There’s no denying that 2015 was a really solid year for movies. I mean yes, it was sequels galore during the summer for films like Hunger Games, Avengers, and Ted, but this was also the year where Hollywood brought nostalgia with films like Jurassic World, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Terminator Genisys… or however you spell it.
This year undoubtedly had some amazing films, and while I may have spent waaaaaay too much money on tickets and popcorn, I regret nothing. Now that I’ve seen all the films that piqued my interest last year, I can safely say that these ten films were my absolute favorite of the year! I expect nobody will completely agree with my list so I’d love to see what some others have to say!
10. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
If you saw this movie and then saw Spectre later that year, I’m so sorry. You, just like me, spent money to see the same exact movie twice but with different actors. Both movies have very similar plot structures: agent looks for secret evil organization, government thinks agent is crazy, agent discovers evil organization is real, agent defeats evil organization, happy ending for all. The one main difference though, is that Rogue Nation is WAY better. Tom Cruise is an incredible action hero and the action sequences in the film are spectacular. The opening sequence has Tom Cruise holding on the outside of a plane thousands of feet in the air all while randomly wearing a suit! Rogue Nation was undoubtedly one of the best action films of the year. The best scene from the film without question though, is the dive scene where Tom Cruise has to deactivate a security sequence for his comrades. It was so intense I had to remind myself that although Tom Cruise was drowning, I in fact could still breathe.
9. Creed
There are so many boxing films, however there hasn’t been a boxing film as good as Creed in a really long time. While the movie is technically about Adonis trying to make a name for himself  and outgrowing the legacy his father, boxing legend Apollo Creed, left for him. While Michael B. Jordan gives an understated performance as the young determined boxer, the real star of the show is, of course, Sylvester Stallone as the iconic Rocky Balboa. There are plenty tear jerking, scene stealing moments by the old Italian Stallion that proves Stallone’s still got it. Also, Adonis’ first fight where the entire thing is done in one shot was one of the standout scenes of the year. I’m hoping Stallone wins his well deserved Oscar this year and I hope we get sequels in the near future!
8. The Martian
“But Dids! How could The Martian not be higher on your list!? Matt Damon eats potatoes on Mars for literally several days!” Yes, you are correct and I thought the film was both fascinating and hilarious! Deserving of the Golden Globe for Best Comedy? Of course not, but I’m glad it got recognized somehow. What I love the most about this film though besides the witty moments, lightheartedness, and Damon’s excellent performance is how simple everything is in the film. Although the film repeatedly explains rocket science, and how to build extremely complicated technology, everything is so easy to comprehend. You know a movie about rocket science is well written when my peanut sized brain is able to comprehend it!
7. Inside Out
Pixar decided to give feelings to feelings and the result was a hilarious, smart, and heart ripping film that one comes to expect whenever they see Pixar films. The cast couldn’t be better with Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black, and Phyllis Smith, and of course there is the secret weapon Bing Bong that Pixar failed to mention before the film’s release. We don’t need to touch on what happens concerning Bing Bong, but let’s just say it is an emotional highlight of the film. The film is also one of the most gorgeous films Pixar has made to date. Inside Out is as gorgeous as it is clever using comedy, bright colors, and Amy Poehler to tell the tale of growing up and dealing with emotions. Best Pixar film since Toy Story 3 in my humble opinion.
6. Ant-Man
I didn’t have high expectations for this film. I was worried about the final product due to multiple script changes and the fact that Paul Rudd isn’t exactly an action hero. But then I saw Ant-Man and my mind was at ease. Ant-Man ran circles around Avengers: Age Of Ultron THERE I SAID IT. What made Ant-Man so successful was that it wasn’t really an action film as much as it was a heist film. Paul Rudd’s comedic timing worked great mostly because it’s hard to take a man dressed up as an ant seriously. The film is well aware of that though and uses it to its full advantage. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments throughout the film and Michael Pena’s character Luis is a highlight of this wonderful addition to the Marvel universe. I can’t help but think that the success of Guardians of the Galaxy had something to do with the stylistic choices of Ant-Man, but hey that’s totally fine. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
5. Pitch Perfect 2
The original Pitch Perfect is one of my absolute favorite films, but my Top Ten Favorite Films of All Time is a list for another day. The sequel was everything I wanted it to be. While not as funny as the original, the jokes were great ESPECIALLY with the two announcers Gail and John. Everything that comes out of Rebel Wilson’s mouth is a riot. Also, if Anna Kendrick is in a movie, it’s already amazing because she’s so dorky, hilarious, and adorable. The first film had an excellent soundtrack, but Pitch Perfect 2’s is ultimately better. They cover a much wider spread of genres and use songs from multiple decades. I’ve always had this emotional connection with the first film because most of the times I watched it, it was with my two closest friends from college. Anytime I watch the original or now the sequel, I tend to get emotional because it makes me think of and miss my friends from school.
4. The Revenant
This is it folks. It may not be my favorite film of the year, but THIS is the movie where Leondardo DiCaprio is FINALLY going to get his long awaited Oscar! It has to be. Tom Hardy was great in the film too don’t get me wrong, but Leo stole the show!!! No performance this year can even compare to his portrayal of Hugh Glass. This film is mentally exhausting, stressful, and so tense it has you on the edge of your seat the entire duration of the film. The Revenant is not for the faint of heart though, the film is a gore fest from start to finish. People get scalped, horses get chopped open, Leo gets mauled by a bear, it’s insane. It exceeded my gore expectations and I went into it knowing there would be blood. This is undoubtedly the artsiest movie on my list, but this is also one of those rare cinematic occurrences where the artsy movie is also a crazy action film.
3. The Hateful Eight
A lot of people HATED this movie (see what I did there), saying that nobody in the film was worth rooting for, the woman getting beaten was “wrong,” and they used the N-word too many times. My question for those that didn’t like The Hateful Eight is this: have you ever seen a Tarantino movie!? Quentin Tarantino doesn’t give a s**t about what you want in a movie, that man will do whatever he wants and that’s exactly what he did. The film is called The HATEFUL Eight… BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT UNLIKABLE CHARACTERS! You aren’t supposed to root for any of them, you’re supposed to see what happens when you put a bunch of monstrous people in a room together. What you get is an insane “who did it” mystery with eight individuals who are constantly on the verge of killing everyone else in the room. Is it the best Tarantino film? By no means. Is it entertaining? Yes, it is immensely entertaining!
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
This movie was an obsession for me. It’s such a simple plot: Furiosa steals Imperator Joe’s wives and in the midst of an epic two hour car chase, poor Max gets dragged into the middle of the chaos and must choose a side. Although called Mad Max, Max himself hardly has any lines, heck, Furiosa is the main hero here and she hardly says anything! There’s hardly anything that needs to be said, the story is told from the very beginning and the beautiful visuals and cinematography help tell the tale. Fury Road is also undoubtedly one of the best action films of all time. I mean, the stunts are absurd, the world is fascinating and wildly original, and there are some impressive explosions. It’s one of those movies that sticks with you after you see it and makes you want to see it again and again and again.
1. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
If you know me at all, you saw this coming from a mile away. What can I say, I was raised a Star Wars fan ever since my dad took me to see A New Hope when they re-released in theaters in the 90s. The franchise is a huge part of my life and I have and always will love Star Wars. This movie was simply phenomenal. Fans everywhere were extremely cautious when the original announcement was made. Then, we all saw the first trailer and literal tears were shed by some fans (I did not I promise), but from that point on the hype was real. Is the movie almost a carbon copy of A New Hope? Sort of, but it’s also Abrams’s love letter to a series that he clearly loves as much as any other fan. The film had the perfect balance of old and new. We all cheered when we saw the old characters like Han and Leia, but we also all fell in love with the new characters Abrams’s created. Finn, Poe, Kylo Ren, and Rey are all so instantly likable and relatable. Even Kylo. Yes he’s an evil Darth Vader wannabe, but you know why he’s doing what he’s doing and what motivates him. That’s all you need to have interesting characters. This film set up what’s looking to be another wonderful trilogy and addition to the Star Wars universe!
There you have it, what’re your favorite films to come out in 2015? I’ll probably be doing an article about the Best Picture Nominees for The Oscars so if you enjoyed this then you’ve got that to look forward to!
The Magical World of Dids 