#need to rewatch cloudy with a chance of meatballs this INSTANT!!!!

[whumpy-wyrms]

Anton is giving Flint Lockwood vibes! Cloudy with a chance of meatballs is one of my favorite movies lol

Of course Anton is a lot more whumpy about his science!

i’ve never thought about this before but you’re SO RIGHT. i loooved that movie as a kid and he was my favorite character but i never thought about those two being similar before. ahahahha i love autistic mad scientists they’re both so silly and have wacky hair

i don’t remember much about that movie but i neeeed to watch it again.. wow it used to be like my favorite movie. woooow (<— remembering. i loooved the giant orange jello part and the spaghetti tornado and the giant ice creammm and all the science parts. that movie was so great)

[myhahnestopinion]

THE AARONS 2018 - Best Film

I watched 102 films from 2018, which met my personal goal, broke my personal record, and won another competition between myself and my good friend. 102 seems like a proper purview to declare these entries my favorite films of the year, the crème de la crème, the top 10% of the top 100%. Here are the Aarons for Best Film:

#10. Roma

“Intimate” is a good word to describe Roma. A passion project for director Alfonso Cuarón, Roma was inspired by his own childhood nanny and his mother, and filmed in his native Mexico. The film depicts the tumultuous breakdown of social relationships within the country’s history, but keeps the focus on the dissolution and reformation of familial bonds. “Intimate” is indeed a good word to describe Cuarón’s deeply moving film, but “intricate” just might be better. Roma is never short of gorgeous for every single shot in the movie, every bit of staging and every camera-pan planned down to the tiniest background detail, making each the breath-taking black-and-white painting of a true auteur. It perhaps would be best experienced on the big screen, but credit to Netflix for funding such a personal, profound film, which means, if you’re looking to watch one of the best films of last year, you don’t have to roam very far.

#9. Isle of Dogs

Wes Anderson should stop filming movies. To clarify, Wes Anderson should stop filming movies in live-action, as the stop-motion medium is where his visual panache, off-beat humor, and oddball characters most brightly shine. Isle of Dogs, like a best friend for man, puts a smile on one’s face that never departs throughout its stylish adventure, even in the most unexpectedly dark moments of its animated dog-eat-dog world. While concerns over its depiction of Japanese culture are worth discussing, its impeccable voice cast, including Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Murry, deadpanning their way through its gorgeously hand-crafted sequences makes for a doggone good time at the movies. 

#8. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Certainly the most unconventional choice for me this year, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’s placement on this list is not the product of some nihilistic capitulation to chaos theory; in fact, it is thoughtfulness that made the movie stand out to me so much. An encouragement for empathy, a validation of the value of all living creatures, and a condemnation of cupidity, wrapped up in big-budget special effect sequences and culminating in a Gothic-Horror influenced haunted house set piece, the latest sequel in the series hit all the right sensibilities for me with a combination I never thought possible and a blockbuster boldness that recalls why The Last Jedi became my favorite Star Wars. While others may look upon this movie and see a fallen franchise, I see a king’s ransom of cinematic riches that means the world to me.

#7. Mission: Impossible – Fallout

The Mission: Impossible franchise was last seen on this list in the very first Aarons for Rogue Nation, an action film so masterfully crafted that one can’t help but be ecstatic at the series’ decision to shift from a rotating set of action directors to the singular efforts of director Christopher McQuarrie. Indeed, McQuarrie just may have outdone his prior masterpiece with the jaw-dropping Fallout, whose spectacular set pieces, shot with confidence and flourish and bolstered by the crazed energy of star Tom Cruise, blows every other blockbuster this year, and perhaps since Rogue Nation, out of the water. Fallout not only manages the impressive feat of making a sixth franchise entry feel tense and unpredictable, but also finds new emotional heights to strengthen its thrills through Ethan Hunt’s uncompromising drive to save everyone. It’s an explosive experience, whose only potential fallout is the impossible task McQuarrie has set for himself for surpassing it in his next two confirmed installments.

#6. Black Panther

Black Panther was nothing short of a phenomenon, even among the movie-going domination of its larger cinematic universe, and rightfully so. The worldbuilding, taking inspiration from real-life African cultures and heightened by fun futuristic technology, is so elaborate, and its supporting cast (including Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, and Danai Gurira) so well-defined that Black Panther feels like a universe in its own right, even as it deftly weaves through the larger Marvel world. The film’s true power comes from how it breaks the mold, from its unforgettable villain who is not just a physical, but philosophical, foe to the hero, through its nuanced tackling of socio-political stances, to, of course, the impact of its increased representation. In vision, in stature, and, yes, in box office, Black Panther is king.

#5. First Reformed

First Reformed’s methodical pacing and meticulous framing, both evocative of its reflection on faith, slowly melt away to reveal a film that’s darker and more disruptive than one is initially led to believe. Similar to director Paul Schrader’s other written work Taxi Driver, First Reformed’s examination of existential questions and the descent into extremism is harrowing; unlike that other work, it is perhaps also hopeful. Ethan Hawke’s soulful performance gives extra gravitas to the film’s contention of hope and despair and its interweaving of contemporary issues with long-standing questions, thematic material that lingers in the mind long after its stunning final moments. Shot in awe-inspiring Academy ratio, First Reformed’s masterfulness cannot be improved upon, even as one cannot wait for the team of Paul Schrader and Ethan Hawke to re-form for their next collaborative effort.

#4. Love, Simon

Love, Simon’s placement on this list perhaps cannot be properly explained in prose, only in the unintelligible garble of the uncontrollable emotions that it elicits. It’s a flooring of feelings, of sadness, of fear, of nervousness, of hope, of happiness, that no movie has produced in me since The Perks of Being a Wallflower, one of my top 5 favorite films. The soundtrack is lively and the characters’ charming, but Love, Simon becomes a peak coming-of-age movie by perfectly capturing the uncertainty of a young crush and the joy of young love. It’s calming comfort food in all the right ways, sure to be rewatched nearly as often as the aforementioned Perks, which is why Love, Simon is a film loved by Aaron.

#3. A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place was a silent surprise, both in the way it slowly built up curiosity and critical acclaim, and in the way its stillness stands in sharp contrast to any other movie-going experience of recent memory. It’s sublime in its simplicity as a lean and mean horror thrill ride tied to the beating heart of a tender family drama, and stylish in its scares as an unexpectedly impressive directorial debut for John Krasinski. The film’s risks, including its harsh opening, its reliance on non-verbal dialogue, and its fist-pumping (and shotgun-pumping) closing moments, come with great reward that elevate it to an instant horror classic. A Quiet Place’s tension and tenderhearted moments may stun the audience into silence, but I will not be quiet about its placement near the top of this list!

#2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Sony’s incessant need to exploit their Spider-Man franchise is chock full of bad ideas. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, as illustrated by the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs adaptation, the 21 Jump Street film franchise, and The Lego Movie, are very good at turning bad ideas into masterpieces. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse takes that Lego Movie enthusiasm and spins it into another irreverent and self-referential screenplay, crammed full of jokes that draw from all the oddities of its venerable franchise, while also never losing sight of the hero’s journey of Miles Morales at its core. Credit, of course, is also due to directors Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsay, and Rodney Rothman, who brought that screenplay to life with amazing animation that combines stunning hand-drawn and CGI work to mimic the film’s comic book origins. It’s beautiful, boisterous, and features John Mulaney as a talking cartoon pig. Amped up by a killer soundtrack, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is such a crowning creative achievement that one can’t wait for Sony to get back into the franchise for a second verse.

AND THE BEST FILM OF 2018 IS...

#1. Eighth Grade

Eighth Grade is horrible. No, not the movie Eighth Grade; that should be evident by its place as my favorite film of the year. Eighth grade, the year in school, is horrible and we all know it. Bo Burnham, the musical comedian who makes his screenwriting and directing debut with this movie, especially knows it. It’s a time of anxiety, insecurity, uncertainty, a time of pursuing increased agency but still being constrained by the limitations of youth. A time where it feels like no one understands what you’re going through. Except when you find a movie like Eighth Grade, that channels all that mess into an disconcertingly perfect bout of pity and insight that exposes the comical and affirming nature of all of it. And yet, while Eighth Grade deftly portrays those universal experiences, it remains uniquely and powerfully tied to its particular era, understanding the ways in which mass communication, the endless information of the internet, and the failings of modern society have provoked the latest cycle of those anxieties in unprecedented ways. Eighth Grade’s empathy and its hilarity will likely make it a mainstay for the modern generation, and puts it at the top of its class for the year 2018.

NEXT UP: THE 2018 AARONS FOR WORST FILM!