If You Haven't Seen (or Heard of!) These 2018 Movies Yet, That Needs to Change

A Simple Favour took me (and a lot of the people in my Facebook friends feed) by surprise. I was expecting a rather shallow Gone Girl rip-off. Instead, I got a surprisingly sleek thriller! Everything was slick and well-done: the writing, the costumes, the acting, the mind-blowing twists. It's impressive all around, and I wanted to watch it again as soon as it ended.

With a small domestic release and an international Netflix drop, it seems the powers that be didn't have a lot of faith in Annihilation. All things considered, I think it's worth a watch for horror and sci-fi fans. It's a gripping, intense, deep horror movie with a lot of sequences of terror and mystery. The ambiguous ending truly feels like a mind-melt, meaning Annihilation will stick with you long after the credits roll.

Director Bo Burnham wanted audiences to sync their heart rate with that of Eighth Grade's anxious protagonist, Kayla. And boy, did he succeed. The film captures the angst and utter devastation that come with navigating adolescence. Maybe it's because our young hero seems so embedded in (and at the mercy of) the experience. Heartbreaking, blistering, a must-watch.

It's got a pretty simple concept that, in the end, is kind of silly. But Game Night has an ace in the hole, so to speak. (Heh.) It's grounded by great performances that really sell the jokes and the story. In the end, this one has more heart and unique jokes than you think it will.

What's that you say? A classic story, told many times before, with an LGBTQ+ twist? I'm all the way in. But Lizzie doesn't just rest on the laurels of differentiation. In fact, it hungrily leans into Lizzie Borden's reinterpreted backstory. The result is a compelling film, rife with impeccable performances, that still leads to the same chilling conclusion.

OK, so, Proud Mary didn't earn rave reviews or critical acclaim. And, truth be told, it's not especially original or groundbreaking. But whatever the movie itself lacks, Taraji P. Henson makes up for in spades. In the end, it's a fun film with a sharply drawn character, and sometimes, that's enough.

You've definitely seen plenty of films like this, where the action occurs almost exclusively on a tiny computer screen. But how many of them are rated 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes? This one has quite a lot of powerful differentiation. You've never quite seen "commentary on the digital age" with such shocking twists at such a gripping pace.

There's a big reason this charming dramedy has been getting award show buzz, and it's only two words long: Regina Hall. The Girls Trip actress took home the best actress award at the New York Film Critics Circle for her incredible (and incredibly subtle) performance as Lisa, the manager of a Hooters-like sports bar who has her faith in the world tested at every turn. The movie, directed by Andrew Bujalski, will sweep you off your feet while also reminding you to have empathy for those around you.

Judging from the trailers alone, Tag looked like your run-of-the-mill stupid buddy comedy, especially given the wacky premise: a group of best friends have been playing a never-ending game of tag for over 20 years, despite life changes and moves across the country. Despite that, I quickly came to regret my choice to judge the film on trailer alone, when it proved to be an unexpectedly emotional, heartwarming look at adult friendship. Don't get me wrong — there are still plenty of raunchy jokes and Jeremy Renner flipping through the air while punching Ed Helms dressed in old lady drag. But it's a lot savvier than it needed to be.

Maybe it's because Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke are such brilliant actresses, but Thoroughbreds is a real sleeper hit. It boasts an excellent build to a chilling conclusion, one you might expect but, at the same time, won't see coming. It's so much more than your average psychological thriller; it's all sorts of f*cked up, but in the best way.

The fact that Charlize Theron has already earned a Golden Globe nod for her role should be enough to make you want to watch Tully. If not, just know it's equal parts dark, funny, and touching, and it definitely has the signature Diablo Cody voice that made fans love Jennifer's Body, Juno, and Young Adult. Plus, it's got an interesting twist you'll never see coming.