FAVE FILMS 2015

2015 was a fantastic year for film! So many amazing, great & pretty-great films to choose from for this list. I loved so many more films this year than in the last many. But you kinda had to search for the good stuff. I always do & I feel obligated to share my results with my friends. There's already 'too much' to watch & I know you'll never get to everything that you already want to. And that's cool. I'm in the same boat. But I hope that you'll at least take these 'few' recommendations into account. Remember, you have the rest of your lives to watch them! I don't think these are 'the best' films of 2015. They're simply the ones I enjoyed the most. Take them or leave them if you wish.

This year I have 4 categories. It was a great year in all these genres so I have separated them only so I can include more titles. However, some of the latter 3 are included in the 1st category because they're in my top-10, which you can consider the 1st 10 mentioned, if you care about that sort of thing. But I've included these 3 other categories so I can include more films.

Let's not argue about 'this film is better than that film' or whatever. Believe me when I say that I rearrange the order of this list every time I look at it. Like a piece of art, this list has simply been abandoned. It's not finished. It can never be. I'm more interested in what you think should have been included but wasn't.

Three out of my top five films are by first-time directors. I greatly respect new talent & original voices. This statistic is a coincidence, but also a testament to the power that originality has over someone like me who has seen so much, by so many, of the 120+ years which this medium of film has to offer & which I've seriously studied for over 20 years of my life now.

 

My favorite feature films

This list is in order

All my reviews are spoiler-free

 

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

It's almost unheard of that a big-budget, summer movie would make my favorite list in recent memory. In early August 2014, there was a 5-minute preview / trailer for this film which I saw on YouTube but which I can't find now. And after watching it, I was awe-struck. So I had been prepared for it for about a year in advance. But little did I know then that it would be the powerhouse of relentless action & drama that this masterpiece is. I thought it would simply be a fun action flick. But it's much more than that. It turned out to be one of the best action films I've ever seen as well as my favorite film of the year.

From George Miller, the director of 2006's HAPPY FEET & 1998's BABE: PIG IN THE CITY, both of which I love, comes the epic next chapter in his MAD MAX saga. OK, George Miller is also the director of the original MAD MAX (1979), it's sequel 1989's THE ROAD WARRIOR (the EMPIRE STRIKES BACK of the original series - a.k.a. the best one, but I completely understand if you like the original better) & the rather unfortunate BEYOND THUNDERDOME (1985 - the RETURN OF THE JEDI of the series - good beginning, then turns young-adult for no good reason). Anyway, you've probably all seen this one already, so no need to say much more about the film itself. But check out all those trailers because they're all great.

George Miller has 're-made' the original MAD MAX (1979) twice now with this film, so it seems. Both sequels being derivative of the original's plot. And you don't see anyone bitching about it. In fact, most critics, including me, are naming this film one of, if not the best film of the year. Is it because it's the same director? Is it because it's arguably better than any of the other 3 in this series? Do you think it is? Is it because it's simply so amazing? I love 1981's THE ROAD WARRIOR more than the original MAD MAX. just as I love Robert Rodriguez' 1995 film DESPERADO more than his 1992's EL MARIACHI. And there are many other examples of directors 're-making' their own films. But I think FURY ROAD might be the best & my favorite in this series now.

THE REVENANT

I'm quite upset that my 2 favorite films of the year are the ones with the most Oscar nominations. I know I shouldn't be, but I feel it somewhat undermines my credibility. Though hopefully the rest of my list reinforces it. Forgive me for sharing the Academy's love of these two films, but I really enjoyed this one. The acting in this film is really good, but I'm not sure it's Oscar-worthy for Leo. It's a lot of physically demanding stuff & being cold & wet & eating raw animal parts, but it's just kinda Leo doing it. Not him acting as a character separate from himself. But what do I know. He did learn two Native American languages for his part. Tom Hardy, Mr. Mad Max himself, is also amazing, though difficult to understand sometimes & English subtitles would be helpful. 2015 was really his year. But the real star of this film is Emmanuel Lubezki, the cinematographer. Lubezki, perhaps the best cinematographer working today, has won Oscars for his work on 2014's BIRDMAN & 2013's GRAVITY. He also shot the last 3 Terrence Malick films. This entire film was shot using only natural light. Sometimes there were only 2 hours of available light per day to shoot.

The film is long & slows down a bit in the middle, but there are so many unforgettable moments in this film, shot in ways I don't even understand, it's unbelievable. I mean that bear scene! You can read about how that was done here, but do so after you've seen the film (http://tinyurl.com/jhmps7f). I'm not sure what the point of the story is. It's based on 'actual events,' but most of the plot was imagined for this film. I wasn't very emotionally engaged & spent most of the time admiring the technique of the technicalities of its making. Which are superb. However, I found the film engaging & confess I forgive its weaknesses.

EX MACHINA 

From Alex Garland, who wrote the novel THE BEACH, yes, that one, which Danny Boyle made into the 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, & who wrote the 2002 film 28 DAYS LATER & 2007's SUNSHINE. This is his first directed feature film. An amazing Sci-Fi film about A.I. & it's impact on the human psyche. 'Would you fuck a robot?' would be a cynical but honest tagline. Yet, this story is deeper than that. Starring Domhnall Gleeson & Oscar Isaac, who are also both in THE FORCE AWAKENS. In that, Gleeson plays General Hux, head of The First Order, & Isaac is, of course, Poe Dameron. In fact, Gleeson was in 4 films in 2015 and 3 of them are on my list. So he's had an amazing year. He was also in THE REVENANT & BROOKLYN, the latter not quite making my list, but which is quite good.

One of the best & tightest scripts of the year. Though there is a bit of a pacing problem, it's not that big of a deal. Gleeson, Isaac & actress Alicia Vikander manipulate & foil each other in an amazing, intricate way. I hang on Isaac's every word. Just his physical presence makes me uncomfortable & he's one of those actors who in this film can project so much tension that it's unnerving. I simply don't understand some people's criticism of this film. It's kinda iconic. SOUTH PARK has already spoofed it. It's also one of the coolest & sexiest robots on film. The effects are amazing. It's even better with a 2nd viewing.

ME and EARL and THE DYING GIRL

A very personal & guilty pleasure pick to be sure, but this film hit me in all the right places. It's clever, quirky, touching & full of film references & I was even shedding tears by the end of this 'burden to blessing' tale. It would be easy to make a comparison with last year's THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, but unlike that film, this one isn't hungry for our emotional sympathies nor spreads the lamenting fatalism on thick. It's funny in a deadpan way but without emotional detachment, which I think was the perfect way to portray the characters & very hard to do right. Actor Nick Offerman was perfectly cast as our protagonist's father & I'm sure helped the cast set the tone for how to portray their own kooky characters. Actress Olivia Cooke really shaved her head for her role as a young woman diagnosed with leukemia but who never asks for pity or prayers or any of that sentimental stuff. And this makes her feel real & with all the attributes of a real American teenager trying to make lemonade when it's raining lemons.

This is the debut feature from director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon & the script was written by Jesse Andrews & adapted from his novel of the same name (which I have not read). The film is rated PG-13 & therefore lacks some of the intensity which a story like this could have been more free to explore with fewer reservations & restrictions, but I guess we have to take it as it is. I do criticize the weakness of the part of Earl in the film, who too often succumbs to the 'poor African-American archetype' as well as the 'protagonist's buddy' & who is robbed of enough screen time to make him a really interesting character. But he has his moments, especially near the end, albeit not quite enough for what could have easily been a stronger character. Anyway, the film was scored by Brian Eno. It's the type of film I wish I'd written myself & is a film lover's dream in a coming of age film.

THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL

A quite unconventional, bold & refreshing coming of age film, the likes of which I have rarely seen. A very intimate, insightful & entertaining look at the growing pains of a 15-year old girl growing up in 1970s San Francisco. The film does a great job at capturing the tone & feel of that setting. First time director Marielle Heller adapted the Phoebe Gloeckner novel (which I haven't read) confidently & competently, capturing the magical realism of the story with artistic authority. Yet, the film contains animation sequences which give the tone a comedic underbelly which the film can't really escape from, even when it tries to. But which are nonetheless artistic & entertaining. Actress Bel Powley gives a fearless performance in a daring film full of excruciating emotional experiences which push a number of moral boundaries. The intimacy of some scenes made me feel like it was inappropriate to even witness them. But I don't feel that the character or the actress were exploited in the process.

The strength of the film is its purposeful nonjudgmental stance regarding every character & the questionable choices they make. The plot unfolds 'matter of factly' & I found it very refreshing that nobody attempts to blame anyone else for anyone's mistakes. This accountability is rare even in 'Liberal' Hollywood, especially when dealing with a character who is a minor. The result is characters who feel real & whose lives we're really getting a glimpse of. And along with actress Kristen Wiig, presents two of the strongest female performances of the year. I don't think the trailer for this film really captures how special this film is. Please don't judge it simply based on it. Try watching the film yourself & I think it'll hook you as quickly as it did me.

THE LOOK OF SILENCE

Profound & fearless & though this is a documentary, it's one of my favorite films of the year. It's a follow-up to Oppenheimer's Oscar-robbed 2012 masterpiece THE ACT OF KILLING, which was one of my 10 favorite films of 2013, not only my favorite documentary of that year, & which is equally great. These two films might be my favorite documentaries of the 21st century so far. This film is a lot more intimate & personal than the former. And though objectively you can watch either first, you should probably watch the former before this. It will make you appreciate it a little more. It's easy, from a Western, historical POV, to say that the 'war on Communism' was a black & white issue, that 'they' were the 'enemies.' But many of the murdered were victims of a global game of politics. America, the U.K. & other allies of that 'war' were complicit to organized & deliberate slaughter. No matter what you were taught, or more accurately, were not taught. This film should be a punch in your gut emotionally & ethically. And this is just the tip of the iceberg in what your public school system failed to mention in terms of the disgusting foreign policy of Cold War politics. A good place to start however. Extremely powerful & moving. Further words simply fail me. You just need to watch this.

ANOMALISA

This is a miracle of a film which might only come once in a lifetime. A bleak, brutally honest & emotionally haunting stop-motion film for adults. Who hasn't felt crippled by the mundanity of life at some point? This film addresses this, as well as other dark truths, in this rich soul-searching tale. David Thewlis & Jennifer Jason Leigh voice-act two of the most human characters of the year, & they're only 3-D printed puppets. There's an incredible amount of detail here for a film which is stop-motion. This story couldn't have been told in any other way, as every character voiced by Tom Noonan can attribute. At times you might even forget what you're watching aren't real people. Some of that detail is documented here (http://tinyurl.com/js9hahy). From the genius mind of Charlie Kaufman, the writer of maybe my favorite film of the 21st century so far, 2004's ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND. He also wrote & directed the underrated 2008 film SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK, which I highly recommend.

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

Dangerous motherfuckers raisin' hell. Witness the strength of street knowledge in this epic biography film which is surprisingly better than I thought it'd be. The ensemble cast is one of the best of the year & their acting is award-worthy. I rate this music-bio film up there with Oliver Stone's THE DOORS & Taylor Hackford's RAY. O'Shea Jackson Jr. portrays his father, Ice Cube, to such an amazing degree it's uncanny. Jason Michell's portrayal of Easy-E is also outstanding. The film nails the controversy & outcry which the music induced on the public upon its release as well as the underlying social conditions which inspired it. The military-like presence of the draconian LAPD in the black community is spot-on. Which mirrors exactly what's happening in other parts of America today in places like Ferguson, Missouri.

However, the two white writers of the Oscar-nominated script (the only Oscar nomination the film managed to get when it should have been nominated for best picture and probably a couple of supporting actor statues as well) did avoid including the disgraceful, but which would have been honest, sexism, misogyny & homophobia which was extremely common among the group. There is one scene in which women are treated as sexual objects, but the film uses this as a comedy scene & glosses over how commonplace this was. Instead, preferring to marginalize the women in their lives & portray the men in a more positive light. And this is the film's greatest weakness. In the end, this is a timeless film about music which is nearly 30 years old now, but which is as fresh today as it was then. It's a vibrant portrait of a time which could easily be the present day & I think this film will be as fresh 30 years from now as it is today.

THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Tarantino's longest & slowest film to date is a flawed but amazing western mostly shot in a single location & in a very theatrical style. Shot on 70mm film too, which was amazing to watch in the cinema. The snow is real. The indoor set was really freezing (temperature controlled to just below freezing) & the visual, exhaled breaths were all real. I'm not sure what the point of this film is, though I greatly enjoyed it. Though when I re-watch it, I don't watch all of the 1st hour or so, which has some pacing problems. It suffers from the same issue both DJANGO UNCHAINED & INGLORIOUS BASTARDS do, which is that Tarantino begins with a great premise, but then lets it kind of fall apart at the end - slipping into brutally violent, almost self-parody & exploitation which essentially undermines the overall quality. I love Tarantino's previous two aforementioned films more than THE HATEFUL EIGHT, though I don't dislike any of his films. I'd really like him to do another drama like 1997's JACKIE BROWN, but from an original script, which is a straight-forward story without the splatterfest ending. I really love the Ennio Morricone score which was recorded in Prague with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

CAROL

I've loved director Todd Haynes since 1997 when I saw his 1995 film SAFE. When I saw 1998's VELVET GOLDMINE, still my favorite Haynes film, a year later, he became one of the directors whose films I'd see no matter what because of how much I love that film. In 2002, when he attempted to be my generation's Douglas Sirk, with his film FAR FROM HEAVEN, I was both excited & disappointed. I mean, what hadn't Sirk accomplished with his themes? But then I realized that Haynes was a voice for my generation which was much more contemporary than those he was inspired by. And CAROL solidifies his voice in a similar but fresh way. Influenced by the past, but speaking for the present, Haynes has perfected his voice with this film. And his direction of Blanchett & Mara is awe-inspiring. The intimacy, the emotion, the inwardness of the performances & story is outstanding. It's sentimental, but also hopeful. The cinematography is beautiful & Phyllis Nagy's adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel (which I haven't read) is haunting. I love the ending of this film. I watched this during Christmas time, & though that season is prominent in the film, I hope you can enjoy this film whenever you watch it.

THE MARTIAN

My favorite Ridley Scott film since GLADIATOR (2000) is a return to form in the Sci-Fi genre! That is certainly worth celebrating. Especially after the huge let down which was PROMETHEUS (2012). My biggest issue with the film though is it's re-watchability. I'd rarely be in the mood to sit down & watch the whole thing again. And since I saw it in the cinema, as of this post's publication, I haven't been in such a mood. I re-watch films often. And normally, re-watchability is a large factor when putting together these lists. But I can't deny the quality of this film & understand that it's my problem if I'm not in the mood to re-watch Matt Damon talking to himself while not getting sick from radiation poisoning on the red planet. In my opinion, this is probably, objectively, a better film than GRAVITY (2013) & INTERSTELLAR (2014), not that there's any reason to compare it to them. I think my respect for THE MARTIAN comes from the fact that this was adapted from a novel while the other two were not. And thus it's denser & richer with story & scientific detail, except for the radiation thing. Yet I've seen GRAVITY 3 times now & INTERSTELLAR twice. And I'd still rather watch those two yet again before re-watching THE MARTIAN.

THE BIG SHORT

"Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come." - Haruki Murakami, IQ84. I don't usually rate Oscar-bait biography films so highly. I like them & often watch them, but rarely agree that they are among the very best films of the year. Take a look at my 'also great' list, below, to see what I mean. Usually, they follow a formula which is predictable &, though often have good performances, are not that memorable. But most importantly, they're usually not that re-watchable. But director Adam McKay crafted this gem which is not only interesting, but artistic & creatively told. Even breaking the 4th wall to explain complex terms & situations using celebrities such as Anthony Bourdain & Selina Gomez to do so.

Adam McKay said the studio was worried that the 'heroes' of Michael Lewis's book were flawed & said, "The studio was like, 'Shouldn't they be more likable?' It's like, 'No, heroes are dirty. Martin Luther King had affairs. Gandhi was a bit of a horndog. We're all dicks. Let them be dicks.'" And that's what they are. You're not supposed to like these characters. They didn't save the economy, they found a way to exploit the investment market & bet against the world economy - and won. Hell, you might even envy them. I don't, but you might. If you think that making money any legal way you can is morally OK in every context. More power to you. This film is for you. I'm ethically disgusted by everyone in this film, but I still enjoy the story & the way it's told. And that's the greatest strength of this film. I'd say this is Adam McKay's best directed film of his career. Certainly his most mature (he is the one who brought us 2004's ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY after all). Hopefully he'll go on to produce more fresh & smart films in the future. And the studio only allowed him to make this if he 1st made a sequel to ANCHORMAN, which he did. And by the result, you can see that his heart just wasn't quite in it to win it.

THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY

Certainly an acquired taste & not something most would love as much as me. But I hope I'm wrong. An amazing film with an almost literary-level of sophistication regarding female love, power & control. The fact that this isn't an adaptation of a novel shows not only Strickland's strength as a writer (the script is also his creation), but also a director & a visual storyteller in general. This film is an intellectual as well as emotional mind-fuck. From Peter Strickland, the amazing director of 2012's BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO. Strickland is a master of sound & becoming one of mise en scène as well. Both of these films have a David Lynch inspired greatness in terms of sound design. Not only that, but this film is partly inspired by experimental director Stan Brakhage, especially his 1963 short MOTHLIGHT, which was amazingly 're-made' for the between-the-woman's-legs dream sequence (now I bet I've got your attention) in this film. The Duke of Burgundy is a type of butterfly which is native to England. This film is striking for having no male characters in it at all. The soundtrack for the film is entirely by the band Cat's Eyes & is hauntingly beautiful.

VICTORIA

A 138-minute film actually shot in one take. Not simply disguised as one like BIRDMAN or Hitchcock's ROPE (1948). And that in itself is extraordinary. One of the best films to do so since 2002's RUSSIAN ARK, which is a much better film, don't get me wrong. Seriously, if you haven't seen that film, you should, it's incredible. But coincidentally, just like that film, it only took 3 attempts to get the single take right. A lot of the dialogue was improvised by the actors themselves. I don't know what's more amazing: that so few films attempt this feat, or that those which do so end up being so outstanding. VICTORIA would still be a great film without the unbelievable cinematography, but knowing that everything you are watching is happening in real time makes this film a phenomenon. This is the director's 4th feature film, though he's done a lot of acting as well. He was in RUN LOLA RUN as far back as 1998.

SPL 2: A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES

The best Martial Arts film I saw all year. I love this film 90% as much as last year's THE RAID 2: BARANDAL. But it's my favorite of its kind since. So much amazing action & stunt choreography. It's like watching Michael Mann & John Woo craft a film together. And the story is life & death, for a child. There are some forced plot points at work here, but as a story founding a film with such great action & human drama, it's a poignant backdrop for this desperate & modern tale. But seriously, it's worth watching for the action alone. But of course it's great that the story is compelling. I haven't seen the 1st film, 2005's SPL: KILL ZONE, although it looks awesome, but from what I read, it doesn't matter. The two are similar in name only. This is a completely new story, cast of characters & creative team. Pou-Soi Cheang directed the great 2014 film THE MONKEY KING, which is an action / adventure / fantasy & quite different than this gritty crime drama, but that's all I'd seen by him before this.

KUNG FURY!

If this is your favorite film of the year, I completely understand. I've watched this 30-minute short film about 7 times now & it keeps getting better each time. One of the best films to ever come out of Sweden, writer, director & lead actor David Sandberg's debut masterpiece is up there with the best work of Ingmar Berman. I'd say it's a perfect double-feature with FANNY & ALEXANDER (1982), especially during Christmas time. This emotionally raw tale of a rogue cop who is suddenly struck by lightning & bitten by a cobra, giving him extraordinary kung fu powers that enable him to defeat his enemies features some of the very best acting of the year. Not to mention the state of the art special effects which I think are even better than AVATAR. I think actor Erik Hörnqvist was robbed of a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role as Triceracop. And actor Jorma Taccone certainly portrayed the very best Adolf Hitler on film in 2015. I look forward to everything these creative geniuses come up with in the future.

This list is in order

 

I watched tons of horror films in 2015. During October I watched more than 31 more, some of which I missed from 2014 or earlier, but many new ones. And I loved so many of them that they get their own category this year. This category is a little different in that I basically stopped watching Horror films on October 31st, so any 2015 titles that weren't available yet, or I just missed, will be included in next year's October Horrorfest & favorite list. I already have more than 10 of them from 2015 to catch up on, though none of them seem to be 'top-quality' so I've ignored them for this year's list. And the 2016 releases are on their way as well.

IT FOLLOWS

Many critics have rated not only as the 'best' horror film of the year, but even in their top-10 films of the year in general. And I can see why. It's very well made. This film shines as an outstanding & somewhat fresh story about an STG - sexually transmitted ghost, as it were. It's extremely well-paced with a constant tension that is released without the crutch of the 'jump-scare' which is refreshing. The time frame & even the time-setting are kept deliberately ambiguous to give the film a 'dream-like' feel. Conflicting technology - from cars to household appliances & even mobile objects - are used to give the story a 'timeless' feel so the director could allow influences from various other films. The music is certainly of a John Carpenter world though & is great. There is an incredible amount of subtle detail in the film, some of which is meant to allude to a troubled teenage psychology. Like when Jay (the main character) lines up blades of grass on her leg which references cutting/suicide (yes, this is deliberate). The film was inspired by a recurring nightmare director Mitchell used to have. Oh, & some minor spoilers: in case you're wondering, the director said that neither condoms nor same-gender sex would protect you from passing 'it' on. And that 'it' is capable of boarding airplanes.

KRAMPUS

Demented holiday cheer & certainly one of the best experiences I had in the cinema last year. Seeing it during the holidays was a very entertaining Krampusnacht, as it were. I spent months before Krampusmass awaiting this film's arrival & it did not disappoint. It's rare that I enjoy modern PG-13 horror films, or even see them for that matter, but this one was very fun & enjoyable. The design of Krampus & his helpers was great & is probably the best depiction of the character I've ever seen. The film uses mostly practical effects. And it makes a huge difference. Except for the gingerbread men, who felt out of place & were a little weak. It's not a very frightening film, but it's very fun & the atmosphere has a constant tension which is a little unnerving. It blends satirical humor critiquing the unpleasant elements of the Christmas holiday in modern times with a spooky story which aims to teach the cynical what the season 'should' be about. Which is kind of standard fare for a family holiday film, even if it's a horror film.

This is a film I will be re-watching during the holidays for years to come. I must say that I thought the ending kind of cheats the audience, but for a PG-13 film, was probably necessary. It's been compared to 1984's GREMLINS & for good reason. Director Michael Dougherty previously directed only 1 film, the underrated 2007 film TRICK 'R TREAT, which has since become a cult favorite, & is currently working on a sequel to it (yay!). He's mostly worked as a writer, penning the scripts for 2003's X-MEN 2, 2006's SUPERMAN RETURNS & even the upcoming X-MEN: APOCALYPSE. I look forward to what he brings us in the future, especially in the horror genre.

SPRING

SPRING almost defies classification. It's a fresh & different way of telling a horror film. And that's what I love most about it. It's a meditation on time, love & loss... then gets all freaky with the horror. And it takes a scientific approach to dealing with the 'affliction' instead of merely leaving it unexplained. And the film takes its time to make sure we understand exactly what causes the 'affliction' but not in a boring way. The scene with the most exposition is also the most accomplished shot in the film for example. There is a lot of meticulous cinematography here, almost as if is its own character, giving us an omniscient presence. There's a magical element to it, a lot of romance & the horror is pretty great too. Filmed in the beautiful Apuila region of Italy, which I really want to visit now, with beautiful cinematography, including some really cool drone footage which I'm really beginning to like a lot about films these days.

The plot unfolds a lot like Robert Rodriguez' 1996 film FROM DUSK TILL DAWN because it takes its time building up one type of story (in this case a romance) before all of a sudden transforming into a horror film. The directors were inspired by the novels of Anne Rice & wanted to do a similar story in a modern way. And I think it's a really cool story, though it's not that frightening. But it's got its moments. The actors do a great job of bringing these characters to life & there's nothing forced or contrived about their relationship. This film is all about the journey, not the destination. In fact, I think the ending is the weakest part of the film & a little 'cheesy' to be honest. But very interesting nonetheless.

DEATHGASM

The most blatantly rockin', crowd-pleasin' & gory film on my list is this great splatter film from New Zealand. Probably the most re-watchable horror film I saw last year. Taking a cue from Peter Jackson's early work, director Jason Lei Howden crafted this gem with a lot of practical effects & a subtle nod to classic 80s horror. It's a perfect double-feature to Jackson's BRAINDEAD (1992), for example. This is Howden's first feature film. But he works for Weta effects, so has worked on the visual effects of many others: from THE AVENGERS to THE HOBBIT films. And the quality here shows. Black Metal music meets Black Magik in this demonic delicacy. The writing is a little weak & the ending doesn't make a lot of sense I'm afraid, but overall this film is a great time. The trailer will tell you everything you need to know. Oh, and if you play the Iron Maiden album Live After Death with the film muted, the two sync perfectly.

THE HALLOW

A very organic & creepy 'creature-feature' out of Ireland which gets to the action early & keeps up the tension all the way to the end. This is a Changeling story - a creature found in folklore which steals babies & replaces it with a fairy child. This is director Corin Hardy's first feature film. But he has a music video background. He says this film is like 1971's STRAW DOGS meets 2006's PAN'S LABYRINTH & that is fucking awesome right?! The practical effects here are great & were inspired by the film ALIEN (1979). My brother Tyson recommended this to me & I'm glad he did because, as you can see, it’s one of my favorite horror films of the year.

GOODNIGHT MOMMY

Even though the story 'gimmick' is obvious from the beginning, I think it's supposed to be. Though I wish the filmmakers had saved it for a twist somewhere in the 3rd act or even at the end. Because it makes it predicable & was a hugely missed opportunity to be a lot better. Still, this is director Severin Fiala's debut feature & it packs quite a punch. The atmosphere is thick with tension & builds to a surprising climax which shocked & haunted the hell out of me. The acting is quite good & the young actors aren't annoying. In fact they're quite creepy. Perhaps the relationship between the kids & the mother is unrealistic & emotionless, but I think that adds to the textured drama of this slow-burn but eventually satisfying film.

THE EDITOR

Technically, this film was first released in 2014, but it looks like it only played at festivals until late 2015 when it was finally released on VOD & DVD so I'm counting it. This is a horror / comedy, a throwback to Italian horror of the 70s & 80s which captures the look & feel of many of the greats from that period. This features deliberately poor dubbing (many Italian horror films didn't record sound while shooting & even dubbed the Italian actors in post production) which I think is great. It's from the brilliant directing team of Adam Brooks & Matthew Kennedy, the geniuses who brought us 2011's MANBORG, 2011's FATHER'S DAY, the ABCs of DEATH 2 segment W is for WISH, the 2012 fake-trailer short BIO-COP & the 2008 fake-trailer LAZER GHOSTS 2: RETURN TO LAZER COVE. Udo Kier is in the film as well, so you know it's quality. I will watch everything these people produce for the rest of my life & feel very thankful for sharing time on this planet with them.

 

The runners-up (in order)

 

CRIMSON PEAK

POD

WYRMWOOD

BONE TOMAHAWK

CIRCLE

WOLFCOP

THE FINAL GIRLS

A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY

This list is in order

 

THE NIGHTMARE

This is my 2nd favorite doc of the year (after THE LOOK OF SILENCE). This is also one of my favorite horror films of the year. Sleep paralysis is a serious medical condition & a very frightening one. It causes people to believe they're visited by demons or abducted by aliens. Here are some facts about it from one of my favorite YouTube channels (http://tinyurl.com/hhmd7jm). I've experienced a couple of memorable episodes of the condition & it's horrifying. They say the best horror films cause you to be afraid of normal & common things or experiences (like JAWS & the ocean or JESUS CAMP & Christians). Some people are terrified of going to sleep. Maybe after watching this doc, you will be too. Because the film suggests that this condition might be contagious, especially when studying it or thinking about it regularly. Pleasant dreams!

CALL ME LUCKY

I had never heard of Barry Crimmins before watching this film. And that is a damn shame. Because he's an amazing human being & quite funny. And after watching this doc, you'll never forget him. He inspired countless comedians who you have heard of & love. He basically declared war on ignorance & complacency in '80s America & embarked on a life-changing campaign of activism to help others from suffering the tragic experience he went through as a child. In an ideal world, Crimmins would have statues erected to him as well as his own national holiday, both of which he would hate. He would be a household name & would be taught in schools. To call this film 'inspiring' doesn't even begin to do it justice. I encourage all of you to watch it & pass it on to at least one other person who agrees to do the same. Maybe then we'll start to have the type of world we deserve.

COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK

This is the first doc I watched in 2015 & one I'd kinda been waiting two decades for. Just so you understand, this is a Kurt Cobain doc, not a Nirvana doc. It's about the man, not about the band. I'm from a suburb of Seattle & Nirvana was a huge part of my life in high school. I saw them live in Seattle at their last show in America, on January 8, 1994. The In Utero tour. I was there with my younger brother & I think I can speak for him when I say we were both blown away. And I feel very fortunate for having been there. So this doc is very personal to me. It captures Kurt's life in a detailed & intimate light, from his childhood. I love the animated scenes & respect that much of the doc is in Kurt's own words. Of course, Courtney Love is 'dead to me' now & simply seeing her in this film is the worst aspect of this film. If this doc get's you back into Nirvana, be sure to check out their Reading show from 1992 which just might be their best live show of their entire career.

AMY

This is a powerful doc, arguably better than the above mentions on this list. Watching it feels like you're inadvertently participating in Amy's death. Because, the film suggests, it's the hounding by the media which greatly helped push her to the edge. And everything you're watching is a contribution to that. Tony Bennett says in the film that a singer like Amy was one of the great jazz singers and they're comfortable in small, intimate places. but the world demanded more from her than she ever wanted to give. Amy said she'd have given it all up just to be able to walk down the street as a normal person again. Yet, here we all are, wanting to catch every glimpse of her we can get, even after her death.

Yet, I don't blame her fans. It's the disgusting shark of the media who bit her to death. Along with Blake Fielder-Civil, her asshole, worthless, ex-husband, who got her addicted to drugs in the first place. I think Amy died of a broken heart. With the help of her bulimia & drug use which contributed to her physical weakening. We can debate whether or not her death was a suicide, but dying of heart failure isn't really a suicide in my view. Her need to escape, & abusing chemicals to do so, isn't the same as putting the business end of a shotgun into your mouth. The fact that this doc is so intimate is the reason she isn't alive today. How many of you would want such a personal account of your life able to be told after you die? I certainly would be horrified by the very idea. And that's the most devastating aspect to this film.

ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS

It wasn't until I started studying film quite critically that I discovered how much its producer influences the end result. And after watching this doc, you'll have a much better understanding as well. I grew up watching countless films which were produced by Cannon, not having any idea then what that meant. I didn't know then that they were considered 'B-movies' by, well, all standards. I only knew that I usually enjoyed them while I was growing up. Now my childhood makes a lot more sense. Re-live your own childhood through the glasses of the understanding supplied by watching this doc. You'll never see the film industry the same & will be much more conscious of the people & companies who produce the films you watch. Especially practical when thinking about the quality differences between Sony and Marvel's productions, for one practical example. From Mark Hartley, who also made the amazing 2008 doc NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION!

LISTEN TO ME MARLON

This entire film is told in Brando's own words. Brando was a very complex person. Not only did he change what acting was in general, he transformed the male persona of cool & acceptance forever. None of this is in the doc, but David Foster Wallace, in his novel Infinite Jest, which I happen to be reading as I write this, describes Brando as having, 'performed a major disservice to the world by treating objects with such seeming contempt and dismissiveness.' And by 'objects,' he means women, men as well, objects in general. He accuses Brando of influencing generations of idolizing that part of Man which does the world a disservice by emulating those aspects which are exploitative, violent & insensitive to women & family. And Wallace is nobody to be dismissed lightly in his opinions. However, that's an interpretation which wasn't based on a much more objective look at the man & his life, as this doc shows. This is a beautiful film which is decades overdue. Featuring recordings made by Brando for just such a doc after his death. Ignoring such details like how he bought an island & bred lobsters there so he could eat them which ended up destroying the entire underwater ecosystem of that island, but instead, focusing on the more human encounters of his life, in the film business as well as his personal life. It's an amazing accomplishment actually, & a film any fan of his should enjoy a lot.

 

More of my favorite Docs

 

GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY & THE PRISON OF BELIEF

PROPHET'S PREY

A BRAVE HEART: THE LIZZIE VELASQUEZ STORY

HE NAMED ME MALALA

WINTER ON FIRE

MERU

CARTEL LAND

(T)ERROR

THE SALT OF THE EARTH

THE WOLFPACK

BACK IN TIME

RED ARMY

BEST OF ENEMIES

THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN LIVES

DEEP WEB

This list is in order

 

WORLD OF TOMORROW

Despite its 17-minute run time, this is my 2nd favorite animated film of the year (after ANOMALISA). This short, which is nominated for an Oscar for best animated short, is so entertaining & dense with ideas it's amazing. Seriously, it's mind-blowing. And of course the style & tone is classic Hertzfeldt. This is his first digitally animated film. This used to be on YouTube, but it's been taken down. So you'll have to download it. I've watched it about 10 times at the moment of this publication. In fact, I've watched this film more times than any other film on this list. Maybe I should have named this my favorite film of the year! LOL, that would be funny. Maybe it really is though. From Don Hertzfeldt, the animator of the 2000 Oscar-nominated short REJECTED, 2006's EVERYTHING WILL BE OK, 2005's THE MEANING OF LIFE & 1998's BILLY'S BALLOON as well as many others. As you can see, I'm a HUGE fan of the man.

INSIDE OUT

This Pixar film is my favorite of theirs since 2008's WALL-E. Though I like this only about 5% more than 2009's UP but since Pete Doctor came 'up' with both of those, what difference does it make. A film which literally manipulates your emotions, INSIDE OUT is a wonderful and poignant film. I connected so much to 'Sadness' changing once 'Joyful' emotions to unhappy ones, it's spot-on how the filmmakers were able to accomplish this. And such a sophisticated subject for a 'children's film' not only must have been challenging to realize, it's a revelation how it was visualized. This is kind of an evolution in animated entertainment in terms of subject matter as well as execution. One of the very best animated films which delivers for both children as well as adults I've ever seen. The English voice acting is also great. The characters in her mother’s head are all female & the ones in her father’s head are all male. But Riley’s are mixed. Does that mean she’s questioning her gender or sexuality? It’s a fascinating question to ponder & adds more layers to this already complex story.

THE LITTLE PRINCE

Director Mark Osborne (of 2008's KUNG FU PANDA fame) directed a pretty good adaptation of one of everyone's favorite books - the first time it's been animated. And it may never be again. This version is pretty definitive. With a top-notch voice-acting ensemble, which you can see on the poster. It uses a great blend of animation styles, including stop-motion, which I love. The story has been expanded here & indeed needed to be to fill 108 minutes. But it's also very faithful to the book. That said, there are completely new characters & themes in this film which the 'die-hard' conservative lover of the novel might not appreciate. I simply took this as more to love since it addresses the modern sensibilities of today's audiences. So if you're open-minded & don't mind 're-interpretations' of your beloved childhood literary memories, & you like animated films, this one shouldn't disappoint.

SONG OF THE SEA

Tomm Moore is quickly becoming one of my favorite animators working today. His Oscar-nominated 2009 debut THE SECRET OF KELLS is amazing & a must-see if you like animated films, at all. Like even if you're a grown man & watch it alone on a Saturday morning in your pajamas kind of thing (does anyone else still do that?). And the same is true of this new one. Or maybe watch it at night, since one critic said of the film, 'every scene feels like a warm hug at bedtime.' I love that.  SONG OF THE SEA is his 2nd feature film which he's done himself & it's equally as great as KELLS. His new films brings to life some Irish & Scottish legends of Celtic lore involving people who can transform into seals. Because seals are cool & who wouldn't want to do that? But this film isn't all 'feel-goody.' There are some really heart-wrenching moments & the theme of human love of seal-folk is used as a metaphor for grief because sometimes the two worlds need to leave the other behind. This is a film for the whole family & if you're an adult, that child asleep inside of you will awaken while you experience this magical fantasia, whether you like it or not, to remind you of the emotional advantages of watching films like this more often.

BOY AND THE WORLD

A beautiful Brazilian film about a young boy's journey into the world. This Oscar-nominated film is a cautionary tale of globalization & the dangers of the massification of the economy, of the mind & of the soul. This is director Alê Abreu's 2nd feature film. Everything you see was hand drawn by the director himself. All the dialogue is an imaginary language, backwards Portuguese actually, which was done to signify that the visuals & soundtrack are enough to carry the story. The result is one of the most original, inspiring & authentic films of the year of any genre. This is a music-driven childhood dream splashed across the screen by a single man's undefeatable hope. It's a thought-provoking spell of a coloring book come to life. This film is an absolute treasure & a timeless work of art for the ages.