Rath Awards 2018

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the 8th Annual Rath Awards! 2018 was a very exciting year for multiple reasons, particularly when it came to film, videogames, television, and music! I'm not sure about you but both personally, professionally, and through my hobbies it felt like the year was over in the blink of an eye. It feels like I was just putting the 2017 Rath Awards together!

Speaking of previous year's Rath Awards, feel free to check them ALL out below. They've certainly grown into their own over time (my early award "photoshops" are both entertaining and laughable), but it's an adventure in and of itself, that's for sure! 2017 // 2016 // 2015 // 2014 // 2013 // 2012 // 2011

For those unfamiliar, I track the year's best in each of the aforementioned mediums and determine nominations and winners across a variety of categories. As is always the case, this is a long, long post so feel free to get comfy, grab a nice beverage (whiskey would be delightful!) and enjoy the year of 2018 through my lens! As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts be they in person, through the comments, or on social media, so chat me up, or tear me apart determining on how you react to my winners!

It's always a bit hard for me to put my finger on how I felt about the previous music year in this more singles-focused environment. I definitely had an easier time listening to whole albums this year as opposed to last, but still found that compiling lists of albums to nominate was difficult in certain categories. Despite those hardships though, I still found plenty of #beatz to get me through the year. What? Isn't that what the kids are saying these days?

BEST IN GENRE | ALTERNATIVE
CRAZYTALK by Mat Kearny
Love is Dead by CVURCHES
I met you when I was 18. by LAUV
Glory Sound Prep by Jon Bellion

Winner: CRAZYTALK by Mat Kearny
Runner-up: Love is Dead by CVURCHES

You may have noticed I completely passed over an R&B genre award this year. Perhaps I've grown out of it completely, but I found it difficult to even come up with one nominee. In the Alternative category though we had a lot of worthwhile content, but none as listenable as Mat Kearny's CRAZYTALK. "WHO?" you may be asking? It's a wonder he's not a major star (though he does seem to be making a name for himself) and I'd be willing to bet you enjoy the hell out of his latest. 

BEST IN GENRE | RAP & HIP-HIP

Black Panther The Album by Kendrick Lamar

Daytona by Pusha T

Testing by A$AP Rocky

Scorpion by Drake

Tha Carter V by Lil Wayne

Come Over When You're Sober Pt. 2 by Lil' Peep

Winner: Scorpion by Drake
Runner-up: Tha Carter V by Lil Wayne

Drake's Scorpion was arguably one of the biggest albums of the year and produced hit after hit after hit. Some became less about the song *cough "In My Feelings" cough* but I found this to be Drake's best, most well-rounded offering since Take Care. Lil Wayne's Tha Carter V was also a stellar album and was kept so under wraps that it became a welcome surprise, though this one ultimately came down to personal preference and goes to Drake. 

BEST IN GENRE | POP
Man of the Woods by Justin Timberlake
LOVE by Aaron Carter
Voicenotes by Charlie Puth
Shawn Mendes by Shawn Mendes
Bloom by Troye Sivan
Sweetner by Ariana Grande
Pray for the Wicked by Panic! At the Disco
Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves

Winner: Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves
Runner-up (TIE): Shawn Mendes by Shawn Mendes & Bloom by Troye Sivan

I can barely keep up with the pop genre anymore, with new artists entering and exiting what seems like daily. It's a singles-driven genre, probably more than the others and some of these albums unfortunately only got a single or double listen throughout the year. Kacey Musgrave's gloriously smooth Golden Hour however? At least 5-7 which is saying something given that pop bordering on country isn't even really my jam. But with each song bringing something unique to the product, it's more than worth your time, and then once, twice, three time more.

BEST HIT SONG

"X" by Kendrick Lamar feat. 2 Chainz & Saudi

"Wolves" by Selena Gomez and Marshmello

"In My Feelings" by Drake

"thank u, next" by Ariana Grande

"God is a Woman" by Ariana Grande

"This is America" by Childish Gambino

"Without Me" by Halsey

Winner: "This is America" by Childish Gambino
Runner-up: "Without Me" by Halsey

There were a lot of powerhouse singles this year and for the life of me I can't get Halsey's "Without Me" out of my head. But few were as hit-you-between-the-eyes as "This is America" from Childish Gambino. Complimented with an instantly controversial music video that was water-cooler talk for weeks, the song itself is incredible and I found myself never skipping it when it came on and instead turning it up whether I was at work, the gym, or just writing reviews. 

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande
Kendrick Lamar
Kanye West
Drake
Lil' Wayne

Winner: Kanye West
Runner-up: Ariana Grande

 Love him or hate him -- and most people probably hate him these days, including myself most times -- Kanye was a BUSY man in 2018. He produced a ton of music and that resulted in a really fun multiweek release of 5 albums, most of which were from other artists aside from his own album. His albums have most certainly been on the decline since the masterpiece of "Yeezus" and "Ye" was no different, but along the way we got some great tracks from other artists and the feat alone is worth applause. Pusha T's Daytona, which was the first of the five albums, was easily the best and the "what's coming next?" mystery was one that was fun to follow. 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

5 | (TIE) Scorpion by Drake & CRAZYTALK by Mat Kearny

4 | Come Over When You're Sober Pt. 2 by Lil' Peep

3 | Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves 

1 | iridescence by BROCKHAMPTON
2 | Black Panther The Album by Kendrick Lamar

That's a pretty eclectic Top 5 right there with pop, country-pop, hip-hop, emo rap, a movie soundtrack, and more all represented. Perhaps iridescence by BROCKHAMPTON could be described as all those things given how wild it is to listen to. Never ceasing to impress its listener and offer up unexpected beats, transitions, and voiceovers, the album is a trip to listen to. No song captures this better than WEIGHT, that will burn itself into your memory in a few different ways given the no fewer than 3 separate and tantalizing hooks it has embedded throughout. Truly the best albums of the year and one I'm sure I'll be listening to more in the future. Give the whole thing a chance and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

We continue to be in the Golden Age of television, but one where there's also FAR TOO MUCH TV. This year saw me giving up a lot more shows in general and only giving newcomers a few episodes to grip me. Simply put, there just isn't time anymore for long, drawn out series that don't go anywhere (Sharp Objects, I'm looking at you). Even still though, I found plenty to love this year across shows new and old so let's dive in!

BEST NEWCOMER
Altered Carbon
Black Lightning
Jack Ryan
Maniac
The Haunting of Hill House
Barry

Winner: Altered Carbon
Runner-up: Barry

I'll readily admit that I f**king loved Altered Carbon. I've tried pushing it to others but for some reason it doesn't seem to resonate with many people. For me it scratched that "guilty pleasures" itch missing from Spartacus' departure many years ago and it's coupled with an awesome story in a world with unbelievable sci-fi technology. I'm all on board for more. 

BEST SUPERHERO SHOW

Legion

Legends of Tomorrow

The Flash

Black Lightning

Daredevil

Winner: Daredevil
Runner-up: Legends of Tomorrow

Legends of Tomorrow not winning this award shouldn't be a knock on its quality -- if anything it has gotten better and still remains the absolute best DC show. Instead this award is more a testament to just how damn great the third season of Daredevil was. I'd even go so far as to say it was the best Netflix/Marvel season thus far - and certainly one of the only that justified a 13 episode season. If this is how Daredevil must go out, it was definitely on top. 

MOST ANTICIPATED

Game of Thrones Season 8 (Final Season) 

Designated Survivor Season 3

Punisher Season 2

Altered Carbon Season 2

Barry Season 2
Stranger Things Season 3

Winner: Game of Thrones Season 8 (Final Season)
Runner-up: Stranger Things Season 3

As if it was going to be anything else? The biggest television show ever comes to a [likely] epic and devastating conclusion in just a handful of final episodes. It'll certainly be a TV event like never before and no matter your degree of interest in the series, everyone wants to know: "How does it end?"

BEST EPISODE

"Nora Inu" - Altered Carbon

"Chapter 19" - Legion

"The Riddle of the Spinx" - Westworld

"The Devil You Know" - Daredevil

"The Bent-Neck Lady" - The Haunting of Hill House

"Loud, Fast, and Keep Going" - Barry

"Know Your Truth" - Barry

"Teddy Perkins" - Atlanta

Winner: "Nora Inu" - Altered Carbon
Runner-up: "Loud, Fast, and Keep Going" - Barry

This is always one of the hardest awards in the TV category because these are usually 30-60 minute examples of near-perfection. Each one has something memorable it brings to the table. "Nora Inu" however was an episode that took Altered Carbon from great to incredible for me personally, featuring some intense action and fleshing out aspects of the story we hadn't learned until this point. It was a unique chapter when compared to the series' other episodes, but one that was necessary to move the series forward and done with a ton of spectacle and character building. 

BEST ACTOR

Kiefer Sutherland as President Kirkman in Designated Survivor

Dan Stevens as David Haller in Legion

Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill in Better Call Saul

Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde in Ozark

Jonah Hill as Owen Milgrim in Maniac

Bill Hader as Barry in Barry

Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk in Daredevil

Winner: Bill Hader as Barry in Barry
Runner-up (TIE): Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde in Ozark and Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk in Daredevil

I get the sense that many people are sleeping on HBO's Barry. Hell, I was until my friends basically screamed at me to watch it. Bill Hader is simply incredible in this show and this is more and more exemplified as the episodes progress, shifting our view of Hader from Stefon on SNL to seriously capable actor. 

BEST ACTRESS

Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores in Westworld

Thandie Newton as Maeve in Westworld

Laura Linney as Wendy Byrde in Ozark

Julia Garner as Ruth in Ozark

Emma Stone as Annie Landsberg in Maniac

Robin Wright as Claire Underwood in House of Cards

Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam Maisel in The Marvelous Ms. Maisel

Winner: Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam Maisel in The Marvelous Ms. Maisel
Runner-up: Julia Garner as Ruth in Ozark

There are a lot of outstanding performances up there but few really become the character quite like Julia and Rachel are able to. Rachel in particular has shown herself to be about as strong of a leading lady as possible, effortlessly taking us on a journey with Ms. Maisel that continues to be immensely interesting and funny. She can pull off dramatics and comedy with ease, making a winning case for her to take this award. 

BEST SHOW | COMEDY

Schitt's Creek

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Queer Eye

Bojack Horseman

The Good Place

Atlanta

The Marvelous Ms. Maisel

Winner: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Runner-up: The Good Place

Want to hear about one of the dumbest decisions made this year? Fox cancelling Brooklyn Nine-Nine from their lineup in 2019. It was a decision so misguided and idiotic that the show, which has developed a devoted fan following (including yours truly), was picked up mere days later by NBC. Here's hoping that the most-consistently-funny show on television has found a much better home and can keep the jokes coming. NINE! NINE!

BEST SHOW | DRAMA

Altered Carbon

Designated Survivor

Legion

Better Call Saul

Westworld

Ozark

Maniac

Daredevil

The Haunting of Hill House

Barry

Winner: Barry
Runner-up (TIE): Ozark and Altered Carbon

I'm not much of a "binger". Call it self control or just the need to do something different after watching an hour of TV..I'm not sure, but I binged the hell out of Barry and it gripped me like few shows have. It has a silly premise of a hitman wanting to retire and become and actor with comedian Bill Hader at its center. Then again, is it that silly if a show starring Bryan Cranston as a chemistry teacher making meth can work so well? Yeah...I just made that comparison. Get on Barry now if you haven't.

2018 was an absolutely insane year for gaming and I'm still making my way through many of the games you'll see on this list. Much like Hollywood, the gaming industry likes to dump everything at one time. Despite that first world problem, this was a year for stellar exclusives - PlayStation had one of its strongest years in history - and we finally got our next Rockstar game. Out of all mediums covered on the Rath Awards this year, videogames might be king. 

MOST ANTICIPATED
Anthem
Kingdom Hearts 3
The Division 2
Days Gone

Winner: Kingdom Hearts 3
Runner-up: Anthem

Shockingly upon research of this category I'm a bit saddened to see that 2019 looks like a considerable step down from 2018 in terms of gaming -- at least for announced titles. Kingdom Hearts 3 is one of those games that have been in development for so damn long that it could go either way, but I (and many others) have such fond memories of playing the other ones that we can sure dream right? Here's hoping the trip back into Disney cartoons is a blast!

BEST SOUNDTRACK / ORIGINAL SCORE

God of War

Detroit: Become Human

Spider-Man

Red Dead Redemption 2

Battlefield V

Winner: Red Dead Redemption 2
Runner-up (TIE): God of War and Detroit: Become Human

There was a lot of stellar music in games this year, particularly if you're a PlayStation exclusive (you'll hear that a lot in the next few awards), but nothing quite transports you like the pitch-perfect western score of Red Dead Redemption 2. When riding across a plain with the expansive West in front of you, hearing the classic noises of common western themes makes you feel like a real cowboy. 

BEST GRAPHICS

Far Cry 5

God of War

Forza Horizon 4

Red Dead Redemption 2

Battlefield V

Winner: God of War
Runner-up: Red Dead Redemption 2

While Red Dead's graphics were majestic considering the size of the open world, it was really God of War that was on a different playing level. Not only was it impressively smooth, even during mass chaos, it too had a huge world that consistently looked like a Norse painting come to life. Jaw-dropping is an appropriate descriptor of its entirety.

MOST FUN

Far Cry 5

God of War

Spider-Man

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Forza Horizon 4

Battlefield V

Winner: Spider-Man
Runner-up: Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Yes...like many games, PS4's exclusive Spider-Man game got old after a while. For most, that "while" was probably north of 20-30 hours as the core gameplay is so damn strong and swinging around as a joyous Peter Parker is downright infectious. Out of all the games I played this year, this one most consistently put a smile on my face whether it be through a one-liner, a cool webswinging trick, or a hilarious/brutal final move on a foe. 

BEST MULTIPLAYER

Far Cry 5

Black Ops 4

Battlefield V

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Red Dead Redemption 2

Winner: Battlefield V
Runner-up: Black Ops 4

A weird thing happened in the gaming community this year where it (i.e. those that are loudest) seemed to turn on the Battlefield series and re-adopt the Call of Duty franchise. I'll likely unpack that further in my Battlefield review down the road, but I don't understand the Battlefield hate in the slightest. In fact, I've been having a blast with it in recent weeks as it continues to grow it's concept of large-scale MP war into grander and grander ideas. Black Ops 4 has a lot to offer too but I am genuinely terrible at this Battle Royale craze so Blackout impacts me less. Either way, if you've been skipping Battlefield V for whatever reason, stop. It's a ton of fun and what other game can you play a huge WWII battle under the Northern Lights? 

BEST CAMPAIGN

Far Cry 5

God of War

Spider-Man

Red Dead Redemption 2

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Winner: God of War
Runner-Up: Red Dead Redemption 2

Having an excellent campaign is a blend of many elements, but mainly about how well you pace the game's action, it's overall length, level design, world design, etc. God of War was simply a masterclass in providing gamers with a meaty campaign (seriously, did anyone expect it to be that gloriously long?!) that kept you wanting to turn every corner and just flat-out do everything. It was a world so rich, ever changing, and detailed that it joined a pantheon of rare games that provide a near-perfect single-player experience. 

BEST STORY

Far Cry 5

God of War

Detroit: Become Human

Spider-Man

Red Dead Redemption 2

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Winner: Red Dead Redemption 2
Runner-up: God of War

This is a hard award to decide on because, truth be told, I'm not done with Red Dead's story yet. I'm going off my experience thus far with it's intricate plot, well-crafted characters, suspense building, and writing. God of War gave us an immensely exciting tale as we transitioned into Norse mythology, but I'd be willing to place my poker chips on the fact that I'm not wrong that Red Dead's is yet another win in narrative accomplishment for Rockstar.

GAME OF THE YEAR

5 | Spider-Man

4 | Detroit: Become Human

3 | Assassin's Creed Odyssey

1 | God of War
2 | Red Dead Redemption 2

It's no secret that I loved God of War. I was a huge God of War fan back from the days where Kratos was a screaming god-man, trying to take down Mount Olympus, but even I could admit the franchise had seen better days. What we got with this year's "reboot" was a game that not only challenged its developers, but challenged us as gamers in a multitude of ways. For it to top that extremely impressive list, particularly the fact that it beat out Red Dead Redemption 2, speaks to the incredible amount of quality that went into nearly every facet of the game. And the thought of it continuing into future sequels is nothing short of painfully enticing knowing that we'll have to wait. 

To say that it was a huge year for movies would be an understatement. I also found that it has been a fairly consistent year for cinema with regards to year-round quality in addition to there being a lot of quality spread out across multiple genres this year. No matter what you like: action, superhero, comedy, animation, musicals, sci-fi, horror, timely dramas, or documentaries; 2018 has been a complete year with plenty of films that I enjoyed and will continue to look back on fondly for years (and subsequent Rath Awards) to come!

*Please note that all nominated film reviews can be found on site. If you'd like to see my holistic thoughts on a picture, 'tis but an easy click or two to get there!*

BEST RETRO REVIEWED FILM
Zodiac
The Shining
Moon
Moonrise Kingdom

Winner: The Shining
Runner-up: Zodiac

I had a pitiful year this year doing Retro Reviews, especially when compared to 2017 where I knocked out the entire Godfather trilogy and all 6 Star Wars films. I'd like to think the trade-off was the newly-created "Rath Write-Ups" that I've loved doing but I was still able to make time for a couple classics (and a couple other good/okay films) in the meantime. The Shining wowed me as I watched its descent into madness and it's still one I can't quite stop thinking about. 

BEST MONTH

November

October

April
December

Winner: November (7.9 avg. score)
Runner-up: October (7.8 avg. score)

I had to put a caveat on this one that there must have been at least 4 films reviewed in the month as certain ones I only saw a couple new films. Either way, this is probably one of the most controversial Best Month awards I've had (if that's possible) because there are immediately some films up there that I probably liked more than others. Even still, for November to maintain such a high score across 8 films (one of my highest ever) is no small feat, even if there wasn't a single film to crack a 9/10 rating.

BEST SEASON

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winner: Spring (7.85 avg. score)
Runner-up: Winter (7.68 avg. score)

It's certainly odd for "Spring" (classified as March, April, May) to be the best season around for films, but this year was helped heavily by an early blockbuster season as well as some surprises. Outside of the films above there was generally a strong showing across the board and I genuinely enjoyed my time during these months with films that were mostly "great" as defined by my rating rubric. 

RATH'S WRATH (aka WORST MOVIE)

The Nun

Mile 22

The First Purge

Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom

Winner: Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom
Runner-up: The First Purge

If we're being totally honest, Fallen Kingdom has enough redeeming qualities that I would watch it again over the other films on that list. As the year went on though, I couldn't help but think how mad I was at how DUMB Fallen Kingdom had become, even for a franchise about dinosaurs being brought back to life. Call it "creative differences" of where I would have liked to see the franchise go, but outside of a fantastic opening, Fallen Kingdom is garbage and nearly a franchise killer in my eyes. Notice how no one's talking about it anymore? Me too.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
The Cloverfield Paradox
Solo: A Star Wars Story
You Were Never Really Here
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
The Predator
Vice

Winner: The Cloverfield Paradox
Runner-up: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

While I still praise the "Cloverfield" brand as having some brilliant marketing, I've become increasingly less interested in this franchise. As a stout lover of the first film, I was hoping that slowly we'd begin to get answers within this universe as opposed to more questions. Now this has sadly become a franchise where the last film was a bit of a stinker - even if it had a cool concept - and I feel like we've gotten so far from that original film that I don't quite know how to get excited for it anymore. 

BEST 3D

Ready Player One

Avengers: Infinity War

The Incredibles 2

Winner: Ready Player One
Runner-up: The Incredibles 2

It's clear that 3D films are still on the decline, or at the very least, films that take full advantage of the medium (until James Cameron comes back I suppose). For some films it adds that extra level of immersion and I found that - for the first time in a long time - the 3D added quite a bit to Ready Player One and it's virtual world, the Oasis. Not only was it a fantastic film but, much like the book, it gripped you from start to finish. 

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

Annihilation

Ready Player One

Pacific Rim: Uprising

Avengers: Infinity War

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

First Man

Aquaman

Winner: Avengers: Infinity War
Runner-up: Annihilation

It was one of the biggest movies of all time, so of course it's going to have top-notch CGI. Avengers: Infinity War consistently dazzled with it's ability to make the impossible look real; from Thanos being a genuinely well-crafted digital character to the fighting scenes full of explosions, lasers, and thousands of magical ropes like above. The movie never looked anything less than stunning. 

BEST SOUND / SOUND EDITING

Annihilation

Ready Player One

A Quiet Place

Avengers: Infinity War

Solo: A Star Wars Story

The Incredibles 2

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

First Man

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Winner: A Quiet Place
Runner-up (TIE): Annihilation and First Man

There was perhaps no more impactful example this year of a film playing around with its sound design to great effect. This is a solid list all around, but few films were heightened in suspense purely because of the lack of sound and then intense re-introductions of it. A Quiet Place made that "trick" look easy. 

FUNNIEST FILM

Blockers

Game Night

The Incredibles 2

Avengers: Infinity War

Deadpool 2

Blindspotting

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Winner: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Runner-up: Deadpool 2

It says a lot about how much comedies struggled this year when over half that list is represented by comicbook/superhero films. More importantly, that two superhero films nabbed our 1st and 2nd spots too. To be fair though, when you have Phil Lord playing a significant role in a zany Spider-man film, it's likely to have some strong comedic bits, and it definitely did. Featuring a high hit rate on jokes that came at a very consistent clip, this was the film that made me laugh the most in 2018.

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Isle of Dogs
The Incredibles 2
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Winner: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Runner-up: The Incredibles 2

We were treated to some fine animated films this year, but it's becoming increasingly clear just how special Into the Spider-Verse is. Turning the superhero origin story on its head and focusing on normal characters as spectacular heroes we're given an animated treat that's as funny as it is impactful. Not to mention the animation style is uber cool and unique in and of its own right. 

BEST ACTION

Ready Player One

Avengers: Infinity War

Deadpool 2

Upgrade

The Incredibles 2

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

The Night Comes for Us

Overlord

Aquaman

Winner: Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Runner-up: Deadpool 2

It was a pretty entertaining year for action all around with a lengthy list of nominations, but none could hold a candle to Tom Cruise's death defying stunts of the breathless and intense M:I - Fallout. The quality of these spy capers is so top notch, largely in part to the film's focus on real stunts and effects, that you'd be hard pressed to find a movie with more action that's better than this one in 2018. Fallout was an example in both ample quantity and quality.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

A Quiet Place

Pacific Rim: Uprising

Upgrade

Searching

Blindspotting

A Simple Favor

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Winner: Upgrade
Runner-up: Searching

Upgrade kind of came out of nowhere - a common trait for most "surprise" films - to earn good reviews and a pretty quick following of sci-fi aficionados. It was well filmed, featured a great core performance, and generally a really interesting film to think (and keep thinking) about. The action, though minimal, was hard hitting and intense which suited it perfectly for being one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. 

MOVIE I MOST OVERRATED

A Wrinkle in Time

Den of Thieves

Ocean's 8

The Predator

Tomb Raider

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Mortal Engines

Winner: A Wrinkle in Time
Runner-up: Ocean's 8

Always a fun, self-critiquing award for me to put together, this one usually targets films I rated average/good from the start that didn't age well in my memory of them throughout the year. A Wrinkle in Time is a prime example of this. It was a film that I was initially lukewarm too and didn't really inspire much in me. As time went on my memory of its messy plot and pacing lingered. If I were to rate it again it would decrease from a 7/10 to a 5.5 or 6/10. 

MOVIE I MOST UNDERRATED

Avengers: Infinity War

Red Sparrow

A Star is Born

Annihilation

Game Night

Winner: Annihilation
Runner-up: Game Night

While a recent second viewing helped Game Night tremendously (it truly only becomes derivative in the final moments), Annihilation is a film that I left liking a lot, but being slightly disappointed that it wasn't as great as Garland's previous film, Ex Machina. Fast forward month by month and one of the films that I cannot get out of my head is the creepy, dreary, and weird Annihilation. It's a film that burrows into your psyche and between screaming bears, possible(?) aliens, colorful fungus, and flower people, it'll stay with you for a long time. This one originally got a 9/10 and I'd say it deserves a 9.5 or perfect 10/10 score if I were to rate it again. 

MOST ORIGINAL

A Quiet Place

Isle of Dogs

Upgrade

Sorry to Bother You

Searching

Bad Times at the El Royale

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Winner: A Quiet Place
Runner-up (TIE): Upgrade and Sorry to Bother You

A Quiet Place was a fairly risky endeavor for most involved, but it was good, calculated risk. You had a new-ish director with John Krasinski, performing along side his wife, Emily Blunt. You had a film that focused primarily on the absence of sound in a genre that typically churns out crap films (aside from 1-2 a year). A Quiet Place ended up being unlike anything I'd seen in theaters before and one of the most [pleasantly] intense films I've ever seen. It's a well made film, yes, but the premise is absolute gold for soliciting scares and tension. 

BEST SOUNDTRACK
Black Panther
Ready Player One
Deadpool 2
Blindspotting
A Star is Born
Bad Times at the El Royale
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Bohemian Rhapsody

Winner: Black Panther
Runner-up: Blindspotting

It should be no surprise that this won given that the album itself was the second-best album of the entire year all the way back in the Music Awards section. This award comes with an awkward caveat that while the album may have been some of the best music this year, the film frequently failed to utilize it in a meaningful way, particularly in action sequences. Even still though the Kendrick-Lamar-brainchild is a thumping, aggressive, and powerful hip-hop album that will pump you up and themes of it can be seen throughout the film. 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Annihilation

A Quiet Place

Isle of Dogs

Black Panther

Upgrade

Hereditary

The Incredibles 2

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Blindspotting

Searching

First Man

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Vice

Winner: A Quiet Place
Runner-up (TIE): Annihilation, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, and Searching

Clearly I couldn't make my mind up with the second place winner and even picking A Quiet Place came after quite a lot of internal deliberation. I adore this award because original scores, as I'm sure I've beaten into my readers by now, is the secret weapon of highly effective and memorable films. They can either add nothing or add a tremendous amount to your film. Each of these films gained  considerable magic from their original music, but probably none more than A Quiet Place. Combined with the fantastic sound design, the original score heightened the tension and kept you holding your breath and on the edge of your seat, careful to not make a sound. 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Annihilation

Isle of Dogs

Hereditary

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

First Man

A Star is Born

Bad Times at the El Royale

Outlaw King

Roma

Winner: Roma
Runner-up: Mission: Impossible - Fallout

I may have not been Roma's biggest fan overall, but it was a tremendously gorgeous film to look at. Each frame was curated with care and attention to detail and the choice to film in black and white added a lot of surprising depth to the film that I wasn't expecting. I didn't connect much with the story, that's true, but it was effortless to watch due to the cinematography. 

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

Black Panther

A Wrinkle in Time

Blockers

Avengers: Infinity War

Deadpool 2

Ocean's 8

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Bad Times at the El Royale

Widows

Vice

Winner: Avengers: Infinity War
Runner-up: Mission: Impossible - Fallout

I mean...what other film would win this award this year? Infinity War was packed to the brim with superstar actors/actresses and characters. Furthermore, this Marvel group has really established themselves as a family in recent years and it seems like they're always having fun both in front of, and behind the camera. It's probably the most high-profile cast ever assembled and was an easy choice for this award. 

BIGGEST YEAR | ACTRESS

Scarlett Johansson

Claire Foy

Emily Blunt

Lady Gaga

Natalie Portman

Winner: Emily Blunt
Runner-up: Lady Gaga

Emily Blunt had a tremendous year in a lot of ways. She starred in her husband's biggest directorial film yet, A Quiet Place, that went on to make a killing at the box office. In recent weeks she can be seen in the delightful Mary Poppins Returns, taking on the titular character with ease. Those two films certainly display her range; to be able to effectively go from horror to a prim and proper (and singing) British nanny. 

 BIGGEST YEAR | ACTOR

Dwayne Johnson

Chadwick Boseman

Josh Brolin

Donald Glover

Lakeith Stanfield

John Krasinski

Michael B. Jordan

Winner: Josh Brolin
Runner-up: Michael B. Jordan

Josh Brolin had a huge year that was likely unprecedented. He had 3 films release nearly within a month of each other, 2 of which went on to become huge hits with the third doing respectable. He got to play what will likely age to be an iconic villain with Thanos, then hammed it up (and got jacked) for Cable in Deadpool 2, then reprised his role in the Sicario series. As someone who was initially lukewarm to his casting as Thanos and Cable (he seemed like the easy choice without much risk), I was impressed by him in both, and he certainly collected a hefty sum this year for his role in each. 

BEST PERFORMANCE | ACTOR
Tom Hanks as Ben Bradlee in The Post
Josh Brolin as Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War
Logan Marshall Green as Grey Trace in Upgrade
Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Daveed Diggs as Collin in Blindspotting
Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine in A Star is Born
Rafael Casal as Miles in Blindspotting
Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong in First Man
Rami Malek as Freddy Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody
Christian Bale as Dick Cheney in Vice

Winner: Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine in A Star is Born
Runner-up: Christian Bale as Dick Cheney in Vice

There are a lot of impressive performances up there but I'm not sure many really captured the heart that Bradley Cooper was able to in his phenomenal remake of A Star is Born. Not only does he share incredible chemistry with Lady Gaga, but he's a fantastic singer and showman on top of giving us a deeply riveting and memorable performance of a man battling internal demons. It was a fully rounded performance with no weak points and the best male performance of the year.

BEST PERFORMANCE | ACTRESS

Natalie Portman as Lena in Annihilation

Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbot in A Quiet Place and Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns

Jennifer Lawrence as Dominika Egorova in Red Sparrow

Toni Collette as Annie Graham in Hereditary

Lady Gaga as Ally in A Star is Born

Viola Davis as Veronica Rawlins in Widows

Winner: Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbot in A Quiet Place and Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns
Runner-up: Lady Gaga as Ally in A Star is Born

We almost had a sweep for A Star is Born, but I can't help but heap more praise onto Emily Blunt for her stellar year. I remember leaving A Quiet Place and thinking about how impressed I was with her performance and what it brought to the film as a whole. Her turn as Mary Poppins was similar but extra impressive that she was able to assume an iconic character effortlessly. The range between horror where you must be quiet and being Mary Poppins with the song and dance is huge and Blunt deserves recognition. 

BEST VILLAIN

Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger in Black Panther

Aliens from A Quiet Place

Josh Brolin as Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War

Henry Cavill as August Walker in Mission: Impossible - Fallout

James Jude Courtney as Michael Myers in Halloween

Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Winner: Josh Brolin as Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War
Runner-up: Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger in Black Panther

Marvel seemed to correct its villain problem this year in a big way. Jordan's Killmonger was one of their best villains yet, but then along came the guy we'd all been waiting for: Thanos. Infinity War established him as an instantly-iconic villain, right up there with Darth Vader, Voldemort, and others and it's likely that Endgame next year will only solidify his placement on that list. And I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him win this award next year either. Truly a memorable and well-structured villain that we've been waiting years to see. 

BEST HERO

Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther in Black Panther

Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider

Tye Sheridan as Parzival/Wade Watts in Ready Player One

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Avengers: Infinity War

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool in Deadpool 2

Jack-Jack in The Incredibles 2
Paul Rudd as Ant-Man in Ant-Man and the Wasp

Evangeline Lilly as Wasp in Ant-Man and the Wasp

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong in First Man

Shameik Moore as Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Jason Momoa as Aquaman in Aquaman

Winner: Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther in Black Panther
Runner-up: Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Part of what made Black Panther such a stand-out success was because of the man/hero they had at the helm. Chadwick Boseman was a perfect cast for the role and his T'Challa leads with honor, humility, and reason. We got to see a true hero's journey with his standalone film this year and watch him grow into the role of King of Wakanda. The cultural significance of the film was astounding and this was easily the year of Black Panther.

BEST SCENES OF 2018

Time for one of my favorite awards that, while they may be the hardest to put together, are probably some of the fondest to recollect on at year's end. Below you'll find my picks for the 15 best scenes that I saw in the theaters this year. Many of these are THE scene that you'll remember when you look back on any one particular film 5, 10, 15 years from now.

15 | Sharing the Stage (A Star is Born) - This was a special scene because it was the first true time in the film that we felt the musical connection between these two and witnessed the music they were able to produce. Featuring a shy Lady Gaga (far cry from the norm I'm guessing) and a "will she, won't she" tension, it was one of the most satisfying scenes this year. 
14 | Nostalgic Race (Ready Player One) - Ready Player One had a lot to love but the initial race really set the tone for the "wow" factor. After this intense, crushing, violent, but insanely entertaining - and Easter Egg-filled - race, I was totally on board with this film. 
13 | Introducing X-Force (Deadpool 2) - It was probably one of the most brilliant and hilarious bits of marketing this year and of course it came from Deadpool. Deadpool 2 was being sold heavily as a team-up film with the introduction of X-Force. And then when we get to that exciting part of the film they all die in gruesome, hilarious ways. It was shocking and had my entire theater in tears of laughter. 
12 | The Other Spider-"Men" (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) - This really counts for anytime a new spider-person is introduced in the film because it always leads to some huge laughs. Whether it was Nic Cage's Noir Spider-man talking about how he cant feel pain or Jake Johnson's Spider-man talking about "questionable financial decisions"; we were always laughing. 
11 | School-Sized Scott (Ant-Man and the Wasp) - This might have been the most genuinely innocent but hilarious scene of the year. Due to some complications with his technology, Scott must infiltrate a school sized as well...a 5 year old. Seeing a grown Paul Rudd run around in a over-sized hoodie was comedic gold, as was his return to the van and chiding he received from Evangeline Lilly's Wasp. 
10 | Birthing Dilemma (A Quiet Place) - You're making a film about needing to be quiet so you don't die. Then, in the most intense part of the film, your key character's baby is coming. Talk about ratcheting up the tension. Emily Blunt took what must have been an insanely challenging scene and sold it tremendously, leaving us all holding our breaths and on the edge of our seats. 

9 | A Gruesome Accident (Hereditary) - Easily the most disturbing scene of the year and also a bit of clever marketing. We're led to believe that a particular character would survive for the entirety of the film but then, in about the most violent way possible, they die. It triggers everything that comes afterward, but man oh man did this scene f**k me up a bit. 
8 | A Cover is Not the Book (Mary Poppins Returns) - Mix a little Lin Manuel-Miranda sing-rapping, Emily Blunt as a dolled up Mary Poppins, a vibrant, colorful cartoon stage, and an insanely catchy tune and you've got the makings of one of the most enjoyable scenes of the year. Immensely entertaining and wonderful to look at, with some fun choreography to boot, this was the peak of the return for Mary Poppins. 
7 | Jack-Jack vs. the Raccoon (The Incredibles 2) - Again, one of the most pleasantly wholesome, but FUNNY scenes this year. Jack-Jack's battle with his mortal enemy, the raccoon in their backyard, is just pure fun for children and adults alike. I'm pretty sure a couple of people both laughed so hard they peed themselves in my showing of this...
6 | Screaming Bear (Annihilation) - Annihilation stuck with me LONG after I saw it. I soon began to realize that scene after scene was memorable, but none were more unsettling than the terrifying bear with the human scream. It was equal parts disturbing, disgusting, frightening, and all parts intense. And you're never going to forget that scream. Ever. 
5 | On the Moon (First Man) - It was the scene that the whole movie was based around and it didn't disappoint, particularly in IMAX. It truly gave you an idea of what it must have been like to be the key participant in one of mankind's most significant achievements and the silence of space was deafening and eerie. Incredible. 
4 | Paris Motorcycle/Foot/Car Chase (Mission: Impossible - Fallout) - Another film where I could have chosen several scenes (Henry Cavill "reloading" his biceps, anyone?) but where the central chase scene in the film stands out. In a film with tremendous action and stunts, this is the one that will stand the test of time and is sincerely one of the best filmed and choreographed chase scenes in film history. It's utterly jaw-dropping.

3 | Gunpoint Passion Rap (Blindspotting) - Blindspotting was the only film I gave a perfect score to this year. It was phenomenal all around and in a year where we received an incredible amount of representation with African American cinema, this one stood out. The near-end scene is a confrontation and results in a tense but powerful message being delivered via a rap while at gunpoint. If that sounds silly, trust that Blindspotting is a talented enough film to pull it off with tremendous effect. 
2 | The Truth of the Shimmer (Annihilation) - Every year there's one scene that is such an effective combination of mystery, cinematography, and music that it just sears itself into your memory like a meaty piece of steak. This year that scene was basically the last 10 minutes of Annihilation. It may have left viewers with more questions than answers, but it definitely left them thinking about it. For this reviewer I was thinking about it for months to come and it was almost as perfect of a scene as you can hope to get, particularly with a sci-fi film. 
1 | The Snap aka The Decimation (Avengers: Infinity War) - Was any other scene really going to win this? In one of the year's most shocking, gut-wrenching scenes, nearly half of the characters we all knew and love were wiped out and the Avengers actually lost. Sure, this is all likely to be undone (but to what extent we don't know) with Endgame, but for the time being it was an unsettling and depressing end to the films that usually leave us feeling like heroes. Having seen it twice in theaters, the reaction from audience members is memorable in and of itself; with everyone completely silent in shock and even a few sobs. That's the sign of a damn impactful scene whether it's from a superhero film or not.

MOST ANTICIPATED FOR 2019
Avengers: End Game
Star Wars: Episode IX (untitled)
John Wick: Chapter 3
Toy Story 4
The Lion King
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Winner: Avengers: End Game
Runner-up: Star Wars Episode IX

Was this really going to be anything else after what happened in the recently-awarded Best Scene of the Year? It was a cliffhanger of epic proportions and we're all dying to see how it ends and how Marvel effectively sets the stage for the next 10 years. Star Wars should be exciting too - mainly because it's more Star Wars - but I left The Last Jedi pretty confident of where this final film will go so there's less intrigue/mystery there. 

BEST DIRECTOR

Alex Garland for Annihilation

Ryan Coogler for Black Panther

Steven Spielberg for The Post & Ready Player One

John Krasinski for A Quiet Place

Wes Anderson for Isle of Dogs

Joe and Anthony Russo for Avengers: Infinity War

Brad Bird for The Incredibles 2

Christopher McQuarrie for Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Carlos Lopez Estrada for Blindspotting

Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman

Damien Chazelle for First Man

Bradley Cooper for A Star is Born

Alfonso Cuaron for Roma

Winner: Bradley Cooper for A Star is Born
Runner-up: Alex Garland for Annihilation

I flat out love the sci-fi skill that Alex Garland has brought to films recently and Annihilation haunted me for the better part of this year, but there's just something so impressive about Bradley Cooper knocking it out of the park on his first try. And in a film that he's heavily starring in (and won Best Male Performance for above) and singing in. Knowing how much Cooper's hands were over the entirety of A Star is Born, it's clearly his vision brought to life and it was encouraging and exciting to see for a new, now-successful, director. 

BEST BLOCKBUSTER

Black Panther

Ready Player One

Avengers: Infinity War

Deadpool 2

The Incredibles 2

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Creed II

Bohmeian Rhapsody

A Star is Born

Winner (TIE): Avengers: Infinity War and Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Runner-up: Black Panther

While certainly no one can deny that Black Panther had the most cultural significance this year, I think these two films were just some of the most damn entertaining of the year. So much so that I called an audible at the last second and had it be a tie - I wanted to gush about each a little more. Avengers was a masterclass example in organization and pure entertainment and Mission Impossible was the 6th iteration of a franchise with an...older...star, but yet it made tons and tons of money, directly related to the quality of this installment.

BEST INDIE / NON-BLOCKBUSTER

Annihilation

Isle of Dogs

Upgrade

Hereditary

BlacKkKlansman

Blindspotting

Searching

First Man

Widows

Winner: Blindspotting
Runner-up: Annihilation

Blindspotting was just a tremendous film all around. It was funny, had a lot of things to say, was intense and dramatic, and it did a lot with just barely over 90 minutes. A lot of people missed out on it this year, which is a shame. You should find wherever you can to pick it up and give it a try. It was sincerely one of the best films I saw this year and, as a reminder, the ONLY film to score a perfect 10/10.

READER'S CHOICE | TOP 10 FILMS
It's always a delight seeing what my readers and fellow movie friends have chosen as their favorite films of the year. I also find that it's consistently a good balance of big blockbusters and smaller indie films; both of which deserve to be represented in lists like these. Below is your selection of films for 2018!

10) A Star is Born - No surprise that it's on this list. It was a touching, enjoyable film and ended up being a pretty big hit. Great performances all around, some good music, and Lady Gaga. What's not to love?
9) Ready Player One - I'm very excited to see this on the list because I also enjoyed it immensely. It was both classic Steven Spielberg AND an expert adaptation (with thoughtful changes) of a phenomenal book. A recent re-viewing only further confirmed that I loved this film and I'm glad you did too!
8) Roma - Look, I certainly didn't connect with Roma. In hindsight, that doesn't surprise me at all because I'm just not a fan of films that are about the more mundane aspects of life. That said, I'm very glad to see it getting ample support because it's a gorgeous film to look at and Alfonso Cuaron deserves your support as a filmmaker. 
7) Mission: Impossible - Fallout - I've long-adored the Mission: Impossible franchise so to see it in its height of glory (where it's been for a while, to be honest) and end up on this list is almost a validation of sorts for me. I'm very glad audiences enjoyed the hell out of it because it means we'll get more. 
6) Annihilation - Another film I'm happy to see on this list given how poor it did at the box office, but it's a most pleasant surprise. Garland's second foray into sci-fi was a lot like his first (but also a lot different) in the sense that it kept you thinking about it long after the film ended. And isn't that what the best sci-fi is supposed to do? 
5) Avengers: Infinity War - It was easily the biggest movie of the year (worldwide) and featured the "end" of all these years of building toward Thanos. To say it was a triumph would be an understatement and even with the "Part I" feeling hanging over it, it still felt like a very complete film. 
4) A Quiet Place - Easily one of the better concepts this year, A Quiet Place terrified audiences while they watched a talented husband-wife duo in Krasinski and Blunt. It was the year's best pure horror film and was a technically impressive film too. 
3) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - It already won my Funniest Movie and Best Animated Film awards, so you know I love it. This was a delight to watch simply because it was so different from anything we'd seen before, in a multitude of ways. Color me surprised that Sony's Spider-Man-verse has actually had a stellar year. 
2) BlacKkKlansman - Another film I didn't quite love as much as you guys, but am happy to see it here regardless. It's got a lot to say, was highly interesting to me (I previously had no idea about this story), and the film was generally entertaining plus bonus points for Colorado! 
1) Black Panther - It's not a surprise to see the biggest film of the year (domestically) on this list, nonetheless winning it. Black Panther was a cultural phenomenon and meant a lot to a lot of different people. As a film it was a great entry into the MCU and was a fun blend of superhero, fantasy, and spy-like elements. Oh, and it won this vote by a considerable margin so you guys LOVED it. 

RATH'S REVIEWS | TOP 10 FILMS

Every year there's a slew of films that I can't quite fit into this list, which is a bummer. I like to give them a shout-out regardless so here's my #20 - 11 films in no particular order:

The Post | Black Panther | Isle of Dogs | Deadpool 2 | Upgrade | The Incredibles 2 | Won't You Be My Neighbor | Searching | Creed II | Mary Poppins Returns

 

10 | Red Sparrow - I'm as surprised to see this on my list as you are probably, but I genuinely really enjoyed Red Sparrow despite it's heavily mature subject matter and lengthy runtime. It's a spy film through and through and really felt like an "adult" film in many, many ways. Something about the film felt coldly real to me, as if these bad, secret people existed and were just beyond our view.

9 | First Man - Another Damien Chazelle film, another Top 10 list. This may have criminally under performed at the box office which is a total shame given A) how great of a film it was and B) how significant of an achievement it was for mankind. In my eyes, it's the most impressive thing man has done to date and it happened almost 50 years ago. Chazelle's film was a portrait of Armstrong that was consistently interesting and led to a scene on the moon that felt frighteningly real.

8 | A Star is Born - A film that has aged well in my mind since the initial viewing, A Star is Born sticks with you for more than the music. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper had some of the best chemistry I've seen in recent years and both of their performances were some of the best of the year. Additionally, it's an impressive trio of feats from Bradley Cooper who directed, starred, and sang in this remake.

7 | Ready Player One - The novel is one of my favorite books of all time. That's a testament to just how entertaining the premise and plot can be given that I didn't grow up in the 80s and a lot of the pop cultural references don't mean much to me other than I know of them. Steven Spielberg's film made some wonderful creative choices to make it a little more compact than the novel and it was a tremendously entertaining ride from start to finish. 

6 | A Quiet Place - I knew that after A Quiet Place's strong and intense opening that this would be something special. I wasn't wrong. A Quiet Place was the year's best pure horror film and it took what could have been a gimmicky premise and capitalized on it in a big way. In nearly every facet, it was a well made movie and kept audiences holding their breath more than any other film this year. 

5 | Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - If you would have told me that Sony would have a highly-successful year (one commercially and one critically/commercially) with their own, non-MCU spider-verse I would have probably laughed at you. Into the Spider-Verse came across like a fresh bullet, nailing audiences with authenticity and many things they hadn't seen before. It was funny, heartfelt, gorgeous, and exciting. But most importantly, it was different. 

4 | Mission: Impossible - Fallout - At the risk of sounding like a hipster, I've loved this series for a LONG time. It holds a special place in my heart. I still technically hold Ghost Protocol as the best of the bunch, but between that film and Fallout, it's really splitting hairs. Fallout was so tremendously nonstop and entertaining that it felt breathless in the best of ways. Cruise as Hunt was always on the move and we were always blown away by stunt after stunt and twist after twist. 

3 | Annihilation - I remember thinking upon leaving Annihilation that I didn't quite like it as much as Ex Machina and that, despite its good score, I wasn't sure it would land in my Top 10. As I've mentioned several times in these awards, Annihilation has a way of burrowing itself into your mind and not letting up. It's pure sci-fi and a highly interesting and disturbing interpretation of the novel that's much different. It has no fewer than five highly memorable and disturbing scenes and is consistently filmed beautifully with a lot of strong performances. It was criminally underseen which is a huge shame; Annihilation is sci-fi that sticks. 

2 | Blindspotting - Another criminally underseen gem on this list (which almost seems like a theme on my list this year), Blindspotting was basically a perfect film. There was a lot of representation with several African American led/directed/starred films this year and nearly all of them were well-done and had lots to say. Blindspotting was the best of all them as it balanced drama, comedy, and racial tensions effortlessly and packed into a 90 minute film. It'll make you laugh, it'll make you feel, and it will make you think. Easily one of the year's best.

1 | Avengers: Infinity War - It was the biggest film of the year - and one of the biggest of all time - for good reason. It was the culmination of 10 years and nearly 20 films of build-up. The tension in the air was palpable in my theater showings; I knew I was watching an event film and something that was more than a movie. After three additional viewings this year (it has been a long time since I've watched a film four times in a year) it remains tremendously funny, heartfelt, awe-inspiring, epic, and devastating. I'm taking a risk as putting it as my favorite film of 2018 because Avengers: Endgame, if not handled properly, threatens to retroactively devalue it, but I have a lot of faith in the Russos and Marvel to round this film "Part II" out in the most epic of ways. For those of us that have been waiting for "the end", Infinity War was the phenomenal start to it.

-- And with that, the 2018 Rath Awards are officially in the bag. It was an exciting and memorable year for a lot of reasons and I hope that you had a wonderful year. As I always say, despite how long these take (with some extra effort in the last couple weeks), the Rath Awards are a blast to put together and I enjoy seeing your reactions/responses to my choices. 

Here's to a happy, fulfilling, and successful 2019 for all! Thanks for the continued support and the read!