Oscar Season is in full swing, I figured I’d contribute. Here are my top 15 picks from 2015 (in no particular order):
1. “Spotlight”
– Directed by Tom McCarthy, Starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Rachel McAdams, Bryan d’Arcy James, and Leiv Schreiber
Despite being intense and somewhat dark, “Spotlight” was amazing. The story follows the investigation by the Boston Globe into child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in the US.
2. “The Danish Girl”
– Directed by Todd Haynes, Starring Alicia Vikander and Eddie Redmayne
Eddie Redmayne plays Lili Elvenes as she transitions. Beginning the film as Einar Wegener she is first introduced to the idea by his, at the time, wife Gerda Wegener. They are both artists and she needed a model, so she dressed her husband as a woman. “The Danish Girl” is a touching story of personal discovery, acceptance, and love.
3. “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief”
– Directed by Alex Gibney, Starring Alex Gibney, Paul Haggis, Jason Beghe
I saw this film at it’s opening at the South By Southwest Music and Arts Festival in Austin, TX. A panel including the writer and director as well as other prominent members of the Church of Scientology followed the screening. “Going Clear” follows member of the Church of Scientology as they enter the Church and then rise through the ranks. The film also features John Travolta and Tom Cruise.
4. “Carol”
– Directed by Todd Haynes, Starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler, and Sarah Paulson
Whatever we did as a human race to deserve Cate Blanchett as a fabulous lesbian 40s housewife, god-bless. This movie follows Carol’s pursuit of Rooney Mara’s character Therese. Does she leave her husband (what up Coach Taylor) and lose her daughter? Does she follow her heart and stay with Therese? Does she freak out and drive across the country with Therese only to leave her? Watch to find out.
5. “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens”
– Directed by J.J. Abrams, Starring Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac
Is Star Wars going to come back every 15 years? If they aren’t planning on that they should be. They made a ton of money and a great film. As a lifelong Star Wars viewer, I was embarrassingly excited about this movie, and liked it an equally embarrassing amount. I saw it twice in two days, once in IMAX 3D. It was awesome. I’m not going to tell you anything about the movie because everyone needs to watch it.
6. “Trainwreck”
– Directed by Judd Apatow, Starring Amy Schumer and Bill Hader
Amy Schumer is basically my idol. A successful magazine writer she is assigned to cover “the hot doctor” (Bill Hader) and reforms her wild party girl ways to settle down with him. It’s hilarious, they’re adorable, and there’s even some real emotion. There’s a really great scene where Amy Schumer joins the Knicks City Dancers and totally kills it. 10/10 Would definitely recommend.
7. “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”
– Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Starring Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, and Olivia Cooke
This was definitely a film I wouldn’t recommend to everyone, but I loved it. “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” follows Greg (me), Earl, and Rachel (the dying girl). Greg and Earl spend 90% of their time making parodies of classic films, which are terrible and hilarious. Earl is Greg’s co-worker. One day his parents, my personal favourite characters, tell him a classmate has cancer. He befriends her and they make weird noises, a movie for her, and they don’t fall in love.
8. “Jurassic World”
– Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, and Nick Robinson, as well as T-Rex
Despite the fact that there were some plot holes and a way too predictable plot, I enjoyed Jurassic World. It made me really want to live in a world with dinosaurs, especially the little petting zoo ones.
9. “Spy”
– Directed by Paul Feig, Starring Jude Law, Melissa McCarthy, Morena Baccarin, and Jason Statham
A CIA agent who spends all of her time at her desk helping the ‘cool guy’ save the world, volunteers to go undercover and catch an arms dealer before he sells a pocket sized nuclear weapon to a crazy guy. It’s really funny, and it’s how I see myself if I were ever to become a spy. Jason Statham was by far my favourite character, he was absurd.
10. “Pitch Perfect 2”
– Directed by Elizabeth Banks, Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Adam DeVine, and the entire rest of the cast because everyone was super awesome.
As every basic girl should, I love Pitch Perfect. The second one was better, honestly. I loved it. The Bellas are back and they are preparing for the International A Capella Competition. There’s a crazy German group that are crazy good and Pentatonix are in the whole movie. I don’t even know what to say. It was great.
11. “Kingsman: The Secret Service”
– Directed by Matthew Vaughn, Starring Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, and Samuel L Jackson
I loved Kingsman. I love Colin Firth, I love Michael Caine, I love Samuel L Jackson, and putting them all together just about made me die. Colin Firth was perfectly proper and British. Michael Caine was evil, which I enjoyed. Samuel L Jackson was also a villain, but he was so ridiculous that it was hard to take him seriously. His name was Valentine and he tried to take over the world basically. Colin Firth is a secret agent and he trains other secret agents. It’s awesome. Eggsy (Taron Egerton) is basically a street kid, but his father was a Kingsman, so he is next in line. He has to survive the insane training first though.
12. “Fifty Shades of Grey”
– Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, Starring Dakota Johnson, and Jamie Dornan
Feel free to judge me, but I read all of the books and honestly enjoyed them. That’s not to say they were great literary masterpieces, just like the film wasn’t a masterpiece. I know there’s a lot wrong with them, and with the story, but honestly I don’t care. He’s super hot and that’s what matters.
13. “Inside Out”
– Directed by Pete Docter, Ronnie Del Carmen, Starring Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, and Mindy Kaling
I didn’t actually like Inside Out as much as the whole rest of the world did. I went in with sky-high expectations, and came out disappointed. That’s not to say it wasn’t a good movie, I just don’t think it was a crazy and groundbreaking as everyone else. Despite these criticisms, I did genuinely enjoy watching the film. The film takes place inside the head of Riley, a young girl whose family moved across the country. Her emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear battle it out for control over her.
14. “Sisters”
– Directed by Jason Moore, Starring Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Maya Rudolph
While not Amy Poehler and Tina Fey’s best (Baby Mama if you ask me), this is for sure a good one. Tina plays Kate Ellis and Amy plays her younger sister Maura. Kate has a teenage daughter and is a total shit show, while Maura is a nurse and extremely practical. They reunite when their parents attempt to sell their childhood home. While there, they throw one last Ellis Island party with all of their old high school friends.
15. “The Hunting Ground”
– Directed by Kirby Dick, Starring Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering, Amy Herdy
“The Hunting Ground” has gotten a lot of criticism, but you cannot expect anything else when making a film that highlights real stories of rape on college campuses. This film is hugely important in the fight to end sexual assault and rape. They make a point to call it assault and rape, instead of “an incident.” They use real girls from real schools with real stories, and it’s incredibly powerful. As a sexual assault victim, I found the film both upsetting and extremely vindicating. Please watch this. Please.
