I didn’t love 2015 for film. I really felt like the movies released paled in comparison to 2014. But, there were some great films, some good blockbusters, some major disappointments, and some terrible things put on camera, so here is my personal Top 10 of 2015. I didn’t see every movie this year, they are listed below as well as my honorable mentions, so enjoy.
DIDN’T WATCH:
STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
INSIDE OUT
THE BIG SHORT
BRIDGE OF SPIES
STEVE JOBS
THE WALK
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
THE MARTIAN
BLACK MASS
LEGEND
SPECTRE
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION
THE LIST:
NUMBER 10: CONCUSSION
Concussion and
The Martian were originally tied for the number 10 spot, but The Martian I found dull in some of the scenes on Earth and the ending of the film. Concussion actually had me tied in with a good tale that happened recently, some very good performances by Will Smith and Albert Brooks, and a nice look on the American Dream and what it means to find something wrong in something you love.
NUMBER 9:
THE PEANUTS MOVIE
As a huge Charlie Brown fan, I loved this movie. It was, in a word, cute. It respected its previous incarnations and specials while adding something new and original. It didn’t insult my childhood, but instead made other kid’s memories. The animation was beautiful, and they didn’t try to update it with the kids on iPads or anything stupid like that; a very good film for 2015.
NUMBER 8:
SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight was an Oscar-bait film, but a very good one. The story is something that needed to be said, and is based on events I remember hearing about as a child. The performances were all great, especially Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton, the story is told by what is possibly the best original screenplay of the year, I would highly recommend this movie.
NUMBER 7:
JOY
Joy is not getting the best reviews, and I really don’t know why. David O Russel and Jennifer Lawrence hit it out of the park again with an underdog tale about a woman who has to fight to be heard. The performances by Lawrence and Robert De Niro were both very good, everything well supported by a strong director, and you really root for the titular character. She is one of the strongest females in film this year, along with two others who made my list as well…
NUMBER 6:
KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
This film shocked everybody. It came out in February, where almost all films suck (
Deadpool is hopefully another exception) and turned out to be one of the year’s funniest times at the theater. Featuring a very strong breakout performance by Taron Egerton, a script based on a comic book while also serving homage to classic Bond, I loved this movie. The church fight and the McDonalds still get me smiling. And, it’s my favorite comic book movie this year.
NUMBER 5:
STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS
I know it’s not number one like a lot of people will have it, but I didn’t go in as a huge fan. I respected
Star Wars for what it has done to the science fiction genre, but I wasn’t a diehard fan. This was my favorite time at the theater this year. Rey and Poe are two of my favorite characters. I really don’t care if some consider this movie a “rehash” of
A New Hope, Rey is an interesting character even if she wasn’t a Jedi. Kylo Ren is awesome, and even if I feel like there’s room for improvement on the character, John Boyega was great in the movie. Hell, even Harrison Ford looking like he gave a shit was great to see!
NUMBER 4:
CREED
I was a fan of the Rocky movies, and this movie delivered. Michael B. Jordan made up for
Fant4stic in spades, his performance and this movie rocked. Sylvester Stallone gave the best performance he’s given since the original
Rocky, and Ryan Coogler did a stellar job directing. The music is awesome, and the cinematography was amazing, the long shot fight scene is one of my favorite scenes of 2015.
NUMBER 3:
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Okay, forget what I said about Kingsman being a shock, who would have thought Mad Max would top so many Top 10 lists in 2015??? I actually feel like this movie can be nominated for Best Picture, no lie. The effects were great; the music wove this movie together, even with minimal dialogue. Furiousa is the best female protagonist this year, and Tom Hardy had a great year, with this move, Legends, where his performance was the best thing of the movie, and a movie I will later state. In a year chocked filled with sequels to films from the seventies and eighties, this movie is the best I’ve seen this year.
NUMBER 2:
THE HATEFUL EIGHT
It’s Tarantino; this movie was always bound to be good. The film was excellently shot, the performances were all top notch, and the dialogue was catchy. Channing Tatum was probably my favorite part of the film, Jennifer Jason Leigh was extremely good, and Samuel L Jackson was probably the best of them all. There was a bit of a slow part in the middle, but then a great monologue lead to the rest of the film going nowhere but up!
NUMBER 1:
THE REVENANT
This was my most anticipated of 2016, and it did not disappoint. Everything about this movie was perfect. Leonardo DiCaprio will win the Oscar, I know it. Tom Hardy is getting nominated for Best Supporting Actor in this film, I know it. He was my favorite villain of the year. There was some amazing action, some great tension, and the natural light really brought the film to all new levels. And holy shit, the scene where Leonardo DiCaprio is attacked by a bear, is so awesome; my favorite scene in general of the entire year, and my favorite film of the year.
Well there’s my Top 10 of 2015. While I didn’t love this year for movies, I’ve got to say the Top 5 were all top notch. I just wish more films were on the same level. Here to 2016, what’s your favorite film of 2015, comment bellow!