Worst2First: The Best Films of 2015
Worst2First: The Best Films of 2015
With everything comes balance. Yin, yang. So for there to be a worst set of movies in 2015, there has to be the best. Like the worst, it was hard coming up with just ten great films of the year, so I've included some Honorable Mentions as well.
If you don’t see a review of mine on this site, it means I
haven’t seen it yet, so I can’t include it in my best OR worst of 2015, since I
haven’t seen them yet.
So here are the ten best films of 2015, Worst2First...
**There will be no spoilers.**
The Honorable Mentions:
Furious 7
"The Fast & the Furious" series is one of those cinematic anomalys where each sequel performs better than the one preceding it, with "Furious 7" making over a billion dollars worldwide. They've long foregone plausible storytelling (let's drive a car across two buildings, how about we release cars from an airplane and have them land perfectly without any issues? Sure, why not?), but it brings the adrenaline and also surprising heart, as it focuses on the importance of family. Plus it was Paul Walker's final ride.
Black Mass
Johnny
Depp returns to his true form as the villainous Whitey Bulger, one of
the most notorious criminals in modern history who also moonlit as an
FBI informant to take down the Mafia. His transformation is simply
Hollywood magic, and when you have someone as big as Depp performing -
and you don't associate the character with him - you know you've got an
Oscar-worthy performance.
Ant-Man
When Marvel revealed they were making a whole movie centering around a secondary character that no one really knew about and didn't have any spectacular God-like powers, it seemed destined to be a flop. Instead, it was one of the best written, best acted Marvel movies to date, with the excellent performance by Paul Rudd.
The Peanuts Movie
Simply for nostalgic purposes, one could say this was a great film. However, it goes far beyond that and tells a simplistic story filled with humor, heart, and morals. This movie shows us that it's alright to be ourselves, and to always do the right thing.
Southpaw
Another excellent boxing movie, this time featuring a surprising turn by Jake Gyllenhaal, who stars as one of boxing's best fighters but spirals into a downward curve after shocking family loss, and learns to believe in himself again.
Now we’ve gotten to the top ten best films of 2015…
#10
The Gift
A brilliant, tantalizing thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you eagerly anticipate what will happen next. Joel Edgerton starred, wrote, directed and produced this unique film about a high school rivalry that escalates and keeps you guessing until the end.
#9
Straight Outta Compton
For a country boy who didn't listen to rap growing up, I was surprised about how much I enjoyed this film about the founding of the N.W.A., one of rap music's most influential groups. Great acting, great script and moving performances, you can tell they took their time with the story and told it with all their heart.
#8
Creed
After
the terrible "Rocky Balboa," making another "Rocky" movie seemed like a
gamble, but it paid off in spades as it featured a new breed of
contender, Apollo Creed's son (brilliantly portrayed by Michael B.
Jordan), with Rocky taking a supporting role in this film - and also a
Golden Globe (and, more than likely, an Oscar) nomination for Sylvester
Stallone.
#7
Bridge of Spies
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks deliver Hollywood magic once again, telling the true story of James Donovan, a regular American lawyer thrust into the spotlight when he's asked to defend a Soviet spy. Hanks gives one of his best performances to date, and the film is filled with drama, suspense and epic storytelling.
#6
Jurassic World
Several decades after Steven Spielberg invited us all to Jurassic Park, it returns once again. This time it features two of the best actors out there (Bryce Dallas Howard & Chris Pratt), an intriguing new breed of dinosaur, a lot of destruction, and brilliant homages to the original. There's a reason its the highest grossing "Jurassic Park" movie, because it's pitch-perfect.
#5
Spotlight
The true-life story of The Boston Globe's Spotlight division, who worked endlessly and tirelessly to expose the sexual misconduct of Boston priests was a story that had to be told, and with an ensemble cast of Oscar-worthy performances and actors, it was done with excellence, and it shows what real journalism should be.
#4
The Martian
Matt Damon is well known for having to be rescued in films, but this one takes the cake. He stars as a man who is left for dead on Mars, and has to use his ingenuity, know-how and determination to survive four years on a planet with only enough food to last thirty days. Damon's best performance to date, with a top-notch supporting cast and some visually satisfying effects, "The Martian" is a film everyone should see.
#3
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Say what you will about the plot, the newest "Star Wars" movie actually feels like a "Star Wars" movie (unlike those gaudy prequels). The acting is fantastic (especially since it features two relative unknowns in the lead, they step up their game in huge ways), the fighting is edge-of-your-seat, and the effects are...well...out of this world. It took 22 years to bring another "Star Wars" film worthy of the title, but it was well worth the wait.
#2
Mad Max: Fury Road
Speaking of another series long left in the dust, George Miller (the original director, now 70 years old) returns behind the camera to bring Max to life again for a new generation. This time Tom Hardy steps into the shoes and fits like a glove, along with Charlize Theron's impeccable acting. Everything about this film is amazing - from the actors to the dizzying effects and outlandish fight sequences - it's a perfect movie that's even generating Oscar buzz. Now that's an achievement for an action movie!
#1
Avengers: Age of Ultron
I know, it's not as good as the original, but very rarely does a sequel precede its original. Yes, there's arguments that there's too many heroes and not enough screen time. And yes, some people feel its just a re-telling of the original, but with robots instead of aliens. But, this is my list, and I still love it. This is a film I can (and have) seen multiple times without getting bored, as the action starts from the first scene and continues to the last, and introduces us to the ever-amazing Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and The Vision. For a Marvel geek like myself, there can be no other film to top this amazing year at the movies.
So there you have it, my personal best films of 2015. I hope you'll take some time in 2016 and check out these gems if you haven't yet.
Here's to 2016, with another crop of fantastic movies to see at the theater!
YES! Age of Ultron was INCREDIBLE!
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