With the "Oscar Season" about to start, I thought I would give a list of my favorite movies of the year so far as well as the most disappointing ones. This list will obviously only contain films that I have seen so movies like Ex-Machina, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and Dope, which all seem like terrific movies, will not be on my list because I don't yet have an opinion on them. This list also reflects only my opinion so it will look a lot different than your list or somebody else's list, but the beautiful thing about film is that it is subjective and everybody will have different opinions. So while you may not agree with my picks, others might. There is no right or wrong list when it comes to movies. I will start off with my 3 most disappointing movies before talking about what I feel are the top 10 best movies of the year so far. So without further ado, here are my lists:
Top 3 Most Disappointing Films
3. Aloha
Going into this movie, I thought there could be no way that this movie could be bad. It had a fantastic cast and the trailers showed the potential for a fun and beautiful story. Sadly, what we got instead was a movie that was just plain weird and all over the place. I didn't walk away hating this movie, but this movie fell very short of what was expected from it.
2. Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland is a movie that seemed to like a cool concept that, just like Pirates of the Caribbean, came from a Disneyland ride. The trailers promised this extraordinary world of fantasy made from human kind's own technological advances. But we hardly see any part of that world. We see minor parts of it, but never do the characters get the opportunity to actually explore this world. While the visuals in this film were pretty great, the movie as a whole just didn't quite work.
1. Minions
After seeing the first two Despicable Me movies, it's hard to blame Universal Pictures for attempting to make a film out of Gru's hilarious and adorable helpers. After all, their hostile behavior towards one another and their cute gibberish made those films so much more enjoyable. But what Minions proved was that the minions are great in small doses but once given their own feature film, it is just too much to bear. It was a good attempt at trying to tell us who they are and where they came from, but there some things that we are better off not knowing. The story of how the minions came to be is, sadly, one of those things.
Top 10 Best Films So Far
Honorable Mentions: While We're Young, What We Do in the Shadows, and The Last Five Years are all very different films that were ridiculously close to making it onto my top 10 but just barely fell right outside of it. However, I highly recommend all 3 of those movies to anyone who has not yet seen them.
10. Paddington
This little gem of a movie was released right when the new year began. I cannot even explain the surprise that came as I watched this movie. This was a movie that seemed like it would be way too childish and over-the-top, but instead it was charming, funny, and just all-around adorable. Nobody saw this coming, and if you have not seen this movie yet, you should. You will walk away from this movie wishing you had a bear of your own just like Paddington. Fun-fact: this movie, at an astonishing 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, is the highest rated movie on this list. That should tell you enough as to how good this film is.
9. Mad Max: Fury Road
I am such a massive Tom Hardy fan. What he was able to do in movies such as Warrior and Locke was just incredible. He is, without a doubt, one of the best actors in the world right now. Having said that, I have to admit that I had absolutely zero interest in watching this movie when it came out. It just didn't appeal to me even though I am the target audience. This was such a different movie than what I am used to watching that I just decided it would be best if I just didn't watch it. But after hearing people rave about it for about a month straight, I finally gave it a shot. The only regret that I had after watching this movie was not watching it earlier because the non-stop action made this such a fun and thrilling experience. The great thing about this story is that it isn't the story of Max, as the title would have you believe. It is actually the story of Imperator Furiosa as seen through the eyes of Max. That aspect itself is fascinating but it is only one of the reasons why you should watch this movie. There are many, many more.
8. Cinderella
The story of Cinderella is one that has been told and retold for centuries, and that is no exaggeration. Even within Disney, this wasn't the first time telling this fairy-tale. But there was something different about this incarnation of it. Maybe it seemed more magical because it was a live-action adaptation rather than an animated movie. Maybe it was the fact that we learned more about Cinderella and how bad her life really was. Whatever it was, Cinderella managed to make a well-known story feel new again and that's not an easy thing to do. You know what other Disney princess is getting her movie made into live-action? Belle. If this is any indication of what we can expect from the new Beauty and the Beast adaptation, then we can expect greatness. Cinderella is an all-around great movie.
7. Inside Out
At this point in the year, Inside Out has to be the front-runner to win the Best Animated Film category at the upcoming Oscar's. Now, Pixar's second film of the year, The Good Dinosaur, might have something to say about that when it comes out in November, but as of now, I just cant think of a better animated film this year. Inside Out is funny, charming, heart-warming, and so much more all wrapped up in a fantastic story about what goes on inside of our heads. It's a fascinating way to show kids how our emotions work without having to get real technical. This movie also had a fantastic short film attached to the beginning called Lava. If you have not yet seen that short film, find it and watch it. Your heart will melt.
6. Jurassic World
This has to be one of the most fun movies of the year. It was great to finally see the actual Jurassic World theme park up and running. Chris Pratt was great as the lead in this monster of a movie. Jurassic World broke down all expectations, both critically and financially, scoring a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and earning over a billion dollars worldwide. The plot of the movie itself isn't incredibly fascinating or complicated in any way, but it serves the purpose of creating an incredibly fun experience.
5. Kingsman: The Secret Service
This is one that I didn't see until a few weeks ago. The trailers looked entertaining enough but it wasn't a movie that I prioritized. But after hearing about how good it was for months and months, I finally gave it a shot and I immediately regretted putting it off for as long as I did. It is so entertaining and it's always cool to see a movie in which a character shows growth as an individual. I thought Colin Firth and Taron Egerton had great chemistry in their mentor-mentee relationship and Samuel L. Jackson was so good as the quirky villain of the film. This is the type of movie that could turn into a successful franchise because there are so many possible stories you could tell, either forward or backward in time. This was just a movie that came out of nowhere and that I wish more people would see.
4. The Gift
Speaking of movies that came out of nowhere, The Gift is probably the biggest surprise of the year. From watching the trailers, you would think that this is just another throwaway thriller yet this movie is so much more than that. Joel Edgerton makes his directorial debut in a massive way and shows us that not only can he act (and he does so fabulously in this film), but he can also write and direct. I have been trying to get more people to watch this movie ever since I first saw it because this is a movie that deserves to be seen. I will not spoil the ending here, but trust me, that alone is worth the watch.
3. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Kicking off the top 3 is a movie that I hoped would be #1 but unfortunately, this is as high as it can get. When I first came out of this movie, I thought it was as good as the first Avengers movie, but now four months later, I can see that it isn't. However, I think people are quick to hate on it because it didn't meet the bar that was set by the original without thinking that the first one was so exceptional that it is almost impossible for another movie in its franchise to come close to it. In other words, just because Age of Ultron is not as good as the original Avengers it doesn't mean that it isn't good at all. There is still so much to love in this movie and so much that makes it a great film. When I started this list I had it at #4, but as I began writing about it and thinking about all key moments in the film, a smile crept up on me knew that it deserved to at least be #3. Regardless of what you think of this movie, I think it's worth to re-watch it without trying to compare it to its predecessor. I think you will find your viewing of it to be much more pleasant in that way.
2. Southpaw
I had a hard time deciding whether this film would be my #1 or my #2 but ultimately decided on it being #2 only because it's not a movie that you could easily watch over and over. It is dark, gritty, and heartbreaking, but Jake Gyllenhaal makes sure you feel just how fiercely he loves his family and you believe that love from the very beginning. The fighting itself was the best and most realistic I have ever seen in a movie and you truly do feel like you're watching real fights. This story will crush you and will most likely make you cry, but you should absolutely watch it.
1. Ant-Man
Similar to what Guardians of the Galaxy did last year, Ant-Man showed audiences that even the most unknown of properties can show up and make viewers fall in love with you as long as you give them a reason to. After once more seeing the world almost be destroyed in Age of Ultron, it was nice to see the stakes in Ant-Man be a lot smaller (no pun intended). This film was one of the funniest Marvel movies ever, but it also had so much heart and that was in big part because of what Paul Rudd was able to bring in. It also showed action in a way that I had never seen before and did a phenomenal job in making the action in the shrunken states seem so much bigger. The final fight of the movie takes place in a little girl's bedroom and it feels like you could be anywhere else in the world. This is a film that is so charming and overall entertaining, I find it hard to understand how someone can dislike this movie. You will have lots of fun watching this movie even if you have no idea who or what Ant-Man is. Paul Rudd crushes this role and I cannot wait to see how he evolves in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Top 3 Most Disappointing Films
3. Aloha
Going into this movie, I thought there could be no way that this movie could be bad. It had a fantastic cast and the trailers showed the potential for a fun and beautiful story. Sadly, what we got instead was a movie that was just plain weird and all over the place. I didn't walk away hating this movie, but this movie fell very short of what was expected from it.
2. Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland is a movie that seemed to like a cool concept that, just like Pirates of the Caribbean, came from a Disneyland ride. The trailers promised this extraordinary world of fantasy made from human kind's own technological advances. But we hardly see any part of that world. We see minor parts of it, but never do the characters get the opportunity to actually explore this world. While the visuals in this film were pretty great, the movie as a whole just didn't quite work.
1. Minions
After seeing the first two Despicable Me movies, it's hard to blame Universal Pictures for attempting to make a film out of Gru's hilarious and adorable helpers. After all, their hostile behavior towards one another and their cute gibberish made those films so much more enjoyable. But what Minions proved was that the minions are great in small doses but once given their own feature film, it is just too much to bear. It was a good attempt at trying to tell us who they are and where they came from, but there some things that we are better off not knowing. The story of how the minions came to be is, sadly, one of those things.
Top 10 Best Films So Far
Honorable Mentions: While We're Young, What We Do in the Shadows, and The Last Five Years are all very different films that were ridiculously close to making it onto my top 10 but just barely fell right outside of it. However, I highly recommend all 3 of those movies to anyone who has not yet seen them.
10. Paddington
This little gem of a movie was released right when the new year began. I cannot even explain the surprise that came as I watched this movie. This was a movie that seemed like it would be way too childish and over-the-top, but instead it was charming, funny, and just all-around adorable. Nobody saw this coming, and if you have not seen this movie yet, you should. You will walk away from this movie wishing you had a bear of your own just like Paddington. Fun-fact: this movie, at an astonishing 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, is the highest rated movie on this list. That should tell you enough as to how good this film is.
9. Mad Max: Fury Road
I am such a massive Tom Hardy fan. What he was able to do in movies such as Warrior and Locke was just incredible. He is, without a doubt, one of the best actors in the world right now. Having said that, I have to admit that I had absolutely zero interest in watching this movie when it came out. It just didn't appeal to me even though I am the target audience. This was such a different movie than what I am used to watching that I just decided it would be best if I just didn't watch it. But after hearing people rave about it for about a month straight, I finally gave it a shot. The only regret that I had after watching this movie was not watching it earlier because the non-stop action made this such a fun and thrilling experience. The great thing about this story is that it isn't the story of Max, as the title would have you believe. It is actually the story of Imperator Furiosa as seen through the eyes of Max. That aspect itself is fascinating but it is only one of the reasons why you should watch this movie. There are many, many more.
8. Cinderella
The story of Cinderella is one that has been told and retold for centuries, and that is no exaggeration. Even within Disney, this wasn't the first time telling this fairy-tale. But there was something different about this incarnation of it. Maybe it seemed more magical because it was a live-action adaptation rather than an animated movie. Maybe it was the fact that we learned more about Cinderella and how bad her life really was. Whatever it was, Cinderella managed to make a well-known story feel new again and that's not an easy thing to do. You know what other Disney princess is getting her movie made into live-action? Belle. If this is any indication of what we can expect from the new Beauty and the Beast adaptation, then we can expect greatness. Cinderella is an all-around great movie.
7. Inside Out
At this point in the year, Inside Out has to be the front-runner to win the Best Animated Film category at the upcoming Oscar's. Now, Pixar's second film of the year, The Good Dinosaur, might have something to say about that when it comes out in November, but as of now, I just cant think of a better animated film this year. Inside Out is funny, charming, heart-warming, and so much more all wrapped up in a fantastic story about what goes on inside of our heads. It's a fascinating way to show kids how our emotions work without having to get real technical. This movie also had a fantastic short film attached to the beginning called Lava. If you have not yet seen that short film, find it and watch it. Your heart will melt.
6. Jurassic World
This has to be one of the most fun movies of the year. It was great to finally see the actual Jurassic World theme park up and running. Chris Pratt was great as the lead in this monster of a movie. Jurassic World broke down all expectations, both critically and financially, scoring a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and earning over a billion dollars worldwide. The plot of the movie itself isn't incredibly fascinating or complicated in any way, but it serves the purpose of creating an incredibly fun experience.
5. Kingsman: The Secret Service
This is one that I didn't see until a few weeks ago. The trailers looked entertaining enough but it wasn't a movie that I prioritized. But after hearing about how good it was for months and months, I finally gave it a shot and I immediately regretted putting it off for as long as I did. It is so entertaining and it's always cool to see a movie in which a character shows growth as an individual. I thought Colin Firth and Taron Egerton had great chemistry in their mentor-mentee relationship and Samuel L. Jackson was so good as the quirky villain of the film. This is the type of movie that could turn into a successful franchise because there are so many possible stories you could tell, either forward or backward in time. This was just a movie that came out of nowhere and that I wish more people would see.
4. The Gift
Speaking of movies that came out of nowhere, The Gift is probably the biggest surprise of the year. From watching the trailers, you would think that this is just another throwaway thriller yet this movie is so much more than that. Joel Edgerton makes his directorial debut in a massive way and shows us that not only can he act (and he does so fabulously in this film), but he can also write and direct. I have been trying to get more people to watch this movie ever since I first saw it because this is a movie that deserves to be seen. I will not spoil the ending here, but trust me, that alone is worth the watch.
3. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Kicking off the top 3 is a movie that I hoped would be #1 but unfortunately, this is as high as it can get. When I first came out of this movie, I thought it was as good as the first Avengers movie, but now four months later, I can see that it isn't. However, I think people are quick to hate on it because it didn't meet the bar that was set by the original without thinking that the first one was so exceptional that it is almost impossible for another movie in its franchise to come close to it. In other words, just because Age of Ultron is not as good as the original Avengers it doesn't mean that it isn't good at all. There is still so much to love in this movie and so much that makes it a great film. When I started this list I had it at #4, but as I began writing about it and thinking about all key moments in the film, a smile crept up on me knew that it deserved to at least be #3. Regardless of what you think of this movie, I think it's worth to re-watch it without trying to compare it to its predecessor. I think you will find your viewing of it to be much more pleasant in that way.
2. Southpaw
I had a hard time deciding whether this film would be my #1 or my #2 but ultimately decided on it being #2 only because it's not a movie that you could easily watch over and over. It is dark, gritty, and heartbreaking, but Jake Gyllenhaal makes sure you feel just how fiercely he loves his family and you believe that love from the very beginning. The fighting itself was the best and most realistic I have ever seen in a movie and you truly do feel like you're watching real fights. This story will crush you and will most likely make you cry, but you should absolutely watch it.
1. Ant-Man
Similar to what Guardians of the Galaxy did last year, Ant-Man showed audiences that even the most unknown of properties can show up and make viewers fall in love with you as long as you give them a reason to. After once more seeing the world almost be destroyed in Age of Ultron, it was nice to see the stakes in Ant-Man be a lot smaller (no pun intended). This film was one of the funniest Marvel movies ever, but it also had so much heart and that was in big part because of what Paul Rudd was able to bring in. It also showed action in a way that I had never seen before and did a phenomenal job in making the action in the shrunken states seem so much bigger. The final fight of the movie takes place in a little girl's bedroom and it feels like you could be anywhere else in the world. This is a film that is so charming and overall entertaining, I find it hard to understand how someone can dislike this movie. You will have lots of fun watching this movie even if you have no idea who or what Ant-Man is. Paul Rudd crushes this role and I cannot wait to see how he evolves in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Comments
Post a Comment