Favorite Movie Villains of 2015
The year 2015 seemed to be filled with some very memorable screen villains. I am certain that many have their own opinions of what constituted their favorite villains. Well . . . I have mine. Below is that list of my favorite movie villains from 2015:
FAVORITE MOVIE VILLAINS OF 2015
1. Samuel L. Jackson as Richmond Valentine ("Kingsman: The Secret Service") - I have to say it. Samuel Jackson has created some very memorable characters throughout his career - both heroic and villainous. But his portrayal of high tech tycoon, Richmond Valentine, has to be very high on the list. Not only was his goal - to decimate the majority of mankind in order to save the Earth - diabolical, but his lisp and aversion to violence made his character extremely memorable. Extremely.
2. Corey Stoll as Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket ("Ant-Man") - It is a pity that Marvel Studios seemed incapable of maintaining its gallery of villains. One of the best Marvel villains I have come across in quite a while was Corey Stoll's interpretation of Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket, scientist and CEO of Hank Pym's company. Stoll's Cross projected daddy issues with a style that rivaled Loki from the THOR movies, thanks to the actor's performance.
3. Elizabeth Debicki as Victoria Vinciguerra ("The Man From U.N.C.L.E.") - Elizabeth Debicki gave a deliciously entertaining, yet subtle performance as the cool and cruel Victoria Vinciguerra, the leader of a neo-fascist criminal organization and co-owner of a shipping company, who harbored plans to build a nuclear weapon for her own personal use.
4. Donald Sutherland as President Coriolanus Snow ("The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part II") - For the fourth time, Donald Sutherland did an excellent in creeping out movie audiences as the cruel and manipulative leader of Panem, as his character resorts to extraordinary methods to put down a rebellion.
5. Haley Joel Osment as Travis McCerdle ("Entourage: the Movie") - I never thought in a million years that I would see Haley Joel Osment portray a truly unpleasant character, let alone make this list. But he proved to be the sole gem in an otherwise entertaining, yet mediocre film as the son of a Texas billionaire, who is given authority to oversee his father's investment in Ari Gold's film. Osment's performance struck me as so spot-on that he almost resembled a living embodiment of excrement. He has come a long way.
6. James Spader as Ultron ("The Avengers: Age of Ultron") - Another Marvel villain bit the dust this year. But before he (or it) did, audiences were treated to a superb voice performance by actor James Spader as the self-aware artificial intelligence bent upon decimating humanity. Not only was Spader's performance a joy to hear, he had one of the best lines in the movie.
7. Jennifer Jason-Leigh ("The Hateful Eight") - In a movie filled with villains, the most memorable for me turned out to be Daisy Domergue, an outlaw being escorted to her execution by ruthless bounty hunter John Ruth. What made Jason-Leigh's Daisy so memorable was her penchant for sadistic humor, vengeful nature and more importantly her patience. Despite being smacked around throughout most of the movie, the actress superbly conveyed just how ruthless Miss Domergue could actually be.
8. Hugh Laurie as David Nix ("Tomorrowland") - Hugh Laurie gave a subtle, yet sardonic performance as David Nix, the mayor of Tomorrowland, who valued technological achievement over scientific originality. Laurie did an excellent job in conveying the character's paranoia and willingness to resort extreme methods - including murder - in order to maintain the status quo - something he strongly supported. His rant against humanity is a must-see for any moviegoer.
9. Julianne Moore as President Alma Coin ("The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part II") - Julianne Moore gave a very subtle performance as the leader of Panem's District 13 and the rebellion against the Capitol. At first glance, her efforts to free Panem from President Snow's rule seemed very genuine. But Moore did an excellent job in occasionally conveying Coin's manipulative and patient personality, along with a penchant for bloodletting that rivaled Snow's.
10. Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavros Blofeld ("SPECTRE") - Christoph Waltz became the fifth actor to portray British agent James Bond's biggest nemesis, Ernst Stavros Blofeld, head of criminal/terrorist organization SPECTRE. And he gave a memorable performance, project the character's ruthlessness, intelligence, sadism and . . . dare I say it . . . charm? Waltz's Blofeld made a very charming sadist, only rivaled by Telly Savalas' portrayal in the late 1960s.