ARTICLE
2015 Movies Roundup: The Best, The Worst and Everything In-Between.
By Flora / 18 Dec 2015 (Friday)
2015 is indeed a great year for movies. As the year-end lists and nominations pile up, it’s time for an InCinemas' tradition of our 'movies round-up'!
This year, we saw a huge spike in the number of sequels and live-adaptation films, such as ‘Marvel’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron’, ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’, ’Disney’s Cinderella’ and ‘Attack on Titan’.
Then there are the disappointing films with less-than stellar storytelling. ‘Fantastic Four’, ‘Ted 2’ and ‘Mortdecai’ are definitely on our list, together with summer blockbuster flops like ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E’ and ‘Aloha’ that just didn’t make the cut.
Of course, our very own SG50 year that saw a boost in the number of local films popping up in theatres. Daniel Yun’s ‘1965’ felt like a ‘Who’s who’ of the 1960s, together with the one-of-a-kind anthology ‘7 Letters’ that we couldn’t help but rave, and the unexpected viral video-turned-movie ‘Mr Unbelievable’.
So.. here are the best, the worst, the fascinating and the what’s not...
The ‘Die-Die-Must-Watch’ Movie: Carol
If there’s a movie we have to pick as the ‘die-die-must-watch’ film, we’ll pick ‘Carol’. Unfortunately in Singapore, you will have to be at least 21 of age to catch this absolutely alluring film because of its homosexual theme.
Having already scored 5 nominations for the upcoming Golden Globe Awards, we’re expecting Carol to be a strong contender at the Oscars as well!
We can go on about how this movie is so great, but for the ‘unofficial’ adults, we strongly urge you to keep this film title in mind and watch the amazing Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara when you turn 21. Yes, make this your ‘birthday movie’ if you must.
InCinemas Reviewers Top Pick 1: Jurassic World
Everything about this movie is a resounding ‘Yes’! This franchise claimed monster success in the box-office, which is now the third highest-grossing film in history! The ‘raptor training pose’ even became a social media caze at one point, where zookeepers and movie fans recreate the famous shot of Pratt’s character Owen Grady taming the velociraptors.
With Chris Pratt leading the dino pack in this action blockbuster, Jurassic World is one of the ‘must-watch’ films of 2015.
InCinemas Reviewers Top Pick 2: The Martian
For the past few years, we had a couple of out-of-this-world (literally!) films like Interstellar, Gravity and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, but if you think The Martian is going to be ‘one of those films’, you are very, very wrong.
Matt Damon plays a NASA astronaut stranded on Mars and will have to find ways to live on his own before his fellow crew members prepares to save his life. The sci-fi flick from Ridley Scott is an impressive dramatic thriller you shouldn’t miss.
Best Comedy: Spy
Comedies are usually an easy hit with viewers because majority of moviegoers head to the cinemas to unwind and relax, often seeking a comedy to chase their blues away. If you are looking for a side-splitting, knee-slapper flick, we will highly recommend Paul Feig’s Spy, starring Hollywood’s star comedy actress Melissa McCarthy!
Best Animation: Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out
Ever thought what if your emotions speak? What will their conversations be?
Disney/Pixar explores the world inside every one of us - our emotions. Headed by five core emotions: Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness, this movie is tailored for anyone and everyone who has a beating heart.
And get those 3-ply Kleenex tissue packets ready.
The Most Anticipated Movie of the year: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
It is an undeniable fact that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the biggest, hotly-anticipated film of the year. Fans have been waiting for 10 years since the release of the franchise’s last instalment ‘Star Wars Episode III: Revenger of the Sith. You can imagine the massive cheers and squeals when the classic opening themesong starts to play.
Directed by J.J. Abrams, the film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o and Andy Serkis.
The Ultimate Out-of-the-World Production: Mad Max: Fury Road
There were only minimal CGI effects for the spectacular action film ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. For many of the impressive fight sequences and incredible stunts, they were all real and done on site. Real vehicles being blown up, real locations with actors and stuntmen trying out death-defying tricks.
The ‘Polecats' Swinging Party’ (seen above) will be an epic scene that goes down Hollywood’s history.
Most Overrated Film: Fifty Shades of Grey
Really, really?! Why did the Studios even agree to produce an erotic drama that not only fails in story and ideology, the misleading promotions of a ‘romantic drama’ is actually an unhealthy view of relationships and sexuality, and instead, encouraging sexual violence and sadistic domestic abuse!
To add to the horror, a sequel is coming in 2017.
Most Underrated Film: The Intern
Starring screen darlings Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, The Intern is light comedy that brings an enjoyable, warm-hearted film about career women and elderly in the workforce. You can’t help but to love the non-romantic chemistry between the leads.
Most WTH-Did-I-Spend-My-$$-On Movie: Fantastic Four
When the news of a Fantastic Four reboot came about, it became quite a highly-anticipated superhero movie. The Josh Trank-directed movie received pretty good feedback when trailers were released earlier this year, but fans and critics alike pretty much hated the reboot after watching the entire movie.
If you have not caught this film, don’t waste your time on it…even if Channel 5 decides to air it.
Best Superhero Movie: Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron
Marvel’s superheroes came together in The Avengers (2012) and smashed box-office records. In 2015, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye reassemble as Earth mightiest heroes to save the world from Ultron, a technological terror hell-bent on human extinction.
With the addition of new superheroes and the Tony Stark’s Hulkbuster, there’s nothing like a good old superhero flick.
Best Ensemble Cast: Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen
After years of being the ‘Ah Boys’ ensemble, Jack Neo and his ‘Boys’ came back as naval divers in the movie series, ‘Ah Boys To Men 3: Frogmen’ earlier this year. The brotherly-bond among the male recruits stands out in this third instalment of the film, partly because they went through training as a company prior to the film shoot, and are best buds off-camera.
If you’re a fan of the military-themed movie, Neo is back with Ah Boys to Men 4 & 5 in 2017!
Local Film of 2015: 7 Letters
2015 is a ‘SG50’ year filled with a year-long lineup of many local films, but one film stood out among the rest - anthology of shorts, ‘7 Letters’, made by seven prolific Singapore directors.
Royston Tan, who spearheaded the project calls it ‘a love letter to Singapore’ and together with Boo Junfeng, Eric Khoo, K. Rajagopal, Jack Neo, Tan Pin Pin and Kelvin Tong, ‘7 Letters’ has been selected to be Singapore’s entry to the Oscars for ‘Best Foreign Film’! *Crossing our Fingers*
Tearjerker of 2015: Miss You Already
Female friendship fable ‘Miss You Already’ shows you the very honest journey from a woman who suffers from breast cancer. Aside from the support of her family members, Milly (Toni Collette) is lucky to have her BFF, Jess (Drew Barrymore) by her side.
A packet of tissue paper won’t be enough. You may want to consider an entire box, or your BFF’s sleeves if need be.
Most Feel-good Movie: Pitch Perfect 2
Barden Bellas are back in full force with a new director, Elizabeth Banks. Now, who doesn’t like a music-filled comedy to make your day a little less worse than you thought it’ll be? With Anna Kendrick and our favourite, Fat Amy played by Rebel Wilson, this aca-awesome, aca-entertaining 2-hour movie may just be the movie to turn your frown into a smile.
Movie Soundtrack: Our Times
The next Taiwanese coming of age film to take the region by storm is ‘Our Times’ starring Vivian Sung, Darren Wang, Dino Lee and Dewi Chien. For the 80s and 90s kids, this movie brings back nostalgia and reminds us of our nerdy school days.
The theme song ‘Xiao Xing Yun' (小幸运) became an instant hit, sparking off a social media frenzy with a whole slew of spoofs, remixes, and parodies. Sung by Hebe Tien, this number was even nominated for the Best Original Film Score at the recent Golden Horse Awards.