I don’t normally spend too much time on honorable mentions,
but I had an unusually difficult time narrowing down my top ten for 2015 and
wasn’t entirely convinced I’d made the right choices once the list was
finalized. So I figured I’d take a few
lines to tell you about some of my most memorable movies of the year that
didn’t quite make the cut for one reason or another.
Truth be told, and I said this last year, these films could
find themselves in my top ten on any given day depending on which side of the
bed I wake up or whether I go Joe Clark on a kid in class for forgetting his
reading log. Besides, I’m all for any
opportunity to squeeze in some extra commentary on movie that, as a direct
result, may end up on someone’s radar.
Enough with the obligatory, and in this case slightly
forced, opening banter. Let me take you
to the movies! (Shout out to Bangs on YouTube).
2015 Honorable
Mentions
Straight Outta Compton
Look, it’s really good.
Probably even great. It may be
the most fun I had in a theater last year.
The cast is electric and the music nostalgic. You can’t help but bob your head and rap
along to “We Want Eazy” or get chills when Eric Wright finally nails the
opening line to “Boyz N the Hood.” But
it’s also a biopic. And for whatever
reason, I just don’t vibe with that genre.
Granted it’s my favorite biopic in recent memory, but if I’m being
honest, I don’t have a strong desire to revisit it anytime soon.
Spotlight
This was the final leg of my now famed birthday movie
celebration, after about eight hours of movies.
That’s in one day. So forgive me
if I missed some of the details and subtle nuances that garnered so much love
from the critics. What I did catch was a
tight, patient script executed by one of the most impressive ensemble casts
you’ll see onscreen. I saw four great
movies that day, and if I had to choose, Spotlight
would be the one I’d watch again today.
Bridge of Spies
I think the thing I love most about this movie is that I
didn’t love anything about it at all.
Much like Spotlight, it lacks
the seat-clenching action scene and over-the-top, Oscar-baiting dramatic
monologue, which is a bit unexpected given that it was directed by
Spielberg. Not that the great director
is so blatant and typical in his direction, but normally Spielberg has his Midas-esque
fingerprints all over his films. They’re
harder to find here. And that’s
intriguing to me. Tom Hanks and academy
award nominee Mark Rylance are low-key and fantastic, especially Rylance who
deserves his spot in the most loaded category on the Oscar ballot.
About Elly
I’m cheating somewhat with this one. It was first released in 2009 in Iran, but it
wasn’t released in the U.S. until last year.
I’m counting it though based on the fact that it’s great. Director Asghar Farhadi has mastered the art
of placing "ordinary people in extraordinary situations." That's my
line. And it's a good one. It's also balls-on accurate. What a treat watching
it all unfold, then engaging in the most challenging yet enlightening of
exercises: asking yourself what you would do under the same circumstances.
Imagine films that good. That when you finish them you know something about
yourself you may not have known before. All while potentially gaining new
perspectives along with an appreciation for said perspectives, though you may
not even agree. That's pretty freaking priceless. That's film at its best.
Tangerine
I watched this movie that was shot on an iphone on my
Samsung. That’s ironic and kind of
cool. As I write this I’m second-guessing
its absence on my top ten list. It’s so
full of life, perhaps more than any other I saw last year. It’s not for the conservative audience.
(That’s “conservative” in the general sense, not politically. Though I doubt most right-leaners would go
for the film either.) It’s the story of
two transgender (See, I lost some of you already) girlfriends who have just
reunited after one’s recent release from jail.
Together again, they set off across Los Angeles on Christmas Eve in
search of the newly-freed Sin-Dee’s boyfriend/pimp. (I just lost most of the
rest.) Before it’s even out of the gate,
Tangerine has a couple of things
going for it: 1) It takes place in La La Land.
Last year around this time in my review of my 2014 #4 movie of the year Nightcrawler, I wrote about how I enjoy
seeing L.A. as a backdrop in a film. I
won’t go back into what I like about the setting (just read my blog), but I
will add that about two years ago I watched a documentary called Los Angeles Plays Itself which has been
more appropriately described as a video essay.
It’s nearly three hours analyzing not only the city’s role as a setting
in film, but also as a character and a subject.
It’s packed with clips from some of L.A.’s most recognizable as well as
obscure movies. It’s also one of my
favorite films I’ve seen in the last ten years, and I believe Tangerine would fit perfectly in its
script as an effective illustration of any of the three categories the
documentary explores. 2) It takes place
over twenty-four hours. I want to say
I’ve also written about this cinematic aspect somewhere on my blog but I can’t
be sure. So I’ll just say that the
day-long story is a personal favorite of mine.
Movies like Friday, Glengarry Glen Ross, 12 Angry Men, 25th Hour and, Reservoir Dogs
are engrossing and entertaining stories that are only enhanced by their
relatively short on screen time lapse. The
same goes for Tangerine. Out of the gate, the film still has a lot to
offer, but most notably may be its charm.
That may sound strange to some given its premise. However, I think the movie qualifies as one
of those lovable nontraditional Christmas movies like Lethal Weapon, Better Off Dead, and the king of said movies, Die Hard. Although it’s certainly not a central theme,
the Christmas spirit is definitely palpable throughout. Finally, the flick is legitimately
funny. I’m not the type to laugh much
during films, but there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in this. At the center of most, if not all, of those
moments is Sin-Dee played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez. She’s really magnetic and her performance was
one of the best I saw all year.
Mission: Impossible –
Rogue Nation
I liked it. Not quite as much as I wanted to but
it’s a fun time nonetheless. I was a little annoyed by the movie's
unwillingness to let go of a lot of the action flick clichés (i.e. Cruise's
hand dramatically and slowly dropping in the smoke filled glass; all the
impossible security check points and clearances and retina scans that will ultimately
be made possible). However, it's hard to beat the action and Cruise is a
machine, a pure entertainer. The opera scene was fantastic! And kudos to the
series for getting better – something so many series can’t brag about. I think Simon Pegg has a little to do with
that.
THE LIST.....
10. The Big Short
Film Critic Tasha Robinson said of The Big Short, “It takes a serious issue and turn it into cotton
candy in order to get it into people’s mouths.
It’s not until it’s in their mouths that people realize how sour it is.” That has to be one of my favorite summations
of a movie I’ve heard in quite a while.
The movie is funny and entertaining and at the same infuriating and
horrific. That’s a pretty impressive stunt
to pull off. I’ve seen a number of
movies about our most recent economic collapse, and at this point most of them
just run together. The Big Short easily distinguishes itself from the pack with sharp
editing, comedy, and engaging performances from a star-studded cast. But make no mistake: it’s a maddening topic,
and despite all the likeability, it still leaves you with a residue of nausea
in your gut.
9. Mad Max: Fury Road
Visually, Fury Road
accomplishes sequences I’ve never seen before.
A film will always get points from me for that! The scenes in which the war parties are
looming off in the distance in pursuit of the rogue Furiosa are nothing short
of beautiful, as are those of the tense encounters that follow once the
pursuers inevitably catch up, despite their brutality. In addition to the stunning visuals, Max’s
action is some of the best you’ll ever experience. And there’s no shortage of it. I compare it to Las Vegas. I love Vegas for its over-the-top-ness. It’s almost unnecessary. The details are meticulous and overblown,
from the post-apocalyptic war machines to the explosions and utter destruction
they cause. It’s a marvelous mesh of
madness. The film slams its foot on the
gas within a couple of minutes of the first shot and rarely taps the brakes. Even the film’s heavy metal score is unique
in its implementation and is the perfect accompaniment for the cinematic
anarchy. I’m sure that someone more
educated than me on the subject could write for days on its technical
brilliance. What I can tell you is that
Mad Maxis a monumental achievement and should be rewarded handsomely for its
efforts come Oscar Sunday.
8. What We Do in the Shadows
There are plenty of funny and memorable moments in this New
Zealand gem, a mockumentary about four vampires living together in a flat. Even
as I write this, several months removed from the film, the encounter with the
werewolves (“not swear-wolves”) remains vividly etched in my brain. There’s no
shortage of gore either. The film could ultimately become a must for all
vampire flick fanatics. And there isn't another one quite like it in the genre.
7. Bone Tomahawk
Bone
Tomahawk is
the most unusual film on this list. It’s
a hybrid, somewhere between western and horror.
Kurt Russell, Richard Jenkins, Patrick Wilson, and Matthew Fox set out
to rescue a couple of loved ones after they’re kidnapped from the cozy little
Old Western town of Bright Hope. They
learn from a local Native American that the kidnappers are a tribe of
cave-dwelling murderers whose existence dates back to even before natives
themselves. The four would-be heroes
willingly volunteer to journey across the unforgiving terrain to a destination
that houses an enemy they know very little about. Even though they’re warned, and we as viewers
are warned along with them, we share with them the false pretense that we have
an idea of the danger we’re getting into, when in fact we have none. Despite its unorthodox plot, Bone Tomahawk maintains many of the same
filmmaking attributes that more traditional films possess like some solid
cinematography and sharp, funny dialogue.
Yes, the movie has its comedic moments too. It also has one of the most memorable scenes
of the year for me, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. The scene is brutal and jaw-dropping and
sneaks up on you so there’s no time to prepare.
Tomahawk also boasts the best
performance of Matthew Fox’s career, an actor I’ve never really been high
on. He’s confident, charming, funny, and
he draws you in during the first few moments of his screen time. Perhaps his character is best described as a
poor man’s Doc Holiday. But I don’t want
to take anything from Fox. The character
is his alone and the performance was one of my favorite of 2015.
6. The Hateful Eight
If Straight Outta
Compton wasn’t the best time I had at the movies last year, then The Hateful Eight was. Which may sound a little strange given the
film’s subject matter and violent nature.
It’s hateful for sure. And there
are undertones of America’s black-eyed past and even current struggles with
race. But so many movie-going
experiences are influenced by the company you’re in when you see it. I was in great company during Compton and likewise with Eight.
Specifically, it was the very first show of my birthday celebration, the
opening act of a four part cinematic spectacle.
And showtime was at 9am. That’s
nine in the morning. I mean it’s Quentin
Tarantino! It’s Samuel L. Jackson and
Kurt Russell! It was the opening road
tour that was reserved to only a select number of theaters across the country,
due in part to the fact that only a select number of theaters were equipped to
handle the 70mm projection. Normally, an
event of this magnitude would be saved for the final act of my birthday film
festival. But I couldn’t make the other
show times work with the daily schedule.
I was sure I’d be the only one in my party present when the curtain
opened. However, two faithful friends
managed to brave the early morning commute and met me at Atlantic Station for
what would be one of the best cinematic experiences I’ve ever had. This is how movies were meant to be
shown. The five minute overture preceding
the film, featuring a black silhouette of a stage coach being pulled by a team
of thoroughbreds against a blood-red background. And the music. Oh the music that accompanied that unavoidable
picture and made for such a haunting, anticipation-building few minutes! Then there was the intermission: a brief
reprieve from the world Tarantino had created that allowed my friends and I to
reflect on what we’d just seen, predict what we think would happen, and quote
some of our favorite lines so far. We
even received a collector’s book before we walked in. I actually felt sorry for people who saw it
online or missed the 70mm presentation in theaters. It’s hard to imagine watching that movie any
other way. The movie itself is pretty
much what we’ve come to expect from its director. It’s funny and violent and smart and has
something to say and funny. Did I
mention how funny it was? I’ll probably
watch it again on Blu-ray and not enjoy it nearly as much. But the experience alone was well-worth a mention
on this list.
5. The Look of Silence
The Look of Silence is Josh Oppenheimer's follow-up
documentary to his 2012 directorial debut The
Act of Killing. Silence is
probably better described as a companion piece to Killing as both focus on a genocide in Indonesia in 1965. Though
the subject matter is the same, it's the films' respective approaches that set
them apart. The Act of Killing was a ground-breaking gut punch of a film in
which Oppenheimer asks the former Indonesian killers to reenact the mass murders
of the past, a request that the perpetrators are more than happy to
accommodate. Under the guise of a would-be documentary, the director films the
executioners as they meticulously recreate the brutal, savage acts committed
against accused "communists" and fellow citizens, all with an ease
and enjoyment that's awe inspiring.
While Killing can be
considered the crowd-pleaser of the pair, Silence
is more deliberate and methodical in its approach. The film follows Adi Rukun, younger brother
of one of the one million people murdered during the genocide, as he interviews
the killers of his sibling, killers who still hold regular jobs and respected
positions within the community. Let that
whole scenario sink in for a minute.
Rukun looks as if he’s made for the camera, completely relaxed and in
control and demanding of the audience’s attention (both his interviewees and
the audience in the theater). The
interviews are what you would expect them to be and a little more. They’re tense and at times you have to remind
yourself to breathe. They’re hard to
digest. Murderers recount the story of
Adi’s brother with ease and an eerie sense of warm nostalgia. They’re terrifying as some perpetrators even
allude to the possibility of the whole heinous period happening again. There is not a more important movie on this
list than The Look of Silence or even
The Act of Killing. Both should be required viewing for everyone.
4. The Martian
I remember watching The
Martian just after the summer movie season and thinking to myself that play
time was over in regards to film season.
The summer blockbusters were making way for more serious and higher
quality pictures. What’s cool about The Martian is that it works as
both. It’s entertaining as all get out
and could hold its own with any dinosaur-themed money grab. It also has the smart writing, dynamic
performances, and ingenuitive direction of any Oscar contender. Movies like that seem to be becoming more and
more scarce. Just check Rotten Tomatoes
and you’ll see the discrepancy between critics and audience members among so
many films. Also, if you haven’t
noticed, Matt Damon is a bonafide superstar.
He has zero problem carrying this story.
I don’t even like to use the word “carry” because it implies that the
movie may be lacking in some way that it needs his presence in order to hold
your attention. Which is not the
case. So let’s just say he has no
problem leading the film, owning the screen.
He’s fantastic. I said this after
I left the theater and I still feel the same way: this may be his best
performance to date. The movie is
surprisingly emotional – I laughed and cried on multiple occasions. The
Martian has something for everyone and one of the few films on this list I
can recommend to anyone who loves movies.
(Disclaimer: I’m putting my top 3 films in order due to
obligation. I don’t like punking out in
these instances with the whole “in no particular order” crutch. Having said that, I could easily see these
three movies exchanging positions on any given day depending on my mood. It’s the most difficult time I’ve had
determining my favorite movie since I’ve been keeping track of these
lists. So keep that in mind and keep the
opinion-bashing to a minimum. Or don’t –
my blog needs the views!)
3. Creed
There are moments in Creed
when it's hard to imagine the movie-going experience being much better. The film isn’t merely a sequel or spinoff,
but rather the perfect transition from old to new. It’s exciting to see such a beloved series
like Rocky get a revived relevance in
such a refreshing story. Stallone is
better than he’s been in a long time, maybe even since the original. Michael B. Jordan is equally as good and
plays an integral part in Stallone’s Oscar-nominated work. The two’s chemistry is palpable, natural and
seemingly effortless. I bought the
sincerity of the relationship from the moment Adonis enters Adrian’s to meet
Rocky for the first time. From there you
just get sucked in as the two build a complex and multidimensional bond. At the heart of it all is director Ryan
Coogler who’s quickly becoming one of my favorite working today. He’s taken on what I consider to be major challenges
in his first two films and has handled both beautifully (the first being
Fruitvale Station). It has to take a lot
of nerve to say you’re continuing the Rocky series and a lot of talent and
skill to do so as masterfully as he did.
I think Creed is the best
since the original. A lot of people will
argue that because nostalgia is a “hell of a drug.” That’s fine and I get it. No matter where you stand, the quality of the
newest addition is undeniable. Oh! I mentioned these memorable moments in the movie
– the kind that you’re lucky to witness once or twice in a year, let alone a
few times in the same movie. I’ll
elaborate on one but be warned that me doing so may subject you to potential
spoilers.
One moment I sincerely appreciated was the
fighters’ ring entrances in the final fight.
I consider myself a better than average boxing fan. I remember going over to a friend’s or an
uncle’s house to watch the big pay-per-view fight. One of the most anticipated moments of the
entire night, maybe the most anticipated, was the ring entrance. What music would they play? Who’s coming out with them? What were they wearing? It was such an important part of the
spectacle. Coogler knows this and gives
such careful consideration and time to the scene. It’s a great illustration of his love for
filmmaking and boxing and his dedication to get it right. Creed’s entrance to Tupac’s “Hail Mary” was
pretty perfect. Pac’s music was very
popular during the time I was describing earlier and often accompanied one of
the fighters to the ring. Plus Creed’s
affiliation to the west coast and his knowledge of the history of the sport, shown
throughout the film via his watching old fight footage or recalling specific
rounds of certain fights based on a picture, made the song choice that much
more appropriate. I had chills bumps as
the camera followed Creed and his team from the locker room through the dim and
twisting corridors unseen by the fight fans.
The music was barely audible at first and became more and more apparent
as he approached the entrance to the arena, where my chill bumps seemingly
burst in euphoria as he emerged for the hostile English crowd to see at the
same time as the unmistaken sound of Tupac Shakur’s voice spat the first line
of lyrics: “I ain’t a killer but don’t push me!” Wow! Coogler
then gives equal, if not more, attention to the champion’s entrance. The arena goes black and the cell phones
light up. The crowd chants the name of
their fighter in haunting unison, and it’s the first time in the film that I
was sold on the legitimacy of Ricky Conlin.
I had not taken him seriously enough before that. As if to mock my ignorance, a song I had
never heard before initiates Conlin’s walk to the ring. Unbelievably, the song appears to be even
more fitting, more intimidating than Creed’s.
A fire breather illuminates a small area of the darkened arena, finally
revealing Conlin and his massive entourage and many championship belts looming,
approaching, stalking in the not-too-far distance. It’s the first time in the film you’re
concerned for Adonis Creed. Masterful,
masterful work by Coogler.
2. Inside Out
I couldn’t think of a better way to express my love for this
film than the initial review I wrote back in July of last year. So at the risk of appearing lazy and showing
a lack of creativity, I’m using that review again.
Inside Out will forever hold a special place in my heart. Eleven-year-old Riley’s mind is beautiful and
wondrous. The film itself is
irresistibly charming telling a familiar coming-of-age story in the most
unconventional way. Not surprisingly, it
hits most of the human emotions, and while doing so, connects with a range of
audiences as effectively and effortlessly as any animated film before it. But aside from all that, it was my daughter
Eden’s first ever cinematic experience, and I got to share it with her. I kept the movie stubs. I always do.
But I placed these in a special protective case (Ziploc) where I plan to
keep them as a reminder of this special occasion. The movie theater has had a significant
influence throughout my life on everything from relationships to even who I am
as a person, experiences I would love to write about someday in detail. So I was understandably excited to add my
daughter and Inside Out and July 9th, 2015, to the infinite list of other dates
and films and memorable people that have made my life a sort of film in its own
right. As for Eden’s opinion, I think
she loved it. But to be honest she
probably would’ve loved anything showing that day. It was all about the experience for her: the
giant screen, seats that went on and up forever, the popcorn. And Daddy.
Hopefully she’ll never forget Daddy.
1. Sicario
I remember seeing this back in October of last
year and thinking it was the best movie I had seen up to that point. I never had that thought again so hear Sicario stands, my favorite movie of
2015. And I’m okay with that because
it’s excellent. The genre is right up my
alley so it didn’t take much for me to be hooked. It’s about a special government task force
who recruits a young and talented FBI agent to aid in the drug war against
Mexico. Likewise, the cast includes some
of my favorite actors working today doing great work. Emily Blunt may be my favorite actress in the
biz and she doesn’t disappoint as the green horn FBI agent. Josh Brolin leads the task force in his nonchalant,
yet determined manner. Benicio Del
Torro, like Stallone, does his best work in years in what I thought was an
Oscar-caliber performance. The setup is
simple enough but the execution is anything but mundane. The flick easily keeps viewers engaged thanks
to my favorite score of the year and some of the most intense scenes as well.
(The border sequence is incredible and one of my favorites in recent
memory.) Another thing I like about the
movie is its allusiveness or unwillingness to commit to a main character. You initially think it’s Blunt’s character,
which it may be. But at one point
there’s an obvious shift in the film’s focus from her character to another,
leaving the viewer to wander who the protagonist is or who you should be
rooting for or if it even matters in the grand scheme of things. Those are the types of movies that stay with
you long after you’ve left the theater.
Those are the types you can’t wait to watch again.
