Top 10 Films of 2015

It's that time of year again and I will be reflecting on what I felt were the Top 10 films this year. I didn't see "every" film released this year and there are many films that I just missed out on or wasn't able to see due to a limited release so throughout next year any time I watch one of the films I missed out on I will post a review for it and they won't be Throwback Thursday Reviews but just normal reviews. This list isn't quite the best made films of 2015 but the ten films I essentially enjoyed the most or had a great cinematic experience upon viewing.

Top 10 Films of 2015 

Honorable Mentions: The Good Dinosaur, Bridge Of Spies, McFarland USA, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, and Mad Max: Fury Road.

10. Joy

As I stated in my review I thought Joy was a pleasant surprise and it slipped into my Top 10 list as I really was intrigued by the film, it's messages and it's performances.

9. The Hateful Eight

I saw the The Hateful Eight yesterday and unfortunately it didn't quite snag the number 8 spot on my list, which would have been so ironic, but was very entertaining as one of my favorite films to come from Tarantino. It had gorgeous cinematorgraphy, great performances, interesting characters, a captivating mystery and some fantastic dialogue.

8. Inside Out

Inside Out is one of Pixar's best and showcased that Pixar can still make not only great animation but an ingenious original film based on an intriguing concept. I thought the idea of Inside Out was so interesting since the moment I hear about the film and can say the film delivered in spades. Inside Out not only had beautiful animation but a very heart touching story about emotions. Honestly this film deserves to be higher on my list but the film's above it had a greater entertainment value to them and appealed to me more. 

7. The Martian

 'The Martian' was a phenomenal space film that managed to successfully differentiate itself from two other recent films with a similar premise, Interstellar and Gravity. I really liked that The Martian had such a light tone and was filled with humor. The Martian was directed and written exceptionally well with gorgeous visuals, an entertaining story and a terrific cast.

6. Ant-Man

Ant-Man managed to bring a new spin on the superhero genre as one of Marvel's best origin stories yet! Ant-Man was a very fun heist film with great performances, epic small scale action, and some hilarious one liners and character moments.

5. Kingsman: The Secret Service

Kingsman: The Secret Service blew me away! It took the spy genre and flipped it on it's head as the film was completely self aware of the fact it was a spy film and payed homage while modernizing many of the classic spy film elements. Kingsman: The Secret Service had some mind-blowing action sequences, amazing performances, and a great story. Thankfully a sequel has been greenlit and has entered preproduction and I can't wait to see this franchise spawn since I loved Kingsman: The Secret Service.

4. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation was outstanding. It took everything I loved about Mission: Impossible and elevated it. Larger stakes, a better villain, bigger stunts, a compelling awesome female heroine that made for one of the best action films all year. I can't express enough how much I enjoyed this film and I can't wait for the sixth film in the franchise as the last three films have only got stronger with each installment. 

3. Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Avengers: Age Of Ultron divided audiences with people either loving it or being disappointed and I can say I fell in the "I loved it" camp. This film was genuinely entertaining and every moment elicited a reaction from me as I was either smiling, laughing, or my jaw was agaped almost touching the floor as I watched in awe. It took everything I loved about The Avengers and brought it back for the sequel, and now that the team had been brought together, the film wasn't required to focus on that aspect but rather the fun interactions that were merely glanced upon in the original. There was big action spectacle, a great villain, hilarious gags that all culminated and felt like I was actually watching a comic book in front of me. 

2. Creed

Creed was the seventh film in the Rocky franchise that managed to successfully recaptured the magic of Rocky. Every beat of the film has a familiarity to it yet feels fresh and new. It perfectly utilized the Rocky theme for an awesome training montage and some fantastic boxing scenes that captivated my attention and felt so real. It had great direction and some phenomenal Oscar worthy performances that make for one of the year's best films.

1. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

It should be no surprise that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is at the top of my list. I loved this film, and it has something that I believe is crucial to great films and that is a rewatchability factor. I have seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens four times and found more and more to enjoy with each viewing noticing small aspects that I missed upon initial viewings that make the film that much better. I liked the comedic relief present throughout, the amazing starfighter battles, lightsaber duels, and amazing performances. All of these things culminated to bring an amazing film and it was great to finally see the film I've been waiting for/wanting my entire life. And the fact that it was everything I wanted in an Episode VII and more just makes it that much better. 

'Joy' Review

Nominated For: Best Actress; Jennifer Lawrence.

Joy is the third film directed by David O. Russell starring both Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper that tells the underdog story of a woman who rose in an industry creating many household inventions. I was taken aback by Joy because I wasn't expecting too much upon entering the film but I really enjoyed it. I've noticed that this film's Rotten Tomatoes score as well as it's other reviews are somewhat low for a film that is obviously trying to be an Academy Award contender and I can say that's due to a clunky beginning and a few minor flaws. Some little nitpicks I noticed took me out of the experience were the lack of attention to Joy's son and one little awkward lip-sync that wasn't dubbed over very well. There was one moment where Joy was supposedly speaking to her son but he was hidden behind a door and didn't really say much that I just sat and thought to myself "Hmm I guess they didn't want to pay a child actor for this?" and I would have rather the film makers just ignored the fact she had a son and written him out of the film rather than try to force him into the story. However despite its' flaws, the final two-thirds of Joy are very enjoyable and really hooked me as the story becomes much more engaging. David Russell wrote and directed Joy and nothing he provided quite stood out to me as impressive or noteworthy but rather very reserved in his style. Joy s strength is that it bolsters many great performances. Jennifer Lawrence is terrific stepping into the role of the everywoman struggling to find their true self and really comes across as a strong, independent female character, which leads to some feminist undertones amongst the film's message. These messages don't overtake the film and rather help to service the story. The supporting cast were all serviceable but only a few slightly stood out to me in Joy. Bradley Cooper doesn't have too much to do in the film but is quite serviceable and does well in his role. Robert De Niro gives a great performance as well adding quite a bit of comedic relief to the film. I also enjoyed Edgar Ramírez's interpretation as Joy's ex-husband. As a whole, I can say the cast in Joy are all effective but primarily function as a support system for Jenifer Lawrence boosting her performance. Overall, I can say that Joy is a great film that really surprised me and I would strongly suggest it for those who have already seen Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens and are looking for a new film to watch this weekend.

Film Assessment: A-

'Inside Out' Review

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Screenplay.
Won: Best Animated Feature.

Yesterday I was able to see Inside Out after returning from a trip to Los Angeles and I must start off the review saying that this is one of Pixar's greatest original ideas yet! This is the best original (non-sequel) Pixar film since Up, which is personally one of my favorites from the studio. The plot of the film is quite intriguing. The film is about emotions inside of a 12 year old girl who is experiencing many unsettling changes in her life because of moving to a new house. 

The main voice cast for the emotions consists of Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Lewis Black as Anger, and Bill Hader as Fear. Each character is able to provide many laughs by being a gimmick of their own emotion (Anger is a hothead, etc.). 

The cast is quite enjoyable but the two characters with the most depth are definitely Joy and Sadness who are able to convey a wide variety of emotions despite being one emotion. Amy Poehler is hilarious as Joy and energizes the lead role  with jokes and charisma but despite her name she has has her own range of emotions in her character. Phyllis Smith brings a great depth to Sadness who is the butt of several puns and jokes but actually is very important to the film's most impactful scenes. 

Oh and if I haven't said it already, you will cry while watching this film which is something expected from Pixar and means that Pixar can make a film with such deep intellectual themes that really connect to the average Joe and can really convey heartfelt scenes quite well. My entire family that saw this film at least shed one tear at the film's impactful moment, including one of my sisters who never cries during movies. 

Overall, Inside Out is a great comeback for Pixar and hopefully they can continue producing more original films along with sequels to their other beloved films (ie. Finding Dory, Incredibles 2, and Toy Story 4).  It's great for both kids and adults as there are many deep messages about life, psychology, etc. and many jokes for adults as well as some humor all ages can appreciate. I highly recommend watching Inside Out if you have grown up with Disney or Pixar or even if you haven't.