Before I go any further, it is important that I remind everyone of a few things:
- Taste is subjective, some obvious choices have missed my list. I am putting my personal favourites of the year here. This does not mean that I didn’t strive to be objective as well.
- I haven’t seen every single movie that came out in 2015. This is both due to time constraints, and also because I know that I just won’t like some. I have seen all the major releases however.
- I am using a mixture of US and UK release dates to determine what constitutes as 2015. Festival releases don’t count.
- I will eventually run out of synonyms to keep my language fresh
- Spelling errors ahead
Without further ado, I present my favourite movies of 2015!
Honorable Mention: Love
Love is a lopsided movie. The poorly improvised lines and dreadful acting are apparent within the first five minutes, and it is a good 20 minutes too long. If you can look past that however, Love has much more to offer. Director Gaspar Noe had intended it to be a look at sentimental sex as well as melancholy longing for the past, and in this regard he has succeeded, bringing that raw, untamed vigor he is known for. On a sensory level, Love is overpowering. A carefully selected soundtrack and warm, striking colours bring out the passion behind this carnal drama. It might not be very subtle, and a good 10% of Love is devoted to just sex scenes (no kidding), but if you are interested in an original and hypnotising look at a rocky, sensual relationship, this is not a bad choice.
- III
The badly titled III is a little Russian orphan whose heritage can be traced down to some mix of The Cell, Inception, and Silent Hill. While on one hand it is severely bottlenecked by its 15,000 Euro budget, making it more of a demo than a fully fledged feature in some bits, it is nevertheless fascinating to see a director try his hand at something so new and ambitious in the horror realm. After an epidemic strikes a rural town somewhere in Siberia, Ayia must enter her sister’s mind with the help of a priest to root out the source of the evil, travelling through her corrupted subconscious. It might sometimes bite off more than it can chew, but III forecasts a bright career for director Pavel Khvaleev (who is also one of the founders of the Russian electronic duo Moonbeam that crafted the precise soundtrack).
- Entertainment
This is probably 2015s toughest watch. Entertainment strives to depict a comedian’s hell in as much misery and nihilism as possible. Centred around an “anti-comedian” ,played by the real life comedian Gregg Turkington, the film traverses the vast expanses of the Mojave Desert, where broken Turkington puts on dead end shows for an audience that grows evermore apathetic towards him. The entire film plays almost as a sick joke, leaving it’s characters longing for success, connection, or just an escape from their remarkably banal lives. This is existential torment at its cruellest, mixing arid humour with a warped, joyless reality. It is hard to recommend this to all but the most patient of viewers, but those that are drawn in by its semi sadistic comedy will leave with a strong imprint on their psyches.
- Duke of Burgundy
2015 was a fantastic year for LGBT oriented movies, and The Duke of Burgundy stands proud among them. The movie is as if 50 Shades of Grey had a sensitive, stylish, art house makeover. While it might be almost entirely absent of explicit nudity, The Duke of Burgundy is far more erotic in it’s atmosphere than it’s misguided cousin. What truly makes it powerful however, is that it is able to reach beyond the BDSM theme, and explore something near-universal about compromise, trust, and limits in a relationship. Approaching the matter free of judgment, it is rather impressive how director Peter Strickland could craft something sexy and rich, while still keeping in touch with viewer’s empathy. The Duke of Burgundy is not as animalistic as Love, but it more than makes up for it in it’s calculated, kinky, touch.
- Insidious: Chapter 3
Good horror trilogies are rare. Since the 2000s, only the Saw franchise managed complete the oddly difficult task of creating one, that is until Insidious Chapter 3 came out. A prequel to the events of 1 and 2, this flick explores the origins of mysterious curse that befell the Lambert family, albeit here the only recurring characters are that of psychic Elise Rainier and the goofy ghost hunting duo that complement the series’ self awareness with some gags of their own. The Insidious franchise has always been more of a fun haunted house fare than anything else, and Chapter 3, while being the weakest among its brethren, still delivers enough spooks and eeriness to warrant its existence. This is top 5 horror movie marathon material.
- A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
Pigeon is closest to the absurdism of the likes of Waiting for Godot, more than anything else. Decidedly uncinematic, with no camera movement whatsoever, this Swedish Best Foreign Picture entry plays out a series tableaus with recurring locations and characters, that are all connected by an overhanging theme of the comedy and tragedy that are present in the human condition. Decisively deadpan, and often darkly funny, Pigeon revels in the onescreen sardonic oddness. It is capable of appearing extremely serious, yet always tugging at your funny bone as you witness, among other things, a duo of travelling salesmen who unsuccessfully try to convince shop owners to buy their impressively ridiculous collection of vampire teeth, laughing bags, and troll-like masks.
- The Green Inferno
It took Eli Roth two years to get this to cinemas after it was completed, and while most people might have criticised it for its demented cynicism, I was never bored. Roth here has created an homage to the old Italian cannibal movies of the 80s, a genre that had for a long time stayed dormant, but he adds his own touch of grotesque and gross-out humour. Filled with entertaining characters that for the most part get savagely slaughtered, The Green Inferno never ceases to be unflinchingly self aware of what it shows you. Production design of the fictional indigenous Peruvian man-eating tribe is spot on, and it is surprising to see the amount of dedication that went into making this. There is also an underlying current of social commentary on slacktivism and political correctness that adds a fine edge to the otherwise gleeful gore. If you enjoyed Cabin Fever and/or Hostel 1&2, you won’t be disappointed with this one.
- Knock Knock
I’ll never forget Keanu Reeves screaming in excitement “Chocolate!? With Sprinkles!?”
Simply mischievous. If you are turned off because I put two Eli Roth “masterpieces” back to back, don’t worry, there is enough diversity further on. Made by the only director to have two movies on my list, Knock Knock if somewhat of a departure from his usual work. It may lack in his signature bloodfest almost entirely, but it nevertheless just as misanthropic, though on a more psychological level. This is a movie that is very adept at balancing hope and despair, allowing the plot to always move forward and never stay predictable. Reeves and his two young co-actresses have a lot of fun in their silly roles: always aware that this is at heart a destructive thriller, but never afraid to let that campy vibe sneak in at the right times. Knock Knock knows precisely what it is, and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome.
- It Follows
Victim of massive overhype it may be, It Follows is certainly unique in its premise and most of its execution. With a plot that’s best summed up as “get away from the STD demon” it is lovely to see a horror movie be so unpredictable at every turn. It offers up a handful of jump scares, but for most of its running time it is more interested in being creepy and ominous. It is far from perfect, but the deft handling of themes and suspense is remarkably clever. Special mention has to go to the pulsating, atmospheric synth score, reminiscent of John Carpenter and his 80s horror, but still fresh enough to differentiate itself. It might not be the scariest film of the decade, feeling a bit undigested in its rules, characters, and direction, but originality is always appreciated.
- Lost River
Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut finds its own voice among the plethora of homages it contains to other filmmakers such as Refn, Lynch, Korine, and Argento. It suffers at times from choppy editing and an underdeveloped plot, but one cannot help but commend Gosling for being so brave on his first try. On concept alone this is truly inspiring. Playing like a dark fairytale, this soothing arthouse piece is simply enchanting in its mood, making the best use of its enchanting, purple/blue shaded, visuals and electronic music. Being slow paced here is not a criticism, as Lost River takes its time to reveal its bag of tricks and enclose you inside of its grimly beautiful world of dereliction and soul. Messy it might be, but with a start like this, Gosling’s future as a director is one that gets me excited and wanting for more.
- The Danish Girl
An adaptation of real-life events that for once takes liberties in all the right places. This story of transgender pioneer Lili Elbe was smartly placed into the hands of Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) who has shown he knows his ways around period character dramas. Stellar production design aside (picture perfect of 20s Denmark), the real winner here are the performances from the cast. Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander play off of each other with wonderful chemistry: the former tackling his role with real commitment and sensitivity, showing anxiety and fragility in all the best ways he can, the latter bringing the best female lead (yes, LEAD) performance of the year with an astounding amount of complex emotions that are able to power much of the movie alone. She effortlessly juggles pride and anguish, affection and disappointment, and longing and empathy. Some have called this Oscar-bait, but even if that is true, this is damn good Oscar-bait.
- Horsehead
Sometimes you have that strange luck where an interesting trailer unknown indie horror pops straight out of left field in your YouTube suggestions. Do not be repelled by its abhorrent 4.8 on Imdb, because this is not a case of found footage garbage that populates the lowest echelon of horror. Horsehead is a throwback to the Italian giallo movement of the 60s-80s, and with it bringing its most distinctive traits such as vivid colors, bizarre camera angles, disorienting editing, and difficult narrative. Low budget, but surreal and strikingly well shot, Horsehead deals with a young, tormented woman who must delve inside of her lucid dreams to find the answer to her traumas, discovering not only a whole hoard of family secrets, but also a horse-faced priest who seems absolutely determined on impaling her on his massive metal staff. Let your imagination run wild with this one, because it doesn’t stop to explain a single thing.
- Kingsman: The Secret Service
2015 had an enormous library of spy action movies to show off, each more expensive than the next. In my eyes Kingsman has trumped most of them with its cheerful, violent semi-satire on the genre. It seeks to squeeze out as many genre cliches as possible but blend them into a never-the-less exciting, modern James Bond Jr tale. Complete with cheesy villains, smoothly coordinated action scenes, and a hell of a lot of personality, Kingsman is simple, unabashed fun. There is really not that much more to say, except CHURCH SCENE!
- Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
This might be a bit more half hearted than my other choices, but I suppose it is an “important” movie in its own right. Yes it is almost a remake of Episode IV, cramming a number of elements from the rest of the original trilogy alongside it, but aside from that, it still carries that same lovability that we associate with the franchise. JJ Abrams awoke a new hope (pun intended) in the heart of fans and erased the memories of the awful prequels with this seventh entry. The visual effects are better than ever, the look and feel is genuine, and it doesn’t lack in the action department either, with fantastic explosion-filled scenes. Special mention to Adam Driver, who provided a well thought out adversary with real motivations and emotions. Everyone who has already wanted to see this has done so, so it’s almost worthless mentioning all of this.
- Boy and the World
I might have not been infatuated with the Animated Feature category at the Oscars, but Boy and the World was my 2nd favourite contestant (I won’t reveal the first until later) in it. On visuals, it is by far the most unique and interesting of animated movies since 2008s Waltz with Bashir. The kaleidoscopic mixture of pencil, crayon, and pastel constantly morphs into images of fantastical landscapes, urban decay, carnivals, centipede-like trains, and much much more. This Brazilian film is both joyous and deeply angry. With its simple story and lovingly hand drawn imagery, it is able to capture the attention of younger viewers, while the environmental and sociopolitical themes will resonate with those older, especially those more aware of the history of South America. There is no discernible language in Boy, just gibberish, but even that does not stop it from being powerful when it needs to be.
- Beasts of no Nation
Beasts of no Nation might take place in a fictional country, but in an age of civil war and unrest in West Africa, it feels strangely relevant. Based on the 2005 novel of the same name, it tells the story of Agu, a child soldier forced into recruitment by a rebel ground, showing us through his painful trials and tribulations. On a technical level alone, director Cary Fukunaga (of True Detective fame) has absolutely nailed the storytelling. This is a picture bursting with careful costumes and locations, as well as long, calculated takes that are supremely effective at engrossing the viewer. One particular scene in mind is a hallucinatory battle sequence that is reminiscent by Richard Mosse’s pink-tinted photographs of the Congo. Most of all, Fukunaga needs to be commended on his absolutely uncritical presentation of the matter. Others might have taken the opportunity to squeeze judgement and political messages into the film, but BonN knows its audience is intelligent enough to feel the outrage, anger, disgust, pity, empathy, and hope when need be.
- Rams
Making the personal struggles of bearded shepherds in rural Iceland compelling is rather difficult, which is why Rams surprised me so much with it’s shaggy authenticity. A tale of two begrudged brothers who must cooperate to save their prized, rare, flocks, Rams succeeds in conveying the chilling loneliness that lies inside the rolling valleys. Widescreen shots of the desolate landscapes, dotted by a couple houses, work together with realistic and understated performances in skilled synchronicity. Hermit-like in spirit, but effortless in execution, Rams is bitter yet endearing in a manner that pulls you ever closed to its character as the minutes go by. It is really, really hard not to feel an attachment to these people that have rejected a normal life in favour of staying loyal to their roots, keeping an ancient business alive with utter dedication.
- Tangerine
If there is one word to describe Tangerine, it is confident. Being shot on an iPhone 5 fitted with an anamorphic lens only adds to the feisty capriciousness running in its veins. Transgender prostitutes and Armenian taxi drivers in Hollywood are not commonly seen on film, but this Sundance hit knows its subjects like the back of its hand. It is loud and wild, just like the abundant white trash, but this is a compliment in the truest sense of the word. The oversaturated colours and bombastic soundtrack only serve to further the unflinching pace of its sass. This is 2015s boldest film, full of attitude and snazzy dialogue, but also compassionate and prejudice-challenging. The LGBT community can be proud of this lo-fi triumph.
- The Look of Silence
I’m not at home yet with documentaries, having seen too few to properly pass judgement, but one of the best I’ve ever seen was the extraordinary Act of Killing from 2012, where director Joshua Oppenheimer risked his life interviewing the unapologetic perpetrators of the Indonesian Red Scare in 1965-66, asking them to reenact their merciless executions. It was gut churning and radical, the type of film that deserves attention for bringing light to a hidden holocaust that killed over a million people (one man personally executed over 1000). The Look of Silence is a companion piece that takes a different angle to the subject matter, but is just as confrontational. Here a man whose family was crippled faces the killers themselves, asking questions that take us deep inside the mind of murderers, becoming a study of psychology and morality like never seen before. Oppenheimer maintains his passive detachment, knowing that viewers don’t need obnoxious frosting to illustrate the horrific aftermath of the atrocities.
- Furious 7
Seventh installments in a franchise are uncommon, and it is even rarer that they are any good, but Furious 7 raised the bar for action movies to a level that only one other film this year was able to beat. It is strange that James Wan, a director who is best known for Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring, comes out guns blazing with a movie like this (he was working with a budget 9.5 times larger than anything he did before). This is a stellar cast for a movie like this if I ever saw one, complete with actors such as Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and Jason Statham, all completely committed to making sure every shootout is as steroidal and absurdly insane as it humanly possible. Furious 7 brings out some of the most gargantuan set pieces seen on screen. This is nitrous packed, full throttle entertainment that does not hold back on the mayhem.
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Somewhat of quirky, Wes Andersonian cross between Perks of Being a Wallflower and Fault in out Stars, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is far, far, more accomplished in its intentions than the former two. Whimsy, yet grounded in reality, this is one brimming with melancholia, laughs and poignancy. Coming of age comedy-dramas are tough to get right, but this is a piece where the screenplay completely understands the complex, delicate subject matters it has to deal with, presenting them in a touching and witty manner that keeps it fresh for another generation to come. Veering on smartass at times, you can’t help but relish in the geeky, hip vibe. It is far more rewarding for cinephiles who are familiar with the many references to classic films, but it will be just as touching for those looking for that movie that delves in the insecure, teenage, high school angst. Just keep in mind, the people depicted might at times be irrational, but they do exist in real life.