#10 — Inside Out (review by: Joe Jodoin)

This Pixar masterpiece is not just the best kid’s film of the past few years, but it managed to draw a large adult audience as well.

What’s shocking about this film is that it has a really clever and high-concept story that is still engaging for children. Arguably, making great films that are equally loved by children and adults is one of the hardest things for a filmmaker to achieve. Michael Giacchino’s score is also beautiful and unique, and works perfectly to make every important moment of the film more powerful and memorable.

More than anything, Inside Out deserves recognition because it represents the height of what modern filmmaking can achieve: it’s funny, emotional, powerful, re-watchable, and original, with great animation and a deep message.

#9 — Straight Outta Compton (review by: Hess Sahlollbey)

A biopic recounting the career of the N.W.A. on the rap music charts of the early 90s, Straight Outta Compton was the sleeper hit of the summer. Directed by F. Gary Gray with Dr. Dre and Ice Cube as producers, the film recounts the rise and fall of five friends from the eponymous neighborhood in California that popularized gangster rap. The artists in the film base their music on their emotions towards the injustices and discriminations that black Americans suffered in the 80s. Yet the film still functions as an effective commentary on not just black history and American history, but on contemporary race relations, issues and social change that is still relevant today. The film stars O’Shea Jackson, Jr. as his father Ice Cube, Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Jason Mitchell as the late Eazy-E, and  Paul Giamatti as their manipulative manager. The film can best be summed with that famous line from their debut album: “You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.”

#8 — Star Wars: The Force Awakens (review by: Trisha Gregorio)

Considering the significance of its release late in 2015, it feels wrong not to include Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Taking over George Lucas’ brainchild in this seventh installment, J.J. Abrams recaptures the action and charm that has long defined the Star Wars film franchise, and makes it into something exclusively his.

The Force Awakens achieves a careful balance between old and new, whether that be in its storyline or the interweaving of both familiar and fresh new faces. Most notable, however, is its accessibility to a generation that grew up on everything space and sci-fi, as well as a generation that has only passively heard of it, heralding an era of much promise for the future of the Star Wars series.

#7 — Sicario (review by: Joe Jodoin)

Sicario is an incredibly tense morality tale about a young up-and-coming FBI agent thrust into a world of hitmen, assassins, drugs, and lies, where she is forced to confront serious ethical questions about the lengths one should go to protect their nation’s security.

Not only is the plot of this movie incredibly interesting, but the cast including Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin makes up one of the best ensembles of the year.

What Sicario excels at most, however, is building up incredible tension that keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats, clenching their fists for minutes on end, with each scene progressively becoming tenser than the next. This is action-packed and thought-provoking filmmaking at its finest.

#6 — The Hateful Eight (review by: Joe Jodoin)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnRbXn4-Yis

Those who are familiar with Quentin Tarantino are also familiar with the writer/director’s signature style: brilliantly crafted characters, hilariously memorable dialogue, non-linear narrative and a sprinkling of over-the-top violence that’s not for the faint of heart. The Hateful Eight delivers all of this and more, in a nearly three-hour long thriller that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat. The interesting aspects of this movie’s plot are that it takes place mainly in one setting, and that no character can really be described as “the good guy.”

Although this could have easily been a play, Tarantino brings such a wonderfully cinematic style, making the movie feel like a classic western from the 60s era. The film never gets boring either, as the violence and verbal sparring between all the despicable characters means there is never a dull moment.

#5 — Mad Max: Fury Road (review by: Vannessa Barnier)

This is perhaps the most talked about film of the year and I somewhat agree with the hype. I would recommend this movie to people who enjoy going to monster-truck events and punching. It’s incredible how nothing actually happens in the span of two hours. Mad Max, the namesake of the film, goes from prisoner to liberator, and drives a large rig back and forth across a great span of wasteland. He doesn’t do this alone, of course. One of Mad Max’s major assets is the strong female lead of Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron. I commend them on the cast, but they left out any people of colour – even if one of Immortan Joe’s wives were a woman of colour, that would have been nice. If you want to watch people drive around barren land for two hours while yelling, watch Mad Max.

#4 — Spotlight (review by: Tomi Milos)

Spotlight was the most self-righteously idealistic movie of the year, and such unapologetic belief in its own morals made it one of the most enjoyable watches of the year.

The film centers around the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team of journalists who unearthed a systemic pattern of child sex abuse by Catholic priests in the Boston Archdiocese.

Marty Baron’s (Liev Schrieber) first instructions to Spotlight as the newly-inducted editor of the newspaper is to speed up its research on locally-sourced stories.

Baron’s encouragement goads the quartet headed by Robby (Michael Keaton) into a  fierce investigation. The ensuing probe into one of the Church’s closely guarded-secrets is thrilling despite the obvious ending and leaves one with the sort of heavy-handed inspiration that probably incited you to crack open a book after watching Dead Poets Society.

Props if you can recognize an unlikely McMaster landmark in a scene that was shot in Hamilton in 2014.

#3 — The Revenant (review by: Joe Jodoin)

Not many filmmakers have as much passion for the art of filmmaking as Alejandro G. Inarritu, and The Revenant is a clear example of film as a work of art. Every single shot looks like a painting thanks to award-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, and every scene is choreographed perfectly to juxtapose the beauty and grit of nature. Inarritu was able to make the film simultaneously beautiful and brutal for the entire two and a half hour run time, and has truly created a visual masterpiece. The film is incredibly made in every other way too, and the acting of Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy especially elevate this film even higher. While not an easy film to watch due to its graphic and realistic violence, even those who don’t enjoy the film will admit to being blown away by the spectacle. This film is truly the definition of epic entertainment, and seeing it in theatres is highly recommended.

#2 — Carol (review by: Bahar Orang)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk

Carol Carol icy blue eyes, red-hot-livid-lips, porcelain skin, predatorial in that oversized mink coat and then small and timid as precocious prey with that terrified exhale of ‘I-love-you’. She is motherly, goddess-like, fierce and afraid, graceful and stumbling, large and lean, deep voice and heavy gaze, in awe, in despair, in heaven and in hell. And Carol’s sweet, solemn lover: Therese Belevit ‘flung-out-of-space’ is equally rife with complexity, contradiction, silence and stammer. She is child-like and vulnerable, but strong and complete and falling, unfaltering, forth into that woman, that person, that courageous, calm, clear-eyed, uncloaked, uncraven Carol. And between them: car windows, glass panes, December fog, large mirrors, a camera lens. But through it all their gazes remain on each other, vital and potent and precious and powerful.

The film centers desire: to respect your desires, to listen and tend to your desires is dignified, unshameful, crucial and brave. The film centres women: sometimes, men are dispensable, blundering, tepid and cruel. And finally, the film is a gorgeous relief from that history of fictional gay couples who suffer many a calamity in their pursuit of each other. For two women can indeed fall in love and stay together, dodge tragedy, and imagine a way of being where neither marriage nor age nor dread nor social disdain can define the limits or the levity of love.

Carol will leave you breathless and breathing, fulfilled and voracious; it is cold winter and hot touch; it is stunning, essential cinematographic poetry.

Directed by the masterful Paulo Sorrentino, Youth tells a deeply-affecting story about self-reflection and the yearning for more out of life as it steadily ebbs away.

#1 — Youth (review by: Michelle Yeung)

The film circles around Fred Bellinger (Michael Caine) and Mick Boyle (Harvey Keitel), two best friends who find themselves among the visitors of a lavish spa nestled in the Swiss Alps. Fred, a renowned and now retired composer, has vacationed here for over 20 years. Mick, on the other hand, steadfastedly works away with a group of young screenwriters to contrive his “final testament.” While Fred is alarmingly apathetic, Mick – not yet ready to let go of his past – continues to blaze towards a perilous dream. The other guests at the resort also seem to be cocooned in their own worlds. Everybody is doing their own thing, but nobody is really doing anything.

The exquisite marriage between the talents of Italian cinematographer Luca Bigazzi and contemporary composer David Lang catapults Youth to another stratosphere of cinematic brilliance. Bigazzi’s lensing is evocative, poignant and a marvel to behold. His compositions are impossibly striking; each shot could be framed and exhibited at a world-class art gallery.

In Youth, the sense of idleness and alienation is eerily compelling. Caine appears in one of the most tender and moving performances of his career, embodying a weathered and guarded man with reservoirs of harbored sentiment he was never able to express.

In the way he crafts his films, Sorrentino is similar to Fred in that he is also a composer himself. There is an eloquent, musical quality to his directing that, when combined with outstanding actors, makes watching his works both an immersive pleasure and a transcendent experience. Youth is cinema at its apex. It is poignant, ravishing and will engulf you like a dream.

Photo Credit: Diane Arbus

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As much as I have been obsessed with the artistic potential in video games, there have been very few experiences that felt like they could be recommended to a more general audience in the same way that a great film, novel or album could be. Even the classic contenders for the “Best Games of All Time” are steep time investments that make them a hard sell to a less committed audience.

The most prominent titles this year focused on providing hours and hours of content, or using their multi-million dollar budgets to perpetuate the clumsy additions of “cinematic storytelling.” Yet a small Kickstarter-backed game made by director and composer Toby Fox stands out as not only the clear winner for best game of 2015, it may very well have a shot for one of the greatest, and most important games of the modern era. Regardless of whether or not you have dabbled in the medium before, you have to experience the fantastical and complex world of Undertale.

On the surface, Undertale is a relatively straightforward, five-hour, turn-based role playing game, developed using Game Maker: Studio, a free engine. You assume the control of a nameless child, who has fallen into an underground world of monsters, and must encounter its strange residents, solve puzzles, and explore a variety of different environments in their journey home.

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Yet, unlike the traditional role-playing game, Undertale allows the player to complete the entire game without killing a single enemy. Almost every character interaction and plot point is changed heavily depending on whether or not the player has chosen to kill or show mercy: to play as a pacifist, or to kill every single character in the game.

The world within Undertale is whimsical, humorous, and as charming as it is deeply moving. It is reminiscent of some of my own favourite works of fantasy, that blend a humorous cast of characters with just the right amount of dark undertones subtly found throughout the plot. Every monster you encounter, though potentially violent at first, are never purely malicious, and it can be just as addicting to flirt with slime monsters, pet a Great Dog knight, or “unhug” a monster and respect their boundaries. The potential interactions during random encounters and boss battles make the pacifist route much more rewarding than traditional turn-based combat.

Undertale really punishes players in emotional form just as it does in terms of difficulty when one chooses the genocide route, and Fox does so by forcing players to consider the weight of their actions on this fictional world. There is no sense of heroism or justification in the genocide path, the game itself acknowledges that the player is really only doing it because they can. Monsters who would otherwise be the best of friends will desperately try to defend their loved ones against you, and their deaths are gruesome as they are desperate.

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While the strong cast of characters, writing, and tight battle-system would make a great title in its own right, Undertale’s commentary on some of the inherent traits of the video game medium is what pushes it to masterpiece status. Undertale acknowledges the absolute power the player has over the game itself, and in the face of that, begs and pleads that he/she shows mercy to its charming characters and world. Yet, while Fox actively encourages the player to follow the path of the pacifist, the world and characters that he created actively acknowledge that the player will eventually choose a genocide run out of some morbid curiosity, some “completionist” impulse or at the very least, watch the violent playthrough on YouTube.

Yes, one of the characters will call out those who choose to watch a genocide run on YouTube. That same character will acknowledge your attempts to reset and undo some of your accidental killings, and many more recognize that certain situations feel “nostalgic” after you decided to reset and play the game again. A genocide run followed by a pacifist playthrough will permanently prevent the player from getting the true, happy ending that typically follows the Pacifist run. The characters themselves will even can even beg the player not to reset the game following its completion, as it would undo the happy ending in their world. There are no true resets, and no true reloads.

A small Kickstarter-backed game made by director and composer Toby Fox stands out as not only the clear winner for best game of 2015, it may very well have a shot for one of the greatest, and most important games of the modern era. 

Breaking the fourth wall is not just a novel gimmick in Undertale. It is a critical part of the in-game story, and it is more importantly an open acknowledgement of the absolute power players have over video games themselves. This is a critical part of Undertale’s spirit, and what is arguably the most important aspect of its presentation. The ability to save, load, reset, manipulate files and even share these experiences online is an intrinsic part of the medium, and the game uses these components as a more powerful form of storytelling than any of this year’s cinematic attempts. Undertale is one of a kind, in that the relationship between the player and the game is allowed to go beyond the experiences directly within the game, and its exploration of the relationship that the player can have with the game itself is a radical new world for game developers to explore in future titles.

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Women's Rugby

For the first time in program history, the team was able to claim the Monilex trophy. The Marauders defeated host Queen’s Gaels in a 27-3 victory for the CIS championship title.

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Cross Country

Both the men’s and women’s team ended with great results at the CIS Championship meet. The men finished in fourth place, while the women came in sixth.

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Men's Volleyball

This talented Marauders team remains the group to beat as they have held the No. 1 spot in the country for nine weeks straight. There has yet to be a team take the spot from the Marauders. With the CIS Championships held at McMaster this year, it will be interesting to see how well this team does.

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Men's Football

Though the season did not end the way many expected for the Marauders, it was full of individual achievements to be proud of and records that were broken.

Photo Credits: rugby- Ian MacApline, cross country - Maxine Gravina, rest - Jon White/Photo Editor

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Tomi Milos/ANDY Editor

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56 Nights - Future

Future absolutely destroyed 2015 and it all started with 56 Nights. Following the likes of Monster and Beast Mode, 56 Nights goes about asserting Future’s exponential growth as an artist since his very public breakup with Ciara with a slew of hyper-personal tracks many do a disservice by dubbing “turn-up bangers”. Despite how heavy they go in the club, songs like “Never Gon Lose” and “March Madness” do everything but glorify narcotics. Anyone who listens closely to the lyrics will be able to perceive how Future is driven to drugs as a coping mechanism and only resorts to self-celebratory verses to mask his deep pain.

 

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In Colour - Jamie xx

Everything about Jamie xx’s modus operandi reeks of deliberateness. His debut solo record is titled In Colour, and befittingly sports a rainbow-hued cover that also hints at what lies inside. Just like his music with his band The xx, Jamie’s efforts on In Colour are rich in emotional depth and range. The eleven-track record has a stunning array of highs and lows, as well as what is probably the song of the summer in “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)”. While that particular Young Thug collaboration is the most obvious ear-worm, the rest of the songs all reward multiple listens in which their genius subtlety comes to light.

 

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Return To The Moon - EL VY

The National didn’t release an album this year with its members either focusing on their families, or investing energy into solo projects, but all of them have released stellar material regardless. Matt Berninger’s collaboration with Brent Knopf is arguably the most immediately gratifying of the bunch. Return To The Moon finds Berninger at his most self-aware, making fun of both himself and all the dad-rock jabs that his work gets from critics. The title track is a pitch-perfect example of the occasionally formulaic catharsis that Berninger’s band aims for, while the rest of the record decidedly distances itself from any comparisons.

 

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The Names - Baio

Chris Baio has released solo material for some time now, but Vampire Weekend’s extended break has allowed the bassist-turned-producer to put out an extremely polished record in The Names. The quiet, intellectual that Baio comes across as in interviews marries his exuberant on-stage personality on the record. Sometimes uncomfortable, but always danceable, The Names is a heartwarming foray into electronic music by a talented musician who reveals himself to be an academic in his devotion to learning a new craft, but not in blending his knowledge into a cohesive product.

 

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I Don’t Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside - Earl Sweatshirt

While Odd Future has ceased to be interesting, Earl has remained a brilliant outsider unhindered by the tunnel vision of his old peers. I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside sees Earl remind us how miserable he is, but in much more inventive fashion than usual. While listening to someone’s personal struggle can get grating, what makes Earl’s continued forays down that path rewarding is that he has matured much more than his former friends. Whereas Doris had a lot of misplaced anger on it, I Don’t Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside has a much grander scope and is ultimately about recovering from the bleak episodes that he recounts.

 

 

 

Vannessa Barnier/ANDY Reporter

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RULES - Alex G

Before getting signed to Domino last year, Alex G dropped this lil album on Bandcamp. G has since put out other albums this past year, but it was something about the comfortable, lo-fi, bedroom-cooing featured on RULES that made it trump 2015’s Beach Music. It was only in 2015 that this album, along with TRICK, was mastered in a studio and made commercially available. Domino’s reissue put RULES on the map for me, and contributed to it becoming my most-played album of last year.

 

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Homespun - Jordaan Mason

From the first seconds of Jordaan Mason’s Homespun, you can predict how intimate the album will sound in its entirety. You can hear Mason walk in and sit down on the first track as they join you in the experience that is this album. Homespun is a vulnerable piece that was made as a gift to Mason’s husband, who convinced Mason to share this album publically. This album is Mason’s attempt at an ambient-sounding album with warmth and sounds they weren’t hearing in the ambient genre. The result is a comforting record.

 

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Carrie & Lowell - Sufjan Stevens

As a mainstream artist, the heartfelt nature of Sufjan Steven’s Carrie & Lowell was rather unexpected. This album affected a lot of listeners since high-profile musicians — for the most part — don’t use their music as an opportunity to tell hyper-personal stories about themselves. Listeners of this album often admit to crying to the songs, noting that this is a confessional album that really hit them. This is a sad album, but I’ve heard sadder albums. For what it’s worth, I overplayed Carrie & Lowell in 2015, and will continue to do so in 2016.

 

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A New Place 2 Drown - Archy Marshall

This year, Archy Marshall moved away from his moniker, King Krule, and released an album under his own name, in partnership with his brother, Jack. A New Place 2 Drown was accompanied by a book, as well as a short film to fully explore the themes of brotherhood and art in the release. With murmuring and static, Marshall released an album that showed more sides of him than he had cared to display in his previous albums. His deep, beautiful voice vibrates out his poetic lyrics and went well with the lethargic tempo of the album.

 

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Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress - GY!BE

Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress came out on the last day of March, when I was ending a relationship that I had hardly let begin. Luckily for me, GY!BE released this track after a long hiatus and just in time to save me from sinking into personal despair. This album is every bit reminiscent of GY!BE’s past work without being derivative. This LP is home to the usual drone-y ambience with some added gusto that makes the listening experience all the more rich. I’d recommend listening to this when you catch yourself staring out of a window.

 

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Best Atmosphere

Mezcal 150 James Street South

At the young age of five months, Mezcal is already an exciting addition to Hamilton’s restaurant scene. It offers a variety of Mexican-style cuisine as well as an impressive selection of tequila.

Upon arrival, we ordered a variety of house-recommended tacos (pictured on the following pages) as well as the most satisfying of the dishes, a seasonal Huevos tortas (pictured here). The tortas was a delicious layering of a blue corn tortilla with avocado, salsa, seasoned pork, lettuce and house crema sauce. It tasted great and was a reasonable price for a filling and sizeable dish.

The menu and decor are more Mexican-inspired than truly Mexican, but it is still a delicious menu with a tasteful and artistic atmosphere. Definitely worthy of several Instagrams.

Best Menu Variety

Mex-I-Can 34 Hess Street South

Crank up the Paulina Rubio and enjoy one of the many platters offered up by this Hamilton classic. Mex-I-Can has been in the Steel City for 22-years, having formerly been located on James Street North. The owners recently opened the doors to their new space on Hess this summer.

I have had a variety of meals from Mex-I-Can and have never left feeling dissatisfied. They offer both vegetarian and meat tacos served with classic rice and refried beans. They are cheesy and meaty and wonderful, and although their meats can seem a bit greasy, they definitely make for great comfort food.

The service can be hit or miss, and a few dishes are priced a bit high for what they’re worth, but overall it’s a good experience with plates for every palate.

Best Grab-And-Go

Ole Gourmet 82 Locke Street South

Ole Gourmet’s Locke Street location is just one of their three store fronts. The now Hamilton chain also has stores at 174 Highway 8 and 473 King Street West, with the latter being their newest spot with added seating.

Ole sells a variety of tacos at super reasonable prices — think two chicken or steak tacos for $3.99. Their Locke Street location is quite small and is really more of a take-out location than a sit-down restaurant. Their tacos have thick, soft shells and they’re willing to pile on the cilantro if you’re in the mood for a kick of flavour. Their shop on Locke is easy to get to with the HSR and best of all, they also have fresh and fast churros.

Best Hidden Gem

Papagayo 246 King Street West

Papagoya has been located on King for the last 15 years, but can be easily glossed over when riding the bus or running to McDonalds. As a person who takes great pride in keeping up with restaurants in Hamilton, I was pleasantly surprised to discover Papagoya a few weeks ago. The interiors of the restaurant are charming and colourful with a large selection of chili-themed art and tapestries. If you’ve always wanted to see a light fixture made of hundreds of plastic chilis, go here, you will not be disappointed. The service is fast and friendly and they offer delicious soft tacos along with other great dishes like fresh mussels, chimichangas and chili cheesecake.

Best One-Off Menu Item

Thirsty Cactus 2 King Street East

Known for their pool tables and Tex-Mex cuisine, hidden in the Thirsty Cactus’ menu is a great fish taco dish. With blue corn tortillas, tilapia and cilantro, their fish tacos are a great option for those of you who just aren’t in the mood for an oversized portion of pulled pork. It’s their only taco-like option, but the dish is generous with three stuffed tacos at $10. The only downfalls are that it is technically not in Hamilton (read: Dundas), and sometimes they leave their tortillas out too long and they get weird and crumbly.

10. The F Word (review by: Alex Florescu)

Sparks fly between medical school dropout Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe), and Chantry (Zoe Kazan) amid the skyscrapers, botanical gardens and quirky corners of downtown Toronto. Cut from the same cloth, their witty banter and seamless conversation is every indication of their compatibility. Two people that are awkward together stay together. Unfortunately, Wallace is five years too late, as lawyer Ben has already beaten him to the punch and secured Chantry’s heart. This leaves Wallace with no choice but to prove the age-old fable that guys and girls really can “just be friends.” While, the movie is admittedly unable to escape the clutch of corniness that trademarks every “will they, won’t they” movie, even the most skeptical of romantics must secretly hope that the pair will end up together by the time the end credits roll. This is largely due in part to Daniel’s affable nervousness and Zoe’s doe-eyed charm, but even their chemistry may not be enough for those severely allergic to the word “cute”.

For those, I offer you an antidote: a true cinematographic tour of Toronto. You may have recognized the Harvard bar in Good Will Hunting for its true identity as a bar on Front Street, or New York skyscrapers as Torontonian ones in many Manhattan movies — Toronto has long played the stunt double for other cities in the world, so it is rewarding to see it get credit. As Chantry and Wallace fall in love strolling along Dundas Street, watchers will fall in love with the way the city glows in the rain (if they haven’t already).

9. The Imitation Game (review by: Rachel Harper)

There’s been talk of potential Oscar nominations surrounding The Imitation Game ever since its release date in late November. Benedict Cumberbatch, known primarily for his role in the BBC drama Sherlock, stars as brilliant English mathematician Alan Turing, who was responsible for solving the “Enigma” code during the Second World War.

The biopic is loosely based on the experiences of Turing in the 1940s. He was hired by the British government along with a few other code breakers to take part in a clandestine project of grave importance – finding a way to break the Enigma code. If the code was broken (it was said to be impossible) then the British would be able to decipher messages being sent amongst the Germans, thereby revealing planned attacks, co-ordinates, strategies, and other vital information that would aid the Allies in winning the war.

In terms of historical accuracy, this film isn’t quite on the mark. Many liberties were taken to presumably make the film more dramatic, or even exaggerate Turing’s character. Cumberbatch’s Turing has difficulty in social situations, doesn’t understand jokes and doesn’t usually play well with others. He’s a genius – mathematician, computer science pioneer, philosopher and code breaker. He’s also queer, which was illegal in Britain at that time.

Frivolous plot points aside, Cumberbatch portrays Turing brilliantly. He adopts several completely new mannerisms for the role, and the way in which he delivers them is stunning. Overlooking the historical inaccuracies, the film is a roller coaster of emotion that makes for a good watch.

8. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (review: Nicole Vasarevic)

Winner of the 2015 Golden Globe award for Best Animated Film, How To Train Your Dragon 2 once again does not fail to make its audience, no matter what age, feel the uncontrollable need to curl up into a ball and cry. Reuniting man with dragon, the long-awaited sequel explores the values of family, friendship and standing up for what is right.

The film explores the complicated relationship between humans and animals and the damage that can be done when this relationship is not understood. Canadian director Dean DeBlois is no stranger to directing children’s movies that often leave its older audience more stirred than its younger audience. Other than both How To Train Your Dragon 1 and 2, Deblois also co-directed 2002 Lilo and Stitch and Disney’s 1998 Mulan.

The 3-D animation in How To Train Your Dragon 2 is nearly perfect. Regardless of its compelling story, the beauty of watching Toothless soar through the clouds while his silhouette reflects in the crystal clear lake below will leave you wanting to sprout wings and fly off.

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