The Above Average Awards: Drama 2015

***This post has given me trouble on the blog, for some reason. It was accidentally published by my dog in January (as she literally stepped on my mousepad and published it), but it was released, in completion, on February 27. Regardless, enjoy...

When I decided to cut back on my blogging, earlier this year, I had no idea of the immediate effect that it would have on the number of films that I watch. I mean, without any expectation to share my opinion, I definitely cut back on watching films that I wasn't particularly excited to see. Nonetheless, when it came time for awards season and every "award-worthy" 2015 film was released in the short span of three months, I quickly regained my desire to hit the theater. Something about good movies just makes you want to watch more good movies. And, something about Avengers: Age of Ultron just makes you want to denounce the name of Disney.

So, as you check out my 2015 best list, know that I didn't see as many films, this year. However, I likely only missed the crappy ones...

Best Actor

Honorable Mention: Christian Bale (The Big Short), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs), Michael Keaton (Spotlight), Ryan Reynolds (Mississippi Grind), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), Benicio del Toro (Sicario)

#9 - Ryan Gosling
(The Big Short)

For the second time since the creation of The Above Average Awards, Ryan Gosling is landing on my yearly best list (The Ides of March), and I'm really stoked that he continues to choose such great films. Who knew that the dancing fool from Remember the Titans would go on to do such great things?!? In an ensemble that absolutely blew me away, Gosling was one of the best. And, the jokes from his best scene--the one with the Jenga set--were highly improvised. Another great accomplishment for an actor who gave an amazing performance!

#8 - Liev Schrieber 
(Spotlight)

If you ever told me that Liev Schrieber would one day land on one of my yearly best lists, I probably would have laughed in your face. Honestly, I can't say that I've ever enjoyed seeing Schrieber on any screen, but his turn in Spotlight is so subtly amazing that I couldn't help but add him to my list. Essentially, his level of under-acting produced the best performance of Schrieber's lengthy career. Subtlety is undoubtedly the theme of the acting, throughout Spotlight, and Schrieber pulls off that subtlety better than anyone else.

#7 - John Cusack and Paul Dano

(Love & Mercy)

My love for The Beach boys knows no bounds! When I was little, my parents and I would jam out to their greatest hits CD--every. single. summer. And, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Thankfully, Love & Mercy gave me an even closer look at my favorite musical group of all time, and the great performances by both Paul Dano and John Cusack were amazing to watch. I could not decide which performance was better and both were so necessary to the success of the film. So, here they are... together, as they were always meant to be! 

  

#6 - Sharlto Copley

(Chappie)

My defense of Sharlto Copley as one of the most underrated actors is not subtle, if you are familiar with this blog. Unfortunately, the critical mass has failed to appreciate what he has accomplished, because they are so concerned with picking apart Neill Blomkamp. However, if you've seen Chappie, you can't help but love the innocent robot that is so easily humanized by Copley's movements and voice. This is the second year that Copley has landed on my list (last time for Elysium), and I can't wait to sing his praises again, soon!

#5 - Jason Segel
(The End of the Tour)

When looking at Jason Segal's full body of work as an actor, he has to be one of the least impressive actors to ever find success in Hollywood. He has zero range and lacks the ability to independently create laughter. So, I must say that I never would have imagined him landing on this list (much less in the drama category). Thankfully, I was wrong, as Segal totally rocked it in The End of the Tour, which was undoubtedly one of 2015's best films, regardless of how little attention it received. Check out this great performance, right now!

#4 - Tom Hardy
(The Revenant)

With all of the hype surrounding Leo's pre-destined Oscar win, Tom Hardy's far-superior performance in The Revenant has faded into the background, which is quite disappointing, particularly considering what a big year the actor had. But, Hardy will keep on keeping on, and he will surely appreciate the love given to him by THE Tanner Jones. Kudos to Hardy for making me love the bad guy soooooo much more than the preemptive Best Actor winner.

#3 - Jacob Tremblay

(Room)

Brie Larson is likely to take home the Best Actress Oscar, this weekend, but the true star of Room missed out on even being nominated. When I first heard of Jacob Tremblay's performance in this film, I assumed that I would enjoy it, considering my love for child actors. But, until I saw the film, I couldn't truly wrap my head around the range that Tremblay displayed, even at such a young age. When his character, Jack, was hurting, Tremblay hurt. When Jack was sad, Tremblay was sad. And, most importantly, when Jack was happy and curious, Tremblay was happy and curious. Everything that this kid was able to bring to the screen screamed greatness and truth. Kudos to Room for impressing, and kudos to Tremblay for blowing me away!

#2 - Steve Carell

(The Big Short)

People love Steve Carell because he's Steve Carell, and, for me (and many others), he is fun to watch, regardless of what he is doing. But, if you listen to the excitement and joy that Carell has found in his recent dramatic plunge, it will truly make you appreciate his work even more. To know that he doesn't want to just be the funny guy makes him all the more funny and believable. Carell landed at number 2 on my list, last year, and, this year, he is playing second fiddle yet again. One day, he is sure to land on top! Carell is just so easy to love!

#1 - Mark Ruffalo

(Spotlight)

If there is one word that comes to mind, when thinking of Mark Ruffalo's turn as Mike Rezendes in Spotlight, it's passion. I'm not sure that I have ever witnessed an actor portraying a character's passion as well as Ruffalo did here, and he was able to portray the character's passion, without letting his own passion or acting get in the way. Ruffalo was able to take Mike Rezendes from a character you want to trust to a character you want to be to a real, living person that you want to become. If everyone on this earth was as passionate about their contribution to society as the reporters of Spotlight, this world would be a better place. Thankfully, we at least have the knowledge of this wonderful team of people that truly made a difference--none more so than Mike Rezendes. Kudos to Mark Ruffalo for bringing that to life and giving the most impactful performance of 2015.

Best Actress


#3 - Lupita N'yongo
(Star Wars: The Force Awakens)

While most people are waiting for Maz Kanata's backstory before making any sort of judgement on her character, I'm already 100% sold. She was easily my favorite part of The Force Awakens, and the way that Lupita N'yongo was able to bring her to life was absolutely perfect. I just want my own personal Maz. You know... for wisdom and supernatural initiations... stuff like that!

#2 - Brie Larson
(Room)

Brie Larson is so lovable. Not only is she gorgeous, but she truly appreciates her work and clearly has a knack for picking great roles. While I might always remember her as the goofy teenager that fell in love with Jonah Hill on 21 Jump Street, she will surely be remembered throughout the land for her amazing turn as Ma in 2015's indie wonder-film--Room. While I will say that she owes much of her success to the amazing talent of young Jacob Tremblay, there is no doubt that Larson can bring it. And, again, she's so easy to love!

#1 - Kate Winslet

(Steve Jobs)

Steve Jobs was one of my most anticipated films of 2016, and I must say that I was a bit disappointed in the end result. Thankfully, Kate Winslet provided a large silver lining to said disappointment with her portrayal of Joanna Hoffman. This character, although a real person, was very much a creation of Sorkin's need for more and more strong dialogue to mask his poor plot. Regardless, Winslet blew me away, and gave me a new appreciation for what she can do. Sure, I'm only like 20 years late to hop on her bandwagon, but she was kind enough let me ride along anyway! Best female performance of 2015, by far!

Best Film

Honorable Mention: Room, Spotlight



#5 - The End of the Tour

While The End of the Tour wasn't particularly beautiful or unique in its direction, the film's dialogue and emotion was so beautifully unique that the film really didn't need anything but two guys to read the words from the pages. The performances were good. The story was good. But, the film was able to say so much in all of its subtle goodness. There is a strong chance that you missed this film, over the course of the year, but let me be the force that pushes you toward The End of the Tour.

#4 - Chappie

As soon as I saw the first trailer for Chappie, I knew that the film was going to deserve more credit than it actually received. Blomkamp pitched the film as a sci-fi comedy. The trailer pitched the film as sci-fi action. And, the film was actually a very rich attempt to create a moral code for artificial intelligence and the future of conscience, which is quite a complicated subject matter. Unfortunately for Chappie, the critics weren't all pleased, but this particular critic was impressed by yet another underappreciated Blomkamp success. If you haven't seen Chappie, go watch it! If you watched Chappie with a cynical mind, go watch it again! Audience expectations are so important to a film's success, and that's exactly where Chappie missed the ship. I promise, this film is fantastic!

#3 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Ok, ok... Let's get down to business. There was no 2015 cinematic experience better than the one created by Star Wars: The Force Awakens. When "STAR WARS" flashed on the screen after the Lucasfilm logo, I felt like a kid in the best of candy stores, as my eyes widened and my heart leapt. From a critical perspective, it might not have been among the best of 2015, but, with regard to having fun at the theater, no film could top it. Kudos to my main man J.J. and the folks at Disney for giving us at least one good film... before their imminent destruction of the franchise.

#2 - Kingsman: The Secret Service

Modern, non-superhero, action flicks are given the worst rap of any film genre out there. In a world where sequels and indie flicks rule, there's not much room for the emergence of new "universes." Thankfully, Kingsman: The Secret Service says "Oh, really?!?... Watch this!" The action was great. The bloody, ruthless nature of the film was great. The performances were spot on. And, the direction of Matthew Vaughn was among the most genius that I saw in 2015. In less than two minutes, the film had already engulfed you in a world full of fun action that had a small moral core and a large appreciation for slicing people in half and taking out an extremist church. Kudos to Vaughn and to 20th Century Fox for being willing to offer up some fun action, without the word Marvel attached.

#1 - The Big Short

When I was a senior in high school, I had absolutely no clue what would become of my life, and, of course, at the time, I felt like I should probably have the answer. And, as the evolving moderate that I was preparing to become, my nightly routine typically included falling asleep to the beautiful sounds of The Colbert Report. One night, while waiting for Colbert, I happened to catch the second half of The Daily Show and had the chance to hear Michael Lewis, the author of The Big Short, pitch his book about a few nobodies who were able to game the entire financial system, as a result of its fraudulent, crumbling roots. Lewis talked for about 8 minutes that night, but those few minutes were enough to convince me to read his book, as soon as I could get my hands on it. And, considering I was a kid who never read for pleasure (or school, for that matter), his pitch was obviously great. As you might expect, at age 18, my understanding of the financial system and its complicated lingo was quite minute, which made it quite a brain-straining task to make it through The Big Short. Thankfully, about halfway through the book, Lewis literally gives you a gold star for making it to that point. The gold star was enough to make me think, "If adults are getting gold stars for reading this far, I must be doing pretty darn good." So, I powered through and finished what might be the most intriguing book that I've ever read in my life. My interest in finances and the world of business was officially piqued. And, I went on to get my degree in Finance. 

While I do believe that the Lord has a way of working things out, there is no doubt that The Big Short truly initiated my desire to devote four years of my life to learning about business and the financial system. And, while I didn't actually end up launching my career in the financial sector, I would guess that I am in the top 1% of all movie bloggers and film journalists, with regard to my understanding of the financial system... Not to boast or anything! So, I say all of that to let you know what The Big Short means to me, as an individual. And, as much as I expected the film to be a half-hearted attempt at telling a very, very complex story, it turned out to be the greatest film of 2015... by a laaaarge margin, in my book. 

Obviously, the film appealed to me as someone who loves listening to people talk about the financial world, but, when I put on my film critic hat, there just isn't anything that compared to The Big Short, this year, with regard to original and genius filmmaking. I mean, who knew that the director of Step Brothers had it in him?!? The pace of the film is perfect. The explanation of complex financial instruments is genius. The characters are so easy to love. I mean, this thing has it all! 

If you think that the film would be a bore to you, because you hate learning about finances, please take the time to check this thing out, particularly if you have any affinity for the amazing actors in the ensemble. If you have zero knowledge of the topic, you will still understand what's happening... I promise! Also, as someone who has a good grasp on the events of the financial crisis, I can say that this is a great film for anyone with a good understanding of finance. 

For any of you who actually took the time to read all of that, congratulations on being a victim of my not taking the time to write an entire review of The Big Short. 

To everyone out there in the free world, go watch The Big Short! THE best film of 2015!!!

Well, there you have it! Even in a year of less blogging I was able to pull together a great list of films and performances. Now, let's see what happens on Sunday night!

Chappie

Expectations:
Neill Blomkamp is THE MAN! Sure, all of you hateful critics are going to harp on the fact that Elysium wasn't as good as District 9, and, however true that may be, I personally didn't hate it as much as everyone else. It had problems. Heck, even Blomkamp has been hating on it, as of late. But, it wasn't terrible! It just didn't have the wow factor that came along with District 9. Instead, it felt a bit more like a typical sci-fi action flick and, if judged accordingly, holds its own. That said, Chappie is being seen as a chance for Blomkamp to redeem himself, and I was quite hopeful that he would be able to shut the critics up with this film. To me, the trailers for Chappie were absolutely terrible, particularly considering that Blomkamp has sold the film as a sort-of comedic sci-fi flick. Regardless, I knew that I would be checking Chappie out on opening weekend, and that is exactly what I did...

Plot:
While there were a few superfluous moments throughout this sci-fi dramedy, I was totally pleased with the story! While I can't pinpoint the reason, Blomkamp never has any problem connecting with me, and his ability to discuss social issues with his characters (however blatant) is something that I really enjoy. Chappie had a large resemblance to District 9, being set in the slums of Johannesburg and focusing on a character who was a bit of an outcast. Where District 9 was about not being accepted by your own people, Chappie focused more on the issue of not accepting new ideas and individuals who may not be anything like you. Sure, that element may have been shoved down the audience's throat a bit... But not any more than it was in District 9! Overall, Chappie really felt like an early 2000s sci-fi, action film, with its mix of humor, action, and fun. I'm not exactly sure why people have been so harsh on this film, but oh well...

Characters:
In the past, Blomkamp has sort of bombed with any character that wasn't played by Sharlto Copley (one of THE MOST underrated actors, by the way). While I am one of his biggest fans, there is no forgiving the horror that was Jodie Foster in Elysium. Thankfully, Chappie took a turn for the better...

Negatives:
You may or may not know, but I LOVE The Newsroom. And, what an appropriate time to bring that up, as I'm going against the critical flow! Anyway, on The Newsroom, Dev Patel plays Neil, who runs the news show's blog and pretty much anything else that has to do with technology. As I watched Chappie and saw Patel playing pretty much the exact same character, I just couldn't quite turn Neil off, in my mind. While Patel's performance wasn't horrible, I just don't think I connected to him as well as I should have. And, he never EVER closed the trunk to his van, which really pissed me off. Additionally, the mean guy who spoke English but still had subtitles... Yeah... Why?!?

Positives:
Ninja and Yo-Landi Visser, who actually played a version of themselves in the film, were quite fun as non-traditional gangsters, however goofy they may have been. Sure, there were times when you could tell that they needed some acting help, but the characters accomplished what they needed to and allowed for the main man to shine. And, that leads me to... Chappie! Of course, when your name is the title of the film, you are expected to steal the show, but I must say that Chappie was one of my favorite sci-fi characters in quite some time. Sharlto Copley was able to bring him to life in a way that not many could, and I was surprisingly impressed. Chappie was caring. Chappie made mistakes. Chappie made you laugh. But, above all, Chappie made you accept who he was becoming and never missed a beat in doing so...

Conclusion:
It appears as if 2015 is going to bring with it the bold return of these stand-alone action flicks, tucked neatly in the holes between Marvel and Star Wars. Unfortunately, the box office has failed to show a large amount of support for such films, which is quite disappointing to me. There was once a day when we could watch something that wasn't a superhero film or Oscar bait and actually enjoy it. It wasn't all Liam Neeson and teenagers killing each other! For me, Chappie was a return to those glory days of action films, when I was a kid who wouldn't have been impressed by the films that I love these days. Additionally, it was a reminder of how much I love Neill Blomkamp, who I believe has yet to miss on any film. Group think is a huge problem in the world of film criticism, and I believe a combination of group think and a horrible trailer led to the critical demise of Chappie. However, my opinion is unwavering. Chappie was a strong action film with an awesome story to tell about outcasts and embracing yourself for who you were truly meant to become. I give Chappie 3.89 out 5 stars.

Elysium

 

Expectations:
Way back in 2009, Neill Blomkamp and Sharlto Copley absolutely blew me away with their cheap, simple science ficiton hit, District 9. Not only was District 9 one of my favorite films of that year, it somehow merited an Oscar nomination, which totally surprised me and I'm sure many others. I've since seen the film at least 20 times, and, each time, it blows me away. My college literature professor even had us watch the film as part of our course work a couple of years ago (he was a huge sci-fi fan). Needless to say, the film made its mark in my life and really gave science fiction its first hope of actually receiving critical acclaim in a very long time, because we all know that Avatar was an underwhelming attempt at the same. With Blomkamp and Copley both involved with Elysium as well, I could barely contain my excitement for the film. In fact, there was no summer film that I was looking forward to more than Elysium, and that is saying something. So, of course, my hopes were high, even with the mixed reviews and the border line freshness on the Tomatometer.

Plot:
As far as killing people in unnecessarily gory fashion is concerned, Neill Blomkamp has a chance to quickly become the Quentin Tarantino of science fiction! In Elysium, people were blowing up left and right, as was the case with District 9. Maybe it was a bit too much, but I must say that I really enjoy watching people explode into hamburger meat, as long as the story is obviously false science fiction (not in your case, Quentin!). As evident by my hamburger meat excitement, I did enjoy the action in Elysium, which was very similar to District 9, just on a $100 million scale. On the other hand, Elysium's plot was not quite as moving as the intricate transformation story of District 9. There were so few intricacies to the story that the entire plot became vague and predictable, and there were many things that didn't quite make sense, even in a made up world. However, I still enjoyed it! Maybe I just have some sort of premature love for Blomkamp's films? Who knows! But, there was no point in the entire film that I was not completely wrapped up in the action onscreen, even when I was not being impressed by the storyline...

Characters:
I like to think that most people have a list of actors whose films they tend to enjoy, even though they are rarely impressed with the actor him/herself. For me, Matt Damon is one of those actors, along with folks like Leonardo DiCaprio and Emma Stone. I just don't ever think of Damon as being invested in the character that he is playing, and his role of Max in Elysium was no exception in my thinking. Hopefully, one day, Damon will blow me away, but, for now, I must continue to wait.

Negatives:
Jodie freakin Foster!!! What happened!!! Usually, in contrast to Matt Damon, I enjoy watching Jodie Foster do her manly-woman thing, but I guess her lifetime achievement thing sucked her acting ability right out of her. Personally, I don't think she was even a bad choice for the role of Delacourt, but she just didn't bring it! Maybe Neill Blomkamp was too scared to correct her or something. Regardless, it was purely awful. There were a few other negatives, but none were on the same level as Foster's, so they will go unmentioned.

Positives:
Sure, Sharlto Copley is a bit odd, but there is no denying that the man can act. If you've seen District 9, you know how easily he connected to the audience as an innocent civilian. In Elysium, however, Copley's Kruger is completely, 100% opposite of D9's Wikas, and I loved him just as much. Kruger is a hard-nosed, government-assassin type guy, who tends to enjoy creating the aforementioned hamburger meat. Although I have yet to see many of the Oscar contenders that were released this summer, Copley's performance was one of my favorites thus far in 2013. Say what you want, but this guy is impressive!

Conclusion:
I know a lot of this review was "in comparison to District 9," making the review less significant to any of you who have yet to see the 2009 thriller. Let this serve as an encouragement to go watch it! If you have any love for movies with underlying meanings that are not so underlying, I promise that you will not be disappointed with District 9. As for Elysium... Even with the weak plot and the weak Jodie Foster, I really liked. Was it anywhere close to perfect? No... But, I was intrigued throughout the entire film, and that is something that rarely happens for me in thriller/action films. Kudos to Blomkamp for continuing to impress. Maybe everyone just set their expectations a bit too high, after the greatness that was District 9. I give Elysium 3.68 out of 5 stars.