[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So, I saw a lot of movies last year, as per usual. Some were better than others, as is often the case. As I’ve done the past couple years, I’ve compiled a list here of the ten movies that stood out from the rest. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time or the resources or the inclination to see every single movie that is released in a given year, but I do the best that I can. These may not necessarily be the best movies that hit theaters in the last year, but they were certainly the ones that I liked the most.
So without further adieu, here are my Top 10 Movies of 2015.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”251″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_shadow”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]
10. It Follows. In a culture inundated with substandard and formulaic horror films, the best ones are often the movies that breathe new life into the genre’s tired conventions. If you’ve watched your fair share of slasher flicks, then you know that two teenagers having sex is an act that, more often than not, seals their fate at the hands of the machete-wielding maniac. It Follows offers a clever twist on that familiar trope, crafting a curse that can be passed from one person to the next through sex. The passing of the curse is a desperate bid to avoid suffering a horrific fate at the hands of a shapeshifting entity, one that follows you no matter where you go. Creepy, right? But It Follows offers more than simple scares, as it relates this unstoppable force — and the terrified teenagers it stalks — to the inevitable coming of adulthood. This is one of the most original horror films in years, and certainly worth a look.
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9. Krampus. Never forget the true spirit of Christmas, lest you incur the wrath of Krampus. This is the lesson of Krampus, the latest holiday horror film from the mind of Michael Dougherty, writer and director of 2007’s Halloween cult classic Trick ‘r Treat. Borrowing from folklore that has existed for decades, Krampus is a horror comedy looking to take a bite out of the commercialized Christmas that we’ve all come to celebrate, with Adam Scott, Toni Collette, and David Koechner among the unfortunate souls whose collective lack of yuletide cheer brings forth the sinister shadow of St. Nicholas. There are more laughs than scares to be had, but for what Krampus lacks in terror it more than makes up for in imagination, with the film’s characters besieged by a demonic teddy bear with razor sharp teeth, a gang of homicidal gingerbread cookies, and a freakish jack-in-the-box with an appetite for adolescents. This is one Christmas you’ll never forget.
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8. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. You can stop lamenting the missed opportunities of the prequels now. The Force Awakens — with perhaps an all too familiar plot that brings back most of your favorite characters from a galaxy far, far away — is the movie that fans have been clamoring for since Return of the Jedi. Newcomers Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Adam Driver all take center stage as the torch is passed from one iconic generation of characters to another. Ridley, in particular, stands out among the fresh crop of new faces with her striking performance as Rey, an orphaned scavenger thrust into the heart of an intergalactic conflict. Borrowing heavily from A New Hope, The Force Awakens toes the line between an homage and a retread, as is often the case when a sequel also functions as a franchise reboot of sorts. But the important thing is that Star Wars is back, complete with all of the key elements that brought this classic franchise to life.
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7. The Martian. The Martian boasts an impressive ensemble that includes Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Kate Mara, but the film’s success hinges on the performance of Matt Damon. As Mark Watney, a botanist stranded on Mars after his team begins their return trip to Earth believing he died during a freak storm, Damon is on his own for almost the entire film. Fortunately, Damon is more than up to the challenge, delivering a layered performance that is equal parts charming, sympathetic, and uplifting. The Martian also benefits from the lack of an antagonist — aside from the harsh conditions of Mars that refuse to cooperate — as everyone works together to bring Watney home. There is also a refreshing sense of hope and optimism here, which stands in stark contrast to more recent entries in the science fiction genre where cynicism has begun to reign supreme.
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6. Inside Out. Pixar is back! Not since Toy Story 3 have I been this impressed with with one of their films. Granted, that was all of five years ago, but their impressive streak of quality films prior to their recent drought made the absence of spectacular Pixar films all the more disheartening. Inside Out is one heck of a return to form, as arguably the most imaginative film they’ve ever produced. Taking place within the mind of an 11-year-old girl, the characters of Inside Out are Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger — all of her basic emotions. The standouts among the voice cast are Amy Poehler as Joy and Phyllis Smith as Sadness, two polar opposites who come to understand that one can’t exist without the other. Inside Out is almost certain to strike a chord, no matter how old you are, in large part because it emphasizes the universal truth that no emotion is less important than another.
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5. The Hateful Eight. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of Quentin Tarantino. I know there are fans out there who have begun to pump the brakes, calling The Hateful Eight the first misstep of his career, but I am not one of them. The Hateful Eight was a risky proposition to begin with, considering the running time borders on three hours and the film takes place, for the most part, in an isolated cabin. But Tarantino’s strengths have always lied in crafting memorable characters and writing captivating dialogue, and The Hateful Eight is a showcase for both. Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Walton Goggins lead a superb cast as four of the titular eight characters who seek shelter from a blizzard, winding up in a cabin full of colorful characters, each one with their share of dark secrets and ulterior motives. The slow and deliberate pace will be too much for some to bare, but the blood-soaked third act delivers everything you’ve come to expect from Tarantino.
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4. Creed. I’ll be honest, I had no intentions of seeing Creed. I am ashamed to admit that I have never watched Rocky, so I had no vested interest in seeing the latest chapter in the story of the Italian Stallion. But my wife, who also hadn’t seen Rocky, for some reason insisted that we go and in doing so added yet another line to the list of reasons I am glad I married her. Creed is that good. Michael B. Jordan, as the illegitimate son of the late boxer Apollo Creed, and Sylvester Stallone, reprising his signature role, both deliver remarkable performances. As Jordan’s Adonis Johnson trains with Stallone’s Rocky Balboa to step out of his father’s shadow and forge his own boxing career, Creed hits all of the classic beats, but the powerful emotional character arcs of the two leads are what elevate the familiar storytelling. Credit director Ryan Coogler for re-energizing a moribund franchise thought to have stagnated after six installments over four decades.
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3. Sicario. Director Denis Villeneuve has fast become a name to keep an eye out for, first with 2013’s Prisoners and now with Sicario. His latest directorial effort takes aim at the ongoing drug war being waged on the borders of Mexico, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between the various law enforcement agencies and the violent criminals they’ve been asked to apprehend. Emily Blunt is Kate Macer, an idealistic FBI agent with a more traditional view on how law enforcement agencies should operate. This leads to tension when she is paired with Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro, a maverick CIA operative and his enigmatic partner, respectively, who are less than forthcoming when it comes to anything, really. There are few twists you won’t see coming, but Sicario is less interested in explosions and more interested in what happens after the dust clears, when you’re left to decide whether justice has been served or a vicious cycle has been perpetuated.
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2. Mad Max – Fury Road. Prior to Fury Road, I had never so much as even watched a clip of the original Mad Max trilogy from the late 70’s and early 80’s. To be honest, it never appealed to me. But the trailers for Fury Road were hard to ignore, and the pre-release hype reached a fever pitch once the rave reviews started pouring in. Tom Hardy steps in for Mel Gibson as the titular character, a tormented but capable drifter in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where a grotesque tyrant, Immortan Joe, rules over one of the last vestiges of mankind. Charlize Theron steals the show as Imperator Furiosa, a commander who leads Immortan Joe and his forces on a wild chase across the desert when she flees his fortress with his brides in tow, along with a reluctant Max. The plot is simple, but the characters and the world director George Miller has created here are vivid and unforgettable. Functioning as one long chase scene, Fury Road is one of the most awe-inspiring action movies I have ever seen, with each stunning sequence more thrilling than the last.
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1. Spotlight. I was 10 years old in 2002, when The Boston Globe published the first in a series of groundbreaking articles alleging that the Catholic Church had covered up dozens of incidents in which priests were accused of molesting children — just in the Boston area alone. So the full breadth of the scandal had eluded me until Spotlight, a powerful film that recounts how a team of investigative reporters unearthed one of the most shocking cover-ups since Watergate. Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams all deliver strong but subdued performances, resisting the urge to dramatize or sensationalize the material. Spotlight even avoids casting its protagonists as white knights, leaving no one unscathed when deciding who is to blame for allowing these unspeakable crimes to go unpunished and unpublicized. At its core, Spotlight is a true testament to the power of investigative journalism and a brutal reminder of how evil thrives when good people refuse to act.
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Just A Bit Outside (in alphabetical order): The Avengers – Age of Ultron, The Big Short, Black Mass, Crimson Peak, Faults, Jurassic World, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Steve Jobs, Tomorrowland, and Trainwreck
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