�㽶��Ƶ

We asked our reviewers to compile lists of the top five music and movies they enjoyed most in 2015. Some couldn’t help but add one or two extra titles, some offered reasons for their choices, and some actually stuck to the descriptors “top five” and “list” and “2015.” All of them generously offered their ideas for us. Check back next week for our reviewers’ picks for top books of 2015.

Top Five Albums of 2015

From Philip Christman, who teaches English at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor:

1. by Sleater-Kinney (Sub Pop). In 2001, the members of Sleater-Kinney played backup on the Go-Betweens' Friends of Rachel Worth, a stunning new concept in rock: the non-embarrassing reunion album. Something must have rubbed off. Or maybe Carrie Brownstein is just incapable of being other than awesome.
2. by The Apartments. Songwriter Peter Milton Walsh lost his young son in 1999. This album, as gorgeously gloomy and romantic as anything in its genre, is a gathering of the songs he's written in the past sixteen years, during most of which he was convinced he'd never record again.
3. The reissue of by Madvillain (Stones Throw). No one should take my opinion on hip-hop seriously, but this surreal masterpiece, given a well-deserved 10-year anniversary treatment by its label this year, is one of my favorite records in the entire genre.
4. by Anonymous 4 (Harmonia Mundi). Early-music ensemble Anonymous 4 has announced that they won't be taking their angelic voices on the road anymore after the current concert season. I'll be listening to their recordings of Hildegard von Bingen, David Laing, and—in this case—Civil War-era folk songs even more to salve my wounds.
5. by Roomful of Teeth (New Amsterdam). At least I still have Roomful of Teeth, a vocal octet in the prime of their existence, whose taste in new works helps show that music is still in its prime too.

From Paul Delger, a motivational speaker and freelance writer in Kanawha, Iowa:

1. by Matt Maher (Essential Records)
2. by Plumb (Curb Records)
3. by Big Daddy Weave (Fervent Records)
4. by Tim Hughes (Integrity)
5. by Lauren Daigle (Centricity)

From Robert J. Keeley of Holland, Mich., professor of education at Calvin College:

1. by Joy Williams (Columbia). Williams shows that without her Civil Wars partner she is still a great vocalist and capable of making gripping albums on her own.
2. by Glass Hammer (Arion Records). A great live double album by one of the best bands in the progressive rock scene. In true progressive rock fashion, this double includes only seven songs—that’s how long they are—but each of them matches or bests the studio versions.
3. by Sandra McCracken (Towhee Records). Beautiful renditions of psalms; her best album yet.
4. by Billy Sherwood (Frontiers Records). Sherwood, a long-time producer and artist who was tapped to replace the late Chris Squire in Yes this year, also released what may be his best album.
5. by Sara Bareilles (Epic). A wonderful song cycle that features stellar writing and great vocal performances from Bareilles.

Honorable mentions:

1. by Adele (XL Recordings). Too new to determine if it unseats one of the others on the list, but the long-awaited followup to 21 is as good as people had hoped it would be.
2. The new remix of by The Beatles (Capitol). Not new material but still one of the best albums in my collection.

From Greg Veltman of Calgary, Alta., who lives with his wife in an intentional community called The House of Commons. He is working on a Ph.D. in Higher Education through Azusa Pacific University:

1. by Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty)
2. by Of Monsters and Men (Republic)
3. by Chvrches (Glassnote)
4. by Tallest Man on Earth (Dead Oceans)
5. by Leon Bridges (Columbia)
6. by Ibeyi (XL Recordings)
7. by Purity Ring (4AD Records)

From John Williamson, research and program coordinator for the Student Activities Office at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.:

1. by Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty)
2. by Kendrick Lamar (Aftermath)
3. by Chvrches (Glassnote)
4. by Courtney Barnett (Mom and Pop)
5. by Girlpool (Wichita)

Top 5 Movies of 2015

From Philip Christman, who teaches English at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor:

1. Out 1: Spectre. Jacques Rivette's legendary 12-hour-long experimental film is finally released in the United States, saving us all from having to watch YouTube clips of grainy videotapes of European TV showings from the 80s.
2. (Warner Bros). A generous, egalitarian vision of the world, conveyed via the most beautifully insane action set pieces conceivable by a human mind.
3. (Disney/Lucasfilm). Star Wars and Alien were great in part because their rich tapestry of unexplained details invited the viewer's imagination to fill in. Both were ruined by the literal-minded nature of their prequels, but The Force Awakens sets up a whole new series of wonderful imponderables while drawing four fascinating new characters into the mix.
4. (Olive Films). This restoration/rerelease is, in its own way, an experimental film. Featuring Tippi Hedren, her then-husband and director Noel Marshall, and her unfortunate children (young Melanie Griffith!) in a 1981 homemade "action-comedy" which stars real lions . . . who repeatedly maul the actors and destroy sets beyond recognition. The film, buried on its release and reissued this year, has the sort of total, Ed Wood-like commitment to its own lunacy that turns bad films into masterpieces of a kind.
5. (BBC). Adam Curtis's documentary is what all TV news would be if its purpose were actually to inform.

From Josh Larsen of Chicago, Ill., editor of ReFrame Media’s digital magazine. He also writes about movies at LarsenOnFilm.com and cohosts the “Filmspotting” podcast.

1. (Lionsgate)
2. (Magnolia Pictures)
3. (Warner Bros.)
4. (Disney/Pixar)
5. (Amazon Studios)

From Kristy Quist of Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuned In Editor for The Banner:

1. (Disney/Pixar)
2. (Open Road Films)
3. (20th Century Fox)
4. (Disney/Lucasfilm)
5. (A24 Films)

From Greg Veltman of Calgary, Alta., who lives with his wife in an intentional community called The House of Commons. He is working on a Ph.D. in Higher Education through Azusa Pacific University:

1. (Lionsgate)
2. (Lionsgate)
3. (Disney/Pixar)
4. (Warner Bros.)
5. (20th Century Fox)
6. (HBO Documentaries)

From John Williamson, research and program coordinator for the Student Activities Office at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.:

2. (20th Century Fox)
3. (Disney/Lucasfilm)
4. (Warner Bros.)
5. (Fox Searchlight)