Out of the eight best picture nominees, only three made this list: Mad Max: Fury Road, Spotlight and The Big Short. Admittedly, the Academy were far from neglectful with these films: Spotlight winning Best Picture (not the film I would have chosen, but que sara, sara), The Big Short winning Best Adapted Screenplay, and Mad Max going home with the most awards. While a fun way to recognize the year’s “best” films (or not, in the case of most indie films, foreign-language films, and Creed), the Oscars should never be used as a basis for what truly is the year’s best film, or best screenplay, or best whatever. The show is driven by politics, popularity and a notable lack in diversity; people who choose which films to see solely based on the Oscars will miss out on dozens of great films, hidden gems, and contenders for their own personal best picture.
While the following list is my personal picks for 2015’s best films, it also works effectively as a diverse presentation of various blockbusters, mainstream dramas, obscure indie films and foreign pieces. The list, as usual, is split into two groups:
- The Other Ten (#20-11), ordered alphabetically
- The Top Ten (#10-1), ordered numerically
Unlike last year, there will be no two-parts—instead, it'll be one big top 20 list! I cheated big time this year, having a four-way tie between the number ten spot; I simply couldn’t choose between dropping three into The Other Ten when all four are really good films, so I didn’t! Factoring the four-way tie, in addition to The Distinctive Exceptional Award I give out every year, there are actually 24 films on this list rather than 20—which, at the very least, gives readers additional recommendations to go watch. Once again, the year was unevenly split between the spring-summer blockbuster season and fall-winter Oscar season. Out of the 24, 15 were released during the year’s first half (63%, the same percent as last year), 8 during the fall-winter season (33%, much higher than the 7% from 2014), and a single leftover from 2014.
Regarding next year’s leftovers, there are nine noteworthy films I wasn’t able to see and/or review for various reasons. The Invitation, The Lady in the Van, Son of Saul, Chasing Yesterday, Mediterranea, and Embrace of the Serpent are 2015 films I couldn’t find playing anywhere in my area. I missed seeing The Hateful Eight’s 70mm traveling show, and refused to see the 35mm version that cuts out a half-hour of footage. In terms of critically-panned films, I never found time to both watch and write a proper film analysis on Child 44 (which I'm very passionate about due to my love for the book), deciding to save watching it for a later date. Lastly, there’s Anomolisa, which I both saw and loved (it would have made this list's top five easily), yet didn’t have time to give a—rightfully deserving—full review (a short summary on Micro Reviews wouldn’t have done the film justice). All nine films—in addition to The Lobster, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, and any other 2015 releases I still don’t know about—are eligible as leftovers for the 2016 season.
Now then, LET’S BEGIN!!!!!
The Other Ten:
Links provided in each film's title to their review.
Links provided in each film's title to their review.
"Big Game is what one would get by mixing The Most Dangerous Game with a good 80s/90s action film. The film is an enjoyable blast and delightfully amusing, both satirizing and paying homage to all the glorious elements of a classic popcorn flick while adding its own unique characteristics for a fresh spin on the genre."
"A wide range of talented actors come together to make this surprisingly effective blend of comedy and drama. The Big Short’s meta-humor is inventively witty, but it’s how the film gradually turns serious without feeling forced (keeping little dashes of black comedy sprinkled in-between to help steady its course) that makes it an effective and startlingly important-to-tell story."
"Mockingjay—Part 2’s visuals and cinematography have reached an all-time high for the series, coming a long way from the queasy cam days of the original. Everything is beautifully shot, with the film taking its time to thoroughly showcase such visual eye-candy. For those upset by Part 1’s lack of action, Part 2 will hopefully suffice those restless viewers. The journey to Snow’s palace is a harsh and deadly one filled with multiple conflicts, including a pretty epic scene where Katniss’ squad face off against lizard-like Mutts in the sewers. The squad are mercilessly attacked and gradually picked off by Snow, who uses every trick and tactic to end this final game."
"The film’s following journey is about Joy coming to understand how ALL the emotions are important, and through experiencing the more undesirable ones such as sadness, can create even more beautiful versions of happiness. The inner story represents Riley coming to grips with her feelings, finally able to express her melancholy thoughts in a heartwarming scene—creating a mixed core memory balanced between joy and sadness: bittersweet, my favorite emotion found within a story."
"Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is an unexpected delight, frankly because its predecessor The Maze Runner is so tepid, generic and unnecessarily bleak. I was neither bored nor indifferent to the events in The Scorch Trials—instead, I felt engaged while having a really fun time! Compared to its predecessor, The Scorch Trials has more energy, entertainment, characterization and a vast improvement in focus—making it a franchise saving sequel."
"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a high-school coming-of-age film that deeply admires artistic cinema—using unconventional methods while maintaining enough traditional elements to work with both mainstream and art-house audiences.
"What’s fascinating about Spotlight is there isn’t a main protagonist, rather a composite of journalists who make up the Spotlight team. My friend described Spotlight as a “true journalistic film”, which I think fits rather ideally. It’s frank and straight to the point, which in turn makes for a far more compelling film."
"Spy’s storyline is noticeably complex and thought out, taking itself serious enough to rise above the Austin Powers’ lunacy, yet still have its share of goofy, ridiculous scenes; such structure enhances the film’s absurd scenes to further hilarious levels. The film’s most impressive aspect is how it’s as much a subtle character development story as an espionage comedy: showing the modest, semi-dependent Susan grow into a full-fledged, confident field agent. Great character development, colorful characters and a ton of sidesplitting comedy—I would love to see a sequel made!"
"Steve Jobs impresses with fast, fluent and clever dialogue combined with an impressive array of performances, especially from Michael Fassbender. The film gives off the feeling of a new-age Shakespearian play, divided into an engaging three-part act which explores different periods in Jobs’ life. I never thought I’d say “historical accuracy be dammed”, but Steve Jobs is remarkable enough to overcome my usual bias."
"Here’s something crazy, a modern M. Night Shyamalan twist that is actually good! The “what a twist” line isn’t being sarcastically used—there’s actually a pretty good surprise in The Visit, hidden through clever self-referential misdirection. Nonetheless, the truly unexpected event comes from the starring teens’s character designs and acting chemistry. The actors feel natural as siblings—there’s a scene where Tyler freaks out over a stain on his hand (the teen’s a germophobe) and Rebecca serenely and caringly calms him down before finding some tissue paper. The scene is unnecessary to the plot (other than to highlight Tyler’s phobia), yet builds upon the sibling’s bond—a rare development to find in similar horror films."
The Top Ten:
Links provided in each film's title to their review.
"The film acts like a horny teenager (fitting to its title), slipping in breasts and butts simply for the sake of gratuitous entertainment. Nonetheless, there’s a strange sense of grace to Youth’s nude showcasing, fitting well alongside its other peculiarities. Youth is a remarkable film that takes an overused concept and adds enough refreshing elements to make it enjoyable again. Its charming, witty, engaging, poignant, sexy, well-acted, visual eye candy, and works as a well-rounded examination of human nature."
"Spring begins and ends with two very parallel scenes—the first scene is gripping and successfully melancholy, giving the similar final scene a more powerful edge. This, combined with the film’s strange genre blend, plus thought and dedication given to its main couple’s bonding, ends the film on a truly impactful and lasting note. Spring is a rare film that wouldn’t be unusual to see rank as someone’s favorite romance and horror of the year. It’s a unique and engaging blend of genres, a refreshing take on the usual romance stories, and an exceptional film all around.."
"True to a Sherlock Holmes story, there are several intriguing mysteries throughout the film, all which end up far more engaging than expected from Mr. Holmes’ low-key setting. The film blends its mysteries with rich scenery, discreet humor, poignant reminiscence, and a compelling performance from Sir Ian McKellen. For such a modest story of the great detective, Mr. Holmes’ direction, passion, and lead actor’s remarkable performance makes it a compellingly satisfying epilogue to the character of Sherlock Holmes."
"Maggie is quite possibly the calmest zombie film I’ve ever seen. Despite Schwarzenegger’s co-lead role, there’s very little action throughout. Comedy is limited to a natural format between characters, and while gruesome at times, the horrific imagery is used more to amplify its tragic elements rather than for shock value. The zombie genre in itself is built upon tragedy, yet never have I seen a zombie film so purely heartbreaking: its sole focus on the inevitable destructive transformation of a beloved human."
"Girlhood contains beautiful art and cinematography, in particular the night scenes which are phenomenally designed around towering skyscrapers and effective lighting. When Vic first kisses her romantic interest the scene instantaneously goes from light to dark, signifying the moment’s intimate privacy before returning to light as they detach. The soundtrack amplifies Girlhood’s beauty, having a very electronic, tranquil rhythm. One of my favorite scenes involves the four teens renting a hotel room for the night—they drink, smoke, try on dresses, and begin a dancing sing-along to Rihanna's Diamonds. The singing scene is beautiful and fun, serene yet energetic. Blue lighting gives the blissful moment a rather sentimental mood: a moment Vic will look back on and smile."
"I didn’t just enjoy Terminator Genisys, I really enjoy it! There were some rocky bumps along the way, like a wooden roller coaster from the past—yet similar to a well-made wooden roller coaster, it’s a complete thrill ride. I agree the Terminator franchise should have finished with Judgement Day—it was the ideal way to end the series—but Terminator Genisys is similar to a really well made fanfiction: an unnecessary, yet highly entertaining alternate version of a series that remains faithful to its lore while trying out interesting “what if” scenarios. I’m sticking to my guts here and I don’t care what anyone else says. Terminator Genisys is a really good action-adventure film, as well as the best non-Cameron Terminator yet."
"The actors may elevate the film to a grander level, but what captivates in the first place is Clouds of Sils Maria’s magnificent cinematography! The entire film is dripping with gorgeousness, with scenes lining up to showcase the beauty of Switzerland, combined with impressive cinematic shots from director Oliver Assayas. The entire Swiss landscape is beautiful, from the impressive Alps to the lush forests to the ever-changing weather. In one scene our duo travels over mountainous landscapes during a cloudy snowstorm, only for the weather to transform over-hill into a bright, sunny landscape. The film’s shading is remarkably well-made, particularly during the evening scenes where it invokes a deep sense of tranquility. Similar to the weather, the film’s mood can rapidly shift—in one scene Maria gazes outside during a peaceful, cloudy evening, thunder faintly heard in the distance; the scene quickly changes to Valentine driving, the mood disrupted by a chaotic frenzy of blurred imagery and loud music."
"The creature is a supernatural being invisible (though not intangible) to the average human. The creature only hunts those who can see it however: humans infected with a curse by the previous carrier (through the means of sex). Once a carrier has sex, the curse is passed onto his or hers partner, causing the creature too endlessly follow its new target until caught. The creature always knows where the cursed person is, and cannot be killed through physical means (though it can be stunned); if the creature catches its target…well the resulting corpse isn’t a pretty sight. The only way to de-curse one’s self is to have sex with someone else, thereby creating a new target. Here’s the catch however: if the creature ends up killing its present target, it will begin hunting the previously cursed person, and so on and so on. This creative twist generates a unique scenario where it’s in the cursed person’s best interests to teach the newly infected about the creature and how to rid themselves of it. Now this, my readers, is how to make great horror formula! The right amount of fear, the right amount of setup, and the right amount of mystery."
"What makes The End of the Tour work so remarkably well, setting it apart from the majority of indie film releases, is how incredibly genuine it is throughout. There isn’t a HINT of pretentiousness found within the film—everything from the characters, to their conversations, to their actions feel true to life. Segel and Eisenberg act as human beings would in a similar situation—when they first meet, there’s a natural nervousness about what/how much to say (particularly since one is recording everything); when they talk about perspectives there’s both confidence and uncertainty, along with intrigue about how the other will respond. When the characters eventually form a friendship, their conversations, bantering, and even fights (especially their fights) feel down to earth. Their roles are both remarkably true to life, because their characters are real people; yet even true to life portrayals can go downhill if the actors fail to replicate genuine emotions. The film features no such disappointment, as Segel and Eisenberg exceed expectations, giving wonderful performances and having great character chemistry."
"Slow West is brutal, engaging, thoughtful, visually appealing, suspenseful, comedic (primarily in the black comedy sense) and delightfully entertaining. The film’s cinematography is breathtaking (as it should be for a western), in addition to being artistically creative with visual and sound effects. Acting wise, the film shines with Michael Fassbender sharing the spotlight as Jay’s mysterious escort Silas Selleck. Smit-McPhee’s character works to successfully contrast Slow West’s bleak themes, even when his role ends in brutal irony. The remaining cast are intriguing, unique characters, though their time in the limelight is brief—mostly because they’re dead after a few minutes of screen time. Slow West is an excellent western: more gripping than the Coen Brothers’ True Grit remake, and better paced than Tarantino’s previous western Django Unchained."
"I saw Creed twice in theaters: the first time with my close friend and fellow film buff, and the second with my wife, mom, brother, and sister. My friend loves the film, my wife loves it (she cried about four times), my mom loves it (her favorite film is Rocky), my brother really enjoyed it, and even my sister—who’s very picky when it comes to stories—enjoyed it. I too love Creed—I had high expectations for the film, and it somehow exceeded them. It’s a great sports film, a great way (if they choose so) to end the Rocky series, gives an unexpectedly great performance from Sylvester Stallone, a great follow-up in Coogler’s directing career, a great film in general, and one of 2015’s best films."
"99 Homes is an absolutely captivating film that engages, thrills, and delivers two first class performances from Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon. Shannon in particular deserves special recognition for another spectacular role; he delivers a powerfully compelling performance, commanding attention in every scene with nothing but the highest quality of acting—confirming once more that, when placed under the right direction, Shannon is one of the decade’s best actors. Even without Shannon’s performance, 99 Homes remains a strong film—delivering a thoroughly engaging plot and solid performances, including Andrew Garfield’s most emotionally satisfying role."
The Distinctive, Exceptional Award:
An award given to a top-ten qualifier of exceptional, original quality. A great film that deserves high praise as a distinctive piece of cinema.
"Tangerine is the indiest of indie films I’ve ever seen! It was filmed entirely using three different IPhone 5s, making it look near identical to a home video…a well-made home-video. Don’t let its low-budget fool you, Tangerine utilizes its hand-held approach (popular with horror/thrillers) to the fullest in a new and refreshingly non-horror approach. The film’s comedy stems largely from the duo’s interactions with the cast and each other; their witty dialogue can be so quick-paced I had trouble catching every joke made—the jokes I did hear, however, brought a multitude of comical moments. Tangerine combines its simple camerawork with effective editing and exceptional creativity. There’s a scene where Alexandra is paid to have Razmik give her a blowjob under the cover of getting his taxi washed; the scene is filmed using a single long take, following the entire washing process as Razmik goes down on her. I’d previously never found much sexual symbolism involving car washes, yet said scene makes a very convincing argument on how complementary the suggestive imagery can be (particularly during their concurrent climaxes). I’ve never seen a film like Tangerine before, not in style, not in plot, and definitely not a mix of both—it’s an incredibly original film, full of hilarious dark comedy and sincerely touching moments."
"By effectively using minimalism, Fury Road is allowed to focus fully and satisfyingly on what its trailers offer: non-stop, perfectly paced, beautifully choreographed, deliciously delightful, stupendously creative action sequences. The cinematography is both glorious and wonderfully convincing—the creative vehicles are undoubtedly real, with an unknown amount of CGI to polish and add any extra details. Not one to break from the series’s effective tradition, Fury Road’s car tricks, jumps, and crashes are physically performed by actual stunt drivers. The mixture of real cars with CGI polish is a breath of fresh air after so many films have switched to pure CGI. The film’s soundtrack is phenomenal and ideally matched for each scene—Giuseppe Verdi’s Dies irae, Libera me is played seamlessly alongside one of Joe’s officials blindly (quite literally blindly) firing duel machine guns at our protagonists, sprouting delusional nonsense of being judge and scales (while having the very appearance of Lady Justice). Speeches of grandeur have been given before in the Mad Max series, but never with such effectiveness: using the music’s maddening tone to rise such insane blabbering’s tenfold, feeling just right within the lunacy of the apocalyptic world. Mad Max: Fury Road is incredible: one of the best action films to release in over a decade, maybe even longer. Fury Road is the Max Mad film, and the best film of 2015!"
