We love talking pop culture almost as much as we love talking sunnies and snow goggles. So today, we’re coming at ya with a few of our picks for the must-see movies of 2018.
This is by no means a full list—consider it a “Part 1” until further notice. However, from Deadpool 2 to Ready Player One, we think this is a strong start that will carry you into the summer.
The much-anticipated adaption of the classic fantasy novel by Madeleine L’Engle, this one dives headfirst into inter-dimensional travel and supernatural beings as Meg (Storm Reid) seeks to find her missing father, scientist Dr. Alex Murray (Chris Pine). If you loved the book as a kid, this is for you, and even if you didn’t, the fantastical Disney production holds promise. After all, it features Chris Pine, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Pena, Oprah Winfrey, Zach Galifianakis, and Mindy Kaling, so it’s not exactly lacking in star power.
You know we love throwing at least one curveball per list, and that’s what we’ve got with Isle of Dogs. From writer/director Wes Anderson, you should know off the bat that this one is going to be quirky. Full of dry wit and a very distinct stop-motion art style, this is something different, and more importantly, it’s stuffed to the brim with adorable doggos. Although that may be reason enough to watch, bear in mind there’s a ton of voice talent attached to this project, too—Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, and our boy Jeff Goldblum.
Based on the 2011 debut science fiction novel by author Ernest Cline, the film is set in a dystopian 2044 and follows protagonist Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) as he seeks to discover an Easter egg stashed within OASIS, a virtual reality MMORPG and society. Whoever finds the egg inherits the corporation behind the virtual reality game… as well as the entire fortune of its late founder.
This one looks to be a heck of a ride—like the novel, it’s freaking packed with pop-culture references including Pac-Man, Street Fighter, Overwatch, Battletoads, Chucky from Child’s Play, Say Anything, Robocop, Back to the Future, and many more. And at the helm of the whole production? Spielberg as director. Definitely worth keeping your eyes on!
Yeah, we know, “obvious choice is obvious,” but how could we just leave this off? Even if you’re tiring of superhero movies (or at least those not named Deadpool), Infinity War represents the culmination of about a decade of Marvel’s efforts on the silver screen and features a stupidly huge buttload of talent. We’re talking Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Linda Cardellini, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Olsen, Robert Downey Jr., Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Dinklage, Paul Bettany, Paul Rudd, Jeremy Renner, Benicio Del Toro, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo, Don Cheadle, and even ya boy, the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman).
And the above’s not even an all-encompassing list. Yeah, if they can weave all the storylines together and use their assets appropriately, this could be something special.
As a kid that read the original Deadpool standalone comic (starting at issue #1) and also some of Cable in the same time period, you can imagine that this writer is hype as hell for this one. The first Deadpool flick was profoundly true to the wise-cracking, irreverent nature of the character—big props to Ryan Reynolds there—and judging from the trailer below, the second seems poised to deliver the same kind of fourth-wall breaking fun that the original did. However, this time it’ll all be bolstered by the considerable talents of Josh Brolin as Cable, so we’re expecting everything to somehow be ratcheted up to a whole ‘nother level.
If you’re looking for a romp down memory lane and what is likely to be the next animated hit from Pixar, you’ll be stoked to know that after a 14-year hiatus, The Incredibles is back. In a reflection of contemporary life, Elastigirl is called back into action while Mr. Incredible is left home to play Mr. Mom. This may end up as one of the most relatable superhero flicks ever, and as the original has an 8.0 on iMDB, we’ve got high hopes for this would-be summer hit. Featuring the voice talents of Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, and more.