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The Highest-Grossing Movies Of 2018 (So Far) BY MICHAEL KENNEDY – ON AUG 29, 2018 IN SR ORIGINALS

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It's already been a massive year for Hollywood movies, with several astounding record-breakers at the 2018 box office. But which films reign supreme? And which have sneakily made bank? Here are the biggest movies of the year. 2018 got off to a great start via the mega success of Marvel Studios' Black Panther, which has earned over $1.3 billion worldwide. Black Panther is now the highestgrossing MCU film to date domestically, and the thirdhighest worldwide, behind only the first two Avengers films. Will further blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom reach that same level of audience love? One thing's for certain: there's a lot of competition to hurdle first.

RELATED: THE BIGGEST BOX OFFICE HITS OF 2017 Before the list proper, an important note. The following list of films and their box office totals are current as of the date listed above. As further 2018 films climb the box office rankings, the list will be updated with new numbers and rankings accordingly. Check back regularly to see where things currently stand. Last updated: September 11, 2018

15. MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN ($377.4 MILLION)

Releasing in summer 2008, Mamma Mia! was a surprise box office smash, earning over $600 million worldwide on a budget of only $52 million. A decade later, musical sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is also performing quite well, although not to the level of the first film. After a month and a half in theaters, the sequel has earned $377.4 million worldwide, on a higher budget of $75 million. Still, that's a huge return on investment for Universal. ADVERTISING

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14. SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY ($392.9 MILLION)

While it's managed to smuggle its way onto this list, when all is said and done, Solo: A Star Wars Story will likely end up way below where anyone expected when it comes to 2018's top earners. Despite positive reviews (71% on RT), Solo has come up short of box office expectations at every turn, opening lower than expected and then dropping further than expected for weekend two. Considering the prequel's massive budget - mostly thanks to the decision to have replacement director Ron Howard reshoot most of the movie - Solo has to be considered a financial failure. ADVERTISING

READ MORE: UNANSWERED QUESTIONS FROM SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

13. RAMPAGE ($426.2 MILLION)

Despite not-so-good reviews - 50% on RT - Rampage proved that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson truly has the star power to successfully open just about any film. Made for $120 million, Rampage has smashed its way to over $400 million worldwide. While it might not be considered a truly massive hit, it should turn a tidy profit for studio Warner Bros., and continue to shore up Johnson's status as an A-list superstar.

READ MORE: RAMPAGE’S SUCCESS PROVES THAT DWAYNE JOHNSON CAN SELL ANY MOVIE

13. THE MEG ($492 MILLION)

Directed by Jon Turtletaub (National Treasure franchise), no one really expected The Meg to live up to Steven Spielberg's monster shark classic Jaws. With action star Jason Statham onboard, most just wanted a fun bit of popcorn fun, mixed with the occasional bit of horror at the hands of the titular prehistoric predator. Audiences seem to have mostly gotten what they hoped for out of The Meg, as the film has grossed nearly $500 million worldwide, despite not-so-great reviews (46% on Rotten Tomatoes). At this point, a sequel would not at all be surprising. ADVERTISING

READ MORE: HOW THE MEG COMPARES TO THE REAL MEGALODON

11. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION ($497.6 MILLION)

While the Hotel Transylvania series will never be an awards contender, each entry so far has succeeded majorly at the box office, with the series as a whole earning over $1 billion worldwide. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation even managed to improve the franchise's critical fortunes a bit, earning a 61% rating on RT. An all-star voice cast brings the film to life, including Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, and Keegan-Michael Key.

10. DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 2 ($544.1 MILLION)

Those who thought they wouldn't see any Chinesemade films up this high on the list were mistaken, as Detective Chinatown 2 is another sequel to earn massive bank in its homeland. About $2 million of its worldwide total was also provided by U.S. moviegoers. With 12 reviews counted, Detective Chinatown 2's RT score is 50%.

9. OPERATION RED SEA ($579.2 MILLION)

Another massive hit from China, Operation Red Sea counts $1.5 million of its nearly $580 million haul as coming from stateside audiences. As China's film market only continues to grow, look for more and more of their homegrown releases to take high spots on lists such as this. With 6 reviews counted, Operation Red Sea boasts an impressive 83% score on RT. ADVERTISING

8. READY PLAYER ONE ($582.2 MILLION)

Despite lots of hand-wringing over its nostalgia-focused marketing strategy, Steven Spielberg's latest blockbuster adaptation of a novel ended up debuting to mostly positive reviews from both critics (74% on RT) and fans. Ready Player One has racked up $137 million domestically, along with a huge $445.2 million internationally.

READ MORE: READY PLAYER ONE: EVERY CHANGE SPIELBERG MADE TO THE BOOK

7. ANT-MAN & THE WASP ($610.4 MILLION)

Coming as it does after the colossal success of Avengers: Infinity War, it's easy to point to Ant-Man & The Wasp as a financial letdown. After all, its $75.8 million domestic opening stands as one of the lowest in MCU history. However, as with most Marvel Studios movies, the reviews for Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly's joint superhero adventure were kind, and the film has managed to nearly quadruple its reported $162 million production budget worldwide. Helping the sequel's path to profitability is a huge $68 million opening in China, the country's fourth-highest MCU debut of all time.

READ MORE: ANT-MAN & THE WASP'S AFTERCREDITS SCENES PROVIDE THE BEST AVENGERS 4 CLUES YET

6. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT ($726.7 MILLION)

Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise may not be quite as young as he once was, but that doesn't mean he's showing any signs of slowing down, especially when it comes to the insane stunts he performs for each entry in the Mission: Impossible franchise. His efforts aren't going unrewarded by moviegoers, which have propelled director Christopher McQuarrie's latest sequel Mission: Impossible - Fallout to box office heights faster than those achieved by Ethan Hunt's prior adventures. Critics loved the film too, awarding it a 97% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes. ADVERTISING

READ MORE: WHAT COULD MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 BE ABOUT?

5. DEADPOOL 2 ($734.2 MILLION)

Considering how just tremendously successful the original Deadpool film proved to be in 2016, it was never really in doubt that FOX's sequel Deadpool 2 would do well at the box office. While Deadpool 2 didn't quite succeed in breaking its predecessor's record for highest R-rated domestic opening weekend, the gore and profanity filled romp did succeed in outpacing the first movie worldwide, opening to over $300 million. While Wade Wilson is unlikely to make it any higher on this particular list, the Merc with a Mouth has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

READ MORE: DEADPOOL 2: EVERY MARVEL MOVIE JOKE & REFERENCE

4. INCREDIBLES 2 ($1.18 BILLION)

After a nearly 15-year wait, Pixar's beloved superhero comedy The Incredibles has received a sequel. A hit with critics (94% on RT), Incredibles 2 is wasting no time climbing this list, as if it were leaping a tall building in a single bound. The Brad Bird-directed film has earned over $1 billion at the box office, easily outperforming many people's expectations. Incredibles 2 quickly vaulted past the first movie, both domestically and worldwide, vastly outdoing its predecessor's total gross of $633 million.

READ MORE: INCREDIBLES 2: 11 EASTER EGGS YOU MISSED

3. JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM ($1.30 BILLION)

2015's original Jurassic World film has become a bit of an odd case, drawing decent critical acclaim and making ridiculous amounts of cash at the box office, but being bashed nearly any time it's discussed online today. While sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom came up far short of fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 51% score, its financial prospects look almost as good as its predecessor's. With a $150 million domestic opening weekend in the books, Fallen Kingdom has banked a massive $1 billion-plus worldwide.

READ MORE: JURASSIC WORLD 2’S ENDING: HOW IT SETS UP JURASSIC WORLD 3

2. BLACK PANTHER ($1.35 BILLION)

At this point, industry prognosticators have learned not to bet against the success of an MCU film. Everyone knew Black Panther would be a seismic hit, but even so, few initially predicted just how insanely successful the Wakanda-set superhero adventure would become. Black Panther is now the highest-grossing comic book film of all-time in the U.S., and is gaining on that title worldwide. Critics also fell in love with T'Challa's solo debut, affording it a lofty 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes. When the inevitable sequel finally arrives, look for similar results.

READ MORE: EVERY RECORD BLACK PANTHER HAS BROKEN

1. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR ($2.05 BILLION)

As the beginning of the culmination of 10 years of MCU storylines, it was never in doubt that Joe and Anthony Russo's mega blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War was going to make serious cash. Yet, the critically acclaimed (84% on RT) film actually managed to outperform most expectations, setting new all-time records for both best domestic and worldwide opening weekends. Infinity War knocked off The Force Awakens domestically with a massive $257.7 million haul, and has so far earned a Hulk-sized $2 billion worldwide. Avengers smash!

NEXT: THE MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS IN AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR TAGS: Black Panther, The Avengers 3, The Incredibles 2, Ready Player One, Jurassic World 2, Deadpool 2 ADVERTISING

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The worst movies of 2018 so far Mike Floorwalker

Not every Hollywood release can be a home run, but if you're working with a cast and crew of professionals who are doing their best to

Rating: 3 stars What does Thanos want? That question lies at the heart of “Avengers: Infinity War,” the at-once dark, maddeningly open-ended yet fiercely entertaining new chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which pits the titular global do-gooders — still scattered hither and yon after their 2016 falling-out with one another in “Captain America: Civil War” — against a cosmic villain who has been coyly signaling his evil intentions since the very first “Avengers” movie, in 2012. And that’s without ever really appearing on-screen, except in teasing cameos. Oh sure, everyone knows he wants the Infinity Stones. Or at least everyone who’s been paying attention to the previous 18 MCU movies. Ever since 2008’s “Iron Man,” these interconnected installments have introduced audiences to the six gemlike “singularities”: color-coded stones controlling power, space, time, mind, soul and reality. Taken collectively, these artifacts are the mother of all

MacGuffins — plot devices that drive the narrative, but may or may not have much to do with the true message of the story. But what does Thanos want with them? That question is answered, in a film that presents a villain in a more nuanced, complex (and arguably even sympathetic) way than most comic book movies do. That’s especially unexpected, given that he’s a purple alien (voiced by Josh Brolin), created from motion-capture, with skin that looks like a cantaloupe.

What is not unexpected is the film’s death toll. Fanboys and fangirls have already steeled themselves to the eventuality that favorite characters will die here. Opening with a distress call from the Asgardian refugee spaceship that was seen fleeing planetary destruction at the end of last year’s “Thor: Ragnarok,” “Infinity War” gets that outcome out of the way early, paving a path forward for a film that, while very funny for much of its 2 ½ -hour running time, ends on an almost stunningly somber note. It should be mentioned that there is already a sequel planned for next year that is likely to act as a corrective — short of bringing people back from the grave. In the manner of the second and third “Matrix” films, and the “Deathly Hallows” segments of the Harry Potter films, you can expect that upcoming movie to be more of a conclusion to a giant, two-part saga — complete with this installment’s cliffhanger ending — than a free-standing sequel. Death and destruction, of course, is what Thanos has in mind. But unlike many cartoonish villains, his motives, as explained in flashbacks and speeches, are not

those of universal domination. Rather, he wants to kill half of the universe’s population — which is threatened by overpopulation and dwindling resources — to save the other half. His coldblooded calculation is not only a perversion of altruism — it’s also an argument for extermination. But, for a superhero movie, the nuance with which the film presents this horrible scenario is refreshing. As “Infinity War” gets underway, Thanos has already acquired the Power Stone and is seeking the other five — four of which are in the control of characters we know from previous films. The location of the sixth, or Soul Stone, has long been unknown, but it will bring Thanos the power he seeks, not to mention to a moral and emotional crossroads that concern his estranged stepdaughter Gamora (Zoe Saldana). The choice Thanos ultimately makes — already the subject of much online speculation — will probably strike many viewers as startling for a film of this kind. I heard audible gasps at this point, and other moments, during a recent media screening. I also heard lots of laughter. One especially good giggle involves Peter Dinklage’s character, who, for reasons that will only be obvious when you see the film, has been kept under wraps. The entertainment media has made much of so-called Avengers Fatigue, from Marvel exhausting its storytelling capabilities — as well as our attention span. But brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, who return as co-directors after “Civil War” and its predecessor, “Winter Soldier,” move the pace briskly and with frequent levity, as heroes from various Marvel franchises keep throwing things — sometimes literally — at Thanos, and as the scene of the action shifts from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” team’s spaceship to Black Panther’s African homeland of Wakanda to, at one point, Scotland. It is there that the synthetic humanoid known as Vision (Paul Bettany) — who wears the Mind Stone like a diadem on his forehead — and girlfriend Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), have gone off the grid. Needless to say, that cozy love nest won’t stay cozy long.

“Infinity War” is big, blustery and brave, taking viewers to places they may not be used to going. Whether Thanos ends up getting everything he wants is one thing. But audiences should be warned that they probably won’t. PG13. At area theaters. Contains intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, strong language and some crude references. 154 minutes.

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The 13 Most Anticipated Fall Movies Of 2018 Chase Magnett 08/28/2018

(Photo: Sony Pictures) With school back in session and the cooler winds of September approaching, the summer movie season has drawn to a close. While the fall has normally been marked by a notable lull in films, that certainly isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the case this year. Studios have increasingly become aware of how to make every month of the

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20 Worst Movies Of 2018 (So Far) – Page 19

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20 Worst Movies Of 2018 (So Far)

3. Fifty Shades Freed

Universal Universal

What were you expecting, honestly? At least the third and apparently nal Fifty Shades movie is shorter and funnier than its predecessors - and occasionally on purpose! - even if it's still fundamentally garbage. The sex scenes are boring Lifetime movie fodder, Jamie Dornan's wooden performance as Christian Grey makes it tough to keep your eyes open, and the third-act transformation into erotic thriller territory, complete with a kidnapping, is both absurd and dull. It didn't seem fair to give Fifty Shades Freed the #1 spot as it at least signalled the end of the wretched franchise and was mildly less awful than its predecessors. It's basically still cinematic excrement, though. Worst Moment: The hilariously cheesy closing montage, set to Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do", showcasing Ana (Dakota Johnson) and Christian's "greatest" moments together throughout the trilogy. It's an almost unbearable level of cringe.

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2. The Week Of

Net ix Net ix

Living down to every expectation the world has of Adam Sandler's Net ix movies, The Week Of sees the actor operating at his laziest and possibly his most depressed. Despite the allure of pairing him with Chris Rock, this two-hour (!) rom-com has low energy, virtually no laughs, an abundance of product placement, and makes a woefully misguided attempt to actually be an emotional treatise on marriage and family. Ewww. Worse still, though this is the end of Sandler's rst four-picture deal with Net ix, the ink already dried on a second contract long ago, so the agony will continue for the foreseeable future. Worst Moment: Kirby (Rock) fondles an old amputee's leg stumps in his sleep, believing them to be a large pair of breasts. Good god.

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20 Worst Movies Of 2018 (So Far) SHARE

1. Show Dogs

Global Global Road Road Entertainment Entertainment

As awful as these movies are, not one of them can quite hold a candle to Show Dogs, the sure frontrunner for 2019's Worst Picture Razzie award and quite possibly one of the worst lms of the last decade. Will Arnett, why the hell are you in this? Why does the CGI look like it belongs in 2002? And with its weird mix of childish poopy pants humour and inappropriately crude gags, who the hell was it even made for? http://whatculture.com/ﬁlm/20-worst-movies-of-2018-so-far?page=21

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WRITERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FAVORITE MOVIE By: Caitlin Quijano

Crazy Rich Asians was one of the most anticipated movies this year. Especially in the Asian American Community , for the all Asian cast . This was one of my favorite movies to come out this year not only cuz of the all Asian American cast, but how relatable this movie could be portrayed. CRA included some familiar faces and some new faces such as Kim Jeong and AWKWAFINA. Some new faces to appear in the movie was the main character Nick(Henry Golding) and Rachel (Constance Wu).

I think these rising stars did amazing in this movie and have a bright future ahead. Crazy rich Asians was a rollercoaster full of emotions . Parts of the movies made you want to laugh & cry. I honestly would recommend this movie to anyone who wants a peek at the Asian culture and how some of the big families can be . This movie was filled with amazing wardrobe and colors, You can tell the director had an eye for fashion. The stories of each character can really hit home and be very personal , this is another reason I enjoyed it.If u want a good laugh and enjoy the people next to you I would definitely see Crazy Rich Asians.

2018/9/20

Best Movies of 2018 (So Far): Good Movies to Watch This Year - Thrillist

MARVEL STUDIOS/EVAN LOCKHART/THRILLIST

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THE BEST MOVIES OF 2018 (SO FAR) By DAN JACKSON By DAN JACKSON @danielvjackson Updated On 09/01/2018 at 09:37AM EST Updated On 09/01/2018 at 09:37AM EST @danielvjackson

What are the best movies of 2018 ? Everyone asks in December, but we'd rather tell you them now with a rolling ranking, updated on the regular, featuring the best of the best movies that we 100% recommend. This is not a top 10 list. This is all the best movies of 2018 No mixed bags, interesting trainwrecks, or blockbusters that boast big box-of ce tallies. Just the true greats -- movies big, small, and from around the world. Your time is precious, and so is your money, but you need to see these 2018 movies. (And don't forget to check out The Best TV Show of 2018 either.) RECOMMENDED VIDEO TECH

THIS CLOCK TRACKS YOUR LOVED ONES LIKE THE CLOCK IN 'HARRY POTTER'

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Best Movies of 2018 (So Far): Good Movies to Watch This Year - Thrillist

NETFL

28. Roxanne Roxanne Released: March 23 Cast: Chanté Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long, Elvis Nolasco Director: Michael Larnell (Cronies) Why it’s great: The traditional musician biopic, with its rags-to-riches beginning and its fall-from-grace conclusion, is a genre that's always in need of a remix. Roxanne Roxanne, a stylish chronicle of Queensbridge rapper Roxanne Shante's rise to fame in the 1980s, is the most formally adventurous take on hip-hop's early days -- the "life on tour" scenes and a corny appearance from a soon-to-befamous young rapper named Nasir feel like standard showbiz fodder -- but director Michael Larnell has an eye for period detail, an ea for needle drops, and enough patience to let his performers shine on (and off) the mic. With humor and wit, Adams keeps you invested in every aspect of Shante's journey, from her early battles with her disapproving mother (Long) to her harrowing ghts with an abusiv boyfriend Cross, played with tenderness and menace by Moonlight breakout Ali. Like Shante's best rhymes, it's a tale told with dazzlin craft and unwavering con dence. Where to see it right now: Stream on Net ix ( watch the trailer )

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Best Movies of 2018 (So Far): Good Movies to Watch This Year - Thrillist

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGNOLIA PICTUR

27. Skate Kitchen Released: August 10 Cast: Rachelle Vinberg, Dede Lovelace, Nina Moran, Jaden Smith Director: Crystal Moselle (The Wolfpack) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: The secret world of a group of teenage skateboarders cruising down the streets of lower Manhattan gets a careful, poignant examination in the narrative feature debut of documentary lmmaker Moselle. Long Island 18-year-old Camille (Vinberg) h a disapproving mother and a yearning to escape the rhythms of her day-to-day existence, so she joins up with an Instagram famous clique of young women posting skate trick videos, memes, and photos. Like Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade , Skate Kitchen is curious about how social media complicates IRL social dynamics, but Moselle isn't looking to condemn behavior or harshly judge her characters. Th laid-back, observational approach can lead to some inert dramatic beats, especially as Camille argues with her mom and pursues a relationship with Jaden Smith's stockroom buddy Devon. Still, the camaraderie between the performers, which appears to be very real , and the skating footage makes this a hang-out movie that more than makes up for the occasional botched trick. Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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Best Movies of 2018 (So Far): Good Movies to Watch This Year - Thrillist

OTL RELEASING/BH T

26. Unfriended: Dark Web Released: July 20 Cast: Colin Woodell, Betty Gabriel, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Andrew Lees Director: Stephen Susco Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: The rst Unfriended, a twist on the found footage thriller that played out on a computer screen, rendered the forces of evil as ghosts in the machine. That movie's cast of feckless teens were brutally and systematically picked off by the spirit of a girl they bullied, and the script found dark humor and cheesy tension in watching them die. The bleaker sequel, Unfriended: Dark Web, suggests that our digital lives are not under threat from supernatural forces. Instead, the movie's protagonist, a driftless twenty-something du named Matias (Woodell) who likes to Skype with his friends online, is pursued by a secret society of hackers and trolls that should fee stomach-churning-ly familiar. Many of the scares are ridiculous and the story takes some wildly implausible twists, but, as with the r Unfriended, the hyper-detailed approach to re-creating your average desktop experience makes this a revealing, fascinating snapshot our current technological moment. Or should I say screenshot? Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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Best Movies of 2018 (So Far): Good Movies to Watch This Year - Thrillist

WARNER BRO

25. Crazy Rich Asians Released: August 15 Cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwa na Director: Jon M. Chu (Now You See Me 2) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: The shiny opulence and broad comedy of Crazy Rich Asians can blind viewers to some of the movie's more granular, les ashy pleasures. This adaptation of Kevin Kwan's bestselling novel of the same name is built around a central romance between NYU professor Rachel Chu (Wu) and mega-wealthy heir Nick Young (Golding), but the movie's most potent material concerns the intergenerational struggles between Rachel and Nick's skeptical mother, played with nerve by Yeoh. Each verbal slight stings; each withering glance leaves a mark. When the two face off over a game of mahjong at the lm's conclusion, it's as gripping as any whiteknuckle gambling movie showdown. Even in this rari ed rom-com world, the stakes are high and the actresses are unquestionably playing for keeps. Where to see it right now:Â In theaters ( watch the trailer ) RELATED

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Best Movies of 2018 (So Far): Good Movies to Watch This Year - Thrillist

MARVEL STUDIO

24. Ant-Man and the Wasp Released: July 6 Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Michael Douglas Director: Peyton Reed (Ant-Man) Why it’s great: The rst Ant-Man was a rambunctious and clever take on the familiar Marvel origin story, introducing audiences to shrinking superhero dad Scott Lang (Rudd) and his extended family of friends and reluctant crime- ghters. The sequel is an even funnier and sillier re nement of the rst chapter, ditching some of the heavier elements and going all-in on the gags. Though other entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been lled with sitcom-ish banter -- and Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok was happy to de ate its own self-important genre trappings -- this is the rst one that really plays like a proper comedy. (It recalls Ghostbusters in th way it combines special effects and irreverence.) Rudd has a way of putting an absurd spin on even the most mundane lines, Peña aga steals every scene he's in, and Reed approaches the pint-sized action beats with the goal of upending viewer expectations. Luckily, it's the rare blockbuster with charming human moments that doesn't feel the need to overcompensate with scenes of mass destruction o constantly apologize for its modest scale. It's content with being small. Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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NEO

23. Revenge Released: May 11 Cast: Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Bouchède Director: Coralie Fargeat Why it’s great: This French thriller might have one of the most gruesome, unsettling scenes of self-surgery ever lmed, but it always feels like the director is in control of her scalpel. Shot with the bright colors of a 90s music video and the roving camera movements o Michael Bay blockbuster, Coralie Fargeat's ultra-slick reinvention of the rape-revenge sub-genre follows Jen (Lutz) as her romantic getaway with a married man (Janssens) is interrupted by his two loathsome hunting buddies. One of the friends assaults Jen, violating her in the morning after a night of partying, and later the three men push her off a cliff, leaving her to die in the sweltering desert heat She springs back to life. Her violent retribution is often simultaneously stomach-churning and ridiculous -- the hallways of the chic rented house get turned into a bloody slip-and-slide by the ending -- but the performers and the lmmakers are zeroed in on a shared sensibility that does more than simply shock and provoke. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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Best Movies of 2018 (So Far): Good Movies to Watch This Year - Thrillist

NEW LINE CINEM

22. Game Night Released: February 23 Cast: Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler, Billy Magnussen Directors: John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (Vacation) Why it’s great: Game Night is a movie that's easy to underestimate. The trailers and marketing made it look like yet another studio comedy in the post-Apatow mold, lled with improv-juiced banter, zingy pop culture references, and predictable emotional beats about battling middle-age ennui. It many ways, it is that movie, especially in its rst 30 minutes, but as the high-concept premise kicks in -- basically, a group of charades-loving yuppies led by Bateman and McAdams's hyper-competitive couple nd themselves in a violent ARG similar the one that terri ed Michael Douglas in 1997's The Game -- the directors, who previously helmed 2015's Vacatio remake and co-wrote the less amusing Bateman vehicle Horrible Bosses, reveal that they've put more work into designing the thriller elements of the story then you may have assumed. The slapstick sequences have the visual wit and spatial playfulness of an Edgar Wright movie, especially as the movie speeds into its twist- lled conclusion. McAdams in particular sells each joke with a studied earnestness. Like the movie surrounding her, she attacks even the dumbest task with surprising rigor. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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NEO

21. Gemini Released: March 30 Cast: Lola Kirke, Zoë Kravitz, John Cho, Greta Lee Director: Aaron Katz (Land Ho!) Why it’s great: In last year's Personal Shopper, Kristen Stewart played a young woman tasked with acquiring out ts, jewelry, and accessories for a celebrity, and eventually she found herself in the midst of a ghost story. Gemini, which stars Kirke as a personal assistant to Kravitz's famous actress, is set in the same wealthy universe of fame-adjacent underlings, but instead of taking a supernatural route it stumbles down the path of a low-key stoner noir. (Like a less dude-centric take on Inherent Vice or The Big Lebowski.) Katz's version of a murder mystery in Los Angeles isn't sweaty or sunny. He envisions the city as a chilly, neon-drenched world of small transactions, petty squabbles, and the occasional violent outburst. It's the perfect backdrop for this sly comedy of careful negotiation. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer ) RELATED

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NETFL

20. The Ritual Released: February 9 Cast: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, Sam Troughton Director: David Bruckner (V/H/S) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great:Â In the increasingly digitized world, the woods are often presented as a place to escape to and the prospect of "getting lost" is seen as a chance for self-discovery. The Ritual, a horror lm where a group of middle-aged men embark on a hiking trip in hono of a dead friend, understands the tension between natural beauty of the outdoors and the unsettling panic of the unknown. The group's de facto leader Luke (an understated Spall) attempts to keep the adventure from spiralling out of control, but the forest has other plans. (Maybe brush up on your Scandinavian mythology before viewing.) Like a backpacking variation on Neil Marshall's 2005 cave spelunking classic The Descent, The Ritual deftly explores inter-personal dynamics while delivering jolts of other-worldly terror. It'll have you rethinking that weekend getaway on your calendar. Where to see it right now: Stream on Net ix ( watch the trailer )

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PARAMOUNT PICTUR

19. A Quiet Place Released: April 6 Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe Director: John Krasinski (The Hollars) Why it’s great: It's reasonable to be skeptical of John Krasinski's tastefully composed, PG-13 rated, Michael Bay-produced horror contraption. There was little in his previous two directorial efforts, the indies Brief Interviews With Hideous Men or The Hollars, that suggested Jim from The Of ce was a budding genre lmmaker. And yet: A Quiet Place is a top-notch roller coaster in the Spielberg-ian mold. After sound-hating monsters take over the planet, a husband (Krasinski) and wife (Blunt) live a life of extreme caution with thei two children, protecting them in a carefully maintained world of hushed whispers and relative silence. As you'd guess, the monsters have other plans. The political allegory component of the story isn't particularly compelling -- it's been interpreted as a commentary o the hysteria of Trump era -- but as a movie about parental anxieties, it's steely and effective. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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18. Eighth Grade Released: July 13 Cast: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson, Catherine Oliviere Director: Bo Burnham Why it's great: If you know comedian Bo Burnham from viral songs like "My Whole Family Thinks I'm Gay" or his short-lived MTV series Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous, you might be taken off guard by the 27-year-old stand-up's debut feature, which takes a much less acidic approach to familiar material about loneliness. Kayla (Fisher) is in many ways a typical teenage outcast: She endlessly scro through her carefully maintained social media feeds, desperately wants to be liked by her peers, and physically recoils at every remar from her well-meaning father (played with an almost supernatural tenderness by Hamilton). While some critics have been quick to compare this chronicle of adolescence to Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird, which was also produced by hit-making indie distributor A24, Burnham has a more clinical, anthropological eye. That can lead to some beautiful places -- a social media binge scored to Enya's "Orinoco Flow" will be recognizable to many -- but it can also lead to some clumsy, obvious symbolism. When Kayla breaks her phone glass screen and then pricks her nger while trying to scroll, it's hard not to roll your eyes. (You see, technology can deliver pleasure and pain!) But once the tears start owing in the lm's moving nal third, you'll likely overlook those aws. What's a movie about puberty without some growing pains? Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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LIONSGA

17. The Commuter Released: January 12 Cast: Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks Director: Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows) Why it’s great: The last thriller from the team of Neeson and Collet-Serra was Non-Stop, a bracing and clever whodunit on an airplane The pair are back in high-octane Agatha Christie mode with The Commuter, a mystery that begins with Farmiga's chatty passenger Joanna presenting Neeson's haggard ex-cop (and loyal transit-enthusiast of the title) Michael MacCauley with a bizarre hypothetical you could perform a seemingly insigni cant task that would have disastrous consequences for another commuter in exchange for a generous nancial reward, would you do it? It's a convoluted twist on Richard Matheson's "Button, Button" short story, which was adapted into a classic Twilight Zone episode and the bonkers Richard Kelley movie The Box, but Collet-Serra is less interested in the moral dilemma. Instead, he simply wants to strip the giant locomotive -- and his star's lumbering frame -- for parts, nding Hitchcocki tension in each padded seat, empty corridor, and nervy patron. It's action lmmaking as controlled demolition -- and the best train potboiler since Steven Seagal's Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

The Best Teen Movies On Netflix

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16. Hereditary Cast: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro Director: Ari Aster Why it's great: I consider myself a relatively seasoned horror moviegoer who doesn't get scared easily -- the "it's only a movie" mantr tends to work -- but Hereditary got under my skin in a big way. What makes this movie tick? It's all in the performances: The incredibly versatile Toni Collette, who rst stunned horror audiences as the mother in The Sixth Sense, plays Annie, an artist who works from home constructing intricately designed miniatures of her own life. When her elderly mother dies, Annie's family, which includes Byrn as her distant husband, Wolff as her aloof son, and Shapiro as her troubled daughter, is thrown into a crisis. For its rst 40 minutes or so, the lm plays like a strange psychodrama in the vein of Michael Haneke, but then an unspeakable event occurs about halfway through and the tension skyrockets. Annie visits a friendly medium (Ann Dowd of The Leftovers) and begins to communicate with the dead. She sleepwalks and has terrifying nightmares; a supernatural force has descended upon the house. Aster directs the hell out of the movie's harrowing nal stretch , which will likely leave some viewers scratching their heads, but Collette is the real MVP, throwin herself into a demanding role with unwavering commitment. Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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15. Minding the Gap Director: Bing Liu Why It's Great: Skateboarding has always existed in a nebulous space between athletic activity, creative expression, and mode of transportation. It's also a form of socializing, with the long gaps between tricks serving as a time to crack jokes, kill time, and make friends. Minding the Gap is a documentary that understands the sport on a granular level, examining how skating brought three young men in the economically struggling town of Rockford, Illinois together. One member of the trio is actually the lmmaker Bing Liu, and his level of involvement in the narrative changes as the lm progresses and the years pass. What starts as a movie about slackers lighting off reworks and drinking beers on rooftops becomes a nuanced, carefully modulated study of domestic abuse, particularly t way violence cycles through generations of family members. It's a thoughtful lm about race and class, too. Liu doesn't announce his ambitions or telegraph his themes right from the jump; he doesn't abandon his curiosity about skateboarding to chase these bigger ideas, either. Instead, he allows our knowledge of the lives and histories of the skaters to inform the often beautiful footage of their movements. By the end, both skating and lmmaking are revealed as forms of therapy. Where to see it right now: In select theaters and available to stream on Hulu ( watch the trailer )

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BLEECKER STRE

14. Unsane Released: March 23 Cast: Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharoah, Juno Temple Director: Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky) Why it’s great: Following the easy-going camaraderie of his hillbilly heist comeback Logan Lucky , the newly un-retired Soderbergh is back to subverting genre expectations again with this mental health thriller. Reportedly shot through the lens of an iPhone, which giv the lm a discombobulating and at look, Unsane follows Sawyer Valentine (Foy) as she gets checked into a hospital's psych ward against her will and does battle with an insurance system that wants to drain her bank account with little regard for her wellbeing. (Yo could call it a quasi-sequel to Soderbergh's pharma-thriller Side Effects.) The reveals that come in the third act will leave some viewers shaking their heads in disbelief -- the story sets up narrative turns it doesn't follow through on -- but this isn't a movie looking to be reduced to a single twist or slogan. It's a story as layered, inscrutable, and prickly as Foy's commanding lead performance. You can't look away. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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DAVID LEE / FOCUS FEATUR

13. BlacKkKlansman Released: August 10 Cast: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace Director: Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: BlacKkKlansman is a police procedural about rhetoric. The story of Ron Stallworth, the rst black detective hired at a Colorado Springs precinct in the early 1970s, is relatively straightforward on the surface -- the cop, skillfully played by Washington , in ltrates the local chapter of the Klu Klux Klan by phone and attempts to gather intel on the organization -- but Lee's approach is complicated. Often, the lm plays like the pilot episode of a TV show given an essayistic overhaul. In addition to drawing connections cinematic history, from Gone with the Wind and Birth of a Nation to Super Fly and Cleopatra Jones, he makes more than a handful of knowing nods to the political present, having characters mimic the catchphrases of President Donald Trump and ending the lm with actual footage from last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Lee's message is proudly, de antly blunt; his stylistic approach is multi-layered and tonally ambitious. The most powerful, absorbing stretches of the movie are literally speeches: Civil Rights leader Kwame Ture (Corey Hawkins from Straight Outta Compton) addresses a crowd of student radicals; later, an old man (Harry Belafonte) describes a horri c lynching. Lee lets these and other moments linger, allowing the viewer to sit with the language and consider the broader implications.Â Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer ) RELATED

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IFC FILM

12. The Death of Stalin Released: March 9 Cast: Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Jason Isaacs, Michael Palin Director: Armando Iannucci (In the Loop) Why it’s great: The verbose, scatological insult comedy of Iannucci, the creator of HBO's long-running political satire Veep, somehow ts the backroom dealing of 1950s Soviet Union like a snug fur hat. When Stalin dies in the middle of the night, his middling underling - including Nikita Khrushchev (Buscemi) Georgy Malenkov (Tambor), and Vyacheslav Molotov (Palin) -- are left with organizing his state funeral and scurrying to consolidate power. The put-down's are as riotously funny as you'd expect -- "You smell like rendered horse, you burning asshole!" deserves a ceremonial medal -- but the silly physical comedy, particularly in the early scenes where the men discover Stalin's corpse, is even better. Iannucci remains a master of nding humor in the bleakest scenarios imaginable, exposin the petty human foibles behind history's greatest horrors. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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MAGNOLIA PICTUR

11. Support the Girls Released: August 24 Cast: Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, Shayna McHayle, James Le Gros, Director: Andrew Bujalski (Results) Why it’s great: The tacky world of the "breastaurant" might sound like an odd t for former "mumblecore" auteur Bujalski, one of the premiere chroniclers of mid '00s social alienation, but the movie's family-friendly establishment Double Whammies ends up being th perfect staging ground for a funny, whip-smart comedy about labor and friendship. Put-upon manger Lisa (a brilliant Hall) has a watchful, caring eye as she looks after the younger women who work for her, serving as the negotiator between them and a large roster of rowdy customers, crappy boyfriends, and boorish authority gures. Hall embodies that kindness and generosity -- you'll wis she was your boss -- but she also shows you the emotional toll the work takes on her in the moments when her impressionable mente aren't around. Simply put, the rat race is wearing her down. As a writer, Bujalski can satirize corporate jargon like Mike Judge, but he has a more humanistic, less misanthropic approach as a director, framing shots in a way that gives the actors room to interact and develop a natural intimacy in the workplace. Similarly, Hall gives a more complex, nuanced performance than you'll see on your avera workplace sitcom. Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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STRAND RELEASIN

10. Zama Released: April 13 Cast: Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lola Dueñas, Matheus Nachtergaele, Juan Minujín Director: Lucrecia Martel (The Headless Woman) Why it’s great: Based on a 1956 novel by Argentinian writer Antonio di Benedetto, this poetically-rendered 18th century historical drama displays a wry understanding of how colonial power functions. Don Diego de Zama (Cacho) is an administrator for Spain's imperial interests, stationed in Paraguay, but he's always looking for a way out. To where? He's not entirely sure, and Martel wrings many bone-dry laughs out of his bumbling misadventures, which she frames with a surreal touch. (A shot late in the movie of a boat moving through green water looks like an image from a science- ction lm.) Like Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon or the novels of Thomas Pynchon, Zama uses irony to achieve mysterious (and occasionally maddening) moments of profundity. You don't always hav a strong sense of where the story is going; instead, confusion becomes an essential part of the narrative's oddly enchanting, dream-lik rhythm. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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MARVEL STUDIO

9. Black Panther Released: February 16 Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira Director: Ryan Coogler (Creed) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: Coogler's deft balancing of a high-tech spy gadgetry, ceremonial palace intrigue, fantasy action mayhem, and subversive political critique is unparalleled in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe that Black Panther springs from. In the same way Creed, his propulsive and knowing reboot of the Rocky franchise, paid tribute to and upended boxing iconography, Coogler's take on superhero-dom is both pleasing and probing. Basically, he's got Soundcloud jokes , rhino battles, and takes on imperialism. The larger ideological con ict between the new king T'Challa (Boseman) and the American revolutionary Killmonger (Jordan) has been seen before in the pages of history books and comics, but it's never been given this type of eye-popping, brain-scrambling, heart-pounding blockbuster treatment. Where to see it right now:Â Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube( watch the trailer ) RELATED

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OSCILLOSCOPE LABORATORI

8.Â Madeline's Madeline Released: August 10 Cast: Helena Howard, Miranda July, Molly Parker, Curtiss Cook Director: Josephine Decker (Butter on the Latch) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: A movie as formally audacious as Madeline's Madeline makes you notice how safe most indie lms are. From a plot and theme perspective, the tension- lled parental dynamic between Madeline (Howard) and her mother (July) isn't that different from other strained family dramas, but the way Decker dives into the story is completely, utterly unique. The roving camera and frenzied sound design bring you into Madeline's troubled mental state, while the presence of a gifted theater director (Parker) who becomes obsessed with Madeline as a performer further complicates the material, turning the movie into a meta-criticism of itself. Who has th right to tell whose story? Can art ever truly capture interior life? What's the difference between sense and nonsense? These are urgent, dif cult questions that the movie doesn't claim to have answers to. It sounds dense and demanding -- and, honestly, it is at times -- but the poetic approach is also exhilarating. You get caught up in the whirlwind of sights and sounds. It occasionally recalls Terrence Malick's Tree of Life, but Decker is even more willing to chase the unknown. Don't be afraid to follow her. Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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PARAMOUNT PICTUR

7. Mission: Impossible -- Fallout Released: July 27 Cast: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson Director: Christopher McQuarrie (The Way of the Gun) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: As Tom Cruise's stardom has plateaued in recent years, with recent movies like The Mummy and American Made failin to connect on a broader cultural level, the celebration of the Mission: Impossible franchise has only intensi ed. It feels like audiences have collectively decided this is how they want their TC: jumping out a plane, running across the roof of a building, or hanging off the side of a cliff. Honestly, fair enough! While Mission: Impossible -- Fallout isn't the best entry in the super-spy series -- my vote goes to Brad Bird's dazzling Ghost Protocol or Brian de Palma's thrilling 1996 original -- it has a keen sense of history , a wry sense of humor, a a handful of breath-taking set-pieces. (The bathroom ght and the helicopter chase share top honors.) McQuarrie, the rst director t return for a second M:I adventure after handling 2015's Rogue Nation, is a skilled action craftsman, and, despite a 147 minute runtime Fallout never loses momentum. It sends you hurtling out of the theater in search of similar highs. Too bad so few modern blockbusters can even breathe at the same altitude. Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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BLEECKER STRE

6. Leave No Trace Released: June 29 Cast: Ben Foster, Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie Director: Debra Granik (Winter's Bone) Why it's great: Anyone who read Hatchet or My Side of the Mountain in elementary school probably once dreamed of living off the lan The survivalist impulse, a desire to ditch one's worldly possessions and live a simpler life in the wilderness, is a deeply ingrained American ideal, one that's still taught to children despite the fundamental role technology plays in modern life. Debra Granik's Leave No Trace, her rst ctional feature since Winter's Bone, digs deep into the darker side of that fantasy by telling the story of Will (Foster and Thom (McKenzie), a father-daughter duo who live in the mountains near Portland, Oregon. Though the backstories are kept to a minimum, certain details emerge: Will is a veteran and Thom's mother died a long time ago. They only have each other -- and the fore around them. But they can't keep society at bay forever, and eventually Will is arrested for living on public land and the pair are sent t live in a house on a Christmas-tree farm, where Thom grows to like having a roof over her head and befriends a bunny named Chainsaw. Will can't adjust. Soon the pair are on the road again, hitching rides and marching through the cold woods. A process oriented lmmaker, Granik shoots their perilous journey with a combination of awe and skepticism, capturing the beauty of the natur world and the danger of life on the margins. Even if you can't imagine living without wi- , you'll understand the bond between Will an Thom. "Where do you live? Where's your home?" a stranger asks Thom late in the movie. Her brief response captures this lm's profound emotional appeal: "My dad." Where to see it right now:Â In theaters ( watch the trailer )Â

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PARAMOUNT PICTUR

5. Annihilation Released: February 23 Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson Director: Alex Garland (Ex Machina) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: Writer Jeff VanderMeer's hallucinogenic, Kafka-like science- ction novel proves to be fertile ground for lmmaker Alex Garland in this unsettling and surreal adaptation. Garland doesn't stick to the book's plot but he keeps the core concept: A team women, including Portman's grief-stricken biology professor, venture into a quarantined territory of Florida known only as "Area X" t investigate a series of unexplained phenomena and disappearances. The journey quickly turns perilous and it becomes clear that grou won't make it out alive. Working in the same white-knuckle register as John Carpenter's The Thing, the movie unnerves and stuns in equal measure. Refusing to provide the type of puzzle-box solutions viewers have been trained to look for, Garland leaves us with psychedelic images: grotesque animal hybrids stalking their prey, quizzical humans transforming into owers, and shiny doubles performing interpretative dance moves. Like 2001: A Space Odyssey, it dares to dream in a language we can't quite comprehend.Â Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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PETER PRATO / ANNAPURNA PICTUR

4. Sorry to Bother You Released: July 6 Cast: Lakeith Stan eld, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Armie Hammer Director: Boots Riley Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: In the music he made as a member of the Oakland hip-hop group The Coup, Boots Riley displayed a gift for tackling big provocative ideas about politics, labor, inequality, and race with wit and nerve. It's unsurprising that Sorry to Bother You, the bracing comedy he wrote and directed about telemarketer Cassius Green (Stan eld) using his "white voice" to climb the corporate ladder, would pack a similar punch. What's perhaps surprising -- and, on a deeper level, inspiring -- is that audiences are responding to the lm's anti-capitalistic message and its Putney Swope-like jabs with nods of recognition and cheers of encouragement. While the surrea visual sensibility of the lm recalls a string of indie hits of the 00s, particularly the freewheeling work of Michel Gondry and Spike Jonze, those movies were often content to wallow in emotional solipsism. Eternal Sunshine was about climbing in your own brain; Sorr to Bother You is about reaching out into the world around you and shaking it up. Riley's wickedly funny, tonally adventurous story is prescriptive. It's a brilliant satire, but it's also a blueprint. Where to see it right now: In theaters ( watch the trailer )

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3. First Reformed Released: May 18 Cast: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric Kyles, Victoria Hill Director: Paul Schrader (Dog Eat Dog) Why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great: With this austere story of a pastor suffering a crisis of faith, writer and director Paul Schrader is back in familiar territory: His most acclaimed work as a screenwriter, 1976's Taxi Driver, was a violent, disturbing portrait of a man consumed with gu rage, and indignation at the state of the world. First Reformed, which nds Hawke's troubled man of the cloth Toller advising a young environmental activist and eventually becoming obsessed with his righteous cause, examines ideas Schrader has returned to over and over, but it's shot and edited in a more controlled, restrained stylistic register than his previous movies. He's using the toolkit he rst studied as a critic in his book, Transcendental Style in Film, applying the approach of masters like Robert Bresson and Theodor Dreyer t contemporary anxieties, obsessions, and debates. It's a movie that seeks to, in Schrader's own words, "maximize the mystery of existence" and it accomplishes its mission with rigor and, in its nal moments, shocking power. Where to see it right now:Â Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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SONY PICTURES CLASSI

2. The Rider Released: April 13 Cast: Brady Jandreau, Tim Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Cat Clifford Director: Chloé Zhao (Songs That My Brothers Taught Me) Why it’s great: The gritty authenticity of The Rider, which casts real-life horse wrangler Brady Jandreau as an injured rodeo star tryin to nd his second act, is perfectly balanced by a yearning poetic quality that never feels cloying or manipulative. Zhao's camera captures Jandreau, his family, and his friends in moments of pain, contemplation, and relaxation, treating a trip to a treatment center a shared joint with the same degree of curiosity. Everything matters and has weight in this study of masculinity and ego. It's a naturalistic vision of the West that's grounded in speci c details, like the slow-and-steady work of breaking a horse. At the same time Zhao gives the movie an almost old-fashioned sports movie narrative: Will Brady, a gifted and young athlete, ever ride again? If he doesn't follow his dreams, what remains? Why keep going? These are questions that gather existential power with each seemingly low stakes scene. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer )

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Best Movies of 2018 (So Far): Good Movies to Watch This Year - Thrillist

AMAZON STUDIO

1. You Were Never Really Here Released: April 6 Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov, Alex Manette, John Doman Director: Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin) Why it’s great: You've seen hitman movies, but you've never seen Lynne Ramsay's hitman movie. The Scottish director, who many rs discovered with 2002's elliptical nightlife odyssey Morvern Callar, can take a John Wick-ian premise and invest it with new meaning by reframing it from an askew angle. This crime story, adapted from a novella by Bored to Death writer Jonathan Ames, is about an exsoldier named Joe (Phoenix) who nds himself tasked with recovering a kidnapped girl amidst a sinister political conspiracy involving human traf cking. The tone of creeping dread and xation on violent revenge recalls Taxi Driver, last year's X-Men shoot-em-up Logan and Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive or Only God Forgives; there should be nothing new to see here. What makes it so special? Between Phoenix's muted performance, Jonny Greenwood's string-drenched score, and Ramsay's expressive jump-cuts, every image crackles with energy, style, and possibility. It's a death-obsessed movie vibrating with life. Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube ( watch the trailer ) Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email and subscribe here for our YouTube channel to get your x of the best in food/drink/fun.

Dan Jackson is a staff writer at Thrillist Entertainment. He's on Twitter @danielvjackson .

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