It’s been too long since I last posted! I’ve been busy with various things over the last few months and when the mood did strike for writing a new post, I was drawing blanks! I’ve been meaning to do a year end movie list for a while now, so I figured I finally would! I watched quite a few 2014 movies, ranging from blockbusters, award contenders and indies. While I haven’t seen everything I’ve wanted to from 2014, I’ve seen enough to make a good list. Besides my top ten movies, I will include a honourable mention section and movies I haven’t watched yet but still want to see section.
Things to consider in my movie choices:
– I like movies that provide at least some entertainment.
– I enjoy when movies leave me with a feeling of something and make me still think about it for a few days.
– Awesome use of music in a movie goes a long way with me.
– Added to that, I like movies with a fun or unique style to them.
– Lastly, a good movie makes me want to see it again in the future.
Without further ado, my top 10 movies of 2014!
*** Some of these movies say 2013, because that was the year they were made but were not released until 2014.
10. Jodorowsky’s Dune – Directed by Frank Pavich
The story of cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ambitious but ultimately doomed film adaptation of the seminal science fiction novel.
I love watching a good documentary, especially one that revolves around movies, or in this case, a movie that didn’t happen! Jodorowsky himself is the main reason to watch this. He has an aura about him and a never die attitude about achieving his goals. His stories are amazing and his commitment to keeping art a focus of his movies is fun to watch. The people he managed to rope in and be involved in his version of Dune would have been amazing (Salvador Dali, Orson Welles, Mick Jagger!). His version of Dune had the potential to be something else and this documentary does a great job at understanding the man behind it all and his ideals for it.
9. Edge of Tomorrow – Directed by Doug Liman
A military officer is brought into an alien war against an extraterrestrial enemy who can reset the day and know the future. When this officer is enabled with the same power, he teams up with a Special Forces warrior to try and end the war.
Talk about a movie that really surprised me! I was sceptical going into this movie at first. I wasn’t sure about the plot, the armor looked really goofy from the trailers, the title was kinda lame and you never really know what to expect from Tom Cruise. I was pleasantly surprised how everything just ‘clicked’ in this movie and turned out to be a real crowd pleaser. The story worked really well and used the “groundhog day effect” wisely. Tom Cruise was great in this, but Emily Blunt was even better (and is a total badass). Another thing I really liked was the humour, it was used well throughout, especially with the repeated death scenes. The action is fun and the end result leaves you with new questions about what happened. Check it out!
8. Whiplash – Directed by Damien Chazelle
A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student’s potential.
Whiplash is intense as hell. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons are amazing in this movie about what it takes to be the best and achieve perfection/stardom. Who would have thought a movie about drumming would be so hard to watch at times? While Teller is awesome as a person who wants to be the best and is willing to burn a few bridges along the way (also he was actually playing the drums which is impressive), Simmons takes it to a whole new level with his relentlessness and abuse to his students. It needs to be seen to fully understand how good it is, there is a scene towards the end of the movie that hit me right in the gut!
7. Nightcrawler – Directed by Dan Gilroy
When Lou Bloom, a driven man desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran.
Nightcrawler takes intensity to a whole new level. There is something creepy and eerie about this movie. This is because the movie mostly takes place at night and revolves around grizzly accidents/killings, but mostly because of the terrifying performance by Jake Gyllenhaal. His performance as Lou Bloom is intense, creepy, psychotic, and without empathy. Though at the same time, he is hardworking, ambitious and is willing to achieve his goals no matter what. Some scenes in this movie are disturbing as hell and truly unmoral. The city of Los Angeles itself feels like a character too and sets a dark tone throughout. Nightcrawler sounds like a messed up movie from my description but it isn’t gross or disgusting, it shows the darker side of what people can be like and the lengths they are willing to go to.
6. The Double – Directed by Richard Ayoade
A clerk in a government agency finds his unenviable life takes a turn for the horrific with the arrival of a new co-worker who is both his exact physical double and his opposite – confident, charismatic and seductive with women.
Talk about a movie with a unique look and style. It seems as though every shot in this movie had amazing atmosphere or a well placed shot. The music was a mix between classical (mostly string) music and Japanese pop songs. The story itself is very odd with strange locations and characters. Eisenberg is great in this playing two different characters, who are total opposites. The Director and writer took me to a strange world (kinda reminded me of The Series of Unfortunate Events) and made me enjoy my stay.
5. The Lego Movie – Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller
An ordinary Lego construction worker, thought to be the prophesied ‘Special’, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the Lego universe into eternal stasis.
The Lego Movie is something that could have failed miserably but turned out to be amazing. Where to start with this movie? First of all, the animation is ridiculous. What seems to be part regular animation/CGI and what seems like part stop-motion, creates a unique look and movement to the movie. I like that the lego characters actually moved like a lego person would. The sight gags are aplenty and often times so funny. The movie just makes you feel good and makes sure you’re always having a good time. The characters are memorable (Morgan Freeman’s wizard character was a laugh riot), the settings were enjoyable and there was even some heartfelt moments to be had.
4. The Grand Budapest Hotel – Directed by Wes Anderson
The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous hotel from the fictional Republic of Zubrowka between the first and second World Wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.
Wes Anderson is one of my favourite directors and his latest effort is a total grand slam. Wes Anderson has a truly unique visual style and knows how to create a colourful world full of breathtaking locales and outrageous characters. The Grand Budapest Hotel fits right in line with his techniques and uses them to their full potential. Ralph Fiennes is spellbinding as Gustave and really makes you feel for the guy. There are so many amazing scenes to talk about in this movie, especially the jailbreak and mountain skiing scene. If you want to get lost in a new world for a couple of hours with a zany and fun story, please watch this.
3. Guardians of the Galaxy – Directed by James Gunn
A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe.
Guardians of the Galaxy hit all the right notes for me. It had a great cast of characters, had a story that took them all across the universe, had an truly amazing soundtracks full of 70’s classics and was an all around enjoyable and entertaining movie. I am very glad that this movie turned out to be really successful, as it allows for more fun in the Marvel universe and more stories to take place in space! I honestly can’t wait for the next instalment and hope it continues to gain more fans until then.
2. Boyhood – Directed by Richard Linklater
The life of a young man, Mason, from age 5 to age 18.
There are a few reasons why I really liked Boyhood. One reason is that I related to it a lot in a few ways. The time period the “boy” grew up in aligned very close to my own growing up, so all the old references were very familiar to me. Being a boy myself, I could relate to certain ages of life and what he was going through. I also really liked the time element, because it is a revolutionary film technique (that easily could have bombed) and I’ve always been interested in time and people’s history, so those aspects hit a nice nerve for me. While the story wasn’t always interesting, it was like watching someone’s life pass by before you, which is a special thing to witness. I thought the acting was well done by everyone and the song choices well thought out for each time period. I think all film fans owe it to themselves give Boyhood a chance.
1. Mommy – Directed by Xavier Dolan
A widowed single mother, raising her violent son alone, finds new hope when a mysterious neighbor inserts herself into their household.
I don’t think any other movie from 2014 stayed with me as long as Mommy has. The movie drew me in from the start and let me enter this story full of emotional and scarred characters. The movie legit made me sad a times but also had me smiling to myself too. When a movie really makes you feel something, you know it is special. I know I mention music a lot, but the soundtrack is unreal and works in every instance it is used. I like that the movie plays with the actual aspect ratio too (especially one scene in particular). It also makes me very proud that this movie is Canadian made from a young director who has so much potential. It may be harder to find than most of the movies on my list, but I recommend anyone and everyone to watch this movie.
Honourable Mention – The Theory of Everything, Tracks, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Interstellar, The Boxtrolls, The Guest, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Frank, Under the Skin, Only Lovers Left Alive, How to Train Your Dragon 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Godzilla, Gone Girl, and Birdman.
Still Need to See – Selma, American Sniper, Inherent Vice, The Babadook, Foxcatcher, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, Nymphomaniac and Force Majeure.
So yeah, lots of good movies in 2014! I hope whoever reads this blog gives some of these movies a chance after reading about them!
Here is my Letterboxd account if you want to give me a follow or just use the site for yourself, it’s really awesome!
http://letterboxd.com/Coolio_Funk/
Let’s see what 2015 has in store!
Jarthurdoyle 