#truly a beautiful heartfelt moment before disaster occurs

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Best Films of 2018

This list may seem a few months late but I consider the movie season to stretch from January through February of the following year — or until after the Academy Awards ceremony is held. This usually overlaps with the slate of new films debuting at Sundance and other early festivals but that's just the way Hollywood works; awards season is truly never over.

Though movie studios are still focusing on superhero blockbusters and films based on existing intellectual property, 2018 offered a number of original gems among some bona fide hits. Films like the atmospheric sci-fi thriller "Annihilation" and Maggie Gyllenhaal's tour de force of a performance in "The Kindergarten Teacher" just missed my top 10 of 2018. While most of the movies in my list didn't make much of a splash at the box office, they each have a distinct point of view, tone and push the boundaries of what moviemaking can be. From a film shot entirely on an iPhone to a touching story about queer friendship, 2018 was a diverse and solid year for film.

Below are my top 20 favorite movies of 2018.

20. “Burning,” Lee Chang-dong

19. “Happy as Lazzaro,” Alice Rohrwacher

18. “The House that Jack Built,” Lars von Trier

17. “Juliet, Naked,” Jesse Peretz

16. “BlacKkKlansman,” Spike Lee

15. “Shoplifters,” Hirokazu Kore-eda

14. “If Beale Street Could Talk,” Barry Jenkins 

13. “First Man,” Damien Chazelle 

12. “The Kindergarten Teacher,” Sara Colangelo

11. “Annihilation,” Alex Garland

10. “Unsane,” Steven Soderbergh

"Unsane" is Steven Soderbergh's first iPhone movie. He followed this psychological thriller with "High Flying Bird" on Netflix earlier this month, a snappy basketball movie about the behind the scenes action starring Andre Holland ("Moonlight, "The Knick"). For "Unsane," Soderbergh sets his iPhone 7 Plus on "The Crown" star Claire Foy, who plays Sawyer, a troubled woman who is involuntarily institutionalized. Soderbergh makes the best use of the iPhone, making "Unsane" feel claustrophobic and disorienting to match Sawyer's state of mind. Foy gives a great performance of a woman on the edge, making this little-seen flick so much better than it ought to be.

09. “Vox Lux," Brady Corbet

"Vox Lux" is not a good movie. It's a fascinatingly bizarre one, though. It's the kind of strange concoction that has stuck with me since seeing it a few months ago. It's a twisted version of "A Star is Born" when a young singer Celest (played by Raffey Casssidy as a teen and Natalie Portman as an adult) survives a school shooting and is transformed into a mega pop star a la Lady Gaga. Every choice here is so strange — from a Willem Deafoe narration to having Cassidy play Celest's daughter. And then there's Portman's mind-boggling performance (The New York Times' film critic Manohla Dargis put it best, writing that Portman has an "accent that sounds like it's been lifted from a New York cabby in an old Hollywood comedy." The last musical number is terrible and the pop songs that we're to believe propelled Celest into stardom are quite bad (they were written by Sia but sound like tracks she never planned to release). Director Brady Corbet (an actor best known for his role in "Mysterious Skin" and his directorial debut "The Childhood of a Leader") makes a huge swing with "Vox Lux" and attempts to say something grand about our culture, pop music and tragedy but it's ultimately a can't-look-away-misfire. The kind of disaster I'll happily re-watch again and again.

08. "Suspiria," by Luca Guadagnino

Like "Vox Lux," Luca Guadagnino's take on the cult classic "Suspiria" aims high. But unlike Bradly Corbet's film, Guadagnino's remix of Dario Argento iconic 1977 giallo horror film is successful. With a running time of 153 minutes, the 2018 "Suspiria" is only spiritually connected to the original, expanding on Argento's "Three Mothers" trilogy. Guadagnino smartly ignores the original's Technicolor gore and its iconic soundtrack from Goblin, making his version of the movie dull grey and enlists Radiohead front man Thom Yorke for its spooky music. "Suspiria" also also features Dakota Johnson's best performance ever and another stellar turn from Tilda Swinton. Guadagnino channels Rainer Werner Fassbinder, adding texture to why "Suspiria" is set in 70s Germany and making great use of the political climate at the time and a coven of witches.

07. "Lean on Pete," Andrew Haigh

Out filmmaker Andrew Haigh's follow up to "45 Years" is a quiet road trip movie about a boy and his horse. Charlie Plummer gives one of the best performances of the year as Charley — a dirt poor teen who finds solace in taking care of an aging racehorse named Lean on Pete. The film shifts major gears after Charley is hit with tragedy in the first third of the film, sparking him to run away with his new animal friend in search of his aunt across the country. "Lean on Pete" isn't as sentimental as one may assume; it's a dark film that rests on Plummer's shoulders, proving he's one of the strongest young actors of his generation.

06. "Eighth Grade," Bo Burnham

Comedian and YouTube star Bo Burnham's directorial debut "Eighth Grade" is a horror movie. Starring the sensational Elsie Fisher as middle school student Kayla, "Eighth Grade" puts the experience of a young teen under a magnifying class, amplifying every awkward moment and pump those tense scenes with the kind of intense energy one would feel while watching slasher flick. But "Eighth Grade" is ultimately beautiful movie that tracks 13-year-old Kayla as she navigates her last year before entering high school. Burnham captures the essence of being a middle schooler and not for once plays Kayla's experience for cheap laughs. The things she's interested in — especially vlogging — are treated with respect and dignity, making "Eighth Grade" a lovely and felt experience.

05. "A Star is Born," Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper's remake of a "A Star is Born" was one of the most exciting cultural moments of 2018. From the memes to the actual film — when the moment hits that Cooper is actually pulling it off — this tragic Hollywood story, starring a marvelous Lady Gaga, was one of the best movies to think and talk about. It also happens to be very good.

04. "Roma," Alfonso Cuarón

For how technically impressive "Roma" is (that cinematography! The sound!) Alfonso Cuarón's memory piece packs an emotional punch. Cuarón focuses on Cleo (breakout star Yalitza Aparicio), a nanny for a family in 70s Mexico City. Based on Cuarón's real life nanny from that time, the filmmaker puts Cleo's experience and story on a huge scale. Her small story is treated like a war epic. "Roma" is why movies exist, an achievement in storytelling and cinematic scope.

03. "The Favourite," Yorgos Lanthimos

Yorgos Lanthimos pulls of a feat with "The Favourite" a wickedly funny movie about power, women and sex. Its three stars Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz give incredible performances each on a different wavelength. Lanthimos's touch makes "The Favourite" slightly off kilter, thanks to fisheye lenses, modern music and dance. There hasn't been such a twisted period piece since Sofia Coppola's 2006 masterpiece "Marie Antoinette."

02. "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" Marielle Heller

"Can You Ever Forgive Me?" probably has one of the worst trailers of 2018. It suggests is a run-of-the-mill Oscar bait movie with comedic genius Melissa McCarthy making a blatant attempt to Get Serious. But Marielle Heller's film is anything but that, considering it earned just three Academy Award nominations (McCarthy for Best Actress, Richard E. Grant for Best Supporting Actor and Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty for Best Adapted Screenplay) and isn't expected to take home any. Nevertheless, the story about biographer-turned-scammer Lee Israel turns out to be a touching story about queer friendship. It's a specific New York City 90s story that's heartfelt and beautiful. Indeed, McCarthy as Israel is wonderful as is Grant, who plays gay British smooth talker Jack Hock. "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" is the kind of movie that is currently overlooked but will go on to become a cult favorite.

01. "Hereditary," Ari Aster

"Hereditary" is hands down the scariest movie of 2018. It's hardly a horror movie, although it's classified as such since supernatural moments occur. But it's the most stressful, intense and twisted family drama in some time. At the center of this film is Toni Collette's masterful performance as Annie Graham, a mother dealing with the loss of her own mother and how that sets off a chain of events that uproots her reality. The rabbit hole she goes down is — well there's really no other way to put this — extremely fucked up. She's put through the ringer and Collette is fully committed here as "Heredity" explores what it's like to be a mother, deals with loss, grief, tragedy and familial bounds that we've been taught to be unbreakable. "Heredity" asks what if those bonds somehow did snap? The answer is that all hell breaks loose.

[lovelyparanormalbooks]

Book Blitz: Grand Finale: Breakup in a Small Town by Kristina Knight (Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Book Tour Grand Finale for

Breakup in a Small Town

By Kristina Knight

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

Hi, everyone! I’m so excited to be back with you all for the next book in my Slippery Rock series! Breakup in a Small Town picks up about three months post-tornado. Adam is home from the hospital, but things aren’t right for him. . .and things are definitely not right for Jenny, either...

Celluloid Diaries - Best Movie Couples of All Time

I am a sucker for a great movie couple – Joan Wilder and Jack T. Colton (Romancing the Stone), Vivien and Edward (Pretty Woman), and Jack and Rose (Titanic) are all on my list. I like couples that banter, couples that laugh together, couples that are hot for each other…even if they’d lost a little of that sparkle. Here are a few of my favorite movie couples...

It's All About the Romance - Author Interview

Do you have any personal heroes/heroines? I do! I find Nora Roberts’ dedication to writing inspiring, and I’m awed at everything Lisa Kleypas does. I have a friend (Hi, Heather!!) who has started a handmade greeting card company – she writes amazing, inspirational, heartfelt cards that are simply beautiful. Last but not least, my sister-in-law, who became a runner for the first time over the age of 30, has run in marathons and half-marathons, and helped me through my first 5K this summer (Hi, Janell!) is one of the most genuine people I know, and I admire her so much!

underneath the covers - Excerpt

“It occurs to me that I’ve been too soft on you.” Jenny said the words carefully as she pulled to the stoplight outside Mallard’s Grocery. No inflection. No anger. Just words. Calm, cool, concise words. From the corner of her eye, she saw Adam’s head snap in her direction. Maybe this change in tactics was a good idea. “I don’t like this any more than you do, and I know you have it much worse than me because you’re living it. But I’m living it, too.”

Thoughts of a Blonde - Review

"Turmoil and heartache snare our attention with this latest dip into Kristina Knight’s Slippery Rock series. If you’ve read the previous books, you will recognize Adam and Jenny and already be familiar with what happened to him. I was hooked on the story just from enjoying the series, but watching them fight for their relationship kept me even more enthralled. She was hard to like, but I enjoyed their story."

Book Lover in Florida - Excerpt

He liked the prickliness even less than he liked that look he’d seen in Jenny’s beautiful eyes a moment before. He didn’t want to talk about whoever she’d met for lunch or what that meant. He didn’t want to talk at all. He just wanted to feel her mouth on his. Adam reached across the space between them and pulled her closer. Her mouth opened slightly, and her hazel eyes went dark.

Always Reading - Review

"This book had me on the edge of my seat. I was not sure what was going to happen between Jenny and Adam. Stay together or stay apart? It was nice reading about a couple that was married already and facing a life event that changed so much in both Jenny and Adam's life."

Hearts & Scribbles - Adam’s Top 3 Tips to Rekindle Love

It took her asking me to leave to see how much I wanted to stay. How much I wanted her, and I had no idea how to get her back. I needed a plan, and I’ve never been much of a planner. Things just kind of happened for me: I played football and happened to be good at it, I took a job with my dad because I enjoyed it, and I married Jenny because she took my breath away. I never had to work hard at anything. I had to work hard to win her back, though. Here’s how I did it...

Nicole's Book Musings - Excerpt

“This is all about you.” “No, it’s not. It’s about you. You haven’t done one thing for me.” “I sent you flowers to apologize.” “I hate cut flowers. I’ve never once asked for cut flowers. I didn’t carry them when we eloped. I don’t keep them in vases around the house.” “You work in the garden all the time.” “Because I like plants,” she exclaimed, unable to keep the annoyance from her voice.

Becky on Books - Review

"This book was hard to read, but rewarding at the same time, because Adam and Jenny do (eventually–talk about waiting until the last minute; argh!) figure it out. And watching two people who have been together forever but are just finally figuring out how to really be together at last makes for one heck of a story."

The Bookworm Chronicles - Excerpt

Her gaze met his, and it didn’t matter that she’d asked him to move out. That their marriage might be over. What mattered was the look in his eyes. The green darkened to nearly emerald, and seemed to cut right through the confusion she felt at what she wanted, professionally and personally. All that mattered was that, for this moment, the two of them were together. He’d come out of the shell she had begged him to exit.

Rockin' Book Reviews - Excerpt

“I should have been paying more attention,” she admitted. “I should have ducked. My reflexes are a little slower than I remember.” But he didn’t seem upset by that fact. A few weeks ago, slower reflexes might have sent him into a days-long funk. He put his arm around her shoulders. “I’m okay, Jenny.” “I know.” “If a tornado can’t break me by collapsing a building on my head, you’re not going to do it with an umbrella.”

Harlie's Books - Review

"I just adored this book and this series is fast becoming one of all time favorites. The characters are vivid, emotional, funny, realistic and it’s always fun to go back and see where the other characters are in the town. And I can’t wait for Aiden’s story; whenever that may be. Again, I just loved how Ms. Knight made the story so realistic, emotional, at times raw and I truly felt sympathetic to both characters. I was cheering for them to the very end. And what an ending it was. *sigh, swoon, sniffles*"

Mello & June, It's a Book Thang! - Jenny’s Top 5 Ways to Keep Love

Falling in love is the easy part. I didn’t know that until my life fell apart a couple of months ago, but what I’ve realized is that falling in love? It’s easy. A romantic gesture, candlelight, focused attention . . . those things make it so easy to fall in love with another person. Staying in love? That is a whole different battle. So, if you were in love but now you think love might have left you behind? Here’s what you do...

Teatime and Books - Excerpt

She had to figure out what she wanted, without Adam's hands in her hair, making her wish for things that just weren't true. She had been frustrated before the accident. She wanted more than to take the kids to school and pick them up. To cook the meals and clean the house. She wanted to go on dates with her husband. There had to be more to life than being a mom and a housekeeper.

Inside the Mind of an Avid Reader - Review

"Breakup in a Small Town is the third book in the Slipper Rock series by Kristina Knight. I can't help it I absolutely love every single visit I make to this town. I don't know what it is but Kristina always blows me away. Jenny and Adam's story is no different. This couple has been through so much and this has caused a rocky marriage. . . . You will adore this series. I recommend all three books!"

And don't forget to enter the giveaway below, if you haven't already...

Breakup in a Small Town

(Slippery Rock #3) Kristina Knight

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

September 1st 2017 by Harlequin Superromance

This isn't the man she married… 

Jenny Buchanan never considered what "for better or for worse" meant when she married Adam Buchanan at nineteen. Six years and two little boys later, "for worse" arrives in the form of a tornado that ravages Slippery Rock and injures Adam. Now he's a stranger to his family…and love won't be enough to bring him back. 

Only when Jenny asks him to move out does Adam become the husband she needs…but Adam isn't the only one who's changed. As their attraction sparks back to life, Jenny and Adam must learn what it is to grow up—and grow together—before this small-town breakup lasts forever.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo

Other Books in the Series

Famous in a Small Town

(Slippery Rock #1) Kristina Knight

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

May 1st 2017 by Harlequin Superromance

Lifestyles of the small-town famous

Forced to leave Nashville after a scandal, Savannah Walters has come home to Slippery Rock, Missouri, with a bruised ego and her singing career in jeopardy. As if that isn't humiliating enough, on her way into town she's rescued by her swoon-worthy childhood crush, Collin Tyler.

His hands are full running the family orchard and dealing with his delinquent teen sister, so Collin doesn't need to get involved with someone as fiery and unpredictable as Savannah. But the intense attraction between them can't be denied. And when disaster strikes, they'll both be surprised by who's still standing when the dust settles.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo

Rebel in a Small Town

(Slippery Rock #2) Kristina Knight

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

July 1st 2017 by Harlequin Superromance

He's not giving up his family without a fight James Calhoun has never been able to resist Mara Tyler, or her knack for mischief. Her reputation as a reckless teenager drove Mara from their hometown. So Slippery Rock is the last place James ever expected to see her, and Mara's timing couldn't be worse. With the upcoming election for sheriff, she threatens the squeaky-clean image James needs to win. Because Mara has brought with her the result of their steamy affair: his two-year-old son, Zeke. After the initial shock, James is determined to have both his family and career. He just needs to convince Mara that her home is where it's always been. With him.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo

And coming November 2017...

Christmas in a Small Town

(Slippery Rock #4)

Kristina Knight

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

November 1st 2017 by Harlequin Superromance

Running out on her wedding was the best decision ever! 

A cheating fiancé sends Camden Harris fleeing to her grandparents' home in Missouri. When her ex follows, determined to win her back, Camden makes a deal with neighbor Levi Walters: they'll pretend to be in love and she'll support his plan to buy her grandparents' land. 

The boy from her childhood has grown up into an impressive man. His charm, good looks and sweet gestures make it difficult for Camden to remember this is fake. And Levi's kisses only confuse her more.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin│Kobo

About the Author

Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police--no, she wasn't a troublemaker, she was a journalist. Her career took her all over the United States, writing about everything from a serial killer's capture to the National Finals Rodeo. Along the way, she found her very own Knight in Shining Cowboy Boots and an abiding love for romance novels. And just like the characters from her favorite books, she's living her own happily ever after.

Kristina writes sassy contemporary romance novels; her books have appeared on Kindle Best Seller Lists. She loves hearing from readers, so drop her a line!

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest│BookBub│Google+│Amazon

Tour Giveaway

- 1 winner will receive a signed copy of Famous in a Small Town and some fun swag - US residents only

- Ends September 20th

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