The Best Movies of 2015

So continuing with my catch up for all things movies, here is my list for what I think were the ten best movies of 2015. If a movie you liked isn’t here, it means I haven’t watched it yet or didn’t like it as much as you did. Nothing wrong with that as how we view movies is subjective.

Peter’s Best: Top Ten Movies of 2015

10. Steve Jobs

If you’re one of those people who hate movies that talk too much, this movie isn’t for you. This film is just two plus hours of talking, but great talking as it’s written by Aaron Sorkin, the master of on screen gab. I found the film interesting and fun to follow from one moment in time to the next. As a lover of good dialogue, this was a
marathon of words, carried by some killer performances by the cast. Check it out if you’re also into the history of the old computer wars.

9. The Martian

This move deserves to be on the list, but I wasn’t as over the moon (or Mars) about it as some people were. I was also bitter when I heard that the studio had
submitted it as a comedy for the Globes, which I thought was cheating on their part. This was not a comedy. It had some funny moments, but this was a drama and the studio should have stood loud and proud about that… cause this was a damn good drama. Kinda like Castaway on another world, some good stuff and worth checking out.

8. Creed

When Rocky Balboa came out a few years ago, I thought that was the last we’d see of Stallone in his iconic role. It was a great movie and I honestly didn’t think they could do better in a sequel, but Creed proved me wrong. Following the child of Apollo, this movie is carried by some fine performances by the leads, and the politics of
today’s fighting world that give us a fresh feel for an old story. This was a fun movie to watch and is well written and directed. Now I’m hoping there’s a sequel to this film!

7. The Lobster

This was my surprise of the indie circuit. A movie about a future where people are killed off at a certain age if they’re not
married, a sick form of population control that Anthony Burgress would be proud of as it’s a complicated and disturbing piece of work. Colin Farrel gives a great performance, one that should have been considered for nomination, but I might have been too weird for some voters to consider. I have to admit it was out there, but that’s what I loved about it so much. A fucked up film that leaves you thinking long after it’s finished, very thought provoking.

6. Straight Outta Compton

This one was another personal favorite for several reasons. I was excited when I first heard this movie was being made cause I remember following their story in the news and in papers. I also remember getting a copy of Straight Outta Compton on year from a friend on my birthday… and I remember how much my parents hated that
album but I played it till the tape broke. the movie is well written, carries a lot of stories that play well in today’s political climate, which is why it was well received. I was shocked this wasn’t nominated for Best Picture… it should have been because it was one of the best dramas of the year.

5. The Revenant

This is another great film from Birdman director Alejandro González Iñárritu, and the second straight year he knocked it out of the park. The film is a stunning work of art, and even people who are not fans of Leo would love this move as he suffers soooo much in the film. That scene with the bear is fucked up and shocking to watch, when I
watched the theatre was so silent, people were stunned. Great work by who is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors. It as a wild movie that I couldn’t stop watching, another great movie from a great filmmaker.

4. The Hateful Eight

Speaking of favorite directors… Quinten Taratino delivered another bloody
masterpiece, as the Hateful Eight delivers and then some. Starring some of my favorite actors and so well written, this was another great movie from a great director. I hope he never retires, cause he has never made a single bad movie. I love them all…

3. Ex-Machina

This movie feeds into the paranoia people have about
machines and the role they might take in our future. This movie about the rise of artificial intelligence was creepy yet intriging at the same time. It reminded me of the small, low budget Sci-Fi movies of decades past, which is likely why I enjoyed it so much. Nice to see an original machines are evil movie that avoided a lot of the cliches.

2. Spotlight

This movie blew a lot of minds when it came out. Despite the real news that exposed this ring of criminal activity in the church, this movie once again dragged the story back out into the spotlight, forgive the pun. With a great ensemble cast, and a look into how this story came to light, it reminds us that the scandal this paper broke is
still ongoing and the church continues to block justice. Even to this day. A great movie for those who want to watch smoething that is quite recent and just as important.

1. The Big Short

Never have I seen a movie that angered me so much that I wanted to throw my shoe at the screen. Based on what lead to the collapse of the economy in 2008 and the few people who saw it coming but were ignored really got my goat… but that is just a testament to how amazing this movie really was. Steve Carrell gives what is by far the best performance of his career, and wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar! Ryan Gosling, Christain Bale and other great performances show us how scary and ugly this crash really was, you should watch this movie cause if we don’t learn from this, it will happen again.

So that’s what I thought was the best movies of 2015.

Do you agree? Disagree?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

PJ