79.) Spectre [11/19/2015]

Does anyone remember when Michael Jordan retired, won three more championships, and then after a second retirement, he played for two more unremarkable years with the Wizards?  That's a nice analogy for this, unnecessary, though occasionally-fun-to-watch fourth installment in the James Bond series; it was wrapped up so cleanly with Skyfall, that everything about this movie, from the action scenes (save one fight with Dave Bautista) to the romance to the dialog felt forced and tacked-on.

78.) Suffragette [11/17/2015]

The struggle about voting rights for women is full of interesting and courageous women, and several of those were featured in the film, including Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep) and Emily Davison (Natalie Press), the last of who literally gave her life for the cause, but strangely, none of these people were the protagonist of the film; instead, Carey Mulligan played a fictionalized character who really had no impact on the movement or voting rights, leaving me to wonder why the film focused so intently on her.

77.) Steve Jobs [11/8/2015]

The second of the Steve Jobs bio-pics was less concerned about the principal actor looking and walking like Steve Jobs, and more concerned about telling a balanced story; Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle worked well here, and the movie was both beautiful and well-told. (This was out of order, sorry.)

76.) Burnt [11/13/2015]

Like Whiplash, this movie examined the nature of perfection (this time in the kitchen instead of the stage), and what is necessary to become the best; it's hard not to like anything with Bradley Cooper in it, and this subtle movie was well-written, well-shot, and well-worth the time.

75.) Our Brand is Crisis [11/11/2015]

As interesting as this movie seemed (watching Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton politically maneuver to get opposing politicians elected seems inherently interesting), but the film never gave me a reason to care about anyone or anything: I didn't care who won, I didn't follow Bullock's character arc, and when the twist hit at the end, I wasn't moved as the film suggested I should be; this movie is ultimately forgettable, which is sad since both Bullock and Thornton were pretty good.

74.) The Last Witch Hunter [11/10/2015]

This movie was ridiculous (as anything about a dream-walking set of witches and the immortal man with a loose sense of morality who hunts them would have to be), but like Pacific Rim and Godzilla before it, the film was so fun to watch, I didn't care (too much) about the plot holes and inconsistencies; watching Vin Diesel act out what was likely his last D&D campaign in real life made it that much more enjoyable.

73.) The Martian [10/3/2015]

This was one of my favorite books this year, and when I heard that Matt Damon was cast to play Mark Watney, I was excited to see the movie; unfortunately, what I liked about the book (all the meticulous scientific description, his relationship with inanimate objects, etc.) just were not in the film; it did a good job of fleshing out Watney's personality, but the story was flattened out in exchange.

72.) Bridge of Spies [10/31/2015]

Sometimes, the most unexpected person can accomplish exceptional feats, and James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks, in a role reminiscent of Charlie Wilson's War) was an extraordinary man; the movie, which was quite good despite the slow nature of the narrative, shows how he began to change, initially unwillingly, from a decent insurance lawyer to one of the most successful international crisis negotiators in American history by clearly distinguishing between what is right and what is just; this movie is a reminder of how America used to lead by example, affording even the most reviled of foreign agents with the fullest dignity of the Constitution.

71.) Freeheld [10/29/2015]

The on-screen chemistry between Ellen Paige and Julianne Moore felt forced and unrealistic, but despite this seemingly problematic handicap, this was an incredibly moving movie; it's hard to imagine that as few as ten years ago, anyone would have to die to make a point, but by dying, Laurel Hester exemplified a simple truth: everyone should be treated fairly.

70.) The Walk [10/28/2015 - 3D]

There are few movies that actually evoke a physical response from me, and there are fewer movies I think need or deserve to be in 3D; The Walk was both, and with a great cast, an interesting narrative device (the whole experience felt like a carnival, but with more serious stakes), and stunning cinematography, this was a far more enjoyable experience than I anticipated going in.

69.) Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials [10/27/2015]

If you saw the first Maze Runner film and liked it, then you would probably like this one: same characters, same basic premise (escape from unclear and murky evil to find that everything is connected), lots of running, and then it ends clearly pointing to the next thing that needs to happen; the characters are likable enough, and the action is engaging, but I took some issue with the zombies who, like those in I am Legend and World War Z, got faster and stronger as they decayed.