SLIS’s Best and Worst Movies of 2015: the highs and lows (and in-betweens ) of 2015 cinema.
It’s almost time to say goodbye to 2015, which means doing my year-end wrap up of the most memorable pop-culture moments of the year. I’ve already covered the best songs, albums and TV, and now it’s time to turn my attention to the year that was in cinema.
I feel like I’ve seen a ton of movies this year after covering Fantastic Fest and other notables, but I haven’t gotten around to seeing everything on my list, including The Revenant, Hateful Eight, Krampus, We Are Still Here, Bridge of Spies, Sicario, and Spotlight-so I may update this list a little further into 2016.
Until then, here’s my list of amazing highs and the painful lows of 2015, categorized by rankings a little more elastic than any other list you’ll see this year.
I’ll have Amazon links for each entry (where available) if there’s any titles you’d like to add to your collection.
So without further ado…
Best Sci-fi Blockbuster: Mad Max: Fury Road
I had my doubts when I heard George Miller was resurrecting his Mad Max film series: While I adore the first two films, I loathed Beyond Thunderdome, and after years of doing kiddie films like Happy Feet, I wondered if he could still bring the carnage?
I shouldn’t have doubted: Fury Road was an ass-kicking experience, full of “how the hell did they do that” spectacle while adding a feminist message and a cautionary tale of blind ideology.
But while Charlize Thereon was fantastic as Imperator Furiosa, and Nicolas Hoult was great as Nux, my only gripe (besides wishing there wasn’t a trace of CGI amidst the practical stunts) was that Hardy didn’t quite nail Max the way Mel Gibson did. But I can’t wait to see the next movie regardless.
No movie banged my eyeballs harder this year.
Runner-up: The Martian
After the mixed, frustrating bag of Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, it was a relief to see his entertaining and fleet-footed adaptation of the sci-fi novel of the same name.
Matt Damon was solid as Mark Watney, a man determined to survive on the red planet through science and good humor. While the film’s tone felt at times too unrelentingly upbeat, I was having too much fun to care.
Best Sci-fi on a Smaller Scale: Ex Machina
It’s too bad it sputters out in the end, because Alex Garland’s troubling look at AI is both sleek, yet disquieting, offering plenty of food for thought as its notions are becoming frighteningly closer to reality.
Worst Sci-fi Blockbuster: Jurassic World
More like Jurassic Turd. Garbage. Utter, complete, audience insulting swill. Stupid characters, bad effects, a story that had no trace of logic…the fact that it made an obscene amount of money pisses me off to no end.
But what are you gonna do? All Jurassic Park sequels have sucked. But this was the most shamelessly sub par. Okay. I’m done now.
No. I’m not. It sucks! So bad. Poop. Pure poop. Ok. NOW I’m done.
Sci-fi Blockbuster That Gave Me Mixed Emotions: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
After being burned by the prequels, I was skeptical about Disney resurrecting Star Wars with JJ Abrams at the helm. But damned if those trailers didn’t get me excited! I tried to reign in my enthusiasm, but I was pumped.
Click here for my shamelessly nostalgic Star Wars piece
After seeing the film, I heard rapturous applause. But I felt…only half pleased. Plot holes! A bad guy that seemed kinda lame. A moment that genuinely caused me more anger and despair than I would like to admit, and mainly just a feeling of, “been there, done that”.
But I gave it a second try, telling myself nothing will ever match me seeing Star Wars in 77 when I was 6…and I had a pretty fun time! The new heroes (Rey in particular) are extremely likable, and the humor was tone perfect with the original. if only the second half was as good as the first…
Basically this film made me so conflicted I couldn’t even review it. I’ll just say that I’ll give it a B, and I’m learning to live with it, but thoroughly jealous of everyone who loves it. But the massive online debate proves I’m not alone at least. Just in the minority. I can deal. Moving on.
BEST (Pretty Decent superhero Movie): Ant-Man
After hearing that Edgar Wright left Ant-Man and seeing the first trailer, I pretty much wrote this off as a massive misfire of corporate filmmaking. In the end, it was a perfectly pleasant film, if fairly forgettable. But it had a reference to The Cure that made me chuckle with delight. And it was certainly better than…
WORST Superhero Movie: Avengers: Age of Ultron
After last year’s excellent Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel felt at the top of their game (even when constrained by formula in their bloated third-acts).
Sadly, Ultron falls into the Iron Man 2 category of a film that spends more time facilitating future Marvel movies then being entertaining in its own right.
The plot was sloppy (the concept of Ultron was shoehorned shoddily) and character motivations seemed half-baked, leaving satisfaction only in Joss Whedon’s jokey dialogue and some action spectacle. But The Vision looked sweet. That was a nerd-out moment for me, I will readily admit.
Still, it felt like a huge stumble after the first Avengers, and makes it clear that Hawkeye does NOT deserve bonus screen time. He’s a supporting character for a reason. I wanted more Vision, more Ultron and more examination on Tony Stark’s reason for creating him in the first place.
Perhaps Captain America: Civil War will be the Avengers film I’m longing for. And I’m still jazzed about Dr Strange.
Best James Bond Movie Not Featuring James Bond:
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Matthew Vaughan brought back the campy thrill of vintage 60’s spy flicks, but with a subversive 21st century comic book kick. Full of laughs aplenty with some fairly shocking displays of violence (Colin Firth taking out a Church full of parishioners is one of the best action sequences of the year), it’s a sugar rush leaving me clamoring for a follow-up.
Best Spy-film Runner-Up: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
The latest installment of Ethan Hunt and co. is the best yet, full of amazing action sequences and witty banter. And Rebecca Ferguson is a star to be watched.
Honorable Mention: Spy.
Not a classic, but still a fun spy spoof with Melissa McCarthy.
James Bond Movie Proving Daniel Craig Needs To Go: Spectre
Jesus. After the thrills of Skyfall, how could things go so wrong? Director Sam Mendes second film for the 007 franchise makes a horrible mistake of over-explaining Bond’s back story with SPECTRE, and despite an intense opening scene, the action sequences didn’t impress.
And I’m tired of the lack of cool gadgets ok? This barebones Bond has run its course. If Craig wants to leave, give him the boot. Specter was a snooze.
Best Horror Movie: Green Room
I can’t think of another film in recent memory that had me shaking in absolute terror than this film about a punk rock band trying to survive a vicious skinhead gang in a remote punk club. Director Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin) has a masterful touch with suspense and dark humor.
Full of nerve jangling tension and gruesome practical gore, it left me utterly exhausted, and beyond impressed.
And watch out for Patrick Stewart, playing against type as an utterly creepy White Power leader.
Runner-up: The Witch
This eerie tale of a farming family in 17th century New England has atmospheric dread to spare. While some may be frustrated at its skeletal plot and lack of standard scare tactics, it has an evocative, storybook quality that proves hard to shake.
Best Horror-Western: Bone Tomahawk
Ok, so it’s the only horror western of 2015. So what? It’s awesome! Kurt Russell stars in this Western as a Sheriff who ventures off to save his deputy and town medic from cannibalistic Native Americans.
It’s a truly unusual film, veering from classic western moments (Richard Jenkins shines as Russell’s bumbling “assistant” deputy) to some of the most brutal and gory killings I’ve ever seen in an American film.
I can’t wait to see Russell in Hateful Eight for comparison in the grizzled cowboy department.
Best Horror Comedy: What We Do In The Shadows
This New Zealand romp featuring Flight of the Concord’s Jemaine Clement is an endearing and hilarious mockumentary about ancient vampires trying to fit into 21st century society. There’s more laughs than scares, which makes it not just 2015’s best horror comedy, but best comedy in general.
Most Overhyped Horror Movie: It Follows
Looked great. Awesome score. Cool premise. But it’s just not scary. Goes on too long. A tad anti-climactic. So why all the critical buzz? I dunno. Perhaps because it appeals to art house fans who aren’t normally drawn to horror films? Or its etro touches give it an endearing quality? Or the fact that I don’t really like films about high school kids anymore?
Maybe! But compared to other retro horror like House of the Devil or The Guest, It Follows just never came together in a truly satisfactory way for yours truly. Oh well.
Best Horror Movie Title: Deathgasm
Movie was alright, title is EPIC.
Most Beautiful Horror Film: Crimson Peak
Ok, so it’s not the most terrifying film of 2015, and the story felt cobbled together from better films, but from a production standpoint, Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak is a beauty, lurid and fanciful in equal measure.
Best Horror Film/Depressing Family Drama That Proved Ahnuld Could Act: Maggie
Schwarzenegger is a revelation as a dad mortified by the thought of putting down his daughter (Abigail Breslin) after she begins turning into a zombie. The chemistry he shares with Breslin is palpable, and it’s one of the most emotional horror films I’ve seen in years. Hugely pleasant surprise that deserves more exposure.
Best Animated Film: Inside Out
Pixar does it again in this sweetly funny tale of a pre-teen girl’s emotional landscape amidst a new hometown and life experiences. Amy Poehler, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader kill it as the various emotions trying to help her cope.
Best Hard to Categorize Dramedy: Anomalisa
Charlie Kaufman’s surreal puppet film examines a man’s (David Thewlis) mid-life crisis and a woman’s (Jennifer Jason Leigh) emotional vulnerability in novel and mesmerizing ways. You’ll never see another film like it this year, or any other for that matter.
Meh Comedy That I Expected More From: Trainwreck
Amy Schumer’s edge was dulled by director Judd Apatow, making Trainwreck just too damn conventional in its last act, which undermines its more subversive beginnings.
To be clear: it’s certainly entertaining and inoffensive. But with Schumer, the latter feels like a letdown you know?
Best Biopic: Love and Mercy
Paul Dano and John Cusack do wonderful jobs portraying The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson in his early and older years, showing how his incredible creative artistry was rooted in deep psychological pain.
And Elizabeth Banks excels as his future spouse who wants to see him free of his horrible manipulative therapist (Paul Giamatti at his scenery chewing best).
Best Documentary Of 2015 That Will Make You Utterly Depressed: The Look Of Silence
The sequel to the critically acclaimed The Act Of Killing follows an optician interviewing the men who killed his brother during the Indonesian genocide of the 1960’s. To see their smug faces discussing their barbaric acts will leave you cold. It’s also quite timely in an era of increasing intolerance.
Runner-up: Going Clear
Exposing concerns Scientology skeptics already feared, but in more deep-rooted and harrowing detail than one could have imagined, Going Clear reveals a “religion” that has no seeming regard to abusive authority, with followers who have been battered both emotionally and physically. Scary stuff.
So-so Documentary That Succeeds Better As A Horror Film: The Nightmare
This doc about the phenomenon of “sleep paralysis” would have better served by interviews with medical professionals than merely interviewing those describing their ordeals.
But the recreations of nightmares involving “Shadow Men” who peer at the subjects who are trapped in their beds is goddamn terrifying.
So that wraps up my list of the best and worst cinema of 2015! Be sure to tell me what your picks are in the comments. And you can also check out my list of the Best Movies of 2014, including a few films that didn’t get official releases until this year.