Another year has come to a close and because of that it's time for a top 10 list of best movies in 2015. In my opinion it has been a great year for movies. While the market was pretty much dominated by big franchise sequels, a lot of them were really good and the diversity in genres is much appreciated (not much superhero movies this time).
Before I start I want to preface this by saying I've never seen every movie released in 2015, and that I'm still planning to see most of them in the near future (e.g. The Revenant, The Hateful Eight). Furthermore, some movies that came out had very limited release in my side of the world, and others never even saw the light of day, which just plain sucks. Nevertheless, I'm still making this list as a year-in-review type of thing.
And of course it goes without saying that this list is influenced by my personal taste and therefore very subjective.
10. SICARIO
After such exhilarating thrillers with Prisoners and Enemy, Denis Villanueve brings us another crime drama with Sicario.
On the surface, Sicario is about a government task force operation to bring down the leader of a notorious Mexican drug cartel. Upon watching it though, there's much more to it than what it lets on. Villanueve explores the gritty side of the U.S. war on drugs in the eyes of a principled FBI agent played by Emily Blunt.
Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro's performances stand out from the rest in this movie. The balance of calmness and intensity in del Toro and Blunt's realization that the world works differently than what she's accustomed to add more tension to the dark and grim set pieces.
This movie cemented Denis Villanueve as one of the great thriller directors for me.
9. ANT-MAN
As if Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't enough, Ant-Man proves that Marvel Studios can transform any superhero into a pop culture icon. It's refreshing to see a stand-alone film at this point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where the scope has gone "too big" and everything is all tied together. So Ant-Man is a much needed entry to scale down and break away from the Marvel heavy-hitters.
Although it suffers from the MCU villain syndrome, meaning the main villain lacks in character and motivation, and ultimately fails at being a viable threat, Ant-Man is overall a fun superhero ride throughout. Plus it has essentially the same plot as Iron Man if you think about it.
Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas' chemistry is perfect and the rest of the cast deliver great performances. Douglas gets an honorable mention for me. A veteran actor with a slew of great movies behind him in a superhero movie, you'd think he'd just phone it in like Anthony Hopkins in the Thor movies, but he seems to genuinely enjoy being in it. As a result, MCU Hank Pym is born.
8. BRIDGE OF SPIES
Bridge of Spies is a very different kind of espionage thriller compared to most Hollywood spy films out there. Based on true events, the movie follows lawyer James Donovan, played by Tom Hanks, who is entrusted to negotiate the exchange of two spy prisoners between the US and the Soviet Union in the middle of the Cold War.
The set pieces, dialogue, characters, and the premise are all reminiscent of a John Le Carre novel. It presents the "real world" aspect of espionage, away from the cool gadgets and handsome action heroes we're all accustomed to.
Tom Hanks brilliant performance shines through the film, effectively making us root for a simple lawyer in a situation way out of his league. Bridge of Spies is Steven Spielberg's best film in years.
7. STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
Another movie based on real events, Straight Outta Compton is a biopic that tells the story of one of the biggest hip hop groups, N.W.A., from living in the streets of Compton to their rise to prominence.
Musical biopics often are very tricky due to needing a compelling story to tell. The audience needs to feel for the artists in their struggles before achieving success. N.W.A.'s rise (and fall) is very fascinating and controversial, it's a perfect fit. And it's exciting to finally see a dramatization of their story. Plus, I'm a fan of their music.
The movies takes a few liberties to add some drama, but the brilliant performances of the cast keeps the movie engaging. They have truly transformed into the people they're portraying. And I believed it was really them for the duration of the movie.
A real rags to riches story, Straight Outta Compton is one of the best musical biopics out there. It's something both hip hop fans and music lovers in general can enjoy.
6. KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
Kingsman: The Secret Service is something that totally surprised me for being a ridiculous but totally fun spy movie. The movie is very self-aware, in that it takes all the tired tropes of the genre and turns them around on its head. It knows it's a spy movie, and it ends up becoming really enjoyable because of that. Not to mention even Samuel L. Jackson's character alludes to that fact.
It starts off pretty tame then eventually gets more absurd as it goes on. It's got cool gadgets, great action, a secret headquarters, a villain wanting world-domination -- the complete package in every spy movie. The movie is basically James Bond gone insane.
And finally I can't mention Kingsman without mentioning the church scene, can I? If anything, just watch the movie for that scene alone.
5. INSIDE OUT
I find it amazing how Pixar still finds ways to inject new life into something mundane. Inside Out has a unique and original premise where emotions are different characters living in our mind. It's a rollercoaster of emotions all throughout. It's fun and sad, but most of all, it has heart. And that's what Pixar's movies are all about.
This is the best Disney/Pixar film I've seen in a long time.
4. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION
Yet another spy movie makes it on my list. It just so happened that 2015 saw a good amount of spy films. And out of all of them, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation takes the cake.
With the "resurgence" of the franchise in Ghost Protocol, it's apparent that the Mission: Impossible series finally realized what it wants to do. It just sits right between an action film and serious spy movie, then adding just a little bit of humor, enough to differentiate itself from the rest in the genre. Rogue Nation builds upon what made the previous one great. This movie is more of the same but somehow it ended up being much better.
Furthermore, it seems to be Tom Cruise's goal in every M:I he makes to top the previous one in terms of breathtaking stunts. And this one is the most stunt-filled yet. Not to mention he does all the stunts himself. Judging by the bold opening scene alone you can expect Rogue Nation to be a wild ride.
3. THE MARTIAN
I never expected Matt Damon playing an astronaut stuck on Mars could be so entertaining. Ridley Scott's adaptation of Andy Weir's novel of the same name is one of the best survival/sci-fi movies I've seen.
Most of this movie's appeal comes from Matt Damon's surprisingly funny and charming performance. Presumed dead and left behind on Mars, we see Damon having to "science the shit" out of his situation in order to survive on the red planet as long as he can. And by the end of the movie, it feels as though we have all been a part of his journey.
I haven't read the book, however, so I can't comment on whether it is a faithful adaptation (the reviews all say it is though). Regardless, The Martian is excellent all throughout and brings out the best in Ridley Scott and Matt Damon.
2. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
There's action movies, and then there's Mad Max: Fury Road. The latest iteration of the Mad Max series puts the pedal to the metal with Tom Hardy as the titular character.
Reboots and sequels may feel really unnecessary at time and do not hold up too well usually (see Terminator: Genisys), especially one that has been in development hell for more than a decade. But I'm glad George Miller finally managed to put this one out for us to see.
The best way to describe the this film is just pure non-stop action. Within the first ten minutes we are already taken to a crazy car chase, and it just gets much crazier after that (in a good way). George Miller's decision of using practical sets made the movie much more immersive. Plus the well written characters make Furiosa as much the hero as Max is.
Mad Max: Fury Road doesn't take itself way too seriously and it's all the better for that reason. While light on plot, it is action in its most pure form.
1. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
Being a big fan of Star Wars may be clouding my judgment however no other movie in 2015 hyped me up more than Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This movie gave the franchise the revival it needed after being stagnant for a long time, successfully bringing it back to its former glory. It's been a few weeks since I've seen it but I still talk about just how amazing it was.
The Force Awakens is the Star Wars that can be enjoyed by everybody, fans and casual moviegoers alike. It doesn't matter if you love the prequels, or if you're an original trilogy purist, all types of fans will certainly enjoy Episode VII. The best thing I love about this is the fact that it feels like a Star Wars movie, something that was missing in the prequels.
It's not perfect of course. Some may argue that TFA played it really safe, but in my opinion that's the perfect way to revive the franchise while adding some fresh elements into it. The new generation -- Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Issac, and Adam Driver -- are a welcome addition to the series and had great chemistry with the veteran cast, again something that was missing before.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is pure fun and entertainment. And I'm enjoying my ride on the hype train.
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