I actually put this together the last week of December in 2015, but as luck would have it....My broken leg threw a bit of a monkey in the wrench...you know a fly in the ointment....a pain in the....
In other words, just enjoy.
The Best Of 2015 At The Movies
By Paul Hall
As 2015 comes to a close, it is a critic’s responsibility — actually a duty, or even a code — to release a year-end top 10 list. Not being one to break a code, I figured I would play to the masses and complete the task at hand.
Before I get to my list, let’s start with four films I want to recognize that I just can’t find a way to fit in my top 10. Star Wars: The Force Awakens does a great job reintroducing the classic franchise to the world. Amy is a heart-wrenching documentary about the amazingly talented Amy Winehouse. The Gift will make your skin crawl in a way that most psychological horror films couldn’t even come close to. And Bridge of Spies, an epic film with a huge star, works on so many levels. You can’t go wrong with any of those films, but this is a top 10 list, so that’s where I’m going to draw the line. Without further ado, here are the 10 great films from 2015 that you must check out. 10. Spy – A funny film that caught me totally off-guard. Melissa McCarthy rocks, and the comedian in Jason Statham truly shines.
9. The Martian – If not for the third act of this film, I may have considered it for the top of the list. Fascinating and extremely engrossing, it’s a wonderful film.8. Straight Outta Compton – Raw and amazingly well done — look back at the legendary N.W.A. and the struggles that accompanied fame for these kids from Compton.
7. Ex Machina – Alicia Vikander delivers an award-worthy performance in this sci-fi gem. Top-notch roles for Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson, as well as an extremely interesting story, make this a film to ruminate on.
6. Inside Out – Disney and Pixar have done it again. This time look into the head of an 11-year-old girl and witness the emotions she is dealing with in living color.
5. Room – Brie Larson is amazing and deserves all the acclaim she is getting for her role in this drama about a woman confined with her son to a room for years.4. Spotlight – The story (abuse within the Catholic Church) is painful — the film is not. Amazingly acted and brought to life, Spotlight is heartbreaking but real.
3. Creed – This new chapter in Rocky Balboa’s life focuses on the son of the late Apollo Creed. Sylvester Stallone delivers one of the best performances in his career and if Michael B. Jordan isn’t a superstar in the next five years, there is something wrong.
2. The Big Short – This film came quietly — unnecessarily quietly — to theaters at the end of 2015. An ensemble cast brings to life the usually boring topic of the housing market and subsequent crash, making it
entertaining, enlightening and interesting.1. Sicario – This film stuck with me from the first time I saw it. I can’t get Emily Blunt, Benico Del Toro and Josh Brolin out of my head. I remained riveted in my seat throughout the film, and the actions on the screen are bound to stick with me for quite some time.
That’s my top 10 for 2015. There are a multitude of other deserving films that I didn’t mention. Movies like The Revenant, Joy, Trumbo, 99 Homes, The Walk, Cartel Land, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Hunting Ground, Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation, Black Mass, The End of the Tour, A Walk in the Woods and The Intern can now consider themselves mentioned as films I think highly of as well. I love movies, and if you take a peek at just some of my top picks for the year, you will see why.
