Top 10 Movies 2015

If you are reading this post, you are either 1) related to me and have a familial obligation to at least glace at this list; 2) a friend who received an unsolicited email asking you to please take a look, or 3) a current or former student who feels slightly uneasy that your future grades or letters of recommendation may depend on your reading it.  

Whomever you are, thanks for reading.

This year, I have also posted a Top 10 Book list so if that interests you, just click on the link to the right. 

For a long time, I felt 2015 was a slow year for movies.  But after reviewing the year as a whole and composing this list, I realized it was actually really good.  There was a little something for everyone.  Fun family movies, enjoyable summer popcorn experiences, and a lot of smart adult dramas.

A common theme in the more serious movies this year was the fight to uncover wide-spread systemic corruption that harmed innocent individuals in American over the past 50 years.  The stories of the horrific child abuse by the clergy in the Catholic church (Spotlight), and denial of the dangers of concussive symptoms by the NFL (Concussion), illustrated this theme.  Throw in the alienation of an American attorney who believed it was ethical to offer a fair defense to a Russian spy during the cold war (Bridge of Spies), and the false imprisonment of Hollywood screenwriters based on their political beliefs in the 1940s (Trumbo), and the theme of one person working against the larger system seemed to run through many of the movies on my list this year.

In one of her books, the author Ann Patchett wrote, "I believe it is human nature to try to persuade others that our most passionately held beliefs are true, so that they too can know the joy of our deepest convictions."  I believe that the stories that speak to us in movies do so because they are somehow linked with our most passionately held beliefs.  So in that regard, I share this list with you in an effort to persuade you to see some of these movies and perhaps share in some of the joy that I found in their stories. 

As always, please send me an email to discuss movies anytime at bpeterson@chapman.edu. 

Family Fun

The Peanuts Movie - G

For years, I have loved these characters, but they have always had a bit of a gap in their personalities (which is understandable seeing they are based on comic strip characters). This movie brilliantly puts that all together. Charlie Brown is still Charlie Brown – but he is not quite as depressed or ineffectual. He has some spirit and he is more likeable. The movie is also very funny and Snoopy is especially great. This is a perfect family movie for kids of all ages.

Inside Out - PG

Pixar hit it out of the park with this movie.  Every therapist (of which I am one) who loves to hear others talk about their feelings, and also talk about their own, felt a lot of validation from this movie. It was funny and smart.  Cleverly imagined, it was one of the biggest box-office draws of the summer.  I loved that I could take all 3 of my kids to this movie. 

Paddington - PG

I have to make amends on this one.  It came out in late 2014 and after seeing this horrible preview, I vowed I would NEVER, ever see this movie.  However, in a moment of desperation on a family vacation, I rented it for my girls so my wife and I could go out to dinner.  I watched the first 5 minutes to get them started and couldn't believe how smart and funny it was.  So I paused the movie and got take out instead so we could all watch it together.  It was one of our favorite experiences watching a movie as a family.

Summer and Popcorn

Raising a 14-year old boy has its share of challenges (teenage angst, continually having your parental authority challenged, teenage angst), but one of the great benefits of having a 14 year old son is having a movie buddy to all the summer films.

Mission Impossible 5: Rogue Nation - PG-13

My son loves the Mission Impossible movies and watching Tom Cruise actually hold onto the outside of a plane during takeoff is just so amazing it lets us know there is nothing Cruise won't do to help his movie succeed. A strong female counterpart makes this movie interesting, and while the action predictably goes over the top, it was a fun way to spend a summer night.  

Ant Man - PG-13

Of course, Marvel somehow found a way to make a movie about a superhero that is the size of an ant compelling and interesting.  The best thing about this movie though was how funny it was - especially Michael Pena.

Jurassic World - PG-13

The dinosaurs were big, the people had equipment to fight back, and gene splicing created new breeds of dinosaurs.  It cleverly resurrected the series and had some great twists on the old movies.  

She is Changing the World

He Named Me Malala - PG-13

This powerful documentary provides a glimpse into Malala's remarkable life.  I am not using hyperbole when I say she is one of my heroes. Although this movie lacks the power of her book, it is worth your time.  I describe my absolute love of her book in greater detail in my 2015 Top 10 Book List.  

Just Outside the Top 10

Brooklyn - PG-13

This movie explores what it might have been like to immigrate from Ireland to American in the 1940s. The story felt original and fresh and shows what this experience might have been like from the perspective of an independent young Irish woman looking for a better life.

Top 10 Movies (six of which are based on true stories)

10 - Trumbo - R

I really enjoyed this biopic about Dalton Trumbo - a 1940s and 50s Hollywood screenwriter who was imprisoned by Congress because of his affiliation with the Communist party. Once released from prison, he was blacklisted in Hollywood, so he and a group of other writers continued to work using pseudonyms. Trumbo amazingly won two Academy Awards for writing Roman Holiday and The Brave One using a pen name.

9 – Love & Mercy - PG-13

This is the most original musical biopic I have seen.  What I loved most about it was the way it explores the creative process of how Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys made their music.  John Cusack and Paul Dano play Wilson at different ages and it works amazingly well. If you like the music in this trailer, check this one out for the sheer appreciation of how great music is created.

8 - Bridge of Spies - PG-13

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks team up again (Saving Private Ryan) to make a moving character picture of an American lawyer defending a Russian spy in the late 1950s. The movie was an excellent examination of the politics and threats of the Cold War and show that Spielberg and Hanks both still have the abilities to make a top flight movie.

7 - Concussion - PG-13

I was surprised at how much I loved this movie. This is the story of Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian born doctor who discovered Chronic Traumatic Encephalopothy (CTE) during an autoposy of a former Hall of Fame NFL player. This movie, and the story of how this discovery was made, is truly amazing and deserves to be seen. Will Smith reminds us that he a great actor - his portrayal of this man was thoughtful and moving. If Bennet Omalu is anything like how he is portrayed in this movie, I would like to meet him - he is a man who stands for all of the ideals I love - integrity, honesty, compassion.  This disease not only affects NFL players as there is tragic evidence now that it impacts amateur athletes as young as 25. Regardless of how you feel about football, the story of this man's life and his discovery of this condition should be required viewing for everyone.

6 – Suffrogette - PG-13

No one saw this movie and it is a shame.  It is so rare to find a movie about women told by women, and this movie was produced, written, and directed by women – something you almost never see.  The movie tells the story of how British women in 1912 fought for the right to vote.  They sacrificed so much – suffering physical beatings by policemen, forced feedings in prison, and in some cases losing the right to raise their own children.  The women in Britain paid a high price but paved the way for the women in Britain and other countries around the world to get the right to vote.  My students rarely realize that it hasn't even been 100 yeas since women could vote in the United States. This movie helps people not forget that and appreciate the sacrifices of the women who fought for this right for the future generations.  This is another movie that should be viewed by everyone because of the importance of its subject matter. 

5 – Mr. Holmes - PG-13

I absolutely loved this quiet movie about an aging Sherlock Holmes.  The movie intriguingly follows three story lines which I found thoughtful and compelling.  Ian McKellen is amazing as he always is in any movie he stars.  This was my #1 movie for several months after I saw it - it is excellent.

4 – Creed - PG-13

When I heard this movie was coming out, I thought it would never work - the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed getting Rocky Balboa to train him to rise in the ranks of boxing?  Well, I was wrong. This is one of the years best movies.  Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler team up again after Coogler’s brilliant first movie Fruitvale Station in 2013 (#3 on that year's list).  Coogler is an incredibly talented director – he will likely be making great movies for years to come.  The script and stroy are strong.  And the acting is outstanding - Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, and Sylvester Stalone are all excellent.  This is a movie I would see again.

3 – Star Wars: The Force Awakens - PG-13

Since watching the Empire Strikes Back in 1980, I have waited for the next great Star Wars movie, and now its finally here!  I thank J.J. Abrams for that. From Super 8 to Star Trek, he has proven he can effectively direct story driven movies rooted in strong emotional character development.  Harrison Ford – who was the biggest movie star for much of my childhood - was great in reprising the role of Han Solo.  And the newcomers were excellent.  Daisy Ridley completely surprised me and shows she has the ability to carry this trilogy forward, and Adam Driver was menacing as the Villian in the making – Kylo Ren. The sets, music, and sound all signal a return to the magic that had us fall in love with Star Wars in the first place (imagery of the Millenium Falcon being chased by a Tie Fighter through the wreckage of an Imperial Star Destoyer was brilliant).  My 11 year-old daughter has fully embraced ths movie (after seeing it twice) and is now a huge Star Wars fan.  But I didn't need convincing.  I loved every minute of it.

2 – Far From the Madding Crowd - PG-13

A beautiful and majestic movie.  This tells such a rare story - adapted from an 1874 Thomas Hardy novel – a strong independent woman living in the late 1800s being courted by 3 male suitors.  Each man presents different advantages - loyalty and wisdom, passion and risk, safety and security.  Carey Mulligan makes this looks effortless – she is so easy to watch on screen.  Between this movie and playing the lead in Sufforgette – she is establishing herself as one of the great actresses of today.  I saw this movie early in the year and it just stayed with me.  This is a beautifully told story - it is a a great tale of the power of loyalty, sacrifice, and love.

1 – Spotlight - R

This is an incredibly important movie written and directed by Thomas McCarthy (The Station Agent, Win-Win). The movie tells two stories – one about the critical need for high quality investigative journalism in society, and the other about the horrible cover up by the Catholic church of the sexual abuse of young children by its clergy.  It is heartbreaking to think of how many young children suffered abuse at the hands of their Bishops and Priests - abuse in its most terrible form which robs them of their innocence and any chance of a normal life.  The movie feels like the investigative journalism it is covering – straight forward, direct, yet uncompromising. It just presents the facts and lets the power of the story speak for itself.  A specialized team of 4 Boston Globe reporters uncovered the story.  By the end, it is estimated that over 1,000 children were victims in Boston alone.  And abuses and similar stories have been found in other cities around the world. It is clearly a tough topic, but the work of these reporters is vital in assuring that such abuses and cover ups from powerful religious or other institutions never happens again.  To read an excellent review of this movie, you can find it here.


Until next year, I will see you at the movies!!