Wednesday, December 2, 2015

The Five Best Movies of 2015 (so far)



Just for fun on the blog today, I thought I’d post about my five favorite theatrical movies of 2015, and then ask you: what are the best movies you’ve seen this year? What do you agree or disagree with about my list? I’m always up for some friendly pop culture debate :)

NUMBER FIVE: SPY



I went into this movie thinking it would be a silly comedy. And then I snorted and laughed until I couldn’t breathe. I love Melissa McCarthy as a secret agent. It blows away all the stereotypes of what a secret agent should be. And her sidekick? Miranda Hart as Nancy stole the show. It’s just a GREAT comedy, full of fun, and that’s why it’s on my list. We all need a good laugh.

NUMBER FOUR: Ant-Man




I’m going to rate Ant-Man higher than Avengers: Age of Ultron. Why? Because I expected Avengers to be good, and I was sure Ant-Man, just based on that title, would be ridiculous. But actually: it was fun and exciting. The comedy in the Avengers movies feels a little too forced, doesn’t it? I enjoy the blend of action and comedy, and Ant-Man incorporated its humor with thrills in a way that I found to be more natural and more enjoyable.

NUMBER THREE: Furious 7



It wasn’t as good as Furious 6 IMO, and it probably wouldn’t be on my list if not for the Paul Walker tribute at the end. But that ending is so damn beautiful that I just don’t think you’re fully human if you walked out of the theatre with dry eyes.

NUMBER TWO: Inside Out




This movie is perfect. Absolutely perfect. It has plenty of laughs and lots of feels all throughout, but what really makes it exceptional: the little characters inside Riley’s head are the voices we all have in our heads. Along with the humor, it’s a perfect visual representation of the complexity of human emotion, thought, and behavior.

NUMBER ONE: Creed



Did we really need a seventh film in the Rocky franchise? Turns out we did! I can’t love this movie any more than I do. It pays tribute to the original with its own creative adaptations (Creed’s run at the end of the classic training montage, catching the chicken, so much more). It also gives us a character to love/hate, and it breaths fresh life into the franchise for a new generation. Most importantly, this is a character story, as the best Rocky movies are, and the reason it’s number one on my list: it made me FEEL more than any of the other films. I cheered, I yelled, I felt the prick of tears on my eyelids, and I’ll proudly add Creed next to my full collection of all the other Rocky movies. It’s a must see, and not just for fans of the franchise, but for anyone believes in the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle.

Did I miss a few? You’re probably thinking: Where’s Mockingjay Part II, Jurassic World, Age of Ultron? I enjoyed all of those films. Quite a lot. The thing is: I’ve seen them all before. I still think Catching Fire is the best in The Hunger Games series. Jurassic World is wonderful, but it doesn’t embrace the magic of surprise like Jurassic Park. As much as I love the Avengers movies, they’re starting to blur together for me at this point.

So what do you think? What are your favorites?

And will Star Wars: The Force Awakens become my new number one in a few weeks. I’d say it’s more than possible. 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter and visit my webpage at www.joechianakas.com

Also check out my first published novel-- a horror story that, in part, pays tribute to our best (and worst) horror films, Rabbit in Red.
 

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