As we draw near the end of the decade, I’ve been looking back at the past ten years of cinema and gathering my thoughts on each film released within each of them. In the leadup to my Best Films of the 2010’s list, I will also be sharing a Top 10 for every year this decade that I didn’t get a chance to before starting this blog. So here are my top 10 films of 2015!
2010|2011|2012|2013|2014|2015|2016|2017|2018|2019
Honorable Mentions: Carol, Anomalisa, Room, Beasts of No Nation, Creed
In a reversal of fate from both 2014 and 2016, this year really has a dearth of films I truly love beyond the Top 10 (hell, even the top 7-8). That’s not to say these are all bad movies (far from it); I simply didn’t connect with them like I did films in other years. I respect the hell out of all these movies even if none of them will make my Top 100 Films of the 2010’s at the end of the year.
10. The Revenant
It’s funny, but for a film that was once an awards frontrunner and earned one of the finest working actors (Leo DiCaprio) his first Oscar, the conversation sure faded fast on The Revenant. Even if it hasn’t had the lasting cultural impact its awards run suggested, it is still a powerful experience and impressive feat of filmmaking. It’s a relic of the waning days of an era in cinema: the immersive period piece, the film that seeks to put you in the character’s shoes so that we the audience experience every single thing he does: the cold, the fright, the near-death experiences. It isn’t the easiest film to rewatch, but it will always stick with me for better or worse. That bear scene alone is worthy of praise and a microcosm of the film’s commitment to stark, brutal realism.
9. Spotlight
I’ve written at length about my problems with the Best Picture-winning Spotlight, but I still respect it for what it is: an exhaustively-accurate depiction of the issues journalists face in breaking important stories to the public. It’s especially important in the social media “hot-take” era for people to understand just how important responsible reporting is to instigate change in the world. It manages to take largely-dry subject matter and make it compelling viewing material in a way that hasn’t been seen in cinema since All the President’s Men. It may not be the most compelling piece of cinema to look at, but it’s fascinating in the way it leaves no stone unturned in its examination of one of the most impressive feats of publishing ever seen (and perhaps ever to be seen again).
8. The Martian
The finest celebration of science this decade has seen in film. Matt Damon’s stranded-astronaut performance is the best he’s given all decade, and for a film that could’ve been oppressively bleak and desperate, he brings a surprising amount of humor and initiative to the role. The script is surprisingly faithful to the novel it’s based on, which is especially impressive to see given how dry and procedural the events of the story are. It’s a testament to great writing (from Drew Goddard, who appears elsewhere on my list) that it is still a fascinating ride while hampered by pragmatism. There are a few questionable casting choices (Kristen Wiig and Donald Glover are particularly weak), but otherwise this is a fun and gripping journey across the board.
7. Inside Out
I’m not big on animation or children’s films, and despite seeing this film appear on several Best of the Decade lists, I remained skeptical going into my first watch a few months ago. Boy, was I wrong! This is easily one of the most mature and inventive films Pixar has ever made…endlessly creative with fresh sequences that feel both familiar and wholly unique to the premise. It’s an incredibly emotional and affecting journey with a nuanced perspective on growing up not often seen in children’s films. It teaches kids – no, teaches us ALL – that it’s okay to be sad, which is sometimes better than feeling nothing at all. Couple that with clever, consistent humor and some brilliant sequences unique to the concept and this is a special film.
6. Sicario
Screenwriter Taylor Sheridan burst onto the scene with this little number in 2015, and so too does he burst onto this list for the first time (but certainly not the last). This is one of those projects where the stars simply aligned for both cast and crew: a phenomenal camera team (director Denis Villeneuve and cinematographer Roger Deakins) and stellar cast (Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin and others) join the strong script to add up to quite the immersive experience. The Mexican border drama is a thrill ride from beginning to end, even when there isn’t explosive action happening (which definitely does at times), thanks to fantastic tension-building and compelling characters that carry the themes perfectly. Even if the sequel was an abomination, this was definitely an entertaining ride that took an even-handed approach to the border crisis – an approach you don’t see all too often in Hollywood.
5. Mad Max: Fury Road
If you could only give me one action extravaganza from this decade to watch for the rest of my life, you can keep your superhero epics…I’ll take Mad Max, the wildest and most daring action flick of the century. Australians are a different breed, man, and I dunno how they got these daredevils to sign up for such death-defying stunts for the sake of the film. But it’s all the better for it; you can tell the film was done with nearly all practical effects, and no amount of CGI can replace that dedication to giving the audience a good time. I’ve forgotten most of the characters and plot points of the film by now, but those spectacular action sequences are burned into my brain for life and may not be replaced again…at least until some other Aussie gets the money and the thrill-seekers required to replicate such nonsense for our viewing pleasure.
4. The Lobster
Yorgos Lanthimos is one of the weirdest directors of this decade, but somehow there is still something universally appealing in his films that I can’t quite pinpoint. This film features one of his wildest plot points yet – an alternate universe where you have thirty days to find a romantic partner or you are transformed into an animal – and yet its commentary on companionship and relationships make it a grounded and realistic tale. It questions how far we are willing to go to partner up in a society so driven by partnership, even when you struggle to find that perfect match. Is it worthwhile to change yourself to fit the needs and shortcomings of a prospective mate? Or should we just transform into the proverbial lobster, existing apart from society and subsisting in our own pleasures and vices? A fantastic metaphor for an anxiety many of us share, and a magnificent reprobation on the prohibitive social structures that preclude single folks from enjoying the same privileges as our paired-up compatriots.
3. Ex Machina
Sci-fi is one of my favorite genres because there is so much you can do with it. You can go big-budget action extravaganza like Star Wars, or contemplative with strong visuals like Blade Runner, or you can go small like this film, using technology not as a flashy calling card but a means to explore humanity. This could have easily been a Black Mirror episode, but I am grateful we got the feature-length treatment for this story, giving us time to flesh out a proper mystery plot and get to know our central characters in-depth. With basically just three actors (Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson and Alicia Vikander) and one location, I’m amazed at how taut and thrilling this story was, asking questions about what it means to be sentient and what the proper relationship between humans and their AI creations ought to be. I only wish this film had drawn more attention when it was released, because it represents everything good about what sci-fi brings to the table.
2. The End of the Tour
I bought David Foster Wallace’s seminal novel Infinite Jest several years ago, attempted to read it three times (never making it past page 100), then gave up and put it on my bookshelf where it’s been accumulating dust ever since. He is one of the most critically-acclaimed writers of the past 30 years or so, despite this being his only majorly-known work and it being such a dense and cryptic work. This wonderful little film follows the true story of a Rolling Stone journalist (Jesse Eisenberg) who travels with Wallace (Jason Segel) for several weeks on his book tour to pick his brain and learn how he created such a massively-successful work. The social dynamics contained within their relationship are deceptively complex, encompassing themes of jealousy, hesitance to reveal too much of oneself, the complications of subject-writer interplay, and friendship. I was fascinated at every turn despite a slow and plodding pace, thanks to the strong characters and powerful emotional payoffs. It almost made me want to pick up Infinite Jest again and give it another shot! (Almost.)
1. The Big Short
Of all the films that top my Best-of-the-Year lists this decade, The Big Short is by far the most flawed. I still have issues with the film’s editing and direction, despite a very strong script and killer acting to back it up. But I must have rewatched this at least ten times after initially writing it off…always an easy film to put on in the background and drink in for its surface-level entertainment value. And the fact that a film with such dense information jammed in can have such entertainment value in the first place? Nothing short of miraculous. While I do often decry films that treat the audience like children, sometimes it is correct to hand-hold and explain things in simplistic terms, as this film does with the financial crisis to help everyday people understand it. Adam McKay is a filmmaker who wants to spur his audiences into action, and while we can split hairs about how commendable or effective that is, he does a fantastic job of it here with such unapproachable material.
Thanks for reading! Check back soon as I fill out the rest of the decade with my Top 10 lists this month, leading up to my Top 100 Films of the Decade ranking! Check out the home page for more Top 10’s, reviews, and film musings…I’m willing to bet you’ll find something you like!
-Austin Daniel
Scriptophile 