LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE’S TOP 10 FILMS OF 2018

Limelight Magazine viewed 83 films theatrically in 2018. This is the most films we’ve ever seen in a theater in any given year. Of these films, 74 were first run, while the rest were retro screenings of cult or modern horror classics such as It’s Alive and Ms. 45. It’s interesting to note that we viewed more female-directed features this year than at any other time. Films such as Blockers (Kay Cannon), Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Marielle Heller), Leave No Trace (Debra Granik), The Miseducation of Cameron Post (Desiree Akhavan), The Ranger (Jenn Wexler), Revenge (Coralie Fargeat), Mary Queen of Scots (Josie Rourke) and You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay) all had females at the helm. Unfortunately, we have not seen Karen Kusuma’s The Destroyer because it was only screened in three theaters in Los Angeles and New York before the deadline for this article.

Other film highlights this year included a return to form for director Paul Schrader with First Reformed, film legends Robert Redford and Clint Eastwood giving their best performances in years in The Old Man and the Gun and The Mule respectively, and award buzz worthy documentaries (Free Solo and Will You Be My Neighbor?).

In reflecting back on the cinematic highlights of 2018, these were our top 10 favorites. Rather than go into detail about each film, we’re only going to list them so you can discover these movies for yourself. (Disclaimer: This list is based on films I’ve seen as of Dec. 31, 2018. It could be adjusted in the future as I view other films from 2018 in early 2019).

1. A Quiet Place