Beka P., Here…
I got to see a ton of movies this year, and out of the ones I’ve seen, these are my favorite ten and the worst three that I saw all year. Let me know if you agree or don’t. Enjoy.
The Big Short
The most sobering and downright depressing look at the way our economy functions. Had to make it a partial comedy to keep everyone from crying.
Creed
This movie shouldn’t work as well as it does. It is great. The performances, the direction, the pacing… One of the best sports movies in a decade or two.
Ex Machina
One of the best SciFi movies of the past few years. I don’t want it to be forgotten the way ‘Children of Men’ was.
The Hateful 8
Tarantino. I have nothing more to add.
Inside Out
Pixar operates on a fundamental storytelling and emotional level that exceeds every other film on this list.
Mad Max: Fury Road
I saw this movie 4 times in the theater. It is relentless and a testament that great directors can make great blockbusters.
The Martian
What a positive movie. I kept waiting for the depressing, cliché moments to arrive, they never did. A movie about scientists who are good at their jobs and face challenges through rational thought.
Room
An emotional journey and the best actress performance of the year by Brie Larson.
Sicario
Unforgiving in every aspect and respects the audience enough to never settle for a cheap thrill. Every moment is earned. And Josh Brolin- Yum.
Spotlight
This movie made newspaper reporting suspenseful and intriguing. Best ensemble case of the year, everyone is bringing it 100%.
Honorable mentions of the independent variety:
Me, Earl and The Dying Girl
Go see this- you’ll laugh, you’ll cry- you’ll remember what it’s like to be vulnerable, brave and giving. It’s a hell of movie.
The Guy with the Knife
If you have any interest in the criminal justice system- you have to see this film. Criminal justice reform is on the rise and this is Exhibit A. After you see if, google the subject- major things happened after this film’s release.
The Wolfpack
You haven’t appreciated films until you see how these kids do.
Worst 3
Mr. Holmes
I literally fell asleep during this film. I was reinvigorated when the child was stung by bees simply because it was the only action of the film.
By the Sea
Just buy People or Us if you want to see Branjelina. At least then you can see their gaggle of kids and not be bored.
Pan
Because Hook was the last great Pan movie. R-O-O-F-I-O!!!!!!!!!
—
Beka Perlstein
Really enjoyed seeing your list, Beka! As I stated in my Facebook post, I agree with most of your pics, I haven’t seen some, and don’t have an opinion on your “3 worst” because I stayed away based on preliminary reviews on IMDB.
I also haven’t seen the ones you have on your independent list, but now I’m going to try to see all of them – especially The Guy With The Knife because it’s about criminal justice. I really enjoy diamond in the rough movies.
My thoughts on your list, I thought Ex Machina was not only the best movie I saw in 2015, but the best I had seen in a while. Made me a fan of Oscar Isaac for life. Also loved him in Inside Llewyn Davis – Coen Brothers can do no wrong.
I thought The Big Short was awesome – and I think it should have been a pretty hard task making a movie about finance interesting.
I waited for Creed to come out for like a year, maybe more. I grew up watching Rocky movies – the trailers to the movie were awesome. I waited for that like most anticipated Star Wars. I thought it was really good, I think Stallone’s acting was surprisingly well, the directing or Ryan Cooler was really well (especially the entrance to the end fight scene). My main problems were the cheese of the motorcycles and his triumphant shadow boxing inside their ring, and how many times he called Rocky “Unk.” Both brought the movie down a notch for me. I read Coogler grew up with his dad showing him the montage of Rocky training scene in Rocky 2 – and not until recently after rematching it did I realize it was equally as cheesy -if not more so. As a child back then I think it went way over my head. So I think it gets a pass – I read he was trying to duplicate the same type of scene for Creed. Overall – way better than it probably should have been.
I really, really wanted to like Hateful 8. I love all of Tarantino’s movie – except for Kill Bill volumes. I thought Inglorious was incredible, I loved Django, and I grew up as a middle schooler going to the movies thinking I was hot stuff in sneaking in to watch Pulp Fiction. I thought the first half of H8 was pretty good, and entertaining – but kinda felt it just fell apart somewhere. I read Tarantino got pissed when the script leaked on the internet – and he shelved the movie, only to remake it again – and I kinda felt like he jumbled up the script intentionally in trying to make it different than the leaked script. I could be wrong. It seemed like a Western version of the movie Clue – but without as much suspense and clever dialogue. Maybe I should watch it again and see if I like it better. I just remember all of his other flicks, I immediately couldn’t wait to watch them again after the first viewing.
As a father of a 3-year old, I am CONSTANTLY scouring to find the best animation movies we can watch/enjoy together. I can’t exactly take him to see H8. I did think Inside Out was the best animation movie since the late 80’s/early 90’s Disney films were released, like Aladdin, Beauty and the Best, Lion King, Little Mermaid, etc.
I also really liked and enjoyed The Martian. I was expecting to be let down when I watched it – but it was surprisingly good I thought. There was nothing really that dynamic about it, when I tried to think about why I really enjoyed viewing it – but it just all seemed to work well. So many sci-fi movies similar to this fail it seems, so I guess I thought this would be more of the same. Or I thought it would be a massive explosion of 3D/Imax/Special Effects Extravaganza just shoved down the audience’s throat. I didn’t feel it was. A pet peeve of mine are some movies released these days with zero plot, zero character development, basically all garbage – but it just looks good in 3D. I agree though – it was very good, probably not quite as good as last year’s Interstellar, and the movie “Moon” – which I enjoyed – but probably would make my top ten 2015 list if I sat down and created one.
Am I crazy for thinking Sicario was just okay? I just remember seeing it and not feeling overwhelmed by the plot, storyline, etc. Maybe I should see it again. Maybe I didn’t pick up on all of the things going on between Brolin’s, Benicio, and Emily Blunt’s characters. It seems like there was a lot there that maybe I didn’t pick up on when I saw it. I am an IMDB message board nerd, and it seems like everyone has some viewpoint and opinion on the backstory of Benicio.
One I think I would add to mine would be Straight Outta Compton. That movie had every reason to be really, really bad – but I thought it was very entertaining to watch. I thought it was the best biopic, maybe, that i had ever seen. Maybe it’s because I was a kid growing up and listening to everyone talk and have an opinion on NWA, Ice Cube, Death Row records, etc. – and it was fun to see all of the drama going on behind the scene. But i enjoyed it.
I really would like to see a list of movies you compiled of “best movies you’ve probably never seen before.” I went on a kick about a year ago, where I scoured tons of lists like yours all of the internet, then would buy them for a couple of dollars on Amazon. I wanted to see movies like City of God, Pan’s Labyrinth, etc. I came across a lot of bad movies, rated by someone probably with very different tastes than my own – and some I thought that made all the hours I put into watching all of these movies worthwhile. A lot of foreign films, independent films, etc. Some of my favorite were the Iranian film, “A Separation”; “The Hunt” with Mads MIkkelson, “Punch Drunk Love” with Adam Sandler, the Coen Brother’s “The Man Who Wasn’t There” – and a few others. I think Ex Machina will probably fall into that category, in that in 5 years most people will have forgotten about it. It’s shocking to me that it kinda fell between the cracks and no-one seems to be talking about it.
Anyway, I have fully revealed the depths of my movie neediness. Just wanted to give some feedback on your list! I love reading and seeing people’s opinions on movies. And I especially love those who point out good indie movies to watch, because if you are not careful, you can run the gamut of watching too many, and maybe one of ten are actually decent.