The Top 10 Films of 2015
10. Chappie
The jury is still out on whether Neill Blomkamp is a truly great filmmaker, but he seemed to earn some goodwill back with this incredibly offbeat robot story. While not all of its parts gel together, the central character and his growth were done excellently. Taking a well-worn sci-fi story and giving it a dirty, punky makeover, Chappie was uniquely its own film and Sharlto Copley's motion capture performance as the title character was one of the most underrated of the year. Combined with Blomkamp's expertise with action, there was nothing else like it.
9. Mr. Holmes
Speaking of great performances, Sir Ian Mckellen's take on an elderly, possibly Alzheimer's afflicted Sherlock Holmes was one of the best. And the film centered around him is just as good. At turns sad, beautiful, and mysterious, Mr. Holmes was the intimate portrait of a legendary figure in his twilight. To see Holmes made so human and losing the sharp memory & deduction which once brought him such acclaim is tragic, but its ultimately a very hopeful film. While its central mystery may draw you in, its the humanity that will stick with you after the credits.
8. Kingsman: The Secret Service
If I could sum up 2015 movies, I'd say it was the year Blockbusters started to find their brains again. And the first out of the gate to show that was Kingsman. A mix of deconstruction, parody, and reconstruction of classic, over-the-top James Bond movies, Kingsman wasn't afraid to look at the dark side of espionage and the classism inherent in movies of this kind. But aside from that, it was just a funny, kickass movie in its own right. Its action scenes were unequalled all year, especially the now-legendary "church scene", and I can't wait to see what director Matthew Vaughn does next.
7. Bridge of Spies
You'd think after 40 years it wouldn't be surprising that Steven Spielberg can make damn good movies, and yet here we are. Bridge of Spies seemed to pass most people by, but that's their loss. Those of us who saw it know that it was a tense Cold War thriller, unafraid to deal with the wider repercussions of its plots. All centered around Tom Hanks at his most Tom Hanks, a wonderful performance of a committed professional and principled American in the face of overwhelming pressure to roll over. Definitely worth anyone's time.
6. Crimson Peak
Sure, it wasn't scary but it wasn't supposed to be. The only word I can think of to describe Crimson Peak is sumptuous, a beautiful Gothic romance and love story. Leave it to Guillermo Del Toro to make a decaying old mansion feel so haunted and ancient using nothing but his camera and production designers. He makes the titular Crimson Peak as much of a character as any of the others, and gets just as good of a performance out of it. Which isn't to take anything away from Mia Wasikowski, Tom Hiddleston, and Jessica Chastain, who all give wonderfully against type performances. Don't go in expecting a horror movie, and let this film weave its spell around you.
5. It Follows
I gave this one the full review back when it came out, but nine months later it still holds up. It Follows was both incredibly creepy in its minimalism and fascinating in its originality. But what really stood out to me was the surprising allegorical depth of its story. While most could not get beyond the surface "Monster=STD" metaphor, for those of us who looked a bit deeper at the clever filmmaking found a mature and thoughtful meditation on the terror of adulthood. If you're among the few who still haven't seen this, check it out. It's worth the hype.
4. Mad Max: Fury Road
Another one I gave the full review treatment to. Fury Road was an adrenaline soaked masterpiece that incredibly managed to be numerous, seemingly contradicting things at once. A blood-pumping action fest. A paen to practical effects. A feminist metaphor. A source of ridiculous memes. It was the movie everybody was talking about back in summer and it was well-deserved. Watch it, then drive your car into a wall.
3. Ex Machina
One movie, three great performances. Ex Machina was the small scale science fiction people have been asking for years and boy was it incredible. A kind of post-modern Frankenstein story, It didn't follow the traditional trappings or beats of this kind of story and was all the better for it. It was a film just as seductive as its main character, and it always kept you guessing. It takes talent to mix thought-provoking ideas with emotional, character-driven storytelling like this. It may be a little too slow or strange for some, but if you're willing to engage with Ex Machina it'll be rewarding. And it will certainly give you plenty to consider.
2. Inside Out
Because it was good enough to make me cry like a tiny baby. Not much can do that.
1. The Martian
Okay, now that we've brought him back from Mars can we stop saving Matt Damon? Seriously though, Ridley Scott's adaptation of Andy Weir's novel was nothing short of remarkable. The majority of the praise needs to go to Drew Goddard for keeping the novel's humor and humanity intact and for making the often-complicated hard science understandable to an average audience. And also to Mr. Damon for his natural charm and relatability so that we understand in practical terms how much it sucks to be stuck on Mars. But I don't want to short-shrift Ridley Scott, who created some of the best filmed realistic space scenes since Apollo 13. What most sticks out about The Martian though is how hopeful it is, and how effortlessly it fills an audience with the same optimism. We need more movies like this these days; smart, funny, & hopeful. They could do worse than copying The Martian.
Honorable Mentions:
Ant-Man
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Black Mass
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