Rank: Room, Carol, Brookyln

1) Carol - a beautiful, deeply felt romance drama with masterful direction from Todd Haynes and two mesmerising lead performances from Cate Blanchett and especially Rooney Mara. My favorite film of the decade so far. 10/10

2) Room - a disturbing yet hopeful indie drama that deals with a very dark, serious topic without ever becoming overly bleak or manipulative. Brie Larson absolutely deserved her Oscar win, and Tremblay's snub is one of the most egregious of the least few years. 9.5/10

3) Brooklyn - less powerful and memorable than the other two, Brookyln is nevertheless a sweet, soulful romance that benefits from an enthralling Saoirse Ronan, who is right behind Larson in my 2015 Actress lineup. The film falls apart a little near the end with the introduction of Domnhall Gleeson's character and the subsequent story development, but its first hour was pretty tremendous, and it brought itself back right at the end, sending the movie out on a high. 8.5/10