Well, after spending the last few posts wallowing in my own
misery, time to shake off that bad mojo for good as I look at the Top 20 best
films that I had the pleasure to see last year. While, in comparison, it wasn’t
as good as 2014 as a whole, it still produced some truly amazing works of
cinema that deserve to be watched and re-watched. I know that I mentioned a
disdain for honourable mentions before, but then again, I’ve used honourable
mentions myself in last year’s lists so hypocrisy shouldn’t be anything new.
That said, I still want to give a special shout-out to
Hitman: Agent 47, the Best Worst Film of the year. This is
the film that was just
so awful that
it actually reached entertainment from the other end, thanks to its terrible
acting, writing and special effects. Now for the official, legitimately good
picks of the litter.
You’d be hard-pressed to find something that will make me
more hyped for a new release than a film about hip-hop. Given that, this more
than met my expectations. The performances are fantastic, especially O’Shea
Jackson Jr. as a dead-on Ice Cube, the writing manages to portray a lot of
important events from NWA’s history without feeling
too bloated, and the soundtrack not only showcases some
contemporary stand-outs of the genre but also the important tracks that
influenced those very tunes. Hell to the yeah.
Screw popular consensus, this film is awesome. Beyond its
amazing animation, its Pixar-level voice acting and its ability to properly
tell a story visually, this film makes the list because of how surprisingly
dark it is. With very little effort, this stops being a cute coming-of-age
story involving dinosaurs and suddenly becomes a violent and gritty Western in
disguise. I have a lot of respect for filmmakers who are willing to push
boundaries in any way, and considering how this managed to slip cannibalism and
religious fanaticism under the radar, it more than deserves its place as one of
the best of the year.
I don’t care about Superman. Outside of Grant Morrison’s
All-Star Superman, the character has never struck as someone I should actively
want to see, especially on film. So, what does it say that
this film is infinitely fascinating to me? Whether it’s a feeling
of tragedy that this didn’t get made instead of that horri-shit Man Of Steel
movie, or just seeing how much an unfinished film can still influence the
landscape of cinema thereafter, this is a great look into not just the
filmmaking process but also into the Superman mythos.
Ignoring how dated the story itself is, as anything
involving the Bushes is almost instantly out-of-place nowadays, this is a great
portrayal of investigative journalism. James Vanderbilt’s scripting is as
engaging and whip-smart as ever, and his first foray into direction yielded
some amazing performances, particularly from Cate Blanchett who delivers one of
the most gut-punching lines of the year when she is brought before an
inquisition for her actions. The real-life morality and efficacy of these
people’s actions can be debated until doomsday but, as a depiction of a story
that the rest of the world has dismissed as error, it is staggering to watch.
Denis Villeneuve is now officially on my list of favourite
directors after this one. This is an oppressively dark film, carried by great
performances from Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin, a script that
revels in asking unsettling questions about the United States’ methods and how
they may actually be justified and cinematography from industry legend Roger
Deakins that is among some of the best of the last few years. It takes
something special to have a different camera filter add so damn much to a
scene, but that’s the kind of brilliance we’re dealing with here.
If a film is capable of making Nicole Kidman not only look
good, but be a crucial part in one of the best cinematic moments of the year, then
it more than deserves to be recognized as one of 2015’s best. Aside from Kidman
managing to deliver for the first time in… ever, really, he is bolstered by
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Julia Roberts both giving A-grade performances as well.
Add to this a script full of subtle little touches that warrant repeat viewings
and Billy Ray’s direction that is concrete-thick with tension, and even the
lukewarm romantic sub-plot is palatable to get to the good bits.
"I’m so smart, woe is me" is an extremely difficult
notion to convey, which is what makes this film feel even better when it
succeeds. Its look at the preconceptions and pressures concerning those whom
have above-average intelligence, filtered through the teenaged experience with
some of the most surprising character redemption I’ve seen in a long time, cut
deep for me personally. I’m not expecting everyone to associate as closely with
a film like this as myself, but then again there’s a reason why these are
my Top 20 films of the year.
After leaving the theatre for the screening of this film, I
ran into the director in the foyer. Over the next few minutes, I gushed over
how great this was, he hugged me, gave me his business card and I took a photo
with him. More so than just being an amazing experience of a film, this was
also that crowning moment where my thousand hours crystallised into something
new and this suddenly stopped being just a silly hobby of mine. As for the
movie itself, it’s a phenomenally gripping thriller that uses atmosphere and
the cinematic language to full effect; considering its budget and its means,
this is probably the biggest surprise in terms of just how good it is.
It may not have been the Oscars, but this was still a damn
good horror flick. Its approach is shockingly original, especially in today’s
day and age, it makes commentary on the horror genre and its sexualised roots
without feeling like it’s just re-hashing so many other ‘self-aware’ films of
late and it made excellent use of its budget even with its SuperImposed
Inc.-brand television sets. Or, if all of that doesn’t interest, this is
actually scary.
This is an incredibly strange film. However, even with how
eerily direct it gets, it is also extremely intelligent in its approach to
society’s attitudes to relationships and how it can affect individuals. This is
also one of the few times when emotionless acting is not only excusable but an
asset to a film, as the cast here embody the kind of discomfort and disconnection
that fits the story and commentary perfectly.
The sequel to the 7
th best film of last year,
it’s even better… and it only made #10 on this list. On second thought, maybe
2015 was a better year for film than I gave it credit for. Its action scenes,
its writing, its acting; all of it builds on the previous instalments to
create a more-than-satisfying conclusion to the series. It may not reach the
point of genius like Part 1, but overall it made for an immensely well-oiled
machine of a film. I can only hope that they don’t try and add onto this series
beyond this film because, quite frankly, even with the cheesy epilogue, this is
still a close-to-perfect way to conclude this story.
This film definitely has its issues, especially with the
primary school-style narration atop the Statue of Liberty, but this makes it to
#9 on the list purely because it managed to completely transport me into the
film’s world. I wasn’t watching Joseph Gordon-Levitt act out a scene in
strangely natural French accent; I was watching Phillippe Petit plan out one of
the most daring feats of performance art, something strengthened by just how
transcendent the climactic scene is in how it’s portrayed. Robert Zemeckis
continues his track record of absolutely incredible feats of filmmaking.
For the love of all that is good, Joel Edgerton,
keep making movies! Even if they’re
only half as good as this, I will still happily pay to see them. Rather than be
an incredibly deep and layered film in terms of script, this film succeeds
solely out of just how well it is executed. Edgerton is creepy as fuck, Bateman
gives probably the best performance of his career which I can only hope the
sign of more dramatic turns to come and the production is downright determined
to make you shiver in your seat. Oh, and that ending… Holy shit, that ending…
Easily the least Burton-y of Tim Burton’s filmography, he
wisely steps back from his own cinematic norms to deliver a really effective
tragic story about an artist whose work essentially gets stolen from her. Amy
Adams delivers every emotional note perfectly and Christoph Waltz is at once
creepy and charming in that way that only Waltz can manage when it comes to
villains. Still doesn’t explain Spectre, but never mind. Also, anything that
flips the bird to artistic elitism gets bonus points in these parts.
It’s sci-fi scriptsploitation at its finest, utilising
top-notch acting from our three mains, absolutely jaw-dropping effects work and
upper-tier dialogue to create an incredibly smooth delivery of confronting
ideas concerning A.I. Rather than going into warm and emotional areas with its
queries like with last year’s Her, this is more cold and analytical, even getting
into thriller territory in places.
Probably this film’s best quality is how it makes the characters curious
and want to ask questions, leading to what might be the most effectively
self-aware film I’ve seen in quite some time; it’s a god-send for anyone who
has a thing for nit-picking films.
If this list was in any way objective, this film would
probably be at #1. This is a genuinely impressive show of technicality,
combining Reese Witherspoon’s amazing performance, the soundtrack, the editing,
the camera work and Nick Hornby’s living and breathing script to create a head
trip unlike most others. It channels that feeling of isolation and need for
social interaction that comes with trekking out on one’s own, resulting in a
film that is universally relatable in a way that very few are.
The only film on this list that, at the time of writing, I
have seen more than once. It more than deserves to be watched multiple times,
as it is an amazingly well-executed character study that deals with human ego
and the modern state of both film and theatre. The acting is outstanding,
particularly from Keaton and Norton, the soundtrack is jazz drum goodness and
the filmmakers treat the events like a stage play, all shot in what appears to
be one continuous take. Even for a production gimmick, this is very well done
and gives a trance-like quality to what is already a great film. This also
ranks high with me because I can actively point to this film as something that
made me want to become a better critic, something I sincerely hope has happened
at least partially since I first watched it.
Without a doubt, the most fun I had going to a film all
year, this gleefully violent tribute to the spy genre is everything and more than
I wanted out of a film from someone like Matthew Vaughn. Its approach to action
is insanely kinetic and engaging, its acting drips cool from every pore, and
its writing pays homage to the classics while paving out its own niche in
extremely violent, funny and clever filmmaking. An excellent triumph of style
over substance.
An exercise in cinematic optimism, delivered by one of the
foremost family-friendly filmmakers working today. Brad Bird continues to show
a command of the live-action realm, creating a monument to the power of human
creativity and imagination, applauding human ingenuity while also highlighting
what our apathy and pessimism are also capable of. The acting is stellar, with
Raffey Cassidy hopefully starting a promising career thanks to her performance
here… yeah, I said the exact same thing last year with Sarah Snook, but in
keeping with this film’s message of informed optimism, I still hope that she
goes on to bigger and better things from here.
I could highlight this film’s mastery of comedy balanced
with melancholy, pointing out how this is easily one of the best casted films
I’ve ever seen full stop. Or I could bring up how, even with how kid-friendly
the animation is, it still fits with the child-like innocence of the story
itself and where most of it takes place. Instead, I’m going to isolate how
surprisingly adept this film is when it comes to understanding emotions, both
on their own and how they can affect people. Not only is this a brilliant
depiction of the changes that come about through puberty, it is also one of the
most painfully accurate depictions of clinical depression that I’ve come across
in any media. For its ability to induce gut-busters and punch me in the gut
with its sadder moments with equal intensity, combined with portraying
something that is very near to my heart in a way that is easily digestible,
this without a doubt makes for the best film of the year.
No comments:
Post a Comment