Trevor's Top Ten Films of 2015

by Trevor Kirkendall

I didn't see as many movies this year as in year's past, maybe even almost half of what I usually see. Still, I found a way to see some very inspiring movies. Not "inspiring" like stand-up-and-applaud kind of movies. But "inspiring" in a sense of wanting to get me up and try my hand at making movies again. Many of the movies this year would have encouraged me, at age 10 or 11, to go out and make movies with my parents' camcorder. You hear filmmakers talk about what movies made them do that; it usually begins with "Star Wars." And this year even saw the release of another new "Star Wars" film. (Not listed here, despite being a very solid film from JJ Abrams, but will no doubt serve as inspiration for the next generation of filmmakers.)

This year was also a great return-to-form for the studios. Normally, only one or two studio pictures end up on my list. This year, it's six films. The studios finally figured out that risky stories end up making great films and shouldn't be cast aside for the indies to pick up and win tons of awards. 

10. Bridge of Spies

Mark Rylance and Tom Hanks learn to trust each
other in "Bridge of Spies"

Steven Spielberg returns to form with “Bridge of Spies,” a masterful work of filmmaking in a very classic style of cinema. The film can be a bit of a slow-burn throughout, but the story is never diminished. A lot goes on throughout the film thanks to a detailed, but exceptionally polished, screenplay from Mark Charman and the Coen Brothers, but Spielberg proves he’s still a master of telling stories despite taking his time to crank out films in more recent years. Tom Hanks provides a solid leading performance, a hero of the silver screen the likes of which we haven’t seen in a number of years. Mark Rylance steals the show as the Russian spy Hanks is tasked with defending and getting home. It’s one of the year’s best supporting roles. The film is a classic from its storytelling, to its look, to its heroes. It looks and feels like a product of the time from which it takes place. Spielberg was an inspirational storyteller for me back in my youth, and continues to provide that same type of inspiration today.

9. Spotlight

The Boston Globe Spotlight team uncovers
scandals in "Spotlight"

“Spotlight” may be one of the very best films about journalism since “All the President’s Men.” The film depicts members of the Boston Globe looking to uncover the sex scandal of the Catholic church in the early 2000s. Director Tom McCarthy's masterful direction brings us through many peaks and valleys of numerous emotions throughout the screenplay written by himself and Josh Singer. But the highlight of this film is the incredibly solid acting ensemble assembled. Michael Keaton leads the way, but Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams steal the show alongside Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Brian d’Arcy James and Stanley Tucci. This is an important film detailing an enormously taboo subject. It should not be overlooked. And it should help to guide journalists into an area where they need to report the issues exactly as they occur without regard to any kind of political or social agenda.

8. It Follows

Horror follows Maika Monroe in "It Follows"

Low budget indie horror films seem to be hitting their stride now, and David Robert Mitchell’s “It Follows” was the cream of the crop for 2015. If I’m an aspiring horror filmmaker, something like “It Follows” is going to be where I draw my inspiration for my film. It largely avoids the clichés that harm so many other modern horror films. There may appear to be some cheesy elements on the surface, but everything fits with the tone of the film. There’s so much to love here, and nothing to dislike, including a star-making performance by Maika Monroe. The film has many moments of organic tension created by the imagery on screen, the music score, and the situations, rather than relying on jump scares. This is how horror films moving forward should be made.  

7. Steve Jobs

Michael Fassbender is "Steve Jobs"

Aaron Sorkin’s razor sharp dialogue is on full display in “Steve Jobs,” a fictionalized account of the interactions behind the scenes at three major product releases during Steve Jobs’ career. Director Danny Boyle holds back on some of his trademark styles and instead lets Sorkin’s screenplay and the fierce performances of his cast take center stage. Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet are magnificent in their portrayals of Jobs and Joanna Hoffman. Outstanding supporting performances are also delivered by Seth Rogen (in a rare dramatic role), Jeff Daniels and Michael Stuhlbarg. But it’s Sorkin’s impeccable script, that plays out over three acts like three movements in a symphony, that ends up being remembered the most. Sorkin’s dialogue is unmatched and brought to life with such ease by Boyle that make this a truly remarkable film.

6. Inside Out

Pixar is back on top with "Inside Out"

Pixar storms back to life with “Inside Out,” a movie that takes place within the emotional headquarters of a young girl’s brain. We haven’t seen something original from Pixar in several years and the company seemed to be losing some steam, but “Inside Out” is the type of animated masterpiece only the brilliant storytellers at Pixar can deliver. It’s the perfect blend of humor to keep the kids invested and heart wrenching sadness to make grown adults weep. Again, only Pixar seems to be able to pull both of these strings with such ease when they’re allowed to think up original content. There’s far more human emotion conveyed here than any other film that came out this year and it’s entirely animated. It’s the best animated film to come out in recent memory and ranks in the upper echelon of Pixar’s decorated filmography.

5. The Revenant

Leonardo DiCaprio is out for revenge in
"The Revenant"

Alejandro González Iñárritu follows up last year’s Best Picture winning film “Birdman” with another contender for the same award. “The Revenant” is a beautifully brutal frontier film of revenge. The film is anchored by the best performances by actors this year: Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. Iñárritu continues his impressive career with his most ambitious project to date. Each and every one of his films – from 2000’s “Amores Perros” to last year’s “Birdman” – has appeared in my Best Ten lists. It’s safe to say he’s the best director working today. He knows how to pull out so much depth and emotions from his actors no matter how brutal the subject matter (or maybe in the case of “Birdman,” how weird).

4. Ex Machina

Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander and Oscar
Issac in "Ex Machina"

One of the most inventive screenplays in years is Alex Garland’s sci-fi tale “Ex Machina.” The film is a subtle cautionary tale centered around how much power we allow technology to wield in our everyday lives. The story revolves around Domhnall Gleeson’s Caleb being invited to the home of Oscar Issac’s Nathan in order to help him text out a new robot he’s built with advanced artificial intelligence. That robot is Ava, played by Alicia Vikander in one of the most outstanding performances by an actress this year. Garland’s film takes place in essentially one location that feels much more claustrophobic as time goes on. It’s a sharp screenplay and brilliantly executed by all those involved. In an era where big budget films seem to be familiar, science fiction is one genre where the writers still have a lot more fun in coming up with crazy stories and plot lines. “Ex Machina” ranks up there among the best sci-fi films of at least the last 10 years. If not, more.

3. Room

Jacob Tremblay and Brie Larson pass the time
in "Room"

Sometimes you hear that a movie is emotionally powerful and you can mentally prepare yourself for what’s coming. “Room” is indeed an emotional roller coaster, and no amount of preparation can get you ready for what you witness in this film. Director Lenny Abrahamson takes the dark nature behind this story and tells it through the innocence of a child. Newcomer Jacob Tremblay plays that child, and he’s an absolute revelation. To pour out the kind of depth and maturity into this performance at such a young age is astonishing. While Tremblay is spectacular, Brie Larson is even more sensational. After her turn in my pick for best film of 2013 “Short Term 12,” I wondered if she’d ever be able to match the intensity and dynamics of that performance. The answer is still no, but she sure did come close. She’s a fierce actress full of more talent than any of her peers. She’s not the focal point in this film, and she knows it. She never tried to be the person out in front, but she ends up there anyway. This is the absolute best performance by any actor or actress this year. And the film is pretty damn good too.

2. The Big Short

Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling debate the
housing market in "The Big Short"

If there’s one movie that came out of nowhere this year, it’s Adam McKay’s cautionary dark comedy “The Big Short,” which chronicles the collapse of the American housing market in 2007. This film is a true original and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The subject matter is serious and important, but McKay approaches it in a rather lighthearted kind of way. Not in the same comedy style as some of his movies with Will Ferrell like “Step Brothers” and the “Anchorman” movies, but more of a real-life humor. What’s happening throughout the duration of the film is so unbelievable that it’s funny. Only this stuff actually happened. And when an actual event is altered for creative purposes in the film, the actors break the fourth wall and tell you it’s been changed. At times it plays almost like a documentary, and others a straight narrative. Other times is both at the exact same time. It’s almost impossible to describe the tone of the film. Yes, it’s funny, but there’s something more to it that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s irresistibly entertaining which is why it’s on my Best Ten list, but it’s that level of uniqueness and originality that puts it all the way up at number two. I didn’t know McKay had it in him, but he directed one of the sharpest and wittiest movies in recent memory. It probably could have been number one this year if it weren’t for something else truly innovative and inspiring.

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

Tom Hardy in "Mad Max; Fury Road," the Best Film of 2015

The best film of 2015 is George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Faithful readers are probably wondering how in the world a big budget Hollywood summer blockbuster topped my list when I continually blast Hollywood for putting out way too many of these films year in and year out. While “Fury Road” has the big budget of a major movie studio, it’s far from a studio blockbuster. Everything about this film is an absolute masterpiece and could very well go down as one of the greatest action movies ever made. It’s a little early to be throwing around that title, but I can’t wait to see how the next generation of filmmakers are inspired to make their own action movies. If we start seeing more films in this style, then yes, it’s safe to say this will go down as one of the best action films ever. The rapid-fire editing style is nothing new in summer blockbusters, but still being so cohesive and understandable is something we’re not used to seeing. Credit is given to director Miller for conceiving this film as a complete visual narrative. You could watch this film on mute and still follow what’s going on. But then you’d miss the gorgeous wall of sound that accompanies the film, including the spectacular score from Junkie XL that helps propel this movie forward. And it’s always in a constant state of motion. It’s not bogged down by boring exchanges of dialogue only set up to provide you – the audience – with exposition. Instead, Miller puts this word and all its mythology in front of you and says, “Here it is in all its glory; now watch,” without providing a whole lot of back story. And it works perfectly. His stars, Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, are asked to read very few lines and instead deliver fiery performances in the middle of a desert on horrific looking Frankenstein-automobiles.  Miller’s use of visual effects is done with a majority of practical effects and using the computers to enhance the shots instead of leading them. This entire approach is against the grain of everything Hollywood filmmakers are doing nowadays. “Fury Road” is almost the antithesis of a studio picture. And finally, a film from a major studio comes out and shocks everyone with just how brilliant movies produced with big budgets and non-artist producers can actually make a film the way it’s supposed to be done.

___________________________________________________________________________

Trevor's Individual Awards-- (not my Oscar Predictions)

Best Film of the Year: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Director: George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Best Actor: Leonardo Dicaprio (The Revenant)

Best Actress: Brie Larson (Room)

Best Supporting Actor: Tom Hardy (The Revenant)

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina)

Best Screenplay (original): Ex Machina

Best Screenplay (adapted): The Big Short

Review: Mad Max: Fury Road (Trevor)

by Trevor Kirkendall

★★★★

You know that sour taste you've had in your mouth since you first watched “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome?” Say goodbye! Thanks to George Miller’s long brewing follow up to the popular series “Mad Max: Fury Road,” you can finally rid yourself of that taste. This film will mercilessly smack your person with a force so strong you'll lose that little spot in your brain reminding you how cheesy that film was.

Gone are the battles inside an over-inflated jungle gym, and the long, arduous sequences of walking across a desert with kids. No, “Fury Road” gives us the Mad Max we want to see: unabashed and over-the-top high-octane chase sequences set against the backdrop of a nightmarish post-apocalyptic world. How much more over-the-top can you get than a guy standing on a platform attached to a vehicle playing a guitar hooked up to 20 feet of speakers and amps? 

Also gone is Mel Gibson in the title role. Instead, we have Tom Hardy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) taking the reigns of the legendary Road Warrior. When Max is captured by a group of bald and pasty-white desert dwellers, he’s taken to a place called the Citadel ruled by Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) who harvests breast milk, breeds with his wives, and hoards a vast water supply from those who live there. Max is turned into a “blood bag” for one of the many War Boys of Joe, Nux (Nicholas Hoult).

Meanwhile, Joe is sending out Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) to drive a war rig across the desert to pick up some more oil, still a precious commodity in these films. What Joe soon learns is that Furiosa is running away from the Citadel and taking with her Joe’s five prized wives who want to escape his perverse clutches. Joe goes after her along with his army of war boys (including Nux with his blood bag Max attached to the front of his car like a hood ornament). What ensues is 120 absolutely relentless minutes of nightmarish absurdity that only the twisted mind of George Miller could dream up.

“Fury Road” is an complete and refreshing action film. At a time when every major studio in Hollywood is making action films to sell products outside of the actual film, Warner Bros. shows up with this masterpiece that proves big budgets and insane visions can still show off the artistic possibilities of film. There’s a lot of disturbing imagery coming at you from every direction which might turn away an unsuspecting viewer, but everything about it is very much in line with the original visions of Miller. It feels like a “Mad Max” movie every step of the way. It never feels like an idea hijacked by studio executives and twisted up in order to sell more t-shirts, Happy Meals, or anything else they could slap Max’s face on.

Miller has waited a long time to bring this to the screen and it's well worth the wait. There’s no nostalgia thrown back to the days of 80s cinema. “Fury Road” stands by itself, on its own very tall pedestal towering over its predecessors and over every other action movie of the last decade or more. Some 80s movies that go through the whole reboot process try to retain some of that same charm. But “Fury Road” isn't an 80s film, and Max isn't just a character of the time period anymore. Filmmaking technology is vastly improved since the "Thunderdome" days, and Miller uses it to his advantage.

The chase sequences are overblown but in a very cohesive way. Shot lengths are short to keep the pace of the film at a frantic level, but you’re never lost in a completely discombobulated mess of edits. A lot of thought and care went into constructing these sequences, from the actual filming to the masterful editing by Margaret Sixel and Jason Ballantine. Unlike the “Transformers” or “Fast & Furious” films - where all the edits are strung together in a way that completely lacks clarity - “Fury Road” is smart in it's construction. Never once do you feel lost or confused as to who’s fighting whom or who’s chasing whom. And Miller never relies on CGI to bring his film to life. "Fury Road" is filled with practical effects throughout the film giving it a much more realistic feel. CGI is only used to enhance the backgrounds, but never lead the action. I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to see a filmmaker in 2015 go out of his way to not use CGI to show epic action sequences. 

Hardy is a perfect Max. He doesn’t imitate Gibson’s iconic performance; he makes it his own. He plays the Road Warrior a bit more rough around the edges. The script doesn’t provide him much dialogue, which shouldn’t come as a surprise seeing as Max isn’t exactly the most loquacious of cinematic heroes. While Hardy is a terrific Max, it’s Theron’s Furiosa who owns this film. She is the hero leading these five wives to freedom. And the wives aren’t exactly the typical damsels-in-distress either. Each one is tough in her own way, especially Rosie Huntington-Whiteley who plays Joe's favorite wife, Splendid. But Theron commands this movie from the moment she steps on screen. Her character is Miller’s way of showing us that women in action films are completely capable of pulling the vast majority of the weight, and don’t have to be seen as a sexualized object of attraction in the eyes of the protagonist.

Gosh, how was Miller able to get away with all this with $150 million invested by a studio? Movies like “Fury Road” don’t happen in the studio system anymore. It’s all about additional marketing. There's nothing else to sell here, except for Junkie XL's incredible soundtrack, Blu-ray releases, and tickets to future “Mad Max” films. I don’t know how else to convey my praise for this film, other than saying that George Miller may have just made one of the finest action films of all time. I don't want to get ahead of myself; time will tell on that one. But when we think about the likes of “Die Hard” or “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” as some of the all time greats, I have to think we'll be talking about “Fury Road” in the same breath one day. What Miller has done here is the work of a cinematic visionary at the top of his game. “Fury Road” is a masterwork, the kind of spectacle that screens in movie theaters around the world were meant to showcase. Too many filmmakers these days are making movies and releasing a chaotic mess to the public. Who cares, as long as the studios can sell toys, right? Thank God George Miller has returned. And he brings with him a new gold standard.

Review: Mad Max: Fury Road (William)

by William Hill
★★★½

Resurrected decades after most people have gotten beyond Thunderdome, George Miller's Mad Max returns with a new star and a fresh coat of dirt. It's a bizarre sight,  these pale,  hairless men driving hacked up cars from the fifties and beyond in pursuit of Tom Hardy and a prosthetic enhanced Charlize Theron through the desert when placed against the modern landscape of dull gray action films. After watching it,  I'm still not sure if I've woken up from this glorious dream. an eighties film series has returned, not as a reboot,  but a pseudo sequel,  and one that isn't obsessed with constant references and reminders that you're watching a Mad Max film.

No, he doesn't talk like Bane.

Tom Hardy plays Max Rockatansky, the Road Warrior, etc., replacing Mel Gibson in the role, hitting the road merely trying to scrape up enough gasoline to keep driving. It doesn't take long for Max to hit trouble, when the Wild Boys fire a rocket into the back of the V8 Interceptor, and takes him out of commission. This is when we get our first glimpse of the Citadel, a society that is stockpiling water, growing plants in a dead world, and most importantly, run by King Immortan Joe (the names get more ridiculous than this). Immortan Joe keeps a house full of wives for himself, until they are sprung by Imperator Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron. Max is brought along for the chase by War Boy Nux as a blood bag, where he is strapped to the front end of a car, and his blood is fed to the driver along a chain.

What follows for the rest of the film is essentially a two hour chase scene, and the film rarely lets up. The variety comes from the various desert settings, which include a tornado filled dust storm, and a muddy waste in the dead of a cold blue night. Immortan Joe, The Pig, and The Bullet Farmer all posses various vehicles with their own touches and threats, and I don't recall a single threat being repeated for more than one scene. What's impressive is that despite going almost nonstop for over two hours, it doesn't lose the tension, largely because the film still goes with a three act narrative, and something is actually happening, even at the height of the action. 

Most impressive of all is the subtlety of both Hardy and Theron's performances. With very few words, it's easy to get a grasp of what they want and why, where they are coming from, and the weight that they are carrying throughout the film. Tom Hardy even has some facial inflections and annunciations that remind me of Mel Gibson's performances, and that's a feat in itself. It is almost as if the role never changed. Between roaring engines, gunfire, and explosions, the story is quietly told, and it's a great, if simple, tale. The unanswered questions leave a lot of room for the already announced sequels to approach, and given the level of skill Miller displayed here, I am ready for him to put me behind the wheel of another war machine. 

Characters aside, the film pulls no punches visually. There isn't a single vehicle that isn't massive, derived from more than once machine, and sometimes even covered in metal shards. I will refrain from sharing the most absurd of these design choices, because, I swear to you, it must be seen without prior explanation. The Wild Boys, a pasty tattooed lot who are seeking Valhalla, The Pig, an overweight monster of a man with an ornate gold covering on his nose, and the King, Immortan Joe, are all exemplary costume designs. The desert setting gets a few redressings throughout the film, all of which are spectacular. A few key shots of the Citadel seem to pay homage to the classic 1927 silent film Metropolis, and that is not something I expected when I walked into the theater.

The unsung hero of the film is the brilliant score from Junkie XL, calling on a swashbuckling orchestral score with splashes of metal guitar and pounding war drums. Every vehicle has its own distinct sounds. The soundscape for this film is monstrous, and supports ever crash, explosion, gunshot and metallic scrape from beginning to end.

If could critique anything negatively is that when the film does slow into a quieter moment during the late second act, it's somewhat abrupt, given the constant drive of the narrative prior to and after these scenes. However, the story doesn't bore, and these scenes add another layer to the surreal setting, so it is quickly forgiven. I think that these scenes are just as good as the rest of the film, but I can see where some would laze in the lack of octane. Some also may find the more bizarre aspects of the films not to be to their tastes, but that is of no fault of the film. Strange as any one aspect of the film may be, it feels like a natural part of the untamed land.

George Miller's return to Mad Max is a glorious return to a higher grade of action films, rife with smart cinematography, practical effects, absurd comic book style, and characters worth caring about. It's everything that made the original films memorable with a few new tricks to spare. Paired with an excellent score, brilliant performances, and some interesting hooks for the sequels to come, Fury Road is a path worth travelling.