Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and lavish five stars upon a film that is unworthy (which I did for The Matrix: Reloaded and The Matrix: Revolutions). Sometimes a film hits you the wrong way first time around and you only discover its greatness on a second viewing – long after the review has been written, unfortunately (apologies to Ratatouille and Step Brothers).

People often ask me about the difference between a four-star film and a five-star film. The answer is longevity – that often indefinable quality that gives a movie “classic” status. 

A four-star film is one that is great but we won’t still be talking about it in 10 years. A five-star film is one we will remember for decades to come. Predicting this is incredibly difficult (hence me getting it wrong from time to time).

The other frequently asked question I get is about comparing films, usually phrased in the manner: “How can you give Film A four stars but Film B only three stars?”, often with an insult disparaging my level of intelligence thrown in for good measure.

The tricky bit about reviewing movies is being objective, but the best rule of thumb is assessing a film on whether it achieves what it sets out to do. I often get criticised for giving big dumb blockbusters and rom-coms four stars, as if such genres are unworthy, but if those films achieve their goals with skill and few flaws, and appease their target markets, whose to say they’re bad?

And God forbid you ever say a movie is bad – especially if that movie has a rabid fanbase. I had no idea there were so many hardcore Transformers fans out there until I slated one of the films (I can’t remember which one to be honest because I’ve slated three out of four) and received an onslaught of anger as a result. But this year I broke a personal best for hate mail when I dared to compare DC’s over-stuffed Batman Vs Superman with Marvel’s far superior Captain America: Civil War. I felt the comparison was fair considering each film shared a similar theme and pitted iconic heroes against each other, but apparently I’m just a “Marvel shill” who wants to see DC’s movie universe fail. They give me way too much credit.

The first movie I ever reviewed for The Standard 15 years ago was The Animal starring Rob Schneider. Thankfully things have gotten better since then. I’ve never walked out of a film and I’ve never fallen asleep during a film (although I came perilously close during M Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender), and amid the Kevin James “comedies” and painful Nicholas Sparks adaptations there have been innumerable gems.

So with a healthy dose of hindsight, here are my favourite films (and franchises) of the past 15 years.

***********

Peter Jackson’s epic undertaking was as massive as Frodo’s journey, but worth it.

After a slow start, this series hit its stride by #3 and became an unmissable spectacle by #8.

The greatest of many great films from Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli.

The Madchester music scene of the ‘80s was explored in hilariously post-modern fashion.

The first two films of the two X-Men trilogies were awesome – the third films, not so much.

Tim Burton’s under-appreciated masterpiece about storytelling and father-son bonds.

Michel Gondry’s mind-bending take on love and memory did everything right.

Pixar delivered a greatest superhero movie through the prism of family dynamics.

Whether fighting zombies (Shaun Of The Dead), spoofing buddy-cop films (Hot Fuzz), or squeezing in a beer before the apocalypse (The World’s End), this Wright/Pegg/Frost series was never short of hilarious.

Christopher Nolan’s Bat-debut was amazing, but its Joker-led sequel was a minor miracle of cinema.

Stark, moving and powerful black-and-white look at the rise and sudden stop of UK band Joy Division.

Guillermo Del Toro’s magnum opus was beautiful, brutal and bewitching in equal measure.

Two of Daniel Craig’s Bond films were among the best of the series.

Killer cast in Scorsese’s top-notch cops-and-mobsters remake. 

Nolan again, this time making magic by pitting Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale’s uber-competitive magicians head-to-head.

Mel Gibson’s strangely forgotten Mayan chase thriller was relentlessly riveting.

Fascinating insight into life behind the Berlin Wall, as seen through the eyes of a Stasi officer on a surveillance assignment.

Patrick Suskind’s “unfilmable” novel became a stunning vehicle for Ben Wishart as the olfactorily gifted murderer Jean-Baptiste.

Jason Reitman’s clever debut was a hilariously wild swipe at PR companies and the tobacco industry.

The Coen Brothers’ best film of the past 15 years was a memorable exploration of the brutality of chance.

Reitman’s second film was a wonderfully offbeat and charming look at teen pregnancy.

David Fincher dug into the unsolved Zodiac killings with ominous style and a surprisingly satisfying conclusion.

Jaw-dropper of a doco about an underdog Donkey Kong recordbreaker and his clash with the egomaniacal previous recordholder.

Great send-up of musical biopics built on one of John C Reilly’s best comedic performances.

Another Pixar masterpiece that used few words and a couple of robots to say a hell of a lot about love, humanity, and what we’re doing to this planet.

Hard to imagine this was ever considered a risky proposition given how well it worked on every level. 

Mickey Rourke gave his greatest performance to date in this stirring tale of wrestler unable to retire.

The found-footage genre went next level with this clever JJ Abrams-shepherded monster mash. 

Haunting, beautifully filmed Swedish vampire movie unlike anything you’ve ever seen (unless you bothered to watch the unnecessary American remake). 

Endlessly funny dark comedy about two hitmen stuck in limbo, which happens to be a scenic city in Belgium.

Forget Robert Zemeckis’ oddly boring The Walk – this doco about Phillipe Petit’s World Trade Centre high wire stunt is astounding.

Wes Anderson did Roald Dahl’s book justice and then some in this stop-motion gem.

The perfect Manic Pixie Dream Girl indie-style rom-com.

Bold comic book movie unlike any other comic book movie, this is not only a perfect adaptation of its source but way ahead of its time.

Sam Rockwell by himself on the moon, yet so riveting and fascinating.

The first 10 minutes of this are among the most perfect and saddest of any movie, and the rest is a treat.

Apartheid met sci-fi in bizarrely awesome fashion.

Beautiful story of pen pals, told through Adam Elliot’s incredible claymation.

Tarantino did WWII as only he could and it didn’t disappoint.

The best of the Toy Story films, which is saying a lot.

Fantastically original and awesome actioner from Christopher Nolan.

Hyperactive, awesomely stylised comedy from Edgar Wright about the things we do for love.

Movies don’t get much ballsier than this hilarious mockumentary about terrorists.

This magical ‘80s throwback from JJ Abrams is the best Spielberg movie that Spielberg didn’t make.

Martin Scorsese’s kids movie was a love letter to the origins of cinema.

Woody Allen’s best film since the early ‘90s was a love letter to Paris throughout the ages.

Surprisingly awesome reboot/prequel/reimagining led by Andy Serkis’ amazing mo-capped Caesar.

The Muppets returned and it was a truly beautiful thing.

Consistently impressive, Cap was the surprising star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Visually amazing treatment of Yann Martel’s profound novel.

Joss Whedon set the benchmark for superhero team-ups incredibly high. 

Another found-footage gem, this time tackling superhero movies.

Another Tarantino sizzler – probably his best of the past 15 years.

Video games come to life in this surprisingly heartfelt Disney CG animation.

The most gripping, fast-paced, relentless movie experience of the past 15 years.

Scorsese and Leo show greed is not good, but have an absolute ball in the process.

A real gut-punch of a film that’s as much a personal story as it is a greater indictment on one of America’s darkest periods.

There’s a reason kids can’t let it go – this is The Lion King of their generation.

I can’t stand F1 racing, but Ron Howard’s biopic about the Lauda-Hunt rivalry is enthralling.

Spike Jonze’s bizarre yet affecting romance between a man and his operating system.

Wes Anderson’s best movie to date was kooky, courageous and typically winsome.

Fincher, Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike kept us guessing in this taut thriller.

One of the most enjoyable cinema experiences of the past 15 years, this made me feel like I was a kid again.

Everything about this movie – the performances, the direction, the score, the themes – is stellar (except the last five seconds, but I can overlook that).

Pixar again, hitting us right in the feels with one of the best screenplays of all time.

Energetic music biopic about NWA that is one of the genre’s best in recent times.

To quote a friend: “Now that is what a new Star Wars film should be.”

Pretty much just one big long car chase, but what a stunningly shot car chase.

Finally a film about journalism to rival All The President’s Men.

Small-scale sci-fi that feels real and keeps you guessing.

Surprisingly stylish and hilarious family film that is packed with moments of downright brilliance.

Another Disney delight that uses a cute bunny and a wily fox to tackle prejudice with maturity and style.

The sweary, bloody, ultra-meta superhero movie we never knew we needed.

*******

You can read Matt Neal’s reviews at standard.net.au each week or listen to him on ABC Radio Ballarat and Western Victoria every fortnight.