One of only a few true science-fiction films released this year, Alex Garland's directorial debut is quiet, contemplative and chilling. Seamless special effects combine with unforgettable performances to make us question our very existence, as good sci-fi should.
2. The Look of Silence
Though perhaps less enjoyable than some of the films on this list, Joshua Oppenheimer's follow up to last year's searing The Act of Killing is no less devastating. Watching mass murderers re-enact their killings through the eyes of one victim's family was one of the hardest and most important experiences for audiences this year.
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
Everyone has raved about this film, and George Miller indeed proves that age does not necessarily prevent one from delivering a masterpiece of hand-crafted mayhem and destruction to the mainstream screen, making all other summer blockbusters look MEDIOCRE in comparison.
4. Crimson Peak
So many unforgettable images make up Guillermo Del Toro's latest film, from the young girl creeping through a corridor in her nightdress, to a great haunted mansion sinking into blood red mud. An unusual yet instantly classic gothic horror.
5. The Gift
Marking Joel Edgerton as a promising writer-director as well as an accomplished actor, The Gift is a slow burn of psychological menace and threat, with an eventual climax more horrific than you could ever have imagined.
6. It Follows
Despite an unpromising trailer, this indie horror is a chilling allegory for sex, love and death. One of the most terrifying concepts in years combines with excellent cinematography and well-timed scares to create a film far above the calibre of mainstream horror.
7. Embrace of the Serpent
Shot in lush black and white widescreen, El abrazo de la serpiente received many excellent festival reviews and delivers wisdom, elegance and gravitas in its two-hour runtime. See my full review here.
8. The Diary of a Teenage Girl
A sensitive, realistic and entertaining portrayal of young female sexuality is a rare find, so watch Marielle Heller's passion project for a frank and beautiful coming-of-age tale.
9. The Martian
Though with considerably less peril than the average space-disaster film, seasoned sci-fi great Ridley Scott delivers a well paced adventure with incredible special effects, that hopefully will not discourage future astronauts from venturing to Mars.
10. Jupiter Ascending
Panned by most critics, the latest epic from the Wachowski siblings is nonetheless what the film industry greatly needs: an original, inventive blockbuster with a female lead.
