Best 20 of 2015
And that wraps it up for 2015, the year that brought us the long-awaited return of the Star Wars franchise, the last movies of both Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Walker, and the return of soft-erotica with a movie that did not hold much promise, but was bound to be better than the book (50 Shades of Grey). There were some suprisingly good sequels (Hunger Games, Mission: Impossible, Jurassic World, Fast & Furious 7), several great historic movies (Selma, Imitation Game, Theory of Everything, Bridge of Spies, Michiel de Ruyter) as well as other movies based on true events (Sicario, Everest, American Sniper). And lastly, the proof that while popcorn science-fiction is still king at the box-office, there is still room for the kind of sci-fi that makes you think and ponder (Ex Machina, The Martian). Sorry Ant-Man, Minions, Crimson Peak, Spectre, Cinderella, Mad Max and Amy for not making the list: here's my top 20 of this year!
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- 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.Only Pixar could get away with a mix of drama, science fiction and animated psychoanalysis so gloriously. Few movies this year could match the amount of fresh ideas that Inside Out brought to the table with so much humor and heart-felt emotion. After laughing ourselves silly over the Train of Thought, the Childhood Nightmare, annoying songs in our head and Abstract Thinking, and cried over the loss of an Imaginary Friend and our old home, we could not help but ponder how absolutely everything in this movie works, and even feels convincing. And that is the best thing that science fiction could hope for.
- 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.J.J. Abrams brought new life to Star Wars that is guaranteed to enchant both old and new fans of the saga. Going back to the old formula of dusty planets, dirty surroundings, wires sticking out of walls and young people swept into great unknowns, this is the movie that breathed the old atmosphere that was a bit lacking from the prequels. A crowd-pleaser to a fault, it recycles more than a few elements from its famous predecessors, but nobody will deny that it reminds us of why we fell in love with Star Wars in the first place.
- 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.There was also exiting, thought-provoking science-fiction to be found in cinemas this year. The Martian is not the pompous ode to the triumph of mankind over adversity that it could have been in lesser hands; it is a very human, and sometimes very funny story about a guy who is simply surviving with everything at his disposal. Fortunately, sir Ridley Scott shows remarkable constraint in the amount of misery he fires at leading man Matt Damon (in an Oscar-worthy performance), preventing the movie from becoming a string of disasters and narrow escapes for the sake of suspense. And, equally important, no obvious bad guy in a corporate suit that we need to hate.
- DirectorRichard GlatzerWash WestmorelandStarsJulianne MooreAlec BaldwinKristen StewartA linguistics professor and her family find their bonds tested when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.A touching story about a woman who has to learn to master the art of losing: losing everything she worked so hard for, the memories she cherishes, her dignity, and finally, herself. A well-deserved Oscar for Julianne Moore for making us feel the pain of such an experience, and kudos to Kristen Stewart too.
- DirectorJames WanStarsVin DieselPaul WalkerDwayne JohnsonDeckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother.The series has definitely blossomed since it swapped the racing for the heist formula several sequels back, but how do you make a 7th installment that still makes millions but also pleases fans and some of the more open-minded critics? Answer: by adding death-defying stunts and action sequences that are so mind-blowing that the audience doesn't question such trivialities like realism until they're home. And, equally important: get every actor/actress with fighting skills who we would want to see kick each other's butts, and put them in one movie. The bar for part 8 has been set just a little bit higher.
- 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.Jurassic World finally brought back the spark of inspiration that made the original movie such outstanding popcorn entertainment. Chris Pratt again shows that he can carry a movie with charm, wit and bravado. Director Colin Trevorrow borrowed some of the classic moments of its illuster predecessor, but gave them a nice spin that takes the action into exciting new directions. And he did not forget to remind us that tempering with nature is always a bad idea. No wonder his next job will be Star Wars Episode IX.
- 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.Leave it to Steven Spielberg to bring an important historical period to life, and provide it with a human heart. A screenplay co-written by Joel and Ethan Coen brings a nice and bizarre sense of humor to Spielberg's flawless direction, and it is great to see how the investment in the relation between Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance pays off so wonderfully in the end.
- DirectorRoel ReinéStarsFrank LammersSanne LangelaarBarry AtsmaWhen the young republic of The Netherlands is attacked by England, France, and Germany, and the country is on the brink of civil war, only one man can lead the country's strongest weapon, the Dutch fleet: Michiel de Ruyter.Holland's seafaring hero of the Golden Age gets a movie that is epic in a scale previously unheard of in Dutch cinematic history. Director Roel Reiné's experience in directing low-budget sequels has definitely paid off, judging by the lush production design and incredibly detailed action scenes. Although it arguably works better as a richly illustrated history lesson than a biopic, it is both informative as well as entertaining.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsBradley CooperSienna MillerKyle GallnerNavy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.A controversial portrait of Chris Kyle, a man who has been called both a true patriot and a mass murderer. Some may find the movie overly jingoistic, others think Kyle could not be praised enough. The movie may be best viewed as a portrait of a man who is simply doing what he thinks is best for his country and family, regardless of how we feel about his choices. And its cinematographic qualities, as well as Bradley Cooper's excellent performance, are hard to deny.
- DirectorPaul FeigStarsMelissa McCarthyRose ByrneJude LawA desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer and prevent diabolical global disaster.Melissa McCarthy already showed us in Bridesmaids and The Heat that raunchy comedy isn't the exclusive expertise of her fellow male comedians. This outrages spoof of spy movies is guaranteed to get her some more fans and more starring roles. Self-deprecating humor has always been her forté, but she can now also add hilariously creative profanity to her talents (which I sadly cannot repeat here), and who would have thought she had a knack for martial arts? The scene where she has a brutal yet hilarious kitchen fight with another spy would even give Jacky Chan a run for his money. And kudos for Jason Statham and his deadpan humor as well.
- DirectorBaltasar KormákurStarsJason ClarkeAng Phula SherpaThomas M. WrightOn May 10, 1996, mountain guides Rob Hall and Scott Fischer combine their expedition teams for a final ascent to the summit of Mount Everest. With little warning, a storm strikes the mountain and the climbers must now battle to survive.What is wrong with people that they voluntarily risk their lives to get to one of the most dangerous places on earth? The characters themselves cannot give a better explanation to climb the Mt Everest than "because it is there". But when they finally reach their goal, the euphoria is big enough for us viewers to get a glimpse of what motivates these people, so much that you even forgive them their errors of judgment. The harrowing, acrophobia-inducing 3D effects do the rest.
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsMichael KeatonZach GalifianakisEdward NortonA washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.Fame is a capricous and fleeting phenomenon; dying on the same day as a greater celebrity gives you a one-way ticket into oblivion, whereas walking over Times Square in white underpants gets you back in the public eye. Something that our desperate protagonist gets to learn all too well in this amusing satire, where the line between life and art becomes quite blurry. Great performances by actors who aren't afraid to essentially play themselves, graciously filmed in seemingly one take.
- DirectorJames MarshStarsEddie RedmayneFelicity JonesTom PriorStephen Hawking gets unprecedented success in the field of physics despite being diagnosed with motor neuron disease at the age of 21. He defeats awful odds as his first wife Jane aids him loyally.A beautiful portrait of two great minds who found each other, but fate sadly intervened. Stephen Hawking's quest to define love is a vain one, as love lacks scientific definition. And even though love cannot be measured, sometimes it is clear that it is simply not enough if the relationship becomes an eschewed one. Excellent breakthrough performances of Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones.
- 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.After a difficult third installment that had to manage without a visually interesting game of death, the last movie in the Hunger Games series gets to show us the epic conclusion of the battle against oppression. It also benefits hugely from the characterizations and relationship that were set up over the course of the previous movies. As those taught us that symbolic resistance can weaken mighty governments, this final movie shows us that the end of oppression may not always be the end of the problem, and no one gets out of such struggles unharmed.
- DirectorChristopher McQuarrieStarsTom CruiseRebecca FergusonJeremy RennerEthan and his team take on their most impossible mission yet when they have to eradicate an international rogue organization as highly skilled as they are and committed to destroying the IMF.It was a summer of successful sequels; Ethan Hunt showed that he does not yet have to retire. The stunts and action scenes are (literally) breathtaking as always, but credit is due for Tom Cruise for allowing his co-stars ample place in the spotlights. Simon Pegg is funny as always, but the biggest discovery is Rebecca Ferguson, who is as charming as she is deadly.
- DirectorAva DuVernayStarsDavid OyelowoCarmen EjogoOprah WinfreyA chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.Everyone who has ever heard a Martin Luther King speech (and who didn't) will be impressed by David Oyelowo's powerful impersonation of the man, up to the little tremble in his voice. Another historical event that deserves a place in film, about a powerfully charismatic man who wants to change the world for his people, but sadly realizes that this will not happen without making sacrifices with his followers.
- DirectorMorten TyldumStarsBenedict CumberbatchKeira KnightleyMatthew GoodeDuring World War II, the English mathematical genius Alan Turing tries to crack the German Enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians while attempting to come to terms with his troubled private life.Benedict Cumberbatch displays not only his mighty voice but also his other talents as the brilliant Alan Turing, who is sadly lacking in people skills. His performance, together with the charming Keira Knightley, forms the heart of the story about the decyphering of secret German codes during World War II. The flashbacks to Turing's childhood are a bit too over-explaining, but the grim turn that the movie makes in the third act presents the viewer with an interesting dilemma that made the end of the war bitter-sweet for those who helped end it.
- 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.Joss Whedon had the hard task to create a sequel that could live up to his hugely successful and beloved Avengers. To say that he equally matched it would not be too far off. Especially the villain Ultron is too one-dimensional in his motives, but the film does find new and exciting opportunities for action and spectacle, and the introduction of Vision is just the injection of brains that the movie needs.
- 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.The creation of articifial intelligence has been the basis of many science fiction classics. Ex Machina takes a less action- and special effects-heavy approach, and explores what could happen if we tried to make A.I. in our own image, into extreme details. Although the conclusion may not be a real shocker, it gives some food for thought, as any exploration of our creations automatically says something about us as humans.
- 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.The battle against crime and drugs along the American-Mexican border is a dirty one, where justice may not always be served according to the exact letter of the law. This movie shows us the tension and dangers of that battle by putting its protagonist (Emily Blunt, good as always) in the middle of the action. Too bad that the makers don't take a little more risk with her character, making Benicio del Toro the more interesting character, but the attempt to show a new side of the war on drugs definitely has its moments.