Well friends, 2016 has arrived; a time for resolutions and renewal. It is also the time for Top Ten and Best of lists galore! Thus, my reason for writing today. I’m going to be walking you through my Top Ten Films of 2015. I’m not going to lie, 2015 was a great year for movies; from wonderful blockbusters such as George Millers’ Mad Max: Fury Road to strong independent works a la Brooklyn. Trying to nail down ten films from this year has been tough, and my list has been in a constant state of flux. In all honesty, I could cycle my top twenty through my top ten and every incarnation of the list would be a selection of standout films. But enough gab, it’s time to get to the countdown. There are a few notable films that you might expect to see that I just didn’t get a chance to see due to living in Oklahoma. I would highly suspect that Carol and The Revenant would have made this list had I the opportunity to watch them before 2016 kicked off.

I want to just kick things off by mentioning a couple of honorable nominations that almost made the cut.

Honorable Mentions:

Slow West: A western that feels heavily influenced by Wes Anderson and Terrence Malick starring Michael Fassbender. The narrative builds well and leads to a powerful, engaging climax.

The Gift: A taut, well designed thriller that also serves as Joel Edgerton’s feature film directorial debut. Edgerton and Bateman also put together strong performances to drive the story home.

And without further ado:

The Top Ten Films of 2015:

10. Phoenix

The international drama, hailing from Germany, is the story of Nelly who is a Holocaust survivor who must undergo facial reconstruction before returning to a normal home life. After
returning home, Nelly tries to reconnect with her husband who doesn’t recognize her; he believe her to be dead, yet it doesn’t stop him from coming up with a questionable idea for Nelly. Phoenix does so much right, and Christian Petzold’s direction has a lot to do with it. Phoenix is a strong take on Hitchcock’s masterpiece Vertigo. However, whereas the master of suspense kept us on the edge of our seat, Petzold develops a very emotional, very human story about survival and rebirth. The ending sequence is arguably one of the best scenes from any movie this year.

9. Trainwreck

While 2015 was a strong year for movies, it also felt like a great year for women in movies. From Rey in The Force Awakens, to Emily Blunt’s Kate in Sicario, to the queen of 2015, Imperator Furiosa of Mad Max: Fury Road. Women have been on fire this year, and Trainwreck star Amy Schumer is no different. Trainwreck is a wonderful comedy that soars on the chemistry between Schumer and Bill Hader. It thrives on its writing which keeps us laughing from beginning to end. I think it is also safe to say that this is Judd Apatow’s best work in a long time; and while he is often criticized for running his movies a little long; I don’t think that hinders Trainwreck. I have one major criticism regarding Trainwreck and that is the ending of the film which I feel erases any effort the movie made in trying to subvert the classic Rom-Com style. Had it not been for that ending, this would have been a little higher on the list.

8. It Follows

Speaking of subversion, that brings us to the number eight spot and It Follows. This little horror film which debuted early in the year had a strong impact. The visual aesthetic, the soundtrack, the slow burn all of it works in the film’s favor as it builds up to its ambiguous ending. It also does a good job of playing with and discussing one of horror’s oldest tropes: sex kills. If you weren’t aware of it before, 1996’s Scream laid it all out in the open as Randy dissects the rules of the horror film; one of those rules being that the people who have sex are going to get killed. And that is the whole plot of It Follows as it takes that idea and runs with it. After the film first released, some argued that the film was a take on sexually transmitted diseases. But as the film had time to sit and stew, critics began to discuss it as a metaphor for time and mortality. It is a layered film that works in a lot of ways and it has stuck with me; that’s why it lands here on my list.

7. Brooklyn

John Crowley’s period drama is one of the most charming and endearing movies of the year. It slowly crept its way into my top ten. When I watched it, I was lost in its charm. A lot of that is due thanks to Saoirse Ronan’s performance. She has always been a delight to watch, but here she really knocks it out of the park as the homesick Irish girl trying to make a “better life” for herself. At first, I thought the movie was really good, but the more I think about it the more I really like it. It’s a beautiful story of love and trying to understand what home is while trying to be independent and living life. It is a lovely movie.

6. Mad Max: Fury Road

I don’t know that there is much left to be said about Miller’s masterpiece. It has been greatly praised by critics since its release. It features some great thematic work, wonderful performances, death defying stunts, practical effects like no other, and the best cinematography of the year. It is a beautiful, violent, frolicking good time of a picture. It is another movie that has grown on me the more that I’ve thought about it. And as the Oscar’s near, one has to wonder if this is truly the little movie that could.

5. Ex-Machina

Oscar Isaac deserves every bit of success that he earns. He is a great actor who has turned out one great performance after another. I remember first seeing him in Drive and then watched him blow my mind in Inside Llewlyn Davis. He’s great, and Ex-Machina is no different. It is a meaty, strong science fiction drama that does a lot of things right. Including casting, Alicia Vikander who is having a breakout year of her own. Throw in the up-and-coming Domnhall Gleason and you’ve got the ingredients for a great movie. A movie which feels large in scope but claustrophobic in tone. A movie that draws from Ridley Scott, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, and David Lynch and which features the most bizarre dance sequence of the year. It is a great sci-fi film, and a great film in general.

4. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

There are certain types of movies that are in my wheelhouse. Independent dramadies that double as coming-of-age stories are one of them. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is one of the sweetest, funniest, and most charming movies of the year. It features a strong central cast comprised of wonderful up-and-coming actors who are supported by the likes of Nick Offerman, Molly Shannon, and Jon Bernthal. It is a fantastic look at the drama and life of high school while also being a heavy handed love letter to independent and art house cinema. Fans of the Criterion Collection should get a kick out of this one, while those looking for an earnest story about being young and unsure of life will have something to champion.

3. What We Do in the Shadows

When I first saw the trailer for this, I thought it would be a bit amusing. After watching it, I fell in love with what is one of the best comedies of the last few years. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement reunite to put together this mockumentary love letter to the cinematic vampire. It is so smart and never overstays its welcome while introducing us to an extremely colorful cavalcade of characters. Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav each represent a different Vampire type. Their flat mate Petyr is a throwback to Nosferatu and is a hilarious inclusion in the film. There is a great level of absurdity and mundanity to the events that we are witnessing on screen and I think it is a fantastic entry into the comedy genre that is infinitely quotable and re-watchable.

2. Love and Mercy

I love listening to the Beach Boys. And even in the early 90s they were still culturally relevant for fans of Full House where the boys made a few appearances. I enjoyed the catchy, summer tunes of Surfer Girl and Sloop John B. Love and Mercy is the best musical biopic in ages and it goes in depth with Beach Boy Brian Wilson who had a very troubled life mired in tragedy. Notably, he was the son of an abusive father who doubled as the groups manager, one of his brothers passed away, he struggled with drugs, before having mental health issues as well. But Wilson is also one of the most musically gifted men to ever step in a studio. Love and Mercy does something great as it pinpoints to specific times in Wilson’s life and hones in there. First, it focuses on the time around which Wilson was developing the Pet Sounds album. It is then cross cut with the 1980s where Wilson is at a low point with the health issues but sees him falling for a new girl. In each of these periods, Wilson is portrayed by a different man. Paul Dano is the young Brian Wilson, and he does a phenomenal job as the troubled genius. In the 80s era, John Cusack takes over and delivers one of his strongest performances in a long time. Each era also has different aesthetic cues and ideas which help develop the narrative and tell the story visually. Love and Mercy is a beautiful film and sticks with you long after the credits have rolled.

1. Spotlight

Tom McCarthy’s spotlight is a love letter to journalism done right. A journalism that is on its death bed in this age of click bait and think pieces. This is a movie that we have needed for years and one that should inspire a new generation of journalists who actually care about the people they are reporting for. Spotlight is also a quietly perfect film. It isn’t flashy at all. There aren’t many visual flourishes, or a lot of Oscar highlight footage from the performers. Everything is so nuanced and subtle that you don’t even realize how great the masterpiece is. It just works on so many levels. It keeps getting compared to All the President’s Men and for me it may be a better movie that Hoffman and Redford’s classic. The material at the center of the film, the cover up by the Catholic Church, is a harrowing story in itself that will leave many stunned. But, the weight that it carries shows on each actor as their characters try to navigate these dangerous paths they have embarked on. There isn’t a more important film to come out this year than Spotlight and I urge everyone to go out and see it, or rent, or whatever you have to do to catch it.

Well, there you go friends. The top ten films of 2015, or as best as I could do. Like I said, I have about ten more titles that I could rotate into a top ten films list and it would look as strong or even better. I mean, for crying out loud, Inside Out and Sicario were both left off of this top ten films list. And like I said, Carol, The Revenant, and The Big Short could also make their way onto a top ten films list once they’ve reached Oklahoma. I want this top ten films list to be a guide for you readers, as to the movies that are coming out that you should check out. Our motto here at the GoodTrash Media Network is that the movies are more than 90 minutes and a bucket of popcorn. We are here to engage in the conversation these films are having with culture and the list I’ve presented to you is full of movies trying to kick off a dialogue with society. So, go check some of these out, and here’s to a wonderful 2016.

Thank you for reading, and remember that we would love to connect with you via:

Facebook, just like our page
Or Twitter, just follow us here

And as always, we would love to have you partner with us as a Patron, here.