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My Top Ten Movies of 2018

Favorites include super hero flicks, documentaries about Humanae Vitae and the crisis of marriage vocations, and an unusual horror movie.

(Image of movie theater interior: Erik Witsoe/Unsplash.com)

2018 had its share of gems and duds, but overall it was quite an enjoyable year. Here is my “Top Ten Best of Cinema in 2018” list.

1. Spider-Man: Intro the Spider-Verse: This is the best visual adaptation of a comic book and my personal favorite movie experience of the year.

2. Black Panther: The MCU has only gotten progressively better in short decade history, but this has been (so far) its crowning achievement.

3. The Dating Project: It’s long and often been said that the US is experiencing a “vocation” crisis. The Dating Project demonstrates how this this crisis is not just in the priesthood but married life as well. Four single Catholic adults attempt to navigate the disorienting world of dating in a world that has forgotten its true purpose.

4. Unprotected: This film got an extremely limited release but was an incredible expose on Humanae Vitae and the hook-up culture.

5. Aquaman: This film had the most amazing visuals of any production this year. Plus it’s a lot of fun.

6. Ant-Man and the Wasp: There are four superhero movies on this. Yes, that says a lot about me, but also about the quality of movies of the genre lately.

7. Tomb Raider: A surprisingly serious yet entertaining take on a franchise that had trouble taking off over a decade ago.

8. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?: It sounds cliché, but it’s true: we need Mr. Rogers right now.

9. A Quiet Place: A beautifully designed horror film where family love is the key to survival.

10. Solo: Pure escapism, but escapism in its highest form.

Honorable Mention: Avengers: Infinity War, The Incredibles 2, Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, and Unbroken: Path to Redemption.


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About Nick Olszyk 205 Articles
Nick Olszyk teaches theology at Marist Catholic High School in Eugene, Oregon. He was raised on bad science fiction movies, jelly beans, and TV shows that make fun of bad science fiction movies. Visit him online and listen to his podcast at "Catholic Cinema Crusade".

4 Comments

  1. Suggest you check out the film “Leave no Trace”. It has already received many awards and deserves a much wider viewer audience .

  2. I dunno. As a Star Wars fanboy, I was rather disappointed in Solo. I liked Tomb Raider but I’m more a fan of the 2013 game it was originally based on.

  3. You are a great reviewer.

    But AQUAMAN? I can’t even…

    You are also all too human, and on this one all whet. It was worse than Green Lantern, worse than Mamma Mia, worse than Four Rooms.

    Get yourself to confession, and regroup for a great new year.

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