Check out the list below, and follow all of our end of the year coverage here!
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Susan Cooper and Rick Ford -- played by Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham (Spy)
Great comedies have been few and far between. Paul Feig delivered this year with Spy, giving us the best of Melissa McCarthy, but the film wouldn't have been half as fun with Jason Statham running amok and almost blowing McCarthy's cover, the local population, and the entire CIA mission to pieces after going rogue. The scenes these two share are comedic gold and a bit unconventional. Somehow, it works to the advantage of the film. Who would have known, right?!
Adonis Creed and Rocky Balboa -- played by Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone (Creed)
A lot was riding on Creed to deliver. After all, it has a legacy to uphold, ironically much like the legacy Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed struggles with in the film. But Sylvester Stallone's Rocky turning into Creed's mentor and friend proves to be the strength and core of the film. Their father/son type of relationship and exchanges with each other work on every level and make the film so much more than it is.
Mad Max and Imperator Furiosa -- played by Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road)
In the middle of the desert, two people with nothing to lose decide to work together because their circumstances force them to do so after one's plan doesn't go quite as she'd hoped. So comes the strange friendship, or partnership, really, when Max and Furiosa team up to get away from the evil and dictatorial Immorten Joe. They don't say very much to each other, but having the same enemy goes a long way in making these two reluctant friends.
Rey and Finn -- played by Daisy Ridley & John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Chewbacca and Han Solo would have made the list, but they've probably made lists for years. So in the vein of carrying on the Star Wars legacy, it's time to shine some light on the film's next generation: Rey and Finn. A woman stuck in the same place because she can't let go of the past and an escaped storm trooper who wants to get as far away from his as possible would strike anyone as an odd pairing at first, but the two become fast friends (and maybe more in future films? One can hope, right? There are two more films left, after all). Facing down the First Order and trying to evade Kylo Ren has these two sticking to each other's side. The film is all the more better for it. Brooke and Tracy -- played by Greta Gerwig & Lola Kirke (Mistress America)
Female friendships are rarely played out on the silver screen. But there's no doubt that they're fun to explore. We get plenty of bromances, so the friendship between Brooke and Tracy in Mistress America was more than welcome. As soon-to-be stepsisters, they had an immediate connection. Their relationship was filled with admiration, a bit of envy, but overall enjoyment in each other's company. Their dialogue is quick-witted and they complement each other in a lot of ways. Their friendship is also a lot of fun and made for a great watch and some thoughtful scenarios. Solo and Illya -- played by Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Probably one of the only buddy-cop-style movies this year (but not the only spy film), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was underrated and overshadowed by other films, but that doesn't mean that it didn't gave us a great team-up. And a lot of sexy. Solo and Illya are opposites, one is arrogant and charming, the other strict and stern, so of course they work well together in balancing each other out. Their relationship isn't too bromance-y but it works and lights up the screen whenever they share scenes together. I'd definitely watch a sequel just to watch Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer size each other up. Dennis Nash and Rick Carver -- played by Andrew Garfield & Michael Shannon (99 Homes)
The disenfranchised becomes someone he hates in this post-2008 real estate crash thriller. After the first 15 minutes, 99 Homes builds up even more intensity, a lot of which is laid out in the tense, love/hate working relationship between Nash and Carver. Nash, intent on making up for the fact that his family was uprooted from their home, decides to start working with the man who did the uprooting. Their relationship is a mix of mentor/mentee and hero/villain characteristics, especially if the hate-filled glares are any indication. Mark Watney and Mars -- Matt Damon (The Martian)
Science-based films are taking a turn for the better. The Martian proved that science and entertainment can go hand in hand, especially without a lot of physical action. And while Mars isn't a human being, this duo still qualifies because Mark Watney spent 95% of his time on the red planet with no other real-world interaction. There was bonding to be had, even if it wasn't in the most traditional sense. Watney used his head and made the best of the situation, and Mars provided a beautiful backdrop for the suspense and "let's see what happens to him next" moments.
