By Staff Writer Madison Kenn.

2018 was a phenomenal year for the motion-picture industry, according to the several exceptional ratings for various films. One of them being, A Star Is Born, released in U.S. theatres on October 5, 2018.

This romantic musical drama was produced and directed by Bradley Cooper and follows the story of Cooper himself, and Lady Gaga during both of their musical careers. The film received outstanding reviews and ratings from three of the most popular media sites. IMDb, a well known site that is used strictly for the reviews and background information regarding movie productions, gave A Star Is Born an 8 out of 10. Rotten Tomatoes, another favored movie review site, gave the film a 90%, and Facebook a 4.9 out of 5. At the 2019 Golden Globes, Cooper was nominated for best actor, and his motion picture was nominated in four categories at the awards ceremony. Gaga even took home an award for their duet, “Shallow,” an original song created specifically for the film.

Although A Star Is Born was nominated for “Best Drama,” Bohemian Rhapsody attained the win, following the background story of Freddie Mercury and how Queen became a musical sensation. The biography did exceptionally well as a whole, but viewers also recognized the skillful performance of Rami Malek as he played the lead role of Freddie Mercury, winning the award of “Best Performance” in the actors category.
Creed ll was also a fan favorite, receiving an 83% from rotten tomatoes, and a 7.7 rating from IMDb. In this American sports drama film, Apollo Creed takes the opportunity of a lifetime in hopes to regain the glory that was taken from him thirty three years prior, as a result of a powerful fight and traumatic loss. Although this sequel did not appear in the lineup for the 2019 Golden Globe Awards Ceremony, it had viewers on the edge of their seats, cheering in the movie theatre as if they were fans outside of the ring.

There were several more successful motion pictures that were released into theatres in 2018, including Mama Mia, Here We Go Again, accepting an 81% from rotten tomatoes, and a 7 out of 10 from IMDb.

Annihilation, written and directed by Alex Garland, also known for his sci-fi film, Ex Machina, received an outstanding 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 7 out of 10 on IMDb. Annihilation shows the shocking discoveries of a biologist who voluntarily enters a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don’t apply.

Viewers follow the biologist and his partners on their secret expedition, slowly unraveling the truths about “Area X.” This thriller was also nominated at the Golden Globes for best Sci-fi/Horror film.

Another prosperous 2018 movie production was John Krasinski’s thriller, A Quiet Place, earning a 95 out of 100 from Rotten Tomatoes, and a 7.6 rating from IMDb.  IMDb summarizes the plot, briefly explaining the characters’s reason for going into hiding, and the advantages of those that are hunting, as well as  the disadvantages of the ones being hunted. A fan by the name of Brian Tallerico on a social media blog wrote a review that is convincing enough to encourage non-viewers to watch. “A Quiet Place is a nerve-shredder.

It’s a movie designed to make you an active participant in a game of tension, not just a passive observer in an unfolding horror. Most of the great horror movies are so because we become actively invested in the fate of the characters and involved in the cinematic exercise playing out before us. It is a tight thrill ride, the kind of movie that quickens the heart rate and plays with the expectations of the audience, while never treating them like idiots. In other words, it’s a really good horror movie.”

There are countless other successful films that came out in 2018 but listing them all would result in a never-ending article!