The Best
#5 - Straight Outta Compton
The long-awaited biography of the world's most dangerous group, I was pleasantly surprised just how well done this film was, as I hoped it would be from the day it was officially announced. I was already a longtime fan of the legendary band, and took the time to learn more about the individual members and the brief history they had together, which ultimately shaped hip-hop into what it is today. It brings equal portions of comedy, political commentary, and sorrowful tragedy as it covers N.W.A's meager origin story all the way through to the band's demise and beyond. My one scruple, as was shared by many, would be my wish that Dr. Dre, one of the executive producers of the film, would have allowed at least some light to shine on his own dark past, rather than casually portray him as the straight-man of the group, which fans like myself know was far from the truth. Alas, it was minor detail of what was easily one of my favorite movies in years, and exactly the kind of treatment that I wanted for their story.
#4 - The Martian
No, I have not read Andy Weir's novel that the movie is adapted from, though I am now interested in doing so. I didn't even plan to see the film until a little while after its initial release, and I didn't have high expectations despite its positive press. But it blew me away not only in how much it surpassed my low bar, but in its clear superiority to previous space-adventures Interstellar and Gravity, the former which bordered on Kubrick-territory fantasy and the latter which was "Sandra Bullock has a hard time being an astronaut." The Martian is the only NASA-mission-goes-wrong movie I need. It's greatest achievement was making hard-science cool again, and somewhat accessible to the average moviegoer. Its still amusing, however, that Matt Damon played almost the exact same role in Interstellar, but managed to toughen up and not lose his cool in this story as his counterpart did in the other.
#3 - Mad Max: Fury Road
The blockbuster from out-of-nowhere. George Miller's box-office secret weapon. The one few expected to be any good, but became everyone's favorite movie overnight. The one we're still arguing identity politics over, despite it being filled to the brim with tumor-ridden mutants racing demolition death-machines in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. There's not much to say that hasn't already been expressed by myself or others ad nauseum, but it definitely would have been my top pick for the year if not for the two following films that I was certain would secure their ranking regardless.
#2 - Jurassic World
I still remember back in the early 2000's, when I would ritually trawl the Internet for any and all rumors of a Jurassic Park 4 that would sadly never come to fruition, despite my disappointment with the third installment, my first theatrical heartbreak. In the last year or two, after I had long ago given up hope or care for the franchise to be revisited, is when I first learned of "Jurassic World" in its early development stage, and that the equally-enthusiastic Chris Pratt of Guardians of the Galaxy fame would star in the leading role. I remained cautiously optimistic right up until I saw the first full trailer, at which point I knew which movie would be my favorite of the year, disregarding any imperfection in the final product.
When I left the theater on opening night, a small part of me that once lived for the Jurassic Park movies was left behind in my seat, still awe-struck by the wonders I had seen on screen. Even if Jurassic World never spawned a sequel, which it most certainly considering its tremendous financial success, I was finally able to close the book on that chapter of my life, and move on with a perfectly decent film to appreciate for its own merits. Its a controversial pick for any top movie list, as it has earned the ire of those who simply never understood the post-Spielberg dinosaur mania of the 90s. It was blatant fan-service to be sure, but the closure was all I ever wanted.
#1 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens
As loyal as I am to my Jurassic Park fandom, I have give props to where they are deserved. Star Wars Episode VII was the movie of 2015, and it ran a successful hype-machine all year round. I remember the mad-dash on the Internet when the Monday Night Football trailer aired and ticket sales went live, and I narrowly secured my seats for the earliest possible opening. While I might have been slightly spoiled prior to the premiere, the critical plot points were less important than the journey that connected them. I have seen it two more times since, and once in a newly opened luxury theater in my area, and I appreciated it even more with each subsequent viewing. It easily secured a comfortable place next to the hallowed Original Trilogy, as I trusted J.J. Abrams to be able to pull off with tender love and care for the source material. As far as the Prequels are concerned, they're not as inferior as they are irrelevant to the revitalization of one of the most beloved stories in entertainment history, shared from generation to generation. I have no problem whatsoever conceding the top spot to Star Wars, and I hope it gives James Cameron a run for his money in the race for highest-grossing movie of all time.
The Good
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Like The Martian, I had no initial plans or desires to see this one, and I wrote it off as one of the many, many bad espionage dramas and comedies that the last year was inundated with. But if anything, Kingsman was the best of all of them, beating out Mission Impossible, James Bond, the one with Henry Cavill and the other one with fat jokes. It was more brilliant that it had any right to be, though it's left some people sore in the behind for certain jokes made towards the resolution.
Oh the times, they are a'changin'.
Inside Out
I typically avoid major-studio children's animated movies out of principle. Not that I don't have any more love for the business itself, but I've always maintained that it's capable of more than just anthropomorphized automobiles and musicals, as its shown in past instances as The Incredibles. But I didn't give Inside Out the benefit of the doubt, and it proved to be Pixar's finest output since their glory days of super-powered nuclear families. Disney's own in-house studio has proven to be far more reliable in producing solid-gold hits, but hopefully Pixar can get back into shape as well, providing they time their releases a little more strategically.
Ant-Man
Though I have finally reached my limit for the onslaught of Marvel Cinematic Universe productions, one good thing that has come out of it is for lesser-known comic characters to get their shot at the big-screen, and Ant-Man was no exception. It impressed me far more than the latest Avengers did, when most fans wrote it off as an Aquaman movie or something just as ridiculous, betraying their lack of familiarity with the source material they claim to love so much. I eagerly await his return in the upcoming Captain America sequel, however, and hopefully this opens doors for the less-mainstream of Marvel's roster to win over audiences, such as Dr. Strange.
Crimson Peak
I shared the same apprehension that others had when they first watched the trailer for Guillermo Del Toro's follow-up to the acclaimed Pacific Rim, and boy did it have an extensive marketing campaign as well. Inevitably, this didn't save the movie at the box-office, but those who gave it a chance all swear by it. It was the return of classic, gothic-romance horror that I didn't know I wanted, especially when compared to all the Paranormal Activities and other sequels and reboots it was competing with. I was left satisfied, though I'm sure that the possibility of another Pacific Rim will remain shrouded.
Krampus
I did intend to see this one after its production was announced, but it was apparent that American audiences needed a refresher course on their knowledge of obscure German folklore. It did the legend of the demonic Santa Claus justice, and it was a wonderfully written love-letter to the horror-comedies of the 80s and 90s, including the Gremlins and Evil Dead franchises. Though it doesn't necessarily need a sequel, as it stands well enough on its legs, I hope it sets a trend for
more fun horror flicks with less meta-deconstruction or demons who won't leave yuppies alone.
The Okay
The Lazarus Effect
One of the few not-so-bad horror films of the last year, I at least appreciated what it attempted to accomplish.
It had some screws to tighten in its script and performances, but it had some very clever ideas complimented by genuinely disturbing imagery. The "twist" ending is how most horrors should conclude, without falling on its face by the third act as most others do.
Chappie
Probably one of the more-maligned movies of 2015, even though it was the latest offering by the beloved Neill Blomkamp, who became an instant celebrity for the frequently recommended yet over-rated District 9. I might be one of the select who would understand what Neill was attempting to do with this one, or at the very least, who was actually familiar with the bizarre and off-putting hip-hop duo Die Antwoord. Though I can't tell if it was a celebration or a rugged caricature of South African culture, it piqued my interest in the potential of trans-humanism and the horizons such fantastical technology could reach. I'm all the more excited to see his stylistic treatment of a new Alien film, though perhaps the writing and casting would be best left to other capable talents.
Harbinger Down
The story behind this project is tied closely to the hollow prequel to John Carpenter's "The Thing" that was met with a lukewarm reception back in 2011. One of the few films I know created by a special-effects company itself, Studio ADI was originally contracted to bring the monsters to life in a prequel to Carpenter's body-horror classic. Prior to the film's release, however, the work was replaced with abysmally-executed CGI, rendering their contributions null. In retaliation, they started
a Kickstarter campaign to fund their own production, supported by fans who were equally outraged at the injustice of their work's erasure. True to their word, they secured their capital and directed their extraterrestrial horror, glues together entirely through the practical effects showcased on their YouTube channel. They even went as far as to cast Lance Henriksen of Alien fame. In the end, the result received a mostly tepid response from critics, and those uninformed of the film's peculiar development history. But I attribute any shortcomings to the minuscule budget itself, not to the visual-effects-based crew, the excellent cast, and certainly not the incomparable animatronics and prosthetic work. Though it is heavily derivative of both Alien and The Thing, the cinematic paradigms they endeavored to make tribute to, the performances and effect-design more than make up for it. More people should give this one a chance, if they haven't seen it already or have no idea about
its origin story.
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