8 best movies I watched in 2018

I'm not much of a movie fan but it's my love for stories that drive me to the movies. This list is actually too pop-culture and mainstream. I also reviewed a lot of movies in this blog (check out the 'movies' tag), and if I have reviewed them I've included the links below:

Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse
I'm a regular follower of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but I'm not a big Spiderman fan. This animated story about Spidermans (six!) from different dimensions is funny, heart-warming, and with unique animation that reminds me of an animated comic book. Miles Morales as the main character really carried the story well. Out of the six main characters, my favorite has got to be the Noir version of Spiderman.

Black Panther
An excellent superhero film featuring an all-black cast. It's mythological, modern, yet also shows the problems we still struggle with in the real world. I love how the women are portrayed. Michael B. Jordan as the villain Erik Killmonger stole the show, and the rest of the casting is spot-on. It feels like something more than a regular superhero movie but a cultural movement.

A Star is Born
Bradley Cooper's excellent directorial debut and Lady Gaga's first mainstream film. It's a remake of a classic story but offers a unique perspective. Not only a good story (though a tragedy), but very good music.

Bohemian Rhapsody
This homage to Queen and Freddie Mercury is fun and introduces a new generation to the timeless music of Queen.

The Shape of Water
This sea-monster romance movie won Best Picture and Best Director for the 2018 Academy Awards. This movie feels more like a fairy tale, like The Little Mermaid in reverse set in the 1960s. It feels whimsical and vintage, and the atmosphere of the entire movie is inspired by water: underwater scenes, rain everywhere, pools and moisture in most frames. It's worth watching on the big screen.

Cold Skin
A story similar to The Shape of Water, but the romance is between a man and a mermaid-like creature. Friend is assigned alone to work on an isolated island, only to find an old man with a hatred for the world. Every night, creatures from the sea attack. I liked the movie enough to read the book it was based on, and this is one of the instances where the movie is actually better than the book.

Crazy Rich Asians
This much-awaited adaptation of Kevin Kwan's best-selling novel delivered well. It's also notable for its all-Asian cast including Filipino actors, Kris Aquino and Nico Santos.

Samsara
The story is about a Buddhist monk in Tibet who, after growing up in a strict, celibate life, disrobes and tries to live life as a normal man and seeks out to fulfill his desires. It a beautiful film, with majestic views of Tibet.