Top Film Moments Of 2018

The Words

Shoplifters

Throughout Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Palme d’Or-winning family drama, Sakura Ando’s wife/mother character quietly gets on with her life, sometimes even sacrificing her own well-being for the good of others without making a fuss. And then, as their lives unravel, she produces a wonderful, touching speech about motherhood, direct to camera, which would melt even the hardest of hearts.

Bad Times at the El Royale

All too often, Jeff Bridges is the guy who mumbles his lines so much that I struggle to understand what he’s saying. And yet here, his scene with Cynthia Erivo where he explains his health issues is honest and raw – and clear.

The Old Man and the Gun

I know we’re still not supposed to be watching Casey Affleck, but his interaction with Robert Redford in the men’s room was absolutely one of my favourites this year. On the one hand, the conversation between cop and criminal is reminiscent of Pacino and De Niro in Heat; on the other, you can just see in Affleck’s face his inner self screaming “Robert Freaking Redford!!!”