It's Only Cody

15. Game of Thrones (HBO)

After a somewhat lackluster fifth season that struggled to adapt the slowest, most aimless books of it's source material, Game of Thrones was back in top form for it's sixth year by finally passing George R.R. Martin in his story. As a result, the show felt fresher and more exciting than it has in a long time. After years of build-up, we finally begin to see signs of the end game for the many characters of Westeros. The show delivers it's usual thrills, with deaths both heartbreaking and satisfying, breathtaking visuals, epic battles, and solid acting across the board. One of the elements that makes this past season stand out is the heavy focus on the female characters of the show. After seeing hours of abuse and terror heaped upon these women, we finally see deep, complex characters like Sansa, Arya, Cersei and Daenerys regain their power and take action. While Game of Thrones initially seemed to be a story portraying the realistic yet poisonous power of men in charge appears to be the story of brave, determined women rising up and overtaking their oppressors.

Best Episodes:

“Home”, “The Door”, “The Winds of Winter”

14. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (FX)

Between this and the fantastic documentary, O.J.: Made in America, O.J. Simpson was surprisingly everywhere in 2016, and with good reason; despite the progress we've made over the past few decades, there is still an undeniable race problem in America. Ryan Murphy's miniseries highlights how little has changed in the past 20 years in regards to how black people are treated by the police and the media. I envisioned the worst when I heard Murphy was telling this story, imagining all of his worst campy tendencies being indulged while portraying the media circus that was the O.J.trial. Instead, we got a gripping, in-depth look at the lives of everyone involved in the case and the struggles they faced, most effectively seen with a trio of outstanding performances by Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance and Sterling K. Brown as the attorneys prosecuting and defending the Juice.

Best Episodes:

“From the Ashes of Tragedy”, “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia”, “Manna From Heaven”

13. The Good Place (NBC)

The high concept sitcom has made a bit of a comeback in the past year, with shows like The Last Man On Earth and People of Earth taking ambitious, heavily serialized stories and reformatting them into a half-hour hangout comedy format. The Good Place is set in the afterlife and follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell, in her best role since Veronica Mars), a fairly bad person in life mistakenly sent to the titular "good place" after her untimely death. With the help of her assigned soulmate, Chidi (William Jackson Harper, a true stand-out), she attempts to become a better person and earn her spot in The Good Place. That premise provides a decent amount of material to do a decent "good deed of the week" format. Instead, creator Michael Schur and his team of writers (many from Schur's Parks and Recreation) constantly keep the story moving with twists and revelations arising on a near weekly basis. The Good Place is the rare sitcom that came out of the gate strong, and is still running strong with a hilarious cast (including Ted Danson, still as charming as he was in his Cheers days), smart storytelling, and a lot of heart and mind.

Best Episodes:

“Pilot”, “The Eternal Shriek”, “Most Improved Player”

12. Westworld (HBO)

There's not much more I can say about what is probably the most heavily discussed show of the year. Some complained about the heavy emphasis on mystery, with an abundance of teases about the true nature and motivations of the Hosts and employees that populate Westworld. While it's true the show occasionally got a bit lost in it's puzzle box narrative, it's hard to deny that Westworld is just flat-out entertaining with one of the best ensembles on television. Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton give the show it's heart with performances that are alternately heartbreaking and chilling, often in the same scene. Jeffrey Wright provides a wonderful moral center for the story, giving the character of Bernard a quiet thoughtfulness that makes the occasional bit of necessary exposition compelling. Then there's Anthony freaking Hopkins, who even in his late 70s gives a masterclass in true acting and is riveting every second he's on screen. While the first season of ultimately feels like a bit of a prologue for what's to come, it's a damn good prologue; one that leaves me very excited to see what's next.

Best Episodes:

“The Original”, “The Adversary”, “Trompe L’Oeil”

11. Fleabag (Amazon)

This British import pulls a bit of a bait and switch on viewers; it starts out as a raunchy comedy about a young woman struggling to get her life together, albeit a very funny one with a striking central performance by writer Phoebe Waller- Bridge. However, by the end of the first episode, and with each consecutive episode, Waller-Bridge reveals the dark, sad heart at the core of the series. Fleabag takes the convention of the rude, promiscuous 20-something that we see on so many cable comedies and really digs into the person underneath; what makes this person act the way they do and make the choices they make? Yet, the show never judges Waller-Bridge’s character, even if she judges herself. The show also boasts a solid supporting cast with brilliant character details. The central relationship between Waller-Bridge’s character and her sister is one of the better sibling relationships on TV, and no character goes wasted; a character present in one short scene at the beginning of the series ends up unexpectedly returning, and providing some of the most poignant, revealing moments in the story. There has been no word yet if Waller-Bridge will bring back Fleabag, but we can only benefit from hearing more of her unique voice.

Best Episodes:

“Episode 1″, “Episode 4″, “Episode 6″

10. Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)

2016 was a rough year. The nightmare circus that was the election, and it’s results, left a lot of people feeling drained, upset, and uncertain of where the country would be heading in the near future. Many comedy shows that deal in political satire seemed unsure of how to tackle the rise of Trump. Late night hosts such as Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and Trevor Noah went for an angle of frustrated disbelief, while Saturday Night Live was unsure what comedic approach to take after providing an unfortunate spotlight for the Donald the year before. Jimmy Fallon took the approach of goofing around with him and tousling his hair. Enter Samantha Bee. The former Daily Show correspondent could not have been given a better time to get her own show. Bee needed no time to settle into her host role, instead giving the sense of anger and outrage that many people felt about everything happening in the political sphere. She took on topics such as the Syrian refugees, gun control, abortion, and both the Republican and Democratic parties with blunt honesty and empathy. The laughs came from pointing out the hypocrisy and absurdness of the election, and from just needing a release of the extreme tension we were experiencing. Just beginning it’s second year, it looks like Full Frontal will be around for a while, and it’s a good thing; as the political landscape looks as if it is going to only get worse before it gets better, we need someone like Samantha Bee to help us through it more than ever.

Best Episodes:

“Cleveland”, “Republican National Convention”, “President Obama”

9. Veep (HBO)

When creator Armando Iannucci left Veep after Season 4, there was concern that the show would lose the hilarious bite that came with Iannucci’s razor sharp dialogue. Thankfully, new showrunner David Mandel maintained the show’s quality in it’s fifth season, bringing what may be the show’s best year yet. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was as perfect as ever as Selina Meyer works to win over congress when her presidential election ends in a tie. As great as Louis-Dreyfus is, the whole ensemble really makes Veep work, with Timothy Simons’ Jonah and Sam Richardson’s Richard being highlights, and Sarah Sutherland getting a much welcome increase in screentime as Selina’s daughter films a documentary and gets in a new relationship. The season built wonderfully to a genuinely surprising conclusion that promises an entirely different show when it returns. In a time when real world politics seem like satire, Veep continues to provide a hilarious alternative.

Best Episodes:

“Mother”, “Kissing Your Sister”, “Inauguration”

8. Better Call Saul (AMC)

A Breaking Bad spin-off was always going to have a lot to live up to. Following one of the most popular shows of the past decade was tough enough, but making the focus of that spin-off a relatively minor supporting character used primarily for comedic relief? It seemed destined to be a mess, but the first season gave a surprising amount of depth to the man who would become Saul Goodman. In it’s second year, Better Call Saul truly finds it’s voice. Less reliant on the action and tension of it’s parent show, Saul instead plays as a slow motion tragedy, as we watch Jimmy (in a wonderfully layered performance by Bob Odenkirk) struggle to do the right thing, all while knowing he is doomed. Michael McKean continues to be as good as ever as Jimmy’s manipulative brother, and Rhea Seehorn gets a much appreciated larger role as Kim, the one person who could possibly pull Jimmy back from the brink of corruption. Those who enjoy the more thrilling, gritty style of Breaking Bad will enjoy the continued presence of Mike Ehrmantraut, who at times seems to be in his own, equally good series as he navigates the Albuquerque crime world and comes across some familiar characters. The journey of Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman can only grow worse, but it will surely make the journey for those watching all the more captivating.

Best Episodes:

“Rebecca”, “Nailed”, “Klick”

7. BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

The best comedy about depression starring a cartoon horse maintained it’s wonderful mix of hilarious absurdity and dark truth in it’s third season, as BoJack works the award circuit for his leading role in the Secretariat biopic. The show expands it’s experimental streak with an episode set entirely in 2007 (complete with reminders of the time), one with almost no dialogue, and a drug bender episode with chunks of the story missing. Will Arnett as BoJack rivals his work as Gob Bluth for the best performance of his career; he is able to play BoJack’s pain and sadness just as well as his arrogance. Additionally, Aaron Paul and Paul F. Tompkins show new depths to the primarily jokey characters of Todd and Mr. Peanutbutter. Despite all of the adult animated comedies out there, BoJack Horseman feels like something new and original. It uses it’s medium to do things a live-action show could not do, but still is able to find a deep, emotional truth.

Best Episodes:

“Fish Out of Water”, “It’s You”, “That’s Too Much, Man!”

6. Atlanta (FX)

One of the ideal goals of any story being told is to transport you and let you witness a life that you don’t encounter in your everyday life. This could mean going to space or entering a world of magic and fantasy. In some instances, however, it simply means learning more about people you see every day, who are still underrepresented by most modern media. In interviews for Atlanta, show creator/star Donald Glover said he wanted viewers to experience what it felt like to be black. Atlanta itself ends up being a captivating, surreal and empathetic show that is really unlike anything I’ve seen before. Glover plays Earn, a young man in Atlanta who’s essentially homeless; after learning that his cousin, Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry), has a rising rap career, he offers to become his manager in order to support himself and his daughter, as well as proving himself to his daughter’s mother, Van (Zazie Beetz). That set-up provides plenty of opportunities for a weekly grounded series. Instead, Glover makes Atlanta a show that exists in a slightly different world; where Justin Bieber is black and where an entire episode is a talk show from a fictional black entertainment network, complete with fake commercials. Despite the bizarre touches Glover adds, Atlanta is also achingly realistic; Earn’s constant struggle to make money and provide for his family, and all the detours in that journey, from dealing with Alfred’s public reputation to sudden bursts of gun violence, provide a melancholy touch along with several hilarious setpieces. That mix of the sad, strange, and comical is what makes Atlanta so unique and what makes Glover’s voice so essential.

Best Episodes:

“Streets On Lock”, “Value”, “B.A.N.”

5. Halt and Catch Fire (AMC)

In it's first season, Halt and Catch Fire was fine, if flawed; a ­look at the '80s computer industry that occasionally leaned too heavily on the moody antihero trope that had grown so tired. It held just enough interest with it's strong performances and a promising narrative shift towards the end of the season. In Season 2, the show took a huge leap forward as it shifted the central focus to it's female characters, Cameron (Mackenzie Davis) and Donna (Kerry Bishe), while revealing the weak, sad nature if it's male protagonists, Joe (Lee Pace) and Gordon (Scoot McNairy). In it's third year, the quality of Halt and Catch Fire continued to skyrocket, turning itself from a very enjoyable series to one of the best dramas on television. A location change to Silicon Valley give things a renewed sense of energy. All four leads are given roughly equal screentime, but have evolved so much that all of their stories are equally captivating. Joe MacMillan is still devious and cunning, yet Pace reveals more of the wounded, insecure man underneath. As Gordon struggles with both his brain damage and his career aimlessness, McNairy beautifully plays the pain and frustration Gordon is feeling. Davis is as terrific as ever as Cameron stubbornly tries to keep control of her company, and Bishe continues to show new layers to Donna as her opportunities rise and increase. As the season progresses, the characters have to make some tough decisions, and with the writing and performances have grown so strong, it leads to some truly stunning and heartbreaking dramatic sequences that occasionally rise to the level of Mad Men. AMC was kind and smart enough to give Halt and Catch Fire time to find it's identity. The ratings remained low, but they stuck with it, including an opportunity to finish out it's story with a final season this year. When the show started, I didn't think I would care so much to see where these characters end up. After a stellar third year, I'm not quite ready for them to leave yet.

Best Episodes:

“The Threshold”, “NIM”, “NeXT”

4. The Americans (FX)

There's not much more I can say about The Americans in it's fourth season than I did in it's first, second, or third season. The spy family drama gets better and better each year, both in content and as a payoff to everything that came before. Stories that have been building up since the very beginning of the series continue to pay off, showing how expertly The Americans plays the long game. That long game is reflected by it's performances. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys give Elizabeth and Philip a consistent tired, beaten down in their performances. All of the horrible decisions and actions they have chosen to take over the years are starting to show, turning the excitement and vigor of their early adventures into a struggle just to make it through the day. That weariness extends to the people surrounding them, with Holly Taylor's Paige and Alison Wright's Martha getting significantly increased roles. Paige's story in particular makes quite an impact. On most prestige dramas, from The Sopranos to Breaking Bad to Homeland, the teenage character is usually seen as an annoying distraction from the main action. With The Americans, that character not only becomes essential to the main narrative, but manages to be sympathetic and just as captivating as the main characters we've been following for the series. While The Americans has never been talked about as much as some cable dramas, it's easily on the same level. With each season, the Jennings family grows more and more fascinating as their lives and relationships grow more and more fractured.

Best Episodes:

“Chloramphenicol”, “The Magic of David Copperfield V: The Statue of Liberty Disappears”, “Dinner for Seven”

3. Horace and Pete (LouisCK.net)

Louis C.K. is a comedian and storyteller who is a master of the unexpected. His brilliant stand-up features constant reversals and punchlines that sneak up on you with brutality. When given his own HBO series, C.K. went against expectations and made a Norman Lear inspired sitcom filmed in front of a studio audience.  His second series, Louie, challenged the idea of what a half hour comedy could be, featuring a highly cinematic style, stories that spanned several episodes, and episodes that were primarily dramatic at times. His latest series, Horace and Pete, took everyone by surprise, in many different ways. It arrived completely unannounced; one Saturday morning, those subscribed to C.K.'s mailing list received an email with a link to the first episode on his website. Viewers were treated to what amounted to a 67 minute filmed play (complete with intermission) with a dark, dramatic tone and an impressive cast, including Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco, Jessica Lange, and Alan Alda. As the weeks went by, a new episode would be released, ranging from 30 minutes to a little under an hour, and could be almost anything. Some episodes dealt with current political issues and featured references to news events from recent weeks. One was one long conversation between C.K.'s Horace and a previously unseen character played by Laurie Metcalf, opening with a nine minute monologue solely framed on Metcalf. Horace and Pete features some of the best writing of C.K.'s career, reaching depths of extreme sorrow while still remaining his dark, vulgar wit. It helps that he has such a solid cast performing his words; Alda shows a side of himself that has almost never been seen, and Buscemi plays Pete as wounded live wire, constantly captivating you with his every moment on screen. One of the most impressive things about Horace and Pete is that it's a complete story. The 10th episode provides a definitive ending. It's hard to think of many artists who would create a show in secret, release it without it any notice, and then end it, and move on, but that kind of creativity is what makes Louis C.K. one of a kind.

Best Episodes:

“Episode 1″, “Episode 3″, “Episode 10″

2. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend seems like a tough sell; a musical comedy with a potentially alienating title and a penchant for awkward moments. As the theme song notes, however, "The situation is a lot more nuanced than that." Co-Creator and star Rachel Bloom (along with co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna) is well aware of the troubling tropes of romantic comedies, and uses her show to deconstruct the elements of these types of stories while still embracing their more engaging elements. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has honestly been an eye-opening experience for me. There are so many tropes and narrative choices in romantic stories, be it a major plot point or even just a throwaway joke, that have become so commonplace, we often overlook the implications of what it's implying. The writers call out these moments head-on, with Bloom's Rebecca sometimes halting a scene to question an offhand comment. It's honestly made me look at certain types of storytelling in a completely new light. Aside from the more thoughtful aspects, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is also flat-out hilarious and entertaining. The comedy is so sharp, with quality jokes coming at a rapid pace. The songs (written by Bloom, Adam Schlesinger, and Jack Dolgen) are terrific, playing as clever satires of popular music both old and new, while still holding up as smart, catchy original songs. The show has also developed a great stable of supporting characters, running jokes, and callbacks, making the show's setting of West Covina feel like a fully realized place. Nearing the end of it's second season, Bloom & McKenna have pulled no punches, unafraid to completely change the narrative and dynamics of the show at a moment's notice. It's this bold inventiveness that makes Crazy Ex-Girlfriend truly special, and, yes, nuanced.

Best Episodes:

"That Text Was Not Meant For Josh!", "When Will Josh See How Cool I Am?", "When Will Josh and His Friend Leave Me Alone?"

1. Stranger Things (Netflix)

This is a really predictable choice for my #1 show if you know me well. It pretty much hits all of my genre interests. A coming-of-age/sci-fi/horror show set in the early '80s that feels like Stephen King by way of early Steven Spielberg with a bit of John Carpenter and Freaks and Geeks mixed in. It would be very hard for me not to love Stranger Things at least a little bit. My anticipation was through the roof before it debuted, and thankfully, it did not disappoint. I understand the complaints of some. Yes, at times, it leans a bit heavily on it's influences, but to those who say people's enjoyment of the show comes solely out of a warm sense of nostalgia, I have to disagree. Yes, it's kind of cool to be reminded of the movies that The Duffer Brothers pay homage to, but Stranger Things really succeeds with it's characters, particularly it's young leading cast. Visual references can only go so far (and did for some), but the story would hold no weight if not for the talent and charisma of Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, and especially Millie Bobby Brown. The kids have an instant rapport, and as the season progresses, you really grow to care for them; you want them to be happy and grow tense when they are in danger of getting hurt, both physically and emotionally. The adult cast holds their own as well; Winona Ryder does some of her best work in years as the emotionally distraught Joyce Byers, and David Harbour embodies the gruff, heroic leading man perfectly. Yet the smaller episode order doesn't restrict the growth of the characters. Even supporting characters like antagonistic Steve (Joe Keery) get a full arc, and minor characters like concerned friend Barb (Shannon Purser) and teacher Scott Clarke (Randall P. Havens) make an impact. The Netflix format suits the show very well, neatly structured and moving along at an exciting pace, yet not overstaying it's welcome at 8 episodes. By the end of the first season, the stories have closure while still leaving much more to be told in the future. I realize Stranger Things isn't the most revolutionary show out there. It doesn't tackle serious issues and embraces it's genre themes and influences wholeheartedly. However, there was no other show in 2016 that I had a better time watching; each episode felt like an event, and left me theorizing and anxious to find out what would happen next. Sometimes that's all you need with a story, and Stranger Things delivers.

Best Episodes:

15. Andy Hull & Robert McDowell- Swiss Army Man: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

14. Bleached- Welcome the Worms

13. Lucy Dacus- No Burden

12. Sleigh Bells- Jessica Rabbit

11. Modern Baseball- Holy Ghost

Cody’s Favorite TV Show of 2015

Fargo (FX)

Last year, I spoke about how the very idea of Fargo television show should not have worked. Setting aside my personal love for the film, the Coen Brothers have such a unique voice and style when it comes to their characters and dialogue, any attempt at adapting them seems like it could come off as a misguided imitation. And yet, the first season ended up being my favorite piece of television in 2015; it paid tribute to the Coens' film and style, while adding enough unique elements and a strong enough narrative to hold up wonderfully on it's own. As tough as a successful first season was, creating a successful second season seems even more difficult. However, Season 2 of Fargo not only lives up to the first season, it actually surpasses it. Showrunner Noah Hawley made the wise choice of bringing in a whole new cast to tell a new story, with just a few connections to Season One. The story follows Season One supporting character Lou Solverson (here played by a wonderfully quiet & noble Patrick Wilson) to his days as a trooper in 1979, as he gets involved in a war between two crime syndicates that escalates due to the accidental intervention of a Minnesota butcher and his wife (played by Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst). The events that transpire are paced wonderfully, with episodes that seem to be mainly focused on building plot or transitioning to the next arc suddenly taking a wild, violent turn and shaking up the story in unexpected ways. The greatly expanded cast seems like it could throw focus all over the place and leave the stories of certain characters lacking, but Hawley and his writers impressively let everyone have their moment to shine. As Ed, the aforementioned butcher, Plemons does subtle, stoic work as a man trying to survive after getting in over his head, while Dunst does some of the best work of her career as Ed's wife, Peggy, desperate to break out of the routine of her life, and taking drastic action to do so. On the crime front, Jean Smart, Jeffrey Donovan & Angus Sampson all add interesting dimensions and humanity to the Gerhardt crime family, while Bokeem Woodbine provides a fascinating variation on his role as Mike Milligan, a member of the Kansas City crime syndicate who uses his laid-back charm & steely intimidation to great effect. Even smaller roles, such as Cristin Milioti as Lou's sick wife, Betsy, or Nick Offerman as a small town lawyer, manage to be filled with more depth and nuance than many major characters on television are given. The broader themes of the season are the element that connect everything perfectly. While there is the usual Coen-esque motif of the folly of crime, Hawley layers in ideas about the fears and misguided actions that come with the threat of change, as well as the need for human decency and kindness when the darkness seems to be taking over. It's that balance, mixed with great characters, brilliant plotting and expert style that for the second year in a row made Fargo my favorite piece of television.

Cody’s Favorite Movie of 2015

It Follows

(David Robert Mitchell)

Horror is such a fascinating genre because the reaction of an audience is based so much on what they personally fear. That's why so many modern horror films seem to rely on jump scares or scary faces as their primary source of terror; who wouldn't be temporarily frightened when they're being startled? For a horror film to truly terrify you down to the bone, it needs to take on bigger ideas of what truly scares us. In It Follows, David Robert Mitchell starts with a clever, simple enough premise: a supernatural entity follows certain individuals and kills them horribly when it catches them. The only way to stop from being followed is to sleep with someone, thus passing the entity and following onto them. If that person is killed, you are once again followed. Everyone can relate to the fear of being followed, and the film's obvious STD metaphor is prevalent and disturbing. However, Mitchell doesn't simply settle for the standard "sex kills" message that so many horror films use. Instead, he focuses in on the dread and terror that comes with the certainty that death is coming for you. You can live your life and delay it as best as you can, but it will come for you, no matter what. By structuring his film in this way, Mitchell makes a horror movie that starts off creepy and unsettling, and gradually becomes philosophically bone-chilling and terrifying. In addition to the underlying horror, Mitchell creates a haunting experience in every aspect. His direction and Mike Gioulakis' cinematography present a version of suburban Detroit that seems trapped in a nightmarish alternate dimension filled with anachronistic details and a general sense of decay and dread. Disasterpiece's fantastic score adds perfectly to the mood,  it's electronic, John Carpenter influenced themes filling each scene with a sense of unease and forthcoming danger. The cast also deserves special notice for creating a very rare thing: a group of horror movie teens that you want to survive. Maika Monroe is a wonderful lead as Jay, a character that breaks the mold of the "final girl" type, where the kindness, fear and strength all seem natural and realistic, leaving you rooting for her to make it. Keir Gilchrist also plays an interesting variation on the "nice guy" best friend; a usually doomed character, who here feels real with his mixed emotions of jealousy and genuine love and concern. It Follows is a movie that affected me in many different ways. Not only did it scare and engage me, it made me want to write more and make my own movies. One of the great things about movies is when any aspect of them, be it visual aesthetic, or themes, or stylistic mood, makes you want to go out and create something of your own. It Follows did that for me. So while it may not scare or connect with some horror fans, the creative inspiration it sparked in me and it's haunting thematic impact, made it my favorite movie experience of 2015.

Cody’s Favorite Album of 2015

Hamilton

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20. Trainwreck (Judd Apatow)

While I love Judd Apatow's style of comedy and the personal, autobiographical elements he puts into his films, one of his greatest talents as a director and producer is finding comedic talents and giving them a spotlight for both their on and offscreen talents. Amy Schumer has already made a name for herself thanks to her sharp stand-up and her brilliantly funny sketch show, Inside Amy Schumer. The fact that Apatow let her write and star in her first major film is just another step forward in Schumer's already impressive career. Schumer's voice is essential to the success of Trainwreck. Her unique voice makes what could be a stereotypical romantic comedy and adds a new perspective to it, without mocking the genre. Schumer is able to change her character's wild lifestyle, while not scolding her for it. She handles the comedy as well as you would expect, but surprises even more with how well she handles the more serious moments. Her chemistry with Bill Hader (also proving how worthy he is of movie star status) is fantastic. Trainwreck is a strong film debut for Amy Schumer, and hopefully just the beginning of a long, funny film career.

19. Avengers: Age of Ultron (Joss Whedon)

I know there were a lot of Marvel fans that were put off by Age of Ultron. They felt Joss Whedon's portrayal of the characters were inconsistent and untrue to the source material. I've gone on long enough on Twitter about why I think things like the reveal of Natasha's backstory or her relationship with Bruce really worked for me. When it comes down to it, Whedon took the opportunity of having one of the biggest sequels in the world in his hands, and made it about superheroes dealing with their emotions, the consequences of their actions, and spending a decent amount of time on a farm. Basically he made the most Whedony version of a superhero movie possible. I understand why that rubs people the wrong way. But I really liked it. I felt this was a really unique examination of these characters that we're not used to seeing. I was completely won over by Bruce and Natasha's story. I loved that Hawkeye, who was pretty much a nothing character in the first film, was almost the main character of the sequel and gained a considerable amount of depth in the process. I loved seeing how much Tony Stark has changed; still with the smarmy wit, but a completely changed man in what he fights for. I loved the new characters, specifically Scarlet Witch and Vision, and how seamlessly they fit in with the characters we've been following for years now. Yes, there were moments a bit too focused on what's coming next, but there were just as many personal moments that let us know the fears and emotions of these heroes. That's a pretty good trade-off for me.

18. Slow West (John Maclean)

The Western is a genre that was once huge in American cinema, but gradually fell out of style over the decades. It seemed that as the world changed, the tone and message of most Westerns began to seem outdated, with most modern Westerns feeling more like a throwback than having anything new to say. It seems that the Western is slowly making a comeback, and filmmakers are updating them by either adding unique genre elements (as is the case with last year's very fun Bone Tomahawk) or using the medium to comment on the past, as Tarantino has done with his last two films. In Slow West, director John Maclean uses the genre to both pay homage to it's history and also do a slight commentary on it's tropes. Michael Fassbender does a nice turn on the stoic gunslinger role, but it's Kodi Smit-McPhee's meek, lovestruck hero that really stands out. Maclean injects Slow West with a strange, surreal sense of humor at times and provides some very clever twists on what one comes to expect from watching a classic Western. As you watch the story unfold, and realize the direction Maclean is taking with it, you gain a whole new appreciation for the film  and it's performances, as it shows there are still exciting things to say in a genre many consider stuck in the past.

17. The Final Girls (Todd Strauss-Schulson)

The meta horror comedy isn't anything new at this point. With Scream lighting the spark and The Cabin in the Woods burning the house down, the past 20 years are not lacking in horror films populated with characters who are either aware of or question the conventions of the genre. The Final Girls features some very funny commentary on horror tropes, as a group of friends enter a cult '80s slasher, but what really makes it stand out is the core relationship between Taissa Farmiga's Max and Malin Akerman's Nancy, the character played by her mother (Malin Akerman), who died in a car accident years earlier. Max's grief is played with complete emotional honesty and as hilarious as the slasher moments are, the actors play things real and get you to really feel for them. I would not have expected the last act of the film to be as moving as it was, and it's that extra effort and care that push this above most recent horror comedies.

16. Phoenix (Christian Petzold)

Phoenix feels like a long lost Alfred Hitchcock movie. The story follows Nelly (played with wonderful wounded heartbreak by Nina Hoss), a Holocaust survivor who undergoes facial reconstructive surgery and uses her new appearance to find out if her husband, Johnny, betrayed her to the Nazis. The bulk of the movie focuses on the tension between Nelly and Johnny as he coaches her in impersonating herself so he can gain her inheritance. You watch and wonder who knows what and when the truth will come out, and Christian Petzold builds the suspense with Hitchcock level precision, all leading to a true stunner of an ending.

15. Mistress America (Noah Baumbach)

Noah Baumbach has excelled in making dark, uncomfortable comedies about misanthropic people stuck in a state of arrested development. His personal and professional relationship with Greta Gerwig seems to have brought out a whole new creative side. Mistress America shows Baumbach taking his familiar character types and placing them in a classic screwball comedy. The result is extremely charming, with Gerwig  bringing her usual exuberance and Lola Kirke providing a delightful subtle charm to match.

14. Carol (Todd Haynes)

Carol provides an interesting twist on what one comes to expect from film romances. Instead of big sweeping gestures and emotions, the love story between Therese (Rooney Mara) and Carol (Cate Blanchett) is told primarily through silent glances and repressed interactions. Much of this is due to the 1950s setting, but the central relationship is one that anyone can relate to. The feelings one has when they meet someone they are instantly drawn to but are uncertain they can be with are universal, and Mara and Blanchett sell those feelings beautifully. Carol has been distancing to some for coming off as too cold, but the film is full of passion, aching and warmth beneath the surface. Haynes, Blanchett and Mara completely sell the idea that, when you're in love, the smallest gesture can stir some big emotions.

13. The End of the Tour (James Ponsoldt)

Making a film that is mainly made up of conversations between two characters can be tricky. If what they're saying isn't interesting or the actors aren't up to the task, it can be a big miss. Thankfully, James Ponsoldt knows he has fascinating conversation material by focusing on a series of interviews between Rolling Stone writer David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) and respected novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel). The two talk about what they want out of life, the nature of celebrity, and their fears in such a natural style that makes you a part of the conversation. Segel does career best work as the guarded, self-effacing Wallace. He plays Wallace's discomfort with his celebrity with such humble vulnerability, and shows a whole new side to his acting persona. It makes me very excited to see what both Segel and Ponsoldt will do in the future, and I only hope this is just their first collaboration.

12. Brooklyn (John Crowley)

Sometimes a simple story is all you need to make a great film. Brooklyn doesn't try to reinvent anything, or provide any twists on it's romance story. It just features a very sweet, pleasant screenplay by Nick Hornby and an enormously winning lead performance by Saoirse Ronan, and knows that's enough. The relationship between Ronan's Eilis and Emory Cohen's Tony is old-fashioned, but completely earnest, and the film features some nice thoughts on the idea of what home is to someone. I love to be challenged and wowed by a film, but sometimes familiarity is what you need, and the classic mood of Brooklyn's story is honestly refreshing.

11. Sicario (Denis Villeneuve)

After 2013's haunting procedural Prisoners and 2014's psychological thriller Enemy, Denis Villeneuve has yet again made one of my favorite films of the year with Sicario, an action thriller where all of the action and thrills come purely from tension. Emily Blunt continues to prove herself as one of the finest working actresses today as an FBI agent brought in to help bring down the leader of a Mexican drug cartel. Blunt plays her role equally tough and vulnerable, as the corruption of the world she's in continues to envelope her. Villeneuve stages several knock-out sequences where the focus is not on bullets or violence, but the moments leading up to them; the fear and stress the characters feel as they enter deadly situations that could turn bad at any second. Sicario is a film that builds wonderfully, where the realization of the big picture makes you appreciate everything that came before it even more.

10. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (J.J. Abrams)

I know The Force Awakens isn't perfect. The criticisms that it sometimes follows the plot beats of the original Star Wars a little too closely are not off base. But honestly, those things really don't bother me when we finally have a new Star Wars movie that's fun, exciting, and progressive. Really, it's the characters that makes this feel like a breath of fresh air and gives me so much hope for the future of this series. Abrams gives us a group of characters that instantly hold up to Luke, Leia and Han. Oscar Isaac takes the relatively small role of Poe Dameron and instills it with so much heart and humanity. John Boyega's Finn proves that the charisma and charm he showed in Attack the Block was no fluke. Adam Driver's Kylo Ren has the difficult task of following Darth Vader, both within and without the context of the film, and delivers with a villain that is fascinating and captivating. And then there's Daisy Ridley as Rey. I honestly can't remember the last cinema heroine that was this extraordinary. Rey is brave, ambitious, strong and caring without every feeling like a two-dimensional stereotype, and so much of that is thanks to Ridley's performance. She's an instant star and this universe could not benefit more from having her at it's center as Star Wars begins the next step of it's journey.

9. Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller)

There's not much praise i can give Fury Road that hasn't been said already. Already deserving of the status as one of the finest action films of all time, George Miller's fourth film in the Mad Max series is not only visually breathtaking, but feels genuinely important for the future of film. Miller took what easily could have been a loud, hyper car chase movie and instead made a truly feminist story with a lot to say about the strength, power and identity of women. Tom Hardy plays Max with just the right amount of quiet weariness and gives the emotional heft of the story to Charlize Theron and her outstanding performance as Imperator Furiosa, who becomes an instantly iconic character that is driven and empowered by her femininity but not solely defined by it. It certainly helps that Fury Road is a visual marvel, with countless heartpounding setpieces, but it's Furiosa that keeps everyone talking about this one.

8. The Hateful Eight (Quentin Tarantino)

Tarantino has always known how to entertain by taking his cinematic influences, filtering them through his brilliant mind and projecting them back out onto the screen. From his narrative bending crime films of the '90s to his more recent thrilling revenge tales, he creates stories that are viscerally satisfying if not always necessarily provoking deep thought. With The Hateful Eight, Tarantino lets loose his thoughts on race, misogyny, and the history of our nation, and he does not hold back his anger. The film works wonderfully solely on it's plot; a group of strangers winding up stranded together at a lodge due to a blizzard, that feels like a mix of Reservoir Dogs, Agatha Christie, and John Carpenter's The Thing. As the story continues, however, and the truth about the characters is slowly revealed, we see that Tarantino has a lot to say about the deceptive hypocrisy of people. How someone can do truly despicable things under the banner of fighting for what they believe in; how even someone who seems to be sensible can be hiding their own form of ugliness; how man is always looking for a new enemy, always looking for a new target for his hate. Tarantino's cast is perfect as usual, with Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Kurt Russell and Jennifer Jason Leigh in particular doing some of their very best work. The events that unfold towards the end are violent and chilling, as one would expect with Tarantino, but they say a lot, and left me still thinking about them today.

7. The Martian (Ridley Scott)

In an age where so many movies feature characters surviving by fighting their way out of their problem, it's great to see a movie where survival comes about by great minds using their knowledge together. The Martian follows astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) as he is mistakenly left behind on Mars, and must find a way to survive until rescue comes about. Just that would be compelling enough, and Damon is so likable as Watney that being the sole focus of the film would work. Instead, Ridley Scott and screenwriter Drew Goddard share the focus with all the other people on Earth at NASA , as well as the fellow astronauts in space who unknowingly left him behind, and show how smart people working together, coming up with ideas can achieve great things and save lives. The cast is top notch across the board, and Goddard's script adds a lot of much welcome humor to what could be an overly dramatic story. The Martian ends up being very moving and inspiring with it's message; that some of our greatest strength comes from working together, and working hard to achieve what needs to be done, no matter how seemingly impossible.

6. Spotlight (Tom McCarthy)

With the decline of newspapers and the rise of online clickbait and listicles, it's easy to forget about the power of investigative journalism. Reporters who are diligent in their craft can make enormous changes to the world by bringing serious issues to light. Such is the case with Spotlight, which deserves a place next to All the President's Men and Zodiac in the league of great journalism films. The story focuses on the Boston Globe Spotlight team's 2001 investigation into repeated cases of abuse in the Catholic Church. Watching the journalists (including a terrific Mark Ruffalo in Carl Bernstein mode) persistently dig further in further, in spite of the obstructions and controversy provided by the strongly Catholic city, is really inspiring. Opening up this scandal poses professional and personal threats for these people, but they keep working to expose it, knowing justice needs to be done. It's the type of movie that shows how valuable journalism can and should be; something we really need to remember.

5. What We Do in the Shadows (Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi)

When your biggest complaint about a movie is that you wanted to spend more time with it's characters, that's a pretty good sign. Such was the case with me and What We Do in the Shadows. This mockumentary about vampires living in New Zealand runs a brisk 85 minutes, and in that time, Clement & Waititi pack in an endless stream of hilarious jokes and setpieces, both silly and clever. They absolutely nail the voices of these characters from moment one and you really grow to love them over the course of the movie, not ready to say goodbye yet when the credits roll. Thankfully, it looks like we'll be getting a spinoff sequel in a few years (focusing on the scene-stealing werewolves), but even if this was a one and done story, it would be a masterclass in comedic character-buildling.

4. Ex Machina (Alex Garland)

Science fiction with a message is hard to find these days. Don't get me wrong, I love spaceship & alien adventures as much as anybody, but there's something powerful about stories that use sci-fi as a way to comment on the state of our world now and where it could be heading if we're not careful. In his directorial debut after many successful years as a screenwriter, Alex Garland starts with a simple enough set-up; programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is brought to the house of his company's CEO, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), and asked to deliver a Turing Test to his revolutionary new AI, in the humanoid form of Ava (Alicia Vikander). What follows is a fascinating commentary on identity, gender politics, toxic masculinity and so, so much more. The film is made up mostly of one-on-one conversations and the cast carries it perfectly; Isaac's Nathan is an alternately funny and chilling portrayal of a modern day Dr. Frankenstein, Vikander's Ava is warm, captivating and mysterious, leaving you in constant wonder of her true nature, and Gleeson's Caleb provides a perfect center, acting as the viewer's guide, while eventually having you question his reliability. I know sci-fi with a message is difficult to pull off, but when it's done right, as it is with Ex Machina, it's more than worth the ambition.

3. Room (Lenny Abrahamson)

A film about a young woman who has been held captive in a shed for seven years with her young child as her only companion seems like it could be an unbearably grim experience. However, Room ends up being a story filled with heart and warmth, thanks to Emma Donoghue's script (based on her novel) and the deeply moving, nuanced lead performances by Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay. The whole film hinges on the relationship between Ma and Jack, and each actors carry the film wonderfully in their own way; Brie Larson has stood out as a great talent for the past few years and Room should be the moment that finally raises her to a new level and wider audience. Newcomer Jacob Tremblay has the difficult job of being the narrator and the audience POV, and it's honestly one of the most impressive performances I've ever seen by such a young actor. Tremblay plays Jack as a very realistic child; full of wonder and curiosity and silliness, yet still prone to tantrums and stubbornness. Room is a very harrowing, emotional journey that left me on the edge of my seat and in tears several times. By having such a limited focus, both literally and narratively, it really draws you in and makes the journey of these characters feel so personal.

2. Inside Out (Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen)

20. Halt and Catch Fire (AMC)

In Season One, Halt and Catch Fire was a drama I felt like I should enjoyed a lot more than I did. It had a great cast (including Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy, Kerry Bishe & Mackenzie Davis) and the kind of weirdly specific setting that usually draws me in (the 1980s world of computer programming). But the focus on yet another tortured antihero who keeps coming out on top just wasn't enough for me. In Season Two, the show made an extremely wise choice and essentially rebooted itself, making Bishe's Donna and Davis' Cameron into the new leads as they run their own startup online gaming network, and essentially turning Pace's Joe and McNairy's Gordon into the supporting characters, and taking their cocky bravado down several notches. This wise choice led to a infinitely superior season with a strongly compelling female lead dynamic and a great deconstruction of the "troubled but brilliant man" trope.

Best Episodes: "Play With Friends", "10Broad36", "Kali"

19. Key & Peele (Comedy Central)

2015 was a year where several great shows came to an end. I have always enjoyed Key & Peele, but have never found the room to include it on any of my previous lists. The hilarious final season seemed as good a reason as any to give credit to Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key (along with the top notch direction of Peter Atencio), for emerging as two of the greatest comic voices in a long, long time. The final season of their brilliant sketch show managed to give a sense of closure to a show with very little continuity, all while still delivering shockingly sharp satire and hilarious absurdity.

Best Episodes: "Y'all Ready For This?", "A Capella Club", "MC Mom"

18. The 100 (The CW)

I briefly mentioned The 100 in last year's list as a new, exciting sci-fi show that wasn't afraid to take bold risks. In the second half of it's second season, the show proved how special it is by placing it's characters in even more complicated, murky moral situations. The characters in The 100 make some tough choices, and I was honestly impressed that the show didn't back away from the dark corners it painted itself into. In addition, the show boasts a refreshingly vast array of complex female characters (including Eliza Taylor's Clarke, Marie Avgeropoulos' Octavia, and Alycia Debnam-Carey's Lexa), all who have strength while still being able to be distinctly feminine.

Best Episodes: "Survival of the Fittest", "Bodyguard of Lies", "Blood Must Have Blood: Part Two"

17. Parks and Recreation (NBC)

Though it dipped slightly in quality in it's later years, Parks and Recreation managed to stay funny and enjoyable throughout the entirety of it's run. It could have been business as usual in it's final year, happy to be a consistently funny sitcom. However, the show decided to make it's final season count, taking big steps such as leaping two years forward, and taking the time to build proper goodbyes for all of it's characters. The town of Pawnee was a strange, lovable place, and Leslie Knope, her friends and coworkers remained the beating heart that grounded the zaniness. Sometimes it pays to be kind, optimistic and motivated. That's the message Parks and Recreation put forward over seven years, and the sweet hilarity of it's final year delivered that message better than ever.

Best Episodes: "Leslie and Ron", "Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes To Washington", "One Last Ride"

16. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

The new sitcom from 30 Rock's Tina Fey and Robert Carlock was originally made for NBC, only for the network to back out, leaving Netflix to pick it up. It turns out NBC's loss was Netflix's enormous gain, as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is one of the most enjoyable, confident first seasons of a sitcom in years. Ellie Kemper is just terrific as Kimmy and brings out the light in what could be a tricky premise to make humorous. The show, much like Kimmy, is filled with joy and wonder, while never forgetting dark underbelly of it's premise. The rapid-fire jokes and well-developed universe make the show feel effortless in it's success, and I can't wait to see how they build the world and continue Kimmy's journey in Season 2.

Best Episodes: "Kimmy Goes Outside!", "Kimmy Is Bad At Math!", "Kimmy Rides A Bike!"

15. Rick and Morty (Adult Swim)

In it's first season, Rick and Morty stood out and made an immediate name for itself by mixing the subversive adult animated comedy one usually finds on Adult Swim with themes of depression and existentialism filtered through the lens of science fiction. Season 2 went even deeper into the strangeness as the world of Rick Sanchez grew even more bizarre, introducing fascinating new dimensions populated with beings just as neurotic and damaged as any human. The whole season has a wonderful running undercurrent that reveals the sadness beneath Rick's outrageous behavior, all leading to a knock-out of a finale.

Best Episodes: "Total Rickall", "The Ricks Must Be Crazy", "The Wedding Squanchers"

14. Justified (FX)

After a redundant, underwhelming fifth season, Justified pulled out all stops for it's sixth and final season, finally bringing the focus to the series-long battle between Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder. The decades long history between the marshal and the outlaw gives a real sense of weight to these last episodes, and each episode is filled with enormous tension, as each of the many standoffs leaves you wondering if either of these men will get fed up and just take the other out. Guest stars Mary Steenburgen, Sam Elliott, Garret Dillahunt and Jonathan Tucker provide excellent support as the villains who bring everything together, but it's the core characters we've been following for years that make these final showdowns matter.

Best Episodes: "The Trash and the Snake", "Burned", "The Promise"

13. Gravity Falls (Disney XD)

A few months ago, Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch announced that the show would be done at the end of it's second season, leaving a total of 40 episodes. It's a bold movie for a show with such a devoted fanbase, not to mention in a business where the goal is to usually go for more. But Gravity Falls was always a bit too big for it's Disney Channel home. It's commitment to serialized storytelling and continuity seemed to clash with Disney's scheduling, which would occasionally air two new episodes over the course of months. The finale doesn't air for about three more weeks, but the build-up to the end of this story has brought out the best in Gravity Falls. The arrival of Grunkle Stan's long lost twin brother, Ford, brought out new dimensions to a character who was mainly used as comic relief, and furthered the dramatic stakes for the show's core relationship between Dipper and Mabel. It all builds to the truly epic "Weirdmageddon", a funny, exciting, emotional climax that is unlike anything I've seen on an animated children's show.

Best Episodes: "Not What He Seems", "A Tale of Two Stans", "Weirdmageddon Part 1"

12. Better Call Saul (AMC)

Breaking Bad was such a unique television phenomenon. The perfect blend of writing, directing and casting that made for one of the greatest shows of all time. Why would one even try to replicate it? And in turn, if one were to even try, why would you make the central focus a supporting character primarily used for comedic relief? It seemed like a woefully, misguided idea that could sully the legacy of  a new classic. Thankfully, the talent of creators Vince Gilligan & Peter Gould and star Bob Odenkirk is strong enough to figure out how to make a spinoff work, and the origin of Saul Goodman (here known as Jimmy McGill) becomes a very different, yet still extremely compelling tale. The show doesn't delve as deeply into tragedy and darkness as it's parent, but there's still a strong sense of pain and anger beneath the more humorous surface. Odenkirk really showcases some surprising acting talents, while Jonathan Banks shows deeper layers of his BB character and Michael McKean does some of his best work yet as the wounded center of Jimmy's life. Time will tell if the quality can remain as Jimmy's fateful meeting with Walter White grows closer, but the first season gives me a lot of hope.

Best Episodes: "Hero", "Five-O", "Pimento"

11. BoJack Horseman (Netflix)

In it's first season, BoJack Horseman began as an absurd animated comedy about anthropomorphic animals living in Hollywood and slowly revealed itself to be a thoughtful portrayal of depression. In it's second season, with it's tone and characters in comfortable place, the show continues to explore it's themes as BoJack gets his dream role in a Secretariat biopic, only to still find himself unhappy. The story goes to some fascinating places (and boldly shocking in an episode that comments on the Bill Cosby controversy) as BoJack seeks happiness, even at the cost of the people around him. Even light characters like Paul F. Tompkins' Mr. Peanutbutter get more depth in Season 2, showing that if you look past the silly talking animals, you'll get a surprisingly human story.

Best Episodes: "After the Party", "Let's Find Out", "Escape From L.A."

10. Mr. Robot (USA)

Mr. Robot is a show that should come off as trying way too hard, with it's Fight Club themes & visuals and hypervisual editing & cinematography. However, creator Sam Esmail and lead Rami Malek commit 100% to this story and manage to provide a new spin on these familiar tropes. Esmail tips his hat to the tropes of the past, fully expecting the audience to be on board with him, and still managing to find some genuinely clever twists. Meanwhile, Malek is finally delivered the breakout role he's been waiting for, turning Elliot Alderson from a stereotype into a fully formed character that you can't look away from. The style of Mr. Robot is front and center, which can be damaging to some shows, but it works here. The dizzying, overwhelming mood puts you in the mindset of Elliot as he goes on this strange journey, and it's one I hope they can continue successfully this year.

Best Episodes: "eps1.5_br4ve-trave1er.asf", "eps1.7_wh1ter0se.m4v", "eps1.8_m1rr0r1ng.qt"

9. The Americans (FX)

The first two seasons of FX's Cold War spy/family drama were primarily focused on the marriage of Philip and Elizabeth Jennings; how it was formed for the sole purpose of furthering their mission for the Soviet Union and evolved to a real relationship. The third season widens the scope to their legacy, as their superiors push them to recruit their teenage daughter, Paige. This storyline adds an extra layer of tension to a show that's already filled with it. The cast continues to add a heartbreaking humanity, with Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell continuing to do exceptional work and Holly Taylor proving she can keep up with them.

Best Episodes: "Walter Taffet", "Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?", "Stingers"

8. The Flash (The CW)

There are shows that are more well-made than The Flash. There are shows that are more dramatically effective, or funny, or gripping; but I don't know if there's many shows that I have as much fun with as The Flash. The writing team expertly captures the feeling of reading a classic superhero comic book; it's big, silly, and filled with great characters that make you care about the stakes, even if said stakes are given the reset button. Grant Gustin makes for the perfect Barry Allen, all heart and wide-eyed optimism. The show builds it's stories and seasons wonderfully, with fun villains-of-the-week and exciting cliffhangers. The Flash isn't afraid to wear it's roots on it's sleeve, introducing a psychic gorilla and Earth-2, but the kindness and hopefulness at the core of these characters is what really makes me look forward to watching every week.

Best Episodes: "Out of Time", "Fast Enough", "Enter Zoom"

7. Review (Comedy Central)

In Season One, Andy Daly's Forrest MacNeil took on the task of reviewing life experiences as it slowly ruined his life. In Season Two, he sinks even deeper into darkness, all for the purpose of his show. As Forrest continues his insane commitment to his task, it causes even the simplest review to change his life in irrevocable, soul damaging ways. And yet, the show remains hilarious as Forrest stays determined in the face of despair. It's the rare comedy that contains the same amount of jaw-dropping twists and tension as a prestige cable drama, but that's what makes Review stand out.

Best Episodes: "Falsely Accused, Sleep With Your Teacher, Little Person", "Murder, Magic 8 Ball, Procrastination", "Happiness, Pillow Fight, Imaginary Friend"

6. You're the Worst (FXX)

In last year's list, I commented on how much I loved the evolution of You're the Worst, subtly transitioning from a raunchy comedy to a genuinely sweet love story between two damaged people. In it's sophomore season, it pulled a similar feat, starting as a story about that couple, Gretchen & Jimmy, going against their instincts to be in a serious relationship, and turning into one of the most realistic depictions of depression ever seen on TV. The signs are there early in the season, playing more as a mystery, but when Gretchen reveals her secret to Jimmy, the show takes on a whole new depth. The show goes to some dark, painfully honest places but still maintains it's sense of humor and it's heart as it shows not only what it's like to have clinical depression, but to love someone with clinical depression. It's something I would never have expected of this show in it's early days and watching it become what it is now has been marvelous.

Best Episodes: "There Is Not Currently A Problem", "LCD Soundsystem", "Other Things You Should Be Doing"

5. Silicon Valley (HBO)

Silicon Valley started as a show that I found very, but felt that it was just on the cusp of becoming something I love. The show made the jump last year, delivering one of my favorite comedy seasons in a long time. As the Pied Piper team begins to court investors and grow their business, the show fast-paced humor & dialogue takes off with a surprising amount of tension for a comedy. You get the sense that at any moment, Pied Piper could make a huge mistake and lose everything. It's a very smart move as the show keeps you on the edge of the seat while still consistently making you laugh. The interplay between the cast is top notch, as they nail every punchline and every moment of panic, giving us very smart comedy as it's best.

Best Episodes: "Runaway Devaluation", "Homicide", "Two Days of the Condor"

4. Mad Men (AMC)

I don't know what else I can say about Mad Men. Since I started watching it, I've gone on and on about my love for it's smart, mature drama, it's fascinating, flawed characters, and it's gorgeous direction, bringing it's '60s setting to life. As creator Matthew Weiner brought the show to an end, it remained, as ever, at the top of it's game. Jon Hamm continued to stellar work as Don Draper truly became a man out of touch with the times. Elisabeth Moss' Peggy is a completely different person than she was at the beginning, taking charge in a world of men and fighting to be the very best at what she does. Even January Jones' Betty, always the most frustrating, maligned character, ends the series with a touch of tragic gravitas. To see the journey these characters have gone on over the past seven seasons is astonishing and their ends feel appropriate. Mad Men leaves it's legacy masterfully, cementing it's status as one of the best drama series of all time.

Best Episodes: "Time & Life", "Lost Horizon", "Person To Person"

3. Jessica Jones (Netflix)

The '90s had Buffy Summers. The '00s had Veronica Mars. Now the '10s has Jessica Jones. That's no small praise coming from me, and Jessica Jones is a show that deserves the loudest praise possible. What could have been a simple, fun superhero detective show is instead a daring feminist noir that tackles several serious subjects with humor & power, and doesn't leave you with easy answers. Krysten Ritter finally gets the perfect spotlight for her talents. Her Jessica is tough, darkly funny, wounded and truly heroic; a complex female character who never feels like a stereotype. Just as good is Rachael Taylor as Jessica's closest friend, Trish, who transcends the standard "best friend" role to create a woman of equal depth. Some of the smartest casting is David Tennant as the monstrous, chilling Kilgrave. The show plays off familiarity with Tennant as Doctor Who, and uses the charm he had in that role, and twists it to some truly unsettling places, showing that even someone with a comfortable, winning exterior can be masking a truly ugly interior. Jessica Jones has so many moments where it feels like it could take the easy, typical route, and instead gives us something much more interesting to think about. Jessica Jones is one of the most important new heroes that Marvel has to offer.  She has an ugly past and doesn't always make the best decisions, but she doesn't let herself be broken by it. In an industry where female heroes are hard to find, and are even pushed to the sides in merchandising when they are present, the world needs Jessica Jones more than ever.

Best Episodes: "AKA It's Called Whiskey", "AKA WWJD?", "AKA I've Got the Blues"

2. Master of None (Netflix)

I really didn't know Aziz Ansari had this in him. I've loved his stand-up and his work on Parks and Recreation, but it wasn't until Live at Madison Square Garden, his special from last year that I realized he has a lot on his mind to share. He began to shift his material from slice-of-life anecdotes & stories of meeting celebrities, and began to comment on how his generation communicates with each other (or struggles to) in the age of smart phones and social media. He tackles these ideas and more head on in Master of None. Playing Dev, a slight variation on himself, the show mixes very funny stories of dating with extremely smart, thoughtful explorations of bigger subjects, such as being the child of immigrants, the portrayal of Indians in the media, and the treatment of women in the modern world. It's brilliant, hilarious stuff and Ansari portrays it from the perspective of a man trying to learn more about the world he lives in and the people who surround him. These stories are carried along by a season long arc involving Dev's relationship with Rachel (an unbelievably charming Noel Wells), that is sweet, hilarious and thoughtful. Master of None immediately raised Ansari from a sharp comic voice to a genuine comedic auteur. Netflix has yet to announce a second season yet, but with how good these first ten episodes are, more of these stories from Ansari is a no-brainer.

20. Carly Rae Jepsen- E•MO•TION

Kicking things off with one that really surprised me. I thought Jepsen's breakout hit, "Call Me Maybe", was a decent enough pop song, but didn't really pay much attention beyond that. I had heard a lot of positive buzz about E•MO•TION from several different sites, so I decided to give it a shot. I was pleased to find that Jepsen has released an incredibly fun album; a throwback to '80s pop filled with synths, sax, and infectious melodies.

Best Songs: "Run Away With Me", "Gimmie Love", "Your Type"

19. Grace Potter- Midnight

Most know Grace Potter for her work with her band, the Nocturnals. On her first solo album, Potter deviates from the band's blues rock sound for more of a pop/soul vibe. I'll admit to not knowing much of the Nocturnals yet, but if the raw energy and power Potter puts into Midnight is any indication, I have a lot to look forward to.

Best Songs: "The Miner", "Instigators", "Let You Go"

18. Sleater-Kinney- No Cities To Love

Here is another case where I have to confess ignorance of Sleater-Kinney's previous work. But while the return of Korin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss may not have the same impact on me as it did to fans who have been waiting a decade for new music from the trio, the impact of these punk anthems speak for themselves, making me an instant fan.

Best Songs: "Fangless", "A New Wave", "Bury Our Friends"

17. Father John Misty- I Love You, Honeybear

Father John Misty kind of rubbed me the wrong way at first. Did the world really need another set of indie folk songs with try-hard cutesy, clever lyrics crooned out by a guy with a big beard? However, the strong melodies drew me in and as I listened closer and did a little more reading on the pseudonym of Josh Tillman, I began to see that Father John Misty is less another entry in the new wave of folk rock troubadors, and more a send-up of the self-involved singers who whisper-sing about heartbreak over a gently strummed acoustic guitar. Yet, it's not all snark, as there is a layer of sincerity and vulnerability that elevate the satirical lyrics and gorgeous music.

Best Songs: "Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)", "Bored in the USA", "Holy Shit"

16. Screaming Females- Rose Mountain

I first heard of this New Jersey punk trio on The Chris Gethard Show. I was really impressed by the band's onstage energy, so I was intrigued to hear more when I came across Rose Mountain. I was pleased to find that energy comes across just as well in the studio, with Marissa Paternoster's vibrato vocals and outstanding guitar work making a great center.

Best Songs: "Ripe", "Wishing Well", "Rose Mountain"

15. Wolf Alice- My Love Is Cool

On their first full-length LP, this London outfit take inspiration from alternative rock and shoegaze bands of the '90s, and add their own modern touch, making for one of the most impressive debuts of the year. Ellie Rowsell's captivating vocals fit perfectly to the different moods of My Love Is Cool, from heavy guitar-driven tracks to slower, electronic-laced numbers.

Best Songs: "Your Loves Whore", "You're A Germ", "Lisbon"

14. Brandon Flowers- The Desired Effect

While I was a fan of Flamingo, the first solo album from Brandon Flowers, The Killers frontman didn't stray too far from the sound of his band. On The Desired Effect, Flowers forms more of an individual solo identity for his music. He adds a classic '80s pop sound to the anthemic rock style of The Killers that showcases an artist who feels revitalized and at the top of his game.

Best Songs: "Can't Deny My Love", "Still Want You", "The Way It's Always Been"

13. Will Butler- Policy

Currently a multi-hyphenate instrumentalist in Arcade Fire, Will Butler uses his debut solo album to hone in more on some of the rock and roll elements that occasionally pop up in Arcade Fire amidst all the more orchestral, experimental elements. By doing so, Policy ends up being a short, but sweet burst of fun, creative energy one should expect from the Butler family.

Best Songs: "Anna", "Finish What I Started", "Witness"

12. Kacey Musgraves- Pageant Material

This is the one I'm most surprised to be including on here. I'm not a fan of most modern country music. The sound tends to all blend together, and the lyrics tend to rub me the wrong way, usually forgoing any depth or substance in favor of corny humor or sentimentality. Kacey Musgraves was a name I frequently saw mentioned as a stand-out in the field, so I checked out Pageant Material, and was treated to some of the smartest, catchiest country I've heard in recent years. Musgraves focuses on universal subjects such as love, upbringing and individuality, and adds a very unique, clever perspective that feels refreshing and progressive in a genre that can sometimes feel stuck in the past.

Best Songs: "Pageant Material", "Biscuits", "Somebody To Love"

11. Florence + the Machine- How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

On her third album, Florence Welch continues to use her powerhouse vocals to expand her sound. Each song on How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, whether large & expansive or quiet & sparse, draws you in with it's pure emotion.

Best Songs: "Ship To Wreck", "Queen of Peace", "Third Eye"

10. Sufjan Stevens- Carrie & Lowell

In the past, Sufjan Stevens was an artist I appreciated more than I actually loved. I enjoyed listening to and was impressed by his musical landscape tours of the midwest, but it didn't necessarily cause the rampant devotion that brought him so many superfans. On the stripped-down, breathtakingly intimate Carrie & Lowell, I gained a whole new respect for Stevens. By responding to the death of his mother and taking a quieter perspective, Stevens creates a set of songs that are heartbreaking, captivating and truly beautiful.

Best Songs: "Death with Dignity", "Drawn to the Blood", "The Only Thing"

9. Courtney Barnett- Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

On her debut album, Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett immediately announces herself as one of the most original new artists to come along in quite a while. The songs play as narrative slices of life, with Barnett occasionally talk-singing over powerful guitars. On each listen, you discover something new in Barnett's verbose lyrics while gaining deeper appreciation for her expert musical craft.

Best Songs: "Pedestrian At Best", "Depreston", "Debbie Downer"

8. FFS- FFS

"Collaborations Don't Work" is the title of one of the closing tracks on the first team-up between Scottish indie rock outfit Franz Ferdinand and theatrical glam rock group Sparks. It's an obvious tongue-in-cheek reference to their own group, but the songs surrounding it prove that nothing could be further from the truth. This collaboration brings out the very best in both bands, blending both of their unique sounds in a perfect way that shows Franz Ferdinand trying all sorts of new sounds, and Sparks feeling reinvigorated and just as exciting and relevant as they were in the '70s.

Best Songs: "Johnny Delusional", "Collaborations Don't Work", "Piss Off"

7. Titus Andronicus- The Most Lamentable Tragedy

A punk band creating a 2-disc, 92 minute rock opera about doppelgangers and depression seems like an idea that could so easily go off the rails and come off as a mess. Thankfully, Titus Andronicus has the chops to pull it off and presents an incredibly impressive, ambitious work that brings to mind a variety of sounds and influences, from classic punk to Costello to Springsteen, and never loses an ounce of steam in the process

Best Songs: "I Lost My Mind (+@)", "Dimed Out", "Fatal Flaw", "Come On, Siobhan"

6. San Fermin- Jackrabbit

Sometimes it's hard to pin down exactly what you like about a band. Sometimes, a group of musicians just craft songs that click with you. That's the case with San Fermin's Jackrabbit. A masterful blending of guitar, piano, horns, strings and the wonderful contrasting vocals of Allen Tate and Charlene Kaye, Jackrabbit is an album that made me a fan of San Fermin the moment I heard it.

Best Songs: "The Woods", "Jackrabbit", "Billy Bibbit"

5. Jeff Rosenstock- We Cool?

The second artist on this list who I found out about thanks to The Chris Gethard Show, Jeff Rosenstock crafts songs that are as catchy and fun as anything on the radio, while still maintaining a strong punk rock, DIY vibe. Taking a look at Rosenstock's discography shows how prolific he is, but his huge output doesn't lessen the quality of his work. We Cool? features his best work yet, and shows his range with Weezer-esque power pop and country-tinged rock sitting comfortably alongside his terrific punk songs, with promise that he is just getting warmed up.

Best Songs: "Nausea", "Polar Bear or Africa", "All Blissed Out"

4. Best Coast- California Nights

There really isn't a more fitting title for Best Coast's third album. California Nights is full of laid-back, yet power-filled songs; calm yet full of passion. The lyrics keep it simple, letting Bethany Cosentino's strong vocals do the work to draw you into every one of these entrancing tracks. I've lived the majority of my life on the east coast, and haven't had the chance to visit California yet. But if there ever an album of songs that put me in the set of mind of what it might be like to explore Los Angeles after dark, Best Coast has provided it.

Best Songs: "Fine Without You", "In My Eyes", "Sleep Won't Ever Come"

3. The Front Bottoms- Back On Top

Rounding out the trilogy of bands I discovered thanks to The Chris Gethard Show, The Front Bottoms is a band that went under the radar for me for a while, only to completely take over my listening habits for a while once I started listening to them. They mix humorous lyrics with incredibly infectious melodies and create a fantastic indie rock album that features several songs that could be hits if given the right attention. After digging into The Front Bottoms' catalogue, they quickly became one of my new favorite bands, and Back On Top furthers that by being the band's most accomplished, enjoyable work yet.

Best Songs: "Cough It Out", "HELP", "Laugh Till I Cry"

2. Chvrches- Every Open Eye

There's nothing better than a band who has shown an enormous amount of promise on their first album completely nailing the landing on their sophomore effort. Such is the case with Every Open Eye. The Scottish trio narrows in on what worked so well on their first album and doubles down. Lauren Mayberry, Martin Doherty and Iain Cook have an uncanny knack for what makes a terrific song, with every single one mixing vocals, synths and beats perfectly together to make pure musical bliss.

Best Songs: "Leave A Trace", "Clearest Blue", "Empty Threat"

20. Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Realistically, this should probably be higher up. Paul Thomas Anderson is a true master of his craft, and his latest, an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's novel, is some of his best-looking,  most thought-provoking work yet, featuring an insanely vast, great cast, including some of Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin's best work yet, and a starmaking performance from Katherine Waterston. The only reason it's this low on my list is I really feel one viewing doesn't do the film justice. This tale of Phoenix's private investigator, Doc Sportello, getting mixed up in a case involving his ex (Waterston), set in-between the last days of the free-spirited '60s and the beginning of the dark, grim days of the '70s, is a dense, complex, and all around strange story. Anderson presents the film through the laid-back haze that Doc consistently find himself in, and it can make it a bit hard to keep up with at times. But there's a lot here to enjoy, from the twisty, hilarious conventions of the plot to the more melancholy undercurrent present with all the characters. It's not the most welcoming trip to take, but I feel like repeat visits will only add to the already unique, entertaining experience.

19. Honeymoon (Leigh Janiak)

There's somewhat of a thematic trend on my list this year with movies about marriage. Specifically, the fear that comes with sharing your life with someone that you can never truly know inside and out. Leigh Janiak's debut feature gives this idea a nice horror twist as it follows newlyweds Bea (Game of Thrones' Rose Leslie) and Paul (Penny Dreadful's Harry Treadaway) on their titular honeymoon to an old cabin. One night, Paul finds Bea disoriented in the woods, claiming she was sleepwalking. However, Bea's behavior continues to get stranger and stranger. The film escalates Bea's behavior perfectly, leading up to a nailbiting conclusion. The horror elements are held up by some solid relationship drama, as Paul wonders who it is he actually married. It's a very small film in cast, scope, and location, but it uses those elements to it's advantage, giving everything a wonderfully claustrophic sheen.

18. Enemy (Denis Villeneuve)

Jake Gyllenhaal reteams with Prisoners director Villeneuve for a real mindbender of a movie. Gyllenhaal plays Adam, a quiet teacher who while watching a movie is surprised to see an actor that is identical to himself. His search and eventual encounter with the actor, Anthony Claire, leads to things getting a lot worse for both men. The film goes in some really interesting directions, with tons of hidden subtext (including an extremely shocking final image) that left the movie lingering in my brain for a long time after seeing it. However, the movie keeps from getting too over it's head thanks to the strong performances by Gyllenhaal, who is really proving himself as one of our finest working actors. But more on that later.

17. Begin Again (John Carney)

John Carney had a lot to live up to with his follow-up to Once, a wonderful film that won a well-deserved Best Song Oscar and was adapted into a Tony winning Broadway musical. While Begin Again may not quite reach the highs of Carney's debut, it comes pretty close, and stands as an immensely enjoyable, sweet movie, with lots of great, catchy songs. Keira Knightley is better than she's ever been as Gretta, a singer-songwriter dealing with a break-up with her famous ex (Adam Levine, pretty much playing the public perception of Adam Levine). Mark Ruffalo brings his ever-reliable scruffy charm as Dan, a struggling record executive. Their paths cross when Dan sees Gretta performing at an open mic, and what follows is a really uplifting, yet appropriately melancholy, story as the two collaborate and slowly regain their passion for music. The film works because it takes the time to show how Dan and Gretta got to where they are, and doesn't take any obvious turns in the depiction of their relationship. Everything moves along nicely, and is helped by the songs (impressively performed by Knightley), which are almost guaranteed to get stuck in your head.

16. 22 Jump Street (Phil Lord & Christopher Miller)

Phil Lord & Christopher Miller are magicians. They are given films that seem like nothing but cash grabs (an adaptation of a kid's book about food falling from the sky, a reboot of a cheesy '80s TV show, a movie based on a toy, which we'll come around to again), and make them into genuinely terrific films, full of hilarious jokes and clever insight about their identity. The fact that they managed to turn 21 Jump Street into one of the best comedies of the past few years is impressive, but being put in charge of the sequel is a difficult task. Comedy sequels are almost impossible to pull off, with most of them feeling like dull rehashes of what worked in the first place. Lord & Miller take this generally accepted assumption, and turn it on it's head, making 22 Jump Street a sequel that is well-aware of the ridiculousness of it's existence. There are dozens of smart, funny meta jokes involving Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) going undercover at college, and finding it almost a copy of their case from the first film. Thankfully, Lord & Miller don't take easy route of just resting on self-aware humor. They give focus to the evolution of Schmidt and Jenko's partnership, continuing the adventures of a new classic film comedy duo (brought full circle in the truly genius end credits). So making a successful comedy out of an old TV show? Yeah, that's tough? Making a sequel to that comedy that feels just as fresh and funny as the original? That's magic.

15. The Raid 2 (Gareth Huw Evans)

While we're on the subject of sequels bending the rules and equaling or improving on the original (of which there are a few on this list), attention must be paid to The Raid 2. Evans brought a new action classic with 2012's The Raid: Redemption, a fast-paced, high energy ride that's visceral, jawdroppingly impressive fight scenes demanded attention. It would be easy to take the Die Hard route with the sequels, and just place protagonist Rama (Iko Uwais) in different single locations, forcing him to fight his way out. Instead, Evans went the complete opposite route and made his sequel a two and a half hour crime epic, spanning years and following Rama's journey deep undercover into the company of Uco (Arifin Putra), the son of a notorious crime lord. While the first film was breathless in it's action, the sequel takes it's time, giving us time to know these characters and the situation they're in. But don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fight scenes, and they are spectacular, even improving on the first film with their scope and precision, including a massive prison yard fight, the addition of characters simply known as Hammer Girl (Julie Estelle) and Baseball Bat Man (Very Tri Yulisman), and a kitchen showdown that's an all-timer in cinema fight scenes.

14. Chef (Jon Favreau)

After changing the landscape of comic book movies in 2008 with Iron Man, Jon Favreau easily could have spent the rest of his career making huge blockbusters. However, 2014 saw Favreau going back to his independent roots with Chef, and the result is a sweet, funny, and honest film that might be his best work yet. There is certainly the sense that this is a personal story to Favreau, who writes, directs, and stars as Carl Casper, a head chef of a popular restaurant who, after going on a tirade at a food critic, regains his love of cooking and reconnects with his son (Emjay Anthony) by renovating a food truck and driving it across the country. Just as Carl rediscovers his love for cooking as he brings his craft to a more intimate form, viewers can see the parallel of Favreau rediscovering his love for film after the critical disappointment of Cowboys & Aliens. The film doesn't have enormous stakes, but excels with a relaxed sense of humor, loads of charm, and some of the most delicious looking food ever committed to film. Favreau is jumping back into bigger filmmaking with his retelling of The Jungle Book, but after seeing the love he pours into Chef, one can hope he still finds time to scale things back a bit.

13. Edge of Tomorrow (Doug Liman)

The best summer movie that everyone (including me) missed thanks to a title and trailers that were very unrepresentative of the actual product, Edge of Tomorrow is an absolute blast, boasting one of Tom Cruise's best performances in years and further proof that Emily Blunt should be a megastar. A fast-paced, genuinely funny film that plays as a mash-up of Groundhog Day and Aliens, the movie has Cruise poking fun at his persona as Major William Cage, a military public affairs officer who is placed on the frontlines of a massive battle with alien invaders. Cage is killed in battle, but wakes up on the previous day, being forced to relive the battle. What follows is funny, exciting, and smart as it plays on our familiarity of what's to come. As great as Cruise is, and as sharp as the writing is, the best reason to seek out this movie is Emily Blunt as Rita Vrataski. Blunt creates one of the best female protagonists in recent memory as a woman who's smart, tough, resilient, and better than all of her male counterparts. It's a shame Edge of Tomorrow didn't make more of an impact, but it's never too late to seek it out, and be surprised at how much it has to offer.

12. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (Matt Reeves)

2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes successfully rebooted the Apes franchise after the stink of Tim Burton's remake had just barely worn off. It took what could be an outdated, silly premise and gave it a new charge with a solid story, lots of heart, and jaw-dropping motion capture effects, all brought to life by Andy Serkis' brilliant performance as Caesar. The follow-up raises the story to the next level, and somehow manages to make an exciting, genuinely moving sci-fi drama that just happens to feature apes as main characters. Serkis is better than ever as Caesar struggles to keep his community together and avoid war with the humans. Matching him in impressive depth and talent is Toby Kebbell, who takes on the character of Koba, an ape who had suffered from experimenting by humans in his past, and makes him a tragic villain. While Rise was at times too afraid to stray away from James Franco, unsure of how much ape audiences could take, Dawn knows where the true interest of the story lies, and sidelines the humans, making this the journey of Caesar and the community he's trying to keep safe. The story builds to a huge, operatic third act that manages to keep you deeply invested in the fates of CGI characters. Big things are promised for the upcoming third film, and with what Reeves and Serkis bring us this time, the Apes are in good hands.

11. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Anthony & Joe Russo)

After the massive success of The Avengers, Marvel was in a tough situation in Phase Two of their cinematic universe. After bringing their heroes together, would seeing them back on their own be able to satisfy? Captain America's second outing proves the answer is a loud yes. Shifting from the adventure serial tone of the first film, The Winter Soldier takes on the tone of a '70s conspiracy thriller, as Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) finds his loyalties shifting as secrets about S.H.I.E.L.D. are revealed, and he no longer knows who to trust. The reappearance of his old friend, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) only complicates matters further, and the film pulls off the tricky feat of having several balls and characters in the air, and managing to not feel overstuffed. It's quite the opposite, with returning characters Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) are better than they were in any of their previous Marvel appearances, and newcomer Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) instantly becomes a fan-favorite with his immensely enjoyable friendship with Steve. The film moves along at an exciting speed, with some of the best action sequences in any of the Marvel films to date, but Evans' down-to-earth, heroic portrayal of Steve keeps the film from being weighed down by plot. We're only a little over a year away from Captain America's next solo outing, and The Winter Soldier maintains confidence that Cap's next adventure will be something special.

10. Boyhood (Richard Linklater)

If Richard Linklater's method of revisiting the same characters every nine years in the Before series wasn't impressive and enjoyable enough, he attempts to top himself with Boyhood, the chronicle of a boy named Mason (Ellar Coltrane), filmed over the course of 12 years (2002-2014), so we literally see the childhood of a young man transpire before our eyes. That's the initial hook, and the film doesn't try any tricks to draw attention to itself, simply letting things play out naturally. There isn't much plot to speak of, with only a few dramatic turns, and one can easily argue that Mason is somewhat of a blank slate as a character, with much more of the narrative arc going to his mother, Olivia (Patricia Arquette), and development and change going to his father, Mason, Sr. (Ethan Hawke). But it doesn't end up mattering in the bigger picture. Linklater has pulled off something truly astonishing with Boyhood. He gives a true slice-of-life piece of storytelling. At nearly 3 hours, the time we spend with Mason and his family can't help but let us get attached to him. As the film draws to a close, and we see Coltrane as a gangly teenager, ready to move onto the next phase of his life, you're taken aback by how much you've actually been through, while reflecting back on your own life and the personal journey each of us takes in life.

9. Gone Girl (David Fincher)

I was left pretty cold by David Fincher's last take on a hit novel, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It was a faithful enough adaptation, but everything seemed to be presented at such a chilly distance, even by Fincher's standards. I was curious how he would fair with Gillian Flynn's hit, Gone Girl. I liked Flynn's novel a lot more than Stieg Larsson's, but it felt even harder to adapt to screen, with much of it's strengths relying on narration and shifting POV. Thankfully, Fincher pretty much nailed the translation, making a film that captures everything that worked about the novel, while also adding his expert sense of style and a dark mix of humor and intimacy. Ben Affleck gives a career best performance as Nick Dunne, showing a sense of confusion and vulnerability that suits him really well, but Rosamund Pike absolutely steals the film as Amy Elliott-Dunne. It's hard to go too in-depth without giving away details of the story that are too good to spoil, but Pike gives Amy endless layers of depth that constantly keep you questioning her true motivations and feelings. It's a truly knockout performance that should guarantee Pike a long, well-respected career. Fincher feels as if he has shifted into a new phase in his career with Gone Girl. The cold composure is still there, but Flynn's story (which she also adapted into the screenplay) lets him work with a new sense of satire and dark playfulness that leaves me excited to see what he's going to do next.

8. The Babadook (Jennifer Kent)

While I still have a longstanding love of horror, the past few years haven't really offered a lot that really stood out and demanded attention. 2014 was actually a step in the right direction for horror offerings, giving several spooky outings that took simple premises and excelled with them, like Oculus, The Sacrament, Starry Eyes and Willow Creek. But it still feels like it's been way too long since we've had a horror film that not only felt like a new classic in it's respective genre, but expanded beyond that, delivering just a flat-out terrific film on it's own. Movies like Rosemary's Baby or The Exorcist. Where have those types of horror movies been? Enter The Babadook. Jennifer Kent's debut feature is a wonderful achievement; a strong, emotional dramatic look at a woman dealing with grief and depression. Essie Davis gives one of the best performances of the year as Amelia, a widowed mother struggling to raise her troubled son, Samuel (Noah Bean). Oh, and the movie is also pulse-poundingly scary, making it one of the most terrifying movies in years. The trouble begins when Amelia reads to Samuel a disturbingly creepy pop-up book called "Mister Babadook". Soon, strange things begin happening, and Samuel begins acting out in fear of The Babadook coming to get him, and you know things can only get worse from here. Kent's direction is pitch-perfect. She nails the tension and the horror, bringing several bone-chilling moments, but she invests just as much attention (if not more) to the emotional, dramatic journey of Amelia, and her desperate battle to maintain a normal life. It all immediately makes Kent a director to keep an eye on in the coming years. If you love movies that scare you, but are always looking for horror that offers a bit more, this is definitely one to seek out. But remember, you can't get rid of The Babadook.

7. Guardians of the Galaxy (James Gunn)

Marvel continues to work magic with characters that seem hard to translate on a blockbuster scale. Remember in the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, when people were wondering whether a then lesser known character like Iron Man could carry his own film, or if Thor could be accepted in the more science-based reality of the earlier films? Now, deep into Phase Two, Marvel has no fear, making a full-blown space opera that features a talking raccoon and a sentient tree as major characters. On top of that, they put it in the hands of James Gunn, whose two other directorial efforts involved parasitic alien slugs taking over a small town and a superhero who brutally beats criminals with a wrench. Gunn's offbeat sensibilities turned out to be a perfect match for the material, leading to one of the absolute best Marvel films yet. Gunn has made a film that is pure fun, mixing a fantastic sense of humor, a great sense of adventure, and genuine heart, all brought to life by a stellar cast. Chris Pratt announces himself as a bonafide movie star with Peter Quill. Anyone who watches Parks and Recreation knows that Pratt is hilarious, but as Star-Lord, he's able to show how much his charisma works in the guise of a leading man. Zoe Saldana manages to make Gamora completely different from her work as Uhura in Star Trek, still playing a tough, strong female, but adding all sorts of different touches to make her stand out as her own character. Dave Bautista ran the biggest chance of getting lost in the ensemble, but his literal-minded Drax the Destroyer manages to steal several moments. Then there's Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon and Vin Diesel as Groot, the true heart of the film. Cooper gives what I believe to be his best performance, giving Rocket a wealth of emotions with just his voice, while Diesel bring his deep, imposing tone back to his Iron Giant roots, making Groot one of the stand-out characters of the year, impossible not to love. While Marvel took more structural risks in Phase Two, they still had to keep things a big reigned in to maintain the larger continuity. Guardians of the Galaxy succeeds by kicking the door down, making itself known, and playing by it's own rules. They have our attention, and are sure to keep it as they continue to explore the galaxy.

6. The One I Love (Charlie McDowell)

It's hard to go too in depth on Charlie McDowell's debut feature, because so much of the brilliance of this film comes in a first act twist. I will say that the film plays like a lost classic episode of The Twilight Zone, while still feeling like a small, well-made indie film. The cast primarily consists of Mark Duplass (showing all sorts of new range) and Elisabeth Moss (continuing to prove she'll have a long career after the end of Mad Men), and the two play off each other wonderfully. The things that work best about this movie are best to figure out on your own, but Charlie McDowell has immediately made a name for himself in the film world. The One I Love is smart, funny, sweet, and spotlights McDowell as a filmmaker to keep an eye on.

5. The Lego Movie (Phil Lord & Christopher Miller)

I already talked earlier about the immense talents of Lord & Miller. I already loved all of their previous work, but with The Lego Movie, they are now in the league of directors like Edgar Wright, who can do absolutely no wrong in my eyes. A movie based on a toy could have easily been a hollow marketing ploy, but in the hands of Lord & Miller, it becomes so much more. An ode to creativity, a deconstruction of the Hero's Journey storytelling structure, a spot-on satire of the Batman mythos, a hilariously funny comedy, an exciting adventure, and a gorgeously innovative animated film. The movie is already immensely enjoyable as it follows the journey of Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt) a simple, normal construction worker, but the turns the story takes toward the end elevate The Lego Movie to a whole new level, with a message that's moving and profound. Watching The Lego Movie, and seeing the joy, thought, and care that Lord & Miller put into all of their stories, it is easy to agree with the frequently heard song throughout the movie that, yes, everything is awesome.

4. Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy)

As I mentioned before, Jake Gyllenhaal is quickly becoming one of this generation's finest actors, perfectly brought to fruition with his portrayal of Lou Bloom in Dan Gilroy's debut film, Nightcrawler. Lou Bloom stands out as one of the most memorable, and despicable, cinematic antiheroes in recent memory, and Gyllenhaal shows a new scary, sleazy side of himself that no one could have guessed he had in him. Set against the seedy nightlife of Los Angeles, Nightcrawler follows Lou, a small-time thief who discovers that he can make good money by filming crime scenes before the police arrive and selling it to local news stations. We watch as Lou, a true sociopath, gradually builds his career while losing whatever little of his soul is left, if there was any of it to begin with. Gyllenhaal completely loses himself in the role, drawing you into this troubled mind. Gilroy promises a great career as a director, capturing the dark, gritty beauty of L.A. while building the story to an almost unbearable tension that left my stomach in knots. Nightcrawler's chilling tone is not easy to sit through, but Gyllenhaal and Gilroy keep you absolutely captivated and stuck to your seat the whole time, while creating one of the most unforgettable characters in a long time.

3. Snowpiercer (Bong Joon-ho)

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho made a name for himself both in his native country and over here with movies like the brilliant, Zodiac-esque procedural Memories of Murder and the monster movie The Host, which long had the distinction of being the highest grossing film in South Korean history (and which I'm embarrassed to admit I still haven't seen yet). His English debut was something with a lot to live up to, and Snowpiercer does not disappoint in any way, shape, or form. Based on a French graphic novel, the film takes place in the near, post-apocalyptic future. After an attempt to stop global warming causes a new ice age and wipes out most living things on Earth, the survivors remain on a giant, globe-spanning train run by a mysterious man named Wilford. The survivors are all split up by class with the rich at the front of the train, and the poor living in squalid, oppressive conditions. One day, a man from the back of the train named Curtis (a career-changing Chris Evans), puts a long-gestating revolt into action with the help of a small group. What follows is a strange, thrilling, truly awesome story as each new car of the train introduces a strange new environment with new dangers for Curtis, his group, and Wilford's second-in-command, Minister Mason (a delightfully odd Tilda Swinton). The film has a really straight-forward structure, with each new train car providing a new sequence, but Bong Joon-ho's creative eye gives each segment a bizarre spin that suggests a real, lived-in world on the edges of the film beyond what we see. Each scene has something unique that makes it stand out, most notably a deliciously surreal sequence in a classroom featuring Alison Pill. The train car structure gives Snowpiercer a nice drive that literally hurtles the story forward, all leading up to a climax that is strange, sad, and surprisingly thought-provoking. The whole movie is an unbelievably fun ride that isn't afraid to be strange and actually has a lot on it's mind. Bong Joon-ho brings a perfect blend of action, drama, and social commentary, making for one of the most satisfying filmgoing experiences of the year.

2. Whiplash (Damian Chazelle)

How much are you willing to sacrifice for the thing you love? How much of your blood, sweat, tears, and time are you willing to pour into it to be the best? How much mental and emotional abuse would you put up with if it meant a better chance at being the best? These are a few of the questions presented in Whiplash, Damian Chazelle's scintillating debut feature. Miles Teller (continuing to prove himself as an immensely talented young actor) stars as Andrew Neyman, an aspiring jazz drummer at a prestigous music school who finds himself under the tutelage of Terrence Fletcher, a well-regarded teacher who is infamous for his abravise, cruel methods of teaching. A battle of wills transpires as Andrew pushes and pushes himself to be the best, and gain the respect of Fletcher, no matter the cost. J.K. Simmons, who already had a very respectable career up to this point, simply tears into the role of Fletcher and explodes off the screen with his performance. Simmons gives Fletcher such an intensity that even the calmly spoken phrase "Not quite my tempo" becomes more frightening than most horror movies. Teller and Simmons play off each other expertly and their relationship escalates to an ending that is absolutely exhilirating. In a year that featured several spectacular superhero and sci-fi battles, the most jaw-dropping film sequences of the year ended up involving jazz drumming, and that's quite a feat.

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson)