Best Hollywood films 2018: From Padington 2 to Mandy, best of world cinema ranged from lighthearted to dark

It is late December, and the perfect time to look back upon the cinematic year and dissect the best films the movie machines had to offer. So gather around, film geeks, without further ado, here are the best of the best: 10. Long Day’s Journey Into The Night Director: Bi Gan

Nothing prepared me for this neo noir fever dream that ultimately felt like interacting with a monster child of Tarkovsky and Hou Hsiao-hsien. The whos and the whys take a back seat here with director Gan immersing us in the WTFs as we navigate through fractured memories, long lost love and swooning camerawork, which includes an almost hour long single take shot in 3D. The marriage between the night and a city has seldom looked so beautiful, and this is a good primer to check out Gan’s previous film Kaili Blues. 9. Mandy Director: Panos Cosmatos

As a big fan of Cosmatos’ debut film Beyond the Black Rainbow, I was excited about the prospect of him teaming up with Nicolas Cage for a horror. It was exactly what I expected – a simple revenge tale told in an acid trip format, the real and unreal melding into hallucinogenic hues, with Cage’s hammy output precisely calibrated to make him an empathetic ham (he even breaks the fourth wall and smiles, wide-eyed). And if none of those genre elements interest you, there are also chainsaw-wielding, drug-dealing otherworldly monsters on bikes riding through the forest.     8. Sorry To Bother You Director: Boots Riley

Starts off as the funniest movie about neoliberal technocratic capitalism, until you suddenly realise this could well be a horror film. It has got a curious atmosphere, twisting and turning, buoyed by absurdist visuals and a dystopian undercurrent, but Riley has all his whacky ideas processed into a cohesive, and also very original narrative. Its satirical bite makes it seem like Brazil for the post Obama social media generation. 7. Cam Director: Daniel Goldhaber

An impressive debut film from Goldhaber and his writer Isa Mazzei, Cam offers a never-before-seen setting and storytelling that somehow transcends its apparent plot limits. It is at once a psychological drama about what it takes for a celebrity to stay relevant, a thriller about stolen identity, commentary on acceptance of prostitution, and also a Black Mirror-like cautionary tale of how humans could trip over new technology and get their teeth knocked out. Interestingly, the film is based on Mazzei’s own experiences as a ‘cam girl’ and she often shot porn films with Goldhaber. I do not think there has been many instances of porn filmmakers crossing over to what is generally considered as ‘high art’. I cannot wait to see what these guys make next. On a side note, it contains a super that says ‘a film by Mazzei and Goldhaber’ – I do not think I have ever seen a film that puts the writer on equal footing with the director. 6. The Night Comes for Us Director: Timo Tjahanto

I have seen the future of action filmmaking, and the future is Tjahanto. Fitting right into The Raid-style Indonesian martial arts mayhem, but with even more artfully designed gun and knife violence, The Night Comes for Us is the release that everyone needs at the end of 2018. It is also a nice calling card for Joe Taslim, who did not get many eyeballs as the sergeant in The Raid because of Iko Uwais’ role. This time, Taslim gets his due and turns out to be far more dramatically versatile than Uwais (who plays the bad guy here). Seeing them beat each other up in long takes is just divine. 5. Three Identical Strangers Director: Tim Wardle

There are some real life stories in documentaries that are so improbable you tend to head back home and Google them to cross check. Three Identical Strangers is one of those films, about three men who bump into each other and discover they may have something in common. The revelations the film lobs feel like grenades and the emotional beats sting making you wonder what levels humanity could stoop to for a sake of a supposedly higher purpose. 4. Thoroughbreds Director: Cory Finley

Dark, dark, dark nasty comedy thriller with an absolutely unpredictable narrative and a wicked ability to make you squirm and laugh at the same time. Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor Joy are mesmerising as they are cast against their type, but it is heartbreaking to see Anton Yelchin in his final performance. Expect big things from director Finley in the future. 3. Border Director: Ali Abbasi

If you think you have seen every possible permutation of genre bender cinema, the Swedish film Border is here to kick you in the nuts and show you something entirely new. Blending conventional elements into something brilliantly original, Border delivers many things simultaneously, including a fantasy tale, a crime drama and an allegory for romance. Arthouse and pulp combine wonderfully here in a love story about two people with deformed faces, and the metaphorical aspects never seem heavy handed because of Abbasi’s sensitive direction. 2. Free Solo Director: E Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin

Meru was not a fluke. The team of Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi came back with another breathtaking documentary about an adventurer looking to scale sky high peaks, this time focusing on Alex Honnold who attempts to scale a 3,000 feet mountain free solo. This is all standard issue, until you realise what the title means – best left for you to discover watching the film. Much like Meru, we are once again offered camera angles at terrifying heights, but an emotional core to anchor all the daredevil camerawork and just enough philosophy to justify why people indulge in rock climbing. 1. Paddington 2 Director: Paul King

Peel away all layers of cynicism, anger, frustration and any kind of negativity as Paddington 2 serves as a healing balm of sorts, convincing you that there is goodness in the world. To brand this as a mere feel good movie would be doing it disservice – this is a rare kind of chocolate box film that has the exact same warm hug kind of effect on both kids and adults. Sit back and marvel as the spirits of Wes Anderson, Jean Pierre Jeunet and Roland Totheroh all waft idly here. Honorable mentions Illang the Wolf Brigade – Kim Jee Woon’s film has some of the best action sequences of the year, elevated by the steampunk visual aesthetics but let down by the overlong runtime. Blindspotting – The  Good Time of this year, as we get into the hazy underbelly of America, although this one is much funnier and more provocative as it addresses race and class divides. Quite an astonishing achievement considering this is Carlos Lopez Estrada’s first film. **Mission Impossible Fallout** – It is hard not to cherish Tom Cruise falling out of flying objects. **Roma** – The single take beach sequence still haunts. **Climax** – Gaspar Noe once again confirms that he’s the maddest madman out there with a camera. Shoplifters - Hirokazu Kore-eda returns with yet another emotionally resonant story with his trademark naturalist style in depicting Japanese middle class life. _**Hereditary**_ – Ari Aster storms to the filmmaking scene with a metaphorical horror with incredible performances and craft. _**Annihilation**_ – Alex Garland’s film deserved a theatrical release, the fact that it was ‘too smart’ for audiences shows the pits that we live in. _**Burning**_ – Carefully crafted slow burn,  a thriller meant to move rather than thrill. Upgrade – The surprise hit of the year with amazing action, though frustratingly too little of it, but a tremendous sci-fi canvas built on a small budget. Great transition to direction for writer Leigh Whanell. The Favourite – Yorgos Lanthimos’ first true foray into mainstream cinema though with his trademark complexity in depicting sex and power, anchored by a truly jaw dropping performance from Olivia Colman. A Prayer before Dawn – Hypnotic true life story of an English boxer in a Thai prison facing absolute hell. Transcends typical prison drama clichés with unique takes and a meditative tone.