Hello GoodTrashers! Welcome to the inaugural edition of our brand new series Finding The Good Trash. No matter how much we all love movies, there’s always going to be be bits of good trash genre that slide through the cracks. Here at GoodTrash Media, we consider ourselves pop culture consuming warriors fighting in the name of the genre films nobody will remember. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, Finding The Good Trash is just an excuse for us to sift through the garbage to find the jewels so that you don’t have to! Caleb kicks things off by looking back at the year that was to pick the best 2015 film you probably missed.
Let’s face it, we’ve entered into the January doldrums at the theater and we’ve already seen all of the dino-superhero space operas big budget Hollywood could muster up last year. Despite the fact that last year was an undeniable nostalgia trip through Hollywood blockbuster history, we still scored a hand full of bonafide classics. Many of 2015’s best flicks didn’t gross a fortune nor will they ever receive any awards, but that doesn’t mean their story isn’t worth checking out.
Here are a few bits of grade-A genre filmmaking you probably missed in 2015.
Predestination
This sleeper sci-fi hit exemplifies the heart of GoodTrash thanks to its enduring theme of identity in the midst of a truly mind bending time-travel tale starring Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook. Due to its festival run in 2014 and straight to DVD release in early 2015, it was robbed of any real online buzz. This is a must see for fans of cerebral sci-fi films.
Else It If You Like
Twelve Monkeys (1995)
The Prestige (2006)
Sicario
Denis Villeneuve delivers an exceptional follow up to 2013’s Prisoners by taking on the entirely different animal of the US drug war against the cartels. It’s a painful if a bit over the top look at cycles of violence perpetuated by US foreign policy starring the killer cast made up of Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro. It may not be my favorite, but still makes for an essential viewing from 2015.
Watch It If You Like
Traffic (2000)
Savages (2012)
The Final Girls
We’ve seen meta-horror done flawlessly time and time again from modern classics like Scream, Behind the Mask, and Cabin in The Woods. The Final Girls continues the tradition with a bit of a twist from the school of Big Bang Theory and New Girl. Its lighter tone makes it less of a criticism and more of a love letter to the slasher genre which means there’s more fun for all. If you’re looking for a bit of analysis to chew on, look no further than the film’s demolition of the bechdel test. This is a delightful tribute to the horror genre that no self respecting horror fan will want to miss.
Watch If You Like
Tucker and Dale Vs Evil (2010)
Scream (1996)
Beasts of No Nation
It’s not exactly “Good Trash” as much as it’s great film, but Cary Fukunaga’s first major project after True Detective is something special that’s not to be missed. Beasts of No Nation was a passion project that had been in the works for six years before finally getting the go ahead from Netflix and the result was an astounding exploration of the child soliders fighting in wore torn African countries. It’s one of the most demoralizing and honest stories you’ll see all year. He may not have cancelled the apocalypse, but Idris Elba delivered one of the most underrated performances of 2015.
Watch If You Like
Luthor (BBC TV Series)
Bashing on “Kony 2012” references
The End of the Tour
If you were to name the most successful writers of the 90s, David Foster Wallace would be at the top of the list. The End of The Tour dramatizes the few days journalist David Lipsky and Wallace spent together at the tail end of Wallace’s book tour for Infinite Jest. It’s strong walk and talk between Eisenberg and Jason Segal exploring some of GoodTrash’s favorite pet peeves including American consumerism, the commodification of pop culture and the existential crisis the youth culture of the time faced as they grew into adulthood.
Watch If You Like
Waking Life (2001)
The Social Network (2010)
The Stanford Prison Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment is a drama reenacting the controversial 1971 psychological test pitting college aged men against each other as they simulated a prison in the halls of the Stanford University. The volunteers are randomly divided into the role of prisoner or guard. The horrors that unfold are a fascinating examination of the nature of control, authority figures, and fascist governments. It’s one of the most psychological film to arrive in 2015 and is an absolute must see.
Watch If You Like
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Requim For a Dream (2000)
Those are Caleb’s picks for the best 2015 films you probably missed, but perhaps he overlooked a few gems? What were some of your underrated films from 2015? Sound off in the comments to let us know your picks for Finding The Good Trash.
Caleb Masters is a lifelong film and pop culture enthusiast with more than 10 years of experience in writing, podcasting, and content creation. When he’s not running The Cinematropolis or hosting The Cinematic Schematic podcast, Masters hosts The Cast Beyond the Wall, a House of the Dragon podcast, and serves as an active member of the Oklahoma Film Critic’s Circle where he currently serves as Vice President. He also loves video games. Follow him @CMastersTalk on Letterboxd, Instagram, or X.
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