There are many movies I want to see and I couldn't because they were either not showing where I'm at(Kuwait) or I couldn't go because I wasn't free. So, I gotta wait for that blu. However, I'm only here to say that my number 1 is Mad Max: Fury Road, watched it a couple of times and I don't think there will be anything that'll top it.
I'll probably make my list in the summer because that's when most of what I'm interested in to see should be out on blu.
I can help. I've been compiling an excel file with what we have so far. Will let you know when I finish it. It has some pretty basic functions however to calculate points per film, count per film, and no. 1 count per film (might be better ways to do it, but that's the best thing that came into my mind from what I remember working in Excel)
I can help. I've been compiling an excel file with what we have so far. Will let you know when I finish it. It has some pretty basic functions however to calculate points per film, count per film, and no. 1 count per film (might be better ways to do it, but that's the best thing that came into my mind from what I remember working in Excel)
Haha. No need.. if you're ahead with it and need help let me know. It was pretty silly not to mention I was doing this earlier (I saw your post while I was mid-way into the list). Send me a PM how you want to proceed and/or if you need help with anything.
Of course. Finished the list (still have to copy paste the calculating functions to most of the films, but managed to create the table with each user who wrote so far and the films in their top), but I can definitely say that this year there are definitely some breaking records in Neogaf Movies of the Year history
Haha. No need.. if you're ahead with it and need help let me know. It was pretty silly not to mention I was doing this earlier (I saw your post while I was mid-way into the list). Send me a PM how you want to proceed and/or if you need help with anything.
I can help. I've been compiling an excel file with what we have so far. Will let you know when I finish it. It has some pretty basic functions however to calculate points per film, count per film, and no. 1 count per film (might be better ways to do it, but that's the best thing that came into my mind from what I remember working in Excel)
Awesome stuff mate. Can't wait to see the results. I'm expecting Mad Max to kill it and Star Wars do well but I hope Inside Out and Ex Machina do well too.
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Kingsman: The Secret Service
3.The Revenant
4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
5. Inside Out
6. Sicario
7. Straight Outta Compton
8. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
9. The Martian
10. Jurassic World
1. Avengers: Age of Ultron
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
4. Sicario
5. Ant-Man
6. Ex Machina
7. Inside Out
8. The Hateful Eight
9. The Big Short
10. The Martian
1. Mad Max: Fury road
2. Spotlight
3. Creed
4. Sicario
5. Bone Tomahawk
6. The Hateful Eight
7. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation
8. What We Do in the Shadows
9. Beasts of No Nation
10. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
3. Star Wars Episode VII
4. Kingsman
5. Spy
6. Avengers: Age of Ultron
7. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
8. Spectre
9. Ex Machina
10. The Revenant
Let's be real, is there even a shred of doubt Fury Road isn't winning this?
For me, 2015 was a pretty poor year in film. I see several dozen films a year and last year I was struggling to cut my list down to a top ten. This year, it was more like, "Spotlight? Shaun The Sheep? Fuck it, I guess they were pretty alright." The reliance on nostalgia to sell otherwise mediocre films was particularly disappointing - even my top two films, which I maintain are genuinely fantastic, are the fourth and seventh entries in their respective franchises.
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
What else? Those who say Fury Road doesn't have a story are mistaken. What it doesn't have is lots of dialogue. What is doesn't have is a convoluted story. What it does have is an incredibly elegant story. And, of course, it is the most breathtakingly ambitious, eccentric and inventive film of the year.
2. Creed
Whereas it seems unfair to define Mad Max as a sequel - which it is, in the same sense that an H-bomb is a sequel to a bottle rocket - Creed is very much Rocky VII. However, whereas some franchises put out derivative remakes or new entries that seemed to forget the lessons of their forebears entirely, Creed took the Rocky formula, refined it and added to it.
3. Spy
If you can measure funniness as laughs per minute, Spy is possibly the funniest movie I've ever seen in cinemas. It is absolutely hysterical. It's a testament to how good the film is that Miranda Hart, the least funny person in Britain other than David Walliams and Jack Whitehall, can't ruin it. Jason Statham, after Crank, continues to prove how gifted he is as a comedy actor.
4. It Follows
Take a great premise, add a great score, a unique aesthetic, some fantastic scares and cast of teenagers who seem as if they're trying to survive rather than throw each other under the bus and you have the second awesome film starring Maika Monroe in as many years.
5. The Good Dinosaur
Unpopular opinion time: The Good Dinosaur is better than Inside Out. It might go down in history as a rare failure from Pixar but I prefer to look at it as an overlooked curio. It borrowed from so many disparate sources - from Deliverance to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - and the result was something pleasantly eclectic.
6. The Revenant
How ridiculous it will be if Leonardo Di Caprio finally wins an oscar for a role that's 90% grimacing. A very emotionally empty movie but one that's incredibly ambitious in other areas, and surprisingly accessible for a film from the creator of Birdman.
7. Inside Out
I'd have a hard time picking another character this year who I adored as much as Sadness. It would be unfair to call it a return to form for Pixar - even Monsters University has merit as their take on the campus comedy - but it's definitely refreshing to see new ideas, particularly when they're so imaginative.
8. The Hateful Eight
Easily Tarantino's most self-indulgent film to date, and it's far from perfect, but it's hard to dislike such a distinctive voice.
9. Shaun the Sheep
Aardman are a British institution. While they tend to skew more kid-friendly than their American counterparts, Shaun the Sheep is still a very funny, very charming film.
10. Spotlight
Surprisingly good awards fodder that can usually tell the difference between poignant and melodramatic, and only gives in to temptation with one needlessly hammy, shouty monologue that seems designed for highlight reels.
1. Avengers: Age of Ultron
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
4. Sicario
5. Ant-Man
6. Ex Machina
7. Inside Out
8. The Hateful Eight
9. The Big Short
10. The Martian
1. Avengers: Age of Ultron
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
4. Sicario
5. Ant-Man
6. Ex Machina
7. Inside Out
8. The Hateful Eight
9. The Big Short
10. The Martian
Some damn good movies, I could easily put 20 or more on a list.
1) Mad Max Fury Road
2) What We do in the Shadows
3) Anomalisa
4) Room
5) Bone Tomahawk
6) Creed
7) The Duke of Burgundy
8) The Big Short
9) Dope
10) The Tribe
There's a LOT of 2015 films that I haven't watched yet, as they have not been released in my area yet (like Anomalisa & Carol) but might as well post a list of my top movies thus far:
1. Room
2. Carol
3. Mad Max Fury Road
4. Sicario
5. The Lobster
6. Victoria
7. Slow West
8. It Follows
Of course. Finished the list (still have to copy paste the calculating functions to most of the films, but managed to create the table with each user who wrote so far and the films in their top), but I can definitely say that this year there are definitely some breaking records in Neogaf Movies of the Year history
1. The Big Short
2. The Revenant
3. Macbeth
4. Spotlight
5. Carol
6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
7. Mad Max: Fury Road
8. Inside Out
9. Beasts of No Nation
10. Slow West
Saw so many it was hard to narrow it down, but I think that's the best I can come up with. May go back and edit some words in too, but for now... Just the list.
I did 32 entries so far, but my wrist is all kinds of fucked up and doing data entry like this for a long time hurts like hell. Just PM me and I'll give you the rights.
There's still a ton of stuff I wanted to see, but the deadline is coming up so whatever let's just do this.
10. Avengers: Age of Ultron
The popular opinion about Marvel movies continues to confuse me. This is the best one they've had in a while.
9. Tomorrowland
Speaking of not understanding the Internet, Tomorrowland was great.
8. Mr. Holmes
7. Cinderella
I wish this wasn't noteworthy. I wish adapting a fairytale without shitting all over everything in the process wasn't such an impossible task for the rest of the movie industry.
6. Inside Out 5. Ex Machina 4. Crimson Peak 3. The Belier Family
2. Joy
Biggest surprise of the year for me. Didn't like Silver Linings Playbook, and Joy was one of two 2015 movies I gave 5 stars to on Letterboxd.
But clearly I don't know how to watch movies, because the biggest reason I like Joy is how much it isn't what everyone else says this movie is (that being
"inspirational"
)
-----
I wish there had been more competition for the number one spot. This movie is just way, way ahead of everything else I listed.
I particularly like how after I saw it first the time, my only real complaint was that the plot was shallow. But then on a rewatch I noticed how a problem I had with the plot actually had a normal explanation right there on the screen, it was just subtle and no attention was drawn to it.
So my only complaint isn't even true apparently.
(dramatic pause and spoiler tags, even though we all know where this is going)
1.
Pitch Perfect 2
BONUS AWARDS:
Best looking movie: Mad Max: Fury Road
The "Sunshine" award for movie that was doing pretty well until it decided to be stupid instead: The Gift
1. Room; One of the most powerful acting performances I have ever seen, Brie Larson knocks it out of the park. Jacob Tremblay also put on an inspired performance. I knew nothing about this movie going in and recommend everyone else go in that way too.
I guess I'll just do it slowly as my wrist allows if nobody else volunteers. I've entered 100 lists thus far, and the top 10 is about what you'd expect.
1. carol
2. the tale of the princess kaguya
3. 45 years
4. a pigeon sat on a branch reflecting on existence
5. magic mike xxl
6. spotlight
7. inside out
8. room
9. amy
10. bridge of spies
I guess I'll just do it slowly as my wrist allows if nobody else volunteers. I've entered 100 lists thus far, and the top 10 is about what you'd expect.
There are still a few movies I wanted to watch but I won't have the time to do it before the deadline, so I'll go with what I've got right now.
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Creed
3. The Martian
4. Ex Machina
5. The Revenant
6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
7. Spotlight
8. Bridge of Spies
9. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
10. Inside Out
1. High-Rise
[trailer] I don't work for you. I work for the building.
(Saw it as part of LFF)
Bloody amazing. Deliciously dark absurd satire. Very Kubrickian, aesthetically and tonally. Absolutely nailed the poetic depravity and group psychopathology of the book, how everyone's willing to be part of it cause at least life is interesting. Really surprised how faithful it was, considering some messed up stuff happens that I didn't think Ben Wheatley would put up on screen. A brilliant transition montage to the new status quo of garbage and chaos rips through like a 100 pages in less than a minute. Couple of changes from the book that give it a more emotional grip. Created such an atmosphere that the audience was able to laugh at the darkest of jokes. This is just the most fun movie I've seen at the cinema this year. Would love to see it again.
It's great to see Tom Hiddleston cut loose as the "professionally detached" doctor-turned-sociopath along with everyone else. Jeremy Irons as the architect and "royal" of the building is brilliant as he goes from meek scientist-type to blood-drenched white jacket cane-wielding tyrant. Elizabeth Moss has a bit part but still great as the hapless wife/mom Helen to Luke Evan's Wilder who is the alpha male of the lower floors. Laurie Rose's cinematography is stunning, and so is Mark Tildesley's production design (not surprised when Ben said this was his biggest budget), acting (especially Luke Evans), Clint Mansell's score is great as always, combining chilling ambient with upper class orchestra. Portishead's cover of SOS serves as one of the best uses of a song in a film I've seen this year.
2. A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence
[trailer] Today, I feel kind. Damn kind.
Amazing dark comedy masterpiece from Roy Andersson. If you're at all into dark comedies, go see it immediately (out on Curzon Home Cinema for UK) as it's full of surprises that you should experience before reading this.
There comes a point when a director of dark comedy might show a softer side, but sometimes they can lose the distinctive humour when the juxtaposition of bleak subject matter and mundanity is gone. His movies are comparable to Todd Solondz's and Wes Anderson's where elaborate theatrical sets, deadpan humour, and still cinematography is a mainstay but on an even bleaker level. A more sympathetic layer is added on top of the pitch black humour with a focus on community, alongside a look on the country's history. The most pervasive topic is on the lack of money so people are just trying to make ends meet in the day-to-day struggle. The main duo, depressive Jonathan and pragmatic Sam, go around from one location to another, trying to sell not particularly funny joke-shop items like vampire teeth, a laughing bag, or a creepy Uncle One-Tooth mask. There is a universal relatable struggle that's taken to the absurd.
The desaturated and painterly cinematography (Istvan Borbas and Gergely Palos), art direction, production design, editing, and acting are all in meticulous zombie-like sync. As a trilogy examining humans, most of the scenes are shot with many people on a set reacting to an event. There is deep focus throughout making it all look like a stunning painting where the characters in the background and foreground play a role. A couple of bars are given prominence, one that seems in the centre of a city that's more populated and another on the outskirts although both are housed by dejected people. The actors have very pale makeup on like his previous films that goes along with how literally deadpan the comedy and acting is. They're miserable but yet still have the last bit of humanity to care for a fellow person, like when one of the main characters (Jonathan) is weeping at a bar. Even when they're not in a good state, they'll all say "I'm happy to hear you're doing fine" on the phone in one of the funniest running gags.
The country's history comes into play, such as the surreality of Charles XII's cavalry bursting into the outskirts bar (horse and all) still in modern times kicking out all the women and just being general dicks.
The end of the war makes the army lose that superiority
, though. The more positive scene is the city bar in the 40s where a musical occurs involving a woman trading shots with kisses to soldiers and sailors in a line, one-by-one. It's not as random as expected for a surreal comedy, as there are a few recurring characters like a couple of captains. One standing outside a restaurant never at the right time for a meeting and another former one who's gone from working at the ferry to helping out the family barber business while staring at the camera to break the fourth wall ("maybe you recognise me"). The city itself can be seen as a misery machine as contrasted by the genuine happiness shown outside the city near nature where a mom plays with her baby at a park or a young couple rests lovingly on a beach.
Some of the most disturbing, elaborate, and politically memorable images are on display near the end
in the "homo sapiens" chapter in relation to a mining company (Boliden), and monkey experiments. To remind of how horrible human history can be while never asking for forgiveness
. However, the film still ends on a satirically hilarious note
on the importance of knowing what day it is or chaos will reign while an upbeat 50s rockabilly tune plays
To echo others who've seen it, amazing and beautiful film. Harrowing survivalist Bedouin western told through a child's perspective, about brotherhood. Theeb and Hussein's fraternal relationship is tender amongst the harsh environment. Set around time of World War I, although that's not very obvious, and has some familiar DNA with Lawrence of Arabia due to the Englishman involved. Goes in unexpected directions that makes it more morally grey. Jacir Eid (Theeb) is a total natural. Wolfgang Thaler's cinematography is brilliant, and in the Q&A the director mentioned that they were inspired by Caravaggio for some of the lighting/shadow and night scenes. For such a low budget (Jordan doesn't really have a film industry), there was very little grading or tampering, so a lot of hard work on DP's part. Not surprised that it took 4 years to make, cause of logistics. The landscapes are striking. Jordan could be a great place to shoot sci-fi movies.
There's one action sequence set among valleys that is one of the most tense of the year.
This is for all the existential sci fi fans out there. A pretty great piece about appreciating the now. It's a bit depressing but has touches of dark comedy. Clones, consciousnesses, and coping with loss. If you liked Black Mirror, this cautionary tale will be right up your alley.
(Saw it as part of LFF)
Wow, absolutely loved it. Gregg Turkington is brilliant. Rick Alverson along with DP Lorenzo Hagelman and Gregg really capture a hypnotic loneliness bolstered by eerie music from Robert Donne. Being a comedian, especially an unknown acerbic character comedian with a look for messy gelled hair and holding three drinks, is a lonely venture with the repetition of hotels and bars full of drunkards (and no security) being your unwilling audiences, but then you add on top it being a desert road tour and you get one of the loneliest existential films about comedians I've seen. It's a much bleaker Man on the Moon. Tye Sheridan plays a supporting act as a clown, man can that kid look creepy when he wants to. There are many scenes with other characters that the comedian Gregg (his character is given multiple names but none stick ala the Joker in TDK) interacts with that don't seem to have a conclusion so sometimes you just have Gregg's face to gather what actually happened. The scene with Michael Cera is one of the weirdest and a scene with a woman in the bathroom is one of the gnarliest things I've seen on screen in a movie this year. There are a few other things like dreams, constant phone calls, and the ending that make you question the reality of events which would warrant multiple watches but the main gist is that being a comedian is a lonely and sometimes dangerous job.
7. The Lobster
[trailer] We dance by ourselves. That's why we listen to only electronic music.
Might be the most sadistically funny absurd satire about coupling and relationships I've seen. People go into a hotel for 45 days to get into a relationship and if they don't (being single is illegal), they're turned into an animal of their choosing (the most popular choice is a dog which explains why there are so many in the world) or a worse one forced upon as punishment. Can increase the amount of days by hunting and tranquilising loner humans in the forest, accompanied by a gorgeous slow-motion montage. If you get coupled, you spend time in the city and then on a yacht. Given a child for when fighting or arguments happen, which I found absolutely hilarious. Like a single's worst dystopia nightmare world. It's such a joy to experience a weirdly coded and recontextualised world much like it was with Yorgos' previous films, and just go along with it.
The music is as incisive as the satire (same one from the trailer). I loved that they maintain the slightly robotic acting style of his previous films, which in another director's take might look like bad acting but here it's portraying these loners as socially inept so it works. All the loners have defining characters. Colin Farrell is brilliant as meek but slightly misanthropic chubby man, along with Rachel Weisz who loves rabbits. Some of the recurring Dogtooth cast are here in different kind of roles from the two girls who are either the biggest hunter misanthrope or a helpful maid. John C Reilly has a lisp, Ben Whishaw has a limp (and nosebleeds). The cinematography is stunning starting with the windscreen shot, along with a cool palette of blue uniforms against the greens and yellows of the forest.
Thought this would have less bite than Dogtooth being the director's first English feature and starring well known actors but I found it equally great or even better.
On the ending,
which is shot much like Dogtooth's, I think the two blue trucks meeting each other in the background could hint that he does stab his eyes but then the ocean sounds in the credits implies he could've become a lobster cause he couldn't go through with it
.
This might trigger a lot of animal lovers, so just be mindful that it can be quite brutal.
(Saw it as part of LFF)
Wolves, bananas, baths, volcanoes, moustaches, and flapjacks. Dizzying surrealism, feverish editing, and myriad of palettes had me pleasantly lost in the countless layers of the unconscious sea that is this film. It's simultaneously an ode to B-level cult exploitation films and silent German expressionist films like Cabinet of Dr Caligari with all the title cards and projected backdrops. It starts off with an instructional about baths by Louis Negin, then goes into a story about people in a submarine trying to survive for their final 2 hours on flapjacks because of the air pockets and oxygen, but then a woodsman pops in there who recounts his tale of trying to save Margot from the wolves and then it just goes deeper and deeper into weirder tales. I don't think I've ever seen layered vignettes in dreamy movies taken this far, probably about 15 or more here (many of them having the same actors playing different characters).
Surprisingly, there is a three act structure and as Guy Maddin so eloquently puts it, "pulling out" of the stories after each act is a refreshing break as your mind gets a chance to recalibrate. Even though it's a digital film which makes having various colour palettes easier, it's deep in filmic visuals like emulsion transitions and at times a deliberately fuzzy look which is funny when watching on the giant BFI IMAX screen. All the elements of cinematography, acting, music, editing, directing come together into a synchronous manic whole. Of course Udo Kier is here, but Charlotte Rampling is a welcome surprise, and now I'm in love with Louis Negin who not only is the bookending bath instructional narrator but also a mainstay of many of the shorts.
My favourite surreal throughline might be servant Udo Kier's moustache hair transitioning into a story of him as a ghost who keeps on coming back to the house to get some things before on his way for a Final, Final, Final Farewell.
Never had such a neverending uneasiness throughout during a horror movie. The unending dread had me shaking. Usually, they just end or have clean breaks. The Exorcist, [Rec], The Babadook, Antichrist. Little reprieve here. The title card
being at the end was perfection
. It was I guess Lovecraftian in that way. You can never fully understand. I can see this sticking my head for a while. The setting is a hodgepodge of 80s and modern like the nerd girl has a polly pocket that doubles as a kindle, like it's in this out of this time dimension. There's a bunch of subversion on 80s slasher with some Carpenter vibes and themes of sexual anxiety. Even though you see the antagonist(s), it's more about paranoia like The Thing than about the shock of seeing a monster whose scariness would diminish once seen. The steadicam and dolly camera 360° movements were unnerving and nail-biting. Disasterpeace's score was absolutely chilling, bringing out his scary side in accompaniment with his typical nostalgic charming style. Maika Monroe (The Guest) was captivating to watch as she, along with the viewer, are on such an unpredictable and purgatorial suburban nightmare. Could see this being a classic.
10. Mad Max Fury Road
[trailer] Is that the wind or a furious fixation?
Best action film of 2015. It's great when you get an action film that relies more on visual storytelling and respects its audience. That aspect lends itself to multiple viewings. The world-building is on another level. Sci-fi of these production values with such a mythic vibe, especially those storms, and at many points because of the ridiculous amount of details felt like concept art come to life. Second time around, you really notice how rhythmic the whole thing is. Not just the drums and guitarist, but the noises the vehicles make, like Furiosa pulling the lever, or certain sound effects. The music and sound design and editing is so in sync. Furiosa is the best female hero in a long while. Among western action films, a new benchmark.
Other highly recommended films: Kingsman, Song Of The Sea, Carol, Queen Of Earth, 45 Years, Duke Of Burgundy, Mistress America, Room, Spy, The Wonders, Ex Machina, Spotlight, and 99 Homes.
Stellar year for documentaries: The Look Of Silence, Cartel Land, Precinct Seven Five, and Amy, are essential viewing.
There's a lot more movies I haven't seen, especially foreign language stuff, that I wanted to see by the deadline, but I don't think I'm gonna be able to.
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Inside Out
3. Tangerine
4. The End of the Tour
5. Steve Jobs
6. The Hateful Eight
7. It Follows
8. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
9. Ex Machina
10. Slow West
Honorable mentions: The Martian, Spotlight, Brooklyn
Movies I wish I liked as much as everyone else did: Bone Tomahawk, Sicario, Anomalisa, Beasts of No Nation, Straight Outta Compton, What We Do in the Shadows, Going Clear, The Revenant
Trying to think of all the movies I watched. But I need to get some more love for The Martian in here.
1. The Martian
2. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
3. Ex Machina
4. Ant Man
5. Furious 7
6. Mission Impossible: Rogue Agent
7. Star Wars The Force Awakens
8. Avengers: Age of Ultron
9. Jurassic World
Edit: Added a few more. But really the gap between The Martian and everything else is huge. The Martian is top 5 movies of all time for me, I would list it 10 times here if I could.
Big gap between 2 and 3, huge gap after Ant-Man. The rest were not exceptional movies, IMO, but I can't really think of anything that I saw that beat them out at all.
