Happy New Year’s Eve followers!!! We are officially down to the very last hours of 2015. I must say, this year in movies has got to be one of the best of the current decade. With so many amazing films that people are still talking about today, 2015 has been a cinematic blockbuster in itself. As we close the curtain on 2015 and prep ourselves for the exciting films set to be released in 2016, let’s close this year out by giving you my top takeaways for this year in addition to my top 5 films for the year.
Year End Takeaways for 2015
I don’t believe there has been a
year this decade that has accumulated this much financial strength. Between
Universal Pictures’ Furious 7, Minions, & Jurassic World and Disney owned Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the box office experienced a
historic and record breaking year with several movies accumulating more than
a combined $11 billion dollars worldwide. This total is the largest overall box
office haul in movie history. Great to see the industry get such a monumental surge.
Over the course of this year, a
number of films spelled the end of an era while also establishing their place
among Hollywood’s greatest. The Fast and
Furious franchise established its place as one of the most entertaining and
culturally diverse action franchises while also bidding a tearful and heartfelt
goodbye to a loved fallen cast mate. Katniss Everdeen hung up her wings in
the final installment of the influential and culturally relevant Hunger Games franchise, and Daniel Craig
had his supposed final mission as agent 007 in Spectre. With moments and characters we will never forget, these
franchises and all involved have become part of an exclusive club that features
some of the greatest cinematic achievements in movie history.
With all the hype and excitement
surrounding the 2015 lineup, there were unfortunately a number of films that
failed to live up to expectations. Despite great promise prior to release,
Warner Bros’ attempt at a sci-fi space opera, Jupiter Ascending, became its own worst enemy and underwhelmed and
underperformed at the cinemas. In the young adult adaptation category, The Divergent Series Insurgent repeated
its mistakes of the past by disregarding the source material and destroyed any
chance of it being the “next hunger games” despite being an improvement of the
first. Additionally, the second installment of the Maze Runner franchise “lost its footing” and delivered an
entertaining yet inaccurate depiction of the second novel after a very
promising initial installment. But even more underwhelming especially since it
was arguably the second most anticipated film next to Star Wars, Age of Ultron was a solid second installment yet failed
to meet the high expectations of its very devoted fan base. With so many great
films, there are always a few who come up short in terms of acclaim. Oh well, better
luck next time.
This year also saw the return of classic
franchises and studios that dished out some of the most beloved films of 2015.
Sylvester Stallone returned to the ring as Rocky Balboa serving as the guide
for the son of his greatest rival in the heart stopping and triumphant boxing
film Creed. Pixar Animation Studios
returned to its former glory delivering the hilarious and “emotional”
masterpiece Inside Out. Despite the
overwhelming hype and expectations surrounding the most anticipated film of
2015, fans returned to that galaxy far far away and witnessed the new awakening
and the beginning of a new galactic era in Star
Wars: The Force Awakens. With so much emotion and happiness with the return
of these great franchises and studios, a new chapter begins and all fans and
moviegoers are itching to be along for the ride.
Before I share my top 5, I wanted to share with
you my runner up choices that didn’t quite make the cut but still were some of
my favorites from this year.
Runner Up Favorites of 2015
Of all the films that you think
would be a sleeper hit for 2015, Ant-Man probably wasn’t on your list. As the
closer to Marvel phase 2, the studios’ heist film proved to be one of the most
unique and fun superhero movies of 2015. With news of the character’s
involvement in future Marvel projects including the much anticipated Captain America: Civil War and a sequel
featuring a new partner, Ant-Man stands tall as he prepares for a very
promising and thrilling future.
Stranded, alone, with little
resources and options, the powerfully acted and directed sci-fi film from
Ridley Scott is one of the true standout films of 2015. Personally, the film
features an incredible cast that deliver amazingly in the roles they are given
resulting in one of the best ensemble performances in recent memory. An Oscar
nomination can be far off for this film next year.
As the sequel one of the most underrated
films from last year, I had high expectations for the next chapter in the Maze
Runner series. Despite making the costly mistake of not respecting the source
material as much as its predecessor, the film did manage to deliver a thrilling
and engaging second chapter that is just as action-packed and emotional as its
book counterpart. With the third and final chapter not hitting theaters until
2017, Director Wes Ball has plenty of time to make adjustments and end this
wild card among young adult franchises on a high note.
Supposedly serving as Daniel
Craig’s final bow as MI6 agent 007, Spectre delivered an all-out spectacle that
celebrated the legacy of an actor who brought so much to the character. With
another Bond film set to be released at a later date, the question remains
whether Craig will truly leave the character behind or will he return to don
the tuxedo once more.
Despite the skepticism and fear
prior to release, Jurassic World proved to be a sequel that fans of the
prehistoric sci-fi franchise can be proud to take ownership of. Not to mention
the fact that the film ended up being one of the most financially dominant
films of the year. I for one am happy with how this film turned out and look
forward to seeing what the next films have in store.
And now without further delay, Here are my top 5 favorite films for the year 2015
Top 5
Pick #1
The Major "Emotion" Picture
For the past couple of years, Pixar
Animation Studios has seemed to have lost its touch releasing films that range
from bad to passable. That all changed this year with the release of the
brilliantly crafted and visually gorgeous Inside
Out. A film that is nothing short of hilariously smart and thematically
emotional, Inside Out is right up
there among some of the best Pixar Animation Studios films such as Toy Story,
Finding Nemo, and Up. Stellar voice performances from Amy Poehler, Richard Kind,
Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, and Phyllis Smith along with visually arresting imagery
make this film an absolute “Joy” to watch.
Here's Some Behind The Scenes B-Roll Footage
Top 5
Pick #2
Fighting Strong
Emotional, powerful, and full of
heart, adrenaline and hope, the spin-off sequel to the Rocky franchise has become one of the most talked about and
critically acclaimed films of the year. Outstanding performances from leads
Michael B Jordan and Sylvester Stallone in addition to terrific directing and
great boxing action, Creed is one of the best boxing films of this year and I
believe a true contender for this upcoming award season. Win or lose, Creed is
one the true champs of the 2015 calendar year.
Here's Some Behind The Scenes B-Roll Footage
Top 5
Pick #3
The Fire Burns Forever
Rarely does a franchise come along
and have such a profound impact on society while also serving as a window to
world we live in today. The final installment of the story of Katniss Everdeen
cemented the legacy of one of the most socially conscious and influential
franchises of this generation. Delivering one of the most emotional
installments in the series, The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 is a testament
to what this series set out to accomplish since the beginning the start of the franchise 3
years ago. The story of the girl who went from brave tribute to a symbol of
freedom will be remembered for years to come.
Here's Some Behind The Scenes B-Roll Footage
Top 5
Pick #4
For Paul...
If you thought that Universal’s raucous action
franchise could not get more incredibly crazy and thrilling, you obviously have
been underestimating Vin Diesel and company. Delivering some of the year’s most
jaw dropping and death-defying action sequences while also serving as a heartfelt
farewell to the late Paul Walker, Furious 7 delivered one of the most over the
top and all out entertaining films of the year. Paul Walker is looking down
smiling as the fast family achieved one of the most financially successful box
office hauls of the year and established the Fast and Furious series as one of
the greatest action franchises in cinema.
Here's Some Behind The Scenes B-Roll Footage
Top 5
Pick #5
A FORCEful Awakening
Ten years ago, if you said that there was going to be a new Star Wars movie coming out, people would look at you crazy. Well ten years later, a new chapter in the Star Wars saga has been released and has become the global phenomenon of a generation and in my eyes, one of the most entertaining films of the year. Rarely does a film come in with so much hype and expectations yet still manages to meet and maybe even exceed them. From my point of view, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is an example of a film that makes so many promises yet still manages to fulfil the majority of them all. With the tone and feel of the classics, the fast paced action of the prequels, one of the strongest new female heroines in the franchise, and an overall terrific sense of fun and excitement, The Force Awakens begins a promising new era for Star Wars that will captivate an entire generation of newly devoted fans. The force has awakened and it has never been stronger.
Here's Some Behind The Scenes B-Roll Footage
2015 has been an absolute blast
that moviegoers and I won’t surly forget. But now, all signs are pointing to
the plethora of must see films that are waiting to be experienced in the New
Year. With that said, be sure come back tomorrow as we look ahead to what lies
in store for us on the big screen in 2016. Have a safe New Year’s Eve
followers!!!!
