Best Films of 2015

6.9/10

A film completely told and performed in sign language. It's an impressive feat. Unfortunately the story isn't relatable, a little too brutal without necessity, and drab. I appreciate and enjoyed the unique nature of the film and some of the visual and the increased awareness of sound.

Director: Marielle Heller
Her 1st movie
My 3rd movie watched from the director

The energy of this movie was great in it's first two acts. The main actress was a very unique and successful choice. The supporting cast was also entertaining. I really liked the graphical elements added in. Heller's first movie shows she was ready to kick ass right out of the gate. It's a bold first movie that rightfully got her attention. I like her next two movies, but I'd like to see her go back to something like this.

Added to Lists:

Coming of Age Movies - 2010s

__________

Location: San Francisco, CA, USA

6.9/10

After a rocky first act, with subpar acting and direction, this becomes an entertaining dive into the troubling life of the man who made chess popular... for about a year.

7.0/10

David O Russell knows how to direct memorable ensemble performances; but for the first time in his career he managed to only create one memorable character and direct one impressive performance. Jennifer Lawrence nails this role; but with the casting of Cooper, DeNiro, Ladd, Rossellini, and Madsen I was underwhelmed. They all do a fine enough job; but nothing their characters are simply not interesting.

Perhaps it's not the acting... maybe it's the script, maybe it's Russell just not delivering top-notch material like we've grown accustomed to.

In the end something was clearly missing. It seems like it should have been a surefire hit; but I left the theatre wanting more... more than just a bunch of interesting scenes and one strong character.

I still rated this a 7/10 because I certainly liked it enough; but was disappointed after seeing the affective trailer and knowing the director and cast can do better.

7.1/10

A solid boxing film that doesn't bring much of anything new to the table. Whitaker does his typical damaging effect to films. At least the soundtrack was spot-on.

7.1/10

7.1/10

7.1/10

Watched this one with my son. He loves Lego, so he loved this documentary. It was well-done, with a thorough investigation into the many facets of the Lego universe.
Bonus was it's narrated by Jason Bateman, as a Lego mini-figure.

7.0/10

A documentary people were quick to dismiss, but when watched you will see how pure it really is. A comedian takes his celebrity, brings attention to a sport he loves, and to a cause he is passionate about.

7.0/10

A fun action comedy that highlights McCarthy's strengths and brings a new kind of comedy to Statham's repertoire

7.0/10

7.1/10

A technically impressive film, from the cinematography, production, sound design, to the score. The acting is all passable, too, but the movie struggles in story. What's an intriguing first act slowly turns into a tolerable second act that is proceeded by a silly third act, in a movie that presents itself as anything but silly.

7.1/10

Tradition. Order. Freedom. Justice. Protest. Equality.
A well-acted and directed film that could have improved on pace and effective dramatic peaks; but it ultimately sent the message clear by the end.

Director: Ken Rodgers
His 3rd Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

First of all, one of the more clever movie titles, immediate points for that. Second, back when I was a kid I was really into the football this documentary covered some prime viewing years, so it also automatically wins points for being very nostalgic. They did a great job of condensing the four years/bowls into one without rushing or dragging. The interviews were solid and the team did a very good job knowing where to put the focus on for each and with what people/players.

Added to Lists:
The 30 for 30 Documentaries: Ranked


__________

Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Her 1st movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

This is a beautiful stories about sisters and their bond. Nothing remarkable happens, I say this because I kept on sensing this would happen, but each scene beautiful engages the audience and develops the characters more. Even with the large number of sisters I felt like I understood each one by the end.

Added to Lists:

Best Unknown Cast Ensembles


__________

Location: North Coast Turkey

7.1/10

The most beautiful and one of the best actresses of her time. Her performances will live on and now her personality will stick with me.

7.1/10

Beautiful production design and legit cinematography capture an old story with a refreshing look. The acting is fine but I can't help think Branagh could have done more as a director who has previously successfully translated Shakespeare plays into films.

7.1/10

Finally, the submarine movie is back! It gets close to the claustrophobia of 'Das Boot' and the turmoil in 'Crimson Tide' but beats them in cinematic beauty while losing to them in story development.

7.2/10

Schumer is a very polarizing comic so it's quite a gamble creating a movie with her in the lead. Luckily she does just fine, supported with an all-star cast. It's respectably enjoyable throughout, even if nothing too memorable comes from it.

7.1/10

A very good documentary on the late crooner. Her talents were on full display as well as the suffocating paparazzi and media that followed a woman who wanted none of it.

7.2/10

This is a fairly fresh large scale, spy adventure with high energy all the way to the end. The over-the-top violence (especially the church scene) is what cripples this and prevents it from being a first-rate film demanding repeat viewings.

7.1/10

Knowing this isn't going to be high-brow going in, it's easy to find the laughs and pratfalls in this comedy that didn't reach its full potential but will leave you satisfied. As anyone who knows me will know I basically like anything Will Ferrell touches, with the exception of his efforts in 2005.

7.2/10

With only three total actors in this downplayed post-apocalyptic film, director Craig Zoebel successfully focuses on these characters who slowly build with much more than just dialogue.

Director: Arnaud Desplechin
His 9th movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

This was a lovely find. I had never heard of this movie, but in a rare moment, I saw it as I was scrolling... and I looked into it... and I actually just starting watching it... and I enjoyed it. I love a good coming-of-age movie and this one was very different from most, because of the unusual characters and uncommon setting. I really liked the characters and found the dialogue oddly amusing.

Added to Lists:

Coming of Age Movies - 2010s

__________

Location: Nord, France; Paris, France, USSR

7.2/10

There is absolutely nothing original or impressive about this film beside the fact that Ferrell is unstoppable in his comedic efforts. Apparently he can't do anything wrong.

7.2/10

Rockwell is always likable, Clement is always funny, and Hess always directs a strange comedy film. Thankfully they all keep these streaks alive. Of course this movie will be misunderstood and far underseen.

7.3/10

A musical about a relationship, starting with the breakup... and its beginning... and then right before the break up... back to early in the relationship...

The lyrics are what drive the story in what is otherwise a second-rate film. The organization is clever and works and it brings us to an ending that really gets at the core, no matter where you are in your romantic life.

Director: John Erick Dowdle
His 6th movie
My 2nd movie watched from the director

The pacing of this movie is impressive. The peril is real and the emotions are authentic. It was believe these actors were a family and the onslaught of violence was brutal and intense making me tense throughout. For this type of movie they did a solid job.

Added to Lists:

Top Ten Performances - Owen Wilson (Honorable Mention)
Families Fighting Together

__________

Location: Unnamed city in Cambodia, Cambodia/Viet Nam border

7.2/10

The film carries the franchise along nicely. This is a well-executed, intelligent action movie. Too bad I watched 'Going Clear' a couple of weeks before seeing this and couldn't get Cruise's crazy out of my mind. I try not to let external factors get in the way of a good movie, but he has made it too difficult. At least he's still good at what he does, unlike Travolta.

7.3/10

Big Willy coming at us with a Nigerian accent and makes us really not care for the NFL and proves sports and dreams are really run by big money and big business.

7.3/10

Since the minions are the funniest part of the 'Despicable Me' movies why not give them their own movie? Luckily for us they are more than a one-note group of characters. This movie does a very nice job of giving the three main minions their own personality, making them identifiable and more than just jibberish-jabbering yellow pills.

This has been dismissed as less of a movie than the 'Despicable Me' movies, but I must disagree. It has as strong of a story and since the minions never slow down in their comedic timing and antics, I find it to actually be a better movie overall. It's one of the funniest movies of the year, in fact.

7.4/10

This is a laugh-out-loud animated romp from Aardman. There is no dialogue and at no point does that hinder this adventurous comedy of errors.

7.4/10

A sexy/strange dive into the eccentric world of two lovers and an obsession with butterflies.

The film techniques and symbolism surrounding the butterflies ended up being the most interesting part of the film, once the unique love story falls flat after a rousing first half.

7.5/10

Westerns can serve as great settings for beautiful cinematography and Robbie Ryan delivers. His filming takes us through John Maclean's debut film effectively, especially important considering the uneven pacing.

Highlights are the superb acting lead by the great Michael Fassbender and supported by one of the greatest supporting acting actors, Ben Mendelssohn. And the finale is well worth the wonderfully slow-paced (hey, the title warns you!) trip we are taken on.

7.5/10

Beautifully-crafted cinematography and production design accompanies fine acting from Vikander and Redmayne. The story is okay and the direction was fine enough, more so in its subtle moments.

7.5/10

As soon as I was certain to be done with the Marvel/Avengers movies after watching the somewhat tiresome 'Age of Ultron' I was convinced to watch this. I went for it because I'm a big fan of Paul Rudd...

Thankfully the recommendation was mostly valid. This was better and more entertaining. Partly because I enjoy origin stories more than their sequels nearly every time and party because, well, Paul Rudd made this a watchable movie. If it were someone of less caliber this movie may have been mostly forgettable.

7.6/10

Mads Mikkelson is one of the best actors out there and here he is dominating the screen in a new genre. There isn't anything too surprising or original as the story goes, but the filmmaking is quite noteworthy and it's sort of a badass film overall.

7.7/10

If you weren't aware of how much of a dick Steve Jobs was, this documentary makes it very clear.
Alex Gibney, one of today's best documentarians, puts together a thorough and well-filmed unveiling of the life of one of the most influential and brutal people in the modern world.
The opening is great, because it makes people look like idiots, idolizing a man they didn't really know.
Just like his personality, there are some really nice moments that keep him looking human.

7.7/10

Do not cross a Kray. Hardy and Hardy play British gangsters in this biographical epic that will twist your mind and morals.

7.7/10

A hypnotic untraditional love story that takes all of its elements seriously and layers them with finesse.

7.7/10

Baumbach comes out with yet another superbly-written example of what it's like to be young, wanting to be young, to be hip, wanting to be hip, to be intelligent, wanting to be intelligent.

So yeah, nothing knew for the writer/director, but his ability to make these familiar aspects seem fresh with new characters is impressive.

7.7/10

I love the 007 franchise, so it's difficult not to like this film; but most aspects of this Bond installment are less impressive than 'Skyfall', a film that naturally deserves comparison, considering the players involved.

The song is the biggest drop in quality. Otherwise things like story, villain, and Bond girl all became a little less interesting.

A highlight is the cinematography. While it's not Deakins this time around we still get the very impressive Hoyte van Hoyte behind the lens. I also love the opening scene, one of the best of the year.

7.7/10

Rather different than Krakauer's take on the perilous adventure. Surprisingly filled with realistic drama and trauma considering the very Hollywood cast.