Favorite movies of 2015
 

Everyone seems to be making year-end lists, so thought I'd start this one. I haven't seen a lot of movies this year, but from what I have seen these are my favorites in no particular order - and some of them may have come out at the tail end of 2014, but I didn't see them until 2015.

1) The Martian

2) Spy

3) Citizenfour

4) American Sniper

5) Still Alice

6) Love & Mercy

7) Inside Out

8) Olive Kitteridge (TV movie/mini-series, but it was really good)

9) Train Wreck

10) Magic Mike XXL

I only saw a couple of films at the theater this year: Ant Man, Inside Out and My All-American, along with the theatrical release of My Fair Lady. Enjoyed them all.

Bring on Thursday night and Star Wars!

We didn't get to the movies anywhere near as often as we used to go, but we did love Love and Mercy. Some people have given us grief over that, but we really did enjoy it.

Straight Outta Compton
Sicario
Creed
The Martian

Dope, Creed, and Amy are definitely my top 3.

I don't go to a lot of movies, but my favorite this year was Trumbo. Great cast, the costuming, set design and photography are tight, and the story is a timely reminder of what can happen when batshit individuals are allowed to run roughshod over people whose views they don't care for.

Bryan Cranston is worth the price of admission. Louis CK, John Goodman and Diane Lane are gravy.

Star Wars
The Martian
Mockingjay Part 2

I really enjoyed The Hateful Eight, Carol, Grandma and Mad Max: Fury Road.

Star Wars
Brooklyn
He Named Me Malala

I've now seen "Spotlight" and "Room", both excellent and recommended.

Going to see "The Revenant" this weekend.

My wife and I went with another couple to see Brooklyn yesterday. I was expecting to like it--but I loved it. The acting, filming and dialogue are amazing. It is such a beautiful, tender coming-of-age story....go see it. And take a tissue or two!

I've been hearing good things about that movie. I will have to see it. I used to read all of Nick Hornsby books, and I know he penned the screenplay for this film.

Just saw "Spotlight" this afternoon--phenomenal film. It tells the story of how a small group of Boston Globe reporters overcame amazing odds to expose the Catholic Church's cover-up of child abuse by priests. It reminded me in many ways of "All the President's Men", and it was almost as riveting. Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams were superb as Globe reporters.

If "Spotlight" doesn't win an Oscar for its screenplay, it would be criminal. That's what made it so riveting.

I really like Mark Ruffalo's work; I've seen many of his films. But I think Michael Keaton gave the performance in this movie, yet Ruffalo got the nomination. Keaton's performance was understated.

"Spotlight" is the film I'm cheering for tomorrow.