As the year draws to a close, members of our staff share their lists of the top films of 2015. These lists are of 2015 theatrical releases except where noted. Happy New Year from the Film Society of Lincoln Center!
Jeryll Adler, Director of Advertising
Alphabetical:
The AssassinÂ
CarolÂ
Les Cowboys (2016)
James WhiteÂ
The Lobster (2016)
Love & MercyÂ
The MartianÂ
The Measure of a Man (2016)
RoomÂ
What Happened, Miss Simone?
The WondersÂ
Florence Almozini, Associate Director of Programming
- The Assassin
- Saint Laurent
- Eden
- Clouds of Sils Maria
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Arabian Nights
- 45 Years
- The Great Man
- Li’l Quinquin
- It Follows
Matthew Bolish, Director of Operations and Convergence Programmer
Ten Important Virtual Reality Experiences of 2015:
The Doghouse (Johan Knattrup Jensen & Mads Damsbo)
Evolution of Verse (Chris Milk)
The Enemy (Karim Ben Khelifa)
Clouds Over Sidra (Gabo Arora & Chris Milk)
Perspective Chapter 1: The Party (Rose Troche)
Assent (Oscar Raby)
Way to Go (Vincent Morisset)
War of Words (BDH)
Walking New York (Zach Richter, Chris Milk & JR)
The Displaced (Imraan Ismail & Ben C. Solomon)
Brian Brooks, Special Programs Coordinator
- Carol
- SpotlightÂ
- Cartel Land
- BrooklynÂ
- Kurt Cobain: Montage of HeckÂ
- Son of SaulÂ
- Straight Outta ComptonÂ
- TrainwreckÂ
- TangerineÂ
- AmyÂ
Edem Dela-Seshie, Theater Staff
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Cemetery of Splendour
- Entertainment
- The Kindergarten Teacher
- Clouds of Sils Maria
- Girlhood
- Mommy
- What Happened, Miss Simone?
- White God
- tie: Mercuriales and It Follows
Jack Glazier, Theater Staff
- Love & Mercy
- Entertainment
- Star Wars: The Force AwakensÂ
- It Follows
- Ex MachinaÂ
- What We Do in the ShadowsÂ
- JaujaÂ
- Going ClearÂ
- Bridge of SpiesÂ
- Steve JobsÂ
Eugene Hernandez, Deputy Director
- Carol
- Son of Saul
- Junun
- 45 Years
- Saint Laurent
- Dreamcatcher
- Phoenix
- The Wonders
- Mediterranea
- Creed
Alex Hunter, Digital Marketing Associate
- Listen to Me MarlonÂ
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Inside OutÂ
- The Look of Silence
- Heaven Knows WhatÂ
- Carol
- A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on ExistenceÂ
- Son of Saul
- Li’l Quinquin
- World of TomorrowÂ
Latrice Joefield, Human Resources Manager
- SicarioÂ
- Spotlight
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Carol
- Ex Machina
- Brooklyn
- The Big ShortÂ
- Steve Jobs
- Love & Mercy
- Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Nicholas Kemp, Digital Marketing Manager
Alphabetical:
About Elly (2009, released in 2015)
Carol
Clouds of Sils Maria
45 Years
The Kindergarten Teacher
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
Mad Max: Fury Road
Magic Mike XXL
Unfriended
The Wonders
Laura Kern, Managing Editor, Film Comment :
- What We Do in the Shadows
- Spotlight
- While We’re YoungÂ
- The RevenantÂ
- Mediterranea
- The HallowÂ
- Creed
- FaultsÂ
- Far from the Madding CrowdÂ
- The Final GirlsÂ
Manny Lage, Theater Staff
Alphabetical:
88:88 (NYFF53 Projections)
Better Than Ever (“An Evening with” at MoMA)
Cemetery of Splendour (NYFF53)
Funny Bunny (IFP theatrical run)
Horse Money (Film Society theatrical run)
Intimations / Prelude (NYFF53)
No Home Movie (NYFF53)
Office (multiplex theatrical run)
Stinking Heaven (BAMcinemaFest)
Unfriended (multiplex theatrical run)
Dennis Lim, Director of Programming
Top 10 2015 Premieres:
- Arabian Nights
- Cemetery of Splendor
- The Assassin
- Visit, or Memories and ConfessionsÂ
- Lost and BeautifulÂ
- Mountains May Depart
- Kaili BluesÂ
- In the Shadow of WomenÂ
- Neon BullÂ
- Poet on a Business TripÂ
Alisha Neumaier, Graphic Designer
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Sanjay’s Super TeamÂ
- Brooklyn
- The Martian
- Inside Out
- Steve Jobs
- Bridge of Spies
- Avengers: Age of UltronÂ
- GoosebumpsÂ
Patrick Ng, House Manager
- Carol
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Steve Jobs
- Sicario
- Inside Out
- Clouds of Sils Maria
- Straight Outta Compton
- Bridge of Spies
- The Martian
- Ex Machina
Michael Odmark, Producer, The Close-Up
- Inside Out
- It Follows
- Love & Mercy
- Clouds of Sils Maria
- SpyÂ
- BuzzardÂ
- Entertainment
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Faults
- Ex Machina
John Oursler, Major Gifts Associate
- The TribeÂ
- Listen to Me Marlon
- Carol
- Inside Out
- The Diary of a Teenage Girl
- The Duke of BurgundyÂ
- Heart of a Dog
- Jauja
- Tangerine
- Phoenix
Rachael Rakes, Programmer at Large
- Arabian Nights
- Hard to Be a God
- Songs from the North
- Phoenix
- When Evening Falls on Bucharest, or Metabolism
- Carol
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Li’l Quinquin
- It Follows
- Queen of Earth
Nicolas Rapold, Senior Editor, Film Comment Magazine
Alphabetical:
Anomalisa
The Assassin
Carol
Clouds of Sils Maria
Hard to Be a God
In Jackson Heights
The Kindergarten Teacher
Mad Max: Fury Road
No Home Movie
Spotlight
Ben Seretan, House Manager
Top 10Â I saw in theaters this year:
- Nasty Baby (IFC Center, rainy night)
- A Poem is a Naked Person (Film Forum, beautiful summer day)
- Cemetery of Splendour (New York Film Festival, went to a 24-hour diner after)
- Love & Mercy (BAM, midday solo)
- Mad Max: Fury Road (Court Street, 3-D and a big popcorn)
- Carol (Angelika, trains rattling)
- Everything in the Dorsky/Hiler retrospective (NYFF53, mostly watched during tech)
- The Last Angel of History (BAM, during their excellent Afrofuturism series)
- Entertainment (Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, midday solo before work)
- The Forbidden Room (NYFF53, press screening)
Dan Sullivan, Assistant Programmer
Favorite 35mm prints I saw for the first time in 2015 (alphabetical):
Duelle (Jacques Rivette, 1976)
Ganja and Hess (Bill Gunn, 1973)
Going Out (Ted Fendt, 2014)
Great Day in the Morning (Jacques Tourneur, 1956—original Technicolor Superscope print)
Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978)
In Vanda’s Room (Pedro Costa, 2000)
La Marge (Walerian Borowczyk, 1976)
The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick, 1998—dye-transfer Technicolor print)
Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958—original VistaVision print)
Visit, or Memories and Confessions (Manoel de Oliveira, 1982/2015)
Lisa Thomas, Publicist
Top 5 2015 Releases:
- Magic Mike XXL
- The Assassin
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Carol
- Tangerine
Top 5 Repertory:
- The Apu Trilogy (Film Forum)
- Out 1: Noli me Tangere (BAMcinématek)
- Losing Ground (Film Society of Lincoln Center, part of Tell It Like It Is)
- A Face in the Crowd (BAMcinématek, part of Bamboozled in Context)
- The Night of the Hunter (Anthology Film Archives, part of One Film Wonders)
Ted Vasquez, Chief Financial Officer
- The Martian
- The Big Short
- Spotlight
- The Revenant
- Straight Outta Compton
- Son of Saul
- Carol
- Creed
- What Happened, Miss Simone?
- Room
Rebecca Williamson, Events Manager
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Listen to Me Marlon
- Carol
- Brooklyn
- Mommy
- Saint Laurent
- Creed
- Clouds of Sils Maria
- VictoriaÂ
- Spotlight
Tyler Wilson, Programming Coordinator
In no particular order:
The Assassin
It Follows
Li’l Quinquin
Jauja
Entertainment
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
The Tribe
Horse Money
Digging for FireÂ
The Forbidden Room