Tag Archives: overlord

Yen Audio’s Sword Art Online, Overlord, and The Saga of Tanya the Evil Narrators Revealed

Posted on by

Following the June 2021 announcement of actor Ki Hong Lee narrating the Solo Leveling, Vol. 1 audiobook, Yen Press announced the narrators for the remaining launch series of Yen Audio, a newly created imprint dedicated to audiobook adaptations of light novels. These series include adaptations of some of the most popular light novels from Yen On—Sword Art Online, Overlord, and The Saga of Tanya the Evil.

Sword Art Online, Vol. 1 will be narrated by Bryce Papenbrook. Bryce Papenbrook has been a professional voice-over artist since the age of eight and has since starred in numerous roles, including Kirito from the Sword Art Online anime. Additional noteworthy roles include Inosuke Hashibira from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan. The Sword Art Online, Vol. 1 audiobook is scheduled for an August 2021 release.

Overlord, Vol. 1 will be narrated by Christopher Guerrero. Christopher Guerrero is a Dallas-based actor who started his career in theater before transitioning fully into voice-over. Since becoming a voice actor nine years ago, he has voice acted in over 100 anime titles, which includes work on the Overlord anime as protagonist Ainz Ooal Gown. Additional noteworthy roles include Gecko Moria from One Piece and Shadow from SK8 the Infinity. The Overlord, Vol. 1 audiobook is scheduled for a September 2021 release.

The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Vol. 1 will be narrated by Monica Rial. Monica Rial has been working in the anime industry for over 20 years and is considered to be one of the most prolific anime voice actors in the United States. Among her many roles, Monica voiced Tanya Degurechaff in The Saga of Tanya the Evil anime. Additional noteworthy roles include Sakura from Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card and May Chang from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The audiobook for The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Vol. 1 is scheduled for a November 2021 release.

To help launch the Yen Audio imprint, Yen Press is hosting a Yen Audio Panel at Virtual Crunchyroll Expo, which will take place August 5–7. The panel will feature samples from upcoming Yen Audio releases as well as a discussion with Solo Leveling director Caitlin Davies and voice actors Christopher Guerrero and Bryce Papenbrook on their work on upcoming releases.

Yen Press Delivers New Manga in May 2020

Posted on by

Aoharu X Machinegun, Vol. 17

by: Naoe
9781975308803 | 1975308808
Yen Press
Paperback
May 5, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
192 pages

At long last, the much-awaited rematch between Toy Gun Gun and Star White has arrived! With Matsuoka’s return to the team, Toy Gun Gun will finally be able to play in a match all together against their bitterest rivals…But with Matsuoka still injured, can Toy Gun Gun break the undefeated champion’s winning streak and take their revenge…?!

Aoharu X Machinegun, Vol. 17

Éclair Blanche: A Girls’ Love Anthology That Resonates in Your Heart

by: ASCII Media Works
9781975359096 | 1975359097
Yen Press
Paperback
May 5, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Lgbt
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
272 pages

The girls’ love anthology is back and bursting with stories to enchant and delight. Featuring works from favorites such as Canno (Kiss and White Lily for My Dearest Girl), Hiroichi (Highschool DxD: Asia & Koneko’s Secret Contract!?), and Fly (Kemono Friends: Welcome to Japari Park), this new addition to the Éclair lineup will sweep you off your feet!

Éclair Blanche: A Girls' Love Anthology That Resonates in Your Heart

Murciélago, Vol. 14

by: Yoshimurakana
9781975307936 | 1975307933
Yen Press
Paperback
May 5, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
224 pages

Pursuing a string of murders involving corpses drained of blood, Kuroko and her hulking buddy, Urara, descend into the sewers to rescue Narumi from an all-too-familiar face. Narumi herself is determined to escape with her fellow captives, but between her broken leg and the mazelike underground tunnels, their odds of escape are grim. It’s a race against the clock as the killer prepares for their next meal…!

Murciélago, Vol. 14

Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World, Vol. 2 (manga)

by: Kei Sazane, okama, Ao Nekonabe
9781975308377 | 1975308379
Yen Press
Paperback
May 5, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
176 pages

Fate has guided Iska and Alice together once more as they cross paths at an Imperial painter’s art exhibit. There, they agree to meet again-only this time, to settle the score! But when an ancient power awakens to threaten their very lives, Alice is forced to choose between her country and her ideals! Up against an all-powerful foe, will the two heroes form an unlikely alliance-or find themselves unable to overcome their allegiances?

Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World, Vol. 2 (manga)

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 4

by: Honda
9781975308506 | 1975308506
Yen Press
Paperback
May 5, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Humorous
$15.00 USD, $19.50 CAD, £11.99 GBP
176 pages

Honda-san is stuck: It’s hard to keep drawing about your bookstore job after you’ve quit! But being a full-time manga artist opens new doors-stories from the publishers’ perspectives, to the nitty-gritty of e-books, and even to Taiwan’s book industry. It’s the final volume of Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, but the joys and agonies of bookselling last forever!

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 4

The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life, Vol. 2 (manga)

by: Usata Nonohara, ox, Guru Mizoguchi
9781975308537 | 1975308530
Yen Press
Paperback
May 5, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
176 pages

A two-hundred-year-long nap has left Mariela the only alchemist in town-except that’s a secret she definitely won’t be sharing. In order to hide her true origins, she’s going undercover as a chemist in the hopes of staying off the radar. While preparing to obtain her guild license and eventually open her own apothecary, Mariela begins to connect with residents of the Labyrinth City. Slowly but steadily, it starts to feel more like home…Is her dream of a quiet life finally within reach?

The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life, Vol. 2 (manga)

A Mysterious Job Called Oda Nobunaga, Vol. 1 (light novel)

by: Kisetsu Morita, Kaito Shibano
9781975305567 | 1975305566
Yen On (Yen Press)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
$15.00 USD, $19.50 CAD, £11.99 GBP
224 pages

In this world, on the day that they reach adulthood, everyone visits the temple to receive their life’s calling. Many will become warriors or magic users. But when the frail younger brother of a minor feudal lord named Arsrod goes in for his job, he comes out with…Oda Nobunaga?! Not only has that job never been heard of, not a single person can even figure out what it’s supposed to mean. But when this young man inherits the experience, tactics, and prowess in war of the great Sengoku strategist Nobunaga, his very destiny will change!

A Mysterious Job Called Oda Nobunaga, Vol. 1 (light novel)

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, Vol. 11 (light novel)

by: Hiro Ainana
9781975301637 | 1975301633
Yen On (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Fiction / Fantasy
$14.00 USD, $18.50 CAD, £10.99 GBP
192 pages

Though Satou’s stay in the Labyrinth City got off to a rocky start, he’s determined to put Celivera on the road to redemption! Charitable endeavors such as catching a bandit leader and founding an orphanage are no big deal for him, but despite his best efforts, the mysterious drug continues to circulate. Luckily, he may have found a new lead…

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, Vol. 11 (light novel)

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, Vol. 9 (manga)

by: Hiro Ainana, Ayamegumu, shri
9781975311124 | 1975311124
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Fantasy
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
160 pages

In order to defeat the demons, Karin searches for the forest giants in the hopes of enlisting their aid. As it turns out, Satou and his party are also looking for the forest giants, so the two join forces! Will their combined strength be enough to win over their new potential allies?

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, Vol. 9 (manga)

Happy Sugar Life, Vol. 5

by: Tomiyaki Kagisora
9781975303341 | 1975303342
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
192 pages

If you love someone you eat candy together…bathe together…hug, kiss, and stay by their side for the rest of your life…Doesn’t everyone think so? Experience the next installment of the psychotic romance between Shio and Sato. Life is bitter, but love is sweet.

Happy Sugar Life, Vol. 5

Im: Great Priest Imhotep, Vol. 3

by: Makoto Morishita
9781975311445 | 1975311442
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$15.00 USD, $19.50 CAD, £11.99 GBP
180 pages

The Ennead Priesthood has given Im a new objective: Return to Egypt and use “Damnatio Memoriae” to wipe the record of Prince Djoser clean from the record of the world. But when Djoser suddenly shows up-in the flesh?-the plan is forced to change. How will Im cope with seeing his friend again…when his only option is to kill him…?

Im: Great Priest Imhotep, Vol. 3

I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, Vol. 2 (manga)

by: Yusuke Shiba, Kisetsu Morita, Benio
9781975309169 | 1975309162
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
192 pages

After 300 years of a laid-back life, witch Azusa’s peace is interrupted by a host of wacky challengers after the word spreads that she actually is ridiculously strong. What sort of adventures and new friends will her rapidly expanding family encounter in the next volume?!

I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, Vol. 2 (manga)

Kakegurui Twin, Vol. 6

by: Homura Kawamoto, Kei Saiki
9781975303433 | 1975303431
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga
$15.00 USD, $19.50 CAD, £11.99 GBP
192 pages

Will Mary enter the Full-Bloom Society or will she become Juraku’s pet? As Mary struggles with this choice, an unlikely ally appears!

Kakegurui Twin, Vol. 6

Karneval, Vol. 10

by: Touya Mikanagi
9781975306441 | 1975306449
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$20.00 USD, $26.00 CAD
352 pages

Yogi reclaims control over his body and returns to Circus’s ship, along with his long-lost sister Mieux-Marie, but many difficult choices await the two of them. And Karoku’s memories of the time he and his mother spent in the Rainbow Forest after fleeing their hometown of Karasuna provide insight into Nai’s origins…

Karneval, Vol. 10

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Collector’s Edition, Vol. 1

by: Svetlana Chmakova
9781975312893 | 1975312899
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$24.00 USD, $31.50 CAD, £17.99 GBP
384 pages

Schools may lock up for the night, but class is in session for an entirely different set of students. In the Nightschool, vampires, werewolves, and weirns (a particular breed of witches) learn the fundamentals of everything from calculus to spell casting. Alex is a young weirn whose education has always been handled through homeschooling, but circumstances seem to be drawing her closer to the Nightschool. Will Alex manage to weather the dark forces gathering?

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Collector's Edition, Vol. 1

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Collector’s Edition, Vol. 2

by: Svetlana Chmakova
9781975312909 | 1975312902
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$24.00 USD, $31.50 CAD, £17.99 GBP
384 pages

Schools may lock up for the night, but class is in session for an entirely different set of students. In the Nightschool, vampires, werewolves, and weirns (a particular breed of witches) learn the fundamentals of everything from calculus to spell casting. Alex is a young weirn whose education has always been handled through homeschooling, but circumstances seem to be drawing her closer to the Nightschool. Will Alex manage to weather the dark forces gathering?

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Collector's Edition, Vol. 2

Nyankees, Vol. 6

by: Atsushi Okada
9781975311094 | 1975311094
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
176 pages

Ryuusei’s the cat on top after beating Madara, but some news about Gekka takes the wind right out of his sails…The story of street cats wraps up in the final volume of Nyankees!

Nyankees, Vol. 6

Overlord, Vol. 12 (manga)

by: Kugane Maruyama, Hugin Miyama, so-bin, Satoshi Osh…
9781975312961 | 1975312961
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
208 pages

At last, Demiurge’s schemes in the Kingdom begin to bear fruit. With the appearance of a powerful fighter that skillfully controls insects and the enigmatic Jaldaboath, the beleaguered humans must rely on none other than the Blue Roses!

Overlord, Vol. 12 (manga)

Strike the Blood, Vol. 15 A War of Primogenitors (light novel)

by: Gakuto Mikumo, Manyako
9781975332600 | 1975332601
Yen On (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Fiction / Science Fiction / Action & Adventure
$14.00 USD, $18.50 CAD, £10.99 GBP
224 pages

Velesh Aradahl, chairman of the Imperial Assembly of the Warlord’s Empire, has made his move. With his vast combat experience and boundless knowledge of primogenitors past, he’s shaping up to be one of Kojou’s toughest opponents yet! The clock is ticking. Can Kojou defeat his latest adversary before Itogami Island ceases to exist in only twelve short hours?!

Strike the Blood, Vol. 15 A War of Primogenitors (light novel)

Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town, Vol. 2 (light novel)

by: Toshio Satou, Nao Watanuki
9781975306236 | 1975306236
Yen On (Yen Press)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure
$15.00 USD, $19.50 CAD, £11.99 GBP
224 pages

To prepare for the sorcery tournament, Lloyd works hard to hone his magical abilities, even as he struggles with his super-low self-esteem. But when he pulls out a legendary holy sword as he’s picking up some trash, the competition takes an unexpected turns!

Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town, Vol. 2 (light novel)

The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life, Vol. 3 (light novel)

by: Usata Nonohara, ox
9781975331634 | 197533163X
Yen On (Yen Press)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Fiction / Fantasy
$15.00 USD, $19.50 CAD, £11.99 GBP
224 pages

Thanks to Mariela’s alchemy know-how, things in the Labyrinth City are looking up: the Labyrinth’s subjugation is closer at hand, and the city’s chemists are more knowledgeable than ever before. Sieg is busy honing his combat skills to become an A-Rank adventurer, while Lynx is starting to come to terms with his feelings for Mariela. But can these carefree days continue for much longer…?

The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life, Vol. 3 (light novel)

The Asterisk War, Vol. 13 The Steps of Glory (light novel)

by: Yuu Miyazaki, okiura
9781975304331 | 1975304330
Yen On (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Fiction / Science Fiction / Action & Adventure
$14.00 USD, $18.50 CAD, £10.99 GBP
192 pages

After the Gryps, it’s time for the Lindwurm tournament! Ayato has been training for the competition in hopes of saving Haruka, who has been taken as a hostage…but what about his promise with Julis?

The Asterisk War, Vol. 13 The Steps of Glory (light novel)

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan, Vol. 12

by: Nagaru Tanigawa, Puyo, Noizi Ito
9781975310790 | 1975310799
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Science Fiction
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD
160 pages

What? It’s not over?! This is the Endless Summer!
Although it seems like summer vacation is almost over, in truth it is repeating over and over again. Through it all, Kyon is constantly tormented by these strange feelings of déjà vu…In this endless loop, will the story ever end?! Find out in the groundbreaking last installment of the final volume!

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan, Vol. 12

Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 3

by: AidaIro
9781975311353 | 1975311353
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
180 pages

Nene and Kou want to learn more about their mysterious friend, Hanako-kun-and what better way to do that than school mystery number five, The 4:00 P.M. Bookstacks! The rumors say that a secret door in the library leads the way to a supernaturally special collection. The Bookstacks know everything about everyone who’s ever attended Kamome Academy-past, present, AND future! But whatever you do, don’t read the red books…or your future will be drenched in blood!

Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 3

Trinity Seven, Vol. 20 The Seven Magicians

by: Kenji Saito, Akinari Nao
9781975310417 | 1975310411
Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
164 pages

Thanks to Arbariccia’s counter-strategy, Arata is trapped in a library of nostalgia. Can he escape that calm and gentle world?!

Trinity Seven, Vol. 20 The Seven Magicians

Woof Woof Story: I Told You to Turn Me Into a Pampered Pooch, Not Fenrir!, Vol. 2 (manga)

by: Inumajin, Kiki Koikuchi
9781975308568 | 1975308565
Yen Press
Paperback
May 26, 2020
Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga / Fantasy
$13.00 USD, $17.00 CAD, £9.99 GBP
192 pages

After being reincarnated as a pampered pooch, Routa’s been living a sedentary life. But when his owner suddenly falls ill, what’s a canine to do?

Woof Woof Story: I Told You to Turn Me Into a Pampered Pooch, Not Fenrir!, Vol. 2 (manga)

Top Movies of 2018

Posted on by

Well, 2018 was quite a year. While I didn’t have a hard time picking my top five favorite films of the year, what I was surprised by was the “big middle” of everything I saw this year. Of the hundreds of movies I saw between theaters, film festivals, and originals thanks to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, my average for everything I rated was a 3.461765 stars (out of 5). And while I only had a single 5 star movie (spoiler, it’s my #1), my most common rating for the year was a 4.5 (15 films) and a 3.5 (14 films). In terms of raw scores, my #36 isn’t that far off of my #6. That’s all to say we had a lot of really good movies– mixed with a few truly greats.

Because of that (call it indulgent, IDC) I’m giving you my Top 40, just like Casey Kasem back in the day.

The Top 40- 11:
(if you skip these to get to the top ten I won’t be offended)

40. Operation Finale – Oscar Isaac leads a Mossad team to take down Adolf Eichman (Ben Kingsley) are you kidding me?!? Had to see this. File under: Jews kicking ass.
39. Overlord – the corollary to #40, but a black paratrooper taking out crazy Nazi scientists doing superhuman experiments. Reminds us Nazis are the bad guys.
38. The Rachel Divide -A Netflix documentary about Rachel Dolezal, mostly in her own words, the activist who claims she is trans-racial. It’ll make you think.
37. Ready Player One – This was my 13 yr old daughter’s favorite movie of the year. It reminds us that fun Spielberg is fun.
36. Ralph Breaks the Internet – It makes the list just for the Disney princess scene and “A Place Called Slaughter Race.”
35. A Simple Favor – Heavy on style, Anna Kendrick plays up the fun angle with director Paul Feig as a mommy blogger whose new best friend disappears. There’s a fun sort of “true crime” type mystery with the comedy here.
34. Mandy – this movie feels like a relic of another time — specifically, the 80’s with definite hints of Heavy Metal — and feels like it was made under the influence of a lot of drugs as Nicholas Cage takes revenge on a crazy cult who murdered his wife.

33. BlackkKlansman – I should’ve loved this movie more, but its weird tacked-on ending sort of blew it, and only in one shot in the entire movie did it feel like this was the same Spike Lee who gave us Do the Right Thing.
32. Quincy – Rashida Jones gives us the most intimate look at her father, master composer Quincy Jones. A great watch on Netflix.
31. Deadpool 2 – It’s a Deadpool movie. It’s great.
30. Widows – It’s a high stakes, high concept heist movie with an amazing female cast and political intrigue. It’s great.
29. Mary Poppins Returns – I love Mary Poppins. And Lin Manuel Miranda. It’s not as immediately classic as the original, but who expected it to? Emily Blunt is still amazing. And it’s great.
28. Hereditary – This is the movie that stuck with me the longest. Still, thinking about this movie makes me want to turn on all the lights in my house. Also, an amazing acting job by Toni Collette.
27. Number 37 – A movie you probably never heard of! I caught this gem at SXSW and fell in love. A South African slum gangland take on Rear Window by a first time black female director. Yes please.
26. RBG – This was a great year for documentaries. This one on the Notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg checks all my boxes.
25. Incredibles II – This sequel to one of the greatest animated movies of all time (and one of the greatest superhero movies of all time) did some really amazing things thanks to director Brad Bird,, but the ending took it down a few notches. But the fact that this ended up at 25 tells you just how competitive this year was.
24. Blindspotting – Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal‘s tale of police violence, Oakland, and hip hop was a little too pat in its ending, but was otherwise masterful. A main reason Oakland ended up on my list of “Who won 2018?”

23. Searching – We’ve now seen several of these movies where they’re told only through what we can see on the screen of a computers. Like found footage, there are good and bad, and this is a good one. John Cho and Debra Messing deliver powerful performances in a story about trying to piece together the mystery of a missing daughter through her social media footprint, intertwined with a father losing touch with his daughter in the age of screens.
22. Bad Times at the El Royale – This might’ve ended up higher on the list if it had delivered more on substance over style, but this was still pretty amazing. And that soundtrack!
21. Minding the Gap – An amazing documentary about young adults growing up as friends in a rust belt town as skate punks and how life and domestic abuse has kept them back. Fascinating and maybe a bit too real.
20. A Quiet Place – Wow. Nothing quite shocked audiences as much as this, as well as exposed the worst theater-goers in America. Shut up or the monsters win! One of several reasons why I said Emily Blunt and John Krasinski won the year of 2018.
19. Leave No Trace – Props to writer/director Debra Granik and to amazing performances by Ben Foster and breakout star Thomasin McKenzie in this heartwrenching look at a dad dealing with PTSD who lives a solitary existence off the grid in the woods with his young teen daughter. Of course, when Child Protective Services finds out. . . well, you’re not exactly allowed to do that. And drama ensues.
(18.- tie) The Ballad of Buster Scruggs – There’s a debate as to whether this is a movie, as it is currently being presented by Netflix, or a tv miniseries, which was how the Coen Brothers originally pitched it. This is peak Coen in all their forms, but if this is a movie, this is where it would fall.
18. Mission Impossible: Fallout – Finally it feels like writer/director Christopher McQuarrie leveled up his directing to the level of his writing ability. The perfect summer movie, even if I liked a few other movies from the summer of ’18 a little more.
17. Annihilation – Along with Hereditary, this was the movie that stuck with me (in my nightmares). Astounding visuals and an amazing ending, and an amazing cast.
16. Avengers: Infinity War – We knew we’d get to this eventually, right? There isn’t much more to add. Bring on 2019’s conclusion and Captain Marvel.

15. Upgrade – Done on a tiny budget, this movie packs a punch of a $150 million blockbuster. Brutal, fun, and thoughtful.
14. Vice – Dear Writer/Director Adam McKay, Don’t lie– you made this movie just for me to enjoy, right? Built to my tastes? The fact this isn’t in my top 10 (it would be in any other year) says a lot about the other films on this list.
13. The Favourite – Dear Writer/Director Yourgos Lanthimos, Same Question. Also, thanks for bringing back the fish-eye lens.
12. Crazy Rich Asians – I haven’t wholeheartedly loved a romantic comedy like this in ages. Just pure fun, and its stellar cast is amazing.
11. Won’t You Be My Neighbor – The movie most likely to make me cry in 2018. This is just sheer goodness. Again, how is this not in my top 10?

The answer is because those movies in my top 10 are just so great themselves. Here you go, without any further ado:

10. Roma

Roma

“We are alone. No matter what they tell you, we women are always alone.” A beautiful film by one of the best directors working today, Alfonso Cuaron. An ode to his maid, growing up in an upper-middle class house in Mexico City, this has some of the most beautiful and thoughtful cinematography of any film. The fact that it’s in black and white should also be telling. Even more importantly, the fact that Netflix is going to be in the mix for a Best Picture this year should have every movie studio quaking in their boots. If you watch this at home in your pajamas instead of in a theater, no one will think less of you, or at least I won’t. Just watch it.

9. Hearts Beat Loud

Hearts Beat Loud

Without a John Carney movie musical around for me to adopt this year as one of my favorites, I went with this one. Nick Offerman owns a record shop and tries to connect with his daughter who is about to leave for college through playing music together, when she falls in love with her first serious girlfriend. She writes a great song, they put it on Spotify, it gets some notice… and more. Just beautiful performances, great music, and a movie about love and family. Also, Ted Danson as a bartender.

8. Las Sandinistas!

Las Sandinistas!

Wait, what? Who? This documentary about the women behind the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua is one of my favorite documentaries of the year in a year with amazing documentaries. (This isn’t the last one in my list) I first saw this at SXSW and fell in love. You will too if you can find a way to see this.

7. Paddington 2

Paddington 2

There isn’t a better word for this film than just “charming,” or perhaps “nice” or “good.” This is comfort food you didn’t think you needed. It will heal your soul and fill you with good cheer. Also? Hugh Grant for Best Supporting Actor.

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

Dear Sony, THIS is what you should be doing with your extended Spider-Man universe instead of. . . well, Venom. Every single one of your spider-personas in the film was perfect, but especially Spider-Gwen and Miles Morales. Peter Parker means a lot to so many of us. But it’s great that there are others who can take up that mantle: Spider-Man isn’t an everyman unless literally anyone could be him, regardless of age, gender, race, or species. This new, fresh take is so important, but so so is this animation. I’ve never seen anything like this, and I can’t wait to see more. More Miles and Spider-Gwen please! And Spider-Ham and Spider-Man Noir. Ok, just all of them.

5. Eighth Grade

Eighth Grade

This was another movie I adopted as a favorite ever since seeing it at SXSW. I can’t state this enough: as a father of a 13 year old girl, this is the most true depiction of what her life is like that I have ever seen. The rest of my favorites don’t seem to be getting much notice for major awards, so I’ll be pulling heavily for writer/director Bo Burnham and especially breakout star Elsie Fisher.

4. First Reformed

First Reformed

I sadly missed this at SXSW, and only recently caught up with it. I wish someone had grabbed me by the lapels sooner and made me watch it. What I dreaded as homework and maybe another stolid but off-putting performance by Ethan Hawke I instead found a complex narrative about faith, pain, moral imperatives, and a Christian view of our responsibility to take care of the earth. That REALLY checks a lot of boxes for me. “Will God forgive us?” Not if you don’t see this movie, she won’t.

3. Black Panther

Black Panther

Here it is. The big kahuna. The mothership. The single largest, most important piece of pop culture phenomenon in America for 2018. I literally de-friended a few fellow critics on Facebook because they didn’t like this movie, and when I pressed them for why, their reasons were bull$#!t and a cover for racism. If you can’t appreciate the filmmaking prowess on display here by Ryan Coogler, you have no business calling yourself a film critic.No other Marvel film has ever felt so little like it came off the assembly line. No other feels crafted quite so carefully, so deftly, with precision in every shot, in the delivery of every line. And to that, we have to give credit to this amazing cast. Michael B. Jordan is the greatest Marvel villain, and when he demands to see the Wakandan sunset, and die rather than live in chains, my heart breaks every time. “Show them who you are!” You did, Black Panther, you did.

2. Three Identical Strangers

Three Identical Strangers

This documentary came out of nowhere and astounded me. Sold to me as a story of three identical triplets adopted by different families who reunite by happenstance seemed like it would just be a fun little romp. Oh, cool! Nature vs. nurture– look at all the similarities between these boys even though they were separated at birth. And then. . . you find out what’s really going on. There’s a crazy twist that I still won’t reveal because not enough people have seen this. But once you find out, it will challenge everything you think you know about nature vs. nurture, no matter which side of the debate you are on.

1. Sorry to Bother You

Sorry to Bother You

This is the best movie of the year and the only film I gave 5 stars out of 5 to. Is it, in fact, a perfect movie? No. But, it’s so audacious in what it is trying to do that I will forgive any small problems it may have. And what this tries to do is skewer the intersection of class and race, delivering a stunning repudiation of Bay Area neoliberalism and technocracy. This is about the closest we get to Terry Gilliam, Spike Jonze or Michel Gondry doing a woke black power narrative, and it is fantastic. I heard from a lot of folks that liked this movie ok, until the ending, which they hated. To me, the ending was perfect and what made this so audacious– I, usually silent in most movie screenings, literally gasped, “What the f@$%?!!?!” As crazy as it was, it fit with the film’s themes and made me love it even more. For being that willing to reach for it — no compromises — this was my favorite of the year.

Fin.

So, that’s it. What do you think? You may have noticed some pretty big snubs in there. Some of those were intentional, some of those I never got around to see. Tell us what you loved and what you think I missed, overrated, underrated down in the comments.

And also here’s my list of the worst movies, and my Top 5 of Everything, along with “Who Won 2018?”

Pharaoh Miles’ Favorite Movies of 2018

Posted on by
Sorry to Bother You

Sorry To Bother You – In one of the most original movies this year, we get a debut movie form Boots Riley, which examines race, codeswitching, pharmaceuticals in a funky science fiction gumbo sure to entertain and provoke thought

Black Panther – In one of the best superhero origin movies to come out ever, we get a movie that has changed how seriously superhero movies are to be taken.

Ant-Man and The Wasp – In one of the better summer movies to come out this year, this movie does something only a handful of superhero movies have done, be better than the first movie.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – In one of the best movies to come out this year, and let’s face it, the best Spider-Man movie yet, Sony has finally cracked the formula on this superhero movie business .

The Death Of Stalin – This movie based on the acclaimed graphic novel and directed by the creator of Veep captures all the absurdities of politics and power.

Annihilation – In this movie, an all-female team must find out what monstrous secrets lie in a jungle where evolution has taken a dangerous turn, one which will still scare the crap out of most.

The Predator – Although this movie had a ton of continuity problems, Shane Black’s dialogue is the saving grace including this stellar cast, which manages to keep the movie entertaining to the end.

Deadpool 2

Deadpool 2/Once Upon A Deadpool – As this movie only was better than the original by a slim margin, it’s a good thing Ryan Reynolds decided to re-release for Christmas and pull Fred Savage into it, doing a family friendly version which only made the movie funnier and better than the first.

Avengers: Infinity War – A movie that got all our favorite MCU superheroes into one movie, only to temporarily destroy them.

Overlord – World War II plus Zombies…. Enough said.

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Takes the Weekend’s Top Spot. Venom Debuts in China with $111 Million

Posted on by

The holiday season was good to the Grinch as Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch debuted at the top of the box office with a $66 million weekend. That’s the third largest animated film opening in November and should do well through the holidays. It received an “A-” CinemaScore with a 71% score on Rottentomatoes.

The film opened internationally in 23 location with $12.7 million for a $78.7 million global debut from a reported $75 million budget.

Bohemian Rhapsody dropped to second place after debuting in first. It earned an estimated $30.9 million and has now crossed $100 million domestically. It also earned $63 million internationally to bring that total to $185.3 million for a worldwide total of $285.3 million.

Overlord, another debut for the weekend, opened in third and an estimated $10.1 million. The film received a “B” CinemaScore with an audience that was 69% male.

In its second weekend, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms dropped to fourth with an estimated $9.6 million to bring its total to $35.3 million. Internationally, the film also added $13.5 million from 45 markets to increase that total to $96.7 million.

Rounding out the top five was The Girl in the Spider’s Web: A New Dragon Tattoo Story which also debuted this weekend. The film earned an estimated $8 million from a $43 million budget. The film earned a “B” CinemaScore from an audience that was 52% female and 74% aged 25 years or older.

Internationally the film continued its roll-out to 49 markets where it earned an estimated $6.2 million for an international total of $8.3 million.

When it comes to comic adaptations…

Venom brought in an estimated $4.9 million domestically to come in at #8 and bring its domestic total to $206.2 million. Internationally, the film opened in China earning an estimated $111 million. That’s the second highest debut ever for a superhero film there and Sony’s largest debut in the country. Internationally the film earned $118.2 million to bring that total to $467.3 million and $673.5 million.

We’ll be back in an hour for a deeper dive into this year’s comic adaptations.