Howard's 2015 Movie Rankings

As I've said in previous years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), this is a very subjective exercise, and I often lose track of just how much "fun" something was during the 12-month course of creating the list. It's possible, however, that this scale will be useful to you.

Films that cleared my Threshold of Awesome are boldfaced with low numbers (The Martian through San Andreas, numbers 1-16 at the moment.) Films falling below my Threshold of Disappointment are boldfaced and have higher numbers (Minions, Pan, Fantastic Four, Transporter: Refueled, and Furious 7, down at the bottom.) Somewhere in the middle are the films where hey, I had a good time, don't look at me that way.

  1. The Martian
  2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  3. Spy
  4. The Avengers: Age of Ultron
  5. The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
  6. Jurassic World
  7. Home
  8. Kingsman: The Secret Service
  9. Tomorrowland
  10. Mad Max: Fury Road
  11. Ant-Man
  12. Terminator: Genisys
  13. Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation
  14. Chappie
  15. Jupiter Ascending
  16. San Andreas
  17. The Peanuts Movie
  18. The Good Dinosaur
  19. Inside Out
  20. Goosebumps
  21. American Ultra
  22. Everest
  23. The Last Witch Hunter
  24. Spectre
  25. Pixels
  26. Hitman: Agent 47
  27. Insurgent
  28. Strange Magic
  29. Seventh Son
  30. Minions
  31. Pan
  32. The Transporter: Refueled
  33. Fantastic Four
  34. Furious 7

Regular followers of this list may notice that the Threshold of Awesome seems to be a lower bar this year, or at least was easier to clear. I've noticed it too. I suspect a combination of the following:

  • Seeing movies is not my job. I don't have to go to ALL the movies.
  • I've gotten better at picking movies I will like.
  • I've timed my viewings so that I'm more likely to really love being in the theater.
  • It's been a pretty good year for movies.