Gabrielle Ulubay's Top Ten Films of 2015

10. Black Mass

I know a lot of people didn't like this movie, and that it was especially contentious in Boston, but I enjoyed Black Mass. It truly struck me as Johnny Depp's comeback role after a lot of bad press on his acting, and I also thought it was an interesting new way of filming gangster movies.

You can read Gabrielle Ulubay's full review of Black Mass here.

9. The Big Short

The Big Short is difficult to watch if you or anyone you know was negatively affected by the financial crisis in the late 2000s (so nearly everyone).  However, it is important that this movie was made. Most people don’t know or understand what caused the economy to collapse, and this movie exposes the truth without preaching or being too sentimental. The main characters balance each other out and are written in such a way that no one seems too obnoxious or too righteous, and there are no distinct good or bad guys. The contentious topic is helpfully explained by a smattering of stars featured specifically for this purpose (i.e., Margot Robbie, Selena Gomez), which also lightens the mood. This movie is entertaining, educational, and perhaps most importantly a warning.

8. Mr. Holmes

Mr. Holmes is a movie that will linger in your consciousness long after you’ve finished it. At once heartbreaking and heartwarming, it is a new take on the sarcastic Sherlock Holmes of popular lore. We’re all familiar with the Holmes that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about (who was catapulted back into popular culture through Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films and CBS’s Elementary)—but what happened when Sherlock became old and disillusioned? What happens when Sherlock has to face the fact that his cynical intellect can have disastrous consequences? Mr. Holmes is a worthwhile meditation on age, memory, and family.

7. Legend

Tom Hardy’s performance in this film as both Kray brothers was incredible. His physicality, comedic timing, and nuances in speech were striking. The movie itself is also well-filmed and undeniably emotional—ranging from hysterical to rage-inducing to tear-jerking. It isn’t perfect, but it’s a hell of a gangster movie. 

You can read Gabrielle Ulubay's full review of Legend here.

6. Carol

Carol (based on Patricia Highsmith's The Price of Salt) was a poignant, beautifully filmed depiction of two women's love for one another when all odds and circumstances were working against them. All the actors, especially Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett, did a phenomenal job portraying the difficulty (if not impossibility) of resolving their respective conflicts. The film was also dream-like, like a half-faded memory of a forbidden 1950s romance. ​

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

5. Inside Out

Inside Out is first and foremost an intelligent movie. It takes one of the most emotionally difficult stages in a child's life and makes sense of it, including visual and verbal references to how the brain actually works. Some of my favorite parts of Inside Out are the sequences that run during the credits, when minor characters' inner psyches are also delved into. The movie discourages the idea that one should feel strange for being depressed or insecure, and these end sequences really drive that home. It was a smart, well-made movie with an essential message  for people of all ages.

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

4. Ex Machina

2015 was a quite a year for Alicia Vikander. I love this movie’s subversion of traditional themes and complete reversal of so many narrative expectations. The film is delightfully ominous, due in part to masterful auditory editing. Ex Machina’s sound design is so memorable that I can still recall the chilling sound of the robots’ rustling machinery.

You can read Elizabeth Johnson-Wilson's full review of Ex Machina here.

3. The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight embodies many reasons I love film. The cinematography is stunning, with jump cuts, long shots, tracking shots, and close ups juxtaposed together in a way that attracts attention without being too jarring. The dialogue is witty, daring, and just what we need in a culture paranoid about political incorrectness. It sheds light on historical tensions without shying away from their ugliness, and that quality is what gives The Hateful Eight its ability to effectively spread a message of racial tolerance. It could not have done this if Tarantino had used kinder language. The acting was also believable; you could really feel how cold that blizzard was. Kurt Russell, Samuel L Jackson, and Tim Roth (Tarantino veterans) performed well, as expected, but Jennifer Jason Leigh and Channing Tatum’s performances stood out to me. It was refreshing to see Leigh so uninhibited, and I always enjoy the opportunity to see Tatum show off his acting chops rather than his abs. I could go on about this movie, but that would need its own article.

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

2. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

This movie is so much fun. Directed by Guy Ritchie, a notoriously witty filmmaker, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an homage to the 1960s television show of the same name. Movies based on television shows tend to be hit or miss, and thankfully this was a hit. Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, and Henry Cavill deliver their lines and manifest physicality in such a funny way, without losing any of the suaveness expected from spy movies.

You can read Carter Sigl's full review of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. here.

1. Trumbo

Jay Roach’s Trumbo was everything an audience could ask for—it was funny, moving, based on a true story, and fun. It educates people about a time not too long ago when free speech was stifled by mass paranoia-turned-hysteria, teaching a lesson that many would do well to learn today. Trumbo sheds light on a phenomenon that will amuse, surprise, and grip audiences, and perhaps most importantly piss them off. I’d recommend this film to anyone and everyone.

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