AJ Martin's Top Ten Films of 2015

10. The Martian

Ridley Scott’s sci-fi drama/comedy The Martian is a very entertaining film, taking us through the journey of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon), as he attempts to tell his crew and NASA that is he still alive and has been abandoned on Mars. The film does an excellent job at blending dramatic elements and clever comedy, with Matt Damon thriving as the confidant and charming Watney. The film essentially feels like a spiritual successor to Ron Howard’s Apollo 13, and manages to capture the charm and suspense that movie had.  With great writing and a great cast, the movie is definitely worth a watch.

You can read Carter Sigl's full review of The Martian here.

9. Spotlight

Finally, we get a great movie set in Boston where a bunch of actors from anywhere but Boston aren’t trying to put on fake, over-the-top Boston accents. I’m looking at you Black Mass. Instead of trying to convince us that this is a Boston story by having characters talk about clam chowda and the Red Sawcks, Spotlight uses its stellar ensemble cast and captivating true story to keep its audience hooked.  Following the Boston Globe reporters who broke the story about mass pedophilia and molestation in the Catholic Church, Spotlight is a realistic look at the lives of investigative reporters as they uncover a story they don’t want to believe, but have to. As a journalism student, this movie reminded me why journalism is so important, and why fighting for the truth (though it is never easy) is what must be done.  

You can read Arjun Agarwal's full review of Spotlight here.

8. Creed

With the original Rocky being one of my favorite films of all time, I was immediately skeptical of Creed.  While I enjoyed Rocky Balboa, I found it to be the perfect end to the Rocky story, and didn’t think the series needed to push itself any further.  However, that is what makes Creed so good.  It’s not a Rocky story.  While Rocky does play a prominent role in the film (with Sylvester Stallone giving one of the best performances of his career), the story is entirely about Adonis Creed (played by Michael B. Jordan).  And while the plot mirrors that of the original film pretty closely, the movie has its own charms and changes that reminded me why I love Rocky so much.  An excellent return to the world of the Italian Stallion.

You can read Anu Gulati's full review of Creed here.

7. Kingsman: The Secret Service

I have a huge soft-spot for Matthew Vaughn movies. Likeable characters, excellently choreographed and stylized action, entertaining stories and great senses of humor characterize his films. And Kingsman is quite possibly his best yet. Combining great new-blood actors (Taron Egerton and Sofia Boutella) with stunning veterans (Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson and Mark Strong), Kingsman is a highly entertaining throwback to the classic spy movie, but with the Matthew Vaughn style that I love. An excellent and raunchy ride.

6. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

It’s hard for me to describe what watching this movie is like. It feels like the old cliché of “it’s a roller-coaster of emotions” was made specifically to describe this movie. There are few films that can make me laugh so hard, and then seconds later have me genuinely break down crying. Me Earl and the Dying Girl feels like no other film that I saw in 2015, full of raw emotion. The film is one of the most genuine depictions of trying to find yourself at a high school age I have ever seen. A high school movie unlike any other.

You can read Mary Tobin's full review of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl here.

5. The Hateful Eight

I feel like there’s not much I have to say about this one.  It’s a Quentin Tarantino movie, and that pretty much says it all. The Hateful Eight feels like Tarantino took all of his best villains and put them in a shack, forced to deal with one another. Thankfully, the movie does not feel like rehash of Django Unchained, mixing its own style with that beautiful Tarantino feel. The cast is excellent, the dialogue riveting and the score by Ennio Morricone breathtaking. A must watch for any fan of Tarantino.  

You can read Carter Sigl's full review of The Hateful Eight here.

4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Easily my most anticipated film of 2015, The Force Awakens manages to capture the essence of the original trilogy of Star Wars films, while simultaneously introducing excellently talented new characters.  While the spectacles of the action and effects in the movie were wonderful, what really made me love the movie were the performances and characters that came out of them. Finn (John Boyega), Rey (Daisy Ridley), Poe (Oscar Issac) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) are all wonderful new characters, who make the plot (which I admit is eerily similar to A New Hope) far more interesting. A fantastic return to the classic Star Wars universe, this is.

You can read Carter Sigl's full review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens here.

3. Inside Out

I grew up with Pixar films, much more so than classic Disney movies.  Pixar created some of the movies that I most closely associate with my childhood, so it’s pretty fair to say I have a soft-spot where they are concerned.  However, I started getting pretty concerned about them around the release of Cars 2.  Their films started turning into more generic kids movies, and I was worried that the studio I loved had lost its touch.  Inside Out proves that not only has Pixar not lost its touch, but is as good as it was at its peak.  The movie brings back the classic Pixar combination of comedy and emotion, creating an animated film that’s very funny and emotional at the same time.  The jokes are incredibly clever, the world the film builds is wonderfully imaginative and the message the movie sends is great for both children and adults.  Inside Out proves that Pixar still has the talent that I grew up with and it is an excellent return to their animated world.

You can read Carter Sigl's full review of Inside Out here.

2. The Revenant

Director Alejandro Iñárritu made my favorite film of 2014 (Birdman), so I was extremely excited to see his take on gritty 1820’s America, especially since it stars two of my favorite actors (Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy).  Thankfully, I was not disappointed in any way by the epic The Revenant.  With beautiful cinematography and excellent performances, The Revenant is a gritty and powerful film.  The horrific realism of the film is captivating and DiCaprio’s character is both simple and enthralling.  DiCaprio’s performance as Hugh Glass is one of the best in his career, and I suspect that this may be the year for him to finally win an Oscar.  Another deep and impressive film by Iñárritu.

You can read Carter Sigl's full review of The Revenant here.

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

​I’m pretty damn sure I wouldn’t have pegged this as my favorite movie of 2015 at the beginning of last year. I had seen the original Mad Max movie, but I wasn’t a huge fan of it, so I didn’t really buy into the hype all that much. I actually didn’t even see a trailer for Fury Road until about two weeks before the movie came out, at which point I got excited by what looked like an adrenalin fueled action movie. What I got was not just an adrenalin fueled action movie, but what may be the best action movie of this century. Fury Road is practically flawless, with some of the best action, special effects and choreography I have ever seen. The film looks and sounds spectacular, with energy that never seems to dissipate. And, through all of this, the movie still maintains a captivating story and interesting characters. In terms of character, the film is a landmark in the idea of less-is-more, as Max (Tom Hardy) has virtually no dialogue but has a clear and powerful character arc throughout the film. I can’t think of a movie that I saw in 2015 that captivated me more than Fury Road did and my fingers are crossed for it to trump everything else and earn Best Picture. It deserves to win.   

You can read Carter Sigl's full review of Mad Max: Fury Road here.