Best of 2018 #22: Shoplifters, Hostiles, Overlord, The Last Movie Star

22) Troy’s Pick – Shoplifters

Troy really dug the sheer volume of foreign films and documentaries released this year. Check out his theatrical review of Shoplifters here. The DVD review will follow next week.

22) Daniel’s Pick -Hostiles

Fifty to sixty years ago, stories like this were a dime a dozen. Even in the 70s, they were still relatively commonplace. Hard tales about hard men forced into journeys they don’t want to take and learning hard lessons along the way. We don’t get them that often anymore, which makes me appreciate them that much more when they arrive, especially when they are as good as this. Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Wes Studi, Ben Foster, and Rory Cochrane all give stellar turns and the scenery is spectacular. A few decades ago, this would have been helmed by John Milius or Walter Hill. Director Scott Cooper isn’t as talented as either of those gentlemen, but he still tells a good yarn here about vengeance, damnation, redemption, and regret. Hands down, this is his best film.

22) Mike Flynn’s Pick – Overlord

The J.J. Abrams-produced World War II action-horror ass-kicking that finally gave the power player a chance to properly pay tribute to the films he grew up watching his father oversee.