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.

Peak TV is tearing me apart trying to binge-watch every show that is epic, so defending individual chapters of these shows is a good way to remind oneself to not get so lost in the big picture. Here are The Aarons for Best TV Episode: 

#10. “Captain Underpants and the Costly Conundrum of the Calamitous Claylossus” (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Season 1, Episode 7)

Even more so than the fun but formulaic movie of last year, The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants embraces the irreverent spirit of Dav Pilkey’s children’s books. This charming childishness is no more prominent than in “The Costly Conundrum of the Calamitous Claylossus,” in which the latest vile villain brings the world of the Wedgie Warrior from its traditional genial 2D animation to 3D Claymation, threatening its survival... due to, as the characters note, the budget cuts to their show needed to maintain such animation. This meta-narrative proved that, when it comes to the colossal undertaking of retaining the joy of Pilkey’s series, the Netflix Series is certainly wearing the pants.

#9. “A House Divided” (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, Season 3, Episode 10)

Trollhunters rose above the basic tropes at the backbone of its story thanks to the creative spirit of creator Guillermo del Toro. For its final season, del Toro’s influence was felt harder than ever, particularly in “A House Divided,” which marks protagonist Jim Lake’s fateful loss of innocence, a common theme among the director’s works. Jim’s journey has left him with an impossible choice, which renders the viewer nervously unable to breathe for the duration of the episode, only to culminate in an unforgettable ending that features only the sound of breathing. While spin-off series 3 Below may be off to a good start, it will be difficult for any of del Toro’s planned Tales of Arcadia to match the heights of his subterranean world of trolls.

#8. “I’m Not the Person I Used to Be” (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Season 4, Episode 8)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s final season is off to an affecting start, but has suffered from a sense of place-setting in its first half, the blessing and the curse of its extended episode order this year. However, the series’ endgame seems to have finally begun in its tight-knit mid-season finale, which saw the return of season 1 mainstay Greg like you’ve never seen him before… literally. Skylar Astin gets off on the right foot as the recasting of the role, a backstage change used within universe to demonstrate and further develop Rebecca’s changing sense of self as she seeks happiness and reconciliation, noble pursuits that make for notable television. That doesn’t sound so crazy now, does it?

#7. “Winner” (Better Call Saul, Season 4, Episode 10)

If Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has made excellent television out of the pursuit of personal growth, then Better Call Saul’s moral decay can perhaps be designated its mirror image. As with all of the show’s season finales, “Winner” is a product of bad decisions on the part of the characters, and great decisions on the part of the show’s creators. The episode acts as a microcosm of a season filled with exhilarating schemes, striking cinematography, and poignant decisions, culminating in a turn of events that remains shocking despite being known as inevitable. The episode title says it all. This one’s a winner.

#6. “Legends of To-Meow-Meow” (Legends of Tomorrow, Season 4, Episode 8)

As noted in its ranking in the Best TV Shows of the year, there is a large assortment of gonzo episodes of Legends of Tomorrow that deserve distinguished praise, but the show might have snuck its most awesomely oddball episode in just under the wire for this awards show. A teammate’s transformation into a feline following a regretful change to history is but the cat-alyst of an episode that illustrates the multiple revisions to the Legends of Tomorrow (aka Custodians of the Chronology aka Sirens of Space Time) timeline via retro-TV-themed intros, explicitly mocks the comparatively tame nature of the concurrent running “Elseworlds” crossover, and, yes, teaches kids helpful lessons through the power of singing puppets. It’s an episode brimming with loveable moments, but all knit together with a touching story of a lost love that perfectly illustrates why Legends of Tomorrow has clawed its way up to the best of the Arrowverse.

#5. “Time’s Up for the Gang” (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Season 13, Episode 4)

Always Sunny has never shied away from addressing hot-button issues, tackling racism, abortion, and gun control with a biting satirical edge in just its first batch of episodes. Yet, it’s still shocking how much dark humor the show can unearth in the most unlikely of places, a delicate balancing act that succeeds because the show is keenly aware of where its jokes should fall. Written by series standout Megan Ganz, “Time’s Up for the Gang” puts its hilariously-horrible cast of characters through the ringer over their past behavior with rollicking gall and technical grace. There’s likely no other show that can maintain such quality and relevance thirteen seasons in, suggesting that Always Sunny’s time is far from over.

#4. “Jeremy Bearimy” (The Good Place, Season 3, Episode 4)

Written by the bearer of one of Twitter’s best accounts, and the mind behind last year’s eclectic entry “Dance Dance Resolution,” Megan Amram, Jeremy Bearimy brought The Good Place’s third season roaring to life in wild fashion. Kickstarting with the reveal that our universe’s true nature is more “Jeremy Bearimy” than timey-wimey, the episode features a slow descent into existential crises that is, despite the show’s wonderfully heightened reality, presented in the most relatable of fashions: a truly, truly disgusting bowl of chili. The episode’s major resonance lies in the credo cultivated in its final moments, a commitment to doing good in the face of inescapable punishment, but it’s also an unbearably funny journey to get there.

#3. “Free Churro” (BoJack Horseman, Season 5, Episode 6)

BoJack Horseman’s most remarkable episodes, such as previous Aaron winners “Fish Out of Water” and “Stupid Piece of Sh*t,” have been those that have toyed with its animation format. “Free Churro” breaks these conventions in a completely different manner, isolating the entire action of the episode to a single monologue via eulogy delivered by Will Arnett’s BoJack. This striped-down focus parallels the striping down of BoJack’s psyche through a rambling, soul-churning soliloquy that lays bare BoJack’s tragic backstory. As it goes on, the monologue leads the protagonist and the viewer to the harrowing realization that perhaps there will not be a happy ending waiting at the end of all this. It’s heavy stuff, but the cherry on the top of a great episode is the comedic pay-off to the piece, in case you were afraid that “Free Churro” was entire free of cheer.

#2. “Party Monster: Scratching the Surface” (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Season 4, Episode 3)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, like BoJack Horseman, is a show that address a history of abuse in unexpectedly uproarious ways, and, like BoJack Horseman, produced one of the best episodes of the year by breaking its Unbreakable formula. Framed as an expose documentary on Kimmy’s once-captor, the Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne aka DJ Slizzard, “Party Monster: Scratching the Surface” is at once a staggering assortment of long-running gags, a painfully precise mockery of documentary formats (including riotous instances of narrative tangents and stock footage), and a scathing lampooning of how misogynistic radicalization takes hold.  The show has always been fueled by a righteous fury, but with the fourth season’s no-holds-barred approach to its darker material that never sacrifices the rapid-fire humor, it’s sad that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will be ending this year, when it seems like it’s still just scratching the surface.

AND THE BEST TV EPISODE OF 2018 IS...

#1. “Teddy Perkins” (Atlanta, Season 2, Episode 6)

Unexpected even in a show that’s routinely impossible to predict, “Teddy Perkins” is undoubtedly the strangest episode of TV all year… and certainly the best. Fulfilling, and perhaps exceeding, the bizarreness of Atlanta’s oft-cited inspiration Twin Peaks, the episode follows Lakeith Stanfield’s Daryl quest for a particular piano that lands him in the decrepit mansion of the peculiar eponymous Teddy Perkins, an eerie, ersatz late-in-life Michael Jackson, played by star Donald Glover in extensive make-up. It’s surreal without sacrificing structure (in fact, the episode aired unbroken by commercial to enhance the immersion) or the show’s social commentary. For the entire extended-length of the unnerving and unforgettable episode, viewers are rankled by the horrifying possibilities of a show that has so unequivocally shattered all boundaries of television, including the possibility of a fateful end for a beloved central character. A standalone dreamlike masterpiece strengthened by its relation to a superb show, “Teddy Perkins” will undoubtedly perk up your ears if you’ re not already all in on Atlanta.

Yes, I know my puns got worse as the episodes got better.

I read quite a few thoughts from people on the internet decrying the idea of a “Worst Films” list as overly-negative. Those people have likely never seen The Emoji Movie. Here are the Aarons for Worst Film:

#10. The 15:17 to Paris 

Clint Eastwood’s late career need to commemorate every possible act of American heroism he can get his hands on and his inflexible attitude towards efficient filmmaking, no matter whether another take is called for, reached a breaking point in The 15:17 to Paris. Eastwood’s decision to cast the real-life military men that stopped the attack is admirable, but misguided, as each gives a performance more wooden than the fake baby from American Sniper. The film is clearly desperately reaching for some insightful commentary on heroism and sacrifice, but with its indifferent filmmaking of insignificant events designed to pad the runtime (a scene of the trio eating gelato takes over twice as long as the foiled attack), The 15:17 to Paris is too far off-track.

#9. Show Dogs

As a dog returns to their vomit, so too does a studio decide that Raja Gosnell should have another chance to direct a talking dog movie following Beverly Hills Chihuahua and the two Scooby-Doo films. The movie’s antics contain the same poor CGI, confusing world building, and lazy jokes expected from bottom-barrel family entertainment, but Gosnell has bred something truly abominable in Show Dogs thanks to the decidedly not family-friendly content littered throughout. Gosnell’s first show-stopper is grinding the ostensible kid’s movie to a halt in order to discuss the nature of sexual consent among animals; the second, in quite the reversal, was cut complete out of the film a week into release due to its unseemly implications. If you’re looking for an entertaining talking dog picture this year, maybe put this one down and pick up Wes Anderson’s instead.

#8. The Hurricane Heist

The Fast and the Furious series excelled once it began to play fast and loose with the laws of physics, but none of that franchise’s absurdity can break one’s sense of reality quite like finding out that The Hurricane Heist, which hails from The Fast and The Furious director Rob Cohen, revolves around a sentient storm. Yes, to repeat, the hurricane in The Hurricane Heist is seemingly alive and determined to hunt down a single family over a period of years. It’s the sole unpredictable element in an otherwise rote heist film, riddled with stock characters, hammy dialogue, and repeated visits to the same low-budget sets. Certainly the most predictable part of the cheap and confusing adventure though is that a franchise is certainly not on the forecast.

#7. Slender Man

The boogeyman of internet chat boards everywhere finally crept his way onto the big screen in 2018 by way of middle-aged filmmakers who don’t seem to understand how the internet works. The laughable writing of the teenage girl protagonists indicate an ignorance of the film’s target audience, but beyond that is the film palpable disinterest in its eponymous foe. The Slender Man is a non-entity in his own feature; his undistinguishing features are lost among low-lit cinematography that makes it hard to visually distinguish anything at all. His mythos is missing and the editing is choppy. The man may be slender, but so are the plot, the frights, and almost certainly the sequel count of this forgettable feature.

#6. The Clapper

Humans are socially conditioned to recognize the smacking of two hands together in rhythmic fashion as an expression of praise. Dito Monteil, director of The Clapper, has likely been socially conditioned by years of indie rom-coms to believe that smacking together a socially-stunted male character and a female character with a quirky job will result in an affable picture. But The Clapper is embarrassingly uncoordinated, failing to prop up its quirk with any actual humor or its romance with any actual human openness, resulting in a listless (and thus on this list!) film that flails into a third-act misunderstanding involving not-unfounded stalking allegations and an overall lazy disregard for the love interest’s personhood. So, give The Clapper a hand, everyone; it needs all the help it can get.

#5. Flower

Zoey Deutch is a charismatic actor and, following a great performance in Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some!!, a rising star, which makes it all the more upsetting that her efforts to find exciting roles was hijacked by the gross male power fantasy that Flower grows into. For the first two acts of the coming-of-age drama, its provocation and plundering of “strong female character” archetypes seems to be in pursuit of something profound, before a sudden tonal and plot shift sends the film floundering through successively icky developments. It’s sad seeing Deutch craft such a compelling character only for the film to weed out its good elements and reveal its sensitivity was all a charade for irritating wish fullfillment, leaving Flower to wither and die.

#4. Mute

Mute is the most painful entry to place on this list, as the passion project of the proficient Duncan Jones and the spiritual sequel to his superlative sci-fi film Moon, but just like with his big-budget Warcraft adaptation, Jones trades the sublime simplicity of his early works for confounding worldbuilding and bland characters. The director’s standard visual polish is overshadowed by the film’s discount Blade Runner aesthetic, but even that stands-out against star Alexander Skarsgård, who shrugs his way through his cipher of a character. The film doesn’t appear to care much about him either, choosing to spend an inordinate amount of time following a pedophilic character to no real purpose, just as its noir-influenced mystery comes to a dud of a conclusion. Here’s hoping Duncan Jones can return to form with his next feature, and we never have to speak of Mute again.

#3. The Open House

The infamous reputation of horror films in the January Dumping Grounds has shifted to a new low with the influx of streaming services. The same craving for endless content that led Netflix to finance beautiful works like Roma also leads them to crank out cheap, dispassionate works like The Open House. The Open House’s algorithm driven production is measurable; it’s designed to draw viewers in with a likeable enough lead and the promise of thrills… and then puts no other thought or effort into itself. Dylan Minette bumbles around an empty house and an empty town, with the occasional sharp noise or shifty side character to suggest, but never genuinely achieve, tension. Its ninety minutes of nothing, culminating in a climax that is dependent on none of that nothing, giving an early and clear sign that it’s not worth visiting everything that Netflix puts on the market.

#2. How It Ends

Like The Open House, How It Ends ends where most other movies would begin. Or, at least, movies that put any effort into their conception beyond taking a cheap, marketable genre (here, the apocalyptic road trip) and hiring a recognizable actor who is nevertheless not a big box office draw. How It Ends has nothing to say about the fragility of society, no insight into taunt relationships between men, no twist or turn that hasn’t been ransacked from better films. It’s, again, ninety minutes of nothing, designed to be easily accessible, unchallenging, and instantly forgotten. And how does that ninety minutes end? With manufactured conflict rooted in hardcore toxic masculinity and an anticlimactic cliffhanger. This is how one’s faith in streaming services’ forays into filmmaking ends.

AND THE WORST FILM OF 2018 IS...

1. Seven in Heaven

If the in-house productions of streaming services’ relentless pursuit of content are lethargic, their acquisitions of theatrical studio’s misfires are a never-ending source of fascination. Netflix had several high-profile purchases from other vendors, such as The Cloverfield Paradox and Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, as well as several dumped onto the service with no warning or fanfare, such as this year’ s worst film, Blumhouse’s Seven in Heaven. Likely, Netflix had as little of an idea how to market the film as its initial owner Universal. It must be hard, after all, to know how to tell viewers what a film is about, when the film’s plotting is so aimless, its rules so arbitrary, its structure so faulty, that as the film rushes to its conclusion, the characters have a lengthy conversation trying to piece together what exactly mattered and what didn’t matter during their adventure. Seven in Heaven, as far as one can discern, sees two teens accidentally travel to a world where everyone follows their worst impulses. This alternate world is, of course, represented by the fact that everyone there is super into heavy metal and black clothing. This is, of course, to contrast with the normal world of non-worst impulses, where the wives in town collectively make a deck of pornographic playing cards for their husbands and then bond with their sons over them. The filmmaker’s worse impulse? Choosing to fill half of its run time cutting back from its central concept of alternate dimension mayhem for a plotline about partying teens waiting out the police that contains no horror elements or intrigue of any kind. It’s all underdeveloped, unbelievable, unagreeable, unmarketable. It’s impossible to make out what exactly they wanted Seven in Heaven to be.

I won’t waste your time with any punny award show banter before I reveal the winners: I’ll just be direct, or else this will take too long. Here is the Aaron for Best Director:

WINNER: Alfonso Cuarón - Roma

Alfonso Cuarón used the emptiness of space to astonishing effect in his last feature film Gravity, but, for Roma, he decorates each frame with lively beauty, arranging the narrow alleyways of Mexico City, the genial gathering of family and friends, and the tranquility of the open sky into the masterful brushstrokes of his cinematic canvas. Acting as his own cinematographer and editor, Roma’s arresting use of black and white, the enchanting natural sound, and the engrossing camera movements are all undoubtedly the product of a distinguished genius.  

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

John Krasinski - A Quiet Place

Krasinski’s assured directing in his debut is scary good, illustrated by the skillful racketing of tension from a single broken nail and the startling sound design of its ending that breaks hearts with its break of the silence.

Christopher McQuarrie - Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Out of the five acclaimed action directors to helm the franchise, McQuarrie remains top of the pack with exhilarating action sequences like a technically-impressive HALO jump over night-lit Paris and a brutal bathroom brawl.

Ryan Coogler - Black Panther

Coogler’s vision was the driving force behind the film’s marvelous realization of the country of Wakanda, and his passion and sensibilities filled that world with political and interpersonal nuance.

Alex Garland - Annihilation

Garland’s alluring follow-up to Ex Machina is a visual nirvana whose chilling awe recalls revolutionary sci-fi films like 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I would have been able to make a “perform-ants” pun here for Ant-Man and the Wasp, but I didn’t like that movie and it’s not nominated. So, here is the Aaron for Best Film Performance:

WINNER: Elsie Fisher as Kayla Day - Eighth Grade

Eighth Grade is a film marked by its wisdom of a very confusing time in life, but this effect is only achievable through an actor who is wise beyond her years. Fisher’s performance is instantly likeable, goofy, fraught, and awkward in all the right ways, a dynamic perhaps best represented by the contrast between her confident YouTube personality and her shy school life, a conflict played to perfection. There are very few child actors with the confidence and talent to pull off such a complex role, but Elsie Fisher certainly makes the grade.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode - Halloween

Curtis’ return to her star-making role is marked by the experience she has built up over a successful career, as she brings the subsequent trauma of that Final Girl to heart-wrenching and cathartic life.

Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger - Black Panther

Jordan’s natural charisma, in addition to the great writing, broke the forgettable Marvel villain streak, in a performance with all the fire lacking from the actor’s previous comic-book role.

Yalitza Aparicio as Cleo Gutiérrez - Roma

Aparicio’s natural and effectual performance feels impossible to reconcile with her lack of any prior acting work, but is most assuredly the sign of true talent.

Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock/Venom - Venom

An odd choice for sure, especially given the hammy accent, but Venom works as a movie exclusively because of the comedy of Hardy’s frenetic energy, earning him a spot on this list.

I went to see a theatrical performance on puns. It was a play on words! 

...Yes, I know this award show is for films, and not plays and thus that joke has no place here. If you’re wondering what my favorite play of the year is, I saw Hamilton. Yes, I’m bragging. Here is the Aaron for Best Supporting Film Performance:

WINNER: Tim Blake Nelson as Buster Scruggs - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

As the titular character of the Coen Brothers’ anthology film, Nelson had a lot of pressure to justify the film’s designation of “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” However, Buster Scruggs is certainly the highlight of the endeavor, with Nelson’s role acting as both a gateway to the film’s larger structure through his soothing narration and a gateway to the shocking tonal juggling act that the Coen Brothers’ pull off. It’s a part guaranteed to leave you busting up with laughter.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Josh Hamilton as Mark Day - Eighth Grade

The interplay between Elsie Fisher’s Kayla and her dad make for the most heartening moments of Eighth Grade due to Hamilton’s endearing and supportive supporting role.

Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

The second of two popular superheroes Cage got to voice this year that could both be worry of this award, the edge goes to the side-splitting straight-faced renditions of old-timey detective phrases of his Humphrey Bogart-inspired Spider-Man.

Letitia Wright as Shuri - Black Panther

Shuri became the stand-out character of Black Panther’s all around impressive ensemble thanks to Letitia Wright’s funny and forceful performance.

Hugh Grant as Phoenix Buccanan, Paddington 2

Grant finds just the right campy balance for a villainous role that must exist opposite the unbearable politeness of Paddington.

I wrote a screenplay this year, but it won’t receive this honor. That would be too vain for this award show that I have named after myself. Here is The Aaron for Best Screenplay:

WINNER: Eighth Grade by Bo Burnham

With storytelling talent forged over a long career as a stand-up comedian, it’s perhaps not that surprising that Bo Burnham made such a graceful transition over to screenwriting in Eighth Grade, a script saturated with his trademark cheeky humor. While extraordinarily funny, Burnham’s script also doesn’t shy away from the darkness permeating youth, whether played for dark laughs like his satire of the ever-present shadow of school shootings, or in unsettling moments that are unflinching in their portrayal. The script for Eighth Grade captures the voice of its youthful protagonist in surprising and enlivening ways, putting it in a class of its own.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman

Lord and Rothman’s script draws from both beloved and obscure bits of Spider-Man lore to produce plenty of laughs and thrills, but even with multiple interdimensional superheroes running about, always keeps the focus on Miles’ emotional journey.

First Reformed by Paul Schrader

Schrader’s script is an intoxicating slow burn, building up an existential crisis through tightly-crafted character beats told with literary flourish.

Blindspotting by Rafael Casal & Daveed Diggs

The passionate script coming from Hamilton’s Daveed Diggs and his longtime friend Rafael Casal manages to interweave an impressive amount of social commentary into a film that is also uniquely hilarious.

Teen Titans Go! To The Movies by Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath

Like its television counterpart, there’s a wit and wisdom underlying the movie’s gleefully juvenile humor that makes it hilarious for children and adults alike.

Time to find out what film will score this award, amirite? Here is the Aaron for Best Original Score:

WINNER: John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, & Daniel Davies - Halloween

John Carpenter’s score for the original Halloween is one of the most iconic soundtracks of all time, music that conjures extreme terror with just a few simple notes. When the startling synths kick-in in the 2018 Halloween, the latest rendition of those notes are the first indicator to audiences that the series is reclaiming its former glory. It’s a score that never loses its effectiveness, but unlike the many composers that have work on the series’ many sequels, Carpenter isn’t content to simply rehash his prior work. Instead he generates more pulse-pounding pieces of music that fit in perfectly with his prior work, yet standout as a genius composition in their own right. Both old and new, it’s a score that worthy of its hallowed status.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Daniel Pemberton - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Pemberton’s unique composition technique, which involved recording a traditional orchestra and then “scratching” it on vinyl to give the score a rawer feel, fuels the kinetic nature of the animated feature.

Ludwig Göransson - Black Panther

Göransson mix of choral arrangements, pounding drums, and traditional orchestra make for a properly layered and royal soundtrack for Black Panther.

Alan Silvestri - Avengers: Infinity War

The return of Silvestri’s classical use of heroic brass was the perfect accompaniment to honor the MCU’s celebration of its 10 year history. 

Anna Meredith - Eighth Grade

The experimental and loopy score, which marks Meredith’s debut as a film composer, perfectly captures the exciting yet tumultuous period of time depicted in Eighth Grade.