14 - Three Identical Strangers

This is such a great documentary. I went into this only knowing that it was about some triplets separated at birth being reunited. But it rapidly turned into a dramatic and sad story as the triplets get to know they were actually part of an awful adoption experiment.

A fascinating movie that raises a lot of ethical questions. I really liked it, but it also left me fuming over all these experiments conducted by scientists in the 1960’s.

13 - The Miseducation of Cameron Post

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a touching and honest movie with some really thought-provoking themes.

The whole cast is excellent. But Chloë Grace Moretz is really impressive. She has yet, another incredible performance in this movie. She plays a high school student who gets caught in the backseat of a car with another girl. And because of that, she is sent to a religious gay conversion facility.

Overall, the movie addresses this horrifying subject matter very well and makes a point on how some teens are forced to live in shame.

12 – Searching

I really loved the concept of this movie. Searching is a thriller told in a truly unique and effective way. The story is completely told through computer screens, smartphones, and the current crop of technologies.

The twists and turns in Searching are insane. And the attention to details is very impressive. The movie also shows us how easy is to manipulate people online and why we should think more about the digital footprint we left behind.

11 - You Were Never Really Here

You Were Never Really Here is such a challenging movie. It is so brutal and unsettling.

The story is simple but enough to keep your attention. The director, Lynne Ramsay, created the perfect atmosphere for this movie. With jaw-dropping cinematography and some masterfully composed soundtrack. Also, Joaquin Phoenix delivers an excellent performance.

The movie, on its core, is a deep character study. And it deals very well with themes like PTSD, domestic violence, human trafficking.

What a wild and weird ride!

10 - Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

What a great time to be a Spider-Man fan. In 2018 we’ve got so much Spidey adventures. Avengers: Infinity War, The PlayStation 4 game - Marvel’s Spider-Man, Venom and of course, Into The Spider-Verse.

This is one of the most visually unique movies I have ever seen. The animation style is amazing. It feels like a comic book came to life. And I really hope that this is the future of animated movies.

The story is great and really heartfelt. The dialogs, humor, and character development were also amazing. And I loved all the callbacks to prior Spider-Man movies.

Plus, it has the best after credits scene ever.

09 – Blindspotting

I really liked this movie. It is one of the most intelligent and daring I’ve seen this year. A true reflection of the times we live in.

The filmmakers portrayed the pain, the fear, and anxiety that young black males have to go through almost every day. They also made a great commentary on gentrification in Oakland.

I did read and hear a lot of people complaining about the “garage scene” But I was totally cool with that. Great movie!

08 - A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place has a really great execution of a very gimmicky premise.

The movie is fueled up with suspense and drama. It is a great scary movie without cheap jump scares.

Everybody’s performance was on point. And the director John Krasinski delivers a phenomenal film. With a very creepy atmosphere and great attention to all the little details. And It is amazing how the story moves along with the lack of dialogue.

07 - Green Book

Green Book is a simple but very well done feel-good movie. Although predictable and very in your face, it has a heart like no other movie that I have watched this year. Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen have incredible chemistry and both give Oscar-worthy performances in this movie.

But, I can see why it’s getting some criticism. The Italian-American and the African-Americans stereotypes that the movie portraits are really messed up and bothered me a little.

The movie may not offer profound insights into touchy subjects such as racism, discrimination, and social ignorance. But In the end, it makes a great work of celebrating people coming together.

06 – BlackkKlansman

I have been a Spike Lee fan since Do The Right Thing. But his recent movies have been very disappointing in my opinion. BlackkKlansman really changed my recent opinion. The movie blown me away.

The performances were great. John David Washington and Adam Driver were especially strong. And Lee managed very well to balance comedy and social commentary.

The ending was very powerful and highlighted the fact that the concept of racism is very much alive in modern society.

Bottom line is, Spike Lee is back to making good films again.

05 – Thoroughbreds

Thoroughbreds is a dark, slow burn film. So good and twisted. First time director Cory Finley created a pretty surreal experience. The film is so intelligently, amazedly written and it has super sharp dialogue. I also liked how there were several points in the movie at which I didn’t have a clue about what was going to happen next.

I loved the chemistry between the two leads, Olivia Cooke, and Anya Taylor-Joy. Brilliant performance from And Anton Yelchin, too. He was truly astounding in his final role. Thoroughbreds may be a slow, relentless burn but it builds to something very compelling.

04 - Eighth Grade

Eighth Grade is the brilliantly-made, debut movie from Bo Burnham. It has a fantastic performance of Elsie Fisher in the main role of Kayla and also a lot of cringe moments.

This movie totally captures the horrifying and awkward realities of adolescence. It is sad how difficult things are for teenagers nowadays with technology and social media playing a big part in their lives. And It was really interesting how these two things were used in the movie. It made me glad that we didn’t have social media and smartphones when I was a teenager.

It was also refreshing to see a positive father/daughter relationship. in a movie about teens. At this point in my life, I identify far more with the dad than with the protagonist, Kayla. And her relationship with her dad was probably my favorite thing about this movie.

03 - Under The Silver Lake

Director David Robert Mitchell (It Follows) new film won’t be released in the US until April 2019. But for some reason, the Blu-ray of the movie was released last month in France and I easily managed to buy a copy online.

Under The Silver Lake is one of the weirdest movies I’ve ever seen. And I loved it! The film contains a lot of mysteries and clues to resolve. Layers and more layers of pop culture references. And various homages to other filmmakers.

Andrew Garfield plays a depressed and nihilistic character who tries to solve the mysterious disappearance of his neighbor. The movie has great writing, acting, and beautiful cinematography. And also explores a side of Los Angeles that is rarely shown in films.

Granted, this movie is not for everyone. The plot moves like a fever-dream, there are characters randomly popping in and out and a lot of questions are left unanswered. Which I think, will make some people dislike it.

But I really enjoyed this crazy and surreal ride on the wild side of Los Angeles.

02 - Sorry to Bother You

Sorry to Bother You is a very interesting satire of modern society. The director Boots Riley had a goal and a message in mind and he totally delivered.

The film is so fresh and energetic. It’s funny, imaginative, entertaining and makes some great social commentary. Sometimes, it felt like I was watching an episode of the Twilight Zone or Black Mirror.

The cinematography is amazing and Lakeith Stanfield was great, as always. He is definitely one of my new favorite young actors at the moment.

In my opinion, both, this film and the TV show Atlanta sum up perfectly the nature of our reality today.

01 – Roma

Roma is a truly unique movie, so well done and thoughtful. Alfonso Cuaron is one of my favorite filmmakers. And he, once again, finds an amazing way to tell a story full of empathy and touching topics like politics, history and racial bias.

This is also one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and features a lot of very long, wide and impressive takes.

There aren't heroes or villains in the film. It is just a slice of life of an upper-middle class family in the “Roma” neighborhood of Mexico City. But the film never lacks tension or drama.

Roma may not be appealing for everyone due to its slow nature and untraditional movie structure. But it was the best movie I watched last year.