2015 had a lot of great movies, with Sci-Fi and Fandom-driven films in particular making an impact. As usual it was difficult to choose, but here are my top 5 films of the newly-departed 2015, in ascending order and based on Australian release date so I can cheat again.
2015 was a fantastic year for sci-fi, and The Martian is Ridley Scott’s beautiful return to cinematic-form. Andy Weir’s book of the same name may appear dry to some, but was exactly the nerdy-inoculation I needed to get through the year, and the film itself was one of the best adaptations I’ve seen in a long time. For something that could have turned into a contrived emotional journey, Scott kept The Martian true to itself with Mark Watney’s pessimistic humour that made the book so equally enjoyable, a reserved use of technology that keeps the film grounded, and a drive to rescue the most isolated man in the universe.
Having seen first-hand the effects of dementia, Still Alice was a difficult-to-watch but completely on point representation of the horrifically sudden downfall experienced by dementia sufferers. It’s not a perfect film, it has some character issues and at times it resorts to heavy-handed film-making tactics, but any problems are completely outweighed by Julianne Moore’s brutally honest depiction of a person literally losing themselves.
Okay, so it’s kind of unfair for me to clump two documentaries together on a so-called Top 5 list, but not only were these two the best documentaries offered up during the year, they also would work surprisingly well as a double-feature. Citizenfour follows Edward Snowden - a network-administrator now wanted for acts of espionage - as he unveils the shocking revelations that the NSA had been collecting personal data from all U.S citizens. What makes Citizenfour so unique is that Snowden is revealing the information directly to filmmaker Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald, with the film itself acting as a pseudo-journal of the events. The film had a controversial release and all involved are supposedly still under the close watch of the U.S government, but it remains a thoroughly-well executed, harrowing glimpse at the ‘connected’ world we now inhabit. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief could almost be considered a propaganda piece against the Church of Scientology, however with the help of ex-scientologists and Alex Gibney’s unflinching attention to detail, the film reveals a horrifically-bleak, sadistic side of The Church that had not been completely pieced together in similar pervious attempts. Individually, these films are astoundingly informative, together they open our eyes on some pretty disturbing truths.
It takes a huge amount to get an animated film, or a kids film, or a Disney film to gain my respect but with predictable success, Pixar has done it again. Inside Out offers a unique view of the roles emotions play at different stages of life, and subtly encourages some cranial-gazing into our own mental health states. Pixar manages to deliver something for all ages here, perhaps more successfully than ever. What we get is a hugely entertaining, beautiful, funny and touching film that is at heart about the swift, uncompromising nature of a descent into depression, and how there’s always hope in fighting your way out of it. Inside Out is the emotional roller-coaster ride of the year and a must see film.
Mad Max: Fury Road was the revelation of the year for me. Since Fury Road’s release way back in May, I’ve found myself repeatedly diving eagerly into its cacophonous world of orange hues, travelling desert symphonies and operatic allegories. Five times I’ve found myself staring down the supercharger of the war-rig and basking in the vindictiveness of Furiosa. The quirks, the choreography, the total devotion to post-apocalyptica. It’s all there and it gets more enjoyable every single time. After a thirty year hiatus, Fury Road is probably the most successful ‘revisiting’ to a classic/cult series, both in terms of approach and post-release acclaim. Miller continues the path set by The Road Warrior and elevates Max (and the world he inhabits) into mythology. Have no doubt about it, Fury Road is not only my top film of the year, it’s also the best action film of the decade thus far; probably since at least The Dark Knight.
Honourable Mentions:
The Force Awakens: The latest Star Wars felt like an emotional tribute to the original trilogy that didn’t just rely on obvious fan-service.
Ex Machina: This was a surprisingly uncomfortable film to watch, a cinematic uncanny-valley. With unique CGI and a sadistic performance from Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina will keep you thinking long afterwards.
Bridge of Spies: The latest Spielberg/Hanks collaboration marks a strong return to the classic espionage genre and brings unashamed humanity to a story that could have otherwise been extremely dry.
Last Cab to Darwin: A fantastic little Australian film, Last Cab is not only Michael Caton’s best performance, it also has a good crack at reinvigorating the euthanasia debate.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: Whilst a lot of this extremely self-conscious film plays out a little too much like another teenage melodrama, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl has a lot of heart. Plus, gotta love a few dodgy film parodies!
No comments:
Post a Comment