Honorable Mentions:
Bone Tomahawk: How often do genre blends work? Very rarely I would say, and a horror western seems quite odd, if interesting. Luckily, Bone Tomahawk succeeds in what it strives to accomplish. This eerie and slow burning film nailed the tone and atmosphere, gave us a compelling story, and filled it with fascinating characters, led by Kurt Russell. As someone who loves westerns, but is not so much a fan of horror, I was very pleased with the results of this film.
The Gift: This film caught everyone by surprise. Joel Edgerton as the writer and director while also starring in the film? How could this work? Well...it did, very well actually. The Gift is a film that will have you gripping your armrest throughout its entire runtime. This is a chilling thriller with great performances and an amazing ending sequence. Oddly enough, this is also an emotionally moving film with a very good payoff. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and look forward to what Edgerton does next.
Inside Out: This year, we received a number of good animated films. Without question, my favorite was The Peanuts Movie, as I had a great time revisiting childhood. However, I do feel that Inside Out was the better film. Inside Out dealt with several heavy themes that many would deem too mature for children. But the way it executes these themes is masterful, depicting depression and sadness in a light that is not often shone on the topic. The voice cast was outstanding, there are plenty of great laughs, and this stands as one of Pixar's finer achievements.
Kingsman: The Secret Service: Of all the spy films we got this year (and we got plenty), I believe Kingsman was the best of the lot. This film was a blast from start to finish, with fantastic action beats and terrific comedy. The entire cast did a great job and the direction by Matthew Vaughn is stellar. A quickly engaging film and a fun watch, Kingsman might just be the next big franchise and I cannot wait for the sequel.
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation: Rogue Nation is simply an awesome spy-action-thriller. The only reason I put Kingsman above it as the better spy film is because the story in Kingsman is slightly more cohesive, but that is not to detract from this film's greatness. Tom Cruise has become a legend in action films, always one-upping his stunt work with each movie. This film has a great scope, tons of well-shot action, and an engaging premise. Though I still feel Ghost Protocol is the best in the franchise, this is a worthy follow-up.
Top Ten Best Films of 2015:
#9: Avengers: Age of Ultron: When the first Avengers film came out in 2012, many were awestruck at what they had witnessed. All of these heroes were together on the big screen for the first time. So why did the sequel not get as much praise? Simple; the novelty has kind of worn off. As a result, the film did not meet audience's extremely high expectations. And if you are one of those people, I implore you to give this film another shot and watch it for what it is; a sequel. I believe Age of Ultron is Marvel's best film to date. It improves on its predecessor in just about every way. It has a much bigger scope, a better villain, better action, plenty of powerful character moments, and a surprising amount of heft. It is easy to dismiss the comic book genre as dumb entertainment, but if you really analyze some of these films, you realize that they are much deeper than they are given credit for. Age of Ultron is one of the best comic films ever made, providing a great amount of fun while also juggling multiple deeper meanings for a superficially "simple" genre.
#8: Mr Holmes: Nobody saw this movie. Why did nobody see this movie? Mr. Holmes is a masterful character study of one of literature's most prominent characters. Ian McKellen gave one of the year's strongest performances as the legendary character Sherlock Holmes and yet no one seems to have seen this picture. The film depicts an aging Holmes (in his 90s) as he recounts the mystery that forced him into retirement...the one he could not solve. As a massive fan of the character in any media, be it literature, film, television, or even radio shows from the 1940s, this delivered for me in every way possible. This is a slow and, often, a depressing film, but the emotion is present throughout and it offers a different take on the character, one we have not seen yet. The direction is solid, the story engaging, and McKellen gives one of his best performances. Mr. Holmes is, in my opinion, the most underrated film of 2015.
#7: The Revenant: Birdman was my pick for best picture last year, and it has even managed to crack my top ten favorite films of all time. I loved everything Innaritu did with that film, so when I heard that he was making another feature, I was excited. The Revenant is a grand, grueling, and gorgeous feature. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy are at peak form and though there is a significant lack of dialogue in the film, it is incredibly gripping all the same. Emmanuel Lubezki is the true star of the film however. His cinematography was breathtaking, implementing long takes, powerful pans, tricky tracking shots, and numerous examples of the "impossible camera" (camera shots where I have no idea how they filmed it). Using all natural light could not have been easy either, or filming everything on location, but the cast and crew's determination definitely pulled through. The Revenant is a revenge tale but one that also features spectacular filmmaking. Innaritu has done it again.
#6: The Hateful Eight: Quentin Tarantino has such a distinctive style when it comes to making films. You can easily tell which films are his as they are like nothing else in any genre. With The Hateful Eight, Tarantino returns to the western setting to give us a mystery. Seems odd but what we get is a nail-biting, brutal, western-thriller that is unlike any other western out there. The film will make you laugh, it will disgust you, it will enthrall you, and I think this is one of Tarantino's best works. The entire cast gives memorable performances, each giving a deliciously sinister spin on their character. The dialogue is, in typical Tarantino fashion, one of a kind. The cinematography is also gorgeous. The feature was shot in 70mm film and the movie benefits from this, giving it a very classic air. Ennio Morricone delivers another incredible western score that is haunting, quirky, and catchy, making it the best soundtrack of the year. The Hateful Eight is currently my second favorite Tarantino film, right behind Inglorious Basterds, and I highly recommend it to those who can handle crude humor and lots and lots of blood.
#5: Spotlight: Spotlight is a very important film, as it shows us that great performances are not defined by who can explode or yell the loudest, and also because it delivers a solid story that depicts both sides of the issue. This film is incredibly investing, with a story that is absolutely riveting and extremely engaging. This ensemble cast works magnificently together, all of them giving subdued and grounded yet real performances. Tom McCarthy's direction is top tier as he proves he has a firm grasp of the screenplay he co-wrote as well as how to work with powerhouse actors. Spotlight tells an important story, that of the Boston Church scandal and it tells it appropriately. This is a picture that might change you once the credits begin to roll. The less I say about it, the better. A heavily affecting film, I cannot recommend it enough.
#4: The Martian: Ridley Scott returns to the big screen with his best film in years. The Martian is a wonderful film, an absolutely beautiful, enthralling picture. This is yet another example of an ensemble cast that does a tremendous job, but I would be remiss if I did not mention Matt Damon's stellar performance. Damon owns this film and his character is so likable, funny, and optimistic. That last one is especially important for a story like this. This could have been a dark and depressing tale of loneliness and hopelessness. Instead, we have a much more lighthearted take on a terrible situation. Damon's character is always looking for a solution and his upbeat attitude wins the audience over within the first five minutes. Scott demonstrates that he is still a solid director and that he has some talent left in him yet. The Martian is a movie that everyone should see. It inspires hope, optimism, and is a true delight.
#3: Creed: To me, Creed was the most emotional cinematic experience I went through this year. I felt for all of the characters because they are so well realized. Michael B. Jordan is a superstar in this movie, and his interactions with Sylvester Stallone are worth the price of admission. Speaking of which, Sylvester Stallone crushes it in this film. Rocky is a character he created and has seen evolve and inspire others for nearly 40 years, and his performance shows that he has a deep understanding of what the character represents and what he means to others. The story is a clever excuse to have another Rocky movie, but it is more than that. I feel that Creed is the best picture in the franchise. The fighting is ridiculously riveting and you will have to restrain yourself from getting up out of your seat and cheering for the characters you love so much. This movie hits hard and captures what made the original Rocky so beloved and long-lasting.
#2: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens: Speaking of franchises that started in the 70s and got a sequel this year, The Force Awakens is my runner up for best picture of the year. For many years, people thought Star Wars was dead, that there was no way to recover from the prequels. The Force Awakens proved us wrong by giving us a Star Wars film that focused more on the story and the characters than the spectacle. We were given lovable heroes, a fleshed out villain, great humor, exciting action sequences, a well-thought-out script, intelligent camerawork, the list goes on. All of this culminated in recapturing the Star Wars magic and former glory. This is easily J.J. Abram's best outing as a director. His love for the universe is felt throughout the film and the attention to detail cannot be understated. Is it a perfect film? No, but I would rank it up there with the original trilogy, as I honestly believe this is a brilliantly made picture. The Force Awakens is, without a doubt, my favorite film of 2015. However, I do not believe it was the best film of 2015. That honor goes to another.
#1: Mad Max: Fury Road: What can I say about this film that has not already been said? Fury Road is not only the best movie of the Mad Max franchise (which coincidentally also started in the 70s) but is also one of the best action movies ever made. The way the action was helmed was masterfully done by George Miller. The use of eye trace to create order amidst the chaos is like nothing else I have ever seen. Despite how it may seem, Fury Road is also an important film in its own right. We have a female co-lead that has received universal acclaim thanks to Charlize Theron's magnificent performance, which is not common for the genre. We have a film that showcases editing and cinematography at its best, being able to communicate a clear image amidst all the cars, and explosions, and sand, etc.. We have a film that truly takes advantage of the visual medium. You could watch the entire film on mute and still understand everything that is happening. This is a visual tale and a silent film at its base. Some of the few criticisms include the film having too simple of a plot. It is true, Fury Road is simple on plot but it makes up for that by being heavy on story. Every character has their own history, as do the settings. By looking at the backgrounds and even the cars, you learn a lot about this post-apocalyptic future. The simple plot makes it easy to jump into, but the stories that populate the film are what make it so investing. I could go on and on about how Fury Road is a masterpiece, but I would rather you watch the film yourself and find out. Mad Max: Fury Road is my pick for the best picture of 2015.
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