Top 20 Movies of 2015
Greetings,
Now that we have made it through most of 2015 its time to look back and see my top 20 movies of the year so far. So here we go.
20) Paddington- A great movie not only for the kids but for the entire family. Good story and performances by Hugh Bonneville and the evil Nicole Kidman. Should make for a good new series of films for families to enjoy.
19) Cinderella- Disney live action takes a massive step forward with this movie after not so successful attempts, most recently Maleficent. Lily James is a great representation of Cinderella and even Richard Madden is a serviceable Prince. Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter's performances as The Wicked Stepmother and The Fairy Godmother and some nice special effects make this a good and complete movie.
18) Furious 7- Another step forward for this grand movie franchise that just seems to keep getting better as they slip further and further away from the realism. A great new enemy with Jason Statham and even more fun from the big family. Also has a great send off for the one and only Paul Walker, may he R.I.P. but this movie franchise will continue to live on.
17) Spy- I was afraid that this movie would be just another one of Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig's combinations. Luckily this turned out to be not only a great comedy but a good story to go a long with it. Loved the performances of Jason Statham and Rose Byrne who made the movie even funnier which was a surprise.
16) Selma- Gripping performance by David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr does what no one has done before and set it up in a way no one will probably be able to do it again. The movie draws inspiration and dramatic power of MLK but also goes to show we still a ways to go to get this world to be the better place he wanted us to be.
15) Dope- Didn't know much about going into this movie and I think that made it even better. This is a movie to see with 2 other friends that makes it even more enjoyable of a time watching. This is another coming of age tale but told different than others and acted well by Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemons, and Tony Revolori.
14) Trainwreck- I am not much of an Amy Schumer comedy fan however this movie caught me completely off guard. Kind of like a When Harry Met Sally met with a raunchy comedy which brings heart and comedy to a movie in a way I did not see coming. Amy Schumer plays a role usually played by a man in this kind of movie and Bill Hader plays off of her very well proving he may just have what it takes to be a leading man. Very funny appearances by John Cena and Lebron James.
13) Jurassic World- Finally a good sequel to the original Jurassic Park. Chris Pratt is great in another role and even makes training and riding with raptors believable. Not a great story but many times can you have dinosaurs take over an island.
12) End of the Tour- Honestly didn't know how good of an actor Jason Segel truly was outside of the comedy genre until I saw this movie. Chemistry is the base of this movie and that is very well done between Jesse Eisenberg and Segel. This is really great story that deserves to be seen by a lot more people than it probably will.
11) Avengers: Age of Ultron- Not as good as the first but still another great team up film for the Marvel studios and their cinematic universe. Brings in some great new characters and James Spader as the villain was a great choice as well. Just hard to get close to the masterpiece that was the first Avengers film.
10) The Gift- After seeing trailers of this film I knew I had to be there to see it as soon as possible and I was not disappointed. The creepy performance by actor/director Joel Edgerton makes you want to call any person you may have ever wronged in any possible way and apologize. The performances of Edgerton, Jason Bateman, and Rebecca Hall make for a truly remarkable film. If you are looking for a movie to not exactly scare you but a gripping thriller then this is a movie you should see.
9) American Sniper- Another great true story told by Clint Eastwood. Great performances not only by Bradley Cooper but also by Sienna Miller. Definitely a movie and story not to be missed.
8) Kingsman- This is one of my surprise hits of the year. Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, and Samuel L Jackson have great performances. A really well done story by a great up and comer Matthew Vaughn. Can't wait for the next movie in this line.
7) Ant-Man- One of my favorite of all the Marvel individual films because of just how much different of a film it truly is. Not really even a comic book movie as this is more of a heist film. Casting of Paul Rudd as Scott Lang and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym made for a great team. Michael Pena was hilarious in his role of Luis with the fun stories he would tell. Here's hoping we get to see Evangeline Lilly more Waspy in the near future.
6) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl- Another of my sleeper picks of the year is this indie film starring Thomas Mann, R.J. Cyler, and Olivia Cooke. The performances by Mann and Cooke absolutely steal this film and bring a realism to it that pulls at all the heart strings. Also has some scene stealing performances by Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, and Nick Offerman that bring some humor to this story making it unlike most others of its kind.
5) Straight Outta Compton- I was not big on the story of the group N.W.A. but enjoyed their music. This movie is an incredible 2 act movie. Although the 3rd act is not as strong this is still an amazing movie and story. The acting in this movie was a surprise to me with Corey Hawkins as Dr Dre, O'Shea Jackson Jr as his father Ice Cube, and a stunning performance by Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E who to me may get an Oscar nomination. This is a movie that should be seen by every one who is a lover of music.
4) Ex Machina- After seeing this movie I honestly knew it would be in my top 10 of the year no matter what others came out. A very original and gripping story and great directing by Alex Garland. Also fell in love with the acting of Alicia Vikander and Dohnall Gleeson and believe that Oscar Isaac deserves and will have an Oscar nomination for this truly great movie.
3) Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation- Holy Tom Cruise what a movie. This man is a crazy S.O.B. and continues to push the envelope even further as the movies go on. The best part of this movie besides the story is the fact it relies more on the team than just on Cruise with Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Jeremy Renner playing more important roles in this movie plus new comers Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris make this the best of the series yet. Looking forward to what comes next.
2) Mad Max: Fury Road- If you are looking for an action movie that feels like it picks you up and shakes you like ice in a blender then this is the movie for you. Non stop action with beautifully stunning images and enough of a story to keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
1) Inside Out- This may be the best Pixar movie yet. Great story, great cast, and great message make this a movie that everyone can enjoy multiple times over. There are scenes in this movie that will make you laugh out loud and cry your eyes out. One of the best movie going experiences I have had in quite some time.
So what do you think of the list? Some on here you think shouldn't be? Some that aren't on that you think should? What does your list look like? Let me know.
Steven
Now that we have made it through most of 2015 its time to look back and see my top 20 movies of the year so far. So here we go.
20) Paddington- A great movie not only for the kids but for the entire family. Good story and performances by Hugh Bonneville and the evil Nicole Kidman. Should make for a good new series of films for families to enjoy.
19) Cinderella- Disney live action takes a massive step forward with this movie after not so successful attempts, most recently Maleficent. Lily James is a great representation of Cinderella and even Richard Madden is a serviceable Prince. Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter's performances as The Wicked Stepmother and The Fairy Godmother and some nice special effects make this a good and complete movie.
18) Furious 7- Another step forward for this grand movie franchise that just seems to keep getting better as they slip further and further away from the realism. A great new enemy with Jason Statham and even more fun from the big family. Also has a great send off for the one and only Paul Walker, may he R.I.P. but this movie franchise will continue to live on.
17) Spy- I was afraid that this movie would be just another one of Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig's combinations. Luckily this turned out to be not only a great comedy but a good story to go a long with it. Loved the performances of Jason Statham and Rose Byrne who made the movie even funnier which was a surprise.
16) Selma- Gripping performance by David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr does what no one has done before and set it up in a way no one will probably be able to do it again. The movie draws inspiration and dramatic power of MLK but also goes to show we still a ways to go to get this world to be the better place he wanted us to be.
15) Dope- Didn't know much about going into this movie and I think that made it even better. This is a movie to see with 2 other friends that makes it even more enjoyable of a time watching. This is another coming of age tale but told different than others and acted well by Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemons, and Tony Revolori.
14) Trainwreck- I am not much of an Amy Schumer comedy fan however this movie caught me completely off guard. Kind of like a When Harry Met Sally met with a raunchy comedy which brings heart and comedy to a movie in a way I did not see coming. Amy Schumer plays a role usually played by a man in this kind of movie and Bill Hader plays off of her very well proving he may just have what it takes to be a leading man. Very funny appearances by John Cena and Lebron James.
13) Jurassic World- Finally a good sequel to the original Jurassic Park. Chris Pratt is great in another role and even makes training and riding with raptors believable. Not a great story but many times can you have dinosaurs take over an island.
12) End of the Tour- Honestly didn't know how good of an actor Jason Segel truly was outside of the comedy genre until I saw this movie. Chemistry is the base of this movie and that is very well done between Jesse Eisenberg and Segel. This is really great story that deserves to be seen by a lot more people than it probably will.
11) Avengers: Age of Ultron- Not as good as the first but still another great team up film for the Marvel studios and their cinematic universe. Brings in some great new characters and James Spader as the villain was a great choice as well. Just hard to get close to the masterpiece that was the first Avengers film.
10) The Gift- After seeing trailers of this film I knew I had to be there to see it as soon as possible and I was not disappointed. The creepy performance by actor/director Joel Edgerton makes you want to call any person you may have ever wronged in any possible way and apologize. The performances of Edgerton, Jason Bateman, and Rebecca Hall make for a truly remarkable film. If you are looking for a movie to not exactly scare you but a gripping thriller then this is a movie you should see.
9) American Sniper- Another great true story told by Clint Eastwood. Great performances not only by Bradley Cooper but also by Sienna Miller. Definitely a movie and story not to be missed.
8) Kingsman- This is one of my surprise hits of the year. Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, and Samuel L Jackson have great performances. A really well done story by a great up and comer Matthew Vaughn. Can't wait for the next movie in this line.
7) Ant-Man- One of my favorite of all the Marvel individual films because of just how much different of a film it truly is. Not really even a comic book movie as this is more of a heist film. Casting of Paul Rudd as Scott Lang and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym made for a great team. Michael Pena was hilarious in his role of Luis with the fun stories he would tell. Here's hoping we get to see Evangeline Lilly more Waspy in the near future.
6) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl- Another of my sleeper picks of the year is this indie film starring Thomas Mann, R.J. Cyler, and Olivia Cooke. The performances by Mann and Cooke absolutely steal this film and bring a realism to it that pulls at all the heart strings. Also has some scene stealing performances by Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, and Nick Offerman that bring some humor to this story making it unlike most others of its kind.
5) Straight Outta Compton- I was not big on the story of the group N.W.A. but enjoyed their music. This movie is an incredible 2 act movie. Although the 3rd act is not as strong this is still an amazing movie and story. The acting in this movie was a surprise to me with Corey Hawkins as Dr Dre, O'Shea Jackson Jr as his father Ice Cube, and a stunning performance by Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E who to me may get an Oscar nomination. This is a movie that should be seen by every one who is a lover of music.
4) Ex Machina- After seeing this movie I honestly knew it would be in my top 10 of the year no matter what others came out. A very original and gripping story and great directing by Alex Garland. Also fell in love with the acting of Alicia Vikander and Dohnall Gleeson and believe that Oscar Isaac deserves and will have an Oscar nomination for this truly great movie.
3) Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation- Holy Tom Cruise what a movie. This man is a crazy S.O.B. and continues to push the envelope even further as the movies go on. The best part of this movie besides the story is the fact it relies more on the team than just on Cruise with Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Jeremy Renner playing more important roles in this movie plus new comers Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris make this the best of the series yet. Looking forward to what comes next.
2) Mad Max: Fury Road- If you are looking for an action movie that feels like it picks you up and shakes you like ice in a blender then this is the movie for you. Non stop action with beautifully stunning images and enough of a story to keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
1) Inside Out- This may be the best Pixar movie yet. Great story, great cast, and great message make this a movie that everyone can enjoy multiple times over. There are scenes in this movie that will make you laugh out loud and cry your eyes out. One of the best movie going experiences I have had in quite some time.
So what do you think of the list? Some on here you think shouldn't be? Some that aren't on that you think should? What does your list look like? Let me know.
Steven
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