We have just entered December, the kick-off for the flood of reminders about the year’s highlights being consumed. At Magnet we wanted to do something different and we are going to propose a list with the 31 best films of 2015 , a recommendation for each day of this last month.
A clarification before continuing: due to dizziness, whims and commercial vicissitudes of film distribution, each country has its own release calendar, and in my case I have taken Spanish as a reference. Remember, one per day in December: without binging, you still get to recover a large part of the best cinema of the year this Christmas :
Before going to the list, do you prefer to see the list of 31 films on video in less than three minutes? there they go
Birdman or [The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance]
Alejandro González Iñárritu triumphed at the Oscars with this frenetic black comedy about the ego. He is captivated by the stupendous cast (especially an extraordinary Michael Keaton), the lighting genius Emmanuel Lubezki and the illusion that the entire film is filmed through a single sequence shot. A joy.
Whiplash
Damien Chazelle writes and directs one of the most accomplished thrillers of recent years. And he does it with the story (loosely based on his own experience) of a boy who wants to make it big playing the drums but meets the teacher who will make him sweat blood. Literally. It’s really amazing, with one of the most exciting endings I can remember.
Leviathan
The Babadook
Jennifer Kent is the author of one of the best titles in the recent horror genre. Far from being based on scares at the blow of music or easy gore, part of a mother who must raise her son alone and a children’s story about a sinister bogeyman to immerse ourselves in a disturbing story about the monsters that can inhabit our inside. It is the film that Guillermo del Toro wants to shoot and cannot. It has moments that leave you frozen.
Night Crawler
Dan Gilroy films an update of ‘The Great Carnival’ in these times where a famous ass can “break the Internet” and where anything goes to get an audience. The media is corrupt and a hyena with a camera could be God. Jake Gyllenhaal is that hyena, and he’s determined to succeed at all costs, no matter what.
Foxcatcher
Bennett Miller signs a devastating portrait of the American dream. He brings out the best in his acting (Channing Tatum makes it clear that he’s much more than just physical) in this powerful drama based on some startling true events. Steve Carell’s transformation is scary (as is imagining that monsters like that can control the world).
Ex Machina
Alex Garland makes his directorial debut with one of his best scripts, an (apparently) simple science-fiction story supported by a trio of characters and the conflicts of creating artificial intelligence. Visually flawless and full of surprises, he keeps you hooked from start to finish.
‘Kingsman: Secret Service’ (‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’)
Matthew Vaughn is responsible for the funniest and most hooligan action movie of the year. The sequence of the outbreak of violence in the church or the festival of explosions in the final stretch are anthological. Luckily the second part is already underway with the same team.
The most violent year
JC Chandor is carving out a very interesting career and here he achieves his most successful work to date, narrating the epic of an immigrant trying to build an empire in the urban jungle. If in the previous film violence is the key to fun, here we find the opposite: a protagonist determined to avoid bloodshed. For movies like this Oscar Isaac is now one of the most coveted performers.
Mandarins
Zaza Urushadze makes one of the best anti-war arguments I’ve ever seen. And she once again shows that you don’t need many characters or resources to make great movies. Supported by a solid script, a perfect casting and an adequate staging at every moment. It can be lazy to get into it if you read what it is about, so my recommendation is that you jump right in. It’s amazing.
Force Majeure
Ruben Östlund orchestrates one of the most bad-tempered comedies you’ll see in a long time. A simple scare during a family vacation causes a torrent of insecurities, grudges, and arguments that reveal the fractures of a relationship neglected by the vicissitudes of modernity. Be careful not to see her as a couple if you have a recent conflict…
Citizenfour
Laura Poitras documents the Edward Snowden case firsthand. He was one of the few chosen to uncover a truth to the world: the United States is spying on all of us. And the truth is so powerful that it leaves you glued to the screen. The cinema may be necessary and here we have proof .
The song of the sea
Tomm Moore captures a beautiful fairy tale that should be shown in all schools. He talks about loss, family, love, and he does it through an entertaining adventure for all audiences. Studio Ghibli could sign this gem if it weren’t for its obvious Irish soul.
Mad Max: Fury Road
George Miller resumes his famous saga about the road warrior and does so by seeking the greatest possible show with current technology and resources. HE DOES IT with a visually arresting film that is practically a chase with no time to breathe.
A dove perched on a branch to reflect on existence
Roy Andersson portrays, in his peculiar style, the absurdity of the human being in general and of Swedish society in particular. I think that seeing a bit of the trailer you can get a very clear idea of what the film proposes , one of the greatest rarities I have ever come across. Personally, I really enjoyed his unique sense of humor but rarely have I seen so many people leave a room early. You are warned.
Voyage to Sils Maria
Olivier Assayas plays (once again) with the limits that separate reality from fiction, in the life of a famous actress who faces the passage of time and her maturity when she agrees to participate in the modern remake of the film that launched her to stardom when was young. But now she plays the role of the mature and vulnerable woman, and she discovers that her glory days have indeed passed…
White God
Kornél Mundruczó paints a powerful image: a city plunged into chaos by an army of rabid stray dogs. The metaphor of the outcasts works, and far from what it may seem, Disney could make an animated remake without changing many details. Painful, exciting and beautiful.
What we do in the shadows
Love & Mercy
Bill Pohlad portrays Brian Wilson, leader of the Beach Boys, during two periods of his life, in the 1960s and the 1980s. It gives him the opportunity to touch many subjects and to see how the head of a genius works. John Cusack and Paul Dano embody it and manage to barely notice the potholes of the film (the romance is somewhat implausible and the legal guardian looks like something out of a cartoon).
Inside Out
Pete Docter imagines what can happen inside our minds after his daughter’s mood changed so suddenly during adolescence. And thanks to Pixar , we can see the ideas from him. One of the most ingenious, fun and emotional proposals of the year. We will never forget you, Bing Bong.
Mission: Impossible – Secret Nation
Christopher McQuarrie takes the reins of the saga when Brad Bird has left it on his roof… and manages to raise the bar. Ethan Hunt’s adventures promise action, intrigue and spectacle, right? Well that’s what it is in this latest frantic adventure where the limits are pushed a little further. To highlight some very estimable doses of humor.
Operation UNCLE
Guy Ritchie uses the adaptation of the popular TV series to, among other things, shoot his version of James Bond. It is a show similar to his ‘Sherlock Holmes’, as funny as it is run over, with his recognizable style at the service of Hollywood. It only aspires for us to have an entertaining time but I was captivated by two scenes: both with one protagonist rescuing the other. And please, only in original version (Armie Hammer’s Russian accent is a key part of the performance).
Lilting
Hong Khaou puts a peculiar love triangle in pictures. A story loaded with sensitivity and emotion that deals with death and overcoming the emptiness that a deeply loved one leaves, both physically and psychologically. Watch out for the evolution of the talented Ben Whishaw .
The club
Pablo Larraín signs one of those films that leave a mark, that you could relive just by mentioning it. I leave the trailer in case you need it, but I recommend not clicking play and watching ‘The Club’ without knowing anything about its history, except that it involves Catholic priests and that it is very raw, shocking and does not leave you indifferent. It’s overwhelming in the simplest way possible.
Me, him and Raquel
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon manages to combine humor with drama with surprising skill in this story about a dying girl (so the original title makes clear) and her new best friend. The imaginative staging, a script without corniness, an impeccable cast and movie-going winks make it an essential dish .
‘Dheepan’
Jacques Audiard won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival with this tale of survival. A trio of illegal immigrants try to make a living in France only to discover that they have not escaped the horror and violence. The portrait of a harsh reality, the creation of a family bond, a heart attack ending or the most authentic interpretations of the year are some of its weapons.
Hitman
Denis Villeneuve has established himself as one of the best active filmmakers, and is also capable of mastering the quicksands of Hollywood. Third job since his landing in the North American industry, with a great cast, and the result is an impressive thriller with some moments of authentic terror. The astonishing photography of Roger Deakins is one of the keys.
Mist
Shim Sung-bo (with the invaluable help of Bong Joon-ho ) tells us the apparently tragicomic story of a group of fishermen who, in order to overcome the crisis, decide to carry out a dangerous assignment… And at a certain point, there is no back and everything turns into a nightmare. The final section squeaks a bit for me, with somewhat forced decisions, but it is a special film, it has great moments and the whole is very enjoyable.
Arlo’s Journey
Peter Sohn makes his feature film debut after the wonderful short ‘Partly Cloudy’ with a little adventure that starts from a question that we have all asked ourselves at some time: What would have happened if the dinosaurs had not become extinct ? Dinosaurs have human behaviors and we witness the journey of learning and maturity of a young man who needs to overcome his fears. It’s funny, emotional and visually AMAZING.
Lobster
Yorgos Lanthimos signs one of the strangest and most stimulating films I have seen in my life. It is a black comedy centered on love, full of surprises, absurd situations and hilarious dialogues. Colin Farrell stands out in a fantastic cast.
The Bridge of Spies
Steven Spielberg plunges us into the Cold War in a gripping and impeccable thriller about a man forced to be a hero in a dangerous prisoner bargain. Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance deliver high-rise performances.
Extra: ‘Star Wars: The awakening of the force
We have to wait, at least, until dawn from Thursday to Friday, December 18 to see it, but we are facing one of the most important releases in recent years, the film that according to experts is going to break all box office records. It certainly promises to be a great show and we’re going to talk a lot about it in the future, even if it’s as disappointing as ‘The Phantom Menace’…
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
