One of the benefits of film is that it is a visual media, and that means that it can do in a frame what it might take a book a number of pages to pull off. Where we see this the most is in its ability to build worlds in front of us.

These worlds could be great space operas that explore galaxies, or a small period piece that look back in time, or anything really. But when every part of the film is being used to tell a story, you know it is good.   

So without further ado, these are films that showed an excellence in Worldbuilding 2018. Be warned that there may be some slight spoilers ahead for the films in question.

Annihilation

Annihilation is one of those films that sucks you into its world with one weird thing after another. You don’t know what to expect next, or what creature will show up, or what seeming benign thing will turn out to be anything but. All of this creates a world that is both haunting and perplexing, and that is long before we get to the final act.  

Directed by – Alex Garland
Written by – Alex Garland
Production Design – Mark Digby
Art Direction – Denis Schnegg
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Black Panther

In one single frame, Black Panther brought Afrofuturism to life in a way I have not seen in a very long time. The world of Wakanda is full of textures, in the clothes people wear, in the design of the buildings, in the technology they use. Every part of the film is building a world we have been hinted about but never seen on the big screen and it was amazing.           

Directed by – Ryan Coogler
Written by – Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole
Production Design – Hannah Beachler
Art Direction – Alan Hook
See Full Review

Mortal Engines

This year I don’t think a single moment has captured me in the same way as what happened when the City of London first appears on the big screen. Even before we get into the heart of the city, you can tell so much about its people and its philosophy from just the pan across its features. As we explore on every chance to build upon this world is taken, and it is a joy to see.

Directed by – Christian Rivers
Written by – Fran Walsh,Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson
Production Design – Dan Hennah
Art Direction – Simon Bright
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The Shape of Water

With The Shape of Water, they create a world that is both instantly familiar but also absolutely unique. They delve into the world of 1950s nostalgia of white picket fences and then undercut it through the story and the design. All of this creates a fascinating world of spies, governments at loggerheads, and a girl finding a boy and asking him to love her.       

Directed by – Guillermo del Toro  
Written by – Guillermo del Toro & Vanessa Taylor         
Production Design – Paul D. Austerberry
Art Direction – Nigel Churcher
See Full Review

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man is a world we are intimately familiar with after three reboots in less than 20 years, but the creative team behind Into The Spider-Verse found a way to make it all feel fresh and new again. It is a world that is both familiar and different, it is a world full of colour and texture, and also takes the time to build five different worlds in the one film like that is no big thing.   

Directed by – Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey & Rodney Rothman
Written by – Phil Lord &Rodney Rothman
Art Direction – Dean Gordon & Patrick O’Keefe
Production Design – Justin K. Thompson
See Full Review

And the Winner is!!!!! – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of those films like Mad Max: Fury Road that has the ability to fill every frame of the film with texture and detail that make re-watching a joy because you constantly find new things. However, it also takes the time to explore the world so it is not at all overwhelming. This is an amazing balance, and a joy to watch.   

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

What are your favourite cinematic moments from 2018?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images used were created by the respective studio and artists of each film