Since 2011, I have been pulling together a list of the best movies of the year according to the Brisbane-based critics who I run into regularly at preview screenings. Those films to have topped prior year lists have been Drive in 2011, Argo in 2012, Gravity in 2013, Boyhood in 2014, Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, La La Land in 2016 and Get Out in 2017.
To come up with an overall top 10, I’ve used a simple points system and applied it to the list of each critic. It is as follows:
- 3 points for the top film on each list.
- 2 points for the films ranked between 2nd and 5th on each list.
- 1 point for the films ranked between 6th and 10th on each list.
If two films finished on the same score, the film that appeared on the most number of top 10 lists is ranked higher (as an indication of wider approval).
The #1 film of 2018 was The Favourite from Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. More than half of the critics surveyed had it in their top 10 and two critics (David Edwards and Adam Roboczi) had it as their best for the year. The film will be a serious contender at the Oscars next month.
A close second was Steve McQueen’s Widows which featured on 5 of the top 10 lists. Rounding out the placings in third was Shoplifters, the Japanese film which won both the Palme d’Or and the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Feature Film.
As always, there was an interesting mix of films in this year’s overall top 10. Horror-thrillers were well represented with Suspiria, A Quiet Place and Hereditary all getting a mention. It’s rare for a sequel to make the list but Mission: Impossible – Fallout had plenty of fans.
Three films from female directors made the cut – Lynne Ramsay with You Were Never Really Here, Greta Gerwig with Lady Bird and Marielle Heller with Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Rounding out the list were two films which are also looking to make a run at this year’s Academy Awards – Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman and Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma.
On that note, here are the top 10 movies of 2018 according to Brisbane critics…
Brisbane Film Critics - Top 10 of 2018
1. The Favourite
2. Widows
3. Shoplifters
4. BlacKkKlansman
5. Roma
6. Suspiria
7. You Were Never Really Here
8 (tie). Can You Ever Forgive Me?
8 (tie). Mission: Impossible - Fallout
10 (tie). A Quiet Place
10 (tie). Hereditary
10 (tie). Lady Bird
You can view a table of all the votes and final scores by clicking here.
A big thanks to all the critics who were able to contribute. Hopefully we'll do it again next year!
You can check out information on all the Brisbane critics (along with their choices for the best and worst of 2018) below.
|
 Matthew Toomey
Born in Brisbane, Matt Toomey was introduced to the world of cinema when he landed a job at a video store fresh out of high school in 1995. A few years later, he started his own website and reviewed movies regularly on a community radio station. In 2005, he joined the team at 612ABC and can be heard reviewing the latest releases every Thursday morning. He can also be heard weekly on regional ABC throughout Queensland.
Website: www.thefilmpie.com
Twitter: @ToomeyMatt
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| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Phantom Thread |
| 2. |
Lady Bird |
| 3. |
Back to Burgundy |
| 4. |
A Quiet Place |
| 5. |
Can You Ever Forgive Me? |
| 6. |
The Favourite |
| 7. |
Custody |
| 8. |
C'est La Vie! |
| 9. |
Unsane |
| 10. |
McQueen |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Ladies in Black |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse |
| Best Documentary: |
| McQueen |
| Best Performance: |
| Olivia Coleman (The Favourite) |
| Worst Film: |
| Holmes and Watson |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Ideal Home |
 |
|
 Sarah Ward
Sarah Ward is a freelance film critic, arts and culture writer, and film festival organiser. She is the Australia-based critic for Screen International, a film reviewer and writer for ArtsHub, the weekend editor and a senior writer for Concrete Playground, a writer for the Goethe-Institut Australien’s Kino in Oz, and a contributor to SBS, SBS Movies, Flicks Australia and ScreenHub. Her work has been published by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Junkee, FilmInk, Birth.Movies.Death, Lumina, Senses of Cinema, Broadsheet, Televised Revolution, Metro Magazine, Screen Education and the World Film Locations book series. She is also the editor of Trespass Magazine, a film and TV critic for ABC radio Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, and has worked with the Brisbane International Film Festival, Queensland Film Festival, Sydney Underground Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival.
Websites: www.artshub.com.au
www.concreteplayground.com
www.screendaily.com/sarah-ward/1100859.contributor
www.goethe.de/ins/au/en/kul/sup/kio.html
www.flicks.com.au/author/sarah-ward/
www.sbs.com.au/guide/person/sarah-ward
www.sbs.com.au/movies/person/sarah-ward
www.trespassmag.com
Twitter: @swardplay
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| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
You Were Never Really Here |
| 2. |
Cold War |
| 3. |
Roma |
| 4. |
Sweet Country |
| 5. |
Custody |
| 6. |
Suspiria |
| 7. |
Sorry to Bother You |
| 8. |
Hereditary |
| 9. |
Widows |
| 10. |
Can You Ever Forgive Me? |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
High Life |
| 2. |
Burning |
| 3. |
The Nightingale |
| 4. |
Vox Lux |
| 5. |
Annihilation |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Sweet Country |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse |
| Best Documentary: |
| Gurrumul |
| Best Performance: |
| Joaquin Phoenix (You Were Never Really Here) |
| Worst Film: |
| That's Not My Dog! |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| A Simple Favour |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
See You Up There (Au Revour La Haut) |
| 2. |
Vice |
| 3. |
The Favourite |
| 4. |
Molly's Game |
| 5. |
First Man |
| 6. |
Don't Worry He Won't Get Far On Foot |
| 7. |
The Shape of Water |
| 8. |
BlacKkKlansman |
| 9. |
A Simple Favour |
| 10. |
Black Panther |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Woman at War |
| 2. |
Peterloo |
| 3. |
Leave No Trace |
| 4. |
The Mist and the Maiden |
| 5. |
The House That Jack Built |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Merger |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Mirai |
| Best Documentary: |
| Three Identical Strangers |
| Best Performance: |
| Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) |
| Worst Film: |
| The Nun |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| A Star is Born |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Widows |
| 2. |
Hereditary |
| 3. |
Suspiria |
| 4. |
The Favourite |
| 5. |
Roma |
| 6. |
You Were Never Really Here |
| 7. |
A Simple Favour |
| 8. |
Can You Ever Forgive Me? |
| 9. |
A Quiet Place |
| 10. |
Mission: Impossible - Fallout |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Where is Kyra? |
| 2. |
Mary Poppins Returns |
| 3. |
Annihiliation |
| 4. |
Cam |
| 5. |
Terminal |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Sweet Country |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse |
| Best Documentary: |
| Whitney |
| Best Performance: |
| Michelle Pfeiffer (Where is Kyra?) |
| Worst Film: |
| Overboard |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Game Night |
|
 Ella Donald
Ella is a journalist, university educator, and writer. She specialises in interviews, features, profiles, and commentary, regularly contributing to GQ magazine, and has also been published by outlets including Vanity Fair, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Saturday Paper.
Website: elladonaldwriter.wordpress.com
Twitter: @ellafdonald
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| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Widows |
| 2. |
The Favourite |
| 3. |
Mission: Impossible - Fallout |
| 4. |
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again |
| 5. |
Foxtrot |
| 6. |
In the Fade |
| 7. |
Shoplifters |
| 8. |
Love, Simon |
| 9. |
Wildlife |
| 10. |
A Star is Born |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
First Reformed |
| 2. |
The Tale |
| 3. |
Vox Lux |
| 4. |
Jane Fonda in Five Acts |
| 5. |
Thoroughbreds |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Abstained |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Incredibles 2 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Shirkers |
| Best Performance: |
| Laia Artigas (Summer 1993) |
| Worst Film: |
| The Cloverfield Paradox |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Assassination Nation |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
The Favourite |
| 2. |
Cold War |
| 3. |
BlacKkKlansman |
| 4. |
I, Tonya |
| 5. |
Widows |
| 6. |
Lady Bird |
| 7. |
The Death of Stalin |
| 8. |
Tully |
| 9. |
A Simple Favour |
| 10. |
Isle of Dogs |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Columbus |
| 2. |
I Am Not Your Negro |
| 3. |
Ismael's Ghosts |
| 4. |
Annihilation |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Sweet Country |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Isle of Dogs |
| Best Performance: |
| Charlize Theron (Tully) |
| Worst Film: |
| Pitch Perfect 3 |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Game Night |
|
 Dave Crewe
Freelance film critic with a fondness for arthouse and grindhouse films in roughly equal measure. Obsessed with David Lynch. Founding editor of ccpopculture, and freelances for SBS Movies, Junkee, The Brag, Metro Magazine and Screen Education, amongst others.
Website: ccpopculture.com
Twitter: @dacrewe
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Roma |
| 2. |
Widows |
| 3. |
Shoplifters |
| 4. |
Lady Bird |
| 5. |
Love, Simon |
| 6. |
Sorry to Bother You |
| 7. |
A Simple Favour |
| 8. |
Mission: Impossible - Fallout |
| 9. |
Climax |
| 10. |
The Shape of Water |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Leave No Trace |
| 2. |
Ex Libris: New York Public Library |
| 3. |
The Wild Boys |
| 4. |
First Reformed |
| 5. |
Burning |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Sweet Country |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Incredibles 2 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Ex Libris: New York Public Library |
| Best Performance: |
| Steven Yeun (Burning) |
| Worst Film: |
| Wildling |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Love, Simon |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Shoplifters |
| 2. |
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri |
| 3. |
BlacKkKlansman |
| 4. |
Hereditary |
| 5. |
Phantom Thread |
| 6. |
Can You Ever Forgive Me? |
| 7. |
Vice |
| 8. |
Three Identical Strangers |
| 9. |
Custody |
| 10. |
Suspiria |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
First Reformed |
| 2. |
Leave No Trace |
| 3. |
The Happy Prince |
| 4. |
Summer of 84 |
| 5. |
Mary Queen of Scots |
| |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse |
| Best Documentary: |
| Three Identical Strangers |
| Best Performance: |
| Sakura Ando (Shoplifters) |
| Worst Film: |
| Ideal Home |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Searching |
|
 Baz McAlister
Walkley Award finalist Baz McAlister is a writer and deputy night editor at The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail, and co-hosts 'Force Material', a podcast about the secrets, history and influences of Star Wars.
Website: bazmcalister.wordpress.com
www.forcematerial.com
Twitter: @bazmcalister
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Solo: A Star Wars Story |
| 2. |
A Quiet Place |
| 3. |
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri |
| 4. |
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs |
| 5. |
BlacKkKlansman |
| 6. |
Isle of Dogs |
| 7. |
The Death of Stalin |
| 8. |
Mission: Impossible - Fallout |
| 9. |
Black Panther |
| 10. |
Bumblebee |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Winchester |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Isle of Dogs |
| Best Documentary: |
| Three Identical Strangers |
| Best Performance: |
| Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) |
| Worst Film: |
| Aquaman |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Bumblebee |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
The Favourite |
| 2. |
You Were Never Really Here |
| 3. |
Suspiria |
| 4. |
Shoplifters |
| 5. |
Sorry to Bother You |
| 6. |
The Endless |
| 7. |
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse |
| 8. |
Vice |
| 9. |
Mandy |
| 10. |
I, Tonya |
| |
| Top Unreleased Films: |
| 1. |
Annihiliation |
| 2. |
The House That Jack Built |
| 3. |
First Reformed |
| 4. |
Burning |
| 5. |
Cam |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Upgrade |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse |
| Best Documentary: |
| Won't You Be My Neighbour? |
| Best Performance: |
| Olivia Coleman (The Favourite) |
| Worst Film: |
| Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Meal Tickets |
Garry Williams
Peter Gray
David Edwards
Michael Dalton
Adam Roboczi