Apparently for me, a blog is something you post on only to review episodes/movies of Star Trek and Doctor Who. This, my allegedly "main blog," I seem to now post on once a year with what I have here....My Top 10 Films of 2015. I haven't seen everything or even that much...but I saw a few more this year than last year. Maybe not in the Theater, but via the Library, Netflix...and the occasional streaming rental, I saw a lot of films from this past year. Here are the ones I really liked:
MY TOP FILMS OF 2015:
10. Me, and Earl, and the Dying Girl
A coming of age film about the friendship of a weird high school kid who befriends a fellow student who has cancer. I liked this one because it was an entertaining look about outcast high school kids that doesn't feel phony or forced...and the friendship between the main character and the girl never descended into silly nonsense like a forced romance or anything. It easily could've taken that cheap route, but it avoided it nicely. It also had plenty of weirdness to enjoy.
9. Dope
Oddly enough, I enjoyed two coming of age movies this year...which seems strange to me. But this one was a nice mix of things and felt very fresh. It also had a great actor in the lead role, who played a character who didn't fit the standard roles that young black actors so often get. He got to play a fully developed character, not just a stereotype, so refreshing to see that on screen.
8. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
As much as I was indifferent to this movie before seeing it, I must say it won me over. I am not going to pretend it was the best movie of the year, but it did it's job of making "Star Wars" fun again. Great effects - nice mix of Sets, puppets, and appropriate CG (hear me George?) and new fresh characters that blended well with the returning classic characters. Also I didn't think Harrison Ford would give any craps about this movie, but they must've paid him just the right amount to make him actually act again. Harry, it's been so long since you didn't look bored!
7. It Follows
MY TOP FILMS OF 2015:
10. Me, and Earl, and the Dying Girl
A coming of age film about the friendship of a weird high school kid who befriends a fellow student who has cancer. I liked this one because it was an entertaining look about outcast high school kids that doesn't feel phony or forced...and the friendship between the main character and the girl never descended into silly nonsense like a forced romance or anything. It easily could've taken that cheap route, but it avoided it nicely. It also had plenty of weirdness to enjoy.
9. Dope
Oddly enough, I enjoyed two coming of age movies this year...which seems strange to me. But this one was a nice mix of things and felt very fresh. It also had a great actor in the lead role, who played a character who didn't fit the standard roles that young black actors so often get. He got to play a fully developed character, not just a stereotype, so refreshing to see that on screen.
8. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
As much as I was indifferent to this movie before seeing it, I must say it won me over. I am not going to pretend it was the best movie of the year, but it did it's job of making "Star Wars" fun again. Great effects - nice mix of Sets, puppets, and appropriate CG (hear me George?) and new fresh characters that blended well with the returning classic characters. Also I didn't think Harrison Ford would give any craps about this movie, but they must've paid him just the right amount to make him actually act again. Harry, it's been so long since you didn't look bored!
7. It Follows
A fantastic 70s/80s inspired horror movie, very early John Carpenter in style, that creeps you out with atmosphere, style, and creepy moments, rather than with jump scares or CG monster people. It just worked on every level for me, and was a great reminder that if you want entertaining horror films, look no further than what some indie filmmakers are bringing to the table.
6. Turbo Kid
Probably some of the most fun I had watching a movie this year came from the crazy and ridiculous indie post-apocalyptic movie "Turbo Kid," which blended "Mad Max" with a little bit of comic book sensibilities and tons of funny and well executed gore. It is just a real fun ride of a movie, totally worth checking out.
5. Inside Out
Not that Pixar has been making bad movies or anything, but it was nice to see an original story from them again and for it to be this good. This movie hooked me easily, because seeing a young girl growing up...while watching it with my own little girl...it just hit me. And while they have always been emotional, the characters in this film are literally emotions...so it wasn't hard to trigger my emotions with this one.
4. The Hateful Eight
I literally just came from this one, so I technically didn't see it in 2015, but it came out in 2015...so I am counting it. It's Quentin Tarantino, need I say more? The man does no wrong for me. And this movie, while still excessive and explicit in it's depiction of graphic violence, is a lot more restrained and builds more than his last few films before ramping up in the third act...plus the roadshow 70mm film going experience was really great.
3. World of Tomorrow
How many have even seen this one? If you haven't, please do...go to Vimeo and rent it for a small price, you won't regret it...it's only a low rental fee and about 20 minutes of your time. It's the latest short by independent animator Don Hertzfeldt, and it is a beautiful little sci-fi film about a little girl being visited by a clone of herself from the future, who explains what the future is, and it is sad and beautiful and strange and funny...it is just a great little short, highly recommended. I actually submitted to the Kickstarter to bring this and many other films by Hertzfeldt to blu-ray...first and thus far only Kickstarter I've ever been compelled to contribute to.
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
This was so nearly my #1. It was a great film, lots of big action and crazy stunts, and the fact that so little of it was CG'd made all the difference. Seeing stunts, and cars race and crash and explode...and knowing that so much of it was done for real...that's movie magic baby! Plus it is just a fun post-apocalypse film with crazy costumes and goofy weirdness. I think CG has come so far, that it is actually more exciting and magical to see a film that lacks a guy in a CG robot suit who can do anything...because we've seen it all before. It is more magical to see people performing real stunts...because how DO they do it?
1. The Martian
I very nearly made this #2, but what edged it out was that it was a better movie...it had stronger characters, a stronger story, it had more depth, and it is more the kind of movie I'd like to see get made. It isn't based on some franchise that guarantees money in the bank, it's based on a little self-published book. It also isn't just a sci-fi movie with dumb action and laser fights. It is hard sci-fi, with much of the science in the film being deemed fairly close to accurate. It also wasn't a hard sci-fi film that felt fairly humorless. It mixed humor, drama, science, and mild action, into an exciting picture that was fun to watch and cohesive. I wish "Star Trek" could take it's cues from this very film on how to mix all of the elements well and still keep the masses intrigued. This was the film that truly was the best of the year for me. It just ticked all the right boxes.
Probably some of the most fun I had watching a movie this year came from the crazy and ridiculous indie post-apocalyptic movie "Turbo Kid," which blended "Mad Max" with a little bit of comic book sensibilities and tons of funny and well executed gore. It is just a real fun ride of a movie, totally worth checking out.
5. Inside Out
Not that Pixar has been making bad movies or anything, but it was nice to see an original story from them again and for it to be this good. This movie hooked me easily, because seeing a young girl growing up...while watching it with my own little girl...it just hit me. And while they have always been emotional, the characters in this film are literally emotions...so it wasn't hard to trigger my emotions with this one.
4. The Hateful Eight
I literally just came from this one, so I technically didn't see it in 2015, but it came out in 2015...so I am counting it. It's Quentin Tarantino, need I say more? The man does no wrong for me. And this movie, while still excessive and explicit in it's depiction of graphic violence, is a lot more restrained and builds more than his last few films before ramping up in the third act...plus the roadshow 70mm film going experience was really great.
3. World of Tomorrow
How many have even seen this one? If you haven't, please do...go to Vimeo and rent it for a small price, you won't regret it...it's only a low rental fee and about 20 minutes of your time. It's the latest short by independent animator Don Hertzfeldt, and it is a beautiful little sci-fi film about a little girl being visited by a clone of herself from the future, who explains what the future is, and it is sad and beautiful and strange and funny...it is just a great little short, highly recommended. I actually submitted to the Kickstarter to bring this and many other films by Hertzfeldt to blu-ray...first and thus far only Kickstarter I've ever been compelled to contribute to.
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
This was so nearly my #1. It was a great film, lots of big action and crazy stunts, and the fact that so little of it was CG'd made all the difference. Seeing stunts, and cars race and crash and explode...and knowing that so much of it was done for real...that's movie magic baby! Plus it is just a fun post-apocalypse film with crazy costumes and goofy weirdness. I think CG has come so far, that it is actually more exciting and magical to see a film that lacks a guy in a CG robot suit who can do anything...because we've seen it all before. It is more magical to see people performing real stunts...because how DO they do it?
1. The Martian
I very nearly made this #2, but what edged it out was that it was a better movie...it had stronger characters, a stronger story, it had more depth, and it is more the kind of movie I'd like to see get made. It isn't based on some franchise that guarantees money in the bank, it's based on a little self-published book. It also isn't just a sci-fi movie with dumb action and laser fights. It is hard sci-fi, with much of the science in the film being deemed fairly close to accurate. It also wasn't a hard sci-fi film that felt fairly humorless. It mixed humor, drama, science, and mild action, into an exciting picture that was fun to watch and cohesive. I wish "Star Trek" could take it's cues from this very film on how to mix all of the elements well and still keep the masses intrigued. This was the film that truly was the best of the year for me. It just ticked all the right boxes.
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