10. Top Five
9. Guardians of the Galaxy
8. Pride
7. The Lego Movie
6. Big Hero 6
5. The Imitation Game
4. Chef
3. Selma
2. Boyhood
1. Interstellar
Best of '15: Love and Mercy
God only knows what I'd be without you.
The Beach Boys were probably my favorite band from the ages of 5-10. I knew nothing of the people in the band except that I wanted to get on top of a van and surf to "Surfin' USA" just like Michael J. Fox in "Teen Wolf" (a scene I recreated a multitude of times on top of my Star Wars bedspread).
This movie tells the story of Brian Wilson. Paul Dano portrays the singer in the mid-1960s as he creates the masterpiece album "Pet Sounds" while simultaneously beginning his descent into depression and schizophrenia. John Cusack plays Wilson during the 1980s and his rescue from mismanagement by the love of his life Melinda Ledbetter (played delicately by Elizabeth Banks). The movie succeeds much more with Dano's scenes, but that is probably more due to the awkwardness (and unbelievability) of the later scenes. Blending some of the most beautiful songs ever written (God Only Knows, Good Vibrations, Wouldn't It Be Nice) with the moving and sometimes heartbreaking story of their creation is worth every minute of your time.
More favorites from 2015 and some award show breakdowns coming soon.
