Top 10 Movies of 2015

2015, what a year you have been. Today while sitting around the house, I thought about all of the great times I spent in the theater this year. Tons of great movies came out and it was such a prime time to start this website. Being that so many films came out, I had a ton of favorites that I absolutely loved. I then decided to sit down and write down my top ten films of the year. These may not necessarily be the best ratings wise. If you look to certain reviews, you will find these aren't in rating order. I ranked these movies in terms of how much I enjoyed them. There were some EXCELLENT movies this year that I just didn't necessarily love. So let's start with some honorable mentions:

Honorable Mention #1: Kingsman: The Secret Service- This action packed, new age, James Bond type flick absolutely floored me when I checked it out for the first time. I didn't have the opportunity to catch it in theaters, yet when I watched it on Blu-Ray, I was amazed. The action, the acting, and the absolute fun this film brought deems it to be mentioned honorably on this list.

Honorable Mention #2: Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation- Tom Cruise returned to the big screen this past summer in the fifth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. This was another great action filled roller coaster with Simon Pegg bringing a ton of laughs as well. Seeing this in a huge IMAX format made it even better. This film was one of the more fun films we received in the late summer and easily had to honorably mentioned.

Honorable Mention #3: The Visit- M. Night Shyamalan returned to form in this super fun thriller that hit theaters this past September. This film totally shocked me because of how good it really was and how well it balanced thrills and comedy. I left the theater super happy that one of Hollywood's best finally made a film worth seeing again. Although not that scary, I had a great time with The Visit and felt it had to be mentioned somehow.

Let's get to the rankings!

#10- Dope- What can I say? This film and I have a special bond. Dope was my first review on the site and it was a good film to start with. This was a hilarious, yet super humble coming of age tale featuring an ensemble of new faces. It's fast paced, full of terrific music, and never forgets what it is. It's truly a fun watch and deserves more attention that it has received. It's a good hearted movie that anybody my age can truly enjoy and relate to.

#9- Inside Out- Disney has finally covered puberty! I digress, but this Pixar film was absolutely wonderful. I couldn't tell if somebody was cutting onions in the room or if I was getting emotional at certain points. This film hits every person that sees it. It's charming, funny, and just everything Pixar is about. I haven't really loved a Pixar film since Toy Story 3 and then this hit theaters. This is one of my favorite Disney films ever and is truly going to be remembered as a classic.

#8- The Revenant- When announced that Birdman's Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu was going to direct a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, I was beyond excited. The Revenant doesn't hit theaters nationwide until January, yet I had a chance to see it and I loved it. It's one of the most brutal tales ever told on the cinematic stage and it's truly something special. Award contender performances and amazing visuals made this film one of my favorites of 2015.

#7- Ant Man- Paul Rudd and Marvel teamed up to create one of the best stand alone films the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever created. With legendary Michael Douglas by his side, Paul Rudd brought to life one of Marvel's riskiest properties. Telling the tale of Hank Pym's suit was Marvel's biggest gamble yet and boy, did it work out. I absolutely love this movie. It's action packed with innovative sequences and hilarious moments that remind you why Marvel is so great at what they do.

#6- Straight Outta Compton- The biopic of the N.W.A. hit theaters this past summer and made a long lasting impact. This film was something truly special and just flat out entertaining. I compare it to The Wolf of Wall Street because there are scenes in this movie that you just cannot comprehend how they are taking place. And what makes this film even crazier is that it all happened. The music, the performances, and the outright honesty made this film something magical. I will stand on my soap box very loudly when I say Jason Mitchell deserves a nomination for his portrayal of Eazy-E.  It was one of the best performances of the year which was highlighted by an ensemble of truly wonderful actors. This movie hit all the right notes (pun slightly intended) and made a long lasting impression on me. It's one of those films that you can watch over and over again. 

#5- The Hateful Eight- Quentin Tarantino's homage to traditional western films was something absolutely fascinating. An amazing cast with a very interesting story created an amazing three hour masterpiece. You know a movie is good when it's three hours and you don't even realize fifteen minutes have passed. Tarantino proved again that he's one of the best and that he can really achieve anything. The pure effort put into making this film is incredible (being shot in film) and something film enthusiasts can appreciate. It's truly a fascinating movie with a star studded cast. This movie truly doesn't miss a beat.

#4- The Gift- I call this film the surprise of the year. The advertising for this movie was subtle but really gave nothing away. I went into this movie not knowing what to expect and came out loving it. It's one of the best suspenseful thrillers you will see in a long time. Joel Edgerton was absolutely brilliant and brilliantly also wrote and directed this movie. If you take into account how hard doing all of those things are, you will be amazed at how well this film turned out. The tension between Jason Bateman's character and Edgerton's is worth the price of admission alone. This is truly one of the creepiest films I've ever seen and I loved every minute of it.

#3- The Martian- Matt Damon gets stuck in space in Ridley Scott's best film in a long time. This movie was a spectacle. Going into space and seeing an entirely different planet was just mind blowing. Damon's performance was outright awesome and the rest of the cast also delivered. The greatest part of this film as seeing Ridley Scott create just an awesome movie again. It had been some time since he made a great movie before this and it was great seeing his brilliant mind create something so great. This is a film for everybody. It's dramatic, funny, charming, and ultimately a great tale of survival and hope.

#2- Mad Max: Fury Road- When it comes to action adventure movies, this film takes the cake. Being somebody who loves movies, I very rarely see movies in theaters more than once. I usually wait to pick them up on Blu-Ray or watch them on television. Yet, I saw Mad Max: Fury Road three times in theaters. George Miller created the most testosterone ridden, action packed, blockbuster that I have ever seen. I absolutely loved this movie. The pacing is just in your face and it's just two hours of absolute fun. The practicality of the stunt work and just the pure chaos of the film made this incredibly memorable. I have never gripped onto my seat so tightly before seeing this movie. Miller takes you on this chaotic journey where you can barely catch your breath. Mad Mad: Fury Road is an experience like no other. Please buy this film, pop into your Blu-Ray player, turn the volume all the way up, and enjoy one of the best action movies ever created.

#1- Star Wars: The Force Awakens- I mean did you expect anything else to be my favorite film? J.J. Abrams brought us back to a Jar-Jar-less galaxy far, far away and it was spectacular. I've seen this movie three times and plan on seeing it more. The cast, the story, the effects, you name it, this film brought it. This was truly something so special to me and it felt just amazing seeing a Star Wars film that appreciated its audience. It appealed to kids while giving the adult audience something to take away as well. I loved absolutely everything about this movie and it was just amazing. Star Wars is back and it's better than ever thanks to this masterpiece. Without a doubt in my mind, this is the best film of the year.

So there it is! My list of my top ten films of 2015! Thanks for reading!

(Editor's Note: This year was a great year for movies. Creating this website during the summer of this year, I got to write about some of the best (and worst) movies to hit theaters this year. It's honestly a dream come true and  I want to thank everybody who has read a review, liked a link, and even tweeted out the link to this website. Your never ending support is the reason that this has become a safe haven for movie reviews and a place where people come to talk film. I thank you for the great year this has been and promise you that 2016 will be only better. Happy New Years. 
-Chris)