You can also check out Kyle's Top Movies of 2014.
Best Action Movie: Mad Max: Fury Road – I might get some flak for this, but I don’t really understand the hype for Mad Max: Fury Road. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED it. I was incredibly entertained. But the internet blew up after this movie came out, saying it’s the best action movie of this millennium, but I don’t see it. I think it is in the Top 5 of Action Movies since 2000, but it is not as high on my list as others’ it seems. Having said that, if you were not entertained by the guitar/flame thrower wielding (literal) ax-man, you have problems. Long live The Doof Warrior!
Best Animated Film: Inside Out – A lot of people say this is one of Pixar’s best films. A lot of people say it is not. And that is what makes Pixar so special…everyone can find something to love about (almost) all of their movies. With Inside Out, Pixar brings another fresh, original story to life, dealing with emotions on screen while easily manipulating yours. Cute, whimsical, funny, and terrifically sad, Inside Out can make you feel all of the emotions they display on screen. And it is magical.
Best Blockbuster: Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Episode 7 was not revolutionary. In fact, it was very familiar. That is not to say that I was not thoroughly entertained throughout. Abrams basically took the exact formula he used to rejuvenate Star Trek and injected it into Star Wars. While the plot was nearly identical to Episode 4, we were introduced to a bevy of new characters that were instantly likable (well at least all of the good guys). Kylo Ren was an amazingly well-developed villain, but I felt the rest of the First Order villains were pretty lame (led by a horrendously laughable performance by a great actor in Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. Don’t worry, Domhnall redeems himself with two Top 10 films. Oh, SPOILER). Episode 8 is in the hands of the severely underrated Rian Johnson, and I think Episode 7 set Johnson up perfectly for another great film in the franchise.
Best Comic Book Adaptation: Kingsman: The Secret Service – If you missed this one that came out in January of 2015, you missed a hidden gem. Directed by another insanely underrated director in Matthew Vaughn (Stardust, X-Men: First Class), Vaughn directs his second Mark Millar comic book adaptation (the first being Kick-Ass). I had a smile on my face the entire time. And let’s not forget, this movie has one of my favorite action sequences of all time. If you’ve seen it, you know what I am talking about.
Best Comedy: Spy or Trainwreck – I don’t have a whole lot to say about these two, because I did not love either. I think the comedy is a dying art on its last breath it seems, as I only liked one comedy from last year. But I felt that I should give both of these films a mention because they did make me laugh and I was entertained, surpassing my expectations on both by a long shot. Great female leads support both of these films. Melissa McCarthy, who I normally hate, was likeable in Spy. Amy Schumer was quite funny too, but I had never seen her other work. However, both of these movies are bolstered by two supporting characters who stole the shows. In Trainwreck, Lebron James playing himself was hilarious. In Spy, easily the funniest member of the ensemble cast was another person I am not too fond of in Jason Statham. Normally I think Statham phones in a performance in every movie, but I have to say, I severely underestimated him. His comedic chops were impeccable, delivering every line perfectly. He was easily the funniest character in any film this year.
Best Horror Film: It Follows – Review in the Top 10 (oh, SPOILER again.)
Best Sci-Fi Film: Ex Machina – Review in Top 10 (I know, I know, I’m sorry. SPOILER)
Best Short Film (that I wish was 2 hours longer, or a trilogy, or was the next Land Before Time with 86 installments): Kung Fury – If you haven’t seen this 30 minute, B-movie homage masterpiece, here is a link to watch it now. If this movie were longer, it would have been my favorite comedy of the year and in my Top 10. Spoofing trippy and ludicrous 80s flicks, Kung Fury not only provides a successful homage to the amazing genre, but works to one-up it (or five-up it) in every possible facet. If you get bored watching this movie, you and I need to have a chat. It has a character named Triceracop who only shoots people in the pelvic region…enough said. Also, the theme song performed by David Hasselhoff is equally amazing as the short. You can watch that here.
Possible List-Busters: 99 Homes, Carol, Straight Outta Compton
Best Animated Film: Inside Out – A lot of people say this is one of Pixar’s best films. A lot of people say it is not. And that is what makes Pixar so special…everyone can find something to love about (almost) all of their movies. With Inside Out, Pixar brings another fresh, original story to life, dealing with emotions on screen while easily manipulating yours. Cute, whimsical, funny, and terrifically sad, Inside Out can make you feel all of the emotions they display on screen. And it is magical.
Best Blockbuster: Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Episode 7 was not revolutionary. In fact, it was very familiar. That is not to say that I was not thoroughly entertained throughout. Abrams basically took the exact formula he used to rejuvenate Star Trek and injected it into Star Wars. While the plot was nearly identical to Episode 4, we were introduced to a bevy of new characters that were instantly likable (well at least all of the good guys). Kylo Ren was an amazingly well-developed villain, but I felt the rest of the First Order villains were pretty lame (led by a horrendously laughable performance by a great actor in Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. Don’t worry, Domhnall redeems himself with two Top 10 films. Oh, SPOILER). Episode 8 is in the hands of the severely underrated Rian Johnson, and I think Episode 7 set Johnson up perfectly for another great film in the franchise.
Best Comic Book Adaptation: Kingsman: The Secret Service – If you missed this one that came out in January of 2015, you missed a hidden gem. Directed by another insanely underrated director in Matthew Vaughn (Stardust, X-Men: First Class), Vaughn directs his second Mark Millar comic book adaptation (the first being Kick-Ass). I had a smile on my face the entire time. And let’s not forget, this movie has one of my favorite action sequences of all time. If you’ve seen it, you know what I am talking about.
Best Comedy: Spy or Trainwreck – I don’t have a whole lot to say about these two, because I did not love either. I think the comedy is a dying art on its last breath it seems, as I only liked one comedy from last year. But I felt that I should give both of these films a mention because they did make me laugh and I was entertained, surpassing my expectations on both by a long shot. Great female leads support both of these films. Melissa McCarthy, who I normally hate, was likeable in Spy. Amy Schumer was quite funny too, but I had never seen her other work. However, both of these movies are bolstered by two supporting characters who stole the shows. In Trainwreck, Lebron James playing himself was hilarious. In Spy, easily the funniest member of the ensemble cast was another person I am not too fond of in Jason Statham. Normally I think Statham phones in a performance in every movie, but I have to say, I severely underestimated him. His comedic chops were impeccable, delivering every line perfectly. He was easily the funniest character in any film this year.
Best Horror Film: It Follows – Review in the Top 10 (oh, SPOILER again.)
Best Sci-Fi Film: Ex Machina – Review in Top 10 (I know, I know, I’m sorry. SPOILER)
Best Short Film (that I wish was 2 hours longer, or a trilogy, or was the next Land Before Time with 86 installments): Kung Fury – If you haven’t seen this 30 minute, B-movie homage masterpiece, here is a link to watch it now. If this movie were longer, it would have been my favorite comedy of the year and in my Top 10. Spoofing trippy and ludicrous 80s flicks, Kung Fury not only provides a successful homage to the amazing genre, but works to one-up it (or five-up it) in every possible facet. If you get bored watching this movie, you and I need to have a chat. It has a character named Triceracop who only shoots people in the pelvic region…enough said. Also, the theme song performed by David Hasselhoff is equally amazing as the short. You can watch that here.
Top 10 of 2015
Possible List-Busters: 99 Homes, Carol, Straight Outta Compton
Honorable Mentions: Bridge of Spies, Creed, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Paddington, Shaun the Sheep
Very Honorable Mentions: (aka #11 and #12): Macbeth and Brooklyn – Macbeth continues the line of great new Shakespeare adaptations (modern adaptations of Much Ado About Nothing and Coriolanus). It’s nothing new, but it is amazingly well acted and it looks just flat-out gorgeous. While I didn’t understand half of the dialogue, I was never disinterested, and that says something.
After watching the trailer, I thought Brooklyn looked like a standard love triangle movie. While it may have a similar plot to some of those movies, it has something that those movies mostly do not…charm. This movie is so goshdarn charming that I felt the need to say “goshdarn”. The Irish accents didn’t hurt.
After watching the trailer, I thought Brooklyn looked like a standard love triangle movie. While it may have a similar plot to some of those movies, it has something that those movies mostly do not…charm. This movie is so goshdarn charming that I felt the need to say “goshdarn”. The Irish accents didn’t hurt.
9. The Martian – I am so happy to say Ridley Scott is back. Although a few of his latest movies have been competently directed, it has been 12 years since he has directed a movie that I thoroughly enjoyed. The Martian was pure entertainment. Matt Damon was a great leading man, and really had you caring about this guy who was alone on the planet. If the movie were 30 minutes shorter, it would have been in my top 5. But because of its length and its wordiness, it dragged a bit (Scott loves space, but a lot of their plans became too detailed). But if you have not seen it, The Martian is a good mix of humor, drama, and sci-fi elements.
8. The Hateful Eight – Fitting that Tarantino’s eighth film The Hateful Eight ends up at number 8 on my list. It may have been on purpose, but who can say? Hateful Eight is my 6th favorite Tarantino movie of the eight. This might sound bad, but it just shows how amazing his other films are, because this movie was great. Why is it #6 out of Tarantino’s arsenal? The first hour or so, while entertaining, were weak in terms of Tarantino. The dialogue was long and did not have a substantial impact later in the movie (at least not for an hour of dialogue). He is the master of using dialogue to build up suspense, but the first hour was not very suspenseful and dragged. However….once the hammer drops after the first 90 minutes or so, it destroys everything. This movie gets absolutely, totally, batshit insane, and that’s when it becomes amazing. It brought up some situations so utterly ridiculous and grotesque that you cannot help but laugh out loud and finally get swept up in the ride.
7. It Follows – Bold statement here: It Follows is my 2nd favorite horror movie of ALL TIME (behind The Shining). Okay, if you know me, it might not be so bold of a statement, because I do not like horror movies. It Follows was driven by a fantastic and terrifying concept. It is also heavily bolstered by the best score of the year, while not relying on jump scares to be scary, which I love. If this were of another genre, it probably would not be in my top 10. But it is such a refreshing welcome and such a unique idea that built up so much suspense that I was grabbing my armrests the whole runtime. If you are tired of the same boring, stereotypical, trope-filled horror garbage in theaters now, then It Follows is the welcome respite for you.
6. End of the Tour – Last year, my favorite film of the year, Calvary, had what in my opinion was the most underrated performance of the year. That title this year belongs to my #6 film from Jason Segal, playing author David Foster Wallace. The film revolves around a true story where Jesse Eisenberg, playing Rolling Stone writer David Lipsky, is sent to interview Foster Wallace after the release of his book Infinite Jest. I have not read the book, and after hearing the way they talked about it in the movie (as dense and complicated), I don’t have much interest in it. But the movie features interesting dialogue ranging from deep life issues to dogs, and I was deeply interested throughout the entire runtime. Actually, it doesn’t just feature that dialogue, the entire movie IS that dialogue. The whole movie is Eisenberg and Segal (who had never met before filming to make their new relationship seem more natural) talking about life. And it is fascinating to watch.
5. Ex Machina – There is a good reason I called #10 Predestination “one of the best sci-fi movies in years”. That is because Ex Machina is the best sci-fi movie in years. Helmed by a small yet amazingly talented cast in Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, and Alicia Vikander (who all had MASSIVE years), Ex Machina invites you into a sci-fi futuristic world that does not seem too far away. The fact that they only changed some details from the real-world only makes the movie more terrifying, in the fact that you can totally see this happening within the next decade. The whole movie is designed on a “who can you trust” game, and you can never really tell until the end. A great sci-fi flick that keeps you guessing, all while providing a fresh, new idea for Hollywood can only lead to amazing things.
4. Room – A lot of people know that my favorite movie is The Room, which has been called the “Citizen Kane of bad movies.” It is hilarious and absurd and the best time you’ll have watching a movie in theaters. This year’s film Room has the misfortune of sharing the name with that film. But it could not be more opposite.
Man…this is the hardest movie of the year to recommend to anyone. Maybe the hardest to recommend of all time. The entire time I watched this film, it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. When I left and was asked what I thought, the first thing I could gasp out was “it was so heavy.” Room is not graphic in terms of violence, sex, or language (though the concept is very, very dark). But it is graphic in developing the “world” of a 5 year old boy who is trapped inside a single room since he was born. That idea alone is terrifying. Without spoiling anything, it really only gets heavier from there. This film features an amazing performance by Brie Larson (Oscar PLEASE) and a great performance by child-actor Jacob Tremblay. I normally hate kid actors, and often shy away from films that rely on them, but Tremblay carries Room on his tiny shoulders. He is the reason the film is so heavy, so depressing, so terrifying, and so beautiful. If I had enjoyed watching this film more than I did, it would be #1. But because of the heaviness of the tone, it sits at a very respectable #4.
3. Steve Jobs – I am sad to admit this, but before The Social Network, I had never heard of Aaron Sorkin. Then The Social Network came out. And Moneyball. And The Newsroom (judge away, I’m a fan of all 3 seasons). And now comes along Steve Jobs, a film based a popular figure who I honestly knew nothing about and did not have much interest in learning more about (according to a friend, this may have helped my enjoyment of the film, as it is not very accurate). But Sorkin’s dialogue just engulfed me in this one, just like every other recent work of his.
Before the movie came out, people complained that Fassbender did not look enough like Jobs. Kutcher did, but anyone who would pick Ashton Kutcher over Michael Fassbender is out of their mind. After the movie came out, the complaints stopped. Because Fassbender was absolutely unbelievable in this film. His portrayal of Jobs was easily one of my favorite performances of the year. Perhaps only second to his screenmate Jeff Daniels, who turns in another horribly underrated performance (like Segal). The banter in this movie is rapid, like all Sorkin writing, and fascinating, like all Sorkin writing. Every actor, including Seth Rogen, whom I despise, spoke Sorkin’s dialogue with such grace that I couldn’t help but drop my jaw at times, particularly in the scene featuring Fassbender and Daniels that included flashbacks to Jobs’ firing. I do not want to forget the amazing directing of Danny Boyle. The movie revolves around three big debuts in Jobs’ career, and for each scene, Boyle changes the camera from gritty to slightly more high definition, to crystal clear, embodying Jobs’ transition from reckless renegade to computer juggernaut.
If you are one of the many people who passed this off as “just another Steve Jobs movie,” do yourself a favor and check it out.
2. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Every year, there is a fantastic indie picture that goes under the radar. And every year, I find myself saying “Why didn’t more people watch and love this movie?” This year, that film is Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. The directing and camerawork is different and refreshing. The dialogue is hilarious. The content is heartbreaking (NO, I DIDN’T CRY!!!...but I did tear up…a bit).
What is most unfortunate for Me and Earl is that it has drawn obvious comparisons to the other recent teen movie release about cancer in The Fault in Our Stars. But Me and Earl is a better film on every level than Stars. Me and Earl is so good that it makes The Fault in Our Stars look like one of the parody films of classic films made by the characters in the movie (my personal favorite was Pooping Tom). The film deals with the issue of cancer in a very human way, using humor to try to soothe the pain, transitioning to doing everything in your power to help make that person feel something good. Through all the laughter and heartache this movie throws at you, the final product is simply amazing.
1. The Revenant – I had never seen any of Alejandro Inarritu’s films before Birdman, which came in at #2 on my list last year. I think it is safe to say that he is the new powerhouse in cinema, with the release of the triumphant film, The Revenant. During the filming of this movie, I thought it was doomed based on all of the press it was getting. I heard stories of Tom Hardy punching a crew member on set, only to bring in an apology cake the next day. Leo continually called it the hardest role of his life. Inarritu and Lubezki only shot in natural light, which led to short filming windows. However, after seeing the film, it is safe to say that all of the suffering and hard work paid off in big ways.
Was this Leo’s best performance? No. Was he the best performance of the year? No. Will he win the Oscar and does he deserve it? I think this is finally his year. Overall, it has been a fairly weak year in film, especially compared to last year. I had kept waiting for a movie to blow me away, like most of my Top 10 from 2014. But nothing was until The Revenant finally made its debut. Put simply, it is one of the most brutal and beautiful movies I have ever seen. Lubezki’s cinematography is simply masterful: you will not find better anywhere (sorry Deakins, hopefully your Oscar will come soon, but not this year). The story is simple but the execution is anything but. Whenever the story starts to slow, another amazing setpiece is released. This movie also features the best opening sequence of the year, and it sucks you in from the beginning. Ignore the mixed reviews, go in knowing that the movie is 2 and a half hours and slow, and just get lost in the environment.
3. Steve Jobs – I am sad to admit this, but before The Social Network, I had never heard of Aaron Sorkin. Then The Social Network came out. And Moneyball. And The Newsroom (judge away, I’m a fan of all 3 seasons). And now comes along Steve Jobs, a film based a popular figure who I honestly knew nothing about and did not have much interest in learning more about (according to a friend, this may have helped my enjoyment of the film, as it is not very accurate). But Sorkin’s dialogue just engulfed me in this one, just like every other recent work of his.
Before the movie came out, people complained that Fassbender did not look enough like Jobs. Kutcher did, but anyone who would pick Ashton Kutcher over Michael Fassbender is out of their mind. After the movie came out, the complaints stopped. Because Fassbender was absolutely unbelievable in this film. His portrayal of Jobs was easily one of my favorite performances of the year. Perhaps only second to his screenmate Jeff Daniels, who turns in another horribly underrated performance (like Segal). The banter in this movie is rapid, like all Sorkin writing, and fascinating, like all Sorkin writing. Every actor, including Seth Rogen, whom I despise, spoke Sorkin’s dialogue with such grace that I couldn’t help but drop my jaw at times, particularly in the scene featuring Fassbender and Daniels that included flashbacks to Jobs’ firing. I do not want to forget the amazing directing of Danny Boyle. The movie revolves around three big debuts in Jobs’ career, and for each scene, Boyle changes the camera from gritty to slightly more high definition, to crystal clear, embodying Jobs’ transition from reckless renegade to computer juggernaut.
If you are one of the many people who passed this off as “just another Steve Jobs movie,” do yourself a favor and check it out.
2. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Every year, there is a fantastic indie picture that goes under the radar. And every year, I find myself saying “Why didn’t more people watch and love this movie?” This year, that film is Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. The directing and camerawork is different and refreshing. The dialogue is hilarious. The content is heartbreaking (NO, I DIDN’T CRY!!!...but I did tear up…a bit).
What is most unfortunate for Me and Earl is that it has drawn obvious comparisons to the other recent teen movie release about cancer in The Fault in Our Stars. But Me and Earl is a better film on every level than Stars. Me and Earl is so good that it makes The Fault in Our Stars look like one of the parody films of classic films made by the characters in the movie (my personal favorite was Pooping Tom). The film deals with the issue of cancer in a very human way, using humor to try to soothe the pain, transitioning to doing everything in your power to help make that person feel something good. Through all the laughter and heartache this movie throws at you, the final product is simply amazing.
1. The Revenant – I had never seen any of Alejandro Inarritu’s films before Birdman, which came in at #2 on my list last year. I think it is safe to say that he is the new powerhouse in cinema, with the release of the triumphant film, The Revenant. During the filming of this movie, I thought it was doomed based on all of the press it was getting. I heard stories of Tom Hardy punching a crew member on set, only to bring in an apology cake the next day. Leo continually called it the hardest role of his life. Inarritu and Lubezki only shot in natural light, which led to short filming windows. However, after seeing the film, it is safe to say that all of the suffering and hard work paid off in big ways.
Was this Leo’s best performance? No. Was he the best performance of the year? No. Will he win the Oscar and does he deserve it? I think this is finally his year. Overall, it has been a fairly weak year in film, especially compared to last year. I had kept waiting for a movie to blow me away, like most of my Top 10 from 2014. But nothing was until The Revenant finally made its debut. Put simply, it is one of the most brutal and beautiful movies I have ever seen. Lubezki’s cinematography is simply masterful: you will not find better anywhere (sorry Deakins, hopefully your Oscar will come soon, but not this year). The story is simple but the execution is anything but. Whenever the story starts to slow, another amazing setpiece is released. This movie also features the best opening sequence of the year, and it sucks you in from the beginning. Ignore the mixed reviews, go in knowing that the movie is 2 and a half hours and slow, and just get lost in the environment.
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