IMOCritic's 'Top 10 Films of 2015' are films that were released in the UK over the course of 2015. I am aware that some of these films were released worldwide in 2014 but I am counting the films for their UK release date only. My top 10 films are purely my own opinions, nothing more. I hope you enjoy!
IMOCRITIC'S TOP 10 FILMS OF 2015
10. The MartianRidley Scott's sci fi survival story was a huge surprise; after a string of catastrophic blunders likes Exodus: Gods and Kings and Prometheus, this was a welcome return to form for the oscar nominated director. The story is extremely well paced with a genuinely interesting lead character at the helm. Matt Damon gives his best performance since Bourne and is truly captivating throughout. The dialogue is sharp, funny and sometimes downright hilarious. The cinematography and visual effects are gorgeous, making the Mars environment as beautifully detailed as any set seen on Earth. It's not a perfect movie; the focus gets a little lost towards the end and the ending itself could have been a bit tighter but with a great lead performance, a very strong supporting cast and a powerful message to boot, this is a hugely fun ride and one very likely to merit repeat viewings in future. (8/10) |
9. JURASSIC WORLD2015 has been a huge year for sequels, reboots and re-imaginings but one that gets a lot of unjust criticisms is definitely Colin Trevorrow's Spielberg sequel Jurassic World. This dino-death battle does EXACTLY what it set out to do which is to give us a movie that's not only fun but accepting of the superiority of the original. The action is intense, the dinosaur designs are fantastic, the characters (while one dimensional) are played by an extremely willing cast who are clearly having a blast in every scene. Most importantly, this (IMO) feels like a Jurassic movie. Yes there could have been more practical effects and there is some fan pandering with nostalgia thrown in but as a huge fan of the original I will say this is an extremely entertaining, funny, tense and well paced action adventure with one of the best soundtracks of the year. This definitely deserves to be viewed again and again. (8/10) |
8. Mad Max: Fury RoadIf any film in 2015 can lay claim to 'biggest action blockbuster extravaganza', then this would be it. George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road is an incredible action set piece from start to finish. You are given no time to breathe; from the start you are thrown in with Tom Hardy's Max and you don't leave the action until the credits role. The predominantly practical stunts are impossible to turn away from. The carnage and mayhem is just so insane that nothing else will come close except maybe another Mad Max movie. Never before has there been a movie so determined to break the a-typical action movie barriers while maintaining the classic frenzy of older popcorn flicks. Charleze Theron's Furiosa is the screen stealing, hard as nails a** kicker that the film industry has been waiting for. With zero cares for anything other than her objective, Furiosa is an incredible example of female empowerment without it being the obvious intention. Overall if you simply want to be swept into a mind blowingly intense action masterpiece with originality and progressive forward thinking then this, what I call the 'smartest brainless action movie of all time', should definitely be top of that list. (9.5/10) |
7. EX MACHINA The title of 'most original sci-fi movie of the year' definitely goes to Alex Garland's Ex Machina. This is one of the smartest movies in recent memory with genuine twists, snappy dialogue and unlike normal sci fi movies the environment is tiny; we barely leave one house for the entire film. This allows for a poignant character study of 3 extremely interesting and different personalities. The outstanding script keeps the viewer asking questions right until possibly my favourite closing 60 seconds of a film this year. Everything is turned on it's head right at the end and I recall my jaw dropping as the end credits appeared. Oscar Isaac continues his run of consistently fantastic performances and though Alicia Vikander steals the screen as artificial intelligence AVA, her chemistry with Domhnall Gleeson is evidently very natural. Emotional, intelligent and thrillingly tense; this is a film that will hit you and hit you hard. Fantastic! (9/10) |
6. SicarioIn recent years, a great many films have been dubbed 'psychological thrillers' and in recent years that term has become the definition of 'horror film without the jump scares'. This was the case at least, until Denis Villeneuve showed up with Sicario. This down and dirty thriller has an underlying sense of uncertainty and an uncomfortable tone throughout the story. Outside of Emily Blunts lead character Kate Macer, every character feels off, untrustworthy and the entire situation is beautifully realised through stunning cinematography. Every scene piles on more and more tension with a traffic jam on an interstate being the highlight. Where Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin both turn in outstanding lead performances, the bone rattling oscar buzz generating performance is, beyond doubt, Benicio Del Toro's performance as heartless hit-man Alejandro Gillick. His character is so different from others in that he is both a protagonist and antagonist through his ruthless efficiency to get the job done, no matter how horrific or uncaring. The best scene in the movie (possibly of 2015) comes near the end where Gillick pays an unsuspecting family an unforgettable dinner visit. My definite pick for Best Supporting Actor. Though the middle of this film is sometimes inconsistently paced with some parts dragging a lot and while I wouldn't say it was worth repeated viewings, I would call it completely unmissable and a masterful piece of cinematic art. (8.5/10) |
5. Bridge of SpiesLet's face it, if Steven Spielberg directs a movie that has both Tom Hanks in the lead role and the Coen Brothers penning the script, this was always going to make the list. Bridge of Spies is absolutely Spielberg at his finest. The visuals are so organic; it plays out almost like a comic. With each angle and shot serving it's purpose to both further the plot and convey every necessary emotion, no camera shot feels unnecessary. Tom Hanks (obviously) gives us a fantastic performance though it does sometimes seem a bit too much like Tom Hanks acting in a suit rather than a new character. Definitely just a nitpick however. Mark Rylance stands his ground with Hanks and also gives us an outstanding and touching supporting performance. The story is plastered with the Coen's sharp wit and at times it is sidesplittingly funny with both heartfelt humour between our leads and, given the 12A (PG.13) certification, a fantastically sparing use of the 'F' word. This is trademark Speilberg but with the Coen's unique flavour added on this takes us to the familiar but very welcome realm of Spielberg cinematic brilliance. (9/10) |
4. SELMAWhen it comes to biopics, there were only a couple this year that really hit the mark perfectly, and Ava DuVernay's Selma did just that. With literally perfect casting and gorgeous direction, DuVernay's MLK true story comes to life in a documentary style presentation mixed with a touching character drama depicting Martin Luther King as imperfect and capable of making wrong decisions. This film brings a dark tale of oppression to the screen and it really feels, partially due to real time events being documented, like the real thing. David Oyelowo's oscar snub for Best Actor was a huge disappointment, since his performance as MLK eclipsed so many others this year. With an incredible supporting cast, a perfect lead performance, beautiful imagery, crisp realistic dialogue and some 2015 stealing scenes, Selma brought to life a legend and showed that legends don't have to be perfect, though this movie is close to achieving that itself. (9.5/10) |
3. Inside OutDisney Pixar's Inside Out is an absolute revelation in animated film-making. A kids film that's not for kids; this movie has extreme intelligence and a multitude of high concept ideas that all translate beautifully to the screen. Every character (or Emotion) is memorable, funny and multi dimensional; given that each emotion is associated with one dimensional qualities, that is impressive. The soundtrack is utterly fantastic; Michael Giacchino, who also did Jurassic World, has put out a great year of compositional works that any composer would be happy to have. The emotion (pun intended) is evident in beautifully delivered scenes and performances from the cast including what I can only say is one of the most genuinely tear jerking character send-offs in recent years. A shoe-in for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, and a definite potential Best Picture nominee. Phenomenal. (9/10) |
2. BIRDMANAlejandro Innaritu's Birdman is pretty much the only film on this list that can genuinely claim that it did something different, something truly original. Everything about this film is outside the box. With the long tracking shots, the awesome-to-watch 'single camera shot' presentation, the plot, the characters and even the soundtrack (my absolute favourite of 2015), nothing is traditional about this feature. The outstanding performances of Michael Keaton alongside my favourite supporting cast of the year are pitch perfect along with the sets, effects and a dazzling script that satirises the film and stage industries to brutal accuracy. It won the major awards for Screenplay, Director and Best Picture and deservedly so. This (along with Boyhood) remains one of my only 10/10's simply because it dangles its feet in a totally new style of filming and it hits the mark on every single part. A masterclass of film and one I can genuinely say is up there with my favourite films of all time. (10/10) |
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
The Program | A genuine, disturbingly accurate performance of Lance Armstrong from Ben Foster is worth the viewing alone but the overall package, while far from exciting, is definitely worth a look. (7/10) |
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation | The now-best installment in a spy franchise many thought would end swiftly. Great action set pieces and classic delivery makes this a hugely entertaining ride. (8/10) |
Spy | In a year of spy movies this was a huge surprise. Slow at times but hilarious performances all round and a shining comedy turn from Jason Statham are great fun. (7.5/10) |
Wild | An oscar-worthy performance from Reese Witherspoon carries a beautiful film with a real uplifting journey for the lead character. Quite artsy looking back, but still 100% recommended. (9/10) |
Legend | Tom Hardy's dual performance as the Kray twins is enchanting to watch, but the brutality of 1960's gang life in London is harsh viewing. Not easy, but definitely thrilling. (7.5/10) |
Avengers: Age of Ultron/ | A fantastic pair of additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A:AOU brings real spectacle and destruction while AM combines the 'heist movie' to the 'superhero movie'. Great performances from the casts all round for both outings. (8.5/10 and 7.5/10 respectively) |
The Theory of Everything | The oscar-winning performance of Eddie Redmayne as Steven Hawking is spectacular with a hugely inspired supporting cast and a heart wrenching story to top it off. Definitely recommended. (8/10) |
Big hero 6 | A fantastically fun animated feature. Not hugely original but the animation is gorgeous, the music great. The plot addresses some very interesting points for a Disney movie and Baymax is a worldwide favourite for good reasons. (8/10) |
Kingsman: The Secret Service | Further adding to the spy collection this year. This was my favourite standalone spy movie this year. A fantastically funny and entertaining tribute to bond with a lot more violent silliness. Colin Firth and Taron Egerton shine in this hugely fun outing! (8/10) |
The Man from U.N.C.L.E | Yet another spy romp to add to the collection. Hilarious throughout with a hugely entertaining lead duo of Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. Don't be surprised if sequels come calling. (8/10) |
Straight Outta Compton | My personal favourite on the honourable mention list this year; this is an outstanding biopic with hugely surprising lead performance from O'Shea Jackson and Corey Graves. Visceral, punchy with plenty of classic NWA hits, this is a biopic to watch, love and repeat. (9/10) |
And before anyone comments on my choice of No.1, please remember that while Birdman was definitely the best made film of the year and I love it completely, it didn't suck me in to the story the way Richard Linkater's Boyhood did last year. I watched it as a critic and I loved it as a critic. As a casual viewer it isn't hugely interesting beyond the ideas it conveys; it's not a movie to sit around with friends to enjoy and after my recent break I do value that equally as much. With that said, here is my choice for No. 1 and the reasons behind it.
And IMOCRITIC'S Number 1 FILM OF 2015 IS...
1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the 7th film in the now legendary Star Wars franchise. It is set 30 years after the events of Episode 6: Return of the Jedi and follows the journeys of Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega). These characters encounter classic SW characters like Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) in their attempts to fight the villainous First Order led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a member of the mysterious Knights of Ren...
First of all, to reassure those who may disagree with my placement of this film, this is not a 10/10 movie to me; it does have flaws and I will be more than happy to address them here. Anyway, back to the review:
To start off, no other film can come anywhere close to having the pressure that this one did. J.J Abrams had the weight of the largest film series in existence on his shoulders with the struggle of both reassuring fans of the originals and continuing to intrigue fans of the prequels. The build up to this movie was perfectly delivered. The plot remained a complete mystery to the public until the opening day and it paid off big time.
As per usual I will start with the utmost positive. Firstly the new characters in the movie are absolutely outstanding. Abrams gambled the billion dollar franchise on 1 relatively established face in Oscar Isaac and 3 relative unknowns in Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Adam Driver with all 3 knocking it right out the park. Daisy Ridley is beyond doubt the biggest find of the year. She gives such a true performance and given it's her first major feature film she carries the story with a confidence that some established actors have yet to demonstrate. Rey is a self-sufficient individual with a simple yet hugely powerful motivation; waiting for her family to return. Ridley carries the film alongside another soon-to-be household name in John Boyega. His performance of Finn is a beautiful thing to watch with a genuine character ark of fear turned to strength. His beginnings as a victim of tyranny slowly build him to becoming a truly devoted friend who'd do anything to protect his companions. Adam Driver is outstanding as well; he provides Kylo Ren with an intensely human perspective on the dark side whilst allowing Ren to lose his mind when things don't go his way. His story makes Kylo Ren (sorry Vader) the most interesting villain of the franchise so far. When Darth Vader first shows up in Episode 4, all we are told is that he is powerful and he is evil. With Ren we already have a character who is conflicted, highly emotional, unstable, dedicated to his cause then also powerful and evil on top of that. A fantastically full package for a brand new villain.
Secondly the re-introduction of practical effects; J.J Abrams opted to make TFA look more aesthetically like the original trilogy and it really delivers with everything feeling real and tangible… because it is. Every detail is on screen for us to see with real alien characters and sets rather than the ocean of CGI that plagues so many blockbusters these days. It feels classic and CGI is used more to remove elements like wires and puppeteers from the shot; classic filmmaking. The highlight of the practical effects in TFA is definitely the unrivalled fan favourite character of the movie and that is the brand new droid known as BB-8. This little troublemaker is a marvel of engineering with a unique appearance that still baffles me as to how they managed it. The puppeteers and engineers give BB-8 charm, humour, innocence, courage and most importantly, life. It truly feels like this little droid is thinking behind that exterior, there is real intelligence there and that is the mark of both a great character design and performance.
The fight choreography in this film is phenomenal too; where the prequels vied for more perfect, dance-like choreography in their fights, these new confrontations are more straightforward. They tell the story first with a real flare for drama. The finale's lightsaber duel (it's Star Wars, not exactly a spoiler) is thrilling from start to finish with trees getting hacked mid-blow, intense close up stand-offs, amazing set design, use of lighting and flawless performances from the cast.
There are 2 major flaws with the film among viewers that I can definitely understand but ultimately disagree with:
The first is that due to the overwhelmingly high numbers of practical effects in TFA, when CGI shows itself it is very noticeable. The 2 major CGI characters have enough screen time to be noticeably detached from the rest of the world. There is also a scene that I'll admit stands out a mile with an escape of ravaging CGI monsters. My counterargument to this is a simple one… it's 2015, get over it. Fans criticised the prequels for being about 95% CGI and now we have a film that has about 30% CGI. For a modern sci fi fantasy that is stunningly low. The computerised characters are also beautifully realised with motion capture so they still have actors giving them depth. The quality of the visual effects are stunning in this film and while the ravaging CGI monsters can seem a bit much, they are given a great (and short) little sequence and are definitely in the background behind a fantastic cast and a consistent story.
The biggest argument against this movie is one I truly understand and that is the similarities between this and Episode 4 (with bits of 5 and 6 as well). The story treads dangerously close to the original, even marking out similar plot beats and in the same order. I won't give them away but they are notable when viewing the film. While the new characters are different, they fill similar roles to the original with familiar journeys. My argument to this is also simple... Star Wars was never original, in fact it's far from it. The characters aren't original, the premise is slightly original but it is essentially a Flash Gordon feature film with different characters slapped on. To add to that, George Lucas was always inspired by The Heroes Journey from Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell; it's a 12-step structure that every film uses when depicting the A-typical 'Hero' and their story ark. Both the originals and TFA uses this and the writing brings this journey to life in a fascinating way through the new characters and their interactions with the older characters.
Also Star Wars is a franchise that has always been based on parallels; Luke Skywalker's parallels with Darth Vader/Anakin are blatant, the Jedi's parallel with the Sith are obvious, the parallels between what is right and what we believe to be right are addressed. The parallels between TFA and Episode 4 always came across to me as a genuine progression; the good guys may have won in Episode 6 but people are still making the same mistakes. People are going back to familiar grounds where they can be comfortable but the same disasters happen again and again when left unchecked. It's a mirror image of human life and I believe TFA delivers humanity in endlessly destructive spades.
So why is this IMOCritic's top film of 2015? Well in a year of generally stale adventure/fantasy films it was the only one that truly captured a sense of wonder and imagination, a sense of fun and adventure with realism in an otherworldly setting. The characters are fantastic with several highlight performances of the years from easily one of the strongest casts in recent memory. To be honest there are so many great characters in this films that some actually suffer from not having enough screen time, though I imagine the plots in episodes 8 and 9 will provide them with more desired roles to play. The older aspects of the series are complimented plenty though nostalgia is never abused for fan service. The plot is lightning fast with literally zero scenes in this film boring me. While it can't claim originality at all, has a couple of minor flaws and definitely won't win many oscars, this is beyond doubt the most fun to be had at the cinema in all of 2015. With it's mixture of great direction, script, scenery, characters, designs, action, humour and nostalgia, this film reminds me of why I love watching films so much.
With that in mind, I feel have no choice but to name J.J Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens 'Best Film of 2015'. (9/10)