Best Films of 2015: Top 10 Films Include 'Mad Max: Fury Road,' 'Carol,' 'Inside Out'
Picking a top 10 films of 2015 is a truly daunting task. And yet it was exciting, giving this writer the opportunity to pour through a plethora of enjoyable and immersive experiences that deserve mention nonetheless. It was a year filled with a reboots in the main stream as well as far more subtle and nuanced independent films that remind viewers that cinema is still very much alive and kicking.
And unless that level of quality suddenly drops (and this year's output does not suggest that in any way whatsoever), then we should be in for many great years of top end filmmaking and entertainment.
Without further ado, let's look at some honorable mentions and then the top 10 films of 2015 (as of the date of this article's publication).
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
"Brooklyn" by John Crowley
"The Danish Girl" by Tom Hooper
"Macbeth" by Justin Kurzel
"Meadowland" by Reed Morano
"The Revenant" by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
"Sicario" by Denis Villeneuve
"Steve Jobs" by Danny Boyle
"Testament of Youth" by James Kent
"Victoria" by Sebastian Schipper
"White God" by Kornel Mundruczo
"The Wonders" by Alice Rohrwacher
"Youth" by Paolo Sorrentino
Top 10
10. "Ex-Machina" by Alex Garland
Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson and (especially) Alicia Vikander light up the screen in a science fiction film that is both sophisticated and simple in its form and execution. It's intimate backdrop and its rather mysterious protagonists put this sci-fi thriller into the realm of the film noir, with its moral ambiguity and a femme fatale that is artificial intelligence and yet as human and expressive as her male counterparts.
Garland builds the tension ever so slowly throughout the film, taking the concept of the male gaze and ultimately turning it on his subjects in a brutal yet fascinating manner.
9. "Inside Out" by Pete Docter
Pixar is one of the best studios in the world, and when the Company is in peak form, there are few that can match its output.
Arguably the company's most original and mature film since "Wall-E," "Inside Out" straddles that line of reverence and earnestness rather well creating an experience that caters to both younger crowds and older. Youngsters will not only fall in love with the colorful characters onscreen, but also find interesting insight into growing up and the positives that can grow out of negatives. Adults will get a chance to look back on their own youth and marvel at the power and pain that comes with growing up.
8. "Jaula de Oro" by Diego Quemada-Diez
A film that few saw but one that certainly deserves far more recognition. Diego Quemada-Diez's story about a trio of teenage immigrants who set out on the dangerous journey of crossing the US border might just be the most realistic exploration of the subject matter to date. Filmed in documentary style and featuring real-life immigrants also embarking on that very journey, the film is filled with endless danger, with some major characters dropping out of the picture throughout its running time.
For the film's central character Juan, the dream of a better life winds up rather sour as the story unravels in its painful reality -- that the dream is simply that.
7. "The Assassin" by Hou Hsiao-Hsien
This film moves at a very deliberate pace, but rather purposefully. The slow movement allows the viewer to enjoy the richness of every frame, marvel over the ingenious art direction and truly immerse himself/herself in the world of the story. One scene is a simple two shot with a man narrating an old story to his wife. The viewer is behind a veil, a suggestion of his/her immersion in the experience and yet a reminder that we are ultimately on the other side of the screen. But the beauty of this moment is the detail littered throughout the frame -- from the silk screen in front of the viewer to the costumes, the architecture, everything.
The cut to another viewer from behind the silk is a reminder to the audience that we are still very much watching a film, but for that extended period of stillness, there is a true sense of being a part of this world.
The film works in that manner throughout, creating a spell that is not easily broken for the viewer.
6. "Room" by Lenny Abrahamson
The first 45 minutes of this film take place in one locations. And yet Abrahamson's technical mastery makes the titular room feel expansive and rather varied. It is without any doubt some of the most virtuousic filmmaking of the year, as the opening of this film could have been fumbled in lesser hands.
What really brings this work to a greater level is Abrahamson's ability to make the outside world somehow feel more constricted for the film's two heroes Ma and Jack. Brie Larson delivers the performance of her life as a woman who unravels throughout the story while Jacob Tremblay is a revelation in his role as the young child who matures throughout the story. Despite one plot thread being dumped completely, "Room" proves to be one of the most emotionally compelling films of the year.
5. "Son of Saul" by Laszlo Nemes
Portraying the Holocaust is a tall order. Doing it for your film is pure bravery. Doing both and showcasing the story from the perspective of a Sonderkommando is exemplary.
And yet Nemes does all three in this aching film. The choice of shooting the movie in 4:3 and from behind our protagonist throughout serves a dual purpose of cramming the viewer in a claustrophobic space while also distancing us somewhat from our protagonist initially. However Saul's development throughout the story suggests a man whose trauma has pushed him into acting unexpected and through this discovery, the audience also grows to live vicariously through him.
Nemes deserves credit for never over-indulging in the visual horror, giving the audience just enough to feel it but not too much so that they are traumatized. It is undoubtedly a tough viewing experience, but one that portrays the horrors of the Holocaust honestly and without any attempt at emotional manipulation.
4. "Phoenix" by Christian Petzold
A Holocaust survivor returns home to try and revive her past life, only to find out that she no longer looks the same and that her husband betrayed her. Her ensuing journey becomes a battle for reconciliation and revenge all the same.
What follows is a breath-taking film, a "Vertigo" reinterpretation played from the perspective of the female character who is being used by her "director" to help him win back money of his "deceased wife." Watching our protagonist Nelly work her wake back into her treacherous husband's good graces is a painful experience for the viewer but the film's climax and Nelly's ultimately redemption might just be the most wondrous scene in all of 2015.
3. "Wild Tales" by Damian Szifron
The opening of this film features a number of characters on a plane, suddenly realizing that they all have one person in common. Moreover, they have all treated that person unfairly at some point in time and are in for the ride of their lives.
That is the template that Szifron sets for "Wild Tales," vignettes set mostly in one location and placing them in rather serious and dangerous situations and finding the humor in them. All six short films are satisfying on their own, but together creating an escalating effect that explodes with ecstasy and delight in the hysterical wedding that concludes the film. Rather aptly, the wedding, which represents unity, brings all of the themes of violence, passion, jealousy, absurdity and redemption to the fore.
2. "Carol" by Todd Haynes
The opening of "Carol" puts audiences in a restaurant and follows the perspective of a character that has no bearing on the narrative. Yet in one corner of the expansive space there is a couple of women having a conversation at the table. Later in the film we will discover that this conversation is a major turning point for both women, a moment that has huge implications on the rest of their lives.
A callback to David Lean's "Brief Encounter," this scene in "Carol" reminds viewers that all around us there are momentous events, even when we aren't noticing.
Of course, the remainder of the film allows viewers to "notice" this powerful love of Therese and Carol, but as suggested by the opening scene, this is a relationship that must remain hidden due to societal constraints. It is a film that works on a subtle level, yet in an extremely honest one. The film is filled with affecting scenes and the drama is never allowed to enter the realm of melodrama, keeping a state of realism throughout. Carol and Therese's consummation of their love is honestly portrayed with Haynes not shying away whatsoever. Carol and her husband Harge share a powerful moment late in the film when all seems lost for them. Carol's utterance that they are not "ugly people" is sure to stay with viewers, a powerful reminder that Carol and Therese deserve their happiness. Viewers will walk out uplifted from seeing "Carol."
1. "Mad Max: Fury Road" by George Miller
In a year dominated by reboots to major franchises ("Jurassic World" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" anyone?) there was one reboot that stood tall above all the others and that was George Miller's masterpiece.
"Mad Max: Fury Road" is beautiful to look at. From the opening sequences that feature an entire civilization bowing for water to the expansiveness of the desert to the elaborate vehicles and detailed character design, this film is a feast for the eyes. Throw in a powerful sound design and it threatens to be sensory overload without ever reaching the level.
But what really sets this film apart is that Miller concocts this masterwork with the simplest of frameworks, no pretension and yet tremendous amount of sophistication. At its core the film is an endless action sequence with its ebbs and flows. One could go so far as to call it a symphony (this writer did in his review) with an introduction and then the film jumps into gear moving in one direction and then doing a recapitulation in the other direction, back to its starting point. Dialogue is masterfully employed, only used when necessary and always serving a purpose. The characters are well-drawn, the details coming from their look and action rather than unnecessary exposition.
"Mad Max: Fury Road" is a film that gets better and better with every viewing, offering more rewards than any other movie in 2015 does.
Check out Last year's list of best films of 2014 here.
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