Year-End Lists

Under the Radar: Top 100 Albums of 2018

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2011]

1. Heaven and Earth
   Kamasi Washington
2. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
3. boygenius
   boygenius
4. Double Negative
   Low
5. Tell Me How You Really Feel
   Courtney Barnett
6. 7
   Beach House
7. God’s Favorite Customer
   Father John Misty
8. Wide Awake!
   Parquet Courts
9. Bottle It In
   Kurt Vile
10. Aviary
    Julia Holter
11. Cocoa Sugar
    Young Fathers
12. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
13. Hope Downs
    Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
14. Lump
    Lump
15. The Future and the Past
    Natalie Prass
16. Loma
    Loma
17. Little Dark Age
    MGMT
18. I’m All Ears
    Let’s Eat Grandma
19. Indigo
    Wild Nothing
20. Joy as an Act of Resistance
    Idles
21. Love is Magic
    John Grant
22. Tracyanne & Danny
    Tracyanne & Danny
23. The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs
    Wye Oak
24. Now Only
    Mount Eerie
25. Lush
    Snail Mail
26. Singularity
    Jon Hopkins
27. LONER
    Caroline Rose
28. World’s Strongest Man
    Gaz Coombes
29. And Nothing Hurt
    Spiritualized
30. Dirty Computer
    Janelle Monáe
31. Songs of Praise
    Shame
32. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
33. Sparkle Hard
    Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
34. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
    Arctic Monkeys
35. Clean
    Soccer Mommy
36. Sugar & Spice
    Hatchie
37. Le Kov
    Gwenno
38. C’est La Vie
    Phosphorescent
39. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
40. Beyondless
    Iceage
41. Room Inside the World
    Ought
42. Hunter
    Anna Calvi
43. Historian
    Lucy Dacus
44. Dose Your Dreams
    Fucked Up
45. Broken Politics
    Neneh Cherry
46. Riddles
    Ed Schrader’s Music Beat
47. There’s a Riot Going On
    Yo La Tengo
48. Babelsberg
    Gruff Rhys
49. Transangelic Exodus
    Ezra Furman
50. Superorganism
    Superorganism
51. How to Solve Our Human Problems
    Belle and Sebastian
52. Room 25
    Noname
53. Make Way for Love
    Marlon Williams
54. abysskiss
    Adrianne Lenker
55. Freedom
    Amen Dunes
56. All Melody
    Nils Frahm
57. High As Hope
    Florence + The Machine
58. Post-
    Jeff Rosenstock
59. Slow Air
    Still Corners
60. Always Ascending
    Franz Ferdinand
61. I can feel you creep into my private life
    Tune-Yards
62. Merrie Land
    The Good, the Bad & the Queen
63. Hell-On
    Neko Case
64. The Lamb
    Lala Lala
65. Your Queen Is a Reptile
    Sons of Kemet
66. Mother of My Children
    Black Belt Eagle Scout
67. soil
    serpentwithfeet
68. Sex & Food
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
69. Honey
    Robyn
70. Deafman Glance
    Ryley Walker
71. Dance Music
    Mastersystem
72. >>>
    Beak>
73. Perfect Shapes
    Madeline Kenney
74. Cosmic Wink
    Jess Williamson
75. This One’s for the Dancer & This One’s for the Dancer’s Bouquet
    Moonface
76. Wanderer
    Cat Power
77. Constant Image
    Flasher
78. Open Here
    Field Music
79. The Blue Hour
    Suede
80. Frontrunner
    Frontperson
81. Rebound
    Eleanor Friedberger
82. Parcels
    Parcels
83. Bark Your Head Off, Dog
    Hop Along
84. Dead Magic
    Anna von Hausswolff
85. Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film)
    Thom Yorke
86. The More I Sleep the Less I Dream
    We Were Promised Jetpacks
87. Love Is Dead
    Chvrches
88. White Is Relic / Irrealis Mood
    of Montreal
89. The Whole Thing Is Just There
    Young Jesus
90. Bon Voyage
    Melody’s Echo Chamber
91. Out of Touch
    Jaakko Eino Kalevi
92. We’re Not Talking
    The Goon Sax
93. Quit the Curse
    Anna Burch
94. Marble Skies
    Django Django
95. Goat Girl
    Goat Girl
96. Konoyo
    Tim Hecker
97. Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
    Deafheaven
98. Future Me Hates Me
    The Beths
99. Songs You Make at Night
    Tunng
100. The Art of Pretending to Swim
     Villagers

Saige Walton: Films I Adored in 2018, as posted to Twitter

[see also 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017]

• You Were Never Really Here
  Lynne Ramsay
• Roma
  Alfonso Cuaron
• Leave No Trace
  Debra Granik
• At Eternity’s Gate
  Julian Schnabel
• 3 Faces
  Jafar Panahi
• Cold War
  Pawel Pawlikowski
• Gauguin
  Edouard Deluc

Films that I expected to love but proved to be glorious messes

• Suspiria
  Luca Guadagnino
• The Favourite
  Yorgos Lanthimos
• Let the Sunshine In
  Claire Denis

Anthony Fantano: Top 50 Albums of 2018, as aired on The Needle Drop

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017]

1. You Won't Get What You Want
   Daughters
2. Kids See Ghosts
   Kids See Ghosts
3. Veteran
   JPEGMAFIA
4. Musas
   Natalia Lafourcade
5. Wide Awake!
   Parquet Courts
6. 2012-2017
   Against All Logic
7. Harutosyura
   Harunemuri
8. Room 25
   Noname
9. Year of the Snitch
   Death Grips
10. Your Queen Is a Reptile
    Sons of Kemet
11. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
12. Boarding House Reach
    Jack White
13. Isolation
    Kali Uchis
14. TA13OO
    Denzel Curry
15. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
    Sophie
16. Little Dark Age
    MGMT
17. Prequelle
    Ghost
18. Joy as an Act of Resistance
    Idles
19. Idol
    Horrendous
20. The Sciences
    Sleep
21. El Mal Querer
    Rosalía
22. Time 'n' Place
    Kero Kero Bonito
23. Firepower
    Judas Priest
24. Paraffin
    Armand Hammer
25. Ion
    Portal
26. Some Rap Songs
    Earl Sweatshirt
27. Oxnard
    Anderson .Paak
28. Die Lit
    Playboi Carti
29. Virtue
    The Voidz
30. Everything's Fine
    Jeane Grae & Quelle Chris
31. You're Not Alone
    Andrew W.K.
32. ye
    Kanye West
33. Trench
    twenty one pilots
34. New Levels New Devils
    Polyphia
35. Dead Magic
    Anna von Hausswolff
36. Dirty Computer
    Janelle Monáe
37. Daytona
    Pusha T
38. Orpheus vs. The Sirens
    Hermit and the Recluse
39. Aviary
    Julia Holter
40. Twin Fantasy
    Car Seat Headrest
41. DiCaprio 2
    JID
42. Stranger Fruit
    Zeal & Ardor
43. Vile Luxury
    Imperial Triumphant
44. Whack World
    Tierra Whack
45. All At Once
    Screaming Females
46. Bark Your Head Off, Dog
    Hop Along
47. Twisted Crystal
    Guerilla Toss
48. A Laughing Death in Meatspace
    Tropical Fuck Storm
49. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
50. The Light Is Leaving Us All
    Current 93

Kitty Empire: Top 10 Albums of 2018, as published by The Observer

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
   Arctic Monkeys
2. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
3. Chris
   Christine and the Queens
4. Heaven and Earth
   Kamasi Washington
5. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
6. Body
   The Necks
7. Your Queen Is a Reptile
   Sons of Kemet
8. Joy as an Act of Resistance
   Idles
9. Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain
   Gwenifer Raymond
10. Hope Downs
    Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

Mark Kermode: 10 Best Films of 2018, as published by The Observer

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014]

1. Leave No Trace
   Debra Granik
2. The Breadwinner
   Nora Twomey
3. Widows
   Steve McQueen
4. Cold War
   Pawel Pawlikowski
5. You Were Never Really Here
   Lynne Ramsay
6. A Fantastic Woman
   Sebastián Lelio
7. The Shape of Water
   Guillermo del Toro
8. Montparnasse Bienvenue
   Léonor Serraille
9. BlacKkKlansman
   Spike Lee
10. They Shall Not Grow Old
    Peter Jackson

David Morgan: Best Movies of 2018, as published by CBS News

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015]

Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order)

• Annihilation
  Alex Garland
• Black Panther
  Ryan Coogler
• Burning
  Lee Chang-dong
• Disobedience
  Sebastián Lelio
• First Reformed
  Paul Schrader
• Happy as Lazzaro
  Alice Rohrwacher
• Madeline’s Madeline
  Josephine Decker
• A Star Is Born
  Bradley Cooper
• Summer 1993
  Carla Simón
• Three Identical Strangers
  Tim Wardle

1. The Death of Stalin
   Armando Iannucci
2. Leave No Trace
   Debra Granik
3. The Favourite
   Yorgos Lanthimos
4. You Were Never Really Here
   Lynne Ramsay
5. The Rider
   Chloé Zhao
6. Shirkers
   Sandi Tan
7. Cold War
   Pawel Pawlikowski
8. Wildlife
   Paul Dano
9. BlacKkKlansman
   Spike Lee
10. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
    Joel & Ethan Coen

Film School Rejects: 50 Best Movies of 2018

[see also 2010s • 2017]

1. Black Panther
   Ryan Coogler
2. Annihilation
   Alex Garland
3. Eighth Grade
   Bo Burnham
4. The Favourite
   Yorgos Lanthimos
5. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
   Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman
6. Blindspotting
   Carlos López Estrada
7. Sorry to Bother You
   Boots Riley
8. Paddington 2
   Paul King
9. Mandy
   Panos Cosmatos
10. First Reformed
    Paul Schrader
11. Hereditary
    Ari Aster
12. Suspiria
    Luca Guadagnino
13. BlacKkKlansman
    Spike Lee
14. Shoplifters
    Hirokazu Kore-eda
15. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
    Christopher McQuarrie
16. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
    Morgan Neville
17. Private Life
    Tamara Jenkins
18. Widows
    Steve McQueen
19. You Were Never Really Here
    Lynne Ramsay
20. Roma
    Alfonso Cuaron
21. A Quiet Place
    John Krasinski
22. The Night Comes for Us
    Timo Tjahjanto
23. Revenge
    Coralie Fargeat
24. Avengers: Infinity Wars
    Anthony and Joe Russo
25. The Rider
    Chloé Zhao
26. If Beale Street Could Talk
    Barry Jenkins
27. Burning
    Lee Chang-dong
28. Leave No Trace
    Debra Granik
29. Cam
    Daniel Goldhaber
30. The Death of Stalin
    Armando Iannucci
31. Cold War
    Pawel Pawlikowski
32. Crazy Rich Asians
    Jon M. Chu
33. Madeline’s Madeline
    Josephine Decker
34. Minding the Gap
    Bing Liu
35. The House That Jack Built
    Lars von Trier
36. Thunder Road
    Jim Cummings
37. Wildlife
    Paul Dano
38. Game Night
    John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein
39. Isle of Dogs
    Wes Anderson
40. Bad Times at the El Royale
    Drew Goddard
41. Upgrade
    Leigh Whannell
42. The Tale
    Jennifer Fox
43. A Star Is Born
    Bradley Cooper
44. A Simple Favor
    Paul Feig
45. Night Comes On
    Jordana Spiro
46. Let the Sunshine In
    Claire Denis
47. The Endless
    Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead
48. Borg vs. McEnroe
    Janus Metz
49. Support the Girls
    Andrew Bujalski
50. Love, Simon
    Greg Berlanti

Liz Shannon Miller: Favorite TV of 2018, as posted to Twitter

• 12 Monkeys
• Atlanta
• Barry
• Better Call Saul
• The Bisexual
• BoJack Horseman
• Dear White People
• Glow
• The Good Place
• The Handmaid’s Tale
• High Maintenance
• Into the Badlands
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
• Legends of Tomorrow
• Mozart in the Jungle
• One Day at a Time
• Queer Eye
• Sharp Objects
• Star Trek: Discovery
• A Very English Scandal
• Westworld
• You

Desist Film: Best Films of 2018, extracted from the contributions of a group of cinephiles with "a panorama of tastes"

[see also 2017]

1. The Image Book
   Jean-Luc Godard
2. The Other Side of the Wind
   Orson Welles
3. Happy as Lazzaro
   Alice Rohrwacher
4. The Wolf House
   Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña
5. Black Mother
   Khalik Allah
6. Isle of Dogs
   Wes Anderson
7. Long Day's Journey Into Night
   Bi Gan
8. The Waldheim Waltz
   Ruth Beckermann
9. Burning
   Lee Chang-dong
10. Hereditary
    Ari Aster

Bonus

• First Reformed
  Paul Schrader

Experimental: our favourites

1. ALTIPLANO
   Malena Szlam
2. Blue
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
3. L. Cohen
   James Benning
4. Segunda vez
   Dora García
5. The Grand Bizarre
   Jodie Mack

Paste Magazine: 50 Best Movies of 2018

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2017 • 2015]

1. First Reformed
   Paul Schrader
2. Annihilation
   Alex Garland
3. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
   Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman
4. Eighth Grade
   Bo Burnham
5. Black Panther
   Ryan Coogler
6. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
   Christopher McQuarrie
7. Hereditary
   Ari Aster
8. You Were Never Really Here
   Lynne Ramsay
9. Burning
   Lee Chang-dong
10. The Rider
    Chloé Zhao
11. Widows
    Steve McQueen
12. Mandy
    Panos Cosmatos
13. Roma
    Alfonso Cuaron
14. Lean On Pete
    Andrew Haigh
15. Paddington 2
    Paul King
16. Leave No Trace
    Debra Granik
17. The Favourite
    Yorgos Lanthimos
18. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
    Joel & Ethan Coen
19. Isle of Dogs
    Wes Anderson
20. Incredibles 2
    Brad Bird
21. Private Life
    Tamara Jenkins
22. The Death of Stalin
    Armando Iannucci
23. Sorry to Bother You
    Boots Riley
24. Avengers: Infinity Wars
    Anthony and Joe Russo
25. Zama
    Lucrecia Martel
26. BlacKkKlansman
    Spike Lee
27. A Star Is Born
    Bradley Cooper
28. Happy as Lazzaro
    Alice Rohrwacher
29. Can You Ever Forgive Me?
    Marielle Heller
30. Cold War
    Pawel Pawlikowski
31. Shoplifters
    Hirokazu Kore-eda
32. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
    Morgan Neville
33. If Beale Street Could Talk
    Barry Jenkins
34. Bisbee '17
    Robert Greene
35. Bodied
    Joseph Kahn
36. Apostle
    Gareth Evans
37. Support the Girls
    Andrew Bujalski
38. First Man
    Damien Chazelle
39. Suspiria
    Luca Guadagnino
40. Blindspotting
    Carlos López Estrada
41. Thoroughbreds
    Cory Finley
42. A Quiet Place
    John Krasinski
43. Game Night
    John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein
44. Let the Sunshine In
    Claire Denis
45. The Night Comes for Us
    Timo Tjahjanto
46. Thunder Road
    Jim Cummings
47. Minding the Gap
    Bing Liu
48. Shirkers
    Sandi Tan
49. Crazy Rich Asians
    Jon M. Chu
50. The Miseducation of Cameron Post
    Desiree Akhavan