2018 will probably end up going down as one of the decade’s best years for movies. It also proved to be a validating moment for superhero and comic book movies, as Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War reached greater heights than any of their predecessors. Hereditary, Suspiria, Halloween, and Unsane led the horror genre to a creative revival. Romantic comedies also found new life with Crazy Rich Asians, Set it Up, and Love, Simon. Even documentaries had crossover success with Won’t You Be My Neighbor, Three Identical Strangers, and Free Solo. As for action movies, Mission: Impossible – Fallout revived of the old-school spectacles of decades past, and it was one of the year’s best overall films.
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Although we could easily include any of these movies from the year on this list, we’ll be limiting its focus to the three particular genres that Superhero Hype operates within: superhero/comic books, science fiction, and fantasy. Even though the aforementioned Fallout won’t be making an appearance on this list, it deserves an honorable mention. Ant-Man and The Wasp, Deadpool 2: The Super Duper Cut, and The House With A Clock In It’s Walls were also very enjoyable genre stories that just barely missed the cut.
Many of these movies were about more than just explosions and fight scenes. They explored inclusion, our collective fear of the unknown, legacies, and families, broken or otherwise. This was truly an exciting year to be a movie fan. Perhaps 2019 will be just as enticing as well. But 2018 really was a year for the ages.
You can check out Superhero Hype’s countdown of the Top 10 Films of 2018 in the gallery below! Don’t forget, we want to hear from you too. So share your favorite movies of 2018 in the comment section!
Top 10 Genre Movies Of 2018
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10. Overlord
Although Overlord was once thought to be just another Cloverfield movie, the best thing about it is that it stands alone. Julius Avery’s film flew under the radar upon its release, but it features a great mashup of genres and styles that became something wholly unique.
Overlord has its problems, but what it sometimes lacks in depth, it makes up for with sheer cinematic gusto.
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9. Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War was easily the most hyped superhero movie of the year. In terms of fulfilling those expectations, Infinity War is the year’s most crowd-pleasing film.
Infinity War also addressed the MCU’s villain problem with Josh Brolin's complex performance as Thanos. After tying together almost all of the previous MCU films, it’s downright astonishing that directors Joe and Anthony Russo's grand opus was so coherent and effective.
At the end of the day, Infinity War will not only be remembered as a milestone of superhero cinema, but also as the jumping-off point for the next age of comic book movies.
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8. Sorry To Bother You
Sorry To Bother You is easily one of the year’s most divisive movies. Viewers are either going to love it or hate it. In many ways, Boots Reilly’s film is steeped in magical realism, which transforms it into a pure fantasy movie by the conclusion.
Reilly’s Sundance sensation isn't a masterpiece, but it is perhaps the boldest, most uncompromising film of 2018. Sorry To Bother You is an experience that must be seen to be believed.
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7. Incredibles 2
Fourteen years in the making, Incredibles 2 is a worthy successor to the Pixar's 2004 animated superhero film. Although it essentially tells the same story as its predecessor, the movie is so well executed that it’s easy to forgive that flaw.
Director Brad Bird continues to prove that he’s one of Hollywood’s greatest storytellers. Incredibles 2 is ultimately a funny, heartfelt, and visually dynamic superhero sequel.
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6. A Quiet Place
Before this year, A Quiet Place was barely a blip on the cinematic radar. Now, it will be remembered as one of 2018's best science fiction thrillers.
The true accomplishment of John Krasinski’s film is how wonderfully its premise is executed. A Quiet Place is a tight, concise movie that features breakneck pacing, wonderful performances, and a conclusion that leaves viewers salivating for more.
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5. Bumblebee
It’s almost insane to contemplate a Transformers film that is good enough to be one of the year’s best movies. But Bumblebee gave us the old school Transformers we always wanted, and more.
Travis Knight brought a great deal of heart to Bumblebee, as well as a sense of wonder that the franchise was solely missing up to this point. It’s simply a great coming of age story for both Hailee Steinfeld's Charlie and her car/robot from another world.
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4. Upgrade
Upgrade proves that you can have a smart science fiction film that is also thoroughly entertaining. It has a wonderfully tragic leading performance from Logan Marshall-Green and a great story as well.
Although Upgrade leans pretty heavily into genre tropes, it’s also the most refreshing and exciting science fiction movie of the year.
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3. Black Panther
In terms of cultural relevance, Black Panther may have been 2018’s most important film. Indeed, Black Panther was an absolute phenomenon, and it may even spearhead a wave of unique and diverse stories on the silver screen.
As for the film itself, Black Panther has a thematically driven story that prioritizes specific and strong characterization all around the board. Ryan Coogler’s vision allowed the world of Wakanda to be fully realized in a dynamic and entertaining way.
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2. Annihilation
Annihilation was equally intriguing and visually stunning. In many ways, it may be the modern equivalent of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Much like Kubrick’s masterpiece, Alex Garland’s latest film is a largely ambiguous, slow burn that ends up rewarding multiple viewings.
More importantly, Annihilation’s use of editing – specifically as a storytelling device – is very impressive. That made “the Shimmer” into one of the most impressive cinematic enigmas of all time.
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1. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
In terms of the decade’s all-time great genre movies, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is already near the top of the list. It’s also the best iteration of Spider-Man, as well as the year’s most dense cinematic experience. It offers a wonderful level of intricacy and a wholly unique visual style that is unparalleled.
Into the Spider-Verse also has a great story that is extremely well crafted. It explores a wild concept in an extremely digestible way, with characters and themes that truly resonate. After this movie, anyone can be under Spidey's mask. And that means everything.
