At the beginning of this week I posted the first half of my Top 50 films of 2015 (#50 through #26). Today is the day I finish this list (and any further list-making endeavors until this time next year), here are the rest of my picks from 2015.
#25: MAN FROM RENO directed by Dave Boyle
Solid Mystery Yarn // Atmosphere // Unexpected Twists // That Gut Punch Plotpoint
#24: TANGERINE directed by Sean Baker
Taylor & Rodriguez // Energy // Camera Movements
#23: LA SAPIENZA directed by Eugène Green
Raphaël O’Byrne’s cinematography // Rumination starters // Screenplay
#22: BLACK COAL, THIN ICE directed by Yi’nan Diao
Jingsong Dong’s cinematography // Mystery/Intrigue // That Skating Away scene // Front bumper-mounted camera sequence
#21: CHI-RAQ directed by Spike Lee
Parris & Cannon // Urgency // Bluntness // Humorous Wesley Snipes
20: FIVE STAR directed by Keith Miller
James ‘Primo’ Grant // Realism // Human portrayal of gang life
19: REALITY directed by Quentin Dupieux
Dream logic execution // Absurdity // Humor
18: MOMMY directed by Xavier Dolan
Performances, Performances, Performances // Aspect Ratio Employment
17: AMOUR FOU directed by Jessica Hausner
Framing // Cinematography // Production design // Subject Matter // Hausner’s script & direction
16: A THOUSAND SUNS directed by Mati Diop
Visuals // Execution // Seamless shift of genre // Subject Matter
15: WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS directed by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi
The Comedy // Cori Gonzalez-Macuer // The Werewolves // Maintaining Comedy throughout
14: FIELD NIGGAS directed by Khalik Allah
Visuals // Originality // Beauty // Enlightening // Visuals
13: THE IDIOT FACES TOMORROW directed by Cameron Worden
Super 8mm, VHS, 16mm, HD tapestry // Central performance // Challenging // Originality
12: THE WINDS THAT SCATTER directed by Christopher Jason Bell
Ahmad Chahrour // Compassionate handling of Subject Matter // Relevancy // Realism
11: DA SWEET BLOOD OF JESUS directed by Spike Lee
Visuals // Zaraah Abrahams // Execution
10: SIX CENTS IN THE POCKET directed by Ricky D’Ambrose
Visuals // Framing // Originality // That Albert Ayler-scored journey sequence
9: HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT directed by Ben & Joshua Safdie
Arielle Holmes // Caleb Landry Jones // Buddy Duress // Visuals // Realism // Score
8: APPROACHING THE ELEPHANT directed by Amanda Wilder
Black & White cinematography // Subject Matter // Vérité stylings
7: WILD CANARIES directed by Michael Lawrence Levine
The Comedy // Neck brace employment // Levine’s Facial Expressions
6: MACBETH directed by Justin Kurzel
Visuals // Michael Fassbender // Marion Cotillard // Visuals // Jed Kurzel’s Score
5: STINKING HEAVEN directed by Nathan Silver
Campbell, Medel, Gross // Ensemble // Betacam // Visuals
4: SABBATICAL directed by Brandon Colvin
Robert Longstreet // Muted Mise-en-scène // Framing // That Ending
3: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD directed by George Miller
Action Sequences // Creativity // Fire Tornadoes // Relentless
2: IN SEARCH OF THE MIRACULOUS directed by Sam Kuhn
Visuals // Music // Escapism // 16mm // Atmosphere
1: HARD TO BE A GOD directed by Aleksey German
Every single aspect
