So without furrther adieu, let us get to it:
My Fave Picks:
7. Furious 7 - This movie does not fail in what it sought to accomplish, and the untimely death of Paul Walker added some weight to this movie. Honestly, the Fast movies have taken on a life of their own in which if you can shut your brain off, mindless entertainment can be had as long as the cast and crew keep having fun.
6. Spectre - Bond. James Bond. Another solid entry in the Daniel Craig 007 series although not as good as "Skyfall". I think "Skyfall" raised the stakes so much there really was no way to top it. "Spectre" has its moments but fails to capitalize on the acting of Christoph Waltz.
5. MIssion: Impossible - Rogue Nation - Tom Cruise continues to impress me with the M:I movies. I really thought the series was dead after Mission: Impossible II, but the next three installments have rejuvenated it and continues to improve. The stunts are outrageous as one would expect from the M:I movies. The plot of the IMF being dismantled added some high risk to the movie, but honestly Ghost Protocol had already done that.
4. Avengers: Age of Ultron - Was this as good as the first Avengers? No. Is it still another solid piece in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Definitely. I enjoyed this movie even though there were moments that just felt flat, rushed, and maybe too unfocused on the movie's sole plot versus too focused on setting up Phase III of the MCU. Ultron was not as terrifying nor really a large threat to the Avengers like I thought he would be, but it still was good enough to progress the MCU and wrap up Phase II. Plus, Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlett Witch was a pleasant surprise, but Paul Bettany as the Vision absolutely stole the movie. With the other movies I saw; however, I could not place AOU in my top 3.
3. Jurassic World - A franchise rejuvenated! After the "bleh" moments of Jurassic Park II and III, I was skepitcal of "Jurassic World". However, when I saw it finally I was definitely impressed. The story was good, it harkened back to the first JP movie, and there were just some great moments in the film. Probably would be one of the greatest movies I have seen this year if I had not given the top 2 spots to one movie that is there because of my devotion to the MCU, and because of the movie that deserves to be in the top spot.
2. Ant-Man - I have to admit, it was weird to have this movie as the closing piece of MCU's Phase II. However, its lightheartedness and just plain fun was needed after the seriousness of Age of Ultron. Everything just clicked about this movie when it should not have. It was almost the same magic that 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy" had when it exceeded all expectations. Paul Rudd playing a superhero was as unlikely as Scott Lang redeeming himself in the movie, and yet Rudd comes off as humorous, charming, and heroic. Add the charisma between him and the actress playing his daughter and it makes this movie a good family piece.
And now the number one pick from the self-professed thus true apparent Comic Book Guru....
1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Was there any doubt? Maybe if Episode VII had went the way of the prequels. However, it did not. Disney and J.J. Abrams called up the spirit of the original trilogies and invited it to inhabit the set, crew, and cast members and out came the magic that The Force Awakens ended up being. I cannot stop gushing about this film. I have seen it twice and I will see it a third; maybe a fourth and fifth. Everything about this movie just worked. The new actors chosen could actually act and convey emotions, the humor was not forced, and Harrison Ford as Han Solo and his companion Chewbacca stole the movie. All the excitement I felt when watching the Original Trilogy for the first time was there for The Force Awakens. I highly recommend this movie. If the prequels turned you away, let The Force Awakens invite you back to that story that started a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
Stinkers:
1. Terminator: Genisys - I hesitated putting this movie as a stinker because I actually enjoyed it. However, compared to the other movies above, I just could not place it in the same league. I thought Genisys was better than "Rise of the Machines" and "Salvation". I think the movie audience is just tired of the Terminator franchise. I read the studios are still pursuing a sequel and TV series. Maybe if moviegoers would stop listening to critics and go watch the movies, then they might see the new universe established by Genysis is pretty good.
2. Fifty Shades of Grey - I have not seen this movie. However, I am just going to say there should be no reason this movie exists. It basically serves as pornography with an excuse. 50 Shades is basically to women what Showgirls was to men but bottom line both movies are trash.
3. Fantastic Four - Another movie I will never, ever see. FOX has failed this franchise, and the only hope FF has is that FOX just allow the rights to slip back to Marvel for inclusion with the MCU.
4. Movie Trailers - The main gripe I have for the movies of 2015 is too much of the movies were revealed in the trailers, or the trailer was completely misleading. The trailer for Terminator revealing John Connor is a terminator ruined that movie's twist, and the trailer for Age of Ultron misled the general feel of the movie. Trailers are showing way too much and I think mainly because perhaps moviegoers' patience are growing thin as well as their attention spans. However, studios need to remember that the trailers should only tease and never reveal plot twists, secrets, or even the story themselves. Take a page from Disney and Abrams with how they handled The Force Awakens trailers. Perfection!
Want To See:
1. The Martian - Matt Damon has been impressive in his movies, and this looks really good.
2. Mad Max - Yeah... I know... I should have seen this movie by now.
3. The Revenant - I am a fan of DiCaprio, and this movie just looks ruggedly awesome.
4. The Hateful Eight - I am not a fan of Quentin Tarantino's mouth and what comes out of it, but I am a fan of his movies.
5. Creed - I am a sucker for Rocky movies, and this spin-off looked promising from the trailers.
6. Straight Outta Compton - I may be from Oklahoma, but this Okie wants to see this movie.
2016 Expectations:
1. Captain America: Civil War - This is at the top of my list of movies to see. I think the Russo Brothers will help steer the MCU towards a more serious tone and create some high stake risks with this one. The MCU has been too sterile for awhile. It needs to get dirty.
2. Deadpool - This is going to be the most straight up comic book adaptation of a superhero we have ever seen. As such, I won't be taking my kids to see it. However, you can bet I will watch it and enjoy it. The trailers have been awesome, and Ryan Reynold's enthusiasm and passion for this movie has been rubbing off on all of us fans.
3. X-Men: Apocalypse - I've been waiting to see Apocalypse on the silver screen since the X-Men premiered in theaters way back when.
4. Suicide Squad - Here is another movie that I think will be a darkhorse but will succeed more than expected. Like Deadpool, it could possibly be another pure comic book adaptation ever put together on screen.
5. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - I am still skeptical of this movie especially given the trailer has revealed way too much. Lex Luthor in this movie has failed to impress with how he is being portrayed. However, it doesn't mean I don't want this movie to succeed because I do. I still feel like WB and DC are rushing this to catch up to Marvel. Time will tell....
6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - With Disney buying Lucasfilms a few years ago, making anthology movies based on the Star Wars universe was inevitable. I am curious to see how this will work.
7. The Jungle Book - Based on the trailers I have seen this movie looks like it will be good.
8. Warcraft - I played the game on the PC, and the trailers have looked amazing. I hope this works out.
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Out of the Shadows - Yeah, the first one was cheesy but I still enjoyed it. This one looks cheesy too but I will still watch it. Three words: Bebop and Rocksteady!
10. Assassin's Creed - I hope this movie breaks the cycle of bad movie adaptations of video games. I have been a fan of this series since it first came out. Michael Fassbender as the assassin spells gold.
11. Doctor Strange - I had been hoping Benedict Cumberbatch would have been selected as the Sorcerer Supreme, so when he was I hopped on board the anticipation train for this movie. I can't wait to see how magic will be introduced into the MCU since they explained away Asgard as alien beings.
Okay, so there are my reviews and picks for the future. Agree? Disagree? Sound off. What were your favorite movies of 2015? Your stinkers? What are you looking forward to in 2016?
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