Preliminary listing of favorite 2018 films

1. Isle of Dogs - I've gushed about this before; it's a brilliant, complete package of casting, storytelling, and moviemaking flare.
2. The Death of Stalin - I love that it's a challenge.  I love that it takes a nightmare scenario concerning a regime that couldn't be less likely to be the subject of a movie like this, and completely turns it on its head.  This is the textbook definition of farce, the opposite of what it seems it should be, and in that way illuminates the conditions and personalities with exquisite perfection.
3. Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald - After Goblet of Fire, I think this is about as perfect a cinematic experience from the world of Harry Potter that has yet appeared.
4. The Old Man & the Gun - A truly elegiac farewell to Robert Redford.
5. Damsel - A gloriously subversive western.
6. Gringo - A farce of a different variety than Death of Stalin, but even more delirious, if that's even possible.
7. Super Troopers 2 - I'm not actually even that big a fan of the first one, so much a fan of Broken Lizard in general.  But lampooning Canadians and America's current reputation helps elevate the material.
8. Widows - Moreso than BlacKkKlansman, I think this one nails the complexities of race relations in modern America. 
9. Solo: A Star Wars Movie - I'm that rare fan who loved this one.
10. Dark Crimes - Fascinating performance from Jim Carrey.

Final results may vary.  I've yet to see some heavy hitters, like The Other Side of the Wind and The Favourite.  Since it'll be getting a North American release in 2019, I'm not sure where The Man Who Killed Don Quixote will fall, but I remain confident that the journey will have been worth it.