Posted by 2016 is here and and I cannot wait to see what this year has in store for me. But, before I too far into the new year, I want to take a moment to speak of some of the highlights of 2015. Below are my 10 favorite things from 2015 in no particular order.
1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
When it was announced that Disney was going to continue making Star Wars films in 2013, many speculated that this may be the end of the franchise. Well folks, I can tell you to put your worries aside because this is Star Wars! JJ Abrams has brought the magic back to the franchise that was lost with the countless “Special Editions” and “Prequel Trilogies.”
Star Wars was released on December 18th 2015 and all I can say is, what a way to end the year! I left the theater craving more. Â I cannot wait to see what happens in Episode VIII being released in May 2017. If you have not seen this film, GO SEE IT NOW! You will not be disappointed.
2. Marvel’s Ant-Man
This movie has made me a complete believer in the Marvel machine. This movie appeared to have some issues during the filming like Edgar Wright leaving and the hashtag#JanetVanCrime.
I really enjoyed this film! This film made me remember why I loved Marvel films to begin with. They care about their characters and are not afraid to do things on film that may be too “Comic Booky.” This film was definitely the stronger of the two Marvel Films that was released this year with the other being Avengers: Age of Ultron.
If you have not see this movie, it has been released on DVD/Blu Ray and Digital Download. I recommend adding this film to your collection now. If you love the superhero genre, or just a good film in general, give this film a viewing, you will not be disappointed.
3. Back to the Future Day
Did you know that October 21st, 2015 was Back to the Future Day? That the day in Back to the Future II where Marty and Doc Brown travel to the future and see awesome things like hover-boards and self-lacing Nike’s. Sadly, those things do not exist in our present timeline, though some companies are trying.
There was a huge celebration at Puente Hills Mall in California where the mall was renamed the Twin Pines Mall in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the filming. Temple of Geek’s Very Own Katie Penix was present at the event and covered the festivities. If you haven’t all ready, check out the videos and the article located here.
4. Marvel’s Daredevil
Not to be confused with the 2004 movie of the same name. This is the version of Daredevil that fans wanted to see. Marvel announced plans to release 4 Netflix Shows Starting in 2015 with Daredevil being the first. We started getting trailers get us excited for the film. Nobody knew what to expect on April 10th 2015.
Daredevil was released on Netflix with high critical claim! Most of us here at the Temple of Geek binged watched the entire season in just one day. Some of us even had multiple viewings. There was one scene in the second episode which, is with out a doubt, Â my personal favorite fighting scene ever.
Please, if you have not seen this series yet, boot up Netflix and check it out. Season two is going to be dropped in 2016 and will be featuring the Marvel Cinematic Debut of Punisher and Elektra. These are two other characters that will get their shot at redemption after their disappointing films.
5. Marvel’s Jessica Jones
Not to be outdone by Daredevil, Jessica Jones proved that Marvel knows what they are doing when it comes to their characters. Jessica Jones dropped on Novemeber 20th 2015 and instantly became an overnight hit for Marvel.
This show was a departure from Marvel’s current formula of Superheroes and villains. This told the story of a fallen hero that was trying to escape her past. This show featured a truly vile villain in the form of Killgrave who was played brilliantly by David Tennant. I hated him so much that I could not stop watching.
This filmed introduced us to the first half of the Heroes for Hire, Luke Cage, who will be getting his own series in the first half of 2016. If you want to see something completely different from Marvel, this show is for you. It is available now on Netflix.
6. Supergirl
We all know that Greg Berlanti in the king of Superhero TV due to the success of CW’s Arrow and The Flash. His third superhero entry debuted on CBS this fall with huge fanfare. Supergirl was an instant hit.
This version tells the tale of Kara Zor El, cousin of Kal El, who escaped Krypton during its final moments. Her mission was to protect her cousin on their adoptive planet of Earth but something goes wrong and her ship gets trapped the Phantom Zone. When her ship ecapes, she lands on earth, but years after Kal El had grown in the hero known as Superman.
When I first started this show, I was nervous due to the generic story telling at the beginning. I had faith in Berlanti and continued watching. The show has come out swinging and have already introduced some amazing new additions to the Berlantiverse. I cannot wait to see what happens on the rest of the season and to see how this will tie into Arrow and The Flash.
Supergirl is on Monday Nights on CBS at 8/7pm CST. Give the show a viewing. If you like the shows on CW you will love this addition to the universe!
7. Batman Arkham Knight
The conclusion of the the Arkham trilogy dropped this year with mixed reviews. The game looked amazing on next gen consoles but the story was just not at the caliber of of the previous two entries.
I added this game to the list because I truly was excited to play this game. I have yet to finish the game to see how it ends nor have I played the last of the new DLC. I guess it is not too late to add completing this game on my New Years Resolutions for 2016.
8. Star Wars Battlefront
This is another game that I was really excited about but felt that that it came in very thin. This was a game that was on everyone’s radar. People could not wait for this game to drop but as the release date drew closer and closer, we started getting more information about this product.
The biggest issue with the game, NO SINGLE PLAYER CAMPAIGN. Another issue that I have with the title is that the DLC is $50.00 and on top of that, the deluxe addition allowed the use of 3 items that are not exclusive for 10 additional dollars. That puts this game at $120.00 if you want the complete experience.
Was it worth it? I will let you decide. I can say though that it is quite nice being in the Star Wars universe again.
9. Windows 10
On July 29th 2015, Microsoft dropped their newest iteration of their popular Windows operating system. The big shocker, it was a free upgrade!?!?!? I could not believe it myself. 6 months later, I am still using this amazing new operating system.
Windows 10 takes the great things about Windows 7, sprinkles in a little Windows 8 and rolls them into a beautiful package.  The one thing I really like about Windows 10 is the Xbox remote play. It plays with little to no lag and works even with a Xbox 360 controller.
If you have Windows 7 or Windows 8 and want to upgrade, you can do so now. If you are on the fence, you need to decided quickly because Microsoft is planning on starting to charge for the OS. If you like Windows 7 or 8, you will not be disappointed. Go upgrade now.
10. Super Mario Maker
Super Mario has always been one of my favorite games on any piece of Nintendo Hardware. I always loved the level design of each game. It was a complete shock to me that the next Mario game was going to allow the player to be the level designer.
When this game dropped, I had to get it. I have put in countless hours playing other user created levels and unlocking secrets of the game. My favorite part, designing super hard levels for other players to attempt. This game is amazing! I did not think I would have this much fun with a creation game.
I know I do not have to tell Nintendo owners to get this game. If you happen to have gotten a Wii U for Christmas and have no Idea what to get, please add this to your collection. You will have an amazing time!
That’s it! Those were the 10 things that I got excited about last year. I cannot wait to see what 2016 will bring me this year. If you want to hear some of the other Temple of Geek’s members talk about 2015, check out episode 45 of the ToGCast.
What were your favorite things of  2015? Does your list look like mine? I want to hear from you. Comment below and let me know your favorite things of 2015!
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