Top 10 of 2015

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

The teaser trailer for this film came out in late 2014, and needless to say, I was pumped. The style and look felt completely fresh. And after seeing the film, I was not disappointed. These days, special effects don’t do anything to “wow” you. That is, until George Miller melts your face off with a guitar-strapped masked man chained to a monster truck and shooting fire out the end. Just read that sentence again. This is exactly what action movies should be. Memorable characters, jaw dropping stunts, and no time wasted. Charlize Theron’s Furiosa was praised upon release, and deservedly so. She’s the real hero of the film, with the titular Max (Tom Hardy) playing second fiddle. This is an incredible achievement in film making, one which was rewarded by 6 Oscar wins. You’ll want to watch this one over and over.

2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The Star Wars conversation surrounding these new films has been nothing short of hilarious. The routine goes something like this: near universal critical and audience praise upon the film's release, followed by those very same people drastically walking back their initial enthusiasm. The Force Awakens has been endlessly picked apart, and I won't resuscitate any of those arguments here. I have it so high on my 2015 list because JJ Abrams succeeded in bringing back the magic of Star Wars to our lives. I felt it in the theaters in 2015, and I felt it when I re-watched it before The Last Jedi in 2017. This is a movie I will watch over and over. To me, it has a little Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade feel to it. There's nothing new to speak of, but the formula works so well that when it's done correctly, it's joyful. It was a wonderful close to Han Solo's story, and an effective introduction to new characters Finn, Rey, and Kylo Ren. Kylo Ren and Rey, when all is said and done, may be the best two characters in all of Star Wars (gasp!).

3. The Hateful Eight

Quentin Tarantino indulges at every single turn in this 3-hour long western. If you’re not a fan of  “Tarantino dialogue”, you will hate this movie. It’s long, deliberate, and slow, but in the very best kind of way. Each conversation builds the tension between ruthless killers and liars, all culminating in a twist filled ending. I watched this movie and The Revenant back to back, and that one felt at least an hour longer despite a shorter run time. Where The Revenant feels labored, Hateful Eight masterfully builds tension and keeps you engaged.

4. Sicario

This film is a great example of the language of film. It’s mood and storytelling is told through its visuals. This is a violent, complicated film about the US border with Mexico. The scenery is striking, with the vast dark of the Mexican desert eliciting dread at every turn. Emily Blunt is amazing in her role as an FBI agent drawn into the thorny politics of the war on drugs and immigration. She plays her role with power and an undercurrent of vulnerability. She’s effectively the only woman amongst an agency of men, and her strength is different and in ways more effective than theirs. It’s the best performance of her career, not to mention the solid work of Benecio Del Toro and Josh Brolin. Director Denis Villeneuve will show up several times in my top tens- and he’s inching towards Fincher and Nolan’s “automatic watch” category.

5. Creed

One Christmas break (back when I had such a thing) my family decided to watch the first five Rocky movies in a row. As I went through the 6 Rocky films, my thoughts went something like this: 1. This is incredible! I love you Rocky! ADDRIAAAAAN!! 2. OK, this one is pretty much exactly the same story as the first one but still good I guess. 3. Why are Rocky and Apollo Creed running shirtless on the beach together? Why is this in slow motion? Wait now they're jumping and hugging?!?! What is this movie?! 4. Is there any part of this movie that isn't montage? I guess it's fun to watch a movie where we beat the Russians? Was this the first movie to talk about PED's? Did they really have to kill off Apollo Creed to get Rocky mad at this Russian? 5. Why is Rocky's kid such a horrible actor? Is he worse than Tommy Gunn? No, Tommy Gunn is worse. Is this the worst Rocky movie ever or just the worst movie ever?. 6. (Doesn't even see it due to scarring from Rocky 5).

What a roller coaster. Despite all this, I still had high hopes for this movie because of the talented director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan (I wanted to yell "WHERE'S WALLACE" at the screen but I didn't). Creed ends up being possibly the best film in the entire series. It's got some great acting, most improbably by Sylvester Stallone, reprising the role that made him famous. It's strange to see such a serious and incredible drama that is technically a sequel to one of the least serious and cheesiest "dramas" of all-time (Rocky 5). Creed has the emotional stakes and intensity that come with any boxing film, with the Creed-Rocky history adding layers to the characters that mean something. Whatever you want to call this reviving of the franchise (Reboot? Soft Reboot? Sea-boot?), it has been a success, and should be a blueprint for others that would like to do so.

6. Inside Out

Pixar did it again- it made an emotionally resonant story out of some computer generated characters. I shouldn't be surprised at this point, they've been doing it since the 90's. Inside Out is a comical and wonderful trip into the mind of a child, in such a way that it rings true with everyone. Physical manifestations of our emotions was a brilliant premise that was executed with all the laughs and all the feels.

7. Spectre

I'm a big fan of the James Bond series (see here and here), and I really liked Spectre. Daniel Craig's Bond films have all felt fresh in one way or another. But this one feels like it's "settling in". Any Bond fan knows that basically every movie for the series first 30 years followed the same simple formula. And we loved them for it! Sometimes you just want to settle in and watch the familiar. But after Skyfall set the bar so high, a drop was bound to happen. It's a solid time, and not much more. Vintage Bond.

8. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

At some point, Tom Cruise is going to be too old to play action heroes. But it's not here. This 5th entry in the franchise hits all the right notes to make a solid action movie. Cruise always makes for an excellent time, he's still as bankable as ever.

9. Spotlight

For the second straight year, the Oscar winner for Best Picture comes in at number 9 on my list. I really loved Spotlight. It's a well-acted, well-directed movie of an important event in American history. However, it doesn’t do anything new. And that may be why it’s been somewhat forgettable in my mind. Solid, but not much more.

10. The Martian

Did Matt Damon make a cameo in Interstellar knowing that he would be in this role and it would confuse everyone? Maybe. But The Martian stands on its own right. It feels less serious than Interstellar, but serious enough to make the last 20 minutes very intense.

Honorable Mention:
Jurassic World
The Intern
The Big Short
Daddy's Home
Spy