When thinking about 2018, it’s difficult to identify a unifying theme or direction that is indicative of the overall mood of mass-marketed creative expression. What was 2018? It wasn’t bad at all. There are a lot of movies that deserve to be on any year’s list, but there aren’t as many that demand the crown of the movie of the year, rather many that exist as pillars of their particular niche. And sometimes that makes for a more varied and interesting year in movies.

10. “Tully”: Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody reunite to tell the story of an exhausted mother played by Charlize Theron who is reeling from post-partum depression. Mackenzie Davis as the titular fairy-godmother wet nurse lights up the screen with what should have been a star-making performance. But it’s the story’s turn towards magical realism that helps distinguish this film from the usual indie-drama Sundance slosh bucket.

9. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”: Who doesn’t like a good anthology movie? “Scruggs” boasts a competent buffet of short stories depicting the myth of the American western, as presented by the Coen brothers with the perfect amount of post-modern side eye. Every tale explores themes of death, redemption and the pitfalls of that come with the Western mentality of the self-made man.

8. “Hereditary”: Ari Aster’s demonic melodrama about a family torn apart by grief is as emotionally draining as it is terrifying. Toni Collette balances a difficult performance that asks her to anchor the story in an emotional reality and sell the spectacle of the horror/supernatural elements. “Hereditary” is a heavy and bleak movie-going experience, but its nuance and masterful direction demands thorough consideration.

7. “Thoroughbreds”: Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke play a twisted game of master manipulation in Cory Finley’s directorial debut. This thriller is tinged with just the right amount of black comedy as it explores the notion of two teenagers who plot to kill one of their stepfathers. Brewing beneath this premise is a clever satire about medically induced teenage apathy and anti-social affluenza.

6. “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse”: This is exactly the kind of kick in the butt that the word of animation desperately needed. The mix of three-dimensional CGI modeling with tactile illustration explodes with the color and creativity that’s usually limited to graphic design and comic books. The out-of-the-box plot managed to tell a compelling story while introducing us to six new spider characters while establishing a new movie universe for them to play in.

5. “Bad Times at the El Royal”: Drew Goddard’s period noir that takes place at a tourist-friendly Tahoe hotel is probably the most slept on wide-release movie of the year. This fantastically directed thriller pulls together a big cast in a slowly unfolding, tense whodunit game of shag carpet Clue. Every performance is finely tuned, and Goddard’s considerate use of subjective camera helps to bait the audience into every exciting reveal.

4. “Annihilation”: Not since Ridley Scott’s “Alien” has a science fiction horror film so effectively crept into my consciousness. This is a hellish “Through the Looking Glass” experience from the perspective of a team of female scientists who are biologically altered as they explore the interior of a psychedelic radiation bubble that has formed around the landing site of a meteor. This film effectively taps into fears about our own bodies as well as our fears about the vastness of the galaxies.

3. “Eighth Grade”: Millennial stand-up comedian Bo Burnham has made with his first feature what is probably the most accurate portrayal of awkward pre-adolescents. Elsie Fisher is heartbreakingly perfect as the fragile and emotionally underprepared Kayla Day, a teenager who is desperately trying to navigate the world of ever-changing social cues as she herself is still settling into life after exiting childhood.

2. “Blindspotting”: We’ve explored racial tensions in America through the power of filmmaking over the last few years and many new voices have emerged. Carlos Lopez Estrada’s film deals with the social woes of racial injustice, police brutality and gentrification. These characters are relatable and engaging and the hipster-infested Oakland Estrada shows us feels just as recognizable as watching our own neighborhoods change. Also noteworthy are the risks with experimental dialogue that pay off.

1. “Sorry to Bother You”: While “Blindspotting” deals with racial injustice and gentrified Oakland through the interpersonal struggles of the main characters, Boots Riley’s take on the same subject uses absurdism and broad satire to explore the political and social reasons for said inequalities. This audacious comedy about telemarketing, strikes and unions delivers big laughs while also skewering the corporate structures of the Silicon Valley industries that have kicked out the bottom rungs of the social ladder. No other film this year has spit this amount of venom while also experimenting with tone, genre, and visual storytelling with the same amount of punk rock gusto.

Cassidy Robinson is a former Idaho State University student with a master’s degree in film studies from Orange County’s Chapman University. He freelances for both print and online outlets.