Happy New Year's! As we look back upon the year 2015, we find many things that encapsulate our memories of it. One of the ways we can enlist what we remember is through the movies we watched over the past year. 2015 was a great year for the film industry, with smash hits and flops alike. My list covers some of the greats that we had the pleasure of watching; ones that we would watch many times over the coming years.
10. Spy
Rated highly by critics, Paul Feig’s Spy was one of the funniest movies to hit the screens this 2015. Spy follows a CIA desk analyst Susan Cooper, who goes on her first undercover mission after the assassination of her partner agent Bradley Fine. Mellissa McCarthy’s portrayal of Cooper was just absolutely splendid. Watching Jason Statham fib his way through as Rick Ford added to the fun of this comedy crime thriller.
9. Brooklyn
I am a die hard romantic. So if there is a movie which follows a woman's need to find her destiny by listening to her heart, you can find me there in the theatre. Saorise Ronan really moved me by her portrayal of Eilis, the female lead.There is something about John Crawley’s simple yet familiar love story, that makes it so fresh and unique. Is it the portrayal of the sacrifices that immigrants face when they move to America or is it the struggles they face after moving back home from America? You will have to watch it to find out!
8. The Martian
The Martian is an adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel of the same name. This Ridley Scott film follows Matt Damon’s attempt at surviving in the red planet after being mistakenly left behind by his crew members from NASA as botanist Mark Whitney.
What makes The Martian significant for 2015's films is Whitney's attitude. Plain and simple. Even when people considered him to be dead, Whitney showed how you can pick yourself up and make the best out of your situation. This thriller portrays human resilience incredibly well.
7. Room
Room is an absolute masterpiece. The masterful manipulation of the viewer’s emotions according to the story leaves you speechless.
The story follows the lives of 5-year-old Jack (Jacob Tremblay) and his mother (Brie Larson) who are confined in a room by her kidnapper. Jack was a result of his mother being raped by the kidnapper. Since he is a captive by birth, Jack hasn’t been exposed to the world outside the room. The amazing story of Jack’s introduction to the outside world breaks your heart and leaves you in tears.
6. Creed
I am a huge fan of the Rocky series, so I expected a lot from Creed. I was very happy to see that this Ryan Coogler sequel was a wonderful addition to the series.This sports drama features Michael B. Jordan as the late Apollo Creed’s son. Although most of the characters are new, we have Sylvester Stallone returning as the great Rocky Balboa; who is now a coach instead of a fighter.
5. Ex Machina
Directed by Alex Garland, this is one of the few independent films on my list. This Sci-fi film, unlike any others, is unusually artistic, being extremely cerebral while also being emotionally provocative. The story follows Caleb (Domnhall Gleeson) receiving a chance to visit a billionaire CEO's home, plays by Oscar Isaac. There, Caleb meets the charismatic robot, Ava (Alicia Vikander). He develops feelings for her, and things get very complicated.
What makes this movie so incredible is the use of darker emotions such as betrayal and psychotic human nature. The spookiness of the entire setup contributes to the ambiance of the film greatly. The absence of a soundtrack creates an extensive use of silence makes this movie brilliant. It challenges the audience's judgment about the main characters and makes the movie engaging while also entertaining.
4. The Revenant
Leonardo DiCaprio returns to give us another stellar performance that further supports why he should be awarded his much-deserving Oscar. The story follows Hugh Glass (Leonardo Dicaprio), who was attacked by a bear, but left for dead by Tom Hardy’s character who was formerly his friend. He then journeys 200 miles across present-day South Dakota seeking revenge. The movie is a balance in brutality and beauty and gives us equal portions of each.
Alejandro González Iñárritu's return to filmmaking after his success with Birman is another artistic, gritty, and truly remarkable story. Iñárritu is known to push the realism of his films' limits, and The Revenant is no different. DiCaprio subjected himself to actual mental and physical torment to shoot this movie to conform to Iñárritu's expectations by risking hypothermia and death. He is reported to have survived by eating raw bison liver during filming. The movie was filmed in the Canadian wilderness during extremely harsh conditions, but it served as breathtaking scenery for the film. All in all, this movie is bound to make headlines at the Oscars.
3. Inside Out
Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios movie, Inside Out, is easily the best-animated film of the year. An innovative and witty tale, Inside Out, follows the adventures of 12-year-old Riley’s emotions as she moves from her hometown to San Francisco. This movie was an absolute delight to watch for viewers of all ages. It has a little bit of something for everyone.
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
When the reboot of our all time favorite series hit the screen this December, my excitement went beyond the moon. Easily one of the most hyped movies of all time, it is hardly a surprise that it made this list. Having watched the series in ingenious Machete order (4, 5, 2, 3, 6), I was very anxious to see how J.J. Abrams would do justice to George Lucas’ legendary characters. Star Wars Episode VII was an excellent successor to Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, we see the rise of The First Order with a new warlord at the forefront, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). The Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fischer) aimed to put an end to this evil tyranny with the help of new characters named Finn and Rey. Finn, a defector from the First Order crash lands in Jakku where he meets Rey, a scavenger who is strong with the Force.
It was delightful to see some of the familiar elements of the franchise being brought back in the latest film. A close analysis of the films scenes yields a huge similarity to the original 1977 film.
Although, I do have to admit one thing that was disappointing was the lightsaber duels. They do not even come close to the glory of the ones in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. But that is just a minor kink in what is an immensely fun film to watch.
1. "Mad Max: Fury Road"
From action mastermind, George Miller, came this superb thriller that would stay at the top of our action movies lists for decades, right up there with Die Hard and The Matrix. Given that it is almost one unbroken chase scene, it would be shocking if it wasn’t.
The story was astounding. The characters were relatable. Everything was laid out immaculately. Charlize Theron, as Imperator Furiosa, plays the role of the alpha of the group with dominating character Max Rockatanasky (Tom Hardy). Nux (Nicholas Hoult), in all his madness, makes us embrace our own “mad” side in a sort of manic glee. Although how he could have managed that with an action movie of this magnitude is beyond me, Miller claims to have used minimal to no CGI in the entire movie.
Aside from the charisma of the actors and the skill of the director, what struck me as novel was the dark element to the story, and how extreme it was. The setting of a post-apocalyptic wasteland, with a dog-eat-dog culture, and a psychotic villain made for a creative as well as an emotional and truly successful story.
