The end credits are rolling on 2015, which means it is time for me to create my annual top ten list by selecting my ten favorite movies of the year. 2015 has had many releases I was looking forward to seeing. Many big spectacles (Spectre, Jurassic World), original films (Inside Out, Straight Outta Compton), exciting new Indy flicks (Mr Holmes, Ex Machina), intriguing documentaries (Amy, The Wolfpack), as well as the occasional foreign film(Phoenix, Coming Home) lured me back to my home away from home, the movie theater.
I always enjoy making this list. I look back, on the movies I saw this year, remembering the good, the bad, and the ugly. More importantly I tend to remember the times had with family, friends, and strangers watching the lights pave the way to the images racing across the screen. For instance I always enjoy welcoming the summer movie season with a dinner party and Thursday night opener. This years menu consisted of pulled pork BBQ and the film Avengers: Age Of Ultron. The night started early evening and it was 5 in the morning when all was said and done. The lateness doesn’t matter but what does is the time spent in the company of friends, family, and friends who are family. This year saw many such nights and I smile remembering each moment of them.
As always the annual oscar extravaganza went off with out a hitch. This past winter the party turned twelve, and for the first time in the history of the party shoveling snow was required. It was a great night enjoyed by a record number of attendees. I enjoyed playing the trivia games, catching up with everyone, talking movies, and seeing many great movies, and some not so great ones, win and lose Oscars. It is the social event of my year and one I look forward to more then Christmas itself. Not to brag but last years # 3 on the top ten list, Birdman, was crowned the big winner.
I must point out that it is rare that I see a movie twice on the big screen. I want a new experience when I visit my local cinemas. I do enjoy rewatching movies and thats why I collect DVDs & Blu Rays. However this year there was a record number of films I saw twice on the big screen. The quartet consists of Furious Seven, Jurassic World, Spectre, & Spotlight. That’s more repeat viewings of theatrical releases then the past three years combined. It made for some pretty awesome movies in 2015.
So on with this years top ten list. Please remember this is not what I think will be competing for the awards season but my personal favorite movies of 2015.
10.The Visit
There’s been a resurgence in the kind of horror films I enjoy the past few years. I enjoy ones where the blood and guts are there to support the story (The Exorcist for instance) rather then having the story support the blood and guts (Saw, Hostel). Films like Insidious, Sinister, The Conjuring, and It Follows have relied more on jump scares and the unknown vs the shock value in something like Saw. What makes The Visit stand out is how it combines a since of humor with its horror. It lead the viewer down the rabbit hole while jumping out at you from all sides. It’s a fun film to watch especially with a group as you laugh with one another at what scared you.
9.Straight Outta Compton
This year should go down as the year of the music movie. There weren’t any big musical adaptations but there were plenty of documentaries about musicians (Amy, The Wrecking Crew), movies about music (Pitch Perfect 2), and movies based upon the lives of musicians (Love & Mercy). Straight Outta Compton focuses on the rise of hip hop and the ensuing tensions between the artists creating the music. I’m not a fan of hip hop music but saw the talent behind it, in this film. It was an incredible story supported by an incredibly talented cast, mostly unknown to me, and sharp dialogue. I really like how the movie didn’t shy away from the roughness (the violence, language, the behind the scenes manipulation) of the scene. It pushed me in ways that made me uneasy and I admire it when a movie does that.
8.What We Do in the Shadows
No movie made me laugh this hard all year, and that includes going to a screening of Monty Python & the Holy Grail. The film is a mockumentary that follows a group of vampires living in modern times. I found myself quoting the movie the whole drive home and for hours after each subsequent viewing. I’ve shown my copy of the movie to a handful of friends and each one of them has loved it as well. I found the film works great with a group of people and is funny to watch on a lazy afternoon by yourself when you have a few hours to kill. I never tire of its unique sense of humor and love the occasional homage to famous vampire tales that have come before. If you want a treat yourself to a great comedy check out What We Do in the Shadows and if you want some company when you watch it, call me I’ll bring my disc over.
7.The Martian
I do enjoy science fiction cinema, after all Interstellar was number one on my list last year. This film, like others I have really enjoyed, doesn’t feature little green men or the end of the world but rather is about the human spirit. The film takes place on Mars and shows one man’s survival tale after being left behind. It’s a simple story that also follows the rescue efforts to recover the stranded astronaut. The film is supported by great performances from Matt Damon, Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain (my current hollywood crush) and many others. There’s some great one liners and I do enjoy my one liners. I went into the theater excited to see this one and did not leave disappointed.
6.Sicario
Hold your breath, grab the arm rest tight, and prepare not to let go. Sicario is a tense, action thriller that never lets up. I loved every minute of the movie. The film focuses on an FBI agent, played by Emily Blunt, who joins a hush hush task force led by John Brolin and Benico Del Toro, that fights the war on drugs. The film opens with a drug raid and ends with a slight twist ending. I’m of the mind set that with out a decent story is what either makes or breaks a story. This film has a good story that is complimented by some incredible action sequences and great performances.
5.Ex Machina
I do think about the movies I see. I tend to think about what I liked and disliked about the feature as well as the make up of the film, the performances, directing, the screenplay ect. This one took me else where. I thought about aspects of life and what is and isn’t in my control. I thought about the god complex in terms of creating technology. There is a lot of philosophy surrounding what it means to be alive, specifically human. The elements of this resinated in me for the days to come and have dominated some great discussions about the feature. The film centers around a trio of characters: a robot that has been given artificial intelligence, her creator, and the gentlemen there to test her. All three characters are intriguing on their own and more so when interacting with one another. The film stayed with for a while after I saw it on the big screen and again after I watched it at home. I do enjoy my mindless movies but just as much I enjoy a movie that will make me think. This one more then fulfills the ladder.
4.Mad Max: Fury Road
Who could ever fill the shoes of the once great Mel Gibson in, arguably, his greatest role? Original Mad Max visionary George Miller nailed it when casting Tom Hardy to lead his epic post apocalyptic masterpiece. The film is a two hour adrenalin rush movie (the more socially appropriate classification I have for this type of non stop action film). An incredibly talented cast mixed tight directing created an adventure that is essentially a two hour car chase through the desert. It’s nothing short of thrilling to watch. Yes it is rough around the edges but it’s an action movie. I really enjoyed the applause from a nearly sold out show at the end of the flick. I love it when the audience gets into the movie as much as I did. That could be part of why this was easily the best movie this summer and why it made my top ten list this year. That and how well it holds up to repeat viewings.
3.Spotlight
Some films will take the breath right out of your lungs and Spotlight is one such feature. The film is a black eye on one of the biggest organizations in the world: the catholic church. The movie focuses on the team of investigative journalists from the Boston Globe who investigated the church’s clergy sexually abusing children. While it is a movie and I’m sure parts of the film were exaggerated for dramatic effect its hard to believe that this film is based upon true events. That only added to the suspense created by the filmmakers. I was breathless, as was much of the audience that night, as the events of the film unfolded. It’s rare I see a film multiple times in the theater. However this film required a second theatrical viewing. Again my breath was taken away from me and not returned until I exited the auditorium. No matter what your views are on religion this is a must see.
2.Bridge of Spies
I’m a sucker for the thrills of the espionage genre and a good true story. In the cross hairs of both those comes Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies. This is the fourth collaboration between director Steven Spielberg and actor Tom Hanks. This one joins their first collaboration (Saving Private Ryan) as a masterpiece of cinema. I was impressed with how the cold war thriller told its nail biting, 2 1/2 hour story, by relying more dialogue and tense situations over the genre typical action sequences. The film was written by The Coen Brothers and they created two great characters especially their two central characters. Then again they were also writing a film inspired by an incredible true story. I enjoyed seeing this one with a crowd. I really enjoyed gasping with the audience and cheering when the hero won the day.
And my number one pick of 2015 is . . .
1.Spectre
This should come as no surprise to anyone. James Bond is the center of my cinematic universe and I am a huge fan of Daniel Craig in the role of 007. This Bond entry continued expanding on the Bond back story as well as reintroducing old favorite characters. I loved the excitement of the action sequences, the mystery in the slow reveal of the story, and how this one was very reminiscent of the Bond films of yesteryear while telling a new and unique story. Also, maybe even more importantly, I loved spending the evening with friends, family, and friends who are family. I cooked, we talked, we had a hell of a night that I had been eagerly anticipating for a very long time. The only disappointment about the night and the movie was that it had to end.
So until next time keep the popcorn warm, the soda cold, and meet me at the movies. They’re always better shared.
THE BEST OF THE REST
Every year, I publish this list around the New Year. There are always a handful of films that are released wide after the New Year, and the publication of this list. Some great movies have been exempt from this list because of that. I have since added The One that Got Away to this list. This way I can acknowledge a great movie from 2014 that did would not get acknowledged otherwise. The Best of the Rest also includes my picks for best male & female performance, director, screenplay, and repertory screening.
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: American Sniper
Chris Kyle is an individual I admire for both his service during the Iraq war and to veterans struggling with PTSD after he left the seals. I eagerly awaited his story to grace local cinemas. I was far from disappointed. The film was a powerful look at how war effects those fighting it and those who stand in their corner. I got a lump in my throat at the end of the film that stayed lodged there the rest of the night. It’s hard to say where on lasts years list that American Sniper would of appeared but I can easily say it would of been towards the top. Well done Clint Eastwood, well done.
MALE PERFORMANCE (lead or supporting): Johnny Depp Black Mass & John Cusack Love & Mercy.
I really couldn’t decide here. I thought both performances were incredibly strong and the each film would of been much less of a movie with another actor in the role.
FEMALE PERFORMANCE (lead or supporting): Alicia Vikander Ex Machina
I fell in love Alicia Vikander’s performance from the moment she appeared on screen as the AI system AVA. She made her presence known in every scene while supporting the story being told.
DIRECTOR: Tom McCarthy Spotlight
I love how he turned such a sensitive subject into such a nail bitter of a movie.
SCREENPLAY (original or adapted): Bridge of Spies
I’ve always thought the writing was the strongest part of the Coen Brothers work and they crafted a great screenplay with this flick.
REPERTORY SCREENING: A double feature of The Exorcist & Rosemary’s Baby.
This is a tough one for me. After all I did see Sean Connery’s final canon Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, and the immortal Mel Brooks classic Spaceballs on the big screen. After naming Spectre my number one of this year I am ok passing on Diamonds are Forever and narrowing the field to the champion double feature and Back to the Future part II. I saw the ladder on 10/21/15, the future day that was traveled to in the film. That is something unique and very special. However I give the edge to the incredible double feature because of the company I kept when I saw it. Back to the Future part II I went to see by myself where as The Exorcist & Rosemary’s Baby I saw with a pair of friends who are family to me, like brothers. Being able to spend a friday night with them still makes me smile all these months later and it’s a cherished memory.
