BEST FILMS OF 2018 (Krystal Lyon’s List)

Haikus for Hollywood’s Hits

Oh, Hollywood! You are such a wonderful storyteller! You made me want to visit all of Asia, (Isle Of Dogs, Crazy Rich Asians, Shoplifters) rethink addiction (Beautiful Boy, A Star Is Born, Ben Is Back) and this year you creeped me out! (Hereditary, A Quiet Place, Sorry To Bother You) You also know how to make me have all the feels. I must be getting sappy and old because I cry every time I go to the theater. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Brontosaurus dying in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom or an unexpected beauty queen in Netflix’s Dumplin’, I’m just a mess. And Hollywood, to quote Rob Zombie, you also make me want to be “More human than human!” with Marvel and DC giving us all the super people! (Ant-Man And The Wasp, Aquaman, Venom) And then there’s laughter! A good laugh is so important and it’s not as easy these days, people are tense! With I Feel Pretty, Night School and Deadpool 2 we get to forget about bills, responsibilities and the problems of the world and just laugh for a second! (Also can I just say that Tiffany Haddish is a national treasure!) These are just a few of the reasons why I love going to the movies!

So, in honor of those rad movies highlighting life in Asia this year, I have written a little Haiku for each of my top ten. No, I’m no poet, but it’s been fun to give it a try and if nothing else it makes for a quick read. (PS… If you want to read more there are links to the reviews on our ZekeFilm Website.) And just as a reminder, a Haiku is unrhymed poetic form that consists of 17 syllables total, arranged in three lines of 5,7, and 5 syllables respectively. So enjoy these brief poetic reviews and go enjoy a movie or two!

10. Crazy Rich Asians

Cinderella Tale

Singapore! Take me there Now!

Awkwafina, Bok!

9. Annihilation

Approach the “Shimmer”

AHHHHH! Terrifying bear scene!

Garland is brilliant!

8. A Star Is Born

B Coops and Gaga

Didn’t know the story, WRECKED!

“Far from the shallows”

7. First Reformed

Broken priest’s journal

Climate change, faith and money

“Can God forgive us?”

6. Vice

Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld

Mid-movie, roll the credits?

Shatters that forth-wall

5. Black Panther

Wakanda Forevs! (I had to shorten it for form, but you know what I mean.)

“Death is better than bondage.”

T’Challa is king!

4. Isle Of Dogs

Dogs banned from Japan

Atari searches for Spots

Chief finds redemption!

3. The Rider

Western true story

What is the meaning of life

When dreams are taken?

2. Eighth Grade

Yes! Kayla Day is…

“The coolest girl in the world”

Jr. High years suck!

1. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Mister Rogers is

The neighbor we need right now.

Who’s your Fred Rogers?

And those just might be the first spoiler-free reviews I’ve ever written! 🙂 Happy movie watching friends and here’s to 2019 being full of good stories, great cinematography, terrific performances, good directing and writing and hopefully a risk or two. Sayōnara!

Honorable Mentions

BlacKkKlansman, Shoplifters, Leave No Trace, Mid90’s, A Quiet Place, Roma (This one was painful to leave off the top ten, It’s a stunner and I love Cuarón!), Avengers: Infinity Wars, Beautiful Boy, Deadpool 2