queens. They experience the bitter cost of power, until their tragic fate is finally fulfilled.

Drama
History
2h 4m
Josie Rourke
Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Jack Lowden, David Tennant
65
2018 in The Commuter (2018)
The Commuter
2018

A businessman, on his daily commute home, gets unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy that threatens not only his life but the lives of those around him.

Action
Thriller
1h 44m
Jaume Collet-Serra
64
2018 in Venom (2018)
Venom
2018

Investigative journalist Eddie Brock attempts a comeback following a scandal, but accidentally becomes the host of Venom, a violent, super powerful alien symbiote. Soon, he must rely on his newfound powers to protect the world from a shadowy organization looking for a symbiote of their own.

Science Fiction
Action
1h 52m
Ruben Fleischer
63
2018 in The Meg (2018)
The Meg
2018

A deep sea submersible pilot revisits his past fears in the Mariana Trench, and accidentally unleashes the seventy foot ancestor of the Great White Shark believed to be extinct.

Action
Science Fiction
1h 53m
Jon Turteltaub
Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Cliff Curtis
62
2018 in To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
2018

Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control when her secret letters to every boy she's ever fallen for are mysteriously mailed out.

Comedy
Romance
1h 40m
Susan Johnson
Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Israel Broussard, Janel Parrish
61
2018 in Love, Simon (2018)
Love, Simon
2018

Everyone deserves a great love story, but for 17-year-old Simon Spier, it's a little more complicated. He hasn't told his family or friends that he's gay, and he doesn't know the identity of the anonymous classmate that he's fallen for online.

Comedy
Drama
1h 50m
Greg Berlanti
Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, Katherine Langford
60
2018 in Anna and the Apocalypse (2018)
Anna and the Apocalypse
2018

A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven—at Christmas—forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash, and sing their way to survival. In a desperate race to reach their loved ones, they soon learn that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other.

Horror
Comedy
1h 37m
John McPhail
Ella Hunt, Sarah Swire, Malcolm Cumming, Christopher Leveaux
59
2018 in Shirkers (2018)
Shirkers
2018

In 1992, teenager Sandi Tan shot Singapore's first indie road movie with her enigmatic American mentor Georges – who then vanished with all the footage. Twenty years later, the 16mm film is recovered, sending Tan, now a novelist in Los Angeles, on a personal odyssey in search of Georges' vanishing footprints.

Documentary
1h 37m
Sandi Tan
Sandi Tan, Sophia Siddique Harvey, Georges Cardona, Philip Cheah
58
2018 in The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)
The Kindergarten Teacher
2018

Lisa Spinelli is a Staten Island teacher who is unusually devoted to her students. When she discovers one of her five-year-olds is a prodigy, she becomes fascinated with the boy, ultimately risking her family and freedom to nurture his talent.

Drama
1h 36m
Sara Colangelo
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Parker Sevak, Gael García Bernal, Michael Chernus
57
2018 in Peterloo (2018)
Peterloo
2018

An epic portrayal of the events surrounding the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester turned into one of the bloodiest and most notorious episodes in British history. The massacre saw British government forces charge into a crowd of over 60,000 that had gathered to demand political reforms and protest against rising levels of poverty.

History
Drama
2h 34m
Mike Leigh
Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Pearce Quigley, David Moorst
56
2018 in Ash Is Purest White (2018)
Ash Is Purest White
2018

Set in China's underworld, this tale of love and betrayal follows a dancer who fired a gun to protect her mobster boyfriend during a fight. On release from prison 5 years later, she sets out to find him.

Crime
Romance
2h 16m
Jia Zhangke
Zhao Tao, Liao Fan, Diao Yinan, Ding Jiali
55
2018 in Colette (2018)
Colette
2018

After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as Willy, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels.

Drama
History
1h 52m
Wash Westmoreland
Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw
54
2018 in First Reformed (2018)
First Reformed
2018

A pastor of a small church in upstate New York starts to spiral out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife.

Drama
1h 53m
Paul Schrader
Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric the Entertainer, Victoria Hill
53
2018 in mid90s (2018)
mid90s
2018

In 1990s Los Angeles, a 13-year-old spends his summer navigating between a troubled home life and a crew of new friends he meets at a skate shop.

Drama
Comedy
Sunny Suljic, Katherine Waterston, Lucas Hedges, Na-kel Smith
52
2018 in The Night Comes for Us (2018)
The Night Comes for Us
2018

After sparing a girl's life during a massacre, an elite Triad assassin is targeted by an onslaught of murderous gangsters.

Action
Crime
2h 1m
Timo Tjahjanto
Joe Taslim, Iko Uwais, Julie Estelle, Sunny Pang
51
2018 in The Front Runner (2018)
The Front Runner
2018

Gary Hart, former Senator of Colorado, becomes the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1987. Hart's intelligence, charisma and idealism makes him popular with young voters, leaving him with a seemingly clear path to the White House. All that comes crashing down when allegations of an extramarital affair surface in the media, forcing the candidate to address a scandal that threatens to derail his campaign and personal life.

Drama
History
1h 53m
Jason Reitman
Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons, Mark O'Brien
50
2018 in The Mule (2018)
The Mule
2018

Earl Stone, a man in his eighties, is broke, alone, and facing foreclosure of his business when he is offered a job that simply requires him to drive. Easy enough, but, unbeknownst to Earl, he's just signed on as a drug courier for a Mexican cartel. He does so well that his cargo increases exponentially, and Earl hit the radar of hard-charging DEA agent Colin Bates.

49
2018 in Blockers (2018)
Blockers
2018

When three parents discover that each of their daughters have a pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal.

Comedy
1h 42m
Kay Cannon
Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Newton
48
2018 in Set It Up (2018)
Set It Up
2018

Two overworked and underpaid assistants come up with a plan to get their bosses off their backs by setting them up with each other.

Romance
Comedy
1h 45m
Claire Scanlon
Glen Powell, Zoey Deutch, Taye Diggs, Joan Smalls
47
2018 in Boy Erased (2018)
Boy Erased
2018

Jared, the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, is outed to his parents at age 19. Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a gay conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends, and faith.

46
2018 in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
Ralph Breaks the Internet
2018

Video game bad guy Ralph and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz must risk it all by traveling to the World Wide Web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope's video game, Sugar Rush. In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope rely on the citizens of the internet — the netizens — to help navigate their way, including an entrepreneur named Yesss, who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of trend-making site BuzzzTube.

Family
Animation
1h 52m
Phil Johnston
45
2018 in Bumblebee (2018)
Bumblebee
2018

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie, on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary yellow VW bug.

Action
Adventure
1h 54m
Travis Knight
Dylan O'Brien, Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr.
44
2018 in Widows (2018)
2018

A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, they join forces to pull off a heist.

Crime
Thriller
Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo
43
2018 in The Sisters Brothers (2018)
The Sisters Brothers
2018

Oregon, 1851. Hermann Kermit Warm, a chemist and aspiring gold prospector, keeps a profitable secret that the Commodore wants to know, so he sends the Sisters brothers, two notorious assassins, to capture him on his way to California.

Western
Drama
2h 1m
Jacques Audiard
42
2018 in The House That Jack Built (2018)
The House That Jack Built
2018

Failed architect, engineer and vicious murderer Jack narrates the details of some of his most elaborately orchestrated crimes, each of them a towering piece of art that defines his life's work as a serial killer for twelve years.

Drama
Horror
Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Siobhan Fallon Hogan
41
2018 in Overlord (2018)
Overlord
2018

France, June 1944. On the eve of D-Day, some American paratroopers fall behind enemy lines after their aircraft crashes while on a mission to destroy a radio tower in a small village near the beaches of Normandy. After reaching their target, the surviving paratroopers realise that, in addition to fighting the Nazi troops that patrol the village, they also must fight against something else.

Horror
War
1h 50m
Julius Avery
Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Pilou Asbæk, Mathilde Ollivier
40
2018 in Deadpool 2 (2018)
Deadpool 2
2018

Wisecracking mercenary Deadpool battles the evil and powerful Cable and other bad guys to save a boy's life.

Action
Comedy
2h 0m
David Leitch
Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison
39
2018 in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Crazy Rich Asians
2018

An American-born Chinese economics professor accompanies her boyfriend to Singapore for his best friend's wedding, only to get thrust into the lives of Asia's rich and famous.

Comedy
Romance
2h 1m
Jon M. Chu
Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan
38
2018 in A Simple Favor (2018)
A Simple Favor
2018

Stephanie, a dedicated mother and popular vlogger, befriends Emily, a mysterious upper-class woman whose son Nicky attends the same school as Miles, Stephanie's son. When Emily asks her to pick Nicky up from school and then disappears, Stephanie undertakes an investigation that will dive deep into Emily's cloudy past.

Thriller
Comedy
1h 57m
Paul Feig
Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Rupert Friend
37
2018 in Beautiful Boy (2018)
Beautiful Boy
2018

After he and his first wife separate, journalist David Sheff struggles to help their teenage son, who goes from experimenting with drugs to becoming devastatingly addicted to methamphetamine.

Drama
2h 1m
Felix van Groeningen
Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney, Amy Ryan
36
2018 in Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Mary Poppins Returns
2018

Mary Poppins returns to the Banks family and helps them evade grave dangers by taking them on magical, musical adventures.

Fantasy
Family
2h 11m
Rob Marshall
Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer
35
2018 in Aquaman (2018)
Aquaman
2018

Half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry is taken on the journey of his lifetime to discover if he is worth of being a king.

Action
Adventure
2h 23m
34
2018 in Blindspotting (2018)
Blindspotting
2018

Collin must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning. He and his troublemaking childhood best friend, Miles, work as movers, and when Collin witnesses a police shooting, the two men’s friendship is tested as they grapple with identity and their changed realities in the rapidly-gentrifying neighborhood they grew up in.

Comedy
Crime
1h 35m
Carlos López Estrada
Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones
33
2018 in Mandy (2018)
Mandy
2018

The Shadow Mountains, 1983. Red and Mandy lead a loving and peaceful existence; but when their pine-scented haven is savagely destroyed, Red is catapulted into a phantasmagoric journey filled with bloody vengeance and laced with fire.

Fantasy
Action
2h 2m
Panos Cosmatos
Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy
32
2018 in Tully (2018)
Tully
2018

Marlo, a mother of three, including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother. Hesitant at first, she quickly forms a bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging nanny named Tully.

Comedy
Drama
1h 35m
Jason Reitman
Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Ron Livingston, Mark Duplass
31
2018 in The Rider (2018)
The Rider
2018

Once a rising star of the rodeo circuit, and a gifted horse trainer, young cowboy Brady is warned that his riding days are over after a horse crushed his skull at a rodeo. In an attempt to regain control of his own fate, Brady undertakes a search for a new identity and what it means to be a man in the heartland of the United States.

Drama
Western
1h 43m
Chloé Zhao
Brady Jandreau, Tim Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Cat Clifford
30
2018 in The Old Man & the Gun (2018)
The Old Man & the Gun
2018

The true story of Forrest Tucker, from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit are a detective, who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman, who loves him in spite of his chosen profession.

Comedy
Crime
1h 34m
David Lowery
29
2018 in Three Identical Strangers (2018)
Three Identical Strangers
2018

New York, 1980. Three complete strangers accidentally discover that they're identical triplets, separated at birth. The 19-year-olds' joyous reunion catapults them to international fame, but also unlocks an extraordinary and disturbing secret that goes beyond their own lives – and could transform our understanding of human nature forever.

Documentary
1h 37m
Tim Wardle
David Kellman, Robert Shafran, Lawrence Wright
28
2018 in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
2018

When a bestselling celebrity biographer is no longer able to get published because she has fallen out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception.

Drama
Crime
1h 46m
Marielle Heller
Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Ben Falcone
27
2018 in Shoplifters (2018)
Shoplifters
2018

In the outskirts of Tokyo, a poor but close-knit group living on the fringes of society survives through shoplifting and odd jobs. When Osamu and his son take in a neglected young girl, their already fragile existence begins to unravel. As the family grows attached to her, buried secrets surface, forcing them to confront the true meaning of love, belonging, and what makes a family.

Drama
Crime
2h 0m
Hirokazu Kore-eda
Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Kairi Jo
26
2018 in Leave No Trace (2018)
Leave No Trace
2018

A father and daughter live a perfect but mysterious existence in Forest Park, a beautiful nature reserve near Portland, Oregon, rarely making contact with the world. But when a small mistake tips them off to authorities, they are sent on an increasingly erratic journey in search of a place to call their own.

Drama
1h 49m
Debra Granik
Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Foster, Jeff Kober, Dale Dickey
25
2018 in Burning (2018)
Burning
2018

'Burning' is a conversation between two young mothers brought together by strange and cruel social realities, at a funeral ghat in Varanasi

18m
VS Sanoj
Ketaki Narayan Kulkarni, Rukshana Tabassum, Abhinav Shukla
24
2018 in Cold War (2018)
Cold War
2018

A man and a woman meet in the ruins of post-war Poland. With vastly different backgrounds and temperaments, they are fatally mismatched and yet drawn to each other.

Romance
Music
1h 28m
Paweł Pawlikowski
Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Agata Kulesza
23
2018 in Incredibles 2 (2018)
Incredibles 2
2018

Elastigirl springs into action to save the day, while Mr. Incredible faces his greatest challenge yet – taking care of the problems of his three children.

Action
Adventure
1h 58m
Brad Bird
Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner
22
2018 in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
2018

Vignettes weaving together the stories of six individuals in the old West at the end of the Civil War. Following the tales of a sharp-shooting songster, a wannabe bank robber, two weary traveling performers, a lone gold prospector, a woman traveling the West to an uncertain future, and a motley crew of strangers undertaking a carriage ride.

Western
Comedy
2h 12m
Joel Coen
Tim Blake Nelson, Willie Watson, Clancy Brown, Danny McCarthy
21
2018 in Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
2018

For more than thirty years, and through his television program, Fred Rogers (1928-2003), host, producer, writer and pianist, accompanied by his puppets and his many friends, spoke directly to young children about some of life's most important issues.

Documentary
1h 35m
Morgan Neville
Margaret Whitmer, Tom Junod, Joanne Rogers, Jim Rogers
20

When an IMF mission ends badly, the world is faced with dire consequences. As Ethan Hunt takes it upon himself to fulfill his original briefing, the CIA begin to question his loyalty and his motives. The IMF team find themselves in a race against time, hunted by assassins while trying to prevent a global catastrophe.

Action
Adventure
2h 27m
Christopher McQuarrie
19
2018 in Vice (2018)
Vice
2018

George W. Bush picks Dick Cheney, the CEO of Halliburton Co., to be his Republican running mate in the 2000 presidential election. No stranger to politics, Cheney's impressive résumé includes stints as White House chief of staff, House Minority Whip and Defense Secretary. When Bush wins by a narrow margin, Cheney begins to use his newfound power to help reshape the country and the world.

Drama
Comedy
2h 12m
Adam McKay
18
2018 in Annihilation (2018)
Annihilation
2018

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.

Science Fiction
Horror
1h 55m
Alex Garland
17
2018 in A Quiet Place (2018)
A Quiet Place
2018

A family is forced to live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.

Horror
Drama
Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
16
2018 in Isle of Dogs (2018)
Isle of Dogs
2018

In the future, an outbreak of canine flu leads the mayor of a Japanese city to banish all dogs to an island used as a garbage dump. The outcasts must soon embark on an epic journey when a 12-year-old boy arrives on the island to find his beloved pet.

Adventure
Comedy
Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Bob Balaban, Edward Norton
15
2018 in Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Sorry to Bother You
2018

In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success – which propels him into a macabre universe.

Fantasy
Science Fiction
1h 52m
Boots Riley
LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick
14
2018 in Ready Player One (2018)
Ready Player One
2018

When the creator of a popular video game system dies, a virtual contest is created to compete for his fortune.

Adventure
Action
Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe
13
2018 in Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Bohemian Rhapsody
2018

Singer Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and bass guitarist John Deacon take the music world by storm when they form the rock 'n' roll band Queen in 1970. Hit songs become instant classics. When Mercury's increasingly wild lifestyle starts to spiral out of control, Queen soon faces its greatest challenge yet – finding a way to keep the band together amid the success and excess.

Music
Drama
Rami Malek, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello
12
2018 in If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
If Beale Street Could Talk
2018

After her fiance is falsely imprisoned, a pregnant African-American woman sets out to clear his name and prove his innocence.

Romance
Drama
2h 0m
Barry Jenkins
KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo
11
2018 in Eighth Grade (2018)
Eighth Grade
2018

Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school — the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year — before she begins high school.

Comedy
Drama
1h 34m
Bo Burnham
Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson, Jake Ryan
Why it ranks

Bo Burnham captures the cringing, hyper-connected anxiety of adolescence with an observational precision that feels both uncomfortable and deeply empathetic. The film rejects the polished tropes of the coming-of-age genre to document the digital-age quest for identity in all its staccato awkwardness.

10
2018 in First Man (2018)
First Man
2018

A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.

History
Drama
2h 21m
Damien Chazelle
Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler
Why it ranks

Damien Chazelle strips away the patriotic glamour of the space race to focus on the claustrophobic, rattling isolation of the lunar mission. By centering on the internal gravity of loss, the film transforms a giant leap for mankind into a hauntingly private funeral.

9
2018 in Hereditary (2018)
Hereditary
2018

Following the death of the Leigh family matriarch, Annie and her children uncover disturbing secrets about their heritage. Their daily lives are not only impacted, but they also become entangled in a chilling fate from which they cannot escape, driving them to the brink of madness.

Horror
Mystery
2h 8m
Ari Aster
Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Gabriel Byrne, Milly Shapiro
Why it ranks

Ari Aster’s debut is a suffocating exercise in atmospheric dread that repurposes the grammar of horror to map the contours of hereditary grief. Toni Collette’s seismic performance anchors a film that values psychological disintegration far more than cheap jump scares.

8
2018 in Game Night (2018)
Game Night
2018

Max and Annie's weekly game night gets kicked up a notch when Max's brother Brooks arranges a murder mystery party -- complete with fake thugs and federal agents. So when Brooks gets kidnapped, it's all supposed to be part of the game. As the competitors set out to solve the case, they start to learn that neither the game nor Brooks are what they seem to be. The friends soon find themselves in over their heads as each twist leads to another unexpected turn over the course of one chaotic night.

Mystery
Comedy
1h 40m
John Francis Daley
Why it ranks

Jesse Plemons steals the entire film by weaponizing a flat, unsettling stillness that turns every neighborly interaction into a masterclass in deadpan discomfort. It is the definitive turning point in his career, proving he could pivot from dramatic weight to成为 the most formidable comedic scene-stealer of his generation. His Gary is a portrait of blinkless intensity that finds the terrifying edge of the suburban mundane.

7

Struggling to find his place in the world while juggling school and family, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales is unexpectedly bitten by a radioactive spider and develops unfathomable powers just like the one and only Spider-Man. While wrestling with the implications of his new abilities, Miles discovers a super collider created by the madman Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk, causing others from across the Spider-Verse to be inadvertently transported to his dimension.

Animation
Action
1h 57m
Bob Persichetti
Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali
Why it ranks

This psychedelic explosion of kinetic energy reimagines the limits of animation, blending street art aesthetics with a sophisticated multi-layered narrative. It feels less like a comic book movie and more like a living, breathing canvas that pulses with the spirit of modern Brooklyn.

6
2018 in Roma (2018)
Roma
2018

In 1970s Mexico City, two domestic workers help a mother of four while her husband is away for an extended period of time.

Drama
2h 15m
Alfonso Cuarón
Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta
Why it ranks

Alfonso Cuarón’s monochromatic masterpiece transcends mere memoir, utilizing immersive soundscapes and deep-focus photography to elevate a domestic worker’s quiet endurance into a cinematic epic. It is a profound meditation on the intersection of personal memory and national history.

5
2018 in Green Book (2018)
Green Book
2018

Tony Lip, a bouncer in 1962, is hired to drive pianist Don Shirley on a tour through the Deep South in the days when African Americans, forced to find alternate accommodations and services due to segregation laws below the Mason-Dixon Line, relied on a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book.

Drama
Comedy
2h 10m
Peter Farrelly
Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalco
Why it ranks

Beneath its polished crowd-pleaser veneer, Peter Farrelly’s road movie thrives on the refined, rhythmic interplay between Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. It succeeds as a character study of dignity and friction, finding its heart in the subtle subversion of mid-century racial dynamics.

4
2018 in BlacKkKlansman (2018)
BlacKkKlansman
2018

Colorado Springs, late 1970s. Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer, and Flip Zimmerman, his Jewish colleague, run an undercover operation to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan.

Crime
Comedy
2h 16m
Why it ranks

Spike Lee delivers a stylistic lightning bolt that bridges the gap between the 1970s and our current fractured moment with righteous fury and satirical wit. It is an urgent, tonal tightrope walk that proves the veteran filmmaker remains as vital and provocative as ever.

3
2018 in A Star Is Born (2018)
A Star Is Born
2018

Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer — until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.

Music
Drama
Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay
Why it ranks

Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut breathes raw, visceral life into an ancient Hollywood archetype through soaring musicality and an undeniable chemistry with Lady Gaga. The film eschews glossy artifice for a gritty, sweat-soaked intimacy that makes a familiar tragedy feel devastatingly new.

2
2018 in The Favourite (2018)
The Favourite
2018

England, early 18th century. The close relationship between Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill is threatened by the arrival of Sarah's cousin, Abigail Hill, resulting in a bitter rivalry between the two cousins to be the Queen's favourite.

History
Comedy
2h 0m
Yorgos Lanthimos
Why it ranks

Yorgos Lanthimos weaponizes the period drama, replacing stuffy etiquette with a jagged, fish-eye lens and a trio of ferocious performances that redefine palace intrigue. It is a delightfully perverse power struggle where the humor is as caustic as the costumes are lavish.

1

King T'Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country's new leader. However, T'Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T'Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia, the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan 'special forces') and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.

Why it ranks

Ryan Coogler shatters the superhero mold by grounding Wakanda’s vibrant afrofuturism in thorny, Shakespearean debates over isolationism and global responsibility. This is a rare blockbuster that marries sprawling spectacle with a sharp, necessary interrogation of the African diaspora.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

"Black Panther" was groundbreaking for its predominantly Black cast and Afrocentric storytelling, proving the commercial viability of diverse narratives and redefining superhero cinema in 2018.

Many top films from 2018 grapple with social issues, representation, and historical context, as seen in movies like "BlacKkKlansman," "Green Book," and "Roma," blending critical storytelling with cultural relevance.

"The Favourite" masterfully combines dark comedy with historical drama, offering a sharp, satirical look at Queen Anne's reign that appealed widely to both critics and audiences.

"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" stood out for its unique animation style that blended CGI with comic book aesthetics, revolutionizing animated superhero films.

Yes, "A Star Is Born" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" are two beloved 2018 dramas that center around music, portraying raw, emotional journeys of their protagonists and earning critical and audience acclaim.

"Hereditary" is notable for its intense psychological horror and has been praised for its atmosphere and performances, marking it as a standout film in the 2018 horror genre.

"First Man" offers an intimate and dramatic portrayal of Neil Armstrong's life and the Apollo 11 mission, highlighting the human side of the historic moon landing.

The 2018 movies collectively showcase a shift towards inclusivity and new storytelling voices, as evidenced by films like "Sorry to Bother You" and "Roma," highlighting diverse experiences and challenging traditional industry norms.
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