FRJ's Top 20 Films of 2015 (Film List)

Rarely do the Oscars and I agree.

FRJ's Bottom 10 Films of 2015 (Film List)

Fun fact: both last year and this year’s bottom ten lists have six films I went to see with positive expectations.  Over half of both years’s most hated films were unexpected failures, with seven on this list having fresh ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.  These statistics emphasize how I rarely seek out “bad” films, choosing which pictures to see based on:

FRJ's Top 5 Romance Films of 2015 (Film List)

I make lists for three reasons: declaration, recommendation, and self-entertainment.  The latter reason is self-explanatory (I really enjoy making lists), the other two may need some expansion.  The first reason refers to expressing my opinions and thoughts on personal interests, such as film.  Lists provide a great way to organize my thoughts and convey them in an easy to understand format (particularly since I decline to use any rating system for film reviews).  The other reason, recommendation (or disparagement for worst-of lists), indicates my desire to open readers to new films they may enjoy, but haven’t seen due to false trailers, initial disinterest, or being under the radar.  The latter happens to the majority of low-budget, foreign, and independent films—getting swept aside by the year’s major blockbusters.  Just last week, after reaching my goal of seeing one hundred 2015 films, I discovered—by complete accident—two unique, highly acclaimed 2015 films I hadn’t even heard of: The Lobster and The Diary of a Teenage Girl (both which will be considered leftovers for 2016).  If I can miss two very intriguing films despite searching diligently all year-round for under the radar cinema, then there’s certainly a few hidden gems the average moviegoer missed too—which is where my lists can help out.

FRJ's Top 5 Horror Films of 2015 (Film List)

I make lists for three reasons: declaration, recommendation, and self-entertainment.  The latter reason is self-explanatory (I really enjoy making lists), the other two may need some expansion.  The first reason refers to expressing my opinions and thoughts on personal interests, such as film.  Lists provide a great way to organize my thoughts and convey them in an easy to understand format (particularly since I decline to use any rating system for film reviews).  The other reason, recommendation (or disparagement for worst-of lists), indicates my desire to open readers to new films they may enjoy, but haven’t seen due to false trailers, initial disinterest, or being under the radar.  The latter happens to the majority of low-budget, foreign, and independent films—getting swept aside by the year’s major blockbusters.  Just last week, after reaching my goal of seeing one hundred 2015 films, I discovered—by complete accident—two unique, highly acclaimed 2015 films I hadn’t even heard of: The Lobster and The Diary of a Teenage Girl (both which will be considered leftovers for 2016).  If I can miss two very intriguing films despite searching diligently all year-round for under the radar cinema, then there’s certainly a few hidden gems the average movie goer missed too—which is where my lists can help out.

FRJ's Top 10 Drama Films of 2015 (Film List)

I make lists for three reasons: declaration, recommendation, and self-entertainment.  The latter reason is self-explanatory (I really enjoy making lists), the other two may need some expansion.  The first reason refers to expressing my opinions and thoughts on personal interests, such as film.  Lists provide a great way to organize my thoughts and convey them in an easy to understand format (particularly since I decline to use any rating system for film reviews).  The other reason, recommendation (or disparagement for worst-of lists), indicates my desire to open readers to new films they may enjoy, but haven’t seen due to false trailers, initial disinterest, or being under the radar.  The latter happens to the majority of low-budget, foreign, and independent films—getting swept aside by the year’s major blockbusters.  Just last week, after reaching my goal of seeing one hundred 2015 films, I discovered—by complete accident—two unique, highly acclaimed 2015 films I hadn’t even heard of: The Lobster and The Diary of a Teenage Girl (both which will be considered leftovers for 2016).  If I can miss two very intriguing films despite searching diligently all year-round for under the radar cinema, then there’s certainly a few hidden gems the average movie goer missed too—which is where my lists can help out.

FRJ's Top 5 Comedy Films of 2015 (Film List)

I make lists for three reasons: declaration, recommendation, and self-entertainment.  The latter reason is self-explanatory (I really enjoy making lists), the other two may need some expansion.  The first reason refers to expressing my opinions and thoughts on personal interests, such as film.  Lists provide a great way to organize my thoughts and convey them in an easy to understand format (particularly since I decline to use any rating system for film reviews).  The other reason, recommendation (or disparagement for worst-of lists), indicates my desire to open readers to new films they may enjoy, but haven’t seen due to false trailers, initial disinterest, or being under the radar.  The latter happens to the majority of low-budget, foreign, and independent films—getting swept aside by the year’s major blockbusters.  Just last week, after reaching my goal of seeing one hundred 2015 films, I discovered—by complete accident—two unique, highly acclaimed 2015 films I hadn’t even heard of: The Lobster and The Diary of a Teenage Girl (both which will be considered leftovers for 2016).  If I can miss two very intriguing films despite searching diligently all year-round for under the radar cinema, then there’s certainly a few hidden gems the average movie goer missed too—which is where my lists can help out.

FRJ's Top 5 Action Films of 2015 (Film List)

I make lists for three reasons: declaration, recommendation, and self-entertainment.  The latter reason is self-explanatory (I really enjoy making lists), the other two may need some expansion.  The first reason refers to expressing my opinions and thoughts on personal interests, such as film.  Lists provide a great way to organize my thoughts and convey them in an easy to understand format (particularly since I decline to use any rating system for film reviews).  The other reason, recommendation (or disparagement for worst-of lists), indicates my desire to open readers to new films they may enjoy, but haven’t seen due to false trailers, initial disinterest, or being under the radar.  The latter happens to the majority of low-budget, foreign, and independent films—getting swept aside by the year’s major blockbusters.  Just last week, after reaching my goal of seeing one hundred 2015 films, I discovered—by complete accident—two unique, highly acclaimed 2015 films I hadn’t even heard of: The Lobster and The Diary of a Teenage Girl (both which will be considered leftovers for 2016).  If I can miss two very intriguing films despite searching diligently all year-round for under the radar cinema, then there’s certainly a few hidden gems the average moviegoer missed too—which is where my lists can help out.

Micro Reviews: Ten Reviews for the Price of One! (Micro Reviews)

Youth (Quick Review)

There are many, many films that contemplate and examine life and its nature: when we’re young and seemingly invincible, to when we’re old, frail and melancholy.  Some of these films are sad, some are happy, most are bittersweet.  The majority use some combination of philosophy, psychology, wealth, fame, ambiguity and hedonism to examine human life.  The trick, I believe, in successfully pulling off such contemplation is to entertain alongside examining, in addition to not patronizing the audience.  It’s easier said than done, but it’s where Youth succeeds, gleefully entertaining with comedy, character, eroticism and imagery together with its melancholy examination.  Youth contains a large, unique cast of characters where even the smallest roles leave lasting impressions.

Spring (Quick Review)

Spring is a strange oxymoron.

Big Game (Quick Review)

It’s popcorn flicks such as Big Game that reinforce how much fun it is to sit back and enjoy good old-fashion, nonsensical action films.

Slow West (Quick Review)

After missing out seeing Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, I didn’t expect to see a 2015 western, let alone a great one.

I was wrong.

Kung Fu Panda 3 (Film Review)

I am very disappointed.

Creed (Film Review)

In 2013, short film director Ryan Coogler made his first feature length film FruitvaleStation—a wonderful, emotionally intense film starring Michael B. Jordan about the events leading up to the death of Oscar Grant by the hands of a BART station police officer.  The film made the number one spot on my favorite films of 2013, the very first “best of the year” list made on Film Reviewer Jr.  Creed, at the very least, confirms Fruitvale Station wasn’t just a fluke great film, and that Coogler’s director skills are as prodigious as they appear.  Creed is undoubtedly the best Rocky sequel by a long shot, and rivals the original in terms of classic, effective storytelling and stunning cinematography.  The film has the air of a pure sports story, and homages itself in many ways to the original Rocky; yet Creed transcends being a stale repetition with fleshed out characters, touching relationships, great performances, intense editing, and a subtleness rarely seen in the sports genre.