Mid-year, I teased my working lists of The best films of 2015 … so far. It’s finalized. Four films had their premieres at either Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival or its mid-season Gems event. I had the chance to catch up with one of these films (Flowers) thanks to the Coral Gables Art Cinema booking it even without a distributor. It later became Spain’s entry to the Oscars and was picked up by Music Box Films. Another movie had its premiere at the Miami Jewish Film Festival. But I’m spoiling the suspense already…
Now, in reverse order and capped off with 10 honorable mentions with links to reviews where appropriate, are the 10 best movies I saw in 2015. Where available, all titles link to the item description page on Amazon. If you purchase via the link provided, you will be financially supporting this blog.
10. The Forbidden Room
The only film in my top 10 I did not review. Suffice to say that The Forbidden Room is an incredible experience of dreams and primal desires infused with that indelible Guy Maddin sense of humor.
9. Inherent Vice
Read my review
8. Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem
Read my review
7. Heart of a Dog
Read my review
6. Flowers (Loreak)
Read my review in The Miami New Times
5. Theeb
Read my review
4. My Golden Days
Read my capsule review in The Miami New Times (longer review to come)
3. Love & Mercy
Read my review
2. The Assassin
Read my review
1. Clouds of Sils Maria
Read my review
My honorable mentions (or bottom 10 – 20) are as follows (titles either link to reviews or Amazon): Mr. Turner, The End of the Tour, The Look of Silence (review), Voice Over (review), Mad Max: Fury Road, Carol, Spotlight, Jafar Panahi’s Taxi (review), Brooklyn.
Next, Ana Morgenstern weighs in with her top 20.