In response to Maureen's top 10, let me post my own (and if you noticed, slight changes and variations from my initial list posted on Facebook weeks back). I think 2015 has some very great films, some very unique films. Big films, small films, and everything in between, it was a tough list to assemble and if I could have a few more in that #1 spot, I would. Starting at ten:
10. EX MACHINA
As good as anything Hitchcock ever made, Ex Machina was a surprising debut for director Alex Garland. Starring a claustrophobic cast and set entirely in one secluded house, this was a film of suspense and pure creativity. Artificial intelligence has been explored in the movies before (need I name them?), but never before has it felt so genuinely inventive.
9. SPOTLIGHT
The Screen Actor's Guild aptly named this the best ensemble cast of the year (and please excuse our less than stellar predictions there). It has been compared positively to All The President's Men as one of the best 'journalism' films ever made, and it's difficult to argue against that. Through dense plot and scene after scene of nothing but reading and sitting, Spotlight succeeds as one of the year's best thrillers; a retelling of the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal and the team that brought it to the attention of the world.
8. SICARIO
I was utterly surprised by the power of Sicario, a film about the drug cartel near the border of US and Mexico. Full of mystery and assured directing, the story goes from something fairly predictable to a plot of redemption and moral corruption. I think perhaps I am ranking this too low on my list, as it called to mind one of my favorite all-time movies: No Country For Old Men. No, it isn't a better movie, but to tread on similar ground is an achievement in itself.
7. VICTORIA
The poster described the movie as "One city, one night, one take," as if describing the astounding process of filming it as the only thing to brag about. In fact, Victoria is an assured film with power and beauty. The story of a lonely girl who befriends a group of city boys, it leads to an odyssey of destruction and loss. Yes, it is filmed without a single cut (all the while the sun is seen rising in the background), but the movie itself is a dream that I still relive vividly months later.
6. ROOM
I ended up seeing many of these films more than once before making this list, and Room stood up to the test of repeated watches brilliantly. Brie Larson is getting all the Oscar buzz for her supporting role (I said it), but Jacob Tremblay (as the lead) just knocks it out of the ballpark as the best child performance we have seen in such a long time. The story is in may ways a fairy tale, and following Jack as he comes to realize the world is so much more than he knew absolutely breaks your heart in more ways than one.
5. WORLD OF TOMORROW
I haven't followed the world of short films to be quite honest, but the 16-minute World of Tomorrow blew me away and is not my #1 of the year simply because I can't justify putting a movie the length of your typical shower atop a list of feature length films. Take a minute and watch it on Netflix while it is available. The story is of a clone (named Emily) coming back in time to visit her "prime" being, a little girl named Emily. Describing the future as incredibly bleak and full of sorrow, the contrast with the optimism of young Emily to that of her cloned self presents a story of incredible humor and deep self-reflection. A flawless movie.
4. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Many critics put this as the best movie of the year, and with it's 10 Oscar nominations (the second-most of the year), it's really not hard to see why. Kinetic and full of originality at every level of filmmaking, George Miller's epic is the best action movie yet made and proof that the Hollywood industry doesn't have to be driven by sequels and reboots (and yes, ironically, this could be considered a sequel. How odd).
3. THE BIG SHORT
In terms of second viewings, The Big Short was even better, and I strongly considered this as the best movie of the year. Retelling the story of the 2008 Housing Market Collapse, it uses humor, fast edits, and celebrity cameos to create a movie that is literally unlike anything I have seen before. The movie is a comedy until it is simply not, and the ending is a somber reflection on today's world economy. Steve Carell was snubbed of an Oscar for one of the year's absolutely finest performances.
2. INSIDE OUT
Let's be honest: this is maybe the best film yet made by Pixar (#2 if you're like me and still have Wall-E in your heart). It's a complex movie that juggles two stories of a little girl and her emotions. It's very much an adult movie, with complex ideas and heavy moments of true consequence. I don't think there was a more emotional film made this year, and even though it came out earlier this summer, Inside Out was a movie I never forgot.
1. THE REVENANT
I saw The Revenant 3 times, and even though it lost much of its power from the initial viewing, I still think this is the best movie of the year. The story of a man trudging through the woods to find his revenge is brilliantly filmed by Alejandro Inarritu (last year's Oscar winner for Birdman). It's extremely beautiful even in the most brutal moments, and so many scenes had me floored with the simple question of "how did they do that??" Grim and violent, but very much deserving of being the year's best.
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