20 of the contributors of Asian Movie Pulse have voted the 20 Best Films of 2018, resulting in what we consider a great selection, both regarding the top and the overall diversity, since the list includes films from Japan, S. Korea, China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, The Philippines Thailand, and even a France-Belgium-Luxembourg co-production with a Cambodian setting, while the genres include everything from extreme violence and mainstream films to art-house, documentaries and animation, and even a Netflix film.
Without further ado, here are the best films of 2018, in reverse order. Some films may have premiered in 2017, but since they mostly circulated in 2018, we decided to include them. (By clicking on the title, you can read the full review of the film)
20. Buybust (Erik Matti, Phillippines)
All of the above make it quite clear that “BuyBust” presents a combination of “The Raid” and “The Villainess”, but I also thought that it shares some similarities with “Mad Max” particularly in the way the villains and the setting are presented. Nevertheless, in terms of presentation, the movie is a masterpiece of the genre, with even the fact that the protagonists appear to be superheroes and the script is a bit hyperbolic at times, adding at the overall flavor. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
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19. The Gun (Masaharu Take, Japan)
Masaharu Take directs a black-and-white film that shares much similarities with “Crime and Punishment” in its basic premise and much with the Japanese New Wave (and subsequently the French Nouvelle Vague) in its visual approach. The gun, in that fashion, is just a tool to explore a very interesting character in Toru, and to progress the story into a path that allows him to make a number of social and philosophical (existential) comments. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
18. Ramen Shop (Eric Khoo, Japan)
The invaluable consultations from chef Keisuke Takeda and Dr Leslie Tay help craft a world where the kitchen comes out on top, where the power food possesses is let loose whilst its well-directed human components have no choice but to give in to its pleasing succulence. Caring to the core it is impossible not to be swept up by the flavours coursing through its soul; it feeds the heart as much as it does the stomach. A perfect way to close the festival. (Jamie Cansdale)
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17. Girls Always Happy (Yang Mingming, China)
Through Wu and Mother’s altercations ” Girls Always Happy” touches sideways many hot topics like the hassle of surviving on the fringe with creative work, “locating and re-locating” in big cities, the role of single women in Chinese society and the struggle of finding their place in it. The film’s finale is on a comic note with a hilariously honest poem read by Wu. Genuinely and unashamedly funny. (Adriana Rosati)
16. Violence Voyager (Ujicha, Japan)
Victims are shown to be impaled with metal poles, harm their arms ripped off, disemboweled or just ripped to pieces. Non-lethal injuries, from being sprayed with accident or shown with melted body parts, run rampant in the film much like the actual body modification processes shown. On top of it all, the gratuitous and frequent child nudity for both male and female children, many of whom are barely double-digits in age if that, creates such a disturbing and uncomfortable feeling that permeates itself in the latter half when the action kicks up. Coupled with the obscure animation style, there’s not much else to the effort. (Don Anelli)
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15. The Third Wife (Ash Mayfair, Vietnam)
“The Third Wife” is a film about beauty, about initiation and finding one’s place in life. Its director has a confident vision, an interesting take on the composition of images which is supported by great cinematography, writing and a wonderful cast. It offers a view into a world which seems long gone, but its patterns seem strangely familiar for the place May is in, the search of finding a balance between the self and what is expected of her, is a task we all have to face eventually. And more than once. (Rouven Linnarz)
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14. Dead Souls (Wang Bing, China)
It is hard to say if “Dead Souls” entertains the audience as ordinary commercial films do; instead, it exposes painful memories. However, this movie has a value as it enlightens people, in order to prevent the massacres of the past. In addition, it reveals that the role of a film is to capture the essence of society. (Marie Lee)
13. Psychokinesis (Yeon Sang-ho, S. Korea)
Taking a seemingly familiar tale of a man trying to make up for lost time and repair a damaged relationship with his child, and mixing it with the action genre is nothing new to cinema. But through excellent acting and story telling, there are moments of genuine heart that makes it feel less forced than most others who have attempted.(Nathan Last)
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12. Funan (Denis Do, France/Cambodia (setting)
“Funan” is a tale about what connects people, what makes them human, especially under difficult conditions. Changing between moments of extreme beauty and love to those of violence and depression, “Funan” is a touching film which will likely find an audience willing to take an unforgettable journey with its characters (Rouven Linnarz)
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11. Manto (Nandita Das, India)
“Manto” is a heartfelt portrait of a writer who has been much loved in the Indian subcontinent. It paints a vivid picture of a country that had just gained independence, something which it fought hard for and was almost immediately plunged into the turmoil of partition, along religious lines. The incident had a deep effect on Manto and troubled him for the rest of his life as he reluctantly left the city he loved, Bombay, to move to Pakistan. It is a sympathetic look at the riot-torn nations of India and Pakistan, through the eyes of an artist who himself deeply felt and intricately expressed the woes of Partition. Powered by a keenly observed and deeply sensitive portrayal of a writer sensitive to the turmoil around him from Nawazuddim Siddiqui and an acting ensemble that rarely ever skips a beat, “Manto” is a truly remarkable film which is going to intrigue audiences irrespective of their familiarity with the artist’s writings (Vidit Sahewala)
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