My Top 10 Favourite Movies of 2018

I watched 42 movies of 2018 and 20 of them were in theatres.

My top favourite movies of 2018 are as follows.

1. Black Panther
2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
3. Roma
4. Avengers: Infinity War
5. Mission: Impossible - Fallout
6. Ballad of Buster Scruggs
7. First Man
8. Vice
9. Upgrade
10. Eighth Grade

Honorable Mention (release date order): Paddington 2, Annihilation, A Quite Place, First Reformed, Ant-Man and the Wasp, BlacKkKlansman, Bad Times at the El Royale, Aquaman, The Favourite.

My Top 10 Favourite Movies of 2017

I watched 46 movies of 2017 and 26 of them were in theatres. There are still many movies which I haven't gotten around to seeing (mostly due to lack of theatrical release here) including The Shape of Water, I, Tonya, The Post among others.

There were lot of good movies this year which I enjoyed immensely, but personally there wasn't a standout movie which easily towered over the rest in terms of an all timer great film, but Blade Runner 2049 managed to get there pretty close and I know it's going to keep getting better on repeated viewing through home video.

Some movies were flat out entertaining, while some had the emotional resonance I hoped for, and selected few had both. Yet, it wasn't enough. Maybe it's something to do with me and my expectations than the movies themselves. (I know there can't be movies like Mad Max: Fury Road every year).

My top favourite movies of 2017 are as follows.

1. Blade Runner 2049
2. War for the Planet of the Apes
3. Coco
4. Baby Driver
5. A Ghost Story
6. The Big Sick
7. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,
8. Logan Lucky
9. Get Out
10. Colossal

Honorable Mention (release date order): Split, I Don't Feel At Home in this World Anymore, Logan, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Wonder Woman, Okja, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Mother!, The Florida Project, Brawl in Cell Block 99, Thor: Ragnarok, Lady Bird, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. 

Mashup video featuring movies of 2017.

My Top Favourite Movies of 2016

I have seen only 26 movies of 2016 and 16 were in theatres. I still have many movies to catch up to including Silence, Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea.

La La Land is my favourite movie of 2016. It was delightful and moving, while touching upon the universal theme of chasing dreams. Thanks to Damien Chazelle and team who managed to create a movie that would make even some of the skeptics of musicals to embrace it.

My top favourite movies of this year are as follows.

1. La La Land
2. Arrival
3. The Nice Guys
4. Captain America: Civil War
5. Green Room

Honorable Mention (release date order): Zootopia, Deadpool, Everybody Wants Some, The Lobster, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Doctor Strange, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Mashup video featuring movies of 2016.

My Top Favourite Movies of 2015

I saw 45 movies of 2015 and 13 of them were in the theater. My list of movies seen in 2015 is largely incomplete as I have yet to see The Hateful Eight, The Revenant, Bridge of Spies, Spotlight, Creed and several others which I missed out on.

Mad Max: Fury Road is my #1 favourite movie of 2015. The movie exceeded my expectations. The plot is simple and straightforward, but the characters are memorable while the action has set a new benchmark for modern day filmmaking along with its exceptional practical effects and stunts. Also I love the soundtrack by Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL), especially the track Brothers In Arms (Bikers chase sequence at canyon). The music kinda makes me want to go and exercise. (And I don't really exercise anymore).

My top favourite movies of this year are as follows. 

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Inside Out
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
4. Ant-Man
5. The Martian

Honorable Mention (release date order): Kingsman: The Secret Service, Ex Machina, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Mistress America, Sicario, Victoria, The Peanuts Movie.

Here is another great mash-up video featuring scenes from 2015 movies by YouTube user Sleepy Skunk.

And here is a nice quote by Guillermo del Toro about favourite movies.

As a refresher here are 60 movies from 2015 in release date order. And I am giving away some Blu-rays for RPF members for listing their favourite movies of 2015. Click here for details.

Jupiter Ascending
Kingsman: The Secret Service
What We Do in the Shadows
Chappie
It Follows
Furious 7
Ex Machina
Clouds of Sils Maria
The Age of Adaline
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Mad Max: Fury Road
Tomorrowland
Jurassic World
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Inside Out
Terminator Genisys
Magic Mike XXL
Amy
Tangerine
Ant-Man
Southpaw
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Fantastic Four
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Straight Outta Compton
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Mistress America
The Visit
Goodnight Mommy
Everest
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Black Mass
Sicario
The Martian
The Walk
Pan
Victoria
Crimson Peak
Bridge of Spies
Jaws 19
Room
Steve Jobs
Spectre
The Peanuts Movie
Spotlight
Brooklyn
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
Legend
Carol
The Good Dinosaur
Creed
The Danish Girl
Krampus
Macbeth
In the Heart of the Sea
The Big Short
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Son of Saul
Joy
The Hateful Eight
The Revenant

My Top Favourite Movies of 2014

I saw 44 movies of 2014 and 16 of them were in the theater. I have yet to see Whiplash, Birdman, Inherent Vice, Selma, American Sniper and few others which I missed.

There were some great big budget movies this year, along with many great independent movies too.

My top favourite movies of this year are as follows.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy
2. Snowpiercer
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4. Edge of Tomorrow
5. The Raid 2
6. Boyhood
7. The Lego Movie
8. Interstellar
9. Blue Ruin
10. Locke

Honorable Mention (release date order): The Grand Budapest Hotel, Enemy, Cheap Thrills, Ida, We Are the Best!, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Coherence, The Guest, Gone Girl, Nightcrawler, Big Hero 6.

Two cool mashup videos showcasing scenes from movies of 2014. The second one is little longer but is great and well done.

 

 

Speed 20th Anniversary

Speed was released 20 years ago today on June 10, 1994. I remember seeing the movie about 3 or 4 times in the theatres, I was in the 8th grade and it was few months before I turned 13.

I couldn't get enough of the movie and the epic musical score stayed with me for weeks. I liked Keanu in the Bill and Ted movies, but I became a fan after Speed.

I loved the whole elevator rescue opening as much as the rest of the film, which pretty much led to my fascination with SWAT teams in general.

As someone who preferred his hair longer I even ended up cutting my hair way too short few weeks after watching this film :).

And I love the fact that Joss Whedon ended up being one of the key writers of the film, which I only briefly remember reading about years ago; but his recent interview really dwells on his contributions to the script.

Here are some good articles that offer a look back at the movie along with words from Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock and director Jan de Bont.

Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves and Jan de Bont look back at 'Speed' 20 years later
 
Still Traveling At 50 MPH 20 Years Later: Why 'Speed' Was The Pinnacle Of '90s Action Movies

Joss Whedon Was Left 'Pretty Devastated' After Losing 'Speed' Writing Credit

 

My Top Favourite Movies of 2013

I saw only 23 movies of 2013 and I saw 17 of them in the theater. There are some movies which have yet to get released here in India, including The Wolf Of Wall Street, Inside Llewyn Davis, 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle and Her. They are releasing in January and February of 2014.

So my favourite movies of 2013 list feels largely incomplete and probably isn't quite final, as I have also missed quite a number of films which I intended to see, but couldn't due to different circumstances.

But the one film that undoubtedly belongs on the top of my list is Gravity. I don't know how much of repeat value it will have for me on home video, but it remains one of my best theatrical movie experiences in a long time.

It delivered obviously on the awe front, while giving ample instances to resonate with the character moments as well. Gravity is a great example of what going to the cinemas should be about, which is the experience of being transported to a different world.

My top favourite movies of this year are as follows.

1. Gravity
2. Pacific Rim
3. The World's End
4. Frances Ha
5. This Is The End

Honorable Mention: Upstream Color, Iron Man 3, Rush, Thor: The Dark World, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Other movies I liked though it had its share of shortcomings (release date order): Oblivion, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Wolverine, Elysium, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Also check out these two great mashup videos showcasing clips from various 2013 films. Good choice of music too. (I recommend wearing headphones while watching them). The second video is a tad longer but has a more wider selection of movies from 2013.

My Top Favourite Movies of 2012

I managed to watch only about 24 movies of 2012 and I saw 18 of them in the theatres. Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty and Django Unchained are yet to be released in India and I've yet to watch Dredd.

The Avengers remains my #1 favourite movie of the year. It was entertaining and the most fun I had at the theatres in 2012. And even after watching it four times at the theatres, for me the movie still holds up.

1. The Avengers
2. Looper
3. Moonrise Kingdom
4. Argo
5. Life of Pi

Honorable Mention (in release date order): The Raid: Redemption, The Cabin in the Woods, End of Watch, Cloud Atlas, Skyfall, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  

My Top Favourite Movies of 2011

1. Drive
2. Captain America: The First Avenger
3. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
4. X-Men: First Class
5. Moneyball

Honorable mention: The Tree of Life, Midnight in Paris, Contagion, Source Code, Super, Bridesmaids, Hanna, The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn.

Movies that I've yet to see and which probably might have made my list: Hugo, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo