The Top 10 Films of 2015

It's that time of year again!  After hours upon hours of movies watched...and some deep deliberations...I have found my Top 10 Films of 2015!  I have to say, as of October,  I was beginning to wonder if I'd even find those 10, as this has been a pretty unmemorable year for film.  So it's no surprise that most of the ones that made the list came out in the latter part of the year.  I still have LOTS of films to watch, but I've watched every one that I thought might have a chance to make this list...mainly so I don't have to update it months later with an addendum!

As in the past, my tastes are not always in the "herd mentality", so you shouldn't be surprised that the highly overrated "Mad Max: Fury Road" and the beautifully shot, but painfully too long "The Revenant" did not make this list.  (Sorry, not sorry.)  And no, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" didn't make it either because...well...I haven't seen it yet, and from what I've heard, I probably won't for quite some time (and wouldn't have made the list, anyway.)  Instead, I've given you an eclectic mix of drama, comedy, and even a sprinkling of horror...movies that had me in stitches...or on the edge of my seat...or just plain made me forget the world around me for two hours, as it held me entranced in the worlds they built and stories they were telling.

If you haven't seen all of these films, I give them a big stamp of approval, and hope you seek them out as soon as possible.  So here they are, in descending order...and a few more Honorable Mentions!


10. "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" - Words can't describe how much fun I had while watching this film in the theater.  I mean, this is the fifth "Mission Impossible" film, and this series just keeps getting better and better!  Come for the great action sequences and hilarious moments, but stay for the ridiculously talented Rebecca Ferguson.  Talk about a true revelation, and one of the best female characters introduced to cinema in 2015. 

9. "Straight Outta Compton" - What's not to love about this one?  Nostalgia, check.  Good music, check.  Excellent performances, check.  This isn't your typical biopic.  It not only manages to step above the typical tropes found in this genre, but leaves you wanting more, even though its running time is over two hours.  It's not the highest grossing biopic of all time for nothing, folks!

8. "Good Night Mommy" - To steal from the late Joan Rivers..."Can we talk?"  Because there's a lot to say about this little gem of a thriller/horror film.  Most of you probably haven't even heard of this one, because it's a foreign film as well...but DO NOT LET THAT BE A DETRACTOR!  If you do, you will miss the most interesting, chilling, squirm inducing mindfuck of the year.   To say too much about it will ruin the experience, but, n short, it's about two young twin boys whose mother has come home to rest after facial reconstruction surgery.  Only...they grow to fear that the woman who has come home isn't really their mother...and that's when the real fun begins.  Just don't watch it before bed.  Not because it's scary, but because of the ridiculously awesome twist it hits you with at the end.

7. "Trumbo" - Did you think a film about a screenwriter, starring Walter White, would NOT make my list?  Another "not your typical biopic" film, this one's got something for everyone, whether you like industry films, historical pieces, or just plain great filmmaking and performances, this one's for you.

6. "Brooklyn" - I cannot tell a lie: the first 10 or so minutes, I wondered if I'd be turning this one off.  But boy, am I glad I stuck with it.  Yes, it may take a little time to get into the story, but when it clicks, around the 15/20 minute mark, it's one of the most endearing, heartwarming stories of the year.  I hate romantic films...yet...this film is about as romantic as they come, but it got its hooks into me and stayed with me for a few days.  For that reason alone, it got a spot on this list.

5. "Room" - This was my "pleasant surprise" of the year.  All I knew before going into it was that it took place in a room with two characters...the exact kind of film that would have me running away from it, as I am not a fan of contained films with only one or two characters (i.e. "Castaway", "I Am Legend").  This, however, is not one of those films.  Like "Good Night Mommy", I won't say much about it for you uninitiated...for seeing it knowing not much else about it adds to the enjoyment level of this film.  But know this: it had probably one of the most intense, edge-of-your-seat sequences this side of "Argo". 

4. "Inside Out" - What's NOT to love about this little gem?  It's clever, funny, and never panders to its audience.  And to boot, there's some great adult humor in it that will fly way over the kids' heads, and cut right to the funny bone for those of us who know better.  These guys can do no wrong.

3. "The Final Girls" - Words can't describe how much I fell in love with this horror-comedy hybrid.  I can't begin to tell you how much you'll howl with laughter at this wonderfully funny, tongue-in-cheek nostalgia fest that takes on 80s slashers.  And the most surprising thing about it?  It has heart.  Genuine, emotional heart...which is rare to find in a movie like this.  Just when you think you know where it's going, it takes a zigzag to the left and down even more interesting corridors.  It has just the right amount of humor, blood, and nostalgia to keep you entertained its entire running time.  Seriously.  Find it.  Watch it.  Love it.  And I'll tell you now: you're welcome.

2. "The Big Short"/"99 Homes" - Yeah, yeah, TECHNICALLY this is a cheat, but...both films take on the same subject matter...one lighter in tone, one deeply dark in tone...and both are stupendous.  "The Big Short" will tell you how the housing collapse happened in a "Housing Collapse For Dummies", humorous way (but in a good way, of course...it doesn't treat its audience like idiots), while "99 Homes" personalizes it and drives this horrible situation home in a gritty, depressing way.  (Yeah...don't watch this one at the end of the night.)  Both films have stellar casts and great writing.  "99 Homes" might edge out "The Big Short" just a smidgen for me, if only because it dared to show the seriousness of the matter...and put faces on the victims. 

1. "Spotlight" -  Holy cow, this movie!  I mean, the sheer scope of the issue alone!  From top to bottom, this is the best, most important movie of the year.  Hell, it even made investigative journalists look like real people, and not just assholes out for a scoop...which is no small feat in film.  It's heartbreaking, thrilling, and even finds some moments of genuine humor to break up all of the craziness these reporters are uncovering.  It also has Rachel McAdams, so...you know...you can't go wrong.  (Well...it's enough to make you forget she was in "True Detective Season 2"...)

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

"Krampus" - This almost made it into the top 10, if I hadn't seen "The Final Girls" or "Good Night Mommy".  It's this generation's "Gremlins" and I loved every single moment of it.  Just when you thought it was going to end predictably, it makes a sharp turn, and you wind up loving it even more.

"The Martian" - Another clever, funny, thrilling film that hit all the right notes.  If it hadn't been for "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation", this one would have made it too.  And Kristen Wiig is, naturally, quite the scene stealer in this.

"The Age of Adeline" - I know...who'd'a thunk it?  Blake Lively actually gave her best performance to date in this ridiculously good, old-fashioned tale.  I recommend it highly.

"Ex Machina" - Another brilliant little movie that just got edged out.  Thought-provoking and original...what more could we want in a movie?

"Spy"/"Trainwreck" - I've never laughed so much, and so hard, at two comedies this year.  Both are gems and should be seen immediately.

"Creed" - A nice addition to the "Rocky" canon.  And unlike the new "Star Wars", this one calls back to the original, without seeming like a complete retread.

"The Visit"/"Scout's Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse" - Two ideas you "think" you have seen before, but told in such fresh, original ways that you end up being surprised by them, and loving them.