Movies of the Week 2015 - Roundup.

[jacey]

Well, I guess the new Star Wars movie was the highlight of the year, much anticipated and very much enjoyed. Other that that there were some highlights and some stinkers. Sadly Pan was probably the worst of the stinkers, beautifully filmed, but an afternoon of my life I'd like to reclaim because I couldn't care about any of the characters. Hunger Games Mockingjay 2 suffered from being split into two movies. Perhaps, one day, someone enterprising with re-cut it into the one movie it needed to be. It wasn't a stinker, but it wasn't as good as it could have been. Of the teen dystopian movies I much preferred Insurgent. I've made sure I don't read the books first this time. (However not reading the books couldn't really rescue Maze Runner - Scorch Trials.) Easily forgettable movies included Fantastic Four, Age of Adaline, Spectre, Tomorrowland, Scorch Trials, Victor Frankenstein, Jupiter Ascending (which could have been so much better than it was!), Into the Woods and Cinderella. None of them was awful, but, a bit like eating a chocolate bar - OK at the time, but once the last bite disappears, the memory fades.

The Martian was fabulous, well deserving of all its rave reviews and I hope it gets a look in at the Oscars. It's certainly in my top two of the year. If you didn't see it at the cinema buy the DVD when it comes out.

Extremely enjoyable were Mission Impossible-Rogue Nation; Man from UNCLE, Jurassic World, Avengers-Age of Ultron, Kingsman, Chappie, Insurgent, Second Best Marigold Hotel, Night at the Museum 3 (Yes, really!), Absolutely Anything, and (suprisingly) Ant Man, which I was in two minds about seeing, but I'm really glad I did.

Birdman was fascinating, and I do think it deserved it's Oscar win, but it's not a movie I would want to watch twice.

The animations were all pretty good: Inside Out, Minions, Home and Big Hero 6 all delivered, though at times Inside Out was like watching an animated psychology textbook.

The live cinema broadcast of the National Theatre's Treasure Island probably shouldn't be included in this list because the experience was more like watching theatre than cinema even though it was experienced via the big screen. I enjoyed it very much and will certainly check out all the other live-performance broadcasts in the coming year.

Anyhow, here's what I saw in 2015:

• Star Wars - The Force Awakens


• Spectre


• Victor Frankenstein


• Hunger Games, Mockingjay Part Two


• Pan


• The Martian


• The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner 2)


• Man from UNCLE


• Absolutely Anything


• Fantastic Four


• Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation


• Ant Man


• Inside Out


• Minions


• Jurassic World


• Tomorrowland - A World Beyond


• The Age of Adaline


• Far From the Madding Crowd


• Avengers - Age of Ultron


• Cinderella


• Home


• Insurgent


• Chappie


• Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel


• Big Hero 6


• Jupiter Ascending


• Kingsman: The Secret Service


• Into the Woods


• National Theatre's Treasure Island (Live Broadcast.)


• Birdman


• Night at the Museum 3 - Secret of the Tomb

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

To my shame, I've not been to one all year!

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

My cinebuddy and I make a point of doing the 2 for 1s. We started with Orange Wednesdays and now do Meerkat Movies. We go on a Tuesday or a Wednesday afternoon. (The advantages of being self-employed.) Neither of our husbands is particularly interested in cinema, so it works well. It means we often take risks on movies that we might otherwise not make an effort to see and we've had some very pleasant surprises (as well as seeing some duds). Without the twofers we'd have missed the Marigold Hotel movies and Chef (one of last year's discoveries)

[gorgeousgary]

We're not big moviegoers to begin with, but we only made two this year - Avengers and Star Wars. Which means if I have any hopes of nomimating for the Hugos, or honestly voting on the Long Form nominees, I will have to spend some quality time streaming or doing some on-demand movies. Or perhaps some in-room movies during my upcoming business travel.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Now he's retired we may have more time for that sort of thing! :o)

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

As far as Hugo nominations go The Martian has to be a favourite. If you don't watch any of the others I thoroughly recommend catching up with this. I loved Star Wars because I am an unashamed SW fan, but if I search my soul as to which is the better movie I would probably vote for The Martian in the Hugos.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Whoo-hoo!