8 months of the year in review

Seeing as everyone is doing this kind of list I thought I should do my own. However as I only started this blog in April my top ten will be from April – December 2015. For each choice I will give one reason for my decision and a link to my original review.  Hopefully happy reading and happy new year! – Charlotte Sometimes

10) Ant-Man 

After the relative disappointment of ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ this film was a surprise and joy to watch. Paul Rudd is hilarious in the title role as are the majority of the supporting cast, with Michael Pena often stealing the show.

9) Phoenix

 This film is undeservedly little-known. It’s tensw,  complex, atmospheric and utterly heartbreaking – a character study which shows that much of the devastation of war occurs during the aftermath.

8) Mad Max: Fury Road

Little needs to be said about why this film is so good. My two main reasons are Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furosa and the flamethrower guitarist (which is a must in a post-apocalyptic society). My main reluctance for not placing it higher is that I have only seen it once at the cinema, I fear that a rewatch on a smaller screen would provide less spectacle and resulting glee that the initial viewing provided.

7) The Diary of a Teenage Girl

Based on a graphic novel this film offers something very few films that feature teenage girls actually provides – a real insight into the turmoil that one endures

when not a girl but not yet a woman. Bel Powley is so emphatic in the lead role that she marks herself out as one to watch in the future.

6)  The Gift

If an award was given to unsung contribution to cinema of 2015 it would have to go to Joel Egerton. This film, which he directed, starred in and wrote, is both tense and engaging . It is also sharp and full of twists and turns implying that the much-maligned Thriller genre has more bite in it yet.

5) Man Up

Few genres offer as much loathing and love in equal measure as the Romanic Comedy. Tess Morris’ screenwriting debut is wicked smart and laden with multiple layers of emotion. Simon Pegg and Lake Bell are wonderful leads who are fantastically supported with a brilliant supporting cast. London rarely looks this good!

4) Star Wars 

The Force Awakens, as does my fandom…

3) Grandma

Lily Tomlin is extraordinary in this small yet superb movie. A road movie about getting an abortion may not sound that interesting or even appealing, yet this film is unexpectedly gripping and hilarious.

2) Inside Out

In a world in which awards ceremonies were just, and didn’t just go to oscar bait or oscar baiting performances, this film would sweep the awards. It truly deserves to. It manages to portray such an emotive and important issue as mental health with humour and love.

1) Brooklyn 

Of all the above ranking, this was the easiest to choose. Brooklyn is a timeless romantic epic. Saoirse Ronan is wonderfully endearing, giving a subtle performance (again something which rarely receives the awards it deserves) which deftly tugs at the heartstrings. With so many extraordinary character performances she manages to retain our focus. Few, if any other actresses of her age, have the ability to reveal so much with a look.