An actor or actress can literally make or break a movie. We have all been witnesses to it. Contrary to what many believe, it’s not always the starring role that gains our trust or loses our attention. Though this year was quite stunning with such a variety of characters’ ability to excel a story while captivating our imaginations.
Amazingly, there were several films with an phenomenal ensemble, each performance being as pivotal as the one happening across from them. Then there’s the breakout role that introduces a name to the world with a face we won’t soon forget. Hold on. Do not dare forget about the reliable actors/actresses that seem to do no wrong. Some were simply born to be in the movies.
Let’s take a look at the performances from 2015 that I can’t get out of my head.
Best Actresses of 2015
Runners Up:
Blythe Danner- I’ll See You In My Dreams
Rachel McAdams- Southpaw, Spotlight
Amy Schumer- Trainwreck
Bel Powley- The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Jennifer Lawrence- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, Joy
Helen Mirren- Woman in Gold, Trumbo
Jennifer Jason Leigh- The Hateful Eight
Kate Winslet- Steve Jobs
Olivia Cooke- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Saoirse Ronan- Brooklyn
Lily Tomlin- Grandma
Ronney Mara- Carol
Marion Cotillard- Macbeth
Maika Monroe- It Follows
Melissa McCarthy- Spy
TOP 5
FIVE:
Carey Mulligan
(Far From the Madding Crowd, Suffragette)
FOUR:
Alicia Vikander
(Ex Machina, The Danish Girl)
THREE:
Cate Blanchett
(Cinderella, Truth, Carol)
TWO (tie):
Emily Blunt
(Sicario)
Brie Larson
(Room)
ONE:
Charlize Theron
(Mad Max: Fury Road)
Best Actors of 2015
Runners Up:
Samuel L. Jackson- Kingsman: The Secret Service, Chi-Raq, The Hateful EightJacob Tremblay- Room
Matt Damon- The Martian
Christian Bale- The Big Short
Johnny Depp- Black Mass
Eddie Redmayne- The Danish Girl
Abraham Attah- Beasts of No Nation
Jason Segal- End of the Tour
Paul Dano- Love & Mercy
Michael Shannon- 99 Homes, Freeheld
Jake Gyllenhaal- Southpaw
Bryan Cranston- Trumbo
Benecio Del Toro- Sicario
Will Smith- Focus, Concussion
Steve Carrell- The Big Short
Sylvester Stallone- Creed
TOP 5
FIVE:
Mark Ruffalo
(Infinitely Polar Bear, Spotlight)
FOUR:
Joel Edgerton
(The Gift, Black Mass)
THREE:
Tom Hardy
(Child 44, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant)
TWO:
Leonardo DiCaprio
(The Revenant)
ONE:
Michael Fassbender
(Slow West, Steve Jobs, Macbeth)
Now on to the individuals that pull the performances out of these people and capture it on film. Arguably, directors are the masterminds behind it all. Their vision is what matters and what must be realized. At least that’s what a director would tell you. Seriously, the filmmakers are the conductors of movies, and if executed just right, they create the most incomparable sound.
These directors knew exactly what they were doing, leaving a lasting impression with me in 2015.
Runners Up:
J.J. Abrams- Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Lenny Abrahamson- Room
Cary Joji Fukunaga- Beasts of No Nation
Pete Docter- Inside Out
Scott Cooper- Black Mass
Adam McKay- The Big Short
Tom McCarthy- Spotlight
Ryan Coogler- Creed
Joel Edgerton- The Gift
Alex Garland- Ex Machina
Marielle Heller- The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Danny Boyle- Steve Jobs
F. Gary Gray- Straight Outta Compton
Justin Kurzel- Macbeth
TOP 5
FIVE:
Denis Villeneuve
(Sicario)
FOUR:
Quentin Tarantino
(The Hateful Eight)
THREE:
Ridley Scott
(The Martian)
TWO:
George Miller
(Mad Max: Fury Road)
ONE:
Alejandro González Iñárritu
(The Revenant)
Brandon Vick is the resident film critic of the SoBros Network. Follow him on Twitter@SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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