Last year I found it incredibly frustrating that all of the major publications were putting out tons of detailed analysis on the best films of the year and I’d only seen about a third of them, so I was unable to enjoy them. To make up for it I’ve watched 22 films in the past 11 days, and spent the month prior to that racing through as much of the award season contenders as possible. Here are my films of the year, ranked in order, with a little bit of a reasoning to my thoughts. I won’t go too in-depth as this will end up very long and very self indulgent, but if you want to find out my detailed thoughts on them either check out my reddit account (/u/felixjmorgan) or tweet me.

#1 — Anomalisa — 9/10

Every time I go into a Kaufman film I have high expectations, and every time he manages to smash them. Anomalisa was no exception, as the writer of two of my favourite films ever (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synecdoche, New York) proved once again that he is one of the best screenwriters in the business. As always, the film is magnificently written. The dialogue feels incredibly natural, and is captivating throughout. Using 3D printed puppets, the stop-motion animation is hyper-realistic without trying to hide from itself. The set design is incredible, detailed to Wes Anderson levels. And the voice acting is fantastic. The two leads are perfect, and Tom Noonan shows brilliant restraint to not intonate too much with his characters. This is a beautiful film about fleeting passion and the loneliness one can feel when surrounded by people. About the battle to find purpose both internally and externally, and how unrealistic expectations can damage both you and your loved ones. Anomalisa is hands down the best film of the year, and amazingly, the most human film of the year didn’t have a single human in it.

2. A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence — 8.5/10

I only heard about this through The Guardian’s films of the year and went into it incredibly skeptical. I hadn’t heard of Anderrson, the director, and the blurb sounded incredibly pretentious. And in all honesty, it may be, but it really moved me on an emotional level. I found myself fixated throughout, laughing at the absurdity and hurting with the tragedy. I viewed it as an exploration of different people’s attempts to find purpose in life. The travelling salesmen aimed to bring happiness to people, others were focused on money and acquisition, the rich old people watching the Africans burn were focused on intensity of experience, etc. Andersson was highlighting numerous ways that people try and find a reason to exist, and I don’t think he was really offering any solution to the viewer. Instead he just observes the problem, acting like the pigeon from the title. It’s a beautiful film that, while a little difficult to decrypt, has a lot to say and does it in a masterful way.

3. Room — 8.5/10

This film has the undeniable best acting performance of the year. Brie Larson is fantastic as the young mother sheltering her son from the evils that are controlling her life, and is an absolute shoo-in for the best actress Oscar. The acting really steals the show here, and the chemistry between the two leads is undeniable, but everything from the set design through to the camera work in this film is fantastic. Room feels alive and genuine, and the small details and methodology that the cast and crew to this really paid off, making Room one of the best films of the year.

4. The Revenant — 8.5/10

The highest ranking big budget film of the year, The Revenant is a real achievement in filmmaking. Once again Lubezki has proved himself as one of the world’s best visual storytellers, using beautiful tracking shots, natural lighting and a gritty palette to really place the viewer in the heart of the wilderness. Inarritu is masterful in bringing the performances out of his cast, with Will Poulter suprisingly stealing the show in many scenes (ahead of his more established colleagues DiCaprio, Hardy and Gleeson). At it’s core The Revenant is a revenge thriller, but it excels above it’s peers by it’s interesting perspective on man’s relationship with nature, the relationship between a father and son, and American history.

5. The Lobster — 8/10

As soon as I saw the trailer for this film I was counting down the days until it’s release. Supremely weird, this is a film about society’s standards of relationships and the expectations it places upon us. From the trailer the message seems quite one dimensional — you see people being changed into animals because they can’t find a relationship, so clearly the director thinks we place too much value on conventional relationships. However, the film itself presents a much more nuanced perspective, as the second half of the film places the protagonist in the exact opposite scenario where he will be punished for taking part in a relationship. Each approach is painted as equally flawed, with the director instead appealing for a more nuanced approach to relationships, where people derive their own answers based on their individual circumstances. This is a surreal but touching film, and it’s nuanced and balanced approach elevated it from a fun gimmick to a great piece of cinema.

6. Beasts Of No Nation — 8/10

This story structure is far from unique, and has been seen before in films like City Of God and Come And See. However, with Cary Fukunaga’s direction and some brilliant performances from a predominantly youth cast, Beasts Of No Nation managed to exceed all expectations. Told from the perspective of a young child, the film shows remarkable restraint in it’s character development and detail of the wider world, ensuring never to go beyond the audience’s scope. Lots of Agu’s world is left ambiguous, and characters are not painted with obvious brushes that make it easy for the audience to categorise them. As with all of Fukunaga’s work, the camera work is fantastic and he manages to get some terrific performances out of an incredibly inexperienced cast. I felt like the ending shied away from the harsh realities it set up which marked it down slightly, but overall I really enjoyed this film.

7. Bridge Of Spies — 8/10

Bizarrely, I heard almost nothing about this. When I was looking for films to watch I suddenly realised there was a new Spielberg/Hanks/Coen Brothers collaboration and it went straight to the top of the list. The concept didn’t really appeal to me as I thought it may turn out quite dry, but in typical Spielberg film it was full of heart. Mark Rylance put in a fantastic performance and Spielberg’s attention to detail in every aspect of the film made it entrancing to watch. The scene at the Berlin Wall is one of the most iconic of the year, and Spielberg did well to avoid exposition and focus on natural storytelling. For me, this film was best summarised by Hanks telling Powers that it didn’t matter what people thought had happened, as long as he knew. It was about deriving value from yourself and not looking for external validation. It also tapped into interesting questions about American values and how your actions towards your enemies can have an even greater impact on yourself. Really enjoyable film (much better than Lincoln, which I hated) and another notch on Spielberg’s ever expanding belt.

8. Love & Mercy — 8/10

Compared to 2014, this year has been fantastic for biopics. While last year was dominated by schmaltzy Oscar bait, this year has had some unique approachs that break the standard biopic formula. Love & Mercy was my favourite of the lot, focusing on Brian Wilson at two distinct periods of his life. Paul Dano steals the show, oozing with charisma in an incredibly nuanced portrayal of a very complicated man. The two chapters play off each other fantastically and show the torment that the creative process can take you through, and the sacrifices people have made to create the art we all take for granted.

9. Girlhood — 8/10

The French Fish Tank, this is a great coming of age story featuring a very talented young cast and some brilliant characterization. Karidja Toure is great as Vic, battling with adolescence and the harsh realities of urban life. Despite being directed by a white middle class woman, the film shows utter respect to it’s subject matter, and lets the young actresses bring their personalities through to the screen, making you feel real investment in their well being. The scene with Rihanna is instantly iconic, and the film tackles some heavy themes with a nuanced touch.

10. The End Of The Tour — 8/10

If I was casting this film I would’ve missed out on some absolute gold, because there is no way I could’ve believed Jason Segel as David Foster Wallace. However, despite the odds, he puts in one of the best performances of the year, portraying the troubled artist coming to terms with his own success. Just like Love & Mercy (which has a lot of similar themes), this is a biopic told in an unconventional way, focusing entirely on one interview DFW did with Rolling Stone. Told almost entirely through dialogue, the film explores a wide range of topics in rapid fire, bouncing around like the lead character’s thoughts. It fights with itself constantly, playing off the tensions he felt between his own genius and his crippling insecurity and self worth issues. This is a delicate film with two great performances.

11. Brooklyn — 8/10

A surprisingly touching tale with great performances and chemistry from the 3 leads.

12. While We’re Young — 7.5/10

Baumbach’s best of the year, this is a coming of age story for the 40 somethings. Multi-faceted characters clashing as they try to make sense of their lives in differing way.

13. The Martian — 7.5/10

Despite a primary focus on science rather than emotion, this is some riveting storytelling and great production values. Pure entertainment.

14. Steve Jobs — 7.5/10

The most transparently Sorkensian piece of work on the writer’s credits to date, the dialogue in this film is fantastic and the lead performances all shine. I personally found the editing slightly hammy which dropped it a bit.

15. Creed — 7.5/10

Far better than it had any right to be. Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler are packing a punch in this boxing drama, reinvigorating a struggling franchise with a touching new story.

16. Carol — 7.5/10

This is a weird one for me. It’s almost perfectly put together, and very difficult to fault from a technical perspective, but I found it incredibly cold. The two individual performances were great but I felt no chemistry between them, and felt no personal investment in the characters.

17. Star Wars — 7.5/10

No one could claim that this is perfect storytelling, but my god is it entertaining. Delivers exactly what every Star Wars fan would hope for while inviting a whole new generation into the franchise with funny writing, charismatic new characters, and an ever expanding universe for the world to lose themselves in.

18. Me & Earl & The Dying Girl — 7.5/10

I’m a sucker for indie tragedy and this film balances familiarity with novelty well. It’s not particularly revolutionary but it’s well put together and the characters feel like they exist beyond the camera. Packs a strong punch emotionally.

19. Spotlight — 8/10

Like Carol, this is brilliant technically but lacks a bit of heart. The subject matter is incredibly rich and the cast are up to the task, but it felt like the film never really challenged either the actors or the audience, and it lacked a bit of emotional punch.

20. It Follows — 8/10

Best soundtrack of the year, beautifully shot, and it actually had something to say. Three qualities you don’t see much in horror films nowadays, but It Follows is a class above it’s peers.

21. Ex Machina — 7/10

22. Tangerine — 7/10

23. Slow West — 7/10

24. The Hateful Eight — 7/10

25. Sicario — 7/10

26. Mad Max Fury Road — 7/10

27. Dope — 7/10

28. Inside Out — 7/10

29. Spring — 7/10

30. Mistress America— 7/10

Well received films that I disliked — The Assassin, Legend, Crimson Peak, Jurassic World, The Gift

So what do you think? What is too high, what is too low, and what did I miss completely? Did I misinterpret anything? Let me know your thoughts!