From the smallest hero to the biggest land, not a critic was silent, they still had films
to "Pan".
The sequels were scattered throughout the whole year, as I rumbled in a D-Box and let
out a cheer.
Pixar wowed us like never before, they also dropped the ball with "The Good Dinosaur".
These seventh-installments felt like a gift, while certain franchises need to desist.
Older characters saw a great return, while others, seriously... should have been burned.
Some things remain, so we can't call it a 'remake', but at least The Rock didn't die
in an earthquake.
Each secret agent dispatched their arch foe, but if you watch in 3D, don't get vertigo.
It was sexy as hell when these heroes disrobed, their films weren't great , but I never opposed.
They had interesting concepts and gave us a peak - just be careful of dangers that prey
on the weak.
Time travel and a capella brought me a laugh - at least you're not helpless because of
a gaffe.
If you watched them all, it was a real delight - for those that didn't, this is Movie Night!
Happy new year, and welcome to Movie Night - I'm your host Jonathan Paula.
Tonight, in part one of my second annual yearly retrospective, I'll be counting down my top-ten
favorite movies of 2015.
But first, let's take a look back at the 296 films I watched last year.
Thanks to some marathon cramming in late December, 90 of those films were new releases, a personal
record for me.
This is almost the same number of movies I re-watched, while 24 others were holdovers
from 2014.
And I'm pleased to report none of them would have made last year's top-10 list.
The remaining 93 films were older pictures I saw for the first time; including a number
of American classics - most of which I adored.
January 1st, 2016 marks the 10-year-anniversary of when I began meticulously logging every
film I watch, so if you're curious about movies I didn't include on tonight's list, or to
browse a decade of film entries, please visit my Letterboxd profile.
For now though, let's talk about 2015's best.
At number ten is the poignant "Me And Earl And The Dying Girl" - a delicately crafted
teen dramedy that deals with friendship and cancer in a believable, and heartwarming way.
Some inspired, Wes-Anderson style cinematography and great performances from the young cast
make this a must-watch film, especially since it may have flown under your radar.
One of two films on my list that had me crying...
"Furious 7" wasn't just an insane, stunt-filled, balls-to-the-wall, cars-dropping-out-of-airplanes,
hot-chicks in bikinis, skyscraper-destroying adventure...
it was also a perfect memorial to the late Paul Walker, ending with his emotional drive
into the sunset.
I've enjoyed this franchise from the start, and can't wait to see how they top themselves
next - but for now, it lands in my ninth spot.
Speaking of seventh installments, Ryan Coogler's requel of the "Rocky" franchise gets my pick
for number eight.
"Creed" not only showed off the acting and punching prowess of up-and-coming Michael
B. Jordan, but the incredible range of the aging Sylvester Stallone.
A touching and inspiring film with great music and performances, this old dog still has a
few new tricks.
An excellent low-key and contained thriller, "Ex Machina" was an easy choice for the 7th
best film of the year.
Alex Garland's directioral debut is a sleek and fascinating look at what truly constitutes
intelligence in an artificial mind.
But its the performances of Domhnall Gleeson and Alicia Vikander that really propelled
this high-concept science fiction story to new heights.
It's not often you see a decades old formula re-imagined in such a wonderful and enjoyable
new way - but "Kingsman: The Secret Service" did just that with the spy genre.
An explosively awesome time that remains appropriately uncivilized and modern - it's a breakout performance
from Taron Egerton as a sexy special agent and an amazing "Free Bird" massacre sequence
that lands this film at number six.
Before we continue, let's take a look at the remaining films I rated a nine out of ten
that didn't quite make my list.
In no particular order, these honorable mentions are; "Spotlight" - Boston Globe's sobering
investigation into the church abuse scandal of the early 2000s.
Being from the area, and having a wife who used to work at that paper, this film - and
its strong performances - definitely hit close to home, and was very powerful emotionally.
// Quentin Tarantino has done it again with "The Hateful Eight" - transforming nearly
three-hours of talking heads into a tense, and captivating drama...
with plenty of violence to go around.
// "Avengers: Age Of Ultron" - not nearly as strong as its predecessor, this was still
a hugely enjoyable time with some awesome and funny characters.
// "The Walk" - Seeing this in IMAX laser 3D was an absolute experience, largely thanks
to director Robert Zemeckis's vertigo-inducing cinematography and treatment.
But its the unspoken tribute to the fallen Twin Towers that really gave me goosebumps.
// "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" - Tom Cruise continues to out-do himself with insane
stunts, and his cargo-plane hanging cold-open was one of my favorite moments of the year.
Now for the pictures I rated a 10-out-of-10.
Coming in at number five is "Mad Max: Fury Road".
What it lacked in character development and story it made up for with its ridiculous carnage
and beautifully choreographed stunts.
Another requel that totally delighted, the 70-year-old George Miller has outdone himself
with this fast and stylized barrage of action excitement.
After years of anticipation, my pick for 4th best movie of 2015 totally lived up to the
massive hype.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" wasn't just excellent fan-service and outstanding visual
effects...
it serves as a rebirth of this classic franchise.
J.J.
Abrams successfully weaves retro elements and interesting new characters in a wonderfully
fun adventure.
The bronze-medal position goes to Pixar's "Inside Out".
Parallel narratives examining the inner emotional struggles of a young girl's difficult life
make for a bright and intriguing screenplay.
But it's the music, characters, and gorgeous animation that make this such a lasting and
powerful experience.
Easily one of Pixar's best.
My runner-up is "The Revenent".
Alejandro González Iñárritu continues to impress with some absolutely astonishing cinematography
- which not only shows off the beautiful and harsh wilderness of British Columbia, but
the suffering Leonardo DiCaprio's character must endure.
His grueling tour-de-force performance might finally net him an Oscar.
But Tom Hardy's portrayal of a vengeful and selfish villain shouldn't be overlooked either.
It's an intense motion picture from start to finish that left me breathless and amazed.
And finally, my pick for best movie of 2015 is...
"The Martian".
For the third year in a row, my number one film is a big-budget space drama... but what
can I say?
This film was nearly flawless.
Matt Damon leads an all-star cast with a relatable and amusing portrayal of a man stranded alone
on Mars for over a year.
Seamless visuals, intelligent dialogue and a believable script make this a real high-water
mark for modern science fiction.
This brilliant masterwork was my favorite movie of the entire year.
Despite an onslaught of sequels and familiar characters - 2015 was a great year for cinema...
with dozens of box office records being broken in the process.
But we're not done talking about them, so stay tuned to the Jogwheel channel for part
two of my 2015 retrospective where I award superlatives and rank the worst movies of
the year.
In the meantime though, you can click this information icon If you're like to hear my
full-reviews for the films in my top-ten list.
Until next time, my name is Jonathan Paula, thanks for watching and have a good Movie
Night!