Top 15 Films of 2015

Another year, another "best films" list. As usual, I tried to be as objective as possible, but keep in mind: I haven't seen every film released in 2015, and I'm sure there's still plenty of subjectivity here. Hope you read and enjoy! 

(*Honorable Mentions: Crimson Peak, Jurassic World, Kung Fury, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, The Visit) 

15.) The Revenant: What a great way to kick off this list. Although this revenge thriller is a tad over-bloated, its picturesque cinematography and masterclass acting make it worthwhile. There are a few truly wonderful moments here: terror, humor, and overwhelming catharsis.

14.) Inside Out: The visuals are dazzling, the characters adorable, and the premise ingenious. This is yet another classic spat out of the Disney/Pixar machinery, and it holds its own up there with The Incredibles and Toy Story. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but mostly you'll wonder when kids' movies became so dang smart.

13.) Goodnight Mommy: Yeah. I love horror. But Goodnight Mommy hardly feels like horror at all, at least not in the contemporary sense. Jump-scares? Over-the-top gore? A bloodthirsty villain? Nope, this one doesn't have any of that. Instead? Pure, unfiltered, absolute tension. Scenes ache by, pushing the horror as far as it can go, while still remaining strangely aloof, undersold. All the terror stems from one simple idea: What if your mother isn't really your mother? The answers are here, and they'll hit you deep down, where other chillers don't dare venture. Goodnight, indeed.

12.) The Hateful Eight: While I am a devout Tarantino fan, admittedly, I think The Hateful Eight is less captivating than some of his other films. However, based on craft alone, it still ranks as one of 2015's best. Our central characters are wonderfully performed (particularly Sam Jackson's keen bounty hunter and Jennifer Jason Leigh's feral prisoner), and I love how none of them are good people, like some kind of hyperviolent episode of Seinfeld. The music is larger than life (courtesy of the great Morricone), the imagery and direction are flawless (as usual), and the script is sharp as a knife to the throat.  Truly the work of a master craftsman.

11.) Bridge of Spies: Spielberg rarely makes a bad movie, and with this real-life Cold War thriller, he gives us a polished, aesthetically-nuanced film. Of course Tom Hanks is great, but thankfully so is the rest of cast, especially Mark Rylance and Amy Ryan. And the camera work? Fantastic. Shots are artsy and efficient, with lots of subtle oner's. Yet the feel of this production, how lived-in it is, how natural and understated, is its true success. Much like some of Spielberg's other historical epics - Saving Private Ryan, Munich, and War Horse spring to mind - this one is so flawlessly built that it hardly feels like history at all. It feels more like life. Thanks again, Steven.

10.) Black Mass: An ice-cold crime thriller, one whirring with wit and the macabre, Black Mass is easily one of the best films of 2015. Although there's a lot of awesomeness going on (all the 70's period costumes, quick dialogue, the whole Boston vibe), it's Johnny Depp's chilling portrayal of infamous gangster Whitey Bulger that steals the show. He is ruthless, strangely charming, and utterly mesmerizing. Much like the film itself.

9.) Creed: Here comes the cliche...are you ready? Creed is a knockout! ...but seriously, guys, it is. Tight script, loving cinematography (Philadelphia's never looked more vibrant), brilliant direction, and some of the year's best performances; especially Sly Stallone's glorious return to Rocky, one of cinema's most beloved characters. This is an electrifying finale to the story of Rocky Balboa, and a great introduction to boxing's new hero, Adonis Creed. It's the best sports movie of the year, and will hopefully give rise to a slew of entertaining sequels. Here's to six more!

8.) Mad Max: Fury Road: Is this the best action film of the year? No. The best sci-fi? I don't think so either. But there's something special here, something hard to put your finger on, that makes Fury Road undeniably cool. People like to prattle on about how great the practical effects are (and yeah - they are), or how Charlize Theron totally kills it in the lead role (which she does), but in the end, this movie doesn't feel dissectible. Breaking it down into smaller pieces seems unnecessary. Just watch the damn thing. It's great.

7.) It Follows: The concept is simple, the characters are relatable, the scenery (present-day Detroit) is beautiful, and the horror is vicious. The less I reveal about this one, the better. I suggest you go in with as little prior knowledge as possible. Just know that It can represent many things (mortality, intimacy, HIV/AIDS) and will scare the bejesus out of you. So turn off the lights, wait until the rest of the house is fast asleep, and enjoy. The tagline is, "It doesn't think, It doesn't feel, It doesn't give up." How great is that?

6.) Ex Machina: With its deliberate, meditative pace, lots of people found this sci-fi thriller to be "boring." How sad. Ex Machina is one of 2015's best, and it earns a spot in my top ten for lots of reasons. Much like Sicario and Goodnight Mommy, the focus here is on a triangle of characters: an unpredictable genius, an everyday schmo in over his head, and a futuristic cyborg learning how she fits into the world. The cunning cat-and-mouse interplay between them is a real thrill, and if you're able to sink your teeth into the ideas at hand, you'll be very happy with the payoff.

5.) Straight Outta Compton: Coming in at #5 with a bullet (with lots of them, actually) is this engrossing biopic about infamous hip-hop group N.W.A. Although the technical specs are all rock solid - the cinematography, the editing, the sound design - it all boils down to two things: Up first are the performances, all of which are terrific (it's a shame that newcomers Jason Mitchell or Corey Hawkins weren't nominated for Oscars). But second, and perhaps most important of all, is the dynamite directing by F. Gary Gray. He manages to juggle several subplots, a cast of hundreds, and an overall runtime of almost 2 and a half hours, without losing a single beat of forward momentum. It's a feat of pure virtuosity.

4.) The Martian: Lord knows I'm not the biggest fan of director Ridley Scott (apart from Alien, I find most of his filmography completely overrated), but with The Martian he hits it right out of the park. This story of stranded astronaut Mark Watney attempting to survive alone on Mars is one of the year's most entertaining, engaging films. A lot of it hinges on star Matt Damon's charisma, so thank God he's got enough to go around. The other performances are great (particularly from Chiwetal Ejiofor and Jessica Chastain), and so too is the script and special effects. This is a hilarious, and occasionally breathless, film. A great feat for Ridley Scott, and a welcome addition to the cinema of 2015.

3.) Sicario: Wow. What a visceral, vicious film this is. Focusing on America's war on Mexican drug cartels, Sicario is bold and unapologetic. Our three leads (Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin) give us some of the year's best performances, particularly del Toro as a mysterious, lurking shadow. Within minutes of the opening shot, a palpable danger seeps out from the screen. I found myself sweating and squirming through the whole thing. If you want an uncompromising, tooth-and-nail thriller, then this is it.

2.) STAR WARS (Episode VII): The Force Awakens: Although I'll probably write a full review later (as an avid Star Wars fan, I need to let this one settle in before jumping to any ridiculous conclusions), my gut reaction for this thing? Pure joy. The Force Awakens truly is an awakening - for the series, for sci-fi, and for pop cinema. As a spastic fan boy, I loved seeing the returning characters (particularly the eternal Han Solo and my main man Admiral Ackbar), but it's the new characters that make it great: determined Rey, heroic Finn, sardonic Poe, adorable BB-8, and our newest favorite villain, the petulant Kylo Ren. The way these characters are written, how they're performed, is an absolute treat. They remind us that the heart and soul of the Star Wars saga is humanity. Everything else - the wonderful writing, grand cinematography, organic special effects, brisk pace, gorgeous art direction, incredible music - simply icing on the cake.

Director JJ Abrams really lived up to the hype, and God bless him for it. Although in many ways The Force Awakens is a retelling of the 1977 original, it's so imbued with charisma and wit that no one really cares. Regardless of the familiarity, regardless of studio calculation (there are plenty of beats here that are too on-the-nose), this is nonetheless meteoric entertainment. While it's not the best film of 2015, this might be the best movie - all fun and flashing light. How marvelous.

1.) Spotlight: Very much in the tradition of All the President's Men and The Insider, Spotlight is a searing journalistic drama. Hard-nosed and haunting, effective and affective, this is unquestionably the best film of 2015. It's a period piece, of sorts (it's hard to think of 2001 as being a "past" setting, but whatever), with everything from characters to plot fitting perfectly inside that niche. Makes sense, because this is a true story. Unfortunately.

The plot revolves around a group of journalists from the Boston Globe investigating the systematic cover-up of sexual abuse by priests within the Catholic church. So yeah, this is more than a movie about newspapers. It's a battle of souls, an elegy of lost innocence. Pretty rough subject matter, but thankfully the film doesn't sugarcoat. There's an unrelenting ugliness here, something evil and deformed. But that's fine. It's supposed to be, right? A movie about pedophilia shouldn't be pretty. It is what it is: horrific.

Yet where there's darkness, often there's light. A spotlight, actually. To show the way, to give us hope, to bring clarity. This movie deals in clarity - of ideas, of emotions, of fact and fiction. This is mostly due to the script, the dialogue and plot points imbued with a sense of ponderous reality. And it's brought to life, for better and for worse, by an incredible cast: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, my boy John Slattery, and a dozen others. Each performance is standout, playing to each actor's particular strength (Keaton's underplayed realism, Ruffalo's ingrained humility, McAdams' pronounced focus). The direction and cinematography are equally strong, to a degree that both become invisible. No ostentatious camera tricks or directorial flourishes here. Just no-nonsense control.

This is an honest and heartbreaking film, one that dared to peer into the dark and shine a light. It's far from a happy story, but thanks to the bulletproof production and dynamite cast, it's a riveting one. Certainly the very best of 2015.