2015 – so far an exceptionally good year for movies

EX MACHINA
EX MACHINA

Wow, we’ve had a great start to 2015 in the movies. I’ve already placed eight films on my running list of Best Movies of 2015 – So Far.  Usually, I only have three or four at this time of year. Here’s my Best of 2015 to date:

  • Wild Tales (saw at Cinequest; DVD release in June)
  • Leviathan (available to stream from Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play and DirecTV)
  • Ex Machina (in theaters now)
  • Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (saw at San Francisco International Film Festival; releases June 12)
  • The End of the Tour (saw at San Francisco International Film Festival; releases July 30)
  • ’71 (saw at Cinequest; DVD release in July)
  • The Look of Silence (saw at San Francisco International Film Festival; limited release July 16)
  • The Grief of Others (saw at Camera Cinema Club; release undetermined)

I’m also mulling over adding to the list I’ll See You in My Dreams (in theaters now).  And I know I’ll include Corn Island, an exquisite Georgian film that I saw at Cinequest, if it gets a US release.  This is a GREAT and uncharacteristic start to the year in movies!

I’m already looking forward to some especially promising films that debuted at the Cannes International Film Festival. The universally acclaimed, heartbreaking biodoc of Amy Winehouse, Amy, releases July 3. Other Cannes films that will contend for my top ten list include The Lobster, Louder Than Bombs, Mia Madre, The Measure of a Man, Sicario (releases September 18), Youth, Green Room, The Assassin and Dheepan.

Plus there will be some superb documentaries that I don’t know about yet AND the usual stream of Oscar Bait movies released in the fall by the prestige arms of the Hollywood studios.  We should have a pretty good handle on 2015’s pool of excellent cinema at the time of the Toronto and Telluride film festivals in September.

2015 has been an excellent year so far and has the potential to be a great year of cinema.

ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL
ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL