Marty Mapes’ Top Ten of 2015

Much of my annual film consumption happens in Toronto, where I kept wondering when I would see “the one” — that single film that stood head and shoulders above the rest. It didn’t happen, but along the way I saw lots of good movies from around the world, and hardly any duds.

Closer to home, we do surprisingly well, considering it’s a thousand miles from L.A. As always, the International Film Series in Boulder showed a slate of excellent selections — some new, some old (including Miracle Mile with a generous intro and followup from Denver critic Walter Chaw). And for a festival that lasts only 3 days, BIFF packs a lot of surprising, early punches (unknowns such as Meet the Patels, Racing Extinction, and Sunshine Superman garnered critical praise later in the year). I admit I’m less familiar with the Boedecker Theater than I should be, but Glenn programmed a delightful documentary called Beer Runners on my recommendation.

I suppose I’m saying that if you want to read about Star Wars, you can find 300 other critics on Rotten Tomatoes (including 2 others here on Movie Habit). But if you like to peek into the far and dark corners of cinema, maybe I still have something to say.

A bootlegger and a taxi driver keep culture moving in Iran

Here is my list of top movies from 2015.

1. Jafar Panahi’s Taxi - Jafar Panahi keeps culture circulating in repressive Iran
2. The Lobster - a film about love as an absurd cultural act of conformity
3. Chevalier - a film about masculinity as endlessly measured by men
4. Love & Mercy - John Cusack opens up as a damaged Brian Wilson
5. 45 Years - Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay still surprise each other after 45 years of marriage
6. Spotlight - A tight and talented ensemble show the irreplaceable social value of the press
7. Ex Machina - Oscar Isaac upstages impressive visual effects and set design
8. The Hateful Eight - Kudos to Quentin Tarantino for his deep appreciation of cinema as spectacle with the 70mm Road Show
9. Sicario - A twisted tale of Mexican cartels
10. Call Me Marianna - A second timeline adds a lot of depth to the story of a Polish transgendered woman

Also worth mentioning are

• Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
• Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Big Short
• Winter on Fire
• Beer Runners
• The Martian
• When Marnie Was There
• Dancing Arabs
• The Hard Stop