It is always fun to look back on the year that has gone by and list the movies that made it to your top list from the movies you watched. My list includes not just the movies that got released in 2018 but also movies I caught up with from my watchlist, movies I missed from earlier years. I am not a fan of ranking the movies. So, the movies listed below are not in any rank order. I do differentiate them though with two broad categories borrowed from my professional corporate world. While the focus is on Tamil movies, included few movies from other languages too, since they are so good I had to call them out.

Google Aandavar says around 181 movies got released in Kollywood in 2018. Looking at the title of few movies make me wonder what kind of mindset one would need to motivate to go and see that movie. Imagine a discussion in a family or among friends where one says, hey there is a new movie Yenda thalaiyila Yenna Vekkala, seems interesting, let’s go and watch that. Not in my circle. Someone really thought that kind of title will pull the audience? How about Onaigal jakkiradhai, Manushanaa nee, X videos, Ethukkadi Kaadhalicha, and Kattu paya Sir Intha Kaali. Ivanakku engeyo machcham irukku takes the cake though. Then you get titles like Pei irukka illaiya, Kilambittangaya kilambattingaya, where someone hoped to ride on the popularity of Vadivelu’s evergreen one liners. BTW, I never knew of these movies, came to know about these titles only now when I googled for this write-up.

Outstanding: These Movies are way ahead of others. They score high on both content, and form. It helps that these are Directors’ movies and they have a deep understanding of the subject matter and cinema as a medium. Layered story telling makes you see something new in repeat viewing.

Pariyerum Perumal: We had many movies that handled caste related oppression, but this is one movie where the story is well balanced in handling the subject of caste differences, oppression, caste killings, and being a prisoner of environment. Even a hardcore caste fanatic can’t disagree with the content. That is the success of this movie.

Merku Thodarchi Malai (MTM): This is pure cinema and feels like you are reading a novel. Hard subject, but beautifully told with great cinematography, first time actors who don’t act but live the role, and minimal BGM. You will leave the movie hall with lots of questions and no answers.

Roma: Another pure cinema. Story is simple, about two women who face similar issues across the class divide in 1970s Mexico. Similar to MTM director Shows and leaves the Tell to the audience.

Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum: Malayalam movie released in 2017 but got to it only in 2018. Similar to Maheshinte Prathikaaram, Director Dileesh Pothan creates interesting characters. There are no larger than life heroes or villains. Story is about Prasad, a thief who gets caught for a chain theft. Victim says he swallowed the gold chain. Medical examination shows the chain is stuck in his stomach. How to extract the chain now is the question that is told with interesting characters, existential questions, and good amount of humor.

Meet or Exceeds Expectations: Please don’t ask me for a definition of what this means. If you are from corporate world, you know what I mean  Let’s just say these movies fall short of being Outstanding, but meets or beats the expectation, get multiple things correct, and interesting to watch.

Vada Chennai: Well-crafted local gangster drama. Story is nothing new: plot revolves around how a carrom loving young man living in a slum, surrounded by crooks and gang lords, gets sucked in to rowdyism and thrust in to leader role. What makes this movie nearly an epic is the attention to detail, getting the right mood with lighting & colour palette, perfection from all actors, dialogues, music, and narration.

96: A movie about unconditional love with beautifully crafted scenes which will make you nostalgic. Creates beautiful moments and never once gets in to melodrama or a tear jerker.

Andhadhun: Crime thriller with unexpected twists, organ trade, and you will have fun discussing the end with your friends. Need to mention Tabu, she rocked and relished the role.

Mercury: Promoted as a silent movie which is incorrect. It is movie with no dialogues but makes it up with great sound engineering, BGM, and screenplay. Goes to show how an ordinary material turns in to an engrossing movie in the hands of a talented director. Talking about chemical hazards, even a defunct Mercury production plant can play havoc with people minds

Kolamavu Kokila (KK), Asuravadham: While these movies had their problems, as genre movies they worked great. KK was a tough act to pull with a mix of goofiness, weirdness, viciousness, and fun. Forget the villain’s expression during that attempted rape scene when Nayanthara says “rape pannunga, aanaa en family kooda irukkanum”, we as the audience wonder where the hell director is going with this. But thanks to the director, that sequence is a riot. OTOH, Asuravadham, is a cat and mouse revenge drama with nicely staged action sequences. As Vasumitra gets worn out not knowing the reason why he is being hunted by Sasikumar, it was a Mahanadhi moment when he rattles the names of the girls in the climax. Watch out for various choice of weapons, and don’t hesitate to close your eyes when the hammer shows up

Ratsasan: Even if the investigation happens more through coincidence than detective work, as serial killer thriller the movie works since the director keeps the focus on the story and didn’t waste time on romance or comedy tracks. Christopher’s prosthetic makeup didn’t work but his flashback story makes up for it, who suffers from Werner syndrome. Few scenes send chills down the spine. Again, watch out for the hammer, and feel free to close your eyes when you see the hammer under girl’s chin

Tamil Padam 2.0: Movie does sag in portions, and some puns don’t land well. But the movie met the goal of spoof genre and was fun to see our superstars, directors, politicians being cut to size and Kollywood clichés, like loose ponnu, satellite images, getting a beating. Compared to first one, I found 2.0 to be well detailed and has packed in good number of Easter eggs. We need more spoofs movies. We need our Kollywood version of Mel Brooks.

Boy Erased: Movie adapted from a book, based on true events, takes us through the struggle of a boy and his parents, and how the society reacts around them when the boy realizes he is attracted to men. While there have been movies on homosexuality earlier, in this movie, director takes the focus on how people around the boy react, struggle and the conflicts they go through. Director manages to give screen time for the boy’s journey from confusion to acceptance, parents’ struggle, and non-sensical approach of conversion therapy centers.

Kammatipaadam, Angamaly Diaries: Malayalam movies from 2016 and 2017. You get the feel that you are immersed in those towns living among those people. These movies are similar to Subramaniapuram, following the lives of 4-5 friends. You may get turned off by the violence in Kammatipaadam but you will get bowled over by actors Vinayakan and Manikandan. They are so good and so natural. OTOH, Angamaly Diaries will make you very hungry. When characters dig in to hot plates of pork or beef, you want to dig your hands in to it. You get Pepe who compares his first love to combination of Kappayum Muttayum. And yes, main conflict in the movie is about pork business between two rival gangs. Who gives you a scene where religious characters enjoying drink and smoke in a bar get in to a brawl to a BGM of Ilamai idho idho band music? Watch out for a 11-minute single take sequence in the climax, apparently it features around 1000 artistes.

The Gift (2015), An invisible Guest (2016) (Spanish): Interesting thrillers. Slowly builds on you and gets you to the edge towards the climax. Both available on Netflix.

They could have been: Interesting plot and moments but as a whole these movies didn’t work: These movies have good premise, interesting story but they get let down by one or more of: deviating from the story (Imaikka Nodigal), too ambitious with ideas and lack of focus (Kaala), lack of characterization or silly characters (like Ananth Raj in Iravukku Aayiram Kangal), bad choice of actors (Vanchagar Ulagam), belief that quick cuts will increase the tempo (Imaikka Nodigal). In Vanchagar Ulagam, whenever Guru Somasundaram is on the screen it works. It would have been good if he had given acting lessons to other actors like he did in Jigarthanda.

Recommend the following series from Amazon Prime and Netflix: Mindhunter, Haunting of Hill House, Altered Carbon, Man in the high Castle, Jack Ryan