Daniel's Top 5 favorite movies of 2018

Are you ready to greet 2019? Before we welcome the new year, however, I am going to list my top 5 favorite movies of 2018. I watched a lot of movies this year, more than the previous year anyway, but my cinematic experience has been a roller coaster ride; some movies came out of nowhere and took me by surprise, while some movies were disappointments (yep, The Predator, I am looking at you!).

Many good movies came out this year and I struggled to pick and rank my top 5 favorite movies. Furthermore, I have two movies fighting for the 5^th spot on my list because I liked them almost equally. Therefore, for the first time on the count down to my yearly favorite movies, I am going to include an "honourable mention", just so I can do this movie justice.

As usual, I compiled this list based on my own opinions and tastes. This means, while the movies on my list may not be Oscar contenders, but I chose them because I had the most fun watching them, and more importantly because each of these movies have touched me in one way or another.

I hope you will enjoy reading my list, and if you come across a movie or two here you have yet to see, then you could check them out in the rest of the December holidays.

All right, here comes the list for my top 5 favorite movies of 2018.

Number 5:

Bumblebee

Genre: Science-fiction/Superhero

I can't believe this, but a Transformers movie made it to my list. That is right ladies and gentlemen, Bumblebee, a Transformers movie spin-off, took the 5^th spot on the list.

"Really, Daniel, a Transformers movie?

Ok, I can see raised eyebrows, but on this occasion the movie critics are agreeing with me. On Rotten Tomatoes, currently Bumblebee has a rating of 93%, this is the highest rating of all 2018 movies of the similar genre, even beating Avengers: Infinity War.

Bumblebee is critically acclaimed, and I think its success is mostly due to the new director, Travis Knight, who breathed fresh airs into the dying franchise. Before Mr. Knight helmed the Bumblebee movie, he directed a number of acclaimed Laika movies, such as Caroline, The Box Trolls, and Kubo and the Two Strings (which is one of my favorite animation movies of all time). Travis Knight brought the type of excellent storytelling, found in the Laika movies, into Bumblebee. The result is a Transformers movie that actually understands what the Transformers story is supposed to be. This story has heart, it has good humors, and the friendship between Bumblebee and his human friend is touching. Unlike the previous installments, in the new movie the robot (Bumblebee) is not just for the show, he has character and I rooted for him and his friends. Bumblebee is the sort of Transformers movie they should have made from the start!

Anyway, when I walked into the cinema my expectations for Bumblebee was low, but this movie invoked in me the sense of wonder, and I left the cinema with a big smile on my face and feeling happy. Bumblebee was a pleasant surprise. If you didn't like Michael Bay's Transformers movies, then I think Bumblebee will change your mind.

Number 4:

Mission Impossible: Fallout

Genre: Action thriller

Most movie franchises get worse with sequels, but Mission Impossible defies this norm. There are altogether, six Mission Impossible movies, and this franchise gets better with every sequel. I think over the years Mission Impossible has even surpassed James Bond and Bourne, which are the two other big franchises in the genre. The latest installment, Mission Impossible: Fallout, in particular, pushed the franchise to a new height. The 6^th adventure of Ethan Hunt is explosive and full of twists. The action scenes are breathtaking and the story is thrilling and tight. This is nail-biting stuff and it will leave you hanging at the edge of your seat.

Tom Cruise put up one heck of a performance in this movie. It is worth mentioning that Mr. Cruise also performed every dangerous stunt himself. I watched some of the features included in the Blu Ray disc set, where the director and Tom Cruise's colleagues described the injuries the famous actor sustained while executing the dangerous stunts. The man was essentially risking his life to entertain us, the movie audience. I respect Tom Cruise's professionalism, there is a reason why Mr. Cruise is getting the big paycheck, he deserves it as well as the critical acclaims this movie has received. But I also hope Mr. Cruise will look after himself when he films Mission Impossible 7 (Well, I hope he is planning to make another one because this franchise is damn good). Mission Impossible 6 is the living proof, that a well-crafted action thriller still has a place in movies, so, Marvel and DC, watch out, for here comes the Tom Cruise run!

Number 3:

The Shape of Water

Genre: Romance/Dark Fantasy

Strictly speaking The Shape of Water is a 2017 movie, but it came out in Australia in January 2018 so I am counting it as a 2018 release. This movie is directed by Guillermo del Toro, who is my favorite movie director. There is not a film by Mr. del Toro that I don't like. I first heard about The Shape of Water in 2015 and immediately I wanted to see it. When I finally sat down and watched the film in the cinema I was not disappointed. Although Romance is not my cup of tea yet I enjoyed every second of the movie nevertheless.

The Shape of Water went on and won a few Oscars, which is a surprise to everybody because the judges at Oscar don't usually award movies of this genre. From the design, the soundtracks, the pictures/colors, and the story, The Shape of Water captured the "magic" of the cinema which is rarely felt in the waves of superhero movies and cinematic universes. The Shape of Water is a blend of sci-fi, horror, romance, fantasy, and historical drama, where it has a bit of something for everyone. I showed this movie to my parents, they don't usually like this sort of film, but even they liked it. This movie has cinematic magic pulsing in its veins, and it has captured the hearts of audiences young and old, men and women.

Number 2:

A Quiet Place

Genre: Post-apocalyptic horror

I believe the superhero genre is on the fade and Horror will be the next big thing, and A Quiet Place is the proof for it. This movie came out in April and it was met with critical acclaims. I missed the cinematic run so I watched it on Blu Ray. This film has a humble runtime of 90 minutes but it was a very intense and gripping movie experience.

A Quiet Place is almost a silent film but the story was perhaps the most memorable I have seen in a long while. This is a character-driven story where the audience will surely root for one or two (if not all) of the characters. This movie treads on the line between Horror and Thriller, and the action scenes are edgy and suspenseful. Usually I am the sort of person who laughs in horror movies, but when I was watching A Quiet Place I was in the silent mode, I was so immersed in the movie that I felt it would do the characters bad if I made any sound. A Quiet Place is a great movie. If you haven't see it, then make sure to check it out.

Number 1:

First Man

Genre: Biographical drama

"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind".

First Man, starring Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, is my number 1 favorite movie of 2018. Not only is First Man impressive on the technical level, but its story also pulled me in. Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy did stellar jobs in their portrayals as Neil Armstrong and his wife. Furthermore, it was fascinating to know more about the life of this famous astronaut, whose name will be forever remembered as the first human to tread on the soils not from our world.

This movie was gripping from the start to the finish, especially at the pivotal moment when Armstrong was landing the lunar module. Although we know the outcomes of the landing, but those scenes still had me holding my breath and feeling the suspense. On the big silver screen, when the Eagle finally landed, it was a remembrance and a triumph for the movie, and more importantly, for mankind. It is a shame this movie didn't perform as well as it could at the box office, but hopefully with the Blu Ray release the film will find more audiences to appreciate it.

Honourable mention:

Avengers: Infinity War

Genre: Superhero

In the intro I said there would be an honourable mention, and it is none other than Avengers: Infinity War. Earlier this year when this movie came out it was a big deal, and it occupied the 5^th spot on my list of yearly favorites until I saw Bumblebee last week. I liked both Bumblebee and Infinity War almost equally, but in the end only one movie can occupy the 5^th spot, so after some thoughts I opted for Bumblebee over Infinity War. The reason is simply because Bumblebee made me laugh and warmed my heart and I had more fun with it. Having said this, I also really liked Infinity War and its "The Empire Strikes Back" type of ending. Personally, I think Infinity War is the 2^nd best movie in the Marvel cinematic universe just after Captain America: Winter Soldier.

Book Review: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick

Would an android be more alive, or less alive, if it can dream of an electric sheep?

I mean, why does it matter that something is fake, even though it is very close to the real thing?

The values we use to measure the fake and the real, what do such values reveal? Some objective reality in the universe?  Or something about ourselves? 

I don't have the answers to these questions, but I began to think about it after reading Philip K. Dick's sci-fi masterpiece, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Some people might recognize this book as the source material which inspired the cult classic film, Blade Runner. Why read the book if you have already seen the movie? I believe you should read the book because it differs to the movie by a great deal in terms of the story, the characters, and the worldbuilding. They should be treated as independent pieces of work.

Synopsis:

On a morning of January 2012 Rick Deckard and his wife, Iran, woke up with the sinking feeling, that something was missing in their lives. Their mood was as depressed as a deflated balloon, and Deckard considered using the mood organ; dial a number, and the instrument will work wonders on the brain chemicals, lifting their mood instantly.

However, even the marvellous mood organ cannot whisk away Deckard and Iran's source of discontent – their electric sheep, grazing on a grass patch on the apartment rooftop, which they pretend to be a real sheep. 

"I wish I have enough money to buy a real, breathing sheep!" Deckard thought to himself as he got dressed for work.

The video phone rang, from the other side of the speaker came music to Deckard's ears. The police gave him a new assignment to "retire" six Nexus 6 androids, at the bounty of $1000 each.

Retire six Nexus 6 androids in one day? This is mission impossible! But $6000! Deckard could use the sum as the downpayment for purchasing a real animal, and he can finally become the envy of his neighbors.

Deckard holstered his laser gun, kissed his wife goodbye, then went to work. He paused at the doorway as an excitement seized him: "Honey, I am going to change our lives!".

My thoughts on this book:

A few years ago, there was a fad about the digital pet. Everyone, from a kid to an adult, wanted one. In those little LCD screens lived these cute, virtual animals. An owner was supposed to press the buttons, located on the device, like a video game, to care for the artificial animal. The owner could feed it, water it, and even play with the pet to keep it happy. Some people were emotionally invested in their virtual companions. However, as the fever for the digital pet cooled, I wonder what the owners are doing (or did) with their artificial pets, and how have their feelings changed about their once beloved digital pets?

Anyway, while I was relating the theme and the philosophy in this book to the real world, the digital pet was the first thing that came to my mind. The book's major theme, is the fascinating question about the fake vs the real, and how do we come to terms, emotionally and socio-economically, with the technologies we created.

For a book about androids and a bounty hunter, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is surprisingly full of pathos. Philip K. Dick emphasized on the characters' inner identities. The Blade Runner movie focused on the visuals, but the book is a character-driven story. The novel is set in the near-future, where the ecosystem was devastated by a great war, and many humans have emigrated to Mars. As living animals became scarce, so did owning a real animal become a colossal status symbol. Deckard kept an electric sheep on his rooftop and pretended it was a real sheep, meanwhile he was feeling unhappy. Deckard constantly sought out a way to buy a real animal. He believed animal ownership can make him happy. But can it?  

Furthermore, what about the artificial sheep he already owned? Does the fake have value?  

The movie did briefly mention the fake animals, but it did not have a big part in the story. In the book, however, the fake animals have a major role, because it is the central theme, the question about the fake vs the real. 

The plot is a thriller, where Deckard was given an assignment to track down and "retire" (or kill) six escaped androids. He used an empathy test, Voight Kampff, to identify the android fugitives. The androids devoid of empathy and could pass the test. However, later on Deckard met a female android called Rachel, a very sophisticated android who defeated the test, and Deckard gradually fell in love with her. From here, the novel evolved from a thriller into a question about what it means to be human and to have an identify.

Deckard and his wife have the habit of using the "mood organ" to uplift their emotions (the movie didn't have this). This begs another question, what is the line between being "made happy" and being "really happy"? Once again, this is the question about the fake vs the real. Although I find it interesting that the meanings behind the mood organ and the electric sheep, appear to be in contrast. The former is questioning how much happiness can the fake bring to a person, while the later seems to be saying even the fake has values. The author, however, did not make direct statements. Instead, he weaved these questions into the story, and let you come to your own conclusions.

When I closed the book, Philip K. Dick's brilliance dawned on me. The premise in this book is outlandish, but it is also humorous. I mean, who would write a story, about an electric sheep, grazing on a patch of grass on the apartment rooftop, as a social statement? I think this is a very good book, it will give you some food for thoughts. It is very different to Blade Runner, so if you like the movie then you should check out the book too.