1. Carol
A gorgeous, sumptuously acted tale of longing, love and loss.
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
Brilliant, insane, eye-popping, groundbreaking, moving, imaginative—what movies should be.
3. Son of Saul
Haunting, intimate, sublime and achingly original.
4. Spotlight
A masterpiece of storytelling and ensemble acting that captivates as it enlightens.
5. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The movie that could never live up to all the hype actually does and turns out to be the perfect bridge between nostalgia and…a new hope.
6. The Martian
Matt Damon makes you cheer for science—Ridley Scott makes you cheer for everything else.
7. Straight Outta Compton
Three incredible performances, one unforgettable film.
8. Sicario
A taut, gorgeous thriller that should finally make Emily Blunt the star she should be.
9. Room
A difficult film to watch that’s worth every second.
10. Ex Machina
Imaginative, incredibly-acted futuristic thriller—see it for Oscar Isaac’s dancing, if for nothing else.