MY TOP 5 FAVORITE FILMS OF 2014!
What a wonderful, marvelous year it was for the movies. Emphasis on the Marvel: the studio produced three movies this year, and honestly all three could've been added to this list in a weaker year. I think what bonds this list of five films together is uniqueness: each put a spin on either a tired formula or predictable pattern and exceeded everyone's expectations, and brandished interesting and complex faces into the ever-growing, endlessly fascinating world of the movies.
For a couple hours at a time I was able to fly with Michael Keaton, investigate with Ben Affleck and drive with Tom Hardy. Movies have such a way of whisking you away for a while, and I think that's why everyone got so up in arms when The Interview was cancelled because of the Sony hackers. Though it's a low-brow bro-humor movie, everyone should be able to have free artistic license with their film, and we ultimately did not bow down.
As usual, here are a list of films I either need to see or regret missing last year that might have landed on this list: American Sniper, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Chef, Selma, St. Vincent, Nightcrawler, and Life Itself just to name a few. Without further ado, here are the movies that enthralled me, gripped me and most of all surprised me with how good the movies really can be:
5. BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)
Yes, I included the full title out of respect for the jazziest (and there was a movie about a jazz drummer on here!), most gonzo film of the year. I grew up on Batman and Beetlejuice, so it was great to see another antihero come from Michael Keaton, the past-his-prime actor looking for redemption on Broadway while dealing with an egomaniacal actor and a resentful daughter. Keaton of course blows you away with his meta-depiction of a man trying to hold on, while Edward Norton and Emma Stone sneak up and shock you with how good they can be with bitter, self-involved characters. Though that ending will have people guessing for years to come, this biting showbiz satire with incredible cinematography and a percussion-only score is innovative and first-rate filmmaking.
4. GONE GIRL
David Fincher has become a Christopher Nolan of sorts. We all know the kind of movie he'll deliver (a dark, complex, winding character study of some sort) and we flock to see it. I was unfamiliar with the source text that Gillian Flynn adapted from her own novel, but I can imagine if it's as faithful as people say it is, it's a mature, devastating take on a seemingly perfect marriage. When these two minds meet not a lot can go awry, especially if you have Batfleck and Rosamund Pike on your team, the latter who might be looking at taking home some Oscar gold. There are two different sides we see in Gone Girl that make you revaluate the entire story. That's what a good mystery should do, and even if it hadn't have accomplished that, getting a good performance out of Tyler Perry should count for something.
3. LOCKE
Easily the most underrated and under-seen movie of the year, Locke follows Tom Hardy as Ivan Locke. In a car. For an hour and a half. One of the most minimalist movies I've ever seen, this film locks you in for a startling 90 minutes, as you watch the life of a man crumble. Hardy's post-Bane career has gone nowhere but up, and this look at a man you feel 20 different things about at once is remarkably astonishing. Is he a villain? A hero? A bad father? A man of his word? No, he's just a man, and I thank writer/director Stephen Knight for letting us glimpse into the worst night of his life. Go rent this often funny tragidramedy now and see what the Oscars will overlook.
2. THE LEGO MOVIE
Honestly if my number one movie hadn't come out, I don't know if there would've been anything to even remotely coming close to topping this movie. It was one of the funnest experiences in my movie-going life, seeing this with friends on a Saturday night in a theater in 3D. This movie was packed to the brim with kids and I didn't even care. I don't like kids! This movie did bring out the kid in me though, I was laughing probably every other minute, the rest of the time my brain was trying to comprehend the sheer hard work put into this movie. The gorgeous visuals, the A-list voicing cast (oh my God, Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius destroyed me), and maybe something that's gotten overlooked: the message. The movie takes a strong voice in saying kids should be themselves, pushing creativity and individualism. It is a perfect animated movie, constructed as well as a professionally-made Lego castle.
1. BOYHOOD
Was there ever any doubt? Though The Lego Movie was my favorite movie-going experience, Richard Linklater's magnum opus was like watching my life unfold before me. I'm going to tip the scales to Boyhood, everyone's favorite movie of the year. Let's put aside the fact that my life currently lined up with the titular boy, Mason (the incredibly game Ellar Coltrane), and I too played 20Q, was obsessed with Harry Potter and had a lot of dumb middle school friends. Besides it being so massively relatable to me even though I wasn't born in Texas or had abusive stepdads, the movie touches a nerve with anyone who's been a mother/brother/father/daughter. It is a human story, and instead of hitting the birthdays, riding a bike, getting a first kiss, Linklater narrows down to the nitty gritty: getting bullied, taking a hike with your dad, your teacher telling you you need to get your life together because you're going to college. I went to college a few weeks after seeing Boyhood! This movie made me feel alive and happy to see the tale of a 2000s kid finally being brought to life so beautifully onscreen. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke are some of the most realistic, caring parents ever depicted on film. The enormous obstacle of shooting over twelve years is the achievement that the Academy Awards will surely recognize. But how Boyhood resonated and stayed with me long after we see Mason looking out at the future that awaits him is the true accomplishment.
Read on to see some more movies that juuuuust didn't make the cut and some that I'd like to cut out of my memory!
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS:
For a couple hours at a time I was able to fly with Michael Keaton, investigate with Ben Affleck and drive with Tom Hardy. Movies have such a way of whisking you away for a while, and I think that's why everyone got so up in arms when The Interview was cancelled because of the Sony hackers. Though it's a low-brow bro-humor movie, everyone should be able to have free artistic license with their film, and we ultimately did not bow down.
As usual, here are a list of films I either need to see or regret missing last year that might have landed on this list: American Sniper, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Chef, Selma, St. Vincent, Nightcrawler, and Life Itself just to name a few. Without further ado, here are the movies that enthralled me, gripped me and most of all surprised me with how good the movies really can be:
5. BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)
4. GONE GIRL
David Fincher has become a Christopher Nolan of sorts. We all know the kind of movie he'll deliver (a dark, complex, winding character study of some sort) and we flock to see it. I was unfamiliar with the source text that Gillian Flynn adapted from her own novel, but I can imagine if it's as faithful as people say it is, it's a mature, devastating take on a seemingly perfect marriage. When these two minds meet not a lot can go awry, especially if you have Batfleck and Rosamund Pike on your team, the latter who might be looking at taking home some Oscar gold. There are two different sides we see in Gone Girl that make you revaluate the entire story. That's what a good mystery should do, and even if it hadn't have accomplished that, getting a good performance out of Tyler Perry should count for something.
3. LOCKE
Easily the most underrated and under-seen movie of the year, Locke follows Tom Hardy as Ivan Locke. In a car. For an hour and a half. One of the most minimalist movies I've ever seen, this film locks you in for a startling 90 minutes, as you watch the life of a man crumble. Hardy's post-Bane career has gone nowhere but up, and this look at a man you feel 20 different things about at once is remarkably astonishing. Is he a villain? A hero? A bad father? A man of his word? No, he's just a man, and I thank writer/director Stephen Knight for letting us glimpse into the worst night of his life. Go rent this often funny tragidramedy now and see what the Oscars will overlook.
2. THE LEGO MOVIE
Honestly if my number one movie hadn't come out, I don't know if there would've been anything to even remotely coming close to topping this movie. It was one of the funnest experiences in my movie-going life, seeing this with friends on a Saturday night in a theater in 3D. This movie was packed to the brim with kids and I didn't even care. I don't like kids! This movie did bring out the kid in me though, I was laughing probably every other minute, the rest of the time my brain was trying to comprehend the sheer hard work put into this movie. The gorgeous visuals, the A-list voicing cast (oh my God, Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius destroyed me), and maybe something that's gotten overlooked: the message. The movie takes a strong voice in saying kids should be themselves, pushing creativity and individualism. It is a perfect animated movie, constructed as well as a professionally-made Lego castle.1. BOYHOOD
Was there ever any doubt? Though The Lego Movie was my favorite movie-going experience, Richard Linklater's magnum opus was like watching my life unfold before me. I'm going to tip the scales to Boyhood, everyone's favorite movie of the year. Let's put aside the fact that my life currently lined up with the titular boy, Mason (the incredibly game Ellar Coltrane), and I too played 20Q, was obsessed with Harry Potter and had a lot of dumb middle school friends. Besides it being so massively relatable to me even though I wasn't born in Texas or had abusive stepdads, the movie touches a nerve with anyone who's been a mother/brother/father/daughter. It is a human story, and instead of hitting the birthdays, riding a bike, getting a first kiss, Linklater narrows down to the nitty gritty: getting bullied, taking a hike with your dad, your teacher telling you you need to get your life together because you're going to college. I went to college a few weeks after seeing Boyhood! This movie made me feel alive and happy to see the tale of a 2000s kid finally being brought to life so beautifully onscreen. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke are some of the most realistic, caring parents ever depicted on film. The enormous obstacle of shooting over twelve years is the achievement that the Academy Awards will surely recognize. But how Boyhood resonated and stayed with me long after we see Mason looking out at the future that awaits him is the true accomplishment.Read on to see some more movies that juuuuust didn't make the cut and some that I'd like to cut out of my memory!
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes- I cannot tell you how long I toiled over either this or X-Men Days of Future Past, both massive sequels to great blockbusters that both topped their predecessors. I'm giving the edge to Apes though, mainly due to the gorgeous special effects that were a little less noticeable than X-Men, the great performances from Andy Serkis and Toby Kebble, and the anticipation for the third installment it builds to where we might see humans as the minority species. Also, "Ape no kill ape" will be one of my favorite lines for awhile. A great blockbuster without sacrificing story.
- Guardians of the Galaxy- Call this the second-best time I had at the movies! This was Marvel's best offering for me, a risky showcase of five misfits that provided a breath of fresh air for the superhero genre. It's rife with hardy laughs, stellar music, a breakout Chris Pratt performance (though my heart goes out to Rocket as my favorite) and provided my favorite time in outer space this year (sorry, Interstellar)!
- Whiplash- Though I gave other movies higher scores, Whiplash connected with me the most, and had two of the best performances of the year drumming away at you. To people who find this post after next month's Oscars: J.K. Simmons gave a great acceptance speech, didn't he?
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Bad Words- Why oh why did Michael Bluth of all people star and direct this terribly unfunny, ugly, racist, misogynistic dumping ground of a scenario where Jason Bateman is mean to kids? Go back to the banana stand.
- The Amazing Spider-Man 2- Bad Words was the only movie I truly hated this year, but I sure was disappointed with this sequel to the pretty good reboot in 2012. Now Sony execs are scrambling with what to do with this franchise. Did they not realize that juggling three villains (ugh, if you could call Paul Giamatti's Rhino a villain) was the Achilles heel to Spider-Man 3?
- DISHONORABLE MENTION HONORABLE MENTION: Godzilla- I fought sleep for the first half of this movie because the human characters were so dull, and it's not on this list only because I lost consciousness and that end fight with Godzilla was pretty amazing.
Though I hate leaving movies like Wild and The Imitation Game off my list, it just shows you what an incredible year 2014 was. Next year there is a MONSTER slate, which I will get to in a few days, along with a list of my favorite performances! Lastly, I want to dedicate this post to Robin Williams, the cinematic clown prince who will go down as one of the most beloved actors of all time, and an enormous contributor to great films.
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