20. Steve Jobs
Steve
Jobs is an impressive feat; it might not fulfill tech geeks' desires to
see more of the machines, but it certainly makes the man behind Apple a
fascinatingly flawed character who is tricky to love, but very easy to
watch.
19. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
A very sweet film about the joy of film making, and the utter shittiness of cancer.
18. Birdman
Unlike the superhero movies it rails against,
Birdman is super-smart and requires way more than one sitting to fully appreciate its
complexity.
17. Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
Mockingjay
Part 2 is a fittingly dark end to the Hunger Games franchise, not as
exciting perhaps as Catching Fire, but more politically charged.
16. The Martian
The curious case of the science fiction survival drama that keeps getting labelled a comedy. It might not be as technically groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it more than Gravity.
15. The Lobster
It loses its way a little in the second half, but for much of the
running time, The Lobster is an absurd and highly inventive gem.
14. Jurassic World
Whoever suggested the idea of setting the fourth film in the franchise at the park when it is now open to the public is a genius who needs a medal. Hugely entertaining, even with it's teeth-grinding sexism.
13. Suffragette
Suffragette is a
vital film, but feels like a strong start, rather than the definitive
suffragette movie. More films on this movement would be most welcome, and for
those dumb enough to think feminism is a dirty word; this is a timely reminder of its
fundamental potential.
12. Testament of Youth
Alicia Vikander delivers a heart-breaking
performance as Vera Brittain. From driven young woman to tragic heroine to fierce pacifist,
Brittain endures incredible hardship and Vikander never puts a foot wrong even
with the camera clamped to frequent close ups on her face.
11. Monsters: Dark Continent
While its running time could have been trimmed slightly, Monsters: Dark Continent is thought provoking stuff. More Deer Hunter than Aliens, this is a heartfelt, angry film about the tragedy of ongoing modern warfare.
10. A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night features a wonderful cultural mishmash of music, arthouse and genre elements. It certainly marks Amirpour as a deliciously talented director to watch
out for. Just hope that her take on the vampire lives on far longer than
those (un)bloody Twilight movies.
9. Red Army
Red Army exposes the strengths and the flaws of both capitalism and
communism, all the while telling the deeply personal stories of some
hockey legends. It is an absolutely fascinating documentary; heartfelt,
hilarious and poignant. Charting the history of the Cold War and the
rise and fall of the Red Army hockey team makes for a perfect
combination of the personal and the political. Very proud to be quoted in the trailer for this film.
8. Coherence
A little-seen gem. Sci-fi head-scratcher that starts off like a quiet little indie, but then goes to some brilliantly bonkers alternate reality places. I probably over-hyped this for anyone I spoke to about it, so all I'll say now is that I highly recommend it.
7. Ex Machina
Compelling, claustrophobic, cutting edge and clever, Ex Machina is as smart and satisfying as science fiction gets. Here's my interview with director Alex Garland.
6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Everything it should have been. Everything the prequels weren't. Everything the original trilogy promised. Exceeded my expectations, and that's f**king impressive. I wrote about The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back here.
5. Wild Tales
4. Amy
For admirers of the singer, Amy is a definitive documentary chronicling
the highs and lows of her short career. For everyone else, it is a
chance to get to know the troubled woman behind the talent that was
taken far too soon.
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
Strap in, say goodbye to your fingernails and prepare for a white
knuckle ride of epic proportions. Mad Max Fury Road is everything and
more that you could hope for from an action film, and you'll be
left shaken from its incredible levels of vehicular mayhem. Director
George Miller may have taken twenty years to get this to the screen but
his efforts have paid off with a film that rushes by in a breathless
barrage of explosions and insane stunts. Check out my breakdown of the first scene where we meet Furiosa. Also, here's a Q&A with director George Miller.
2. Inside Out
If you’ve ever wondered what’s going on inside someone’s head, Pixar
have created a wonderfully inventive answer in Inside Out. Back at the
absolute top of their game, Pixar’s latest is fresh, funny and
positively bursting with emotions from joy to sadness. With its perfect blend of high concept idea with intimate themes, Inside Out is a new peak for Pixar. Bring tissues.
1. White God
It's the
dawn of the planet of the dogs in this exceptional Hungarian film from
director Kornél Mundruczó. Featuring a cast of hundreds of canines and
some striking imagery of the beasts unleashed and taking to the city
streets, it effortlessly blends powerful and emotional social realism
with an ultimately hilarious dog apocalypse. Furiously entertaining with a perfect ending, White God is like 280 Dogs Later; an underdog story with some serious bite. Check out my interview with the director and writer here.
What do you think? What was your favourite film of the year? Have I tempted you to see anything on this list? Please comment below or let me know on Twitter @ilovethatfilm And don't forget to share this with all your friends, imaginary or otherwise. RIP Bing Bong.
