As we post the year-end collection of publications’ Best of 2018, a few things become very clear. We begin to notice that some films appear almost on every list, and roughly in the same order. And we also are constantly surprised that some films pop up that are nowhere to be found in any other lists. This shows not only that the quality of films in 2018 is incredible, but also that there are just so many films that can be considered among the very best that this year had to offer.
That brings us to the top 20 films of 2018 from Sight & Sound magazine. The British publication released the 20 films that they believe are the very best, and among those are some of the same titles we’ve seen time and again, but also a couple brand-new entries in the Best of 2018 conversation that are sure to strike a bit of debate.
READ MORE: The 25 Best Films Of 2018
As for those tried and true favorites, we have “Roma” leading the way, followed by “Phantom Thread” (released internationally in 2018), as well as oft-chart-toppers “Burning,” “Cold War,” and “First Reformed.” The outlet also saw fit to agree with many and put the indie film “Leave No Trace” above awards favorites such as “The Favourite” and “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
But it’s not just the same old, same old, in Sight & Sound’s list. We see some critically-acclaimed films that have yet to really strike a chord with many Best of 2018 list-makers, such as “Happy as Lazarro,” “Zama,” and perhaps most surprising, Jean-Luc Godard’s polarizing Cannes film “The Image Book.”
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019
Overall, while many films that dominate year-end lists, such as “A Star is Born,” “Green Book,” and “Black Panther” are nowhere to be seen, Sight & Sound has put together a list of films that should still be required viewing for modern cinephiles.
Here is the entire top 20 films of 2018, per Sight & Sound Magazine:
1. Roma
2. Phantom Thread
3. Burning
4. Cold War
5. First Reformed
6. Leave No Trace
7. The Favourite & You Were Never Really Here (Tied)
9. Happy as Lazzaro & Zama (Tied)
11. The Image Book
12. If Beale Street Could Talk
13. BlacKkKlansman
14. The Other Side of the Wind & Shirkers & Shoplifters (Tied)
17. Sorry to Bother You
18. Faces Places & The Rider & Western
Click here for our complete coverage of the best and worst of 2018.