By Quin
For months now, I’ve been listening to Bret Easton Ellis prattle on and on about how he (and some of his filmmaker friends) believe 2015 was the worst year of all time for movies. For the record, he wasn’t too fond of 2014 either. He’s absolutely wrong about both years. But, I must admit that 2015 was a weird one for horror and the other things that we cover at Brutal as Hell. I saw a ton of movies this year and so many of them were really good. But there were only a few where, as I was watching them, I made a mental note that it would probably make my end of the year best of list.
On a stronger year, at least half of these wouldn’t even be on my list. As always, there are the glaring titles that I missed, but will undoubtedly see in the next few weeks and that movie will forever be missing from my list – thus, rendering the list useless. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but still. I wish that these lists could be accurate. My favorite film of 2014 ended up being A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, but no one knew except me, because I didn’t see it until after my list was complete. So, now I have a new list that’s probably all wrong, but I have it nonetheless. It’s mine, until I disown it. I swear, I want to start doing my end of year lists a year late. That’s the only way they would ever have a shot at being complete. 2015 popularized a new phobia known as FOMO (the fear of missing out) well I think I suffer from the fear of missing movies. Here’s my list, let me know what I missed so I can un-miss it.
Before I get to my official top 10, I have one honorable mention that could have easily gotten on the list depending on my mood. So, if you want to call this my top 11, I wouldn’t be mad:
The Boy
This movie actually surprised me and drew me in with its downbeat and humorless tone. In fact, Rainn Wilson’s performance as a drifter, stranded because of a car accident, is so understated and mysterious. He has completely purged Dwight Schrute, although that character was also pretty creepy when you think about it. The rest of the acting in the film is great as well. The film is super slow, but it will get under your skin.
And now the real top 10:
All Hallow’s Eve 2
I bet there are very few lists out there with this title on it. But I unashamedly love this movie. It’s better than its predecessor (which I enjoyed) and I think it’s way better than the other holiday themed anthology films that came out this year. I finally saw Tales of Halloween and apart from a great performance from Barry Bostwick and some cool cameos by John Landis and comedian Dana Gould, it’s very disjointed and disappointing. All Hallow’s Eve 2, on the other hand, is cohesive and beautiful and so much fun. (Read my review.)
Maggie
Western director and legend John Ford famously said of John Wayne after seeing him in Red River, “I never knew the big son of a bitch could act.” That’s what I said when I saw Maggie. This is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best performances and definitely his calmest and possibly most challenging screen presence. This film has an interesting take on the zombie genre too. (Read Dustin’s review.)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
I couldn’t not include this film. On a more comprehensive and less specialized list this would be closer to the top. Of course it’s not a perfect film, but it did perfectly rinse the bad taste out of our mouths left from the prequel trilogy. I may still be on a Star Wars high since seeing this on opening day, but it really satisfied my Star Wars needs and got me all excited for the places Disney is going to take the franchise. It seems to me like it’s in good hands. Less than 12 months until we get to see Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which if the rumors are true, will take place between Episodes III and IV and will feature Darth Vader. YAY!
Kumiko the Treasure Hunter
This is a weird one that was quietly released and already seems to be forgotten. It’s about a lonely, unhappy woman in Japan who finds an unmarked VHS tape. The tape’s contents are a snowy, staticky recording of the Coen Brothers film Fargo. The woman doesn’t realize the movie is fiction (In her defense, it does have that bit at the beginning about how it’s based on true events) and she becomes convinced that there really is money buried in Fargo, North Dakota. Her adventure is filled with some honestly touching human interaction and at the same time a frustrating lack of communication. Despite the bizarre story (which is actually based on an urban legend that seems to be only partly true) this movie is also incredibly depressing.
It Follows
I saw this movie at the beginning of the year and loved it. I really thought it would be my favorite of the year, but I knew there were a lot of months left for new releases. As expected, it dropped lower on my list. It’s gotten a fair amount of negative criticism this year (including from our own Keri and Ben), but I don’t really care. In spite of its flaws in logic, it’s a visually stunning film that gets that wonderful creepy tone 100% right from beginning to end. (Also read Tristan and Nia’s reviews.)
Goodnight Mommy
This is another one where the craft of great filmmaking usurps a weak setup and flimsy plot. Normally, if a film has a big twist, I want to be left in the dark until the bomb is dropped. Like so many people are saying about this one, I had the whole movie figured out in the first scene. The great thing is that I don’t even care. This movie was mesmerizing. Sometimes if you know what is going to happen, it’s still surprising to see how it’s going to happen. Goodnight Mommy did not disappoint me. (Read Nia’s review.)
Creep
I loved everything about this movie. It’s easily the best found footage movie of the year. It’s also very funny and very scary. (Read my review.)
Bone Tomahawk
Apart from Billy the Kid vs. Dracula and Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter, I can’t remember seeing any westerns with horror leanings. That said, I declare Bone Tomahawk the best of its sub-genre. Unlike the other two I mentioned, it takes itself seriously and commands a ton of respect. As a bonus, gore hounds should note that there is a crazy burst of intense violence near the end that will make you cringe or grin with delight depending on your tolerance for such visuals. (Read Tristan’s review.)
What We Do In the Shadows
As a rule, I am against horror/comedies. What We Do in the Shadows drives a stake through that rule, because this is up there with the all time classics like Young Frankenstein. It also holds up to repeated viewings – in fact, I think I like it more every time I watch it. Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi co-wrote, co-directed and both starred in the film and they are both absolutely brilliant. It’s looking like Rhys Darby and his group of werewolves (not swear wolves) are getting a sequel. Let’s hope that’s just as good, I think shifting Darby to a lead role is an excellent start. (Read Steph’s review.)
Ex Machina
I moved my top three around quite a bit before finally settling on this. In fact, I should just have three number ones. Ex Machina is another flawed but beautiful film. It’s predictable at times, but it’s so well-paced, well-acted, well-shot… the whole thing from top to bottom is just so impressive and awe-inspiring. I also love that in a year where we were blessed with a new Star Wars movie, we got this movie that is actually science-fiction. It asks all of the tough, philosophical questions and keeps you on your toes. It does this all in a world that is gorgeous, terrifying, and very Kubrickian. I would love to see Alexander Garland get a best director Oscar nomination. I also think Alicia Vikander should get a best actress nod and Oscar Isaac (what an amazing year for him) should get a best supporting actor nomination.
Well, I guess that’s that. Happy New Year, everybody!