Best of 2015 — movies, performances

This is the final day of 2015, so it seems fitting for me to put out my list of my favorite movies of the year. This will include my top 10 personal picks, five disappointments, and my favorite performances. It was quite a year at the movies, and this list reflects that.

Best Movies:
No. 10 — Creed
About: I'm not big on boxing movies, especially the "Rocky" franchise. In fact, true confession, I haven't seen most of the "Rocky" films. So I went into this one cold knowing only that I think Michael B. Jordan is a great actor and his collaboration with writer-director Ryan Coogler on "Fruitvale Station" was incredible. Here, they took a genre picture and elevated it. Jordan is great and so, too, is Sylvester Stallone, presenting a different side to Rocky Balboa. This was one of the best films of the year, and the biggest surprise for me on this list.
Rating: PG-13 for violence, language and some sensuality.

No. 9 — Concussion
About: This film from writer-director Peter Landesman chronicles Dr. Bennett Omalu (Will Smith), the pathologist in Pittsburgh who first discovered the long-term consequences of playing football. The film isn't so much about the science as Dr. Omalu, and Smith gives a great performance in a different kind of role. He isn't his usual flashy self, and it works perfectly. This is a beautifully told and powerful story.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic material including some disturbing images, and language.

No. 8 — Jurassic World
About: I dearly loved "Jurassic Park." It remains one of my favorite all time films. I also love the depth of the story, and what it says about humanity. None of the sequels ever touched that, until "Jurassic World." This was the biggest film of the summer, and rightly so. It has a strong cast, but what I loved was the way it brought this story alive and to the next chapter.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril

No. 7 — Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens
About: It's been 32 years since "Return of the Jedi." We got the prequels, but that wasn't the "Star Wars" story any of us was looking for. "The Force Awakens" is. J.J. Abrams re-boots the franchise and prepares it for the next great chapter. Harrison Ford, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, and Adam Driver are all great. This is the "Star Wars" film we've been waiting for.
Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.

No. 6 — Me and Earl and The Dying Girl
About: Last year "Fault in Our Stars" earned rave reviews and big audiences. It was a good movie about teens dealt a bad hand. But it was ultimately a teen romance with a bit deeper plot. "Me and Earl and The Dying Girl" has drawn comparisons to that film, but that's unfair. This is a beautiful story of friendship and how awkward it can be to find your place in high school. It's warm, funny, and challenging. And I loved every minute of it. It wasn't as widely seen, but it's the superior film.
Rating: PG - 13 for sexual content, drug material, language and some thematic elements.

No. 5 — Sicario
About: This was an intense film about the drug war, or rather the way we try to fight, re-direct, and slow down the cartels south of the border. It features a blistering performance from Emily Blunt and some of the best action sequences of the year. This wasn't a widely seen film, and it's not an easy watch, but it's brilliantly constructed.
Rating: R for strong violence, grisly images, and language. Enter with caution.

No. 4 — Room
About: This isn't a feel good kind of film. Based on the novel from Emma Donoghue, this is the story of a woman who was dealt a bad blow, became a mother, and fiercely fought to protect her child. It's also the story of a woman who is trying to adjust to being lost to the world for seven years and a five-year-old child who is seeing the world for the first time. It's haunting and beautifully told.
Rating: R for language. Enter with caution.

No. 3 — The Martian
About: Andy Weir's novel about a man left for dead on Mars and his amazing story of survival is incredible. It's captivating, dramatic, tense, and, often, quite funny. Ridley Scott and Matt Damon brought it to life on the big screen in a beautiful way. There's a reason this film was such a force in the theaters this fall. It's a gripping and beautifully told story.
Rating: PG-13 for some strong language, injury images, and brief nudity.

No. 2 — Steve Jobs
About: I loved this movie and I won't apologize for it. Not many saw it and it was a failure at the Box Office. But what director Danny Boyle did with a script from Aaron Sorkin was great work. This film has great performances and is a wonderful exploration of the passion of genius. It's not a true biopic, but it's a heck of an entertaining couple of hours.
Rating:  R for language. Enter with caution.

No. 1 — Spotlight
About: There is a sheer brilliance to this film. Director Thomas McCarthy and an all star cast team to bring this story to life. I was incredibly moved by the story, but even more so by the subject matter. This is a movie that shows why good journalism matters. And it's a movie that makes Christians think about our institutions, and how to prevent them from interfering with people's experience of God. That's quite a feat for one movie, but this does it brilliantly.
Rating: R for some language including sexual references. Enter with caution.

Disappointing Films:
No. 5 — The Fantastic Four
About: There was so much potential here. This is a good story idea, blessed with a cast that included Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, and Kate Mara. But it never came together. I liked parts of the film, but the final act was too fast and too ridiculous to work.

No. 4 — Jupiter Ascending
About: The Wachowskis aren't what they once were. This nonsensical and, if you think about the plot too hard, gross film was a waste of time, money, and talent.

No. 3 — Magic Mike XXL
About: It was quite a year for Channing Tatum, who makes this list for the second time. I thought "Magic Mike" was awful, but the sequel was supposed to be a lot of fun. It wasn't.

No. 2 — Chappie
About: I haven't loved Neil Blomkamp's films, but at least I kind of respected them. That went out the window with "Chappie," a ridiculous movie and a chore to sit through.

No. 1 — Hot Pursuit
About: I don't know about Sophia Vergara, but Reese Witherspoon is better than this...

Best Performances:
Best Actor:
* Matt Damon, "The Martian" — He does a great job carrying large portions of "The Martian."
* Michael Fassbender, "Steve Jobs" — I thought he was an inspired choice to play Steve Jobs.
* Eddie Redmayne, "The Danish Girl" — I didn't love the movie, but Redmayne was incredible.
* Will Smith, "Concussion" — A different kind of role for Smith, and he nailed it.
* Mark Ruffalo, "Spotlight" — It could be considered a supporting role, but I thought Ruffalo carried a lot of the plot in "Spotlight."

Best Actress:
* Brie Larson, "Room" — It was an incredible year for female performances, and Larson is near the top.
* Emily Blunt, "Sicario" — A gritty and gutty performance in an under rated film.
* Alicia Vikander, "The Danish Girl" — She is every bit the star Redmayne is in this film. Her performance is incredible.
* Saiorise Ronan, "Brooklyn" — Ronan does a great job in a beautiful portrait of a girl torn between two worlds.
* Jennifer Lawrence, "Joy" — The movie around her is flawed, but Lawrence gives it her all and she's great in doing it.

Best Supporting Actor: 
* Michael Keaton, "Spotlight" — I thought he should have won last year for "Birdman," but he's back with another great performance.
* Mark Rylance, "Bridge of Spies" — Rylance is the best part of this very good movie from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.
* Jacob Tremblay, "Room" — An incredible performance despite being a child. One of the year's best.
* Sylvester Stallone, "Creed" — A different kind of performance from Sly.
* Harrison Ford, "Star Wars — The Force Awakens" — Maybe a sentimental pick, but I have him in there.

Best Supporting Actress:
* Kate Winslet, "Steve Jobs" — Winslet is simply superb in this role.
* Joan Allen, "Room" — A very difficult and under rated performance in a great film.
* Rachel McAdams, "Spotlight" — McAdams was, in some ways, the heart of the film.
* Olivia Cooke, "Me and Earl and The Dying Girl" — There was something beautiful about Cooke on the screen.
* Daisy Ridley, "Star Wars — The Force Awakens" — I think Ridley is going to be THE star of the new trilogy.