1. Bridge of Spies (2015— Director: Steven
Spielberg)
While the
cra!smanship is
evident, the
passion isn’t as
much, rendering this Cold War thriller a
lower-tier e"ort for Spielberg. Much of
the dour and slow-paced attention on
Tom Hanks as he waits in Berlin for
German and Soviet higher-ups to find a
reason to thwart a trade-o" of spies,
ought to have been diverted to the
courtroom segment. Mark Rylance shines
among the cast as the calm and collected
Soviet spy whose detainment sets the
plot running.
Creed (2015 — Director: Ryan Coogler)
A remarkable
sophomore e"ort
by Fruitvale
Station director
Ryan Coogler that works well as a spin-

2. o" to the iconic Rocky franchise while
injecting its own impressive cinematic
flourish. Jordan manages to rebound
following his forgettable stint in Fantastic
4, but it is Stallone who, by tapping into a
character arc that now spans four
decades, gives one of the most
astounding performances of his career.
The Good Dinosaur (2015 — Director:
Peter Sohn)
Inside Out may be
the better film,
but this second
Pixar o"ering of
2015 compensates for its subject
matter's lack of complexity with utterly
gorgeous, photo-realistic animation
resulting in some breathtaking
landscapes. That, combined with a raw,
Western-influenced take on the
elemental story of a young dinosaur
struggling to become an adult, makes for
one of the more poetic cinematic
experiences of 2015.

3. Goosebumps (2015 — Director: Rob
Letterman)
A fun, if mostly
harmless, family-
horror adventure
with ample scares
for the non-hardcore horror cinephiles.
Filling the story with a “greatest hits"
package of villains from the popular
eponymous book series was a smart
move, not to mention the choice casting
of central villain Jack Black, an
entertainingly-possessed, fictionalized
version of the series’ author. His
character traits elicit considerable
audience emotion, even though the plot
is mostly confined to a single night.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
(2015 — Director: Francis Lawrence)
It amazes me how
this young adult

4. franchise fell so
tremendously via
the unfortunate decision to split its final
installment into two films a!er a solid
first entry and an even-better sequel. The
source material’s narrative flaws find
their way into this slow, tiring final entry
that, despite having some nail-biting
action sequences, tries too desperately
to convince us that its central character,
Katniss Everdeen, remains vital to the
narrative.
In the Heart of the Sea (2015 — Director:
Ron Howard)
Director Ron
Howard realizes
an intriguing
premise in the
most ephemeral, haphazardly-shot
manner possible. His editors further
disappoint by framing the inspiration for
Herman Melville’s epic 'Moby Dick' with
awkward conversations between the
author and the least interesting member
of his ship’s crew.

5. The Ratings
1 chest: Definitely worth missing
2 chests: Okay to kill some time
3 chests: Not a complete success, but
rewarding
4 chests: Well cra!ed, creative and
memorable
5 chests: A real treasure, deep, profound
and original
Concussion (2015—Director: Peter
Landesman)
A!er
conducting an autopsy on a former NFL
football player, Dr. Bennet Omalu
identifies a neurological disorder related
to head trauma and tries to quell the
alarming number of players facing a
similar diagnosis. Unfortunately, the
filmmakers don’t focus on the medical
findings nor present the NFL’s response
in a credible fashion. Instead they make
the doctors overly heroic, demonise the
NFL, and turn what could have been an
intelligent investigative expose into a
typical black and white narrative.
Furthermore, a needless romantic sub-

6. plot detracts from the immediate drama
at hand and under-utilises Gugu Mbatha-
Raw’s acting talents. On the plus side,
Will Smith gives a dedicated performance
as Dr. Omalu, and the supporting
characters authentically played by Albert
Brooks and Alec Baldwin provide some
fascinating insight into the dilemma
faced by professional sports doctors and
athletes alike, especially the honest
ones.
Daddy’s Home (2015—Director: Sean
Anders)
This
second
Mark
Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, (Dad versus Step-
Dad respectively) collaboration revels in
needless, sophomoric comedic gags at
the expense of delivering a smart satire
on modern fatherhood. Ferrell portrays
his noble desire of being a quality parent
as sad and untrendy. At least Wahlberg’s
restraint from rubbing his character’s
“bad boy” charisma in Ferrell’s face can
be somewhat appreciated.

7. Joy (2015—Director: David O. Russell)
Jennifer
Lawrence
confidently anchors David O. Russell’s
quirky pseudo-​biopic of “Miracle Mop”
inventor Joy Magnano. Joy is further
supported by Édgar Ramirez’s turn as
Joy’s loyal ex-​husband and its well​-
synced flow of cinematography and
editing. Compared to Russell’s previous
works, Joy doesn't quite equal, but
successfully approximates, the grit of The
Fighter, the grounded emotion of Silver
Linings Playbook, the pure cinematic fun
of American Hustle, and the infectious
supporting characters of all three.

8. & "
4 Comments / 1 Likes
categories / 21st Cent. Treasure Quest
tags / Current Film Reviews, Concussion, Daddy's
Home, Joy, Sisters
Sisters (2015—Director: Jason Moore)
In an era
where
most
comedies
seek to
shock and
disgust rather than construct comedic
elements with creativity, timing and
timelessness, Sisters "dumbs down"
below even that, making every adult
character in the film as tasteless,
clueless, and unrealistically irresponsible
as possible. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey
are the unfortunate casualties of this
ground zero product. The comedic duo’s
bare semblance of chemistry does little
to redeem this horrendous excuse of a
comedy.
R.N.B.
For more of Renard's contemporary film
reviews please see 21st Century Treasure
Quest #3.
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9. The Ratings
1 chest: Definitely worth missing
2 chests: Okay to kill some time
3 chests: Not a complete success, but
rewarding
4 chests: Well cra!ed, creative and
memorable
5 chests: A real treasure, deep, profound
and original
Busco novio para mi mujer (2016—
Director: Enrique Begne)
There’s
little to
recommend this Mexican remake of the
2008 Argentinian hit film A Boyfriend for
My Wife besides its borrowed premise: A
belaboured husband hires a con-man to
seduce and purposely run away with his
nagging wife. This comedy’s production
value and “sitcomish” atmosphere make
the proceedings better suited for
television’s more instantly gratified
demographic. The con artist’s humorous
exploits receive less attention than the
feckless husband who as a result, gains
only our slightest concern for his plight or
his scheme's outcome.

10. Deadpool (2016—Director: Tim Miller)
Tim
Miller’s
directorial
debut
manages
to engage
due to
Ryan Reynolds’ charismatic, career-
defining lead performance. The “fourth
wall” ​breaking jokes, (the ones that work
that is), only make up for so many
underdeveloped supporting characters
who provide a negligible contribution to
this blend of superhero revenge fantasy
with romantic comedy. The result is a
comic book satire filled with crass
violence and aberrant sexuality that
finally becomes the very thing it
attempts to satirise.
Eddie the Eagle (2016—Director: Dexter
Fletcher)

11. This
biographical sports “dramedy" manages
to capture the heartfelt inspiration of its
real-life event, despite a few sports-film
cliches, manipulative emotional payo"s,
and stereotypical minor antagonists. The
film boasts an impressive ensemble cast,
with Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, and
a refreshingly subdued Christopher
Walken as stand-outs. Another significant
contribution is Matthew Margeson's
synthesiser-based score which
appropriately enhances the story’s late
80’s setting.
Gods of Egypt (2016—Director: Alex
Proyas)
The actors
give their
all in this
fantasy
adventure, notably an amusing
Chadwick Boseman, a commanding
Gerard Butler, and the dynamic duo of
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Brenton

12. Thwaites who collectively fuel the film’s
adventurous spirit. What cannot be
appreciated, however, is the utter
disregard for production and visual
restraint, tiresomely overbearing the
narrative with excessive and unrealistic
special e"ects.
How to Be Single (2016—Director:
Christian Ditter)
Expert
cinematography and economical editing
combined with a seasoned ensemble
cast makes How to Be Single one of this
year’s pleasant cinematic surprises.
Director Christian Ditter sophisticatedly
weaves the intertwining plot strands of
Liz Tuccillo’s 2008 novel of rocky starts to
satisfying closures, conveying each one’s
unique emotional apex. All four female
leads are accomplished but the real
acting standout is Damon Wayans Jr,
whose natural likability fuses perfectly
with his character’s dramatic arc.

13. & "
The Witch (2015—Director: Robert
Eggers)
The Witch
climbs to
the upper
echelon of
contemporary cinematic horror by way of
its unrelenting and unwavering
psychological tension, forcing its
audience to cling to their seats from start
to finish. Its authenticity extends to the
portrayed time period especially by the
use of antiquated English. The
cinematography is subtle and sublime
when the activities are quiet, ominous
and abrupt when the horror emerges.
British actor Ralph Ineson gives a fittingly
large​r-than-​life performance as the
family’s patriarch, and newcomer Anya
Taylor-​Joy impresses as she brings out
her character’s darker underpinnings.
The stu" of nightmares should always be
this enjoyable to watch.
R.N.B.
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