It's almost time to bid farewell to 2015 and with it a truly mind-blowing year of amazing movies. From rib-tickling comedies to action extravaganzas, animated masterpieces to heartfelt dramas, it's been a real rollercoaster ride over the last 12 months. So before we usher in the new year, here are 28 of the unforgettable highlights...
WARNING: CONTAINS SOME STRONG LANGUAGE
1)
Whiplash
Stars: J.K. Simmons, Miles Teller
The scene: Desperate to prove himself as the next great jazz drummer, naive Andrew Neyman (Teller) is put through the ringer by profane, brutal and manipulative teacher Fletcher (a scorching, Oscar-winning performance from Simmons). The most jaw-dropping scene is this insanely sweaty and relentless rehearsal sequence in which Fletcher pushes Neyman to his absolute physical limits and then beyond in pursuit of perfection. Little wonder we feel as wrung out as he does.
2)
Ex Machina
Stars: Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac
The scene: Some of this year's most impressive special effects came in this, author Alex Garland's confident and provocative directorial debut. The story of computer programmer Caleb (Gleeson) who is sent to assess the humanity of A.I. Ava (Vikander), the film is an unsettling and thought-provoking look at the divide between man and machine. The eerily quiet, understated scene in which Ava first reveals herself to Caleb is one of the film's most memorable, her sleek, see-through torso emphasising her apparent artificiality. Yet as we find out, she has more to teach our human characters than we expect...
3)
Birdman
Stars: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone
The scene: Alejando Gonzalez Inarritu's Oscar favourite is splashy, flashy and not especially subtle, revelling in its illusion of one apparently sustained camera shot (in fact, several enormously accomplished ones seamlessly stitched together). The really memorable aspect of the movie is the acting: from Edward Norton's jaw-dropping prima donna star to Zach Galifianakis' put-upon manager, the performances are superb. But of course the movie belongs to Michael Keaton as washed-up former superhero star Riggan Thomson, whose vulnerabilities are brutally exposed in this argument scene with a never-better Emma Stone as his bitter on-screen daughter Sam.
4)
Big Hero 6
Stars: the most cuddly robot you ever saw
The scene: Disney's utterly heartwarming, Oscar-winning story of the bond between boy and droid takes place in the dazzling futuristic environment of San Fransokyo, and hinges on that always appealing notion of ordinary people becoming superheroes to save the day. But the real hero is healthcare droid Baymax (voiced by Scott Adsit), the most unlikely saviour of the year and whose novel take on the traditional fistbump (seen in the clip below) is one of the year's most hilarious running jokes.
5)
Cinderella
Stars: Lily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett
The scene: Yes, Kenneth Branagh's warm-hearted take on the Disney animated classic really belongs to Cate Blanchett's deliciously scheming Lady Tremaine. But the real show-stopping moment is where Lily James' eponymous Cinders, transformed with a touch of magic from her Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham Carter), makes a breathtaking appearance at the ball in front of assorted royalty, bringing the entire room to a standstill. Resplendent in all the sumptuous costume finery and production detail that money can buy, it's crowned with a gloriously beautiful score by Patrick Doyle.
6)
Fast & Furious 7
Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson
The scene: One simply does not come to a Fast & Furious movie for a profound look at the human condition. And true to form, director James Wan amped up the ludicrously enjoyable set-pieces for this blockbusting seventh entry in the franchise, with colossal scenes involving skydiving cars and cars crashing into skyscrapers. However, the moment that really pulled the rug out was the unexpectedly moving send-off to late star Walker: in a movie high on the smell of petrol fumes and testosterone, this is a sensitive moment that's quite beautifully handled. RIP Paul.
7)
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Stars: Paul Bettany, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth
The scene: Joss Whedon's rip-roaring follow-up to Avengers Assemble may not have matched up but it was still a good-humoured, character-stuffed extravaganza with more than enough to keep fanboys and newcomers entertained. With Robert Downey Jr.'s snarky, quippy Tony Stark/Iron Man predictably stealing the show once again, the movie's real gems are the calmer, inter-character scenes as our various Avengers argue and crab at each other. Yet it's Paul Bettany's character The Vision, a kind of Frankenstein's monster creation, who singlehandedly walks away with the movie with the following casual gesture.
8)
Mad Max: Fury Road
Stars: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
The scene: Trying to pick the best moment from director George Miller's awesomely apocalyptic action extravaganza is akin to finding a needle in a stack of needles. Acclaimed for its emphasis on practical effects as opposed to CGI, and possessed of an enjoyably bonkers tone that throws back to the original Mel Gibson, B-movie classics, Fury Road proved to be the dark horse in this year's blockbuster stakes. Even so, it was this epically insane guitar solo that really stuck with us: although brief and not involving any of the main players, it summed up the crackers nature of the movie.
9)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Stars: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi
The scene: An Iranian-American vampire/western shot in black and white? You don't get too many of those. But director Ana Lily Amirpour's atmospheric genre mash-up is the quintessence of cool, putting story to the background and making it all about the style and attitude. And nowhere was that style more apparent than in this spine-tingling scene where Sheila Vand's elusive bloodsucker toys with biting potential prey Arash Marandi, the strains of White Lies' 'Death' encapsulating the themes of the movie better than any dialogue ever could.
10)
Spy
Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham
The scene: Thought Bridesmaids scene-stealer Melissa McCarthy was set to be the star of this hilarious espionage spoof? We don't blame you - after all, it reunites her with filmmaker Paul Feig, one of Hollywood's hottest comedy directors and who next year is set to reinvent Ghostbusters with the actress. But the real ace in the hole is Blighty's very own hardman Statham who, with his role as absurdly pompous, boastful CIA agent Rick Ford, delivers the most unexpectedly brilliant comic performance of the year. Take a look at this clip to hear some of Ford's ridiculous outings in the field.
11)
Jurassic World
Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio
The scene: Jurassic World certainly lived up to its bold promise to throw more jaw-dropping dino action at the audience. And having attractive stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard at the centre didn't hurt. Even so, it all comes together during the memorably exciting moment where Pratt's Owen races alongside the velociraptors on his bike in pursuit of the marauding Indominus Rex. This is the scene that series godfather Steven Spielberg apparently always wanted to film. And even though it's Colin Trevorrow in the director's chair, it's still awesome watching it come to life.
12)
Amy
Stars: Amy Winehouse
The scene: Asif Kapadia's moving and engrossing look at the life of the late singer reclaims her from the shrieking tabloid headlines. What emerges is a haunting portrayal of an incredibly gifted performer seemingly not cut out for the pressures of fame, and who finds herself manipulated on all sides. Even so, it's the remarkably candid early footage showing Winehouse at home prior to fame that really resonate: a humane depiction of the woman behind the voice. Few other documentaries this year exerted such a grip.
13)
Ant-Man
Stars: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Anthony Mackie
The scene: Marvel's latest comic book bonanza pleasingly turned everything lo-fi, replacing your standard end-of-the-world stakes with a witty and snappy heist movie. Hinging on the always likeable presence of comedy star Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, the excellent supporting cast also includes Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll and Michael Pena. But the real fan-pleasing moment came where our newly fledged superhero found himself in contention with a certain other Avenger, played by Anthony Mackie... The seeds of future Marvel movies are sown here.
14)
Inside Out
Stars: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader
The scene: If there were lingering worries that Pixar appeared to have lost their mojo, then Inside Out re-asserted them as possibly the world's pre-eminent animation geniuses. This dazzlingly inventive, gorgeously designed, funny and moving story of the emotions inside a young girl's head is both a profound story of growing up and an engaging family adventure all at the same time. But the moment that had us falling out of our seat was this scene at the end, where we zip from central character Riley's head into that of a young boy's. Cue a hilariously funny emotional meltdown within his cranium.
15)
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Stars: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg
The scene: In a movie crammed with more epic stunts than you can shake a super spy at, it was Rogue Nation's underwater scene that really rattled and gripped us. Yes, even more than Tom Cruise's astonishing aerial derring do whilst hanging onto a plane. As his character Ethan Hunt braves the depths to recover... something important, the claustrophobic filmmaking had us kissing goodbye to our fingernails. And as ever, Cruise's commitment to the stunt itself, holding his own breath for several agonising minutes, only adds to the excitement.
16)
Legend
Stars: Tom Hardy (and Tom Hardy)
The scene: Any doubts that the mercurial, explosive Hardy was one of our finest actors were firmly put to rest with his impressive dual role as both Kray twins in this crime drama. Suggesting the subtle yet strangely obvious details between gangster siblings Ronnie and Reggie through carefully modulated body language and mannerisms, the movie is one of the finest acting showcases of 2015. Here's the opening sequence, one distinctly lacking in knuckle-cracking action but one that sums up Hardy's awesome acting achievement in a nutshell.
17)
Everest
Stars: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal
The scene: Based on Jon Krakauer's bestselling account of a series of doomed 1996 Everest expeditions, this hardy, physically imposing survival drama really makes us feel the cold – and then some. When seen in awe-inspiring 3D, there's no denying the majesty or ferocity of the environment depicted. The tension is built up mercilessly as our central characters played by, among others, Clarke, Brolin and Gyllenhaal, are forced to traverse yawning, seemingly endless cravasses in order to ascend the summit. That we already know the tragic outcome only serves to make the journey all the more unsettling.
18)
The Martian
Stars: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor
The scene: Given this adaptation of Andy Weir's bestselling outer space survival novel is directed by Gladiator visionary Ridley Scott, we of course expect sweepingly beautiful vistas of the Red Planet. But the moments that really stick in the mind are the intimate and low key ones, sequences that – gasp – show that the director of Alien and Blade Runner can craft a genuinely funny moment when he sets his mind to it. Of course, much of the credit must go to star Matt Damon whose endearing performance as stranded, resourceful botanist Mark Watney is one of the year's best.
19)
The Walk
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
The scene: Overlook Levitt's wobbly Allo Allo accent - this is the sort of movie experience that immersive, engrossing IMAX was made for. A dramatisation of Frenchman Philippe Petit's remarkable high wire act between the towers of the World Trade Centre, director Robert Zemeckis' film really comes to life when we're up there on the wire with him. The prelude to the palm-sweating, vertiginous sequence comes in this scene where Petit first susses out the scale of the challenge facing him. Don't look down, don't look down...
20)
Sicario
Stars: Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro
The scene: Building up the suspense with ruthless efficiency, director Denis Villeneuve's atmospheric drug cartel thriller plunges us into a world utterly without rules. Specifically, the lawless border zone between the United States and Mexico. With Britain's Emily Blunt acting as a palpably human centre to all the chaos, the movie really belongs to Benicio Del Toro as the mysterious Alejandro, the man who ultimately holds all the answers. The film's use of tension is brilliantly demonstrated in this traffic jam scene, Roger Deakins' cinematography and Johan Johansson's growling score expertly working in tandem.
21)
Crimson Peak
Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain
The scene: Guillermo Del Toro's opulent labour of love may have generated mixed reviews but few could deny its ravishing design. Throwing back to a host of Gothic romance including Jane Eyre and Rebecca, as well as any haunted house movie you can think of, no other movie this year was as effectively upholstered. The design of the eponymous crumbling mansion is shown off to fine effect in this scene as new bride Edith (Wasikowska) is swept across the threshold by dashing new hubby Sir Thomas (Hiddleston). But wouldn't you know it, he has a secret... Hardly surprisingly looking at the state of the place.
22)
Macbeth
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard
The scene: Can the incredible Fassbender turn his hand to pretty much anything? On the basis of this scene from director Justin Kurzel's savage and brilliant Bard adaptation, it would certainly appear so. The actor conveys Macbeth's moral and mental decline with such memorable force that it's tempting to see his performance as the definitive take on the Scottish Play. This scene, in which Macbeth declares to his scheming wife (the equally brilliant Cotillard) that his mind is "full of scorpions" is perhaps the best example of Fassbender's electric portrayal of the tragic Shakespeare character.
23)
SPECTRE
Stars: Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Christoph Waltz
The scene: Thought it wasn't possible for the new Bond movie to top the world-conquering Skyfall? Well, the sheer globe-traversing glamour and exciting action of SPECTRE made it, at the very least, a close-run thing. If this were to be Craig's final outing as 007, he's set to bow out in fine style with another spectacular adventure befitting cinema's most famous spy. Key among the movie's triumphs: the full-throttle nighttime car chase through Rome that manages the trick of being both gripping and also visually beautiful at the same time. Kudos to director Sam Mendes and cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema for that.
24)
Steve Jobs
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen
The scene: Yep, it's Fassbender again, delivering another riveting, seemingly effortless portrayal that has all other actors ducking and cowering. That is, expect for his fine Steve Jobs co-stars like Winslet and Rogen, who do an equally good job spitting out writer Aaron Sorkin's blistering dialogue with glee. It's all jazzed up with a dose of energy from the typically intuitive Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle – this sequence in which an orchestral analogy becomes weirdly fitting to Apple visionary Steve Jobs' way of thinking.
25)
Bridge of Spies
Stars: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance
The scene: There were few greater treats this year than the fusion of a truly great director (Steven Spielberg) with the star power of Tom Hanks and a script written by the Coen Brothers, resulting in a dramatic, Cold War-set thriller. Even so, the sparks really flew when Hanks shared the screen with Wolf Hall's Mark Rylance: we get a palpable sense of give and take between their respective characters, all-American laywer James Donovan and accused Soviet spy Rudolf Abel.
26)
Black Mass
Stars: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton
The scene: Chameleonic Depp has, let's be honest, been a bit off the boil in recent years. But he was back, back, back in this dark crime thriller, portraying the savagely violent and intimidating Boston mobster Whitey Bulger with no small amount of glee. It's ably demonstrated in this dinner table sequence where Depp unleashes his inner Joe Pesci, terrifying not only the on-screen characters but also us the audience. We're certainly not going to look at Edward Scissorhands in the same way again...
27)
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson
The scene: The final Hunger Games movie brought the blockbusting franchise to an end in fine style, delivering all the action and emotion we expected and, refreshingly, refusing to wrap up its troubling themes with glib, easy answers. Even so, the moments that really resonated were those intimate ones that allowed franchise figurehead Jennifer Lawrence's terrific performance as Katniss Everdeen to come to the fore. Case in point: this scene where she has to convince brainwashed love interest Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) that their love is genuine.
28)
The Good Dinosaur
Stars: Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright
The scene: Hailed as quite possibly Pixar's most visually beautiful film ever, The Good Dinosaur sweeps us into a breathtaking, alternate prehistoric world where humans and dinosaurs exist alongside one another. This sequence in which our plucky young Apatosaurus hero Arlo talks with his dad is resplendent in some of the most gorgeous animation we've ever seen, from Pixar or otherwise, but there's a typically heartfelt message backing up the visuals, too. That's ultimately why Pixar are as renowned as they are.
29) Carol
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
The scene: Were there any actors that displayed better chemistry than Blanchett and Mara this year? We think not. They do superb justice to the enormously complex central characters of Patricia Highsmith's celebrated novel, one focusing on the relationship between two women in 1950s New York. This sequence in which Carol and Therese meet for a tentative dinner date shows off their marvellously subtle and rich body language perfectly: a beautifully vivid depiction of two people on the verge of falling head over heels in love.
30) Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Stars: Harrison Ford, Adam Driver
The scene: Darn it, this one is impossible to describe without giving away spoilers. Suffice it to say it adds engrossing layers of emotion to Harrison Ford's ageing but still brilliantly laconic space cowboy Han Solo, demonstrating director JJ Abrams' brilliance in making the Star Wars saga fun, relevant and soulful again. It's a scene that knocked us for six in the cinema, arguably one of the best in the entire series, and one that also acts as a fine showcase for the brilliant Adam Driver's despicable yet oddly sympathetic villain Kylo Ren. If you've seen the movie, you'll know exactly what we're talking about. If you haven't - well frankly, what the heck have you been up to?
Well, it's been quite a year of movies. And we don't know about you but we're primed and ready for 2016.
What were your movie highlights over the last 12 months? Tweet us @Cineworld with your favourite unmissable moments.
