Oh what a beautiful time of year!
The Oscars are as much a time for the celebration of film and screen performance as they are for divisiveness and vitriol. This year is no different with many a controversy, and few a cogent discussion in the typical forums of Twitter and Facebook, but it makes it all the more exciting because people who might normally not talk about film do and that's what it is all about. We can gripe all we want to about who should and should not have won but at the end of the day there are so many moments that we will never forget and I plan to post as many YouTube clips as allowed by law on Sunday. With that in mind I wanted to share my Top 10 of 2015 as well as a few honorable mentions from this year that didn't quite make the list but were worth seeing nonetheless.
Top 10 of 2015
Carol
I wrestled with the 1 and 2 spots constantly, because at the end of the day the real question is: Do you make a Top 10 list based on the ‘Best’ movie of the year regarding all objective qualities and subjective qualities combined, or do you simply give your 10 favorite films of the year? At the end of the day I chose to write about my 10 favorite films which is why Carol is my favorite film of the year, and not the Revenant which I think hits across all points, both subjective and objective to make it the ‘Best’ film of the year. Carol is a film that I will not soon forget, nor soon forget to rewatch over and over. The direction by Todd Haynes, the acting by Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett, the Cinematography by Ed Lachman (with the impeccable choice to shoot with 16mm film to mimic the time period) and a great score by Carter Burwell made this film an absolute treat. However, it’s the passionate story of a forbidden love and a choice, to not be ugly, because ‘We’re not ugly people,’ to quote our lead, but allow love to be. If you focus on the eye contact between these two great actresses it is nearly impossible not to melt under the heat of the light they cast in their desire and reverence of each other. The film is succinct, and compact, and easy enough to show in any forum, and one I hope to suggest to many others in the future. 10/10
2. The Revenant
As I mentioned previously, I had to make the decision between the objective view of a film mixed with subjective regards, and choose between what I felt was my favorite film of the year, and the ‘best’ film of the year. The Revenant, for all intents and purposes, is the best film of the year. Most of the discussion around the film has, unfortunately, been created by its detractors around the supposed narrative created in the sensationalistic swamp of twitterdom that it has only received acclaim because of it’s production and because of the, perhaps inevitable, awarding of an Oscar to Leonardo DiCaprio purely because of his desert of such an award after many ‘snubs’. I think this is an unfair distraction from a truly remarkable film that manages to hit all marks on every aspect of the film itself including impeccable direction, acting, cinematography and score (even if the Academy has invalidated it). I was riveted, kept on my seat until the final minutes, and I genuinely felt the emotion that Iñaritu meant to convey with the film. He said going into it that Tarkovsky was one of his biggest influences in making The Revenant and when I finally viewed it I could see the admiration he feels towards this often forgotten genius of film. It seeks not to explain to the audience, but rather to allow the images to evoke emotion, and that creates the tension that exists throughout all 156 minutes. No matter who will win on Sunday, something has already been won in the hearts of those who hold dear the traditions of great filmmaking, and care for craft. 10/10
3. The Salt of the Earth
I’m a sucker for a fictional narrative, I have to admit, when choosing my favorites of the year but documentaries tend to possess an ability to convey a message that only can be created from the truth. In this film we have an almost bare bones structure consisting of Wim Wenders allowing Sebastiao Salgado to show his many photographs over the years, and comment on the experience of risking his life and limb to capture images of some of the most horrible moments in human history. He goes from showing the visions that we all too easily forget in Africa and South America to the ones that dominated our TV screens when I was in elementary school in the former Yugoslavia. It’s particularly haunting for me when he shows how these events are not just relegated to the third world that we only read about in newspapers, but modern first world societies who forget to ask the important questions of their leaders and pay the consequences. As is alluded to in the original definition of Photography that he ‘draws with light’ and the images that are drawn will never be forgotten by me. This will be a centerpiece of my life as long as I live. 10/10
4. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Now that the heavy hitters are out of the way we reach the first film in my favorites that has any sort of perceivable flaw, but a film that hits so close to my heart. At it’s core it is about youth and the desire to be accepted, whilst coming to grips with your own inimitable differences. Most of the detractors of this film found that they just couldn’t like the main character and, really, that’s the point. He’s selfish, shortsighted and he doesn’t realize the value in his life until it is in it’s final throes. The reason why it’s so high up in my list is not just because of it’s story but also because the craft of the director in using great imagery and music to convey a relatable story that remarks on some of the most important aspects of life: discovery, loss and acceptance. 9/10
5. Inside Out
This is one of those films that I will set aside to show my children and should be required viewing of any youth as it speaks to the most important part of your youth which is to look within and ascend. We are all so imperfect when we are young, but also in many ways more perfect than our older selves because we can look at things with an open, impressionable eye. Even as an adult I found myself gleaning much from this story and in general it was hilarious, yet sad, and enjoyable from start to finish. 9/10
6. Spotlight
This is one of those films where after you see it in the theater you can barely move from your seat for many moments afterward. The direction and choice to focus on a realistic depiction of the victims and advocates in this story make it almost more of a documentary than a typical film that we might see in the race for Best Picture. There wasn’t a facetious performance in the bunch and if the Best Actor award was given solely on moments then I think Mark Ruffalo would have my vote for a speech that caused someone to start cutting onions in the theater (the staff never caught them, unfortunately). I should admit upfront that I am a sucker for any narrative that involves my birthplace of Boston and if this wins Best Picture over the Revenant, or the Big Short, I will be incredibly pleased. 8.5/10
7. Mistress America
This is for me the best Comedy of the year and featured another perfect Noah Baumbach and Greta Garwig script that speaks to the soul of my age group, and New York. There’s only so much to say without betraying what should be seen with your own eyes. It’s a fun movie that serves as an existential sequel to Frances Ha and can be recommended to anyone. 8/10
8. Slow West
I love a good Western. If you feel the same way, it is absolutely worth the time to see this film and I would take a big leap and say I think you would enjoy it greatly. This is a truly modern take on a Western and uses gorgeous cinematography and eccentric characters to give a compact, enjoyable, film that is easy to watch over and over. It features our first character in a Western with a Fozzy bear coat since McCabe & Mrs Miller as well, so there’s that. It is not light fare, despite what you may think from a first viewing of a trailer. It follows in a glorious tradition of those before it to show the roughest sides of the West in a cinematic fashion (the literal pouring of salt into one’s wounds? Whew). 8/10
9. Ex Machina
Great Science Fiction films ask questions, and the greatest try to answer them as best as they can without leaning too much on the unknown. Ex Machina was another wonderfully lensed film and easy enough to enjoy for even those who don’t care for Sci-Fi very much. My only criticism, if only to explain it’s place near the bottom of my list, is that it didn’t ask the questions that I was asking the whole time, only a few of them. At the end of the day, it’s a trivial matter because it was a great film and one that I think any Sci-Fi fan would enjoy and Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander give incredible performances. 7.5/10
10. Mad Max: Fury Road
This is a film that should never go to DVD and instead stay in theaters for a year or more. It really is meant for the big screen and as far as theater experiences it’s a true joy. It’s colorful, eccentric, exciting and inventive. It is meant more to be a visual treat and not rely on any sort of enlightening story about human nature, although any follower of the series is quick to mention the importance of discussing a world where petroleum and water are the only official currencies. It’s a movie I’d love to see again but I’m reticent to attempt to relive an experience on the screen of my laptop that should be enjoyed on a 60 foot screen. 7.5/10
My honorable mentions for the year:
-Meru
-The End of the Tour
-The Hateful Eight
-Trumbo
-Star Wars: The Force Awakens
-The World of Tomorrow (best short film of the year!)