I hope that my opinions are informed by a wider appreciation of film than personal preference. But since this is my page for regurgitating my thoughts, ultimately this is all subjective and personal. Hence, "favorite", not "best". xoxo
10. Crimson Peak. Not scary, as many may have wanted, this vision of Gothicism is both a bleeding romance and a tasteful ghost story. Out of place and time, the film manages to do several things surprisingly well, especially in its rich atmosphere and production design. Crimson Peak is a love-letter to the genre, rife with references, bursting with sexual passions and evil secrets, and darkly operatic in its emotional scope.
9. It Follows. Probably the closest thing I'll ever get to seeing the seedy B-horror movies of the '70s and '80s, this calculated and disturbing film is preposterous and absurd, but a natural extension of the horror felt by a society of sexual morality in the throes of adolescent hormones. A chilling look at the nature of modern horror through the lens of timelessness, It Follows does a rare thing in contemporary horror by earning your fear.
8. Steve Jobs. An opera of dialogue, this three-act drama mines the rich psyche of a man battling others and himself. Steve Jobs gives us a cautious tale of the cost of genius. It's a mesmerizing film, as infuriating and complex as it is theatrical and fun; its self-aggrandizing importance is hammered home in its intimate editing and camera style, which reduces it to a classy, taut chamber piece, musical in its verbosity, a masterclass in specificity as well as universality.
7. Carol. This film lives up to its groundbreaking source material. One of the first major mainstream romances that features a queer couple who actually live to see the end, which is also happy and affirming, Carol is a remarkable testament to how far we've come. Unfortunately, it also shows us how far we have yet to go, as apparently even the sumptuous production design, script, score, acting, editing, and camerawork were not enough to deserve a Best Picture nomination.
6. Spotlight. One of those surprising movies that comes along every couple of years that is both unbelievably good and startlingly important. Of course its source material is indisputably critical, all the more so because it is an ongoing crisis around the world. Where Spotlight is most worthy is in its attention to detail and exact characterizations, refusing to give in to anything salacious or lurid, and refusing to allow its team of unlikely heroes to be lionized. Because, as the film so starkly declares, we are all to blame for these tragedies.
5. Room. The understated surprise this year, Room is a strange answer for last year's Boyhood in that it accomplishes the rare feat of effectively showing the world through a child's eyes. As the child grows and learns more about his world, we mature and change with him. It's a sly conceptual feat, and one that perfectly directs the sights and sounds. A fierce and haunting vision of Plato's Cave, this is one of those movies that will change you almost as much as it changes your concept of what film can be.
4. Jurassic World. Nostalgic, vibrant, fresh, and intense, this movie is a everything I hoped for. For a sci-fi action adventure, it's got great acting, effects, and music. More importantly, it's got visuals that transcend its own genre, placing it alongside Prometheus as a rare big-budget summer flick that can expand and improve upon its premise and cater to the masses while simultaneously entering a realm of art and beauty. Plus, it's got dinosaurs.
3. Ex Machina. A modern masterpiece of science fiction, this quiet film loads us up with images and themes and then lets us make our own conclusions. Cold and calculated, Ex Machina shows us the vast scope of science fiction, both its optimistic beauty and its chaotic horror, while also daring us to question where the lines between god, man, and machine are actually drawn. Perhaps more subtle and poetic than scientific, the film nevertheless brings science fiction dangerously close to stark reality, which might be scarier than anything else we saw this year. It also has this moment, which I can't argue with...
2. Sicario. This year's severely underrated thriller that is almost too timely, Sicario presents us with horror as it exists in the real world. Both unflinchingly brave in what it shows us and brutally cruel in what it doesn't, the film takes on a war in which neither side can claim innocence. Its implication that the crisis is without a solution is all the more damning. It's a taut thriller, beautiful and haunting, that takes on an epic scale as it launches itself - and us with it - to the threshold of hell.
1. The Revenant. A violent, terrifying film that carries the weight of an epic. The story of a man's soul as it journeys from life to death and back again, filmed in much the same way. It's a perfect movie.
What do you think? Got any other favorites from this past year? Comment below and let's get talking!
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