MY FAVORITE FILM EXPERIENCES OF 2015!
Another year is in the books, and as expected, there were plenty of outstanding movies released in 2015. I’ve compiled a list of my ten favorite film experiences of the year, along with a handful of honorable mentions. Before getting to the list, it should be noted that there are plenty of movies I have yet to see. In some cases, I simply ran out of time, and in other cases, there were some films that haven’t made it to my neck of the woods yet.
Noteworthy titles like “Carol,” “Room,” “The Revenant,” “Anomalisa,” “The Danish Girl,” “The Big Short,” “Beasts of No Nation,” “Son of Saul,” “The Look of Silence,” and “Brooklyn” have garnered substantial buzz, and I hope to see them soon. In the meantime, there were plenty of great films to marvel at over the course of the year. This list is alphabetical rather than in order of importance because all of these films were well worth my time, and it is my hope that you will watch them all and enjoy them as much as I did.
Click on the film title if you want to read the original review as published.
Haven’t heard of “71”? You’re not alone. It received a very limited release, and it’s a shame, because this was clearly one of the best movies of the year. This gripping, dramatic, taut thriller finds a disoriented British soldier trapped in Belfast during the turbulent “troubles” of Northern Ireland. In addition to Yann Demange’s stellar direction and Jack O’Connell’s quietly effective performance, “71” benefits from not necessarily taking a side. Rather, it offers up heroes and villains on various sides of the political spectrum. This is an expertly crafted movie, and I can’t wait to see what Demange does next.
After “Rocky V” opened to mostly scathing reviews in 1990 (for the record, I like it more than most), it looked as if this iconic boxing franchise had run its course. Enter 2006’s “Rocky Balboa” which brought the series to a surprisingly poignant close. Or so we thought. In 2015, writer/director Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station”) delivered “Creed,” a rousing spin-off film that would follow the rise of Apollo Creed’s son, Adonis (incredibly well-played by Michael B. Jordan). Stallone also returned in what might just be the best work of his career. In short, “Creed” went the distance.
“It Follows” was the buzz horror film of 2015, and while tonally it was quite a delight, “The Final Girls” is the one that truly got away. In this little-seen gem which finds a group of teens magically sucked into a slasher film, a young woman (Taissa Farmiga) must team with the character played by her deceased mother (Malin Akerman) in an effort to survive. Think of it as “The Last Slasher Hero.” “The Final Girls” is meta in all the best ways possible. It’s funny too! Mostly though, it’s the last thing you’d expect a slasher movie to be: adorable!
Pixar’s stunning achievement is one of the best movies you’ll ever see about the human experience: a film that suggests that even our emotions have emotions. In addition to the spectacular animation and stellar vocal work, this film goes straight for the heart. “Inside Out” is thrilling, dramatic, and funny. Simply put, it’s one of the best titles Pixar has produced, and if you been following this studio’s outpouring of quality entertainment, then you know that’s saying a lot.
One of the best action movies of the past decade was directed with undeniable youthful exuberance by 70-year-old George Miller. While this is a continuation — of sorts — of a series that hadn’t seen an entry since 1985’s “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” “Fury Road” still emerges as a wholly unique vision of a post-apocalyptic world. Starring Tom Hardy (filling in for Mel Gibson) and a riveting Charlize Theron, this breathtaking chase film defines its characters through relentless action, but for all its visual splendor and non-stop action, this is a movie that truly has something to say. “Fury Road” is a story about hope born out of hopelessness.
Sibling filmmakers Michael and Peter Spierig are expert world builders, and while the team behind the excellent horror film “Daybreakers” have yet to become household names, the creative time-traveling mind-bender “Predestination” further establishes them as directors to keep you eye on. This is one lean thrill ride, and it’s jam packed with enough plot threads to fill five movies. Ethan Hawke is awesome as a temporal agent zipping through time in an effort to bring a terrorist to justice, but it’s Sarah Snook who steals the show as woman with quite a story to tell. This movie takes time travel to a whole new level, and while the ending of the picture is twisted, it’s twisted in all the right ways. “Predestination” deserved a much grander reception than it got. See it!
“SICARIO”
Like an idiot, I didn’t cover “Sicario” when it opened last fall, but make no mistakes, this haunting, brutal, and undeniably thought-provoking effort from director Denis Villeneuve (“Incendies” and “Prisoners”) is one of the year’s best. “Sicario” is a terrifying descent into our war on drugs. Fueled by Roger Deakins’ breathtaking cinematography and outstanding performances from the likes of Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro, “Sicario” is a cold, haunting, and powerful look at what many folks believe to be an unwinnable war. A kindred spirit to Steven Soderbergh’s less visceral but equally effective “Traffic.”
Tom McCarthy’s understated look at the power of truth and real investigative journalism offers up the best ensemble of the year. Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber, Rachel McAdams, and Stanley Tucci bring their A-game in this story of a Boston newspaper’s attempt at getting to the bottom of a child molestation cover-up involving the Catholic Church. For those thinking this is a simple-minded attack on religion, it’s not. McCarthy and crew also point a finger at other guilty parties. A great script and a brilliant ensemble make “Spotlight” a must-see movie.
“Spy” was the funniest movie of 2015, hands down! In fact, this film is much more than a great comedy. It’s also a great spy movie, going so far as to top “Spectre” in espionage, thrills, and the all important spy movie theme song (I’ll take Ivy Levan’s tune here over Sam Smith’s “Writing’s on the Wall” any day of the week). “Spy” does a great job making us laugh, but it also subverts our idea of what a spy movie can be. What’s more, Melissa McCarthy and Rose Byrne bring the funny in spades. As hilarious as they are, it’s Jason Statham who emerges as the biggest scene stealer of the bunch. As an overly confident rogue agent, Statham’s dead pan delivery and flair for the overly dramatic take the gem that is Paul Feig’s “Spy” to new comical heights.
“STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS”
In the midst of the inevitable “The Force Awakens” backlash, I’m putting the J.J. Abrams box-office juggernaut on my list. Are there flaws in what is looking to be the biggest movie in the history of film? Most certainly. The thing is, I don’t care. “The Force Awakens” moves like a bullet train, and it’s an absolute joy to watch. Furthermore, it was crafted by a cast and crew who clearly love and respect this iconic mythology. “The Force Awakens” may retread familiar ground (as if it’s the first movie to ever do that), but it does so exceptionally well and is fueled by a host of new characters that are incredibly easy to fall in love with (Rey, Finn, Poe, and even new baddie, Kylo Ren). Sometimes, pure unbridled joy trumps imperfection, and “The Force Awakens” is a shining example of this theory. I said it before and I’ll say it again: This is a great time to be a “Star Wars” fan!
Honorable Mention:
“ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL”
“MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — ROGUE NATION”
