Look back at best, worst of 2015

The internet gets clogged at this time with lists: Top 10 Celebrity Nose Jobs Gone Wrong; Five Child Stars You Won’t Believe Are All Grown Up; 50 Best Kardashian Butt Implants.

So I decided to shake it up a bit and resist the temptation to merely rank the films of the last year in any sort of order, and merely present highlights and lowlights that made up the year in cinema.

So, let’s start from the bottom and work our way up, shall we?

Most disappointing:

This year had its fair share of low returns on high hopes. Many big-name directors with proven talent had titles on the schedule that went off the rails this year. But these three represented the worst expectation-delivery ratios:

“Tomorrowland”: Director Brad Bird will has given us two near-perfect animated films (“Iron Giant,” “The Incredibles”), but his foray into live action was a chaotic mess that didn’t resonate with children or nostalgic adults.

“Chappie”: Short Circuit meets Romper Stomper, when a beloved robot is befriended by a gang of South African thugs who use him for their crimes. Director Neill Blomkamp excited audiences with his dystopic “District 9,” but between casting South African hip-hop group Die Antwoord and giving Hugh Jackman a righteous mullet, there’s not a single appealing (or original) moment to this waste of CGI.

“Aloha”: In the 1990s, Cameron Crowe had a streak of success as a writer and/or director of some of the decade’s more iconic films - “Almost Famous,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Singles.” Then, he kept directing. “Vanilla Sky” and “Elizabethtown” were low points, but even they stand above the chaotic artifice that was “Aloha.” Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray and Emma Stone could add shape to this lump of random scenes that emulates a film.

Franchise killer

“Terminator: Genisys”: As if “Terminator: Salvation” did not grind the well-worn franchise into the ground, here comes “Genisys” to break it into a thousand little scattered pieces. Adding about a half-dozen more timelines to further convolute the time-traveling tale, it’s rather ironic that “Genisys” goes nowhere.

Annual Adam Sandler placeholder film

“Pixels”: While this year saw three (!) Adam Sandler releases, “Pixels” was the only one to get a major release (the other two had limited debuts - “The Cobbler” in a handful of theaters and “Ridiculous 6” directly to Netflix). This one earns the distinction of squandering the biggest opportunity, budget, time and will to stay in the theater.

Worst use of Johnny Depp

“Mortdecai”: Depp sobers up his Jack Sparrow schtick to mug it up as another British rapscallion, but this meandering tale of Nazi gold, Mi5, and international terrorists is one that places too much stock in the actor’s ability to make funny faces into the camera.

Unnecessary remake:

“The Fantastic Four”: While the aftertaste of the last two attempts at making this group relevant is still bitter on the tongue, along comes this reboot that somehow makes...

Enough griping! There were some truly solid efforts this year as well, and some from very unexpected sources. (Who would have thought the best action films of the year would come from a couple of directors approaching their 80s? Take notes, young’uns!).

Most welcome return:

“Mad Max: Fury Road”: One of the best films of the year comes from a long-dormant franchise in which the last chapter did not leave us begging for more. But despite all the odds, director George Miller created a world that felt lived in, gave us characters with depth, and lit up the screen with some of the most stunning action sequences this year. A remarkable achievement that left us clamoring for more.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”: My devotion to the original series is no mystery, but the mere fact director J.J. Abrams was able to create a film that not only felt as though it was a logical continuation to “Jedi,” but satisfied old nerds like me and will thrill future generations of nerds, gave a renewed hope that the franchise had not been given over the dark side.

Best ensemble:

“Spotlight”: Making a film about uncovering the massive Catholic church coverup scandal was a dicey move. The fact that it was thrilling, engrossing and ultimately satisfying was due in large part to its incredible cast, including Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Brian d’Arcy James and John Slattery.

“Straight Outta Compton”: Raw and real as the sound of when the original NWA broke onto the music scene, “Compton” assembled a number of young, skilled actors - including the offspring of one of the band’s founders, O’Shea Jackson Jr. to go behind the music and give us an unflinching look at the lives that drove the songs that gave voice to a generation.

Best anti-superhero film:

“The Martian”: Sure, it was masterfully acted by Matt Damon and directed with precision by Ridley Scott, but the most refreshing aspect of “The Martian” was its hero’s reliance on reasoning, will and logic for survival. In an era where genetic superpowers and heavy artillery are used to solve problems, “The Martian” flies above with its demonstration of brains over brawn.

Best filmmaking/Best actor

“The Revenant”: Using only natural light for his shots, director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu once again proves he is one of the most innovative and bold directors working today. After closing last year with the year’s best film (“Birdman’), he closes 2015 on top yet again with this harrowing, stunning survival epic with Leonardo DiCaprio proving he is one of this generation’s top actors.

Best actress:

“Room”: Not an easy film, to be sure, this tale of a captive mother and the child she keeps protected of their situation, Brie Larson carries the majority of this film with humanity and humility, showing a young woman who shields the wretchedness of her life from her son.

Best family film:

“Inside Out”: Taking a subject that Hollywood often neglects (adolescent girls), the masterminds of Pixar once again prove the studio that specializes in animating digital creatures has some of the most intuitive writers of the human condition today.

Best visionary pic

“Ex-Machina”: Sparse, subtle and sexy, “Ex-Machina” was a minimalist slice of sci-fi that made the most of its limitations and gave us a glimpse into our unending tech quest.

Best unnecessary sequel:

“Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation”: Re-energized and refocused, the Tom Cruise series felt urgent and unexpectedly fun. It’s surprising the “Mission” lasted this long, but after “Nation,” future installments are certainly welcome.

“Creed”: Thankfully, Sylvester Stallone hung up the gloves for this one and let others enter the ring. It was not really a tale that we thought needed to be told, but once it concluded, it was one that seemed to fit well within the world of “Rocky.”