Reed’s Top Ten of 2015

10. Room

It won’t surprise me if later years raise this on my list for me. There is an inherent metaphor present in the premise of a child who has only ever known a world between four walls that I find very compelling. I would spoil too much of what happens in the film to explain too deeply, but after the film was finished, I had so much rattling around in my head — about perspective, about being held captive from birth, and about the terror and hope of moving beyond what we know — that I was largely speechless.

9. The Visit

Objectively, there is no reason for this film to be this high on the list. It isn’t perfect – quite flawed in places – but the film represented three very exciting things for me: First, it made me laugh and it made me scream in almost equal measure. Second, it has an underlying theme of forgiveness and reconciliation that I found inspiring. Third, perhaps most importantly, it represented the first genuinely good film by M. Night Shyamalan in over a decade, signifying a return of sorts for a filmmaker whose earlier works ranks among some of my favorite films. I was just really happy to have him back.

8. The Peanuts Movie

Nostalgia has a lot to do with this one. Like countless others, I grew up loving the Peanuts gang. The Christmas and Great Pumpkin specials are perennial treasures in our home, and in the long span since the 60s, nothing has really captured that classic spirit. While some opinions were divided over the animation, it’s hard to deny that this film recaptured the heart of those early specials, and of the original strips themselves. It was a wonderful love letter to Schulz’s work and a heartwarming message to anybody who’s ever felt like they just can’t catch a break.

7. It Follows

The stories which stay with me the most are those which most fully embrace and embody metaphor. For me, this thriller felt like an adapted urban legend: the ultimate cautionary tale. But I saw in it a deeper exploration than merely, “Be careful who you sleep with.” For me, the story spoke to broader subjects of constantly running from the consequences of your mistakes, often by foolishly repeating them.

6. Spotlight

It is no small wonder that Spotlight managed to balance an abundance of information within a complicated emotional landscape tactfully and maturely. It not only treats its subject and characters respectfully, it even makes a handful of statements about humanity’s collective culpability when we are abused by the people and institutions we trust. It was, to me, a profound example of how to call people to a higher standard without stopping to a lower one.

5. Brooklyn

Admittedly, when I watched this movie, there was a certain obligation attached because it had been nominated for an Oscar. I expected to think it was good, but I did not expect to be so richly moved by the graceful exploration of identity the film presented. The haunting question of “Are we the substance of where we’re from or where we’re going?” hit me like an avalanche. This film is a beautiful story for anyone who has ever felt torn between the past and the future, and an inspiring statement about how and why we let go. A lovely, beautiful film.

4. Paddington

With charm, humor, and general goodwill flowing out of nearly every frame, Paddington is one of the most legitimately delightful movies I’ve ever seen. This kind of story (lovable outsider must find his place in a completely foreign land) has been told often — frequently, in fact — but you’d be hard-pressed to find it done this well. Paddington is a supreme example of how you can craft an entertaining story for all generations without patronizing any of them.

3. Bone Tomahawk

It is a rare and excellent thing to stumble upon a movie so focused in its intention and execution that it could qualify as a masterpiece. I would classify Bone Tomahawk that way. It isn’t for everyone, –there are moments of unspeakably graphic violence and its pacing is deliberately restrained – but it has a phenomenal script of depth and power, at least four fully realized characters about which we care deeply, and a traditional story structure which echoes the greatest myths and fables of all time. It is an exemplary western, an outstanding horror film, and a great, great movie.

2. Creed

Yes, I’m biased. I love the Rocky franchise. The character inspires me and speaks to me in profound ways. I was flooded with expectation going into Creed, but even with such high hopes, I was unprepared for how moved I was by it. I’ve written extensively about it elsewhere on this site, so I’ll simply take this brief moment to praise the fact that the film took the metaphor which has always been at the heart of Rocky (going the distance in the fights of your life) and extended that theme to the fights that we all face. Characters fight terminal illness, aging, disability, past choices, people’s expectations and even their own. We all have a fight in this life and Creed has some great things to say about fighting them… one step, one punch, one round at a time.

1. Inside Out

I love animated films, but what I love about the work Pixar has become known for is how much depth and complexity they manage to infuse in stories essentially designed for children. Inside Out explores the challenges of managing emotional confusion in an inventive and humorous way. I found it to be deeply moving and, at times, quite profound. But the reason it takes the top spot for me probably most revolves around one of its secondary characters. The invisible friend, Bing Bong, embodies the importance of childhood fantasy in his needs, his outlook and, ultimately, in his choices. He presents a metaphor for that very important time in our lives when reality doesn’t hold all of the cards and it doesn’t matter if others can’t see the world the way we do. But then, in an immensely poignant way, he shows us the importance of letting that time in our lives slip away so that we can move on into a bigger world, both on the outside and within. It was a wonderful thing to see explored and my favorite film experience of 2015.