Thanks to a soft January, a cruise to the Caribbean and some other uncontrollable circumstances, it took a little longer than last year to get to 25 movies. There’s a good chance the 2018 pace will catch up to 2017 by June and typically, the best movies don’t come until the second half of the year anyway. (At this point last year, Logan, John Wick: Chapter 2 and Kedi were the top 3 movies of 2017.) While the box office doesn’t reflect it, ignoring Black Panther, of course, 2018 is shaping up to be slightly better than 2017 although the bottom of 2018 is shaping up to be a cesspool. Here’s the first batch of films from 2018, graded:

The “Thumbs Up” Group

Love, Simon 5 out of 5 stars (5 / 5) REVIEW

I wasn’t expecting this to finish at the top of the list but it really was the perfect “coming (out) of age” film.

Black Panther 4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) REVIEW
Thoroughbreds 4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) REVIEW

Black Panther was excellent (the full review isn’t written yet) but expected, Thoroughbreds was the unexpected one.

Game Night 4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5) REVIEW
A Wrinkle In Time 4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5) REVIEW
Annihilation 4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5) REVIEW

I’m way higher on A Wrinkle In Time than most. Game Night was an unexpected delight and some might say I’m not high enough on Annihilation but 4 stars is nothing to sneeze at.

Ready Player One 3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5) REVIEW

Liked (not loved) it.

Midnight Sun 3 out of 5 stars (3 / 5) REVIEW
Every Day 3 out of 5 stars (3 / 5) REVIEW

These 2 just made the “Thumbs Up” cut but recommendations on Midnight Sun and Every Day could make you re-think listening to my opinion. We all have our vices.

The “Thumbs Eh” Group

Tomb Raider 2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5) REVIEW
Peter Rabbit 2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5) REVIEW
Red Sparrow 2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5) REVIEW
The Commuter 2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5) REVIEW
Gringo 2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5) REVIEW

Somehow, Peter Rabbit sat at #2 at the box office for much of the first quarter of 2018. The rest of these films all have at least one actor or actress that should have been capable of pulling in more than an animated bunny.

The “Thumbs Down” Group

Death Wish 2 out of 5 stars (2 / 5) REVIEW
The 15:17 to Paris 2 out of 5 stars (2 / 5) REVIEW

Usually, when Bruce Willis and Clint Eastwood films are paired up, that’s a good thing.

Early Man 1.5 out of 5 stars (1.5 / 5) REVIEW

Me no like cartoon about caveman.

The Strangers: Prey at Night 1 out of 5 stars (1 / 5) REVIEW
Fifty Shades Freed 1 out of 5 stars (1 / 5) REVIEW
Den of Thieves 1 out of 5 stars (1 / 5) REVIEW

Bad sequel… bad sequel… just bad.

Proud Mary 0.5 out of 5 stars (0.5 / 5) REVIEW
Winchester 0.5 out of 5 stars (0.5 / 5) REVIEW

The half a star here is for Taraji P. Henson in Proud Mary and the one good jump scare in Winchester.

Samson 0 out of 5 stars (0 / 5) REVIEW
Unsane 0 out of 5 stars (0 / 5) REVIEW
Sherlock Gnomes 0 out of 5 stars (0 / 5) REVIEW

This drive-in triple feature would be worse than any nightmare you could wish on me.