Summary
- "Furious 7" pays tribute to Paul Walker with an emotional ending, making it one of the stronger entries in the Fast & Furious franchise.
- "Jurassic World" may not be original, but it still brings thrills as the rebuilt park falls into chaos.
- "Ant-Man" stands out as an enjoyable Marvel film with a funny and fresh performance from Paul Rudd as the titular superhero.
The best 2015 movies run the gambit from independent foreign period pieces to tentpole sequels of some of the largest franchises in movie history. In 2015, memes of Drake’s "Hotline Bling" were taking the internet by storm, Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah replaced David Letterman and Jon Stewart as late-night hosts, Justin Bieber was proving he was more than just a child postar with the release of "Sorry" and "What Do You Mean?", people on the internet debated if a dress was black and blue or gold and white, and Katy Perry spent the Super Bowl dancing with RightShark as LeftShark struggled to find the groove.
In film news, the MCU was nearing the end of Phase 2 with only a minimal two films set to release that year. The Jurassic Park and Star Wars franchises were receiving a fourth entry that would signal many more years of blockbuster sequels and spinoffs and the Mission Impossible and Fast & Furious franchises each added another film to their catalog. Mad Max returned and Pixar finally asked, "What if emotions had feelings?" 2015 was a strong year for original films, adapted works, tense dramas, and over-the-top comedies; on the whole, an excellent year for movies.
40 Furious 7
- Furious 7 is available to stream on Peacock
Furious 7 sees Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and the rest of his crew called on to stop Mose Jakande (Djimon Hounsou) from obtaining a powerful computer program while Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) attempts to avenge his brother. The seventh film in the Fast & Furious franchise and one of the stronger entries, Furious 7 is another action-packed adventure that ends with an emotional tribute to Paul Walker who unexpectedly ed away in the middle of filming.
39 Jurassic World
- Jurassic World is available to stream on The Roku Channel and Freevee
The fourth movie in the Jurassic franchise, Jurassic World began a whole new trilogy of films with the titular park rebuilt and actually open for business before scientific experimentation leads to dinosaurs once again running amok. Jurassic World earned $1.67 billion at the box office (via Box Office Mojo) and was celebrated as a thrilling, if not somewhat unoriginal, monster film.
38 Ant-Man
- Ant-Man is available to stream on Disney+
Ant-Man introduced the titular superhero Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) as a former burglar out on parole who teams up with Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to defend his shrinking technology from Darren Cross (Corey Stoll). Ant-Man is the final film of the MCU's Phase 2 and its standalone nature and Rudd's funny and fresh performance as Lang makes it one of the more enjoyable Marvel films.
37 Kingsman: The Secret Service
- Kingsman: The Secret Service is available to stream on Max
In Kingsman: The Secret Service, Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (Taron Egerton) is recruited out of his ho-hum life to a group of posh secret agents known as the Kingsman, and together they work to stop Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) from explosively, and colorfully, wiping out humanity. Kingsman: The Secret Service was a surprise hit that has resulted in a sequel and a prequel, but neither are as bombastic, crude, and delightfully over the top as the original.
36 Avengers: Age Of Ultron
- Avengers: Age of Ultron is available to stream on Disney+
The second film in the Avengers series, Avengers: Age of Ultron bridges the gap between the team's introduction and their final confrontation against Thanos by forcing the superheroes to reckon with a creation of their own hand, Ultron. The film earned $1.4 billion globally (via Box Office Mojo) and set up the internal conflict between the Avengers that would prove critical in Phase 3 of the MCU.
35 Cinderella
- Cinderella is available to stream on Starz
The 2015 Cinderella is one of the early live-action Disney adaptations, and this version stars Lily James as the titular heroine. Cinderella is one of the best live-action Disney remakes thanks to excellent performances from its star-studded cast, and its attention to detail in set design and costumes, for which Cinderella was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.
34 Dope
- Dope is available to stream on Cinemax
Dope is a coming-of-age drama that follows Malcolm Adekanbi (Shameik Moore) and his group of geeky friends in a tough LA neighborhood on a day when they find themselves getting into all kinds of trouble. It's a funny, romantic, and thought-provoking look into a young Black man's life and Black culture that isn't always put to screen.
33 Steve Jobs
- Steve Jobs is available to stream on Starz
Michael Fassbender stars as the eponymous tech magnate in Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs, a biopic structured like a three-act play that takes the audience through three major product unveilings across Job's career. Fassbender and Kate Winslett were nominated for Best Actor and Best ing Actress for their performances in this rapid-fire, tense, and ultimately pitying look at the legendary, or notorious depending on who's speaking, Apple CEO.
32 When Marnie Was There
- When Marnie Was There is available to stream on Max
When Marnie Was There is a Studio Ghibli film about Anna Sasaki (Hailee Steinfeld in the English dub) who leaves her home to stay with relatives in Hokkaido and meets a mysterious girl, Marnie (Taylor Autumn Bertman, Kiernan Shipka, and Catherine O'Hara across different time periods in the English dub). Beautifully animated and moving, When Marnie Was There earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.
31 45 Years
- 45 Years is available to stream on AMC+
Kate (Charlotte Rampling) and Geoff Mercer (Tom Courtenay) are set to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary when Kate discovers Geoff was previously engaged before they met in 45 Years. It's an acting showcase for the two leads, and Rampling ended up being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. The actors effortlessly portray the disquiet that comes from past pain bubbling up after years of being covered.
