Top 20 Best Movies of 2015

Top 20 Best Movies of 2015

This was easily the hardest year picking a top twenty since I’ve started doing this. There have just been so many great movies this year and I had to edit this final list down from a list of 40+ initial nominations. I do have to include Krampus, Jurassic World, Spy, Pawn Sacrifice, and The Walk here as honorable mentions because as entertaining as they are, I couldn’t find a spot to include them on here. I made this list based on my opinion, entertainment value, and critical success and is completely subject to ridicule.

20. Good Kill

This was a vastly under seen gem about the complex issue of modern warfare and the study of what makes a hero. Ethan Hawk captivates as a conflicted drone pilot fighting a politicians war.

19. Bridge of Spies

A lot of people will rank this Spielberg/Hanks cold war political thriller higher but as good as it was, it did lack a little of the zip you would expect from this team with this subject matter. It still warranted a spot on this list though.

18. Everest

A gut punch of a film about the true story about the deadliest day in Everest’s history as several teams of climbers are caught on the mountain during a brutal storm. One of the most emotional films this year.

17. Sicario

A beautiful and thrilling story about the U.S. War on Drugs and our dealings with corruption, cartels, and breaking our own rules. Emily Blunt is great but Benicio Del Toro is the real reason to show up along with breathtaking cinematography. 

16. Room

Brie Larson’s Oscar nomination showcase. Newcomer Jacob Tremblay gives a tear jerking, heart breaking performance. An emotional tour-de-force.

15. Dope

Energetic, edgy, independent coming of age story set in the L.A. slums with a trio of entertaining newcomers. A fresh study of growing up in high school today.

14. Kingsman: The Secret Service

Another energetic, breath of fresh air, except this time it’s the spy genre getting a makeover and a tribute at the same time. If you like James Bond or Jason Bourne you might like this….but be warned: it’s not that kind of movie.

13. It Follows

The instant horror classic of this decade. A captivating, terrifying, psycho-sexual thriller that will have you questioning everyone around you.

12. Creed

Both a loving tribute to the Rocky franchise and a groundbreaking new story for today’s generation. Sylvester Stallone gives a performance with the emotional weight of a lifetime behind it and Michael B. Jordan does a fine job as the fiery son of Apollo Creed.

11. Straight Outta Compton

The true story of N.W.A. and rise in popularity of gangster rap. It’s loud, angry, powerful, and impossible to ignore…much like the group who’s story is told.

10. 99 Homes

This is an actors movie and Michael Shannon and Andrew Garfield capitalize of every second of screen time. Garfield breaks your heart while Shannon chews the scenery with intensity than only he can provide.

9. Black Mass

Johnny Depp gives the best performance in more than a decade and Joel Edgerton lights up the screen in the true story of a Bostonian Mob Boss who was the FBI’s most wanted for years.

8. The Martian

Ridley Scott and Matt Damon team up for Cast Away in Space…and it’s absolutely worth it. Great direction with a great team of actors giving emotional, humorous performances makes this one of the year’s best.

7. The Hateful Eight

Quentin Tarantino delivers a home run for his eighth film that harkens back to his first films (Reservoir Dogs) format of great actors in one room talking. Walton Goggins is the stand out here as the loudmouth confederate sheriff. It’s Agatha Christie in the west with Tarantino bloodshed.

6. Mission Impossible: Rouge Nation

If you thought nothing could top Ghost Protocol’s Burj Khalifa scene then I humbly submit Rouge Nations Opera Scene…or Motorcycle scene. This spy movie feel part Hitchcockian part Bourne and all insane thrills.

5. Crimson Peak

This Gothic Romance/Horror film isn’t for everybody and I understand it but this is one of my favorite movies this year so call this a personal choice. Guillermo del Toro delivers a creepy and beautiful classic that has his fingerprint on every scene.

4. The Revenant

Alejandro G Iñárritu delivers a beautiful film shot in impossible conditions. Leonardo DiCaprio gives his best performance equal to his roles in the Departed and Wolf of Wall Street ensuring his long deserved Oscar. Winnie the Pooh will never look as cuddly after the bear scene in this movie.

3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Hard to give bronze to the most successful movie of the year and perhaps all time when all is said and done but as entertaining as it was, if I look at it without my nerd glasses on, I can start to see the cracks in the story. But with my nerd glasses on… What a movie.

2. Mad Max: Fury Road

The movie that made me wonder: “How did they do that?” more than any other movie this year. An action smorgasbord that is smart at the same time. When movies come out like this: It’s a lovely day.

1. Spotlight

As great as all the action and heart and horror of the above movies, no movie had the effect that Spotlight had on me. Perhaps this is the only movie this year where the Story itself was the star of the film more than any of its wonderful actors. This movie will stick with you for days… it still sticks with me.

Top Ten Movies from the first half of 2015

I know It's been a while since I've posted anything and I won't bother reviewing the movies I've missed. Head over to my YouTube to see those. I figured I will post this list though as well as a show about the first half of the year. Without further ado: The Top Ten of 2015...so far:

Honorable Mentions: Project Almanac/ Danny Collins/Inside Out

10. Avengers: Age of Ultron

A fine enough sequel to 2012 The Avengers but with some disjointed story points and a sense of repetitiveness, it did fail to reach old glory. But with hints to expanded universes and a fresh face in the form of Vision, it still managed to be fairly entertaining.

9. Cinderella

A live action adaptation that respected it's source material without being so old fashioned it was dated. Unlike other adaptations Maleficent and Snow White, Cinderella managed to be extremely entertaining. A modern Fairy Tale for everyone.

8. Ex Machina

A modern Fairy Tale strictly for adults. Part syfy think-piece, Part minimalist Horror, Part psycho-sexual thriller, taken as whole: Absolutely hypnotic. Oscar Isaac continues to amaze with his strongest performance to date. An incredible movie about what it means to be human.

7. Kingsman: The Secret Service

"It's not that kind of movie." That line sums up this spy comedy pretty perfectly. It perfectly balances operating within the cliches of spy movies and lampooning those cliches. If a thrilling skydiving sequence, and shocking church melee don't get you to show up at least watch it for a lisping, weak-stomached, happy meal eating Samuel L. Jackson.

6. Slow West

I can't promote this movie enough. The other independent movies I list here have a cult following and critical success. Slow West somehow got lost in the mix. It garnered critical praise but never found an audience and with a compelling story by first time director John Maclean and command performances by Micheal Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Ben Mendelsohn, it's truly tragic this gem was never discovered.

5. It Follows

I'm perhaps the harshest critic of modern horror movies. I love horror movies but today's offerings of jump-scares and screams at the ghost movies like Unfriended make me want to put this genre to rest. But along comes this low budget throwback that is truly terrifying and I'm rethinking my rush to judgment. It Follows will follow you long after you watch it. (see what I did there?)

4. Dope

Dope came out of nowhere for me. I had heard of it making some noise at film festivals but it hadn't really captured my attention. Then I saw it was playing at the local Regal and figured what did I have to lose? It quickly sucked me into this world of the slums of L.A. and this trio of nerds trying to survive the day to day. Extremely timely and poignant, it will challenge your way of thinking.

3. Jurassic World

The Box Office King of 2015 and I don't see a challenger in sight... no not even Star Wars. I had this movie as my number 1 anticipated movie this year and it didn't disappoint. Where there issues with story and script? Sure. No movie is without sin. (cinemasins reference) But if your looking for a summer blockbuster that is entertaining as heck and doesn't require complete turning off your brain Jurassic World is the movie for you and THE WORLD!

2. Me, and Earl, and the Dying Girl

I saw an advanced screening of this movie and it blew me away. It was the Fault in Our Stars if made by Wes Anderson. (so better) It is a love letter to cinema, it is a study of friendship, it is a coming of age story. Well acted, well directed, and  a joy to watch.

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

The world truly belongs to the Mad. There is no other movie this year, heck the past three years, that made such an impression on me as Mad Max: Fury Road. I saw it I believe three times and it's never made less an impact. It's smart, well acted, and absolutely mesmerizing. People complained about a simplistic story but the philosophical questions it raises is far beyond a simple story. It also boasts the most kick butt female since Ripley.

Film Freak Show TV Recaps

Film Freak Show

Film Freak Show TV 2

The Update

Movies.

Insurgent.

I liked Divergent enough to at least be looking forward to this run of the mill, cliche ridden, and predictable sequel. It's a terrible waste of talent that hamstrings its actors with bad dialogue, cheesy CGI, and an excess of Deuce Ex Machina's. Shailene Woodly, Ansel Elgort, and especially Miles Teller prove that they are some of the most exciting group of young actors working today and they all deserve better than this derivative YA dystopian trilogy. I would be more upset at the waste of time this movie is but it's also utterly forgettable, saving me from the torture of dwelling on it. D-

Do You Believe

Another film from the makers of last years God's Not Dead that tries to recreate Magnolia, Crash, and Disconnect for Christians and mostly fails. It's better acted then what we've come to expect from Christian producers but it's cliche story telling and absolutely ridiculous miracle ending makes this an almost complete bust. I think its sad that my fellow Christians will happily embrace something because it has a good message or good morals and not demand good quality. I expect better because I know they can do better. C-

Cinderella

I've caught a lot of shade because of how much I enjoyed this film. It's not Maleficent or Snow White and the Huntsman and that's fantastic! It's a throwback of a fairy tale and at the same time modern. Take your kids to see it and stop judging the guys like me that loved this movie...maybe we're just romantic! A

Run All Night

It's Taken and A Walk Among the Tombstones kinda meshed together. Cliche action movie that Liam Neeson fans will gobble up. Can Neeson just go back to making good drama's? Except for the vastly underrated Tombstones of last year, he hasn't done anything remotely resembling his earlier work. You can do better Mr.Neeson... C-

Television.

Grimm

It's really hit its stride! Some strong writing and character development. Definitely one of the stronger seasons yet! It's at a new time, now at 8 on Fridays. B+

Better Call Saul

You better watch Saul! The best thing to happen to television since Breaking Bad. Acting, writing, directing all a step above. Must Watch. A+

Vikings

It's been renewed raiders! A strong season that has really started to become deadly for main characters. Some crazy twists. One of the best shows that isn't universally watched. A

The Americans

What started out as something of a slow burn of a third season has turned into a great showcase for Keri Russel and Mathew Rhys. This weeks episode has perhaps the greatest scene of the series to date and despite its recent brutal violence, is still a must watch. A

The Flash

Still strong. This is a freshmen show for the record and for the most part you can say its better than its 'Mother Show' Arrow. Some great episodes and character work as Barry had to deal with time travel. Next week look for Mark Hamill's Trickster! B+

Arrow

A Strong episode this week after a pretty meh season. Michael Rowe lights up the screen as Deadshot and Diggle finally gets married. Still needs some work. B-

Justified

Wow. A main character brushes incredibly close to death again. I don't think everyone will get out of Harlan alive and with only three more episodes left, there's not much more avoiding it. Elmore would be proud. A+

Be sure and check out The Film Freak Show over on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-P668UEMuLBNcY-YCVSYsC7fRNvN0PGa

A Message From Film Freak

It's been a while guys. I haven't reviewed a movie in over a month. I still have been going to theaters but I haven't written reviews. I've been thinking about something and I finally decided to go for it. So I present to you the first ever YouTube episode of the Film Freak Show! Here is the plan right now: On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays there will be new episodes of The Film Freak Show: TV Recaps where I will be focused on recapping TV shows from the last few days and perhaps some TV news. On Sunday/Monday there will be a new episode of The Film Freak Show where I will review movies and TV shows from the prior week and maybe talk about one entertainment subject or news. This plan is very flexible and subject to change but that is the idea right now. I want this to be a very inclusive process so if you have thoughts about format, subjects, whatever, I would love to hear them. What does that mean for this blog? Well I would like to keep it going but we will have to see how it goes. I always wanted to expand this blog to include TV and just articles about entertainment as it stands today so this may be my opportunity! We shall see. So that's all I have for you, check out the first episode where I talk about Jupiter Ascending, Kingsmen: The Secret Service, The Duff, Chappie, Run All Night, Cinderella, House of Cards, Better Call Saul, The Following, and Vikings!

http://youtu.be/r8epjHGqPGI