My Top Ten Movies of 2015

So here are the rules, had to be released this year, or at least in north America this year. This might be the first year that I don't have a single Asian film on my list. As a lover of Hong Kong, Korean and Japanese cinema that is bizarre. The Assassin was great but not top ten for me. I didn't see Yakuza Apocalypse, and The Golden Cane Warrior both look awesome. IP Man 3 is still on my to see list. All films marked * were seen in theater the other on VOD. I also have not seen the Revanant yet. That looks amazing.

10 - Maggie

This low budget zombie movie actually hinges on the acting of it's star Arnold Schwarzenegger. Is it perfect no but I really felt for Arnie here and think the movie is worth seeing. It personalizes the genre in a way that we have seen in novels but rarely on film. Zombie movie with a heart.

9 - Tales of Halloween*

One of the most fun experiences I had at the theater this year was seeing Tales of Halloween around said holiday at the digital gym in North Park. With directors of one of the segments (This means War)Andrew Kasch and John Skipp doing a Q and A hosted by Miguel Rodriguez of the horrible imaginings film fest. This anthology movie has 10 or so segments of loosely connected short horror films. My favorite was Sweet Tooth. Were they all good? no but they were all fun.

8 - Creed*

I don't have to say much here do I? It's basically Rocky 7, with Sly passing the torch to the great and talented Michael B. Jordan. I enjoyed watching how they updated the classic story, and planted seeds for a new franchise. Stallone deserves a supporting actor trophy.

7 -Sacario

Better than Traffic this crime thriller about the border drug war was beautifully shot and well told. Emily Blunt and B Del Toro were great. One revenge scene in this movie made the whole movie worth it. Denis Villeneuve is a great director, he won me over with the underrated Prisoners. He is doing the new Blade Runner, I went from worried to excited when I heard that.

6 - Man from Uncle*

First off I am not a Guy Ritchie fan, but I grew up a huge MAN FROM UNCLE fan. Better than this year's Bond movie I LOVED Man From UNCLE. First off genius and fun movie to go back to the 60's for a spy movie, can't believe it took this long. Second it was excellent plotted, well cast and a respectful updating of the classic series. I think this would make an excellent franchise sadly I don't think it did well enough at the box office. If you like classic Bond movies check out this trailer...

5 - Hateful Eight*

This movie is not for everyone, it is long, entirely focused on dialogue, and asks you be sit still and be patient with the story. QT often makes two seperate movies that shift tone half way through so it is funny that his film with a intermission actually was the most consistant he has made since Jackie Brown. I loved it and the gimmick of him narrating the screenplay in the second half was awesome. I wish that would become a thing.

4 - Bone Tomahawk

Hateful eight is only the second best Kurt Russell western of 2015. Bone Tomahawk is a great western, a great horror movie and melds the genres in brutal fashion. There are some really hard to watch scenes. To casual western fan you might not realize how much the genre depends on dialogue, character and suspense. This movie gets all those aspects right. It may suffer from over-hype but it is really good. You're better off watching the movie without the trailer, but if I have not convinced you watch it for yourself.

3 - Ex-machina*

We always need smart intelligent psychologically motivated science fiction. Alex Garland wrote Dredd and Sunshine which I both loved. I was excited to see his first film as director. It delivered.

2- Star Wars: The Force Awakens*

JJ nailed it. The tone was perfect, the story was great. I laughed, I cried and I kissed 30 bucks goodbye between multiple viewings. I don't think I have to say anything more.

1- Mad Max Fury Road*

It came out a long time ago, but Mad Max is hands down the best movie of the year. With lots of action and limited dialogue George Miller made a arthouse action blockbuster. The movie was exciting, beautiful, disgusting, terror inducing, thrilling etc., etc., This was the most fun I had at the theater all year by a nose hair.

BTW best action movies of the 21st century The Raid, Fury Road, Rambo IV, The Raid 2.

2015 Count Aggies

Best Director: George Miller (Mad Max)

Best screenwriter: Quieten Tarantino (Hateful Eight)

Best producer: Kathleen Kennedy (Star Wars)

Best actor:‎Alicia Vikander (Ex-Machina)

Best supporting actor: Stallone (Creed)

Honorable mentions: Best use of metal: Deathgasm (Trick or Treat meets Evil Dead 2)

Movie I got made fun of for liking the most: Jupiter Ascending

Out of nowhere underrated Nic Cage movie:Pay the Ghost