2015 was undoubtedly a great year in movies.
From the huge summer blockbusters to the films in the Oscar hunt there was always something to entertain us. I definitely saw my fair share of movies this year and now I’d like to tell you which ones stood out to me and will remain with me for a long time.
Be aware, that this isn’t necessarily a list of what I thought the best movies were, but which ones I enjoyed the most and found particularly important. This list also isn’t really in an unchanging order. I could change my opinions on movies in a flash based on my emotions or life experiences.
All that being said let’s get started.
10. Ex Machina: I found Ex Machina to not only be a visually stunning and well-acted movie, but one that brings up a very interesting topic… artificial intelligence. I’ve talked about how big AI has been this year in movies in a previous article and it’s no surprise why. We’re on the brink of a life changing event that could alter our world completely, and Ex Machina gives us a look into how that might play out. Also the fact that this was the director’s very first movie is immensely impressive.
9. Spotlight: The cast alone should have gotten you to go see Spotlight and that’s without mentioning the intriguing premise. In a way Spotlight is kind of frightening due to the story that it is telling. I’m sure that this is a movie that I will enjoy more with a second viewing and that says a lot considering that I already find it to be an incredible film.
8. The Revenant: All I really need to say about this movie is that Leonardo DiCaprio fights a live bear and that would be enough. Layer on top of that the stunning cinematography, superb acting, and emotional score and you’ve got one phenomenal movie.
7. Chappie: Yes I’ve got another movie about AI on this list and it’s not Avengers: Age of Ultron. No I don’t care that Chappie got horrid ratings from critics. In my opinion Chappie is criminally underrated. It’s very original and has a unique style. I’ve never seen something quite like it before. I had plenty of enjoyment figuring out its metaphors and discussing it with friends. I loved the score and soundtrack and respected the story it was trying to tell.
6. The Hateful Eight: I love Quentin Tarantino and I loved this movie. An almost three hour movie that remains interesting while taking place in only one room is something that only a certain kind of director can do… and Quentin Tarantino is that kind of director.
5. The Big Short: A smart, funny, informative, thought provoking movie with my favorite actor Christian Bale was a recipe for success. Brilliantly edited and crafted with care The Big Short managed to take something mind numbingly complicated and made it fun and easy to follow. This is something that I would advise everyone to watch (along with everything else on my list).
4. Star Wars, Episode VII: The Force Awakens: A worldwide event that I will never forget. As I may not have been a huge Star Wars fan in the past, I am now. J.J. Abrams took something beloved by its fans and made it ten times better. Star Wars was a huge piece of film history and will continue to expand and develop with its future movies.
3. Mad Max: Fury Road: Wait a minute! How did Star Wars and Mad Max get on to my top 10 list of 2015?! Never mind that. George Miller has mastered the Mad Max formula and it truly shows in the latest installment of Mad Max. The lack of CGI in this movie is crazy. The fact that most of the stunts are real is insane. The action was at its best and creativity was at an all-time high. We probably won’t get a better apocalyptic action movie in a long long time.
2. Kingsman: the Secret Service: I don’t think I’ve ever been so surprised walking out of a movie in my entire life. I honestly thought that Kingsman was going to be trash as I walked into the theatre. I mean I thought that not even Oscar the Grouch would reside in this garbage (I’ll probably never gain my respect back after that joke). But as Thorin Oakenshield says “I have never been so wrong in my entire life”. Kingsman was amazing, I mean it blew my fucking mind. It never took itself too seriously but could still have serious moments. Not to mention one of the best action sequences of all time was in this movie. Overall Kingsman was just glorious.
1. Trumbo: I don’t think anybody saw this coming, in fact I might be one of the only people in the world who put this as number one on their top 10 list. The movie was just so aligned with my personal views that I couldn’t help but love it. Bryan Cranston reminded us of his extreme acting skill (as if we needed to be reminded) along with much of the accompanying cast. Trumbo had a large range of emotions and felt very open minded. I find the lessons that it teaches very important and useful in everyone’s life regardless of political views. It gives me hope and inspiration in many ways.
Well that’s my list and while some positions may change over time I feel confident with the list that I picked out. Share with me some of your favorite movies in the comments along with movies that you’re looking forward to in 2016.
And of course thanks for reading, not only today, but all throughout 2015!