It could be a testament to how much of a really good year it
was in film, or it could be a testament to #brand loyalty. I definitely see The Force Awakens as the former, but
seeing that it came out in the last month of the year, I also choose to see it
as a summation of the year in film. The
Force Awakens, and a couple other films this year, excelled at picking up
from where they left off in their filmography, and progressing further with
something new. A few of the films in this list share that same attribute and so
do a few other films not on this list. It’s exciting to think that in a few
years, we’ll be looking back at 2015, and remembering it as a monumental year
in film.
The Top 10 Films of 2015
 |
| Paramount Pictures |
Director/Writer Christopher McQuarrie took Mission: Impossible to new heights with
his continuously decreasing action sequence structure. It’s just amazing how
the film starts off with its biggest action set piece then progresses with each
action sequence getting smaller and smaller, with the momentum of the film
never faltering. It’s an intricate blockbuster and an incredibly fun ride that
makes for a really good double feature with Ghost
Protocol, because of how different the two installments are.
09.) The Martian
 |
| 20th Century Fox |
This
past year, I was thankful Ridley Scott took a break from dour films like Prometheus and Exodus: Gods & Kings to give us a bright and hopeful sci-fi film
about human survival. The Martian is
funny, gorgeous, and a completely satisfying movie-going experience. The film
is supported wonderfully by its cast and even more so by its director, who delivers
on his first great big-budgeted film in a while.
08.) The Mend
For a film about a deadbeat, The Mend has a lot of life. Director John Magary’s debut feature
film is hilarious, sad, angry, dynamic, and ultimately about brothers and
truth. Follow the incredible Josh Lucas and Stephen Plunkett on a film that’s
like a rollercoaster, but with no slow build-ups, just a lot of impressionable
downs. The editing of this film is majestic. There’s no way I’m not going to
give myself time off to watch this again.
07.) Inside Out
 |
| Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Pixar went back to basics to awaken the child in me. After
years of teaching kids how to deal with emotions and life through animals,
inanimate objects, and other non-human characters, they actually went and made
a film that features emotions as the main characters that teach the audience how
to handle emotions. The result is pretty spectacular. Characters that could’ve
easily been one-note all took on so much life and meaning. They built a cute
and vibrant world around the characters in a clever way. And the film
completely nailed its silent, emotional gut-punches. The scene where Joy accepts
sadness at the bottom of the Memory Dump was pretty much when I knew the movie
would be at my Top 10 at the end of the year.
06.) Crimson Peak
 |
| Universal Pictures |
Director Guillermo Del Toro has proven himself a creative
genius willing to break the boundaries of genre filmmaking. Del Toro
confidently challenges the horror genre with a dark romance that is atmospheric
and hauntingly beautiful. It doesn’t have a shocking twist, it doesn’t follow
the “build up, scare” structure, the story simply unfolds as it follows Del
Toro’s vision. The set pieces take on a life of their own (sometimes literally)
and the actors completely fade into the pageantry of the piece. It’s Del Toro
channeling classic and foreign horror techniques, and with his firm handling
of cinema in the director’s position, it’s a stand out horror film that should
be remembered for quite some time.
05.) Clouds of Sils Maria
 |
| IFC Films |
This is my Birdman.
Clouds of Sils Maria is a perfect
marriage between text and subtext, and boasts one of the most intelligent and
thought-provoking screenplays presented this year. It completely succeeds at
being a film about coping with age and the overtaking of the new generation,
and all of its meta commentary, with the excellent use of perspective – both from
the two main characters and the audience. It also has two stunning performances
from Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart, and even a really good performance
from Chloe Grace Moretz. It definitely has loads to unpack on its first
viewing, but further viewings and analysis has proven this one of the best
films that 2015 had to offer.
04.) Room
 |
| A24 Films |
Room is a bold,
emotional exploration of the mother-son bond and the world a parent creates for
their child. Writer of the film and the novel on which it was based on, Emma
Donoghue crafts a sometimes tearful, but mostly uplifting coming-of-age drama
that is accented beautifully by Lenny Abrahamson’s nuanced direction. The film
also features two of the best performances of the year in Brie Larson, who is
an absolute cinematic treasure, and Jacob Tremblay, a nine year old actor who
has the perfect balance and command over his role that most adult actors dream
of having. It’s set on a small scale, but it’s definitely one of the most
breathtaking cinematic experiences I’ve had in 2015.
03.) Magic Mike XXL
 |
| Warner Bros. Pictures |
Most people think I’m joking when I say Magic Mike XXL is in my top five movies of 2015. I’m most certainly
not. Magic Mike XXL is the definition
of a “pleasure movie”, but where it
differs from the likes of a Star Wars:
The Force Awakens or a Kingsman: The Secret Service (films that aim to pleasure fans or audiences craving for a
hyperviolent escape in cinema) is that it aims to serve the female audience. And
that’s a film I can thoroughly get behind. Producer Steven Soderbergh and
director Gregory Jacobs perfectly and
intentionally deliver a no-conflict, road trip film that’s all about having
fun. And the drivers never take their foot off 11, as the film is complete with
spot-on comedic timing, insane dance numbers, and one of the best single scenes
in movie this year. There’s nothing fundamentally different between this film
and the other inventive and entertaining blockbusters I’ve put on this list,
other than the dudes being healers instead of fighters.
02.) Creed
 |
| MGM Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures |
All I wanted to do was chant “Creed! Creed!” multiple times after
watching this film. Director Ryan Coogler brings back the Rocky series after a nine-year resting period with a film that
passes on the torch from Rocky Balboa to Adonis Creed. It solidifies itself as *the* boxing movie of the 2010s, as it
incorporates the familiar “underdog” story utilized a lot in sports movies with
the fresh perspective and unique sensibilities brought by Coogler. Also, this
one of the films I mentioned earlier that shows respect for the legacy left
behind by the old generation, while also showing willingness to progress
further with new and relevant stories. That frame right there with Michael B.
Jordan and Sylvester Stallone (who are both phenomenal in the film) perfectly
captures that. I’ve never watched a single Rocky
film, but I can’t help but feel that the way I feel for this film is how
audiences felt for Rocky back in
1976.
01.) Mad Max: Fury Road
 |
| Warner Bros. Pictures |
The 80s had Die Hard.
The 90s had Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
The 2010s? Well, if you ask me, I’m going to say Mad Max: Fury Road. Director George Miller resurrected his 80s
Austrailian, dystopian action series with a jolt of adrenaline mixed with
gussoline, and I don’t think the action genre shall ever go back to the way it
was (at least, from my point of view). Fury
Road’s true genius lies not in its simplicity, but its ability to tell a
complex, multi-layered story mostly through action and visuals. I’m always
astounded that a blockbuster film in 2015 was able to tell a convincing romance
story, a villain-turned-hero story, and a story about a man and a woman forming
a genuine camaraderie to overthrow the patriarchy, all with only brief moments
of exposition. It’s the type of filmmaking that makes me fall in love with the
craft all over again. Plus, the gorgeous cinematography and color pallete,
Miller’s use of practical effects, and Charlize Theron’s absolutely amazing
performance as Furiosa make the film endlessly rewatchable. There was not one
film in 2015 I deemed perfect… except for Mad
Max: Fury Road. It’s a perfect film. Witness.
That was my 2015. It was a pretty good year, and I can’t
wait to see where I am when I look back at it with more age and new knowledge.
It was a monumental year, one that will hopefully be remembered for ages to
come.
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