Live on ABC on Sunday, February 28, the 88th Academy Awards will be broadcast to the world from the Dolby Theater in California. Hosted by actor and comedian Chris Rock, the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, honor the best in films released in the calendar year of 2015. I have compiled my own annual list of some of the best movies in 2015 that you might have missed.

(For a complete list of nominees you can visit http://oscar.go.com/news/nominations/oscar-nominations-2016-the-complete-list-of-nominees )

Last year’s best in film

Best Horror/ thriller- It Follows

Best Action movie- Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Documentary- Cartel Land

Best Sci-Fi movie- Star Wars Ep.VII: The Force Awakens

Best Spy movie- Kingsman: The Secret Service

Best Romance- Brooklyn

Best Comedy- Spy

Best Animated movie- Inside Out

Best Drama- The Revenant

Best movie you may have missed: The Witch

Best overall movie- The Revenant

BEST HORROR/THRILLER:  Unfortunately big budget blockbusters horror films have served up to too many cliches. They are filled with unnecessary blood and gore, too many “jump scares,” as well as acting and dialogue more frightening than the actual movie. Films such as Annabelle, Ouija, and Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension are perfect examples of this.

Fortunately this is not the case for the best horror movie of 2015, It Follows. It Follows, builds genuine suspense, fear, and a sense of uneasiness. The plot is extremely original, and the chilling conclusion to the film will have you been looking over your shoulder days after the movie ends. It Follows is about a girl who is infected with something that makes her the target of a demon that only she can see. It can take on any form to disguise itself; it can look like a horrifying creature or your best friend. The demon follows her and does not stop. If it catches her it kills her, but it only ever follows at a walking pace. It continues stalking its prey day and night, unrelenting and unfailing. If you are a fan of genuine, well-made horror movies, It Follows is a film you should watch…but don’t watch alone!

BEST ACTION MOVIE- This was a great year for action movies! Choosing one was a hard decision, but nothing could beat Mad Max: Fury Road! Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, the Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Furious 7 were all high octane masterpieces; however, Mad Max: Fury Road is in a class of its own. Nominated for nine Oscars, this is a movie that transcends the action genre.

It features the strongest and most badass female character of 2015 in Furiosa played by Charlize Theron, and Tom Hardy is perfect in the title role of Max Rockatansky. The visual effects are out of this world, and the high paced adrenaline filled tone will have you on the edge of your seat for entire movie. You cannot call yourself an action fan without checking out  Mad Max: Fury Road!

BEST DOCUMENTARY – Although the documentary Amy chronicling  the life of Amy Winehouse has resonated the most with critics,(and is a fantastic documentary), It is the documentary Cartel Land that will leave you reflecting the most after it ends. A documentary about a revolt against a powerful drug cartel in Mexico, lead by all people a physician. Powerful to the bone, anyone who likes a good documentary will be sure to enjoy Cartel Land from start to finish.

BEST SCI-FI MOVIE – Is anyone surprised my pick for the best Sci-fi film of 2015 is Star Wars Ep.VII: The Force Awakens? Two absolutely phenomenal science fiction films graced our cinemas this year in the movies The Martian and Ex Machina. The Martian starring Matt Damon combined a truly entertaining story of survival, with exceptional comedic timing and wit. Ex Machina was most likely this year’s most sci-fi original film, and featured some the year’s best acting performances. Nothing though could beat the excitement, anticipation, and pandemonium that surrounded Star Wars Ep. VII. The nostalgia of seeing your childhood heroes like Han Solo and Chewbacca was unbeatable. The introduction of new characters like Ray, Fin, and Poe also gave a new energy to the franchise. I can honestly say that I had got joy, fun and excitement out of this movie, then I got from any movie this year.

BEST SPY MOVE – Barely topping my second and third choice picks, Spectre, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E, Kingsman: The Secret Service came out of left field and blew me away. A spy movie that felt like watching a comic book on screen, Kingsman entertained with laughs, action, creativity, and great acting from the likes of Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson and newcomer Taron Egerton. Director Matthew Vaughn,(X-Men: First Class), brought an unparalleled energy to the film, which is sure to put a smile on the face of any spy movie lover. It also pays homage to the Bond films of old, giving it a uniquely familiar authenticity, while also managing to be one of the most unique spy films in decades.

BEST ROMANCE – Brooklyn is the beautiful love story of an Irish immigrant coming across to America in the 1950’s. It explores her life as an immigrant in Brooklyn, as well as her romance with two different men, one in New York, and one back in Ireland. It is a happy ending love story, that also provides an aesthetic depiction of 1950’s New York City.

BEST COMEDY – One thing is for certain. Melissa Mccarthy is comedic gold. Also starring Jude Law, Rose Byrne and Jason Statham, Spy follows Melissa Mccarthy’s character, as a CIA desk worker who must become a field agent through a series of hilarious events. The movie provides tons of jokes that hit their mark, as well as many clever sequences of visual humor. Although light-hearted in its overall tone, Spy does earn R rating when it comes to violence in its action sequences. Jason Statham steals the show in many scenes, putting on his display skill as a comedic actor in what I consider to be the best comedy of 2015.     

BEST ANIMATED MOVIE – Inside Out. Not only is this my favorite animated movie of last year. It is also one of my favorite animated movies of all time. Shout outs to When Marnie was There, The Peanuts Movie, Anomalisa and Shawn the Sheep for all being fantastic. However no animated movie can best Inside Out. As Pixar does, this movie makes you smile laugh and cry in a whirlwind of emotions. It’s heartwarming and touching story does not shy away from serious subject matter, such as growing up, feeling of of place, depression and sadness. It will tug on every heart string in your body and will make you laugh out loud. Amy Poehler, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith and Bill Hader lend their voices as personifications of our emotions in this master class of movie that audience young and old will enjoy.      

BEST DRAMA – The Revenant. The beauty of this film is unparalleled visually. Filmed in hellish locations, and in all natural lighting, director Alejandro G. Inarritu and lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio bring to life the most epic drama of the year. Honorable mentions go to Spotlight (which tell the story of the journalists in Boston who broke the Catholic church’s sexual abuse scandal to light in the early 2000’s), and Room (which recaps the story of a kidnapped woman and her son’s survival in a room for 15 years, and their subsequent adjustment to the world after rescue). Check out all three if you can, but if you could only choose one, choose The Revenant.

 Not for those who scare easily, The Revant tell the story of a trapper left for dead after a bear attack in the harsh desolate plains of the Dakotas in the 1820’s. Leonardo DiCaprio plays real life trapper Hugh Glass as he crawled his way to survival through unspeakable circumstances in the wild. Heart pounding, disturbing, and astonishing The Revenant is the best story told in film in the year 2015.   

BEST MOVIE YOU MAY HAVE MISSED – The Witch.  Debuting at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015, The Witch hits wide release in theaters soon! If you enjoy horror movies then keep an eye out for this under the radar gem them will have you shaking with fear in the theaters.  

BEST MOVIE OVERALL – The Revenant

Go get that Oscar Leo!