First year in a while I will actually have a full list. Best year since 2007 to me.
Films I saw and would recommend.
Dope, Ex Machina, Furious 7, Mad Max, Tomorrowland, Inside Out, Sicario, Jurassic World, Everest, Rogue Nation, Man named Uncle, Straight Out of Compton, Beasts of No Nation, Steve Jobs, The Martian, Bridge of Spies, Dressmaker, Peanuts, Creed, Karmpus, The Big Short, Star Wars VII, Hateful 8, Kingsman, and Revenant.
1. Sicario - The entire film is a slow burn with a hell of a lot of tension on who to trust. Deakins makes sure everything is beautiful shoot. The action is quick, but extremely well done. It's a damn shame it is being ignored for awards season.
2. Everest - I was really looking forward to this film and it delivered in spades. It really enforced the idea that even though with our advances in technology and ego. The mountain is still king. It was depressing, hopeless at times, and seeing it on the big screen was a most.
3. The Martian - Where both Interstellar and Gravity failed, this succeed. Scott's best film in a decade.
4. The Big Short - Beautiful acted and one of the few films meant for a general audience, but very educational at the same time.
5. Mad Max - You really think this wasn't going to be on it?
6. Dope - Sort of like how Martian succeed after a few others. I feel like this film succeed much better than Dear White People at getting its message across. Coming of age story that puts in an endearing cast that does do a really good job at blending that line between your own prejudices, even though they spell it out at the end.
7. Beasts of No Nation - Modern day Apocalypse Now and in some ways better. One of the few films where the child actors don't hinder the film, but rather elevate it. Still my favorite acting performance of the year.
8. Creed - This is how you continue a franchise years after. Balboa was the perfect end to Rocky, this was the perfect beginning to Creed.
9. Peanuts - While I know Inside Out will be sweeping. This is a film that shouldn't exist. It's a film that stays loyal to the original comics and builds on 50 years of history. It's a love story to Peanuts while at the same time bringing some nice closure to it.
10. Hateful 8 - I loved the fact that it is Taratino doing RD again, but using all the skills he acquired since.