40 Best Movies Of 2015 Ranked (2025)

The best 2015 movies run the gambit from independent foreign period pieces to tentpole sequels of some of the largest franchises in movie history. In 2015, memes of Drake’s "Hotline Bling" were taking the internet by storm, Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah replaced David Letterman and Jon Stewart as late-night hosts, Justin Bieber was proving he was more than just a child postar with the release of "Sorry" and "What Do You Mean?", people on the internet debated if a dress was black and blue or gold and white, and Katy Perry spent the Super Bowl dancing with RightShark as LeftShark struggled to find the groove.

In film news, the MCU was nearing the end of Phase 2 with only a minimal two films set to release that year. The Jurassic Park and Star Wars franchises were receiving a fourth entry that would signal many more years of blockbuster sequels and spinoffs and the Mission Impossible and Fast & Furious franchises each added another film to their catalog. Mad Max returned and Pixar finally asked, "What if emotions had feelings?" 2015 was a strong year for original films, adapted works, tense dramas, and over-the-top comedies; on the whole, an excellent year for movies.

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40 Furious 7

• Furious 7 is available to stream on Peacock

Furious 7 sees Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and the rest of his crew called on to stop Mose Jakande (Djimon Hounsou) from obtaining a powerful computer program while Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) attempts to avenge his brother. The and one of the stronger entries, Furious 7 is another action-packed adventure that ends with an emotional tribute to Paul Walker who unexpectedly passed away in the middle of filming.

39 Jurassic World

• Jurassic World is available to stream on The Roku Channel and Freevee

The fourth movie in the Jurassic franchise, Jurassic World began a whole new trilogy of films with the titular park rebuilt and actually open for business before scientific experimentation leads to dinosaurs once again running amok. Jurassic World earned $1.67 billion at the box office (via Box Office Mojo) and was celebrated as a thrilling, if not somewhat unoriginal, monster film.

38 Ant-Man

• Ant-Man is available to stream on Disney+

Ant-Man introduced the titular superhero Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) as a former burglar out on parole who teams up with Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to defend his shrinking technology from Darren Cross (Corey Stoll). Ant-Man is the final film of the MCU's Phase 2 and its standalone nature and Rudd's funny and fresh performance as Lang makes it one of the more enjoyable Marvel films.

37 Kingsman: The Secret Service

• Kingsman: The Secret Service is available to stream on Max

In Kingsman: The Secret Service, Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (Taron Egerton) is recruited out of his ho-hum life to join a group of posh secret agents known as the Kingsman, and together they work to stop Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) from explosively, and colorfully, wiping out humanity. Kingsman: The Secret Service was a surprise hit that has resulted in a sequel and a prequel, but neither are as bombastic, crude, and delightfully over the top as the original.

36 Avengers: Age Of Ultron

• Avengers: Age of Ultron is available to stream on Disney+

The second film in the Avengers series, Avengers: Age of Ultron bridges the gap between the team's introduction and their final confrontation against Thanos by forcing the superheroes to reckon with a creation of their own hand, Ultron. The film earned $1.4 billion globally (via Box Office Mojo) and set up the internal conflict between the Avengers that would prove critical in Phase 3 of the MCU.

35 Cinderella

• Cinderella is available to stream on Starz

The 2015 Cinderella is one of the early live-action Disney adaptations, and this version stars Lily James as the titular heroine. Cinderella is one of the best live-action Disney remakes thanks to excellent performances from its star-studded cast, and its attention to detail in set design and costumes, for which Cinderella was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

34 Dope

• Dope is available to stream on Cinemax

Dope is a coming-of-age drama that follows Malcolm Adekanbi (Shameik Moore) and his group of geeky friends in a tough LA neighborhood on a day when they find themselves getting into all kinds of trouble. It's a funny, romantic, and thought-provoking look into a young Black man's life and Black culture that isn't always put to screen.

33 Steve Jobs

• Steve Jobs is available to stream on Starz

Michael Fassbender stars as the eponymous tech magnate in Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs, a biopic structured like a three-act play that takes the audience through three major product unveilings across Job's career. Fassbender and Kate Winslett were nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress for their performances in this rapid-fire, tense, and ultimately pitying look at the legendary, or notorious depending on who's speaking, Apple CEO.

32 When Marnie Was There

• When Marnie Was There is available to stream on Max

When Marnie Was There is a Studio Ghibli film about Anna Sasaki (Hailee Steinfeld in the English dub) who leaves her home to stay with relatives in Hokkaido and meets a mysterious girl, Marnie (Taylor Autumn Bertman, Kiernan Shipka, and Catherine O'Hara across different time periods in the English dub). Beautifully animated and moving, When Marnie Was There earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.

31 45 Years

• 45 Years is available to stream on AMC+

Kate (Charlotte Rampling) and Geoff Mercer (Tom Courtenay) are set to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary when Kate discovers Geoff was previously engaged before they met in 45 Years. It's an acting showcase for the two leads, and Rampling ended up being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. The actors effortlessly portray the disquiet that comes from past pain bubbling up after years of being covered.

30 Anomalisa

• Anomalisa is available to stream on Paramount+

Anomalisa is an adult stop-motion film from Charlie Kaufman about a customer service expert who literally sees everyone in the world as identical until he meets a woman who appears different from everyone else. Like many Charlie Kaufman movies, Anomalisa is a mind-bending, psychological journey that frightens and amazes in equal measure, which earned the film an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.

29 Bone Tomahawk

• Bone Tomahawk is available to stream on The Roku Channel and Tubi

Taking place in the 1890s in the Old West, Bone Tomahawk follows Sheriff Franklin Hunt (Kurt Russell) who leads a posse into the desert to rescue a group of townsfolk captured by a cannibalistic tribe. Bone Tomahawk has become a cult hit in the intervening years since it arrived and its unusual Western horror subgenre leads to some truly gruesome moments.

28 The Boy And The World

• The Boy and the World is available to rent on Prime Video

The Boy and the World is an animated Brazilian coming-of-age film that sees a young boy go off in search of his father after he leaves for work and never returns. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and its whimsical art style and the decision to only have the characters speak in a muted, garbled form of Brazilian-Portuguese juxtaposes the mature political story about protecting the environment that unfolds.

27 Spy

• Spy is available to stream on Max

Spy follows secret agent Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) who is assigned to find a nuclear device before it falls in the wrong hands. The film earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (McCarthy) and is a broad and pleasantly well-written film with an all-star cast of comedy talents.

26 The Lobster

• The Lobster is available to stream on Max

Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster follows a single man (Colin Farrell) who lives in a world where single people are rounded up and forced to stay in a hotel where they must find a life partner in 45 days or they will be turned into an animal of their choice. Offbeat and disturbingly funny, The Lobster is visually stunning and singularly unique in its story, characters, and setting, making for a darkly humorous and fantastical satire.

25 The Hateful Eight

• The Hateful Eight is available to stream on Netflix

Quentin Tarantino's eighth film, The Hateful Eight, finds eight strangers trapped in a mountain inn during a blizzard soon after the Civil War. A tense and puzzle-like mystery, The Hateful Eight is Tarantino showing what a play from the director would look like. The film was also nominated for three Academy Awards, winning Best Original Score for Ennio Morricone.

24 Star Wars: The Force Awakens

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens is available to stream on Disney+

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set 30 years after The Return of the Jedi and sees Rey (Daisy Ridley) join forces with new characters and old to fight the First Order and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Star Wars: The Force Awakens ushered in a new era of Star Wars with the sequel trilogy and set the standard for the franchise by earning $2.07 billion at the box office, via Box Office Mojo.

23 Straight Outta Compton

• Straight Outta Compton is available to stream on FuboTV.

Straight Outta Compton is the dramatic retelling of the rise and fall of the hip-hop group, N.W.A. Academy Award-nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Straight Outta Compton is a confidently directed and well-acted ensemble piece that is one of the best musical biopics in recent memory.

22 Tangerine

• Tangerine is available to stream on Prime Video

In Tangerine, a transgender sex worker is finally released from jail only to discover that her boyfriend and pimp is cheating on her. Both the leads of Tangerine are played by transgender actors, and the film is shot only on iPhone 5S smartphones. Despite the heavy story elements, Tangerine is often a light and deeply funny movie about friendship.

21 Trainwreck

• Trainwreck is available to rent on Apple TV and Prime Video

Amy Townsend (Amy Schumer) is a relationship-adverse free spirit who begins her first serious romance with Dr. Aaron Conners (Bill Hader) in Trainwreck. It's an outrageous and heartfelt comedy as to be expected from Judd Apatow but it's Schumer who owns the movie, creating a hilarious and sympathetic character all in one.