All highly recommended.
With 2018 drawing to a close, we can all take comfort in knowing that we survived Thanos’ finger snap. Congratulations, you’re not a pile of ash.
Celebrate your life (Christ, that’s very morbid for Christmas, isn’t it?) by watching a few films that you may have missed out on.
We all saw the massive blockbusters, but what about some of these smaller gems? (If you do want to check out our other end of year lists, there is our Best Movies of 2018 here, and our Worst of 2018 here.)
The Big Reviewski’s Rory Cashin and Paul Moore are here to help.
Overlord
In a nutshell: Zombies. World War II. A nazi-zombie version of Euron Greyjoy. Gore. Fun.
Worth your time because: It does EXACTLY what you want from a film like this. Granted, the final act takes a turn it really shouldn’t but it’s an absolute blast that’s bound for cult status.
Game Night
In a nutshell: A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves entangled in a real-life mystery when the shady brother of one of them is seemingly kidnapped by dangerous gangsters.
Worth your time because: A genuinely original comedy that was let down by a very clunky trailer. One of the surprise hits of the year and further proof that Rachel McAdams is woefully underrated in comedies.
Michael Inside
In a nutshell: Michael (Dafyhd Flynn) gets caught holding drugs for a friend and winds up in prison. Once he gets inside, he is quickly taken under the wing of a career criminal (Moe Dunford) who warps the young man into a twisted vision of his former self.
Worth your time because: It is one of the best Irish movies ever made.
American Animals
In a nutshell: Four young men mistake their lives for a movie and attempt one of the most audacious heists in U.S. history.
Worth your time because: Tense as hell, you’ll leave the cinema thinking that an elephant has just walked all over your chest. A wonderful hybrid/mix-mash of the documentary, thriller, and heist genre.
You Were Never Really Here
In a nutshell: A traumatised veteran, apathetic to violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, his nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.
Worth your time because: Want to know who should be nominated for Best Actor by the Academy but definitely won’t? Watch this.
Teen Titans Go! To The Movies
In a nutshell: A bunch of teenage superheroes band together to thwart an arch-villain named Slade – Slaaade…SLAAAAADE – while simultaneously trying to get Hollywood to make their own movie.
Worth your time because: It’s the film that The Lego Batman really should have been. Smart, self-referential, and incredibly meta. It’s a riot.
Mandy
In a nutshell: Cage going full-Cage at his most Cageishness.
Worth your time because: There is GENUINELY nothing like it. Like an 80’s hair metal cover band that are pumped up on LSD and a desire for blood. PURE. CAGE.
Climax
In a nutshell: A group of attractive young dancers hole up in an abandoned dance school to practise as much as they can before a big show, but during a post-rehearsal party, someone spikes their punch with LSD, and things go very wrong, very quickly.
Worth your time because: Much like last year’s Mother!, this is an assault on your senses, constantly having you on the edge of your seat, questioning how much more pummeling punishment you can endure. It also has the best soundtrack of any movie this year.
Rosie
In a nutshell: Set against the very topical backdrop of the current housing crisis, two parents (Sarah Greene and Moe Dunford) find themselves on a constant uphill struggle to simply find somewhere for their family to stay each and every night.
Worth your time because: A raw, powerful, rage-inducing drama anchored by two incredible performances and an insightful script by Roddy Doyle.
Searching
In a nutshell: A dad (John Cho) begins to worry about his daughter when she doesn’t check in, and decides to snoop around on her laptop, only to discover that he doesn’t know his own daughter as much as he thought he did…
Worth your time because: It is a nightmare scenario made real for any parent out there.
The Hate U Give
In a nutshell: A young girl finds herself at the centre of a racially charged scandal when her boyfriend is shot dead by the police.
Worth your time because: The incredible performances by old-schoolers like Anthony Mackie, Regina Hall, and Common, plus newcomers like Amandla Stenberg and KJ Apa, tied together with a great script, and told fantastically well by a talented director. Coming at the same topic as BlackKklansman, but from a completely different angle, it is a powerful and emotional movie that should become required viewing for all teenagers.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
