My Top 5 Favourite Films of 2015

It's been quite a year at the cinema - Box Office records were smashed not once, but twice (by Dinosaurs, and then by an awakening of The Force); no less than 5 spy movies infiltrated the big screen; and there were the usual high-profile flops, disappointments and some surprise hits.  I've enjoyed a lot of films this year, so picking the five that make my list hasn't been easy - there are many I could have included so here are some honourable mentions of films that were still great, but didn't make my final list:

Birdman - Big Hero 6 - Avengers Age of Ultron - Jurassic World - Ant-Man - Mission Impossible Rogue Nation - Macbeth - Sicario - The Martian - Star Wars The Force Awakens

So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my five favourite films of 2015...

Mad Max Fury Road

The blockbuster of the year without doubt, top of many 'Films of the Year' lists, this was a visceral, thrilling and quite frankly astonishing movie that was a tremendous viewing experience.  You can read my thoughts on this truly phenomenal film here.

Whiplash

Featuring one of the year's best performances (if not THE best) from JK Simmons, this superb drama was gripping and exhilarating.  You don't need to like Jazz to appreciate the performances, or the amazing drumming, that provided one of the year's most memorable set-pieces.  My full review is here.

Inside Out

Pixar returned to form with this, a film as inventive, funny, charming, heart-warming, and even occasionally heart-breaking as their best work. CGI toons continued to be big business this year, and this film cemented why no one else can come close to Pixar; their films talk to kids (but never talk down to them), but also to their parents, in often quite emotional ways.  Here's my review from this summer.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

I didn't manage to write a review of this as I caught it just at the end of its run in cinemas, but this film manage to pull off the tricky combination of being both genuinely hilarious at times, and quite moving at others - without being a tonal mess or nauseatingly mawkish.  It also has one of the best cameos of the year (I'll say no more, as it is a genuinely incredible surprise you won't see coming).

It Follows

My personal favourite of the year, as I love an intelligent horror movie that has something to say whilst it gets under my skin (so to speak).  Genuinely creepy, with almost unbearable tension at times, the film also has a great deal to say as a coming-of-age tale in the era of economic decline.  It successfully avoids the tropes that often ruin Horrors, with a strong ensemble of young leads who prove to be smart and capable.  It also has my favourite score of the year by electronic musician Disasterpeace (aka Rich Vreeland), one that simultaneously feels cutting-edge, and yet gives the film a feel that harkens to genre classics from the '80's.  If you like a horror film that will haunt your thoughts for some time afterwards, this was great - just read my review.


Well, that's it for 2015.  The forthcoming year promises more great cinema experiences, I'll share my thoughts on this blog.  Until then, thank you for reading my posts over the past year, I wish you all the best for 2016 - Happy New Year!