2018 is dominated by superhero movies. Black Panther came on strong in the year, and the momentum was followed by Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Venom and closed strongly with the recent Aquaman.
Apart from these Marvel and DC offerings, there were other great movies too, like heart-wrenching A Star is Born, the Asian Pride Crazy Rich Asians and strong biopics like First Man and Bohemian Rhapsody.
The indie film list is also strong this year, although they do not garner as much fanfare as their mainstream peers. Here are 7 of the best Indie films you may have missed out this year.
Based on the true story of Colorado Springs’ first African-American detective Ron Stallworth (John David Washington)’s incredible case of successfully infiltrating the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, BlacKkKlansman is a masterpiece told artfully at the hands of Spike Lee. Stallworth first acted alone, then recruited seasoned colleague Flip Zimmerman to his case.
Together, they take down the extremist group before the KKK could take their cause to the mainstream audience. Produced by the team who gave us the Academy-award winning Get Out, BlacKkKlansman is a joyride into the cultural and racism issues that are plaguing America even now.
It’s a movie that gives women without children a glimpse into motherhood, and mothers a reassurance that they are not alone in their struggles. A recent mother of three, including a newborn, Marlo (Charlize Theron) tries to juggle all her duties but finds it incredibly hard. Her brother sent a nanny, Tully, to help relieve her load. Although initially reluctant, Marlo learns to lean on young Tully for help, and surprisingly, advice.
Written by Award-winning Diablo Cody (who wrote Juno), Tully brings us into the world of post-partum depression without making it uncomfortable. Acted by a talented cast including Theron and Ron Livingston, the movie balances thought-provoking with humour to deliver a parenting experience that most couples with children would relate to.
Isle of Dogs
Starring the voices of a stellar cast, Isle of Dogs is a stop-motion-animated masterpiece from writer/director Wes Anderson. The story brings us to Japan, where a canine flu outbreak leads to all dogs being quarantined on an island of waste. Shunned by everyone, the dogs are basically left there to die, until one day, when a boy crash-landed onto the island with his plane. His mission? To rescue his dog named Spot (Liev Schreiber). His quest inspires the other dogs on the island, and they journey with him to find Spot. The voice cast also includes Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, Greta Gerwig, and Yoko Ono.
Hereditary
This may just be the scariest movie of the year, if you were actually brave enough to watch it. Following the death of Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, her daughter Annie (Toni Collette ) and family begins to experience strange occurrences and starts to learn more about their disturbing ancestry. The more they learn, the more terrifying experiences they face. The question is, will they be able to outrun their sinister fate? Collette gives a gripping performance of an impassioned daughter but a protective mother who starts to lose control bit by bit, sinking into a menacing hole as the world collapse around her. Writer and director Ari Aster masterfully offers us a horror story in its own league. It’s nothing you’ve seen before, a family death that spirals into an ominous and disturbing nightmare in graphical details.
It’s a movie that looks at morality, or the lack thereof. Thoroughbreds introduces us to two normal-looking upper-class teenagers. Except that they are far from average. Amanda (Olivia Cooke) suffers from a condition that makes her unfeeling, while Lilly (Anya Taylor-Joy ) lacks any kind of empathy. Their worst is brought to the surface the more time they spend together. They plotted the death of Lilly’s step-father, and despite obstacles, are determined to see it through.
Under the surface of this teen slasher movie runs a deeper and more disturbing look at the depths of our humanity and how emotions and empathy keep us at bay from doing some really despicable acts.
Unsane
Is she or is she not crazy? That’s the question we try to find the answer to in Unsane. Claire Foy stars as a troubled young woman named Sawyer, who was committed to a mental institution against her will after she was pursued by a stalker. There, she thinks she sees her stalker and confides in another patient. A cat and mouse chase ensue between Sawyer and her stalker, resulting in a series of accidents, injuries and even death. Director Steven Soderbergh keeps us on the edge of the seat with this psychological horror with twists and turns at every corner.
First Reformed
Ethan Hawke gives a stellar performance as Reverend Ernst Toller, a lonely, middle-aged pastor in a small Dutch Reform church in upstate New York. Once a quiet, humble church, it’s now a tourist attraction instead. Its congregation is dwindling, no thanks to the nearby, state-of-the-art church with around 5,000 followers.
When a young, pregnant parishioner (Amanda Seyfried) comes in to ask Reverend Toller to counsel her husband, the clergyman finds himself dragged back into his own tormented past. The reality of his bleak future also sinks in, pulling him further into despair, and propelling him to do act on something drastic which he believes could be better for the world around him. The movie touches on the crisis of faith and worldly concerns that are deeply concerning.
