Favourite Films of 2015
A list of my favourite films of 2015 in fairly accurate order
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- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsLeonardo DiCaprioTom HardyWill PoulterA frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.I had no doubts that Fury Road would be in my number 1 spot for 2015 until I saw this film. I went in not really knowing what to expect and after the first attack scene (all shot in one take) I knew I was in for something absolutely breath-taking.
- DirectorAlfonso Gomez-RejonStarsThomas MannRJ CylerOlivia CookeHigh schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer.A smaller independent coming of age film that does everything in the best way possible and achieves so much, leaving you in tears at one moment and laughing your ass off the next.
- DirectorYorgos LanthimosStarsColin FarrellRachel WeiszJessica BardenIn a dystopian near future, according to the laws of The City, single people are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in 45 days or they're transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.This film was not a film I went into expecting to have so many deep and powerful meanings behind it, aswell as beautiful cinematography, brilliant acting and directing all inside the space of this beautifully and terrifying, fully realised world. It was funny, it was unsettling, it was thought provoking and it had me enthralled from start to finish.
- DirectorTodd HaynesStarsCate BlanchettRooney MaraSarah PaulsonAn aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older woman in 1950s New York.Incredible performances with great chemistry as well as beautiful cinematography
- DirectorGeorge MillerStarsTom HardyCharlize TheronNicholas HoultIn a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in search for her homeland with the aid of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper and a drifter named Max.The best action movie I think I have ever seen, everything about this blows my mind. I always liked the concept of Mad Max but never really got into the films, until now. This is what i always dreamed the originals could be like, but even better than that.
- DirectorRyan CooglerStarsMichael B. JordanSylvester StalloneTessa ThompsonThe former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.Two films in one year that are the seventh in the franchise that stand strongly, or far ahead of their predecessors. This had so much heart and soul punched into it that I think it deserves all the love that its getting.
- DirectorSimon StoneStarsGeoffrey RushNicholas HopeSam NeillThe story follows a man who returns home to discover a long-buried family secret, and whose attempts to put things right threaten the lives of those he left home years before.Editing was ahead of everything you'll see from 2015. The cast were all great, it left me literally balling my eyes out. I cannot recommenced this enough.
- DirectorDuke JohnsonCharlie KaufmanStarsDavid ThewlisJennifer Jason LeighTom NoonanA man crippled by the mundanity of his life experiences something out of the ordinary.Thought provoking and awe-inspiring. So much to think about with this film, it is a real work of art.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsSamuel L. JacksonKurt RussellJennifer Jason LeighIn the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of nefarious characters.Great cast, great direction, great score, great story, great Tarantino
- DirectorCary Joji FukunagaStarsAbraham AttahEmmanuel AffadziRicky AdelayitorA drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country.Absolutely incredible directing, along with what I think will be 2015's best performance, from Idris Elba. So much heart and soul, yet so flooded with pain, this film just hits so many different levels of power and emotion and I couldn't recommend it more.
- DirectorDavid SandbergStarsDavid SandbergJorma TacconeSteven ChewIn 1985, Kung Fury, the toughest martial artist cop in Miami, goes back in time to kill the worst criminal of all time - Kung Führer, a.k.a. Adolf Hitler.It's only a short film, but I have to include it. If you haven't already seen it... where have you been? Just get some 80s goodness in you. (watch it on YouTube)
- DirectorJohn MacleanStarsKodi Smit-McPheeCaren PistoriusAorere PakiA young Scottish man travels across America in pursuit of the woman he loves, attracting the attention of an outlaw who is willing to serve as a guide.If Django Unchained was an art house film that was directed by a combination of Richard Ayoade and Wes Anderson, this would be that film.
- DirectorRobert EggersStarsAnya Taylor-JoyRalph InesonKate DickieA family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.I thought I was coping during this film. It was tense, it was unsettling, it was straight out horrifying... but I thought I had it pretty under control... Until 20 minutes after the film ended and my heart was still aching. This is good horror.
- DirectorLászló NemesStarsGéza RöhrigLevente MolnárUrs RechnA Jewish-Hungarian concentration camp prisoner sets out to give a child he mistook for his son a proper burial.Incredible direction and use of cinematography. Not a film you go to for a fun time, but one to respect the time it is based on and the quality of filmmaking.
- DirectorF. Gary GrayStarsO'Shea Jackson Jr.Corey HawkinsJason MitchellThe rap group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.Not only is this an incredibly powerful true story, it is also an incredibly well made and directed film. This is a high level of filmmaking for a biopic. Everything was done really well, from acting to characters and of course the music.
- DirectorDrake DoremusStarsNicholas HoultKristen StewartVernetta LopezIn an emotionless utopia, two people fall in love when they regain their feelings from a mysterious disease, causing tensions between them and their society.Similar to an episode of Black Mirror, but in the best ways.
- DirectorEli RothStarsKeanu ReevesLorenza IzzoAna de ArmasA devoted husband and father helps two stranded young women who knock on his door, but his kind gesture turns into a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse.Some fun pulpy tension that was self aware and very entertaining
- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaOscar IsaacAs a new threat to the galaxy rises, Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper, must join Han Solo and Chewbacca to search for the one hope of restoring peace.Star Wars is back just as we always wanted it! They played it pretty safe in terms of story and the universe itself, but still giving is some things new and some things old. For the pressure they were under to make another Star Wars film I think they did it justice.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsEmily BluntJosh BrolinBenicio Del ToroAn idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.Superb acting, directing and cinematography. The story itself lacks intrigue I found, but it leaves me trying to think what all the meanings behind everything are.
- DirectorAlex GarlandStarsAlicia VikanderDomhnall GleesonOscar IsaacA young programmer is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid A.I.A really unique look at artificial intelligence and whether it really is 'human'. Highly recommend it to fans of science fiction.
- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsMichael FassbenderKate WinsletSeth RogenSteve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution, to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter. The story unfolds backstage at three iconic product launches, ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac.A great film to show off some acting abilities. The directing was fabulous, the way scenes would build and build with the conversation and score was just incredible to watch.
- DirectorGus Van SantStarsMatthew McConaugheyNaomi WattsKen WatanabeA suicidal American befriends a Japanese man lost in a forest near Mt. Fuji and the two search for a way out.For what ever reason this film is being rated incredibly low. I felt a lot of heart and emotion in this film. McConaughey back from interstellar was incredible to see once again. I recommend watching it yourself if you have been turned off by the ratings
- DirectorJeremy SaulnierStarsAnton YelchinImogen PootsAlia ShawkatA punk rock band is forced to fight for survival after witnessing a murder at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar.It's cool to see such an original set up for a 'single room' thriller. However I felt the level of suspense was lacking and was more reliant on pretty brutal attacks. Something like Don't Breathe (2016) for me, was far more effective at being a thriller but had a slightly more generic plot.
- DirectorJoel EdgertonStarsJason BatemanRebecca HallJoel EdgertonA married couple, Simon and Robyn, run into Gordo, an old classmate. Things take a turn when Gordo begins to drop in unannounced at their house and inundates them with mysterious gifts.suspenseful, intriguing and great concept and fairly well executed, just too easily figured out before we are officially supposed to find out what is going on.
- DirectorFrançois SimardAnouk WhissellYoann-Karl WhissellStarsMunro ChambersLaurence LeboeufMichael IronsideIn a post-apocalyptic wasteland in 1997, a comic book fan adopts the persona of his favourite hero to save his enthusiastic friend and fight a tyrannical overlord.No one loves an 80s style film more than me, and for a small Indie film they did a really great job making a fun and bloody Sci Fi flick. Unfortunatley It feels very Independent and not very 80s, which I feel to make a good Indie film, it shouldnt feel like it was filmed down the road from the directors house. Some better cinematography and location changes I feel it could have done this film a world of good.
- DirectorNeill BlomkampStarsSharlto CopleyDev PatelHugh JackmanIn the near future, crime is patrolled by a mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself.I, myself was surprised at how much I liked this film, in comparison to the directors previous work (District 9 and Elysium) It touches on a large range of questions when it comes to AI, but the setting and characters gives it a nice twist to what we are used to.
- DirectorColin TrevorrowStarsChris PrattBryce Dallas HowardTy SimpkinsA new theme park, built on the original site of Jurassic Park, creates a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur, the Indominus Rex, which escapes containment and goes on a killing spree.A really entertaining sequel, that in my opinion is so much better than the second and third film. The characters lack depth, but i don't think it's really needed in this movie to make it entertaining. It pays enough homage to the original but still very much its own thing. The overuse of CGI was probably my main dislike.
- DirectorBrian HelgelandStarsTom HardyEmily BrowningTaron EgertonIdentical twin gangsters Ronald and Reginald Kray terrorize London during the 1960s.This film is fueled completely by Tom Hardy's incredible acting and the directors ability to make the two characters feel believable, as their own people and not just two Tom Hardy's on the screen. The story itself lacked certain intrigue and I think it could have done with about 20-30 minutes cut out.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsMatt DamonJessica ChastainKristen WiigAn astronaut becomes stranded on Mars after his team assume him dead, and must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive and can survive until a potential rescue.beautiful visuals, of course.. it's Ridley Scott. But I found the overuse of humour really brought down the film, and ruined all of the suspense. I never felt sympathy for Damon's character and not once thought he was actually in danger, because judging by his constant jokes, he didn't seem to care he had been on Mars, alone... for hundreds of days.
- DirectorRodney AscherStarsNicole BosworthStephen JosephEstrella CristinaA look at a frightening condition that plagues thousands; sleep paralysis.Although a documentary it is very cinematic in the way scenes were created, giving it a very 'horror film' vibe to it. The suspense created with the sets, lighting, characters etc. really puts you in the fearful shoes of those experiencing sleep paralysis.
- DirectorAnton CorbijnStarsRobert PattinsonDane DeHaanPeter LucasA photographer for LIFE Magazine is assigned to shoot pictures of James Dean.Love James Dean and Dane Dehaan but I feel James's character seemed really over exaggerated with his shy, awkward yet really out there personality, which I feel is falsely depicted. The story had the potential to be interesting but didn't give us enough chemistry between Dean and Stock and needed more of them actually taking photos.
- DirectorHenry HobsonStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerAbigail BreslinJoely RichardsonA teenage girl in the Midwest becomes infected by an outbreak of a disease that slowly turns the infected into cannibalistic zombies. During her transformation, her loving father stays by her side.I love this for its originality, and sticking to it, never turning the film into a 'already seen before' zombie film. The pacing and directing was great, and I really hope to see Arnold in more Independent film roles after this, because he was brilliant and has such a great screen presence.
- DirectorLuca GuadagninoStarsTilda SwintonMatthias SchoenaertsRalph FiennesA famous rock star's vacation in Italy with her boyfriend is disrupted by the unexpected visit of an old friend and his daughter.Beautiful cinematography and terrific performances. Unfortunately the story just lacked of substance, which just left me bored, which was rather disappointing.
- DirectorKaryn KusamaStarsLogan Marshall-GreenEmayatzy CorinealdiMichiel HuismanWhen a man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, the unsettling past reopens old wounds and creates new tensions.Good performance from Logan Marshall-Green, the paranoia was there but took to long to get going and the climax went by too fast to get any real 'thrill' out of it.
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsHenry CavillArmie HammerAlicia VikanderIn the early 1960s, CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working to proliferate nuclear weapons.An entertaining spy film, but does suffer from a constant shift in tone, leaving us unsure if we should be laughing or getting tense. The cast and costume designs though are brilliant.
- DirectorShane AbbessStarsDaniel MacPhersonGrace HuangLuke HemsworthAn elite 'search and rescue' team transport onto an off-world mining-facility to rescue Whit Carmichael, the lone survivor of a biological outbreak.A great Australian sci-fi/thriller, that does a great job of creating that classic 1970s/80s style future, which we all know and love. It does fall short in many areas though unfortunately.
- DirectorBrad BirdStarsGeorge ClooneyBritt RobertsonHugh LaurieBound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.The film starts out very promising but heads in a direction I feel is a bit over used at the moment, but it is directed at families and for that I think it works well