C O N S I D E R - Actors of 2018, First Half of Year

With the year half over, it's time to look back on the first six months of the year and what treasures they brought us. Here are the 18 performances by male actors that we liked the most thus far this year. It should probably suffice to say that this list was much easier to come up with then the forthcoming female list since the competition wasn't as fierce. (Four key films I missed that might have played into these categories were The Rider, Lean on Pete, You Were Never Really Here, and Paddington 2)

5 LEADING ACTORS
(Jan 1st through June 30th releases)

Daniel Giménez Cacho as "Don Diego de Zama" in Zama
Though I didn't much care for this film, Giménez Cacho, the talented Mexican/Spanish star (of Blancanieves and Cronos fame... and the unseen narrator of all time Mexican classic Y Tu Mama Tambien) delivers as the frustrated sickly officer of the Spanish crown longing for a transfer that may never come.

Alden Ehrenreich as "Han Solo" in Solo
Mimicry is overrated. It's better to get the spirit of a thing than to duplicate the tics. He manages the former though the script fights against it, refashioning Han as a hero at the beginning. 

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Halfway Mark - Box Office Hits of 2018 (Thus Far) in Multiple Categories

by Nathaniel R

It's time for the annual "halfway mark" festivities. With the first six months of the year done, we are triggered to look back at one came before. To make this far more interesting than just "biggest blockbusters" we're listing the biggest hits of multiple categories. If we've written about them extensively, talked about them, or reviewed them, that's where the links take you.

Key: The totals are domestic as of estimates this weekend.Titles that still have life in them (i.e. are still in active release and not done or just about to leave) have up arrows next to them. OKAY THE LISTS. Ready? Let's go!

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June. It's a Wrap!

Our birthday month is just about over 😭 but you can still wish us a happy belated by supporting The Film Experience through likes, shares, tweets, follows, newsletter subscriptions, and a donation of a cup of coffee each month to keep us well-fueled. Here's a dozen highlights you might have missed if you're not online as much in the hot months.

7 Highlights
• A Repertory Renaissance New York movie theaters are killing it!
• Little Big Lies Goes Bowling - but who won?
• Rosemary's Baby 50th Anniversary Tag Team MiniSeries
• Nanette - will it be one of the year's definitive films?
• Hereditary - a new horror classic
• Muriel's Wedding - A Soundtracking episode
• Blueprints: Moonlight - Barry Jenkins retweeted! 

5 Most Discussed
• Supporting Actress Smackdown 1994 - Helen Sinclair "don't speak!", Olive Neal "charmed charmed charmed" and Mia Wallace *dancing gesture*. Jennifer Tilly retweeted the Smackdown ♥︎
• Best Actress 1994 - It was unsatisfying but didn't have to be
• Nicole Kidman Questions - for the queen's birthday
• All Time Fav Character Actresses? - an incomplete list
• Triple Crown List-Mania - Glenda Jackson joins!

Yes No Maybe So?
• As trailers go it was an insane month. So if you haven't already sound off on the following juicy forthcoming prospects (alpha order): Beautiful Boy, Christopher Robin, Creed II, Dumbo, First Man, Mowgli, A Star is Born, Suspiria, Welcome to Marwen, and Widows !

COMING IN JULY

Our year of the month will be 1943 so we'll be looking back at some of those films which is handy since it's the 75th anniversary of all of 'em. Also in July: Ant Man and the Wasp, Eighth Grade, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Anniversaries for The Dark Knight and Hocus Pocus. Centennials for director Ingmar Bergman and screenwriter Arthur Laurents. And more. Any requests?

May is Wrapping Up

Each year we struggle to rev back up during the Post Oscar malaise but I think we're finally getting there. Be kind, June! Herewith highlights from April and May in case you missed 'em. xo

18 Highlights
• Soundtracking: Burlesque "Show me how you ____"
• Actors Who Should Be More Famous Elise, Rains, DeWitt, Taghmaoui, etcetera
• Ashley Judd, Pulp Queen
• We The Animals watch out for this great movie coming in August
• Michelle Williams in I Feel Pretty ... and other scene-stealers 
• Months of Meryl: Postcards from the Edge Meryl's first great comedy
• Smackdown 1970 Five Easy Pieces, Airport, and more 
• A Fantastic Woman A Dreamy Awakening
• Pfandom: Scarface Michelle's inner great actress breaks out
• Isle of Dogs and Japanese Culture Riff, love letter, appropriation
• Natalie Wood ♥︎ The Boys... Her connection to the seminal gay play/film 
• Blueprints: Love Simon two emotional scenes
• Bernstein's Legacy now in the hands of Gyllenhaal and Spielberg?
• Contrarian Corner Not everyone loves A Quiet Place 

Most Discussed
• Avengers Infinity War
• Egregious Weinstein Oscar Campaigns
• Top Ten Annette Bening Performances
• Buffyverse Alums and Actors We Don't "Get"  

Coming in June
Hereditary, Oceans 8, The 1994 Supporting Actress Smackdown and other 1994 Goodies, sequels to Sicario and The Incredibles, Pride Month LGBTQ films, The Americans series finale, Harlots Season 1 Recap, Robert Preston Centennial, various surprises, and,  at the tail end of the month: HALFWAY MARK, BEST OF THE YEAR THUS FAR. 

ICYMI

by Nathaniel

The Film Experience will be back in a week. Before we dive headlong into 2018 catch up with highlights from the past film year...

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