2015 was, for me, a good year in movies, not a great year. Some end of year releases certainly redeemed the year, which makes sense as we’ve come to expect studios to hold their best Oscar hopes until December. There were a lot of really good feature films, as well as quality Documentaries (Amy, The Wolfpack, What Happened Miss Simone?), mixed with a number of nostalgic retreads (Jurassic World, Creed, Star Wars: The Force Awakens), but I’m not sure there were any masterpieces this year. That being said, I had a hard time ranking the top 6 on my list- I enjoyed each one of them thoroughly and given 6 months of reflection and a second viewing of each, I might have a completely different top 6.
Here is my list, and as a pastor I always give the caveat that I am not necessarily recommending these movies, you are responsible to read up on whether the content is suitable for you (www.imdb.com and www.pluggedin.com are good places to start).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2381111/
1) Brooklyn– An utterly charming period film that is sad, funny, and bursting with life. Saoirse Ronan is luminous as a leading lady. There’s not a wasted scene here and every actor is perfectly cast, including Domhnall Gleeson.
2) The Big Short– It was a bold choice to make a story about the housing crisis from the point of view not of the victims but the “winners,” those who profited by ‘shorting’ the banks on their mortgage schemes. The film takes a big subject and makes it relatable on a human scale, having a lot of fun while also making some serious points about our country and culture.
3) The Revenant– No movie this year took me into its world so thoroughly. It’s historical in the way that Amadeus was historical, which is to say there were real men named Hugh Glass and Jim Bridger. But what stands out is how simultaneously earthy and gorgeous the film is. My money is on Emmanuel Lubezki to win a 3rd straight Oscar for Cinematography. Also has Domhnall Gleeson.
4) Spotlight– Excellent script and direction from Thomas McCarthy, this look at the Boston Globe reporting on the Catholic Church scandals may win Best Picture. Any movie with Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci is going to be good; here, their work is entertaining but also deeply thought-provoking.
5) Ex Machina– An Eden story about creation, ownership, and what it means to be human. Oscar Isaac is mesmerizing. Also has Domnhall Gleason.
6) Inside Out– The best Pixar movie yet, simply profound.
7) Tangerines– A great story (parable?) about the absurdity of war and the beauty of neighbor love.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2764784/
8) Phoenix– Man, I want to rank this movie higher, mainly because Nina Hoss gives such a great performance and the ending scene is possibly the best scene of any film this year. But, the premise was a little hard to swallow, you really had to suspend some disbelief, and that probably shouldn’t be the case with a Holocaust movie.
9) Room– A movie that is hard to watch but felt true and redemptive, with great performances by Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay.
10) Best of Enemies– An informative and wildly entertaining look at the 1968 television debates between William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal.
11) The Martian– I read the book and watched the movie, and while there were (inevitable) differences, I thought both were great and provided solid entertainment.
12) Clouds of Sils Maria– This is a film that demands multiple viewings and discussions, and is open to a few different interpretations. In other words, my kind of movie, and one that my friend Jeremy would hate on principle. Juliette Binoche is predictably great, but Kristen Stewart is surprisingly good as well.
13) Z for Zachariah– Another Eden story that I enjoyed a lot.
14) The Experimenter– A fascinating exploration of the life and research of Stanley Milgrim. This film asks some big questions: How can civilized human beings act so barbaric? How is genocide possible? How do perpetrators live with themselves? What would I have done in the experiment with only a lab technician to disappoint? What would I have done in Nazi Germany if compelled by a gun to the head to join the SS?
15) Tie– Call Me Lucky/ Amy/ What Happened, Miss Simone?- I know I cheated here, but these were all really interesting documentaries about people I only had a passing acquaintance with. Having walked a mile in their shoes (the goal of a good biographical documentary), I feel like I can empathize with their lives.
Bonus: Here are 10 movies that I can’t wait to see in 2016:
1) Hail Caesar!– The Coen brothers. Enough said.
2) Midnight Special– Director Jeff Nichols is 3 for 3 in my book, with Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, and Mud.
3) Silence– This is the long-awaited passion project from Martin Scorsese.
4) Knight of Cups– Terrence Malick may be the most distinctive, stylistic director working, and he doesn’t work much, so a new film by him is a momentous occasion.
5) Everybody Wants Some– My big question for this Richard Linklater project is, will it have the Van Halen song of the title?
6) Queen of the Desert– Werner Herzog is always interesting. Often quirky and extreme, but always worth watching.
7) The BFG– Who knows if this will be the final title for Steven Spielberg’s next film, but you know you’re going to go see it this Summer.
8) The Birth of a Nation– Nate Parker as freed slave and preacher Nat Turner. This film could really redeem that title.
1) Doctor Strange– Scott Derrickson and Benedict Cumberbatch. My kids are in. I probably will be, too.
2) I Saw the Light- Loki (Tom Hiddleston) as Hank Williams Jr. Why not?
Banner Photo Attribution: “Movie” By Laurence Simon; CC 2.0
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