We’re two months into 2016, and I finally feel that I’ve seen enough 2015 films to put together a top 10 list (just in time for the Oscars). More than ever, last year had a ton of variety in its excellent films, and the lists that I have seen do not have a strong overlap with one another. I’ve watched 62 new releases from 2015 (by far a personal record), and yet there are still several high-profile films that I’ve missed and thus couldn’t include. Without further ado, here is my list:
It’s no secret that women are quite often poorly represented in cinema, especially big budgeted summer blockbusters. If you look at the last five summers, most years feature an embarrassing 1 to 2 major movies in which women have prominent roles. Even when a woman is featured, she is often sexualized, one-dimensional, or in a supporting role (mother, daughter, girlfriend) to the main male protagonist.
Fortunately, the tides are starting to slowly shift, as Hollywood realizes that literally half of their potential audience are, in fact, women. Overall, the summer of 2015 has been an improvement, with several movies featuring very well-written female characters. Here’s a look back at some of the films of the summer, both the good and the bad. (more…)
Backseat Directing 