The Films I Saw in 2015
Ranking from worst to best.
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- DirectorCarey ScottStarsDavid A.R. WhiteKevin DownesStephen BaldwinTwo men embark on a trip to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial guided by the letters their fathers wrote while serving in the war.Boy, this could have been great if it hadn't been so uneven. And if the exposition hadn't been so clumsily delivered.
- DirectorTom McCarthyStarsAdam SandlerMelonie DiazSteve BuscemiA cobbler, bored of his everyday life, stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to become other people and see the world in a different way.A bizarre premise with a weird delivery that gets weirder and weirder as the film goes on. Well, at least I could tolerate Sandler.
- DirectorMichael PolishStarsKate BosworthHayden ChristensenHudson MeekA man involved in a horrific car crash is pronounced dead, only to come back to life an hour and a half later, claiming to have seen Heaven.The first few minutes make the film seem like it will be dark, visually interesting, and character-driven. But then they start talking and monologuing, and it becomes quite dull.
- DirectorAlejandro MonteverdeStarsJakob SalvatiEmily WatsonDavid HenrieAn eight-year-old boy is willing to do whatever it takes to end World War II so he can bring his father home. The story reveals the indescribable love a father has for his little boy and the love a son has for his father.It has some nice moments, but several stereotypes it presents with its characters make the film's message, well, hypocritical.
- DirectorChad BurnsStarsAndrew CheneyJohn Rhys-DaviesKara KillmerA British East India Trading Company assassin seeks to redeem his past by thwarting a plot against a young nation's hope for freedom.The team at Burns Family Studios has a hit with this film because they know how to tell a good story. However, several glaring technical errors create a distraction from that story.
- DirectorChris DowlingStarsKristoffer PolahaDavid DeSanctisMcKaley MillerA baseball player whose professional career was cut short due to his personal problems is suddenly awakened and invigorated by a young-man with Down syndrome who works at the local grocery store.Nice premise and a well-delivered message of faith, but the subplots pile up after a while, and the ending is a little manipulative.
- DirectorRussell CroweStarsRussell CroweOlga KurylenkoJai CourtneyAn Australian man travels to Turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli to try to locate his three missing sons.You can definitely tell it's Russell Crowe's directorial debut. Good performances, but not a lot of structural flow between dramatic and comedic set pieces. Also he doesn't know how to shoot in slo-mo.
- DirectorElizabeth BanksStarsAnna KendrickRebel WilsonHailee SteinfeldAfter a humiliating command performance at The Kennedy Center, the Barden Bellas enter an international competition that no American group has ever won in order to regain their status and right to perform.It's entertaining... when they're not pushing the envelope with the sex jokes they can make with their PG-13 rating.
- DirectorAlex KendrickStarsPriscilla C. ShirerT.C. StallingsKaren AbercrombieA seemingly perfect family looks to fix their problems with the help of Miss Clara, an older, wiser woman.The second-best Kendrick Brothers film. Why? Because there's payoff in several of the "gags". Although a lot of the themes are repeated from their previous films.
- DirectorRik SwartzwelderStarsElizabeth RobertsRik SwartzwelderLeJon WoodsA reformed frat boy opens an antique store in a college town and falls for the free-spirited girl who moves into the apartment above his shop. In time, this unlikely pair fall into a traditional courtship..A very strong visual style helps this otherwise weak film, where the main character's goal consists of basically just converting his love interest's ideals to his.
- DirectorJon GunnStarsMira SorvinoSean AstinAlexa PenaVegaWhen a pastor is shaken by the visible faith of a street corner preacher, he is reminded that true belief always requires action. His response ignites a journey that impacts everyone it touches in ways that only God could orchestrate.Miles ahead in terms of pacing and characterization of last year's "God's Not Dead". However, too much melodramatic music and dialogue keep the film from becoming really good.
- DirectorNiki CaroStarsKevin CostnerMaria BelloRamiro RodriguezJim White moves his family after losing his last job as a football coach, and at his new school he turns seven disappointing students into one of the best cross-country teams in the region.Surely one of the more effective Disney sports movies of the last several years, even though it still follows the standard formula a little bit.
- DirectorAndrew ErwinJon ErwinStarsCaleb CastilleSean AstinJon VoightA gifted high-school football player must learn to embrace his talent and his faith as he battles racial tensions on and off the field.Although more time could have been spent to introduce the football team, the unity between characters that manifests itself through the rest of the film makes this a groundbreaking faith-based film.
- DirectorFrancis LawrenceStarsJennifer LawrenceJosh HutchersonLiam HemsworthKatniss and a team of rebels from District 13 prepare for the final battle that will decide the fate of Panem.I don't remember the "Hunger Games" movies being so talky. Shame, I was liking these movies.
- 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.Sure, it feels like an updated version of the first film, but at least it's more original - and entertaining - than the other two sequels.
- DirectorPeter LandesmanStarsWill SmithAlec BaldwinAlbert BrooksIn Pittsburgh, accomplished pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu uncovers the truth about brain damage in football players who suffer repeated concussions in the course of normal play.An otherwise generic and standard sports biopic is improved with a solid cast playing conflicted characters, especially Will Smith in his best role in years.
- DirectorJoss WhedonStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansMark RuffaloWhen Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it's up to Earth's mightiest heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plan.There's way too much going on in the second half, but the film's darker tone and more intense acting make this sequel better than its predecessor.
- DirectorThomas VinterbergStarsCarey MulliganMatthias SchoenaertsMichael SheenIn Victorian England, the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a sheep farmer; Frank Troy, a reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood, a prosperous and mature bachelor.The look is pretty, the score is pretty, and Carey Mulligan's pretty. ...And that's about all this film's got going for it.
- DirectorBrian Tetsuro IvieOne winter, a pastor finds an abandoned infant on his church steps, and builds 'a drop box' to rescue any others.A touching documentary that not only promotes a good cause but also creates memorable, inspiring characters.
- DirectorHiromasa YonebayashiStarsSara TakatsukiKasumi ArimuraNanako MatsushimaAnna, a shy 12-year-old girl, is sent to spend time with her aunt and uncle who live in the countryside, where she meets Marnie. The two become best friends. But Anna gradually discovers that Marnie is not quite who she appears to be.A well-structured narrative takes a backseat to Studio Ghibli's as-usual pretty visuals. However, even the visuals are pretty standard compared to the rest of the company's work.
- DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsLily JamesCate BlanchettRichard MaddenWhen her father unexpectedly dies, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her scheming stepsisters. Never one to give up hope, Ella's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger.Much more complex, compelling, and beautiful than I expected it to be.
- DirectorSteve MartinoStarsNoah SchnappBill MelendezHadley Belle MillerSnoopy embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take to the skies to pursue their archnemesis, while his best pal Charlie Brown begins his own epic quest back home to win the love of his life.The film stays true to the original cartoon while breathing new life into it with quicker pacing and slapstick humor. This could have stunk, but it didn't.
- DirectorPeter SohnStarsJeffrey WrightFrances McDormandMaleah Nipay-PadillaIn a world where dinosaurs and humans live side-by-side, an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.An all-too-familiar storyline, but it's told with such visual beauty and limited explanation that I still really enjoyed it.
- DirectorDavid Robert MitchellStarsMaika MonroeKeir GilchristOlivia LuccardiA young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.The cinematography, editing, and score turn what could have been a bland teen horror film into an effectively creepy piece.
- DirectorTodd HaynesStarsCate BlanchettRooney MaraSarah PaulsonAn aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older woman in 1950s New York.This is like if you mixed Todd Haynes' "Far From Heaven" with "Blue is the Warmest Color". Which means it's not very original. But even more troublesome is the film's implied message of giving into physical desires.
- 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.It's kind of like if a low-budget sci-fi indie script got in the hands of a master filmmaker like... well, Ridley Scott. And although this film is entertaining, there's a clash of styles here that rubbed me the wrong way.
- DirectorSean BakerStarsKitana Kiki RodriguezMya TaylorKarren KaragulianA hooker tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart.The film's shot on iPhones, features a mixture of musical genres, and some profane subject matter and dialogue. Yet the conflict, climax, and ultimate catharsis of "Tangerine" is like something out of Shakespeare.
- 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.Well-crafted and emotionally gripping, although I wonder if this really has the potential to lead a movement of Netflix original films. It could.
- 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.The nearly self-indulgent film references are forgiven as far as I'm concerned because of this film's balance of humor and drama, creating characters discovering what friendship truly means.
- DirectorBill PohladStarsJohn CusackPaul DanoElizabeth BanksIn the 60s, Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson struggles with emerging psychosis as he attempts to craft his avant-garde pop masterpiece. In the 80s, he's a broken, confused man under the 24-hour watch of shady therapist, Dr. Eugene Landy.
- 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.This film not only revives the "Rocky" saga; it brings it to a new level, both visually and relationally in its characters. I hope there are more of these films.
- 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.One of the most striking sci-fi films of the decade with its minimalistic scope, dark and haunting production, and even sexual edge, creating an excellent thriller blurring the line between man and machine.
- DirectorJohn CrowleyStarsSaoirse RonanEmory CohenDomhnall GleesonAn Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a romance with a local. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.A sincere love story made compelling mostly by Saiorse Ronan's performance, some of her finest work.
- 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.A simple story and set-up told with incredible energy. One of the most entertaining films of the year.
- DirectorMark BurtonRichard StarzakStarsJustin FletcherJohn SparkesOmid DjaliliWhen Shaun decides to take the day off and have some fun, he gets a little more action than he bargained for. A mix up with the Farmer, a caravan and a very steep hill lead them all to the Big City and it's up to Shaun and the flock to return everyone safely to the green grass of home.With no dialogue other than incoherent gibberish, this film is pure visual storytelling and humor. And it makes for probably the funniest film - and one of the most underrated films - of 2015.
- 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.The film becomes less of a continuation of a saga and more of a story about legacy: older and younger generations working together. The saga is nevertheless transcended because of it.
- 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.Not as gripping as Villenueve's "Incendies" or "Prisoners", but there is still a unique thriller here with relevant political implications, told with the controlled style of an auteur.
- DirectorAdam McKayStarsChristian BaleSteve CarellRyan GoslingIn 2006-2007 a group of investors bet against the United States mortgage market. In their research, they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is.Hard to follow even with all the analogies, but still very entertaining and compelling at once. And, at times, quite funny.
- 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.Breathtaking cinematography mixed with brutal violence and conflict creates a powerful contrast and an even greater struggle for the protagonist to overcome his situation. Also, DiCaprio needs an Oscar.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMark RylanceAlan AldaDuring the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.An entertaining, thrilling, moving story about loving our enemies. Spielberg's best in many years, mostly thanks to one of the best screenplays of the year.
- 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 biopic that gives us a greater glimpse into a man's life by selecting a few moments of it rather than the whole. The progression of technology is juxtaposed with the distancing of relationships. This is actually pretty brilliant.
- DirectorPete DocterRonnie Del CarmenStarsAmy PoehlerBill HaderLewis BlackAfter young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school.A unique story about a girl coming of age and reconciling her past with her present. Pixar's best film in years.
- DirectorTom McCarthyStarsMark RuffaloMichael KeatonRachel McAdamsThe true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.A true story with heavy subject matter told with incredible sensitivity and authenticity, not afraid to shy away from the facts or make the protagonists perfect. A fine journalism film.
- DirectorJoshua OppenheimerStarsAdi RukunM.Y. BasrunVolker HanischA family that survived the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.An Indonesian man's investigation into his brother's death during war becomes an unsettling study of human nature, perhaps even more intimate than its predecessor "The Act of Killing". Films this powerful are very, vary rare.
- DirectorLenny AbrahamsonStarsBrie LarsonJacob TremblaySean BridgersA little boy is held captive in a room with his mother since his birth, so he has never known the world outside.The film successfully visualizes the experience of a boy seeing the world for the first time. The most compelling film of 2015, thanks to Abrahamson's direction, Donoghue's script, and Larson and Tremblay's tour-de-force performances.