Rath Awards 2015

It's crazy to think that this is my FIFTH time doing the Rath Awards. Every year I have such an incredible amount of fun putting together my list of favorites for not only movies, but videogames, TV, and music. I'll admit, this year it was a bit exhausting to keep up with everything, particularly games and TV, but I think I've got a solid base to make a lot of the decisions I have below, and I hope that you enjoy the winners I've chosen. And if you don't? Tell me who you would have picked out in the comments section. The style is mainly the same as previous years and I've linked each of the past Rath Awards if you'd like to go back and have some fun looking at those years-in-review. I know I did! 

Rath Awards 2014 -- Rath Awards 2013 -- Rath Awards 2012 -- Rath Awards 2011

Music is always the most subjective of my awards, which is why I always start with it. Suffice it to say though that this year was a phenomenal year in the industry and some really memorable songs and albums released, many of which I'll find myself listening to for years to come. 

Best Alternative Album

Smoke + Mirrors - Imagine Dragons

another eternity - Purity Ring

Kindred - Passion Pit

Winner: another eternity - Purity Ring
Runner-up: Smoke + Mirrors - Imagine Dragons

Easily one of the weaker awards of the year this go round, the alternative scene didn't see too many great drops. Either that or I'm just not as into the genre as I thought I once was. Purity Ring's album stood as a highlight to me though because of its complexity and the fact that it really doesn't sound like anything else out there right now.  

Best R&B Album

Jackie - Ciara

Wildheart - Miguel

Beauty Behind the Madness - The Weeknd

Winner: Wildheart - Miguel
Runner-up: Beauty Behind the Madness - The Weeknd

There may only be three nominees for this one, but each album was incredibly strong in its own right. In the end though, I felt like Miguel's Wildheart was a classic in the genre, combining smooth vocals, lyrics and beats into a expert infusion that makes for some great listening.

Best Rap/Hip-hop Album

If You're Reading This It's Too Late - Drake

To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar

Dark Sky Paradise - Big Sean

When It's Dark Out - G-Eazy

Winner: To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar
Runner-up: When It's Dark Out - G-Eazy

Though each of these albums is stellar in their own right, it was Kendrick Lamar that released not only one of the best rap albums of the year, but one of the best of all time. It blends old styles with new, for some amazing styles, and then once you actually listen to the lyrics, it takes on a whole life of its own. Kendrick is smart, angry, and ready to say his piece in rhymes that are well above many of his peers. 

Best Pop Album

Title - Meghan Trainer

Emotion - Carly Rae Jepsen

Delirium - Ellie Goulding

Confident - Demi Lovato

Purpose - Justin Bieber

Revival - Selena Gomez

Everything is 4 - Jason Derulo

Winner: Everything is 4 - Jason Derulo
Runner-up: Delirium - Ellie Goulding

The nominees alone for pop indicate that it was a heavy year for the genre, with most albums not disappointing audiences. As much as I enjoyed some of these albums, it was really Derulo's album that produced hit after hit after hit of fun dance tracks. It's light, airy, and tons of fun to listen, dance, and drink to.

Best Hit Song
"Truffle Butter" - Nicky Minaj feat Drake and Lil Wayne
"Want to Want Me" - Jason Derulo
"Love Me Like You Do" - Ellie Goulding
"Hello" - Adele
"Can't Feel My Face" - The Weeknd
"Cool for the Summer" - Demi Lovato
"Lean On" - Major Lazer
"Hotline Bling" - Drake
"Sorry" - Justin Bieber

Winner: "Can't Feel My Face" - The Weeknd
Runner-up: "Lean On" - Major Lazer

Love it or hate it (that's usually the case with most hit songs...), everyone had this one stuck in their head at some point during the year. As someone who's been a Weeknd fan for a while now, I'm happy to see him hitting it big and the song quickly became one of the hottest hits of the summer. I loved dancing to it and laughing at it's ridiculous lyrics so that's why it gets top honors here. 

Artist of the Year

Taylor Swift

Rachel Platten

Fetty Wap

The Weeknd

Drake



Winner: Taylor Swift
Runner-up: Drake

Taylor may have not released any new music in 2015, but she had a huge year nonetheless. Her album continued to sell like hotcakes, and now, even in January of 2016, we can still hear her singles frequently on the radio. Couple this with the fact that she had a gigantic worldwide tour of 1989, that included some incredible guest stars, and you have the artist who probably did the most in 2015.

Album of the Year

5) another eternity - Purity Ring

4) Delirium - Ellie Goulding

3) Wildheart - Miguel

1) Beauty Behind the Madness - The Weeknd
2) To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar

Take those top 3 albums and arrange them anyway you'd like and I'd listen to that argument. In my eyes, they're all classics and I found that these top three were the ones I listened to the most again and again throughout 2015. Recently, as I was doing my November/December finalization of music, I listened to each one again and it was Beauty Behind the Madness that blew me away the most on my repeat viewing. I couldn't (and still can't) stop listening to its electrifying and fairly unprecedented craftsmanship, not to mention the lyrics, guest stars, and hooks are all fantastic as hell. But I'll be damned if that's not the best Top 3 albums I've had in my 5 years of doing this...

   

The Golden Age of television remains strong as this year featured some fantastic seasons with great original stories. It should also come as no surprise that there were a lot of awesome newcomers this year as platforms like Netflix continue to compete with the cable-TV offerings. They always say that competition breeds the best products and that certainly seems to be the case in the "Be Great Or Die" television landscape today. 

Best Episode

"Pilot" - Better Call Saul

"What Happened and What's Going On" - The Walking Dead

"One Last Ride" (Series Finale) - Parks and Recreation

"Digestivo" - Hannibal

"The Wrath of the Lamb" (Series Finale) - Hannibal

"Fast Enough" - The Flash

"Pilot" - Mr. Robot

"Speak of the Devil" - Daredevil

"Hardhome" - Game of Thrones

"International Assassin" - The Leftovers

"The Gift of the Magi" - Fargo

Winner: "International Assassin" - The Leftovers
Runner-up: "Digestivo" - Hannibal

As amazing, and insanely hard-to-watch/grotesque, as Hannibal's mid-season finale was to watch (not to mention its series finale), International Assassin was an example of a show going completely off the rails, and it working. Whether or not The Leftovers answers everything by the end with its 3rd season is not necessarily the point here, and I would hate to give too much away in terms of what makes it so outlandish. But it's an insane, completely ludicrous, and amazing chess move that really elevated this last season of The Leftovers to the stratosphere. I couldn't even begin to explain it if I tried...

Best Newcomer

Better Call Saul

Last Man on Earth

Sense8

Wet Hot American Summer

Man in the High Castle

Daredevil

Jessica Jones

Ballers

Mr. Robot

Winner: Mr. Robot
Runner-up: Better Call Saul

This was a stellar year for new shows and it's part of why the TV category was so difficult for me to keep up with this year. Because of the sheer amount of TV, I missed many shows, and Mr. Robot was almost one of those casualties. Thank God for other critics Top 10 list, many of whom had this show listed as some of the best of the year. Scrambling in December, I decided to catch up on this one. Mr. Robot is unlike anything else on TV right now, feeling like a mix between a hacker film and Drive, topped off with a great central performance and some harsh-truth dialogue. I apologize for missing it in the first place.

Most Anticipated

The Flash Season 2B

Daredevil Season 2

The 100 Season 3

Better Call Saul Season 2

The Leftovers Season 3

Game of Thrones Season 6

Mr. Robot Season 2

Winner: The Leftovers Season 3
Runner-up: Game of Thrones Season 6

The Leftovers takes this award since it was announced that Season 3 would be the last season for HBO's best, but only mildly watched show. That means that the end is in sight and that questions will be answered (hopefully). Otherwise, I'm extremely pumped for the "uncharted waters" of Game of Thrones' next season where much of what happens will be unknown to readers of the novels such as myself.

Best Superhero Show

The Flash

Arrow

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Daredevil

Jessica Jones

Winner: The Flash
Runner-up: Daredevil

As we patiently await to see if DC can get the film side of their s**t together, DC TV continues to be stellar, even after a brief misstep for Arrow. The Flash debuted last year and very quickly became must-watch television, and not just for fans of superheroes. Many of the people I've told to watch the show unfortunately don't believe me, but they're missing out. The Flash features solid performances, a witty script, special effects that are howd-they-do-that-on-a-CW-budget amazing, time travel (yes, time travel), and a villain that bests anything Marvel has put out. Its first season was the absolute complete package (one of the best first seasons I've ever watched) and the second season shows no signs of slowing down thus far. On a different note, Marvel/Netflix's Daredevil was a strong addition to the Universe and showed that Marvel can also do R-rated very, very well.

Best Actress
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation
Robin Wright as Claire Underwood in House of Cards
Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman in Orange is the New Black
Uzo Aduba as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren in Orange is the New Black
Ann Dowd as Patti Levin in The Leftovers
Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones in Jessica Jones
Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings in The Americans
Tatiana Maslany as Sarah, Alison, Cosima, Helena, Rachel, Tony, and Krystal in Orphan Black

Winner: Tatiana Maslany as various characters in Orphan Black
Runner-up: Ann Dowd as Patti Levin in The Leftovers

Tatiana Maslany basically has this award on lock until Orphan Black goes off the air. It's a travesty that she doesn't get recognized for her talents more because not only does she headline a show, she is the show. And while Orphan Black's appeal/storyline has waned a bit in the previous season, it's still Maslany that carries the show squarely on her shoulders and makes it worth watching for her acting abilities alone which is saying a lot given the incredible pool of talent she was up against this year.

Best Actor

Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood in House of Cards

Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul

Grant Gustin as Barry Allen in The Flash

Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal

Hugh Dancy as Will Graham in Hannibal

Patrick Wilson as Lou Solverson in Fargo

Zahn McClarnon as Hanzee Dent in Fargo

Justin Theroux as Kevin Garvey in The Leftovers

Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson in Mr. Robot

Winner: Justin Theroux as Kevin Garvey in The Leftovers
Runner-up: Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson in Mr. Robot

Many may not think that Justin Theroux is an extremely talented actor off the top of their heads, but then I think a lot of people didn't quite expect The Leftovers to be what it was in season 2 either. His central performance was the core that elevated the season and he fell into the character, hard. There were moments of poignant emotion, intense rage, confusion, and many more. He deserves recognition and he's getting it here. Equally as impressive was Rami Malek as Elliot in Mr. Robot with a highly odd performance that brought that character to life and kept the show mysterious.

Best Comedy

Parks and Recreation

Last Man on Earth

Brooklyn Nine Nine

Orange is the New Black

Community

Wet Hot American Summer

Master of None

Winner: Wet Hot American Summer
Runner-up: Brooklyn Nine Nine

This category is always pretty easy for me to judge because I ask one simple question: what show made me laugh the most? Sure some of these shows have a little more to say than others, but when it comes down to it I watch these shows for the laughs and Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp delivered in spades. We may never get a "second" season, but the entire premise of this one was genius, especially when you factor in the actors' age, and I found it to be even funnier than the original film that starred all these memorable characters. Brooklyn Nine Nine may still be the funniest show on cable, but Netflix delivered laugh after laugh after laugh with this one.

Best Drama

Better Call Saul

The Flash

Fargo

House of Cards

Game of Thrones

Daredevil

Hannibal

Mr. Robot

The Leftovers

Winner: Fargo
Runner-up: (TIE) The Leftovers, Mr. Robot, and The Flash

Fargo wasn't perfect. It was slow to get started and the whole thing with the aliens still annoys the hell out of me. But other than that, this season of Fargo was some of the best TV ever created. The story, once it got going, was intricate, pounding ever forward in a slew of bloodbath murders and witty "Saskatchatoon" dialogue. Performances across the board were worthy for recognition and helped to create several memorable characters. Past that though, Fargo was just an incredibly well made show, really unrivaled by the likes of anything else on TV right now. The editing, cinematography, original score, soundtrack, pacing, script, and screenplay were all top notch and it felt like we were watching an epic chapter in an even larger epic movie each week. For it to beat an unbelievably improved second season of The Leftovers and a breakout freshman season of Mr. Robot and The Flash says a great deal in and of itself.

2015 was an interesting year for gaming. Amidst a lot of highs, there were also several lows as the industry tries to completely transition into the next gen. Several games were buggy upon release, others were multiplayer only, some had DLC that many argued should have been part of Day 1 content...there was a lot of controversy. But among all that controversy were some absolutely incredible videogames, many of which kept gamers busier for more than just a few hours, but rather closer to a few days. *Note: I've decided to not link my reviews in every award this year, except for the Top 5 Games. It takes a lot of time and messes with the formatting, but please know that all reviews are easily accessible through the main site.*

Biggest Disappointment

The Order: 1886

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Battlefront

Telltale's Game of Thrones

Winner: The Order: 1886
Runner-up: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Disappointing doesn't necessarily equal "bad", but The Order: 1886 was a misfire for PlayStation in tons of ways, but mostly the way it was marketed. Many believed it would be the PS4's newest 3rd person shooter, but instead it played more like a movie, leaving many gamers baffled. It had a lot of neat ideas, but rarely lived up to them. It was a super pretty game though...

Most Anticipated in 2016

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

The Division

Far Cry Primal

Quantum Break

Winner: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Runner-up: Quantum Break

I know, I know...I gave this award to the same game last year. Maybe too soon. So sue me. Out of all the games listed above, there is only one that will pretty much 110% be an amazing game, and that's Uncharted. I'm excited for each of the other ones for sure, and I know I missed some, but Uncharted 4 is really the only one that needs to be on this list. April couldn't come sooner.

Best Studio

Winner: CD Projekt Red

Why no nominees? Because there wasn't any competition. CD Projekt Red represents what the industry should be. They not only delivered one HELL of a game, but they did so with gratitude to their fans and remarkably bug free across several platforms (including one they'd never produced this series on before: PlayStation). Upon opening my copy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt I found the game's stellar soundtrack as an extra disk, free stickers, a large map of the game world, a pamphlet explaining different characters and places, oh...and a thank you note from the developer for supporting their game. And that thank you note promised 16 free DLC items over the next few months as their special gratitude. I was blown away and I hadn't even put the disc in the PS4 yet.

Best Multiplayer

Halo 5: Guardians

Metal Gear Solid Online

Battlefront

Winner: Battlefront
Runner-up: Halo 5: Guardians

I think this will be one of my most controversial picks this year, but it's really a personal preference. Battlefront only beats Halo by a hair, and I think a lot of that is because of the Star Wars branding. It's definitely a shallow game, I won't argue that, but I have a blast almost every time I play it and as far as "time spent", this is the most MP I've dedicated this year. 

Best Graphics

Dying Light

Batman: Arkham Knight

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Rise of the Tomb Raider

The Order: 1886

Halo 5: Guardians

Battlefront

Winner: Battlefront
Runner-up: Rise of the Tomb Raider

Realistically, The Order: 1886 had the most gorgeous graphics this year, but I don't feel right giving it to that game because of its short length, it makes the feat a lot less impressive. Outside of that though, there were a lot of pretty games, but maybe none more so than our winner and runner-up. It's clear after playing these two games that the next generation has indeed arrived.

Best Soundtrack/Original Score

Dying Light

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Batman: Arkham Knight

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Halo 5: Guardians

Winner: Dying Light
Runner-up: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain



Dying Light was one of the surprise hits of the year in a time where not many big games were releasing. It kept me busy for hours, most of those were some pretty tense, atmospheric times. It's what Dying Light excelled at and a big factor in that was the phenomenal, pounding, moving, and teeth-gritting original score. It was by far the best of the year, which is saying a lot when you beat out a Metal Gear Solid game for that prize.

Best Story

Dying Light

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Batman: Arkham Knight

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Tales From the Borderlands

Winner: Tales From the Borderlands
Runner-up: Batman: Arkham Knight

I really enjoyed every single story in that nominee list. They were unique, engaging, full of twists, and well orchestrated. But none of them were emotional. None of them made me feel something. None of them, except one. Tales From the Borderlands proved all the doubters (read: me) wrong and not only delivered a great Telltale game experience, it delivered their BEST experience, which is saying a lot given their track record. Tales From the Borderlands did almost everything right and it told a fantastic, funny, sad, beautiful story that probably no one (again, read: me) expected.

Most Fun

Dying Light

Batman: Arkham Knight

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Just Cause 3

Fallout 4

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Winner: Just Cause 3
Runner-up: Dying Light



How could a game where you can drive a car off a cliff, surf on top of it while shooting an enemy helicopter, jump off said car right before it crashes, wingsuit away, and grapple to the top of a building all within 30 seconds not win this award? Just Cause 3 may lack a few things, but hours and hours of fun is not one of them. Similarly, Dying Light's combination of parkour, stealth, and zombie hunting was so refreshing and well crafted that it constantly put a smile on my face and had me coming back for more.

Game of the Year

Honorable Mentions: Dying Light -- Just Cause 3 -- Halo 5: Guardians -- Battlefront. Remember to click the game titles for their linked reviews if they have one!

5) Batman: Arkham Knight

4) Fallout 4

3) Rise of the Tomb Raider

1) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
2) Tales From the Borderlands

I say this almost every year but just look at that list. You know it was a good year for gaming when your honorable mentions includes Master Chief and Star Wars. Each one of my Top 5 games has something special going for it, but in the end, there was one game that I found incredibly little to complain about and it was always the first game I'd return to once I finished one of the others. The Witcher 3 provides players with a massive, active world full of beasts, threats, creatures, and monsters. Pair all that with memorable characters, fantastic, yet simple gameplay, shocking graphics, stellar creature design, and a large heaping of fun and you've got the GOTY for 2015. It's one of the most complete and fleshed out games in recent history.

It's been a very busy year for me at the movies. I saw 72 new films (a record for Rath's Reviews), but in general I'd say it was one of the best years for film since I've been doing this. The overall average score for the year indicates otherwise, but that's mostly due to the increased quantity rather than a direct reflection of the quality. There were many films I enjoyed, some I didn't, a couple I hated, and a select few that I adored. As this is the largest segment of the Rath Awards, let's get right into it. *Note: I've decided to not link my reviews in every award this year, except for the Top 10. It takes a lot of time and messes with the formatting, but please know that all reviews are easily accessible through the main site.*

Best Retro Review

Chef

Alien

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

The Shawshank Redemption

Winner: Alien
Runner-up: Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Man was I lacking on Retro Reviews this year. I attribute it to spending most of my time catching the newer films, but even still, there are a lot of classic films on my Have-Not-Seen list that I should really rectify. One of those classics was Alien, a near perfect space horror film that contained plenty of mystery, frights, and creature mayhem to blow me away.

Best Month

April

May

October

November

Winner: November
Runner-up: April

November had the highest average Rath's Review Score this year with 8.3, narrowly beating April by 0.2! Granted, part of that was due to an early screening of Anomalisa, but even still there were some strong films this month including the wrap up to an epic "trilogy", an informational and stirring historical piece, and an uber successful and well made "reboot". November was a great month at the movies indeed.

Best Season

Winner: Spring
Runner-up: Fall



I think the first three films listed (It Follows, Ex Machina, and Mad Max: Fury Road) explain why Spring was a great time at the movies. With an average score of 7.82, it narrowly beat Fall by 0.11 to claim the title, but it was a seriously fun few months. A couple of these might be guilty pleasures for me *cough San Andreas cough cough* but even still, that's a solid grouping of films and I remember really digging each and every one of them.

Rath's Wrath

Hot Tub Time Machine 2

Terminator Genisys

American Ultra

The Transporter Refueled

Fantastic 4

Winner: Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Runner-up: American Ultra

[AKA "Worst Movie"] Part of me almost changed the Runner-up to Terminator Genisys because I had to spell (read: misspell) that damn title again, but ultimately I hated American Ultra more. But even more than that I detested Hot Tub Time Machine 2. It's not like the first one set the world afire, but it was at least funny. This film was pointless, mean, completely void of laughter, and worthless. It's the second lowest score I've ever given a film and only earned a point because of an incredibly attractive woman. Stay away at all costs [and just Google the woman instead].

Biggest Disappointment

Jupiter Ascending

CHAPPiE

Black Mass

Ted 2

Terminator Genisys

Fantastic 4

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

SPECTRE

Winner: CHAPPiE
Runner-up: SPECTRE

Personally, I grade disappointment as where I expected the film to end up versus where it actually ended up once I saw it. SPECTRE is arguably the best film on this list, but I was wanting more. CHAPPiE fell victim to a similar fate. I'm one of the few who liked Blomkamp's Elysium nearly as much as District 9, so for me, this was his first major "misstep". It's a shame too because it could have been so much more but there were some awful critical design (plot and character) choices that resulted in an unremarkable film about some pretty remarkable ideas.

Biggest Surprise

It Follows

San Andreas

Magic Mike XXL

We Are Your Friends

The Intern

Creed

Winner: It Follows
Runner-up: The Intern 

Horror's not my genre. I rarely enjoy it, and I'm not sure I've ever been "blown away" by it. That is, until I saw It Follows. Strikingly simple, but yet terrifying even once you leave the theater, it was a film that I had to see twice. On top of the creep factor, it was also well made, with some of the best cinematography of the year and an original score that was unforgettable. Definitely the most unexpected treat of 2015.

Best Movie I Didn't See

The Danish Girl

Dope

Brooklyn

Love & Mercy

Room

Winner: Room
Runner-up: Love & Mercy

Even after seeing 72 films, I couldn't make it to each and every one that I wanted to. Some of these I'm rather sad about, the most of which for this year would be Room. The story it tells sounds powerful and I've been a Brie Larson fan for quite some time. With all the awards buzz surrounding her performance, I wish I could grant her that same honor, but I didn't catch this one in time. Similar story for Paul Dano in Love & Mercy.

Movie I Overrated Most

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Tomorrowland

San Andreas

We Are Your Friends

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part II

Winner: Avengers: Age of Ultron
Runner-up: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part II

Don't get me wrong. I still loved both of these films. Hell, I really enjoyed each film nominated for this distinction, but the more I sat and thought on Avengers, the more some of the messy plot factors really annoyed me (seriously, WTF was Thor doing?) and I'm still very disappointed that Ultron, despite my original praise, is another lame villain in the MCU. When The Flash TV show has a better villain than the summer's most anticipated blockbuster, there's a bit of an issue. If I were to re-score this one, it'd probably get an 8/10 as the humor and action were still an absolute blast.

Movie I Underrated Most

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Trainwreck

Mad Max: Fury Road

Winner: Kingsman: The Secret Service
Runner-up: Mad Max: Fury Road

While I loved the hell out of Kingsman upon my first viewing, it wasn't until we reached months like August and October that I realized it was still my favorite of the year. I thought I was alone in my love for the witty, hyper-violent spy film, but many of my friends, both online and off, agreed that it was still one of the best they'd seen all year too. Looking back at my review, I still stand by the cons I issued against it, but hell, after 4 viewings now, I'd give it a perfect 10/10. It's a classic in my eyes and I know it'll be a film I watch over and over for years to come.

Most Original

It Follows

Ex Machina

Tomorrowland

Inside Out

What We Do in the Shadows

Anomalisa

Chi-Raq

Winner: Inside Out
Runner-up: Anomalisa



Originality counts for a lot in Hollywood these days for obvious reasons. Inside Out had it in spades, which made for one of Pixar's most refreshing films in a few years and in turn, one of the year's best movies. Personally, I don't hold it as high on Pixar's list as some people do despite my high score, but it was still a film that held originality and creativity at every turn -- constantly presenting something new to the audience. My favorite? The film's portrayal of abstract thought.

Most Anticipated for 2016

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Captain America: Civil War

Star Wars: Rogue One

Suicide Squad

Independence Day: Resurgence

X-Men: Apocalypse

Deadpool

Winner: Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice
Runner-up: Suicide Squad

Call this more morbid curiosity as opposed to actual hype. Make no mistake, I am very excited for both of these films, Suicide Squad more so to be honest, but really DC's outlook on their very busy future is going to hinge on Batman vs. Superman. Will theatergoers witness the birth of the great DC cinematic universe or will their plans crumble and erode before they even get started? So much pressure hinges on Batman vs. Superman, it's a bit insane actually, so that's why I'm eager to see which way it goes. Fingers crossed that DC hits it out of the park.

Best 3D

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Jurassic World

Inside Out

The Walk

The Martian

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Winner: The Walk
Runner-up: Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension

It wasn't 3D's brightest year. I almost thought to remove this award, but then I remembered how well designed The Walk was to honor the platform. While the film itself is nothing to write home about, the final 20 minutes on the tower are daunting, if not a little overblown by those critics afraid of heights. This one easily takes the cake for Best 3D this year.

Best Sound & Sound Editing

American Sniper

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Mad Max: Fury Road

Furious 7

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Straight Outta Compton

The Martian

SPECTRE

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: (TIE) American Sniper and Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Sound and sound editing is always important to action and adventure films in particular. The audience always wants to hear those punches land, engines roar, bullets fire, and swords clash. Each of the nominated films did a stellar job, but Mad Max was on a whole different level. Expertly blending the roars of legions of vehicles among the sand and fire, there was also a pounding original score, some dialogue, violent exchanges and crashes, oh...and a flamethrower guitar player. And we heard each one perfectly.

Best Special Effects

Jupiter Ascending

Ex Machina

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Jurassic World

Ant-Man

The Walk

The Martian

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Winner: Ex Machina
Runner-up: Star Wars: The Force Awakens



Ex Machina's effects may have been less demanding, sure, but I don't think there was a single iota of a second that Ava didn't look anything less than 100% real to me. Some other films, including our runner-up, had much more need for the usual types of effects (ships, explosions, etc.), but Ex Machina's were so refined that I felt it deserved this award more than any other films this year.

Best Action

American Sniper

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Furious 7

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Mad Max: Fury Road

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

SPECTRE

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Kingsman may have given Max a slight run for his money, but how do you not award this one to the film that nearly everyone and their mom (including me) were heralding as a modern-day action masterpiece? Expertly designed, staged, directed, choreographed, and filmed, damn near everything that happens in Mad Max is kinetic, visceral, and f**king awesome.

Best Soundtrack

50 Shades of Grey

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Pitch Perfect 2

Furious 7

Magic Mike XXL

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

We Are Your Friends

Straight Outta Compton

Creed

Winner: We Are Your Friends
Runner-up: Straight Outta Compton

This kind of comes down to personal preference when I look at all the genres covered within the nominees, so call this me "going through a phase" with the whole EDM/house genre. I think it's evolved quite a bit from what it was in previous years and I really enjoy it now for both gym time and dancing. We Are Your Friends was a movie I liked more than others (and actually saw more than many, many others), and part of that was because the music was on point. In fact, I still frequently listen to it lifting weights -- it's part of my exswolliation playlist ;-)

Best Original Score

American Sniper

It Follows

Inside Out

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Sicario

Steve Jobs

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The Hateful Eight

Creed

Winner: It Follows
Runner-up: Steve Jobs



There were a lot of phenomenal original scores this year, and as you all know, I love me a good original score. When I think about what music did the most for its respective film, this choice became very easy as It Follows had an incredibly unique, unsettling, and creepy collection of musical themes. It helped set most of the film's tone and its expert use of staggered beats, silence, crescendos, and decrescendos made sure that I was A) gripping the seat cushions and B) downloading it after I left the theater.

Best Cinematography

American Sniper

50 Shades of Grey

It Follows

Ex Machina

Mad Max: Fury Road

Straight Outta Compton

Sicario

The Martian

Beasts of No Nation

Anomalisa

Creed

Carol

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The Hateful Eight

Winner: Sicario
Runner-up: Mad Max: Fury Road

Much like an original score, I'm a sucker for a pretty film. That list you see above you has a lot of awesome shots designed by a lot of smart people with a good eye. But perhaps no one has a better eye than industry great, Roger Deakins and Sicario was no exception to that. It was a gorgeous film from beginning to end and despite the ugly subject matter, it was a marvel to look at. You know that when you've beaten Mad Max: Fury Road at something, you deserve a pat on the back so kudos to you, Mr. Deakins. Job well done.

Funniest Movie

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Get Hard

Pitch Perfect 2

Spy

Trainwreck

What We Do in the Shadows

Sisters

Winner: What We Do in the Shadows
Runner-up: Pitch Perfect 2

Had I not retroactively repealed my great sin of missing this film, this would have been a fairly lame award as it was a dismal year for comedy. I enjoyed most of the films above, but we definitely didn't have any mainstream classics as it felt like every single comedy suffered from inconsistency and quantity over quality. Luckily, What We Do in the Shadows saved the day by featuring almost non-stop laughs on a highly unique premise. Some of it's a bit dark, sure, but I'll be damned if I didn't smile the entirety of its length and belly laugh on no less than ten occasions. It's priceless.

Best Animated Film

Inside Out

Anomalisa

Minions

Winner: Inside Out
Runner-up: Anomalisa

There might have only been a couple nominations, but this was a tough one for me. On one hand we have Pixar's return to form in a fantastic film about the imagination, growing up, and behaviors. But it didn't really stick with me like I had anticipated. Then we have an R-rated look on life and its mundane, dreary, and somewhat depressing nature. It turned me off at first, but it's stuck with me for many months after its viewing. In the end though, Inside Out deserves the best in this category as it uses the medium to its fullest potential and is gorgeous to look at and an all around damn fine film.

Best Ensemble Cast

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Inside Out

Spy

Furious 7

Straight Outta Compton

The Martian

Steve Jobs

Spotlight

The Big Short

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The Hateful Eight

Winner: Steve Jobs
Runner-up: Spotlight

Steve Jobs might have been a film all about one man, but its cast was superb. Each actor and actress brought their A-game and had their moment to shine with the Sorkin script. Spotlight was a very close second for similar reasons (minus the Sorkin script).

Biggest Year for an Actress

Rachel McAdams

Alicia Vikander

Daisy Ridley

Jennifer Lawrence

Charlize Theron

Melissa McCarthy

Amy Schumer

Emily Blunt

Winner: Alicia Vikander
Runner-up: Daisy Ridley

While Daisy Ridley might be a real life Disney princess ("rags to riches", now jetsetting around the world for premieres, insanely gorgeous), this was the year of Alicia Vikander. She was nothing short of mesmerizing in Ex Machina, will probably get an Oscar nomination for her role in The Danish Girl according to buzz, and also had a fun role in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Not to mention she might just be the absolute most beautiful woman on the planet. She's had a very, very good year.

Biggest Year for an Actor

Dwayne Johnson

Bradley Cooper

Paul Giamatti

Oscar Issac

Mark Ruffalo

Chris Pratt

Jesse Plemons

Matt Damon

Michael Fassbender

Winner: Dwayne Johnson
Runner-up: Oscar Issac



If this were just taking into consideration film, Issac would win hands down. Hell he'd probably take the cake for this year, last year, and next year. He seems to be in every big movie, but Dwayne Johnson, aka "The Rock", has quietly had a pretty stupendous year. He played a supporting role in one of the biggest films of the year (Furious 7), anchored his own blockbuster that was highly successful (San Andreas), dominated social media through mainly Instagram, and also plays the central role in the breakout HBO show, Ballers, which has set several viewership records for them this year. On top of all that, Muscle & Fitness magazine named him "Man of the Century"...a title that he'll hold for at least 100 years. Pretty great year if you ask me!

Best Villain

Samuel L. Jackson as Valentine in Kingsman: The Secret Service

Hugh Keays-Byrne as Immortan Joe in Mad Max: Fury Road

Indominous Rex in Jurassic World

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Joel Edgerton as Gordo in The Gift

Winner: Hugh Keays-Byrne as Immortan Joe in Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

We as audiences had two stellar villains delivered to us this year (and a handful of great ones), but none were as visually striking, nor as terrifying as Immortan Joe. Both disgusting and menacing, he and his legion of War Boys seemed like a real and true threat up through the very end. Plus the actor's tie in to the original Mad Max is super cool.

Best Hero

Paul Bettany as Vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron

Tom Hardy as Max in Mad Max: Fury Road

Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiousa in Mad Max: Fury Road

Chris Pratt as Owen in Jurassic World

Paul Rudd as Ant-Man in Ant-Man

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Daniel Craig as James Bond in SPECTRE

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part II

Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed in Creed

Daisy Ridley as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

John Boyega as Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Samuel L. Jackson as Major Marquis Warren in The Hateful Eight

Winner: Daisy Ridley as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Runner-up: Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiousa in Mad Max: Fury Road

In a beefy category dominated by men (10 out of 13 nominees), it was the girls who rule in two of the more memorable heroic turns of 2015 and the last decade if we're being honest. Both Imperator Furiousa and Rey were fantastic heroes, fighting for what was right, leading by example, and being just plain badass. Rey may take the cake with this one, but they each deserve a shout out for inspiring not only girls, but people everywhere to be more like their characters.

Best Actress

Alicia Vikander as Ava in Ex Machina

Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiousa in Mad Max: Fury Road

Amy Poehler as Joy in Inside Out

Emily Blunt as Kate Macer in Sicario

Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman in Steve Jobs

Daisy Ridley as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lisa in Anomalisa

Rachel McAdams as Sacha Pfeiffer in Spotlight

Cate Blanchett as Carol Aird in Carol

Rooney Mara as Therese Belivet in Carol

Winner: Alicia Vikander as Ava in Ex Machina
Runner-up: Emily Blunt as Kate Macer in Sicario

It strikes me as borderline insane how this performance isn't getting more recognition. Maybe because it's in a sci-fi film? Who knows, but I know that every time I watched Ava on screen I was literally in a trance. And that's not a robot, its Alicia Vikander, beneath all the make-up and CGI garments. She gave a subtle, mysterious, and yes, robotic performance that brought Ava to life. For two hours I very nearly believed in AI, all thanks to her.

Best Actor

Jake Gyllenhaal as Billy Hope in Southpaw

Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in American Sniper

David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King in Selma

Matt Damon as Mark Watney in The Martian

Idris Elba as Commandant in Beasts of No Nation

Abraham Attah as Agu in Beasts of No Nation

Mark Ruffalo as Mike Rezendes in Spotlight

Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs in Steve Jobs

Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak in Steve Jobs

Winner: Mark Ruffalo as Mike Rezendes in Spotlight
Runner-up: (TIE) David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King in Selma
and Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs in Steve Jobs

Mark Ruffalo was much more of a main actor in Spotlight than the advertising would have you believe and his performance was very nuanced. He tried to capture what made the character tick, his personal quirks, his speech, and his passion. You see this throughout the film's duration, but very clearly in a scene of outburst and rage where the scope and size of the scandal are breaking down a man's psyche. It was a performance that begged to be seen because it was the best of the year.

The 15 Best Scenes of the Year

As always, this was one of my favorite, but most difficult awards to put together this year. I believe it's an important award (and a fun break before we get to the concluding awards) because sometimes gems of scenes are hidden in ok films. Sometimes there are those brief seconds or minutes that a film creates a combination of music, visuals, and dialogue that are instantly and permanently burned into our memory. These, my friends, are examples of some of the best movie magic that I witnessed this year. Enjoy!

15) Hey One (Sisters): Sisters may have not always hit the mark with its jokes, but this segment where Amy Poehler attempts to pronounce a Korean nail salon employee's name is tear-inducing from the laughs it brings.

14) Who Poisoned the Coffee? (The Hateful Eight): There are quite a few stellar scenes in this Tarantino film, but I found this "whodunit" scene with Samuel L. Jackson at the helm to be the film's best bits for some substantial tension, witty dialogue, and...well...Jackson just being Jackson.

13) Gas Station Grindin' (Magic Mike XXL): Magic Mike XXL was highly enjoyable, males will just have to check their egos at the door. This scene was just outrageous but it had my entire theater laughing hysterically, including myself, and the payoff for the scene is cute.

12) Ganging Up on Indominous (Jurassic World): I'm still not quite sure how Jurassic World made so much money due to its good-not-great quality, but there were a handful of fun scenes in the film, but none more so than its conclusion. Dinosaurs working together to take down the big baddie? That's just awesome no matter how unrealistic it may be.

11) Jenga Housing Market (The Big Short): Ryan Gosling steals this scene as he explains the underlying issues with the housing market's bonds. It's hilarious, but also astonishing how much I learned from a simple, yet innovative 3-4 minute breakdown.

10) "Open the door, Benji!!" (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation): Easily one of the most insane and real stunts of the year, this is the prologue to the entire film that features Tom Cruise hanging onto the side of a plane as it's in flight. It was just as jaw dropping as it sounds.

9) One Shot Boxing (Creed): Creed was something special, but this scene stood out to me because of how technically challenging it must have been to shoot AND because of how fantastic it translated into the film. It's a single shot take of an entire boxing match and the camerawork is mightily impressive.

8) Police Search the House (What We Do in the Shadows): This whole film was wickedly funny but I was losing my s**t during this scene. It's expertly staged and there are so many character nuances throughout that it's hard not to fall in love with all these incredibly dumb people. So, so funny.

7) Hammer Games (Avengers: Age of Ultron): Despite my dwindled love for the superhero sequel, there are still plenty of high-caliber segments throughout. The best though is the ongoing, very funny, and kinda-sorta-related-to-the-plot portions where the team is trying to pick up Thor's hammer. If you know these heroes, they're some very crowd pleasing moments.

6) Farewell, Friend. Until We See You Again (Furious 7): Furious 7 was obviously marred by the horrible tragedy of Paul Walker's death. Many wondered if the film would even get made, and if it did, would it even be any good with his loss hanging over it? The result was a film that mostly ignored his passing until the very end, which was a smart move. The final 5 minutes are touching in a way that very few movies are because the loss of life was real. I don't think there was a dry eye in my theater, guy or gal, and it's about as perfect of a sendoff as you could give someone in this medium. It was expertly handled.

5) Into the Tunnels (Sicario): Sicario will make you sick with how well it twists your stomach with stress. As dusk settles over the western landscape and the teams in the film prepare to enter tunnels leading to cartel hideouts, the film is almost unbearable to handle. The original score is taught and loud, the editing between thermal vision and night vision is insanely cool, and there is a palpable sense of dread. Perfectly crafted.

4) Exiling Steve (Steve Jobs): It's a scene where the only weapons are dialogue, but thanks to a Sorkin script, a pounding original score, and two great performances, this was one of the most enthralling scenes of the year. The cuts from the present conversation to the night Steve was let go are handled with care and it amazes me that, even though we know what happened, I was still on the edge of my seat during their heated debate.

3) Teeter Totter Chasing (Mad Max: Fury Road): It was really difficult to pick one scene in particular from the craziness that is Mad Max, and realistically this acts as a metaphorical shout out to the entire chase of the film. This portion though is so unique, with men dropping from vehicle to vehicle, that I thought it deserved the callout as it's very well choreographed, filmed, and orchestrated.

2) Escaping Jakku in "Garbage" (Star Wars: The Force Awakens): Once again, another great film with a lot of worthy scenes, but this was the highlight for me. Easily the best flight sequence of the entire franchise, it feels like a roller coaster ride as the camera is tight on the heels of the Falcon as it tries to escape a pair of TIE fighters. It's pure popcorn bliss.

1) Freebird Violence (Kingsman: The Secret Service): I believe that in my review of Kingsman I claimed that the film didn't have that "one scene" that hit the emotional trigger like a particular one in Kick-Ass did. I was technically right about that as this scene wasn't emotional, just incredibly and ludicrously f**king nuts. It's so violent that I almost wondered if the film had gone off the rails and its pairing with "Freebird" was an absolute stroke of genius; the scene's climaxes match the song's. It blows me away every time I see this one and the consequences it creates for the film were shocking. It's one of those you have to see it to believe it, and even then you may not grasp what just happened.

Best Director

Clint Eastwood for American Sniper

Alex Garland for Ex Machina

George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road

F Gary Gray for Straight Outta Compton

Denis Villenueve for Sicario

Ridley Scott for The Martian

Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson for Anomalisa

Ryan Coogler for Creed

Adam McKay for The Big Short

J.J. Abrams for Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Winner: George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: Adam McKay for The Big Short

I really applaud McKay for not only breaking out of his comfort zone, but also for the success that he found with The Big Short. I've always liked him and it's nice to see him find that type of success. George Miller not only directed his film though, he birthed it. Fury Road was conceived in that crazy head of his and every image, character, and setpiece was of his creating. Not only did he revive a decades old franchise, he did so with...ahem...fury, making the best installment in the series and one of the best action films of all time. That's quite an achievement in any way you look at it.

Best Blockbuster

Furious 7

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Mad Max: Fury Road

San Andreas

Jurassic World

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

The Martian

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part II

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Winner: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Runner-up: Furious 7

I base this award off not necessarily what blockbuster was the best, but which one delivered what fans were looking for the most. In that regard, I think Furious 7 did a great job in more ways than one, but really it was Star Wars that delivered the goods. Sure, some say the plot retreads old ground too much (I beg to differ to a certain degree, but I digress), but I know that both times I've seen this one my packed theater has gasped, laughed, and applauded. Nearly everyone walks out of there with a smile on their face and it really is, as the marketing states, the movie event of a generation.

Best Non-Blockbuster

It Follows

Ex Machina

The Gift

Sicario

Steve Jobs

Spotlight

Anomalisa

The Big Short

Winner: Sicario
Runner-up: Ex Machina



That's a pretty outstanding list, but I adored these two films the most. Ultimately I probably like Ex Machina a little more, but Sicario is just so insanely well-made that it gets the award here. I've already showered it with quite a bit of praise throughout this post but it deserves it. It may deal with grisly subject matter, and for some it may be too much, but it's gorgeous to watch, well acted, well paced, and intense. One of the best of the year indeed.

User Voted: Top 10 Films of 2015

I think this was the year that held the most disparity between my personal list and the winners of my user poll, but despite that, this is still a very solid Top 10 films. Let's take a look:

10) (TIE) The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Jurassic World: I enjoyed The Man from U.N.C.L.E. quite a bit so I'm happy to see that you guys did too. I also dug Jurassic World to a certain degree and given how big that movie was, its inclusion on this list is no surprise.

9) American Sniper: At one point only a few weeks ago this film was also in an early edition of my Top 10. It may not be as "true" as it would have you believe, but there is enough there to not only create a compelling narrative, but make you extremely appreciative for our men and women in arms. It was one of the most intense films I saw all year and anyone who appreciates their freedom should really sit through it.

8) The Hateful Eight: Kind of funny it gets the #8 spot, but another solid choice for another solid entry in Tarantino's resume. Bonus points for it being filmed in beautiful Colorado as well!

7) Straight Outta Compton: Realistically, this is one of the better musical biopics of all time and I didn't have much to complain about in my review of it either.

6) The Martian: A fantastic adaptation for one of my favorite books in the last decade, The Martian was a strong drama with more than enough comedy and a stellar lead performance by Damon. Easy to see why it's in your guys' Top 10.

5) Ex Machina: Probably the film that begs the most open ended questions of any this year. It was a cerebral look at AI, but most importantly, what will happen the moment we actually do create true AI, which, by its definition, is a truly sentient being. Crazy stuff to think about.

4) Inside Out: Admittedly, I'm glad you guys made me take a closer look at this film. Having not seen it in several months your votes (as well as its placement on many other Top 10 lists) had me questioning if I'd forgotten a true gem of the year. Soon after I tried to remember, several scenes of laughter and originality struck me and I realized I hadn't really ever forgotten them film at all. A Pixar great for sure.

3) Mad Max: Fury Road: It's on many Top 10 lists of both critics and general audiences alike. For good reason too. It's unforgettable.

2) Kingsman: The Secret Service: I love you guys. Here I was, nervous that I was the only one who loved Kingsman this much, and here you guys go, voting it into the #2 spot. Well done, chaps!

1) Star Wars: The Force Awakens: It's destined to become the biggest movie of all time (or at least a very close #2) so it's placement at #1 is no shocker. Unlike last year where our #1s matched, I can appreciate the love that so many fans had for this incredibly well prepared and highly anticipated sequel. A very good top choice for a great Top 10 list. Great job everyone and thanks for voting!!

Rath's Reviews Top 10 Films of 2015

Before I finish up, some Honorable Mentions: Selma, American Sniper, Furious 7, Pitch Perfect 2, Tomorrowland, Magic Mike XXL, Ant-Man, Southpaw, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, The Gift, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Straight Outta Compton, The Martian, The Intern, Beasts of No Nation, Bridge of Spies, Anomalisa, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part II, Spotlight, and The Big Short. Remember to click the movie titles below for linked reviews!

10) It Follows: I'll be upfront. A second viewing of It Follows wasn't as kind to it as I'd hoped. A lot of that initial terror is gone when you know what's going to happen. That shouldn't change the fact that this is pretty much the only horror film I've seen in theaters that blew me away and behind the scares there is a very well made film. Also big props to the year's best original score.

9) Creed: Some have claimed that Creed is "overrated". It's not and it's one of the very best boxing films to ever come about. It follows familiar tropes, sure, but it also has a human element that is as emotional as it is captivating. Not to mention the boxing scenes are incredible.

8) Inside Out: I have you guys to thank for this one. Originally I had another animated great on this list, Anomalisa. I thought long and hard about which one I'd remember more years from now, which one was more original, and which one I purely enjoyed more. Turns out that I changed my mind!

7) Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs sucks as a biography. It really, really does. Its scope is too small and, in comparison with the book, it's really not even accurate. But as a film? As two hours of moving picture in front of an audience? It's a lightning bolt of bold Sorkin dialogue, amazing performances, expert editing, and a well-equipped original score.

6) What We Do in the Shadows: Though I had to review it through a "Retro" Review, I'm still so glad that I made time for this one despite my original disinterest. It's the breakthrough comedy in a year where comedy struggled and it's a short, funny, original film that I'd recommend to almost anyone.

5) Star Wars - Episode VII: The Force Awakens: What a comeback. What a blockbuster. What a treat. And what a relief. The Force Awakens has issues, I'd argue they're small, but creating movie magic, expanding a universe, and giving us iconic, memorable characters certainly aren't one of them. The hype was real, and, for once it seemed, the hype was defeated. Something has indeed awakened.

4) Sicario: Probably the flat-out most well crafted film of the year. Sicario was hard to watch, but hard to look away from. It's won several awards above, and for good reason: it's a classic.

3) Ex Machina: Not only did it begin my love for Alicia Vikander (seriously, how is one person that attractive?!), but it got my mind racing with the very real question: how will we control true AI? It was a sci-fi lover's dream as it blended both reality and the future into a gorgeous film that presented an idea and actually spent a great deal of time answering or entertaining the scenarios from said concept.

2) Mad Max: Fury Road: I don't think many of us were expecting Fury Road to be this good. Early trailers were fantastic and early footage was equally as impressive. But to be on almost every critics' (that I've seen) Top 10 list, and have Oscar buzz is a bit unprecedented. Knowing the Oscars they'll probably whiff it this year, as they do almost every year, but to see critics and audiences agree about a film this violent, crazy, and bat-s**t insane is surprising and fun to see. As many have said: it's a modern action movie masterpiece.

1) Kingsman: The Secret Service: I had a realization several times throughout the year. That realization was often along the lines of: man, that was a damn good movie I just saw, but I still liked Kingsman more. There was a part of me that was ashamed. Was Kingsman really still my #1 film even after all these great ones I'd seen? So I'd watch Kingsman again and my faith would be renewed. I may be one of the few with it on their Top 10, much less the top spot, but I can't deny that I love the hell out of this movie. I've always enjoyed the spy genre, and Kingsman pokes fun at it, all while being dashingly cool in its own right and featuring some phenomenal action, that one scene, a great villain and co-villain, a few of the year's best twists, and some spot-on humor. It's now almost a year after I've seen it for the first time and it's still my favorite movie of 2015. As Valentine might have stated: "Thith ain't that kind of Top 10 litht."

And there we have it folks! Once again, this whole process took far longer than I anticipated, but man oh man is it still very rewarding. I hope you enjoyed the post and remember to let me know your thoughts/picks/disagreements down below in the comments! 2015 was really one for the history books and putting these Awards together have made that clearer than ever. 2016 has sure got a lot to live up to! Hope you all have a safe and prosperous year until the next Rath Awards!!