Top Ten Films of 2015
It wasn’t an all time great year, but it has depth. A lot of solid to good films. But few that will stick around for a long time.
Don’t have much to say so I’m just going to get right to the list.
25. The Overnight (Directed by Patrick Brice) - Hulu
24. Cop Car (Directed by Jon Watts) - Netflix
23. Too Late (Directed by Dennis Hauck) - Amazon Prime
22. The End of the Tour (Directed by James Ponsoldt)
21. Mississippi Grind (Directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck) - Amazon Prime
20. Inside Out (Directed by Pete Docter)
19. A Bigger Splash (Directed by Luca Guadagnino)
18. Land of Mine (Directed by Martin Zandvliet)
17. Me & Earl & The Dying Girl (Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)
16. Room (Directed by Lenny Abrahamson)
15. Finders Keepers (Directed by J. Clay Tweel & Bryan Carberry) - Amazon Prime & YouTube
14. Youth (Directed by Paolo Sorrentino)
13. Sleeping with Other People (Directed by Leslye Headland)
12. The \/\/ itch (Directed by Robert Eggers)
11. Magic Mike XXL (Directed by Gregory Jacobs)
top ten
10. Queen of Earth (Directed by Alex Ross Perry)
A great psychological breakdown movie with maybe our best actor Elisabeth Moss shining so brightly as the mascara runs and the eyes bug out. It is an eerie film with a lot to focus on if you want to do that. I love Alex Ross Perry and even if his movies don’t totally come together he can craft a tone and tell a story with the best of them.
9. The Invitation (Directed by Karyn Kusama) - Netflix
Kusama has become a director to watch for me, and to others she has always been that, but this is the one that really sold me. Her use of sound and framing creeped me out. It’s a great friends getting together and haunted by tragedy movie. A lesser known but fantastic cast leads this descent into rich LA horror tales.
8. Bone Tomahawk (Directed by Craig S. Zahler) - Amazon Prime
This has the most gruesome thing I’ve ever seen in a movie in it. I just wanted to start with that. The cast is fantastic, setting is great, and the story is simple. It is like taking one of those old John Wayne westerns and playing it out a little more realistically. There are places we should not go. No matter what happens. Yet, as humans we always will. And we will pay the price.
7. Green Room (Directed by Jeremy Saulnier) - Netflix
One of the best band movies ever made. It devolves into violence and blood but before that it nails the band life. Anton Yelchin (rip) is so good, Imogen Poots is as well. I never thought I wanted Patrick Stewart to be a Nazi leader but now that I’ve seen it I should’ve always wanted that. I consider it a haunted venue movie as well. Not that there are ghosts, but there was always going to be bad things at this place. There always will be when white supremacists are involved. As we are seeing now. Everywhere?
6. Mistress America (Directed by Noah Baumbach)
My first time seeing Lola Kirke star in something and she blew me away. Greta is the real star but Kirke can hold her own. It’s much more of a screwball comedy and reminds me of the old black and white films at times. It will always be thought of as a lesser Baumbach film but it is highly regarded by me.
5. Anomalisa (Directed by Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson)
A brutally poignant film with stop motion puppetry and only 3 voice cast members. Kaufman’s obsession with puppets never stopped and I’m glad he got it out here. It’s such a singular experience, and I find it deeply sad and moving. I love it.
4. The Lobster (Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos) - Netflix
A very funny and dark movie. It was Lanthimos’ big American movie starring Colin Farrell but it alienated as many as it made believers. I think it is one of the best relationship movies ever made and the best modern dating film of all time.
3. The Hateful Eight (Directed by Quentin Tarantino) - Netflix
It’s Tarantino at his most. It’s his meanest movie, apparent by the title, and a great who-dun-it. The cast is incredible and you should watch this the first snow day we have.
2. Mad Max: Fury Road (Directed by George Miller)
You don’t need me to say anything. Just see it.
1. Sicario (Directed by Denis Villeneuve)
One of the best crime films ever made and it happens to be a great buddy movie. Yes, it is about drugs and murder at the border and how our country oversteps at every turn to make things worse for everyone. But, I think if you watch it enough times that Benicio Del Toro, and Josh Brolin get funnier. They are so damn good. Emily Blunt is a perfect straight woman to this upside down terrible world she didn’t even realize she was living in. It’s become one of my favorite movies and tops this year kinda easily for me.