One great year, ten great films. Here they are.
10. SLOW WEST
An enjoyable and unassuming little film that brings vintage qualities of the Western to the fore. The story follows a young Scotsman and a Cowboy he hires as guide in a quest to find the love of his life (gone AWOL). Fasbender does a pretty good Bogart as likeable anti-hero, leading the adventure until its inevitable shootout. I was slightly distracted by the fact it was shot against our iconic landscape in Twizel, not quite the frontier I associate with, but otherwise enjoyed its meandering pace and cinematic nostalgia.
An enjoyable and unassuming little film that brings vintage qualities of the Western to the fore. The story follows a young Scotsman and a Cowboy he hires as guide in a quest to find the love of his life (gone AWOL). Fasbender does a pretty good Bogart as likeable anti-hero, leading the adventure until its inevitable shootout. I was slightly distracted by the fact it was shot against our iconic landscape in Twizel, not quite the frontier I associate with, but otherwise enjoyed its meandering pace and cinematic nostalgia.
9. IT FOLLOWS
Another tribute pick to old-school cinema, It Follows is an 80's style horror film worthy of any era. It could've been made by John Carpenter himself with its supernatural setup, electronic score and general mastery but actually goes beyond this playing on genre tropes with glee. Wish more were made like this!
8. THE DARK HORSE
Cliff Curtis returns home as former chess champion Genesis Potini in an uplifting yarn that delivers more than you might expect. Based on a true story, the film is full of self belief in production and performance and excels because of it. The kids are especially good but the whole thing is great and will please most crowds.
Danny Boyle and Aaron Sorkin team up in the second Fasbender vehicle on this list about the late technological visionary Steve Jobs. I really appreciated the narrative invention with this one which tells its whole story across three different moments (all product launches) in his life. It was a really interesting way of showing the relationship between him, his products, friends and family, at emotionally heightened times. The scene between Jobs and Sculley (Jeff Daniels) halfway through is where the film peaks for me. Fantastic filmmaking.
6. STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
I was sceptical about the merits of this film but went to see it because of positive reviews and was glad that I did. It could have easily been a lazy and conventional money spinner but through ambition (much like that of the group itself) achieves more. The performances by the ensemble are thoroughly convincing, especially with the musical side of things, but the story itself just has a bit of everything and F Gary Gray executes the moments he needs to with aplomb. An educational experience as well about an artform deserving of appreciation.
5. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
After the disappointment of the prequels, there was a lot of pressure on JJ Abrams to deliver with this one and deliver he did! The Force really does awaken in this seventh installment, moving at light speed to once again capture imagination and thrill. It's exciting, fun and just has so much positive energy and enthusiasm, especially through the next generation cast. I've enough objectivity to concede it's not a perfect film, but in the context of the saga itself, as fans, we couldn't have asked for more. Bring on Episode VIII and Skywalker!
4. THE LOOK OF SILENCE
Joseph Oppenheimer's follow-up to the Act of Killing is another harrowing watch that this time focuses on the family of a victim that was murdered in the Indonesian killings of the 60's. This feels a more personal account as the brother of a victim poses as journalist interviewing the perpetrators of those crimes. It was a study about the loss of humanity for me and bears scars on both sides for all to see.
3. MAD MAX FURY ROAD
Joseph Oppenheimer's follow-up to the Act of Killing is another harrowing watch that this time focuses on the family of a victim that was murdered in the Indonesian killings of the 60's. This feels a more personal account as the brother of a victim poses as journalist interviewing the perpetrators of those crimes. It was a study about the loss of humanity for me and bears scars on both sides for all to see.
3. MAD MAX FURY ROAD
You could tell from its early trailers this was going to be an instant cult classic and so it has become. In Mad Max Fury Road we were given the adrenaline junkie spectacle of the year. From its hyper-kinetic opening scene we are treated to a melee of action, stuntwork and grandiose visuals. The pace of the film is relentless and the dystopian world is beautifully harsh and raw. Charlise Theron's Furiosa steals the show from the title character which actually works to the benefit of the film giving it more than a touch of gravitas. Memorably unique, this film is an antipodean gem. Has to be seen!
2. SICARIO
If there is one film I've talked about with people more than any other this year, it's Sicario. Hollywood action thrillers have had a certain look and feel since the success of the Bourne films. The recycled formula has resulted in a dull standard in the genre with few worthy of mention in the last 5 years. Sicario doesn't necessarily deviate far from this formula but is streaks ahead in quality. My god it's a good film. How so? For me it comes down to two things (though more could easily be cited). The first of those things is the film's management of tension. We are invested in a protagonist (Emily Blunt as idealistic FBI agent) who finds herself in a hostile environment (drug cartel strongholds at border between the US and Mexico) in a situation full of unknowns. An unknown mission with an unknown team full of unknown characters who have unknown motives. The further involved she becomes, the more precarious it gets by the information we learn, strategically teased out to us. It's one of those things that just keeps building and building until by the end, your hands are almost covering your eyes, praying for relief. Brilliant.
The second thing the film has going for it is Benicio Del Toro. Every thriller needs one, and he is it for Sicario. The Ultimate Badass, with a capital "U" and "B". Del Toro owns in this film. He starts off quiet and mysterious but soon commands the narrative from scene to scene, without remorse. And he plays it so well. With few words and an economy of action he is calm, collected, precise and direct. Without going into too much detail he basically makes Liam Neeson from Taken look like Tinkerbell. He rules and so does this film. See it!
1. WHIPLASH
So here we are at my favourite film in 2015 and it is Whiplash, the first film I think I actually saw this year! Whiplash is an intense and loud film that tells the story of an aspiring young drummer (played by Miles Teller) who enrols in the most prestigious music school in the US. His teacher (played by JK Simmons) is somewhat demanding (understatement) and the core of the film is the relationship between the two.
I've always appreciated films that showcase real musical talent and the first thing that struck me with this was how good they were. The musicians are excellent and Teller himself does exceptionally well on drums as lead. The Director is also obviously a fan as he allows the band to play, cutting on cue where appropriate, and incorporates the music (one tune in particular) as an integral part of the plot. It all works to add another active sense and layer to the film, making it all the more immersive.
Then there's the acting talent, and again it is fantastic. Teller shows great commitment to his physically and emotionally exhausting role, but most people will remember the performance of JK Simmons as the relentless teacher. It is dynamically played, soft and sincere one moment, menacing the next. His is the search to find the next God of Jazz (e.g. Charlie Parker whom he idolises in the film) and sees himself as the instigator from which the next musical messiah will return. Completely unapologetic in his method, he pushes Teller and othes to the limit and back again, much to our entertainment. He is a force to say the least and the accolades the actor has collected for his efforts are much deserved.
Somewhat overshadowed by JK Simmons performance, the Director (Damien Chazelle) I think also deserves credit, especially given the fact it's his debut feature. For me he gets everything right. Extracting the performances, acquiring the right look and feel, managing the pace of the film, everything is in sync. When you add to this the fact that it was shot in 19 days or something ridiculous like that, you can only be impressed.
But in saying all this, the main reason I like this film is quite simply because it's just a good story. One that covers ambition and aspiration, struggle, pain, determination, turmoil and ends with a great payoff. You can have all the technique and trickery in the world, but ultimately people (like me) just enjoy good stories, and it's why this film works so well and is top of the bunch for 2015.
