Every single year I stress about what will make my Top 10 and what order they’ll go in and every single year I come up with a new rating/organizational system to help make the list-making a bit easier come December. Does it ever work? Nope. There’s always a late year release that throws off the rankings or a film that breaks my heart when it gets bumped down to the honorable mention section. This year is no different, but despite all the worry, stressing and obsession, I must say, I’m pretty pleased with the end result.
This goes without saying, but every Top 10 is personal so it couldn’t hurt to break down my own criteria. My Top 10 tends to come down to movies that moved me like no other and/or ones that I have a habit of watching over and over. Obviously there could be exceptions to the rules but in this case, there’s not. So without further ado, here’s my Top 10 of 2015.
10. Chappie
Yes, I’m well aware of the fact thatChappiecould have been better and that it has two of the most worthless big screen villains of the year, but that didn’t stop me from falling for Chappie,Die Antwoordand the unique style and flavor they brought to the film. And the funny thing is, when I saw the very first trailer forChappieand got my first glimpse at the duo in the movie, I found them completely off-putting and was sure they were going to ruin one of my most anticipated films of 2015. Turns out, it was the exact opposite. Full disclosure, if you’re familiar with my writing, you might be aware of the fact that I have a thing for cute pet-like creatures and Chappie definitely fits that description and immediately crawled his way into my heart for that reason, but what made his journey so entertaining and so touching was the relationship he strikes up with Ninja, Yo-Landi and Amerika (Jose Pablo Cantillo). They’ve got big, bold personalities and it’s endlessly amusing watching Chappie pick up their bad habits and behavior. On top of that,Neill Blomkampgives the film a really appealing and unique flavor by incorporating Die Antwoord’s style into his visuals and their music into the score. Again,Chappieis far from perfect but it certainly struck a chord with me.
9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
I’ve been coveringTheHunger Gamesever since Lionsgate acquired the rights to the first book back in 2009 so these films have been a major part of my career (and life) for many years. In fact, when Lionsgate made the move to November release dates, seeing the latestHunger Gamesmovie with my family became a birthday tradition.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2can’t compare to my favorite of the franchise,Catching Fire, but it’s still a quality film that serves as an exhilarating, moving and very gratifying end to the series. It addresses and respects everything Katniss has been through since day one, using her experiences, relationships and personal values and principles to ensure that the big finish is well earned, resonates and serves as a satisfying conclusion for Katniss herself and Panem as a whole. I’m honored and proud to have covered the franchise to such an extent over the years and am deeply grateful to the filmmakers for doing the source material justice and churning out four films that very much deserve all of the hype, profits and fans they’ve earned over the years.
I’ve been pretty hard onMelissa McCarthyin recent years - for obvious reasons - so I walked intoSpyexpecting more of the same—an incompetent and crude character who makes a miraculous turnaround in the third act of the film. Much to my delight, that’s not the case withSpywhatsoever. All of the humor is spot-on, but what makes the movie resonate is the fact that Susan Cooper is a kind, talented woman who very much deserves the opportunity to rise to the occasion. Yes, you may be laughingather when she’s forced to carry around chloroform that looks like hemorrhoid wipes, but in this case, Susan is well aware of how ridiculous the situation is, which adds a little more depth to the comedy and ensures that the film steers clear of the all too familiar bumbling nonsense. McCarthy most certainly is the centerpiece of the movie, butSpyalso rocks some of the best supporting performances in a comedy this year.Rose Byrnenails her role per usual,Miranda Hartmakes for an especially goofy yet lovable sidekick and who knewJason Stathamhad a knack for scoring big laughs, too? There’s no doubt I’ll be watching, re-watching and quotingSpyfor quite some time.
7. Sicario
I wasn’t the biggest fan ofSicarioimmediately after my first viewing, but after taking some time to digest the experience I became a bit obsessed with it. Even when you’re not in the throes of an action sequence the intensity is still sky high courtesy ofEmily Blunt’s remarkably absorbing performance, the stunning cinematography and, of course, that wonderfully eerie score fromJóhann Jóhannsson. It certainly isn’t a crowdpleaser, which is likely why I needed the time to process it, but it is the complete package with every element of the production coming together seamlessly to deliver a cold, haunting and all-consuming experience that plays by its own rules and excels because of it.
6. Inside Out
The very first teaser trailer forInside Outwas cute, but I couldn’t wrap my head around how it’d possibly work as a full feature. However, come June, Pixar put my skepticism to shame.Inside Outis world-building at its best.Pete Docterand co. create the wildly vibrant and original “mind world” using characters, ideas and settings that are rooted in very real, universal concepts. Who would be your lead emotion? What would your personality islands be? Do you have a Bing Bong bopping around? It’s an absolute delight to imagine your mind operating in a similar way. It would have been very easy for the filmmakers to fall into the trap of breaking down the rules via heavy exposition, but by having a character like Riley serve as your guide, it’s effortless to absorb all the details, leaving room for you to feel for Riley and also to assess the ideas and concepts on a personal level. (And as an added bonus, how about that dog and cat scene from the end credits?)
5. It Follows
There’s nothing better than a movie that gets in your head and forces you to consider what you might do in that situation, and that’s exactly what writer-directorDavid Robert Mitchellachieves withIt Follows. No need for cheap jump scares here. The idea of turning an STD into a horror movie villain is brilliant enough in and of itself, and then Mitchell makes you feel trapped in the scenario right along with his main characters through his smart shot selection and subtle camera movements. There are quite a few outstanding moments, but my favorite is still the beach scene when you get that perfectly-timed reveal of Yara (Olivia Luccardi) in the water before things devolve into pure chaos at the hand of an invisible force. And then of course there’s that score. TheIt Followstheme is one of the most memorable tunes of the year and it just so happens to pop up in the movie at the optimal time, sparking an incredible amount of energy just before it rolls into the third act set piece. I know some take issue with that scene because Jay (Maika Monroe), Paul (Keir Gilchrist), Kelly (Lili Sepe) and Yara’s plan doesn’t make much sense, but think about it; what would you do in that situation? Could you come up with anything better? There’s something about the innocence of the operation that makes me think this is how real teenagers might react to this crazy situation.
4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
You’ve probably heard this before, but I’ll say it again;Star Wars: The Force Awakensisn’t perfect. But it didn’t need to be perfect. It needed to transport me back to a galaxy far, far away, á laEpisodes IV,VandVI, and bring something new to the table as well, and that’s exactly whatJ.J. Abramsdid, and in a way that exceeded my expectations nonetheless. And it wasn’t just about Han, Luke and Leia being back. There was something about the texture of the visuals that makes it feel like you’re stepping back into the original films rather than the clunky, CG-heavy prequels. Even better, as wonderful as it is to seeHarrison FordandCarrie Fisherback together,Daisy RidleyandJohn Boyegasteal the show. Their characters feel fresh and show loads of promise, and the two have tons of chemistry with each other.Oscar IsaacandAdam Driverare standouts as well, but when it comes to playing favorites, I’m all about BB-8. Again, I’ve definitely got a thing for pet-like creatures so when BB-8 made his first appearance in theForce Awakensteaser trailer, I was hooked. From that point on, I was pretty confident that he’d be a cute addition to the film, but I most certainly didn’t expect Abrams and co. to turn him into such a capable character that felt like an important part of the team and not just a prop. I’ve been aStar Warsfan all my life, butThe Force Awakensreinvigorated that enthusiasm in a way I didn’t expect.
3. Brooklyn
As you may know, I have a soft spot for blood, guts and horror. Romantic dramas? Not so much. But, much to my surprise, I fell head over heels forJohn Crowley’sBrooklyn. (Pretty sure I’ve never used that schmaltzy phrase before either.) No matter who you are, where you’re from or what you’ve been through, the themes and events of the movie are deeply affecting. I’ve never emigrated to another country like Eilis, but I most certainly can connect to the idea of being homesick and juggling family obligations with personal goals and aspirations. And talk about a love triangle! Again, a romance trope I usually have no patience for butSaoirse RonanandEmory Cohenshare so much chemistry and have such a charming connection in the movie that whenDomhnall Gleesonsteps in, you find yourself a proud member of Team Tony. However, despite Eilis and Tony’s winning relationship and Jim Farrell’s very late arrival, Gleeson still manages to make you think that Jim could be right for Eilis as well, challenging you to assess where Eilis came from, what she experienced in the film thus far and what this would mean for her future, makingBrooklynone of the most engrossing and moving character journeys of the year.
As a big fan ofEmma Donoghue’s book, I had a hard time imaginingLenny Abrahamsondelivering a movie that was just as good as the source material, butRoomwound up being the most successful adaptation of the year. If you caughtShort Term 12, you already knew thatBrie Larsonis one of the best actresses of her generation, butJacob Tremblayis a true revelation. In the book, the story is told entirely from Jack’s perspective so there is no way that the film adaption would have worked unless Abrahamson found a young actor who could meet the challenge and boy did Tremblay rise to the occasion. Abrahamson also deserves a great deal of credit for taking Tremblay’s performance a major step further via the shot selection. When you’ve got a powerhouse like Larson killing it in a very emotional scene, one might think to keep the camera on her from start to finish, but Abrahamson knows exactly when to cut to Tremblay’s reaction shot to ensure that the moment serves both characters and their relationship. It doesn’t matter whether you seeRoomthe movie before reading the book or vice versa. Either way, one will enhance the other and that’s something very few big screen adaptations achieve.
As of April 2015, I had never seen aMad Maxmovie and had little to no interest inMad Max: Fury Road. Just a month later, I had watched the entireMad Maxseries and seenFury Roadin theaters three times. Regardless of how many times I’ve watched the movie, I still have a tough time figuring out where to start when talking/writing about it because every single element of this production is absolutely mind-blowing.Charlize Theron,Tom HardyandNicholas Houltcommand the screen (amongst others), the score is rousing, the visuals and stunts are exceptional, and the fact that the movie is able to convey so much plot and character information with such minimal dialogue makes it especially impressive given the tendency to resort to exposition overload when world-building. Not only isMad Max: Fury Roada wild and insanely entertaining ride, but it’s so well done in so many respects that it should be studied. Here’s to hoping that other filmmakers take a cue from what can be done with practical effects, thoughtful dialogue and a rip-roaring amount of momentum.
Honorable Mentions:Spotlight,Backcountry,Paddington,Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation,What We Do in the Shadows,Creed,Clouds of Sils Maria
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