This is that time of the year when we reflect upon the 300 plus days (I am not too sure as to the printing date.....
CINETALK
This is that time of the year when we reflect upon the 300 plus days (I am not too sure as to the printing date of the article) of our lives thinking what we did, what we won, what we lost and how it changed us. It is the time which prepares us for our future and helps us become a better person by not repeating the mistakes of our past. It is also the time when we resolve to help others and work for any social cause to be able to contribute to the progress of society. And, this is also the time when ... we take a bucket of popcorn in hand, rewind our minds and think of all the cinematic wonders that blew us away this year.
Avengers: Infinity War
Not just for personal reasons but also for the fact that it was the highest grosser of the year 2018, Avengers: Infinity War is at the top of my list. The movie that shocked the audiences, literally.
First, it had nearly all the awesome Marvel superheroes in one reel from our usual Avengers to Doctor Strange to Guardians of the Galaxy. Then it had the most amazing plot twist that left the audiences wanting for more.
Avengers: Infinity War is undoubtedly the movie you couldn’t have missed.
Black Panther
This one came out as a surprise as it hit the box office and stayed really close to Avengers: Infinity War till the end. The emergence of a new Marvel superhero of a new land, Wakanda, was warmly welcomed. T’Challa’s solo debut made people all around the world fall in love with the character. With the massive success of the first coming, its sequel was inevitable and we are quite glad to have another look-forward-to franchise added to the list.
Venom
Though there were many speculations about the reception of Venom’s solo movie, yet Marvel proved it’s there to rule the box office, be it with good guys or not-so-good guys.
Of course, Tom Hardy was a major reason that Venom got the biggest opening of its release month but also the character itself that everyone was supposed to hate, as per the trailers, but ended up loving. Venom is another movie to get a sequel, no surprises there.
Deadpool 2
While we are talking about Marvel’s cinematic wonders, let’s not forget the R-rated superhero, Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds. Considering how successful Deadpool 1 was, the 2018’s second installment didn’t have any surprise value attached to it. It did not receive as much appreciation as the first one yet it was one of the most successful movies of the year that garnered enough attention for a sequel.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Yes, there are movies and characters other than Marvel that caught attention. Of course, our very own dinosaurs can’t be ignored here. We have always enjoyed dinosaurs movies and loved watching their enormity on big screens. Jurassic World is our nostalgic ride to Jurassic Park. Being the sequel to 2015’s Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom just made dinosaurs bigger and more savage that kept us on the edge of our seats throughout.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Tom Cruise is not ageing. Like, seriously! Look at all the “impossible” stunts he performs at his age, one can only be impressed. His efforts are not going unnoticed by his fans too as Mission Impossible - Fallout rose to box office heights higher than its previous Mission Impossible movies.
Incredibles 2
After a nearly 15-year wait, Pixar’s beloved superhero comedy The Incredibles has received a sequel. It is no surprise that Incredibles 2 quickly vaulted past the first movie, both domestically and worldwide, vastly outdoing its predecessor’s business.
In the second coming, we got to watch the entire family of Incredibles working together and expressing the real essence of being superheroes.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Just when we thought we had had enough of Marvel, there comes another successful flick from the superhero bouquet. Ant-Man and the Wasp is the second movie in the franchise with more screen space to the Wasp that did not feature in the first movie. Although it’s not one of Marvel’s best works, the moviegoers have been kind to it.
Ready Player One
This Steven Spielberg’s science fiction is about a world in 2045 when we are all ruled by virtual reality. Sci-fi is a genre that, if played out well, attracts audiences. Surprisingly, Ready Player One was able to strike all the right chords and earn not only box office numbers but critics’ positive reviews as well.
Operation Red Sea
The 2018 Chinese action war film, Operation Red Sea, is one of the most massive hit of the year. The film is loosely based on the evacuation of the 225 foreign nationals and almost 600 Chinese citizens from Yemen’s southern port of Aden during the 2015 Yemeni Civil War. It was selected as the Hong Kong entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards.
Bohemian Rhapsody
The biographical film about the British band, Queen, featuring the lead singer, Freddie Mercury’s, life, his relationship with other band mates and how his personal life affected the band was one of the most awaited movies of the year.
No wonder the fans of Queen flocked to theatres to watch the life of their favourite singer. It was also inevitable to have some criticism which comes as part and parcel of biographical movies but on the whole, the movie managed to win hearts and ratings both.
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
Hotel Transylvania is one of my personal favourites. When the first movie came out, it was such a fresh idea to be in a hotel owned by a Dracula for all the monsters.
Drac and his daughter, Mavis, instantly stole hearts.No wonder when the third installment was announced for 2018, we just couldn’t wait.
The movie was a box office hit; yet, for hard core fans, we wanted something more. It had its moments, but overall it was a one time watch.
Ralph Breaks the Internet
It has been six years that Ralph and Venellope took us to a multi-generational gaming trip, sparking off an aching nostalgia for all things retro while keeping true to its real story.
Now after the long wait of six years, they are back as a team and touching upon everything Disney.
Yes, expect to watch all the Disney princesses in one movie while Ralph and Venellope takes on another adventurous ride in the world of Internet.
First Man
This Ryan Gosling movie based on the legendary astronaut, Neil Armstrong, might not have generated whopping hundred millions at the box office but was critically acclaimed. Immediately after its release, it faced some harsh criticism with questions being raised on the patriotism of the movie, but that did not deter the moviegoers. First Man was termed to be an absolute treat to watch on big screen due to its art direction and it also had a memorable soundtrack.
Sicario: Day of Saldado
If you haven’t seen 2015’s Sicario, then do yourself a favour and first watch that. After watching it, you will be compelled and drawn to watch this year’s Sicario: Day of Soldado. In this outing, you will see a different face of Alejandro and his changing dynamics with the federal agent, Matt Garver (Josh Brolin). Like a lot of sequels, this one did not meet fans’ expectations but then the bar was too high to touch. Sicario: Day of Soldado portrayed more humane picture of the main character even though the movie had a mean streak in its theme.
A Star is Born
Ok, forgive me for saying this and I request you to not judge me but this is Hollywood’s very own version of Ashiqui 2. Yes, I haven’t seen the Indian movie but I have read enough reviews and synopsis to get the gist of it. And like Ashiqui 2, A Star is Born had a stellar soundtrack too.
Also, it had Bradley Cooper so that you can soothe your eyes. Besides, with Lady Gaga making her big screen debut with the movie, we were sure to hear some great songs but her acting garnered impressive reviews too. If you like romantic musicals, then A Star is Born is just for you.
Aquaman
We have high hopes from Aquaman which has already had a bigger opening in China as compared to Wonder Woman. But as I write this, it has not been released in our part of the world so we will just have to wait for its grandeur to hit Pakistan before passing any judgments.
Honourable Mentions
