Top 10 Movies of 2014

It is a new year, so it’s that time to count down my top 10 movies of 2014. I was fortunate to see a lot of movies that came out this year. Obviously all film is subjective, but if you think I’m right or wrong, let me know! This was a great year in film, so lets celebrate.

Honorable Mentions

Captain America:
The Winter Soldier

Foxcatcher

The Grand Budapest Hotel

22 Jump Street

10. Interstellar

A very ambitious film. This movie tried to fit a lot in and I thought Christopher Nolan did a pretty good job. Now there are definitely some flaws with the plot and pace, but the parts that were done right were spectacular. I believe this film was meant to be seen in the theatre, because I’m not sure you will get the same feelings if you watch it at home. The shots in space were magnificent and I thought Matthew McConaughey gave a great performance. I really empathized with him and believed everything he was going through. This movie definitely takes you on a ride emotionally and visually, which is what you want from a science fiction epic. The chance for this movie to be really great was there though. Since this film tries to grapple such a large concept, if one piece is missing, it doesn’t all connect. I do understand where it was going and after a second viewing, I really enjoyed it. 

9. X-Men: Days of Future Past

Bryan Singer returned to the X-Men franchise in a big way with this film. Stories that involve time travel do not always work out well, but Singer used it as a vehicle to drive the narrative in a fresh new way. The ensemble cast was handled perfectly, and was given the opportunity to show some pretty amazing fighting scenes as a group. This cast was made up of the ‘First Class’ X-Men as well as the original cast, and each character made their time to shine count. Additionally, by only really focusing on a few main characters, the story was able to move along without looking too convoluted. A lot of films can get lost if they to include too many characters or storylines into a movie. I thought there could’ve been a little more action, because when there was, those scenes were great. Especially the scenes that take place in present day China. Also, the kitchen scene with Quicksilver was one of the best scenes of the year. The acting in this movie was pretty phenomenal as well. Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy really embraced their characters and gave them a lot of depth. The tension can really be felt in this film, and it is one of the most original comic book movies I have seen.

8. Guardians of the Galaxy

This movie bleeds pure entertainment. A lot of people may have been surprised by how fun this movie was, but at the beginning of the year this was my second most anticipated movie of 2014. As soon as I heard about its release, I read into the characters and followed this movie very closely. It makes me very happy to say that this movie definitely lived up to my expectations and that it was one of the highest grossing movies of the year. This movie was a breath of fresh air in this era of superhero movies that seem to come out every other month. Definitely the funniest movie Marvel Studios has put out, and was just enjoyable to watch the entire time. It had good music, good action and some great CGI. Also, it added in a few emotional moments to help ground it in reality. In the end, I fell in love with the characters and seeing them interact with each other. I thought Chris Pratt is fantastic and fit in this movie perfectly. Rocket Raccoon and Groot almost steal the show, and I can’t wait to see them together again in the sequel.

7. The Lego Movie

I don’t think I recommended a film to people this year more than The Lego Movie. Who would’ve thought a movie about Lego bricks could be so awesome? (Pun intended) This movie offers everything you could want in an animated film. It has phenomenal animation, is VERY funny, relays a great message and is fun for both kids and adults. Oh yeah, not to mention the star studded cast is perfect and lead by Chris Pratt (who seems to be taking over the galaxy these days [another pun intended]). I laughed throughout this entire movie, and didn’t see one scene that could’ve been taken out. There’s not much more I can say about this movie, other than you need to see it right now if you haven’t.

6. Nightcrawler

This was one of those movies where I didn’t really know how to feel about it, but I liked it. This film kept growing on me the more I thought about it, and I couldn’t get Jake Gyllenhaal’s character, Louis Bloom, out of my head. Gyllenhaal completely transformed in this film and it is no doubt my favorite performance of the year. This creepy character is so mesmerizing to watch, and you forget that these types of people exist. The shots are really well done as well. You see Los Angeles in such an interesting way and get a glimpse into this business that not many people know about. It is fascinating to follow Louis’ story and try to figure out where it is going.

5. Gone Girl

I’m a sucker for a crime thriller movie, and if you have David Fincher as the director, I’m sold. People may not have liked this movie as much as I did, because they compared it to the book, or it was too mainstream, or what have you. However, what I saw was a very well put together film accompanied by great performances (with a special acknowledgment to Rosamund Pike). Obviously every movie falls short in some aspects, but this movie did a lot of things right. Everything made sense, the story was unfolded beautifully, and the marvelous performance Rosamund Pike gave put it over the top. The over-hyped media frenzy was fun to see portrayed on screen as well. I was happily surprised that this film grabbed my emotions the way it did, and even though I didn’t care for the ending, I still left the theatre very satisfied.

4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

This movie shows how you can do a prequel and a sequel correctly at the same time. This was marvelous follow up to 2011’s ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’, which is a good movie in its own right. Even without the first movie, this could stand by itself and still provide a powerful experience. It is very hard to create a prequel to an iconic story where everyone knows the final outcome. However, I thought the director, Matt Reeves, did a fabulous job of engrossing us into this part of the timeline and having Caeser the focus of the film. The apes are by far the most intriguing part of this movie. Not to take away from Jason Clarke or Gary Oldman, who are great, but seeing Caesar ten years later as the leader of this evolving species is special. Of course Caesar was brought to life by the brilliant motion-caption artist Any Serkis. The CGI in this film, mixed with Serkis’ performance, makes you really see who Caesar is and you become attached to this character. Even Toby Kebbell’s motion-caption performance as the villain Koba is wonderfully done. Due to those performances, it gave the Apes diversity and depth in which we can relate to. The ideas of trust, segregation and acceptance really come through in this movie as. It is amplified by the interaction between the humans and apes and even each species against their own. This film was executed very well, and was a great next step in the franchise.

3. Whiplash

Intense. Nerve-wracking. Powerful. I know I may sound like the movie poster quote, but it is hard not to describe this film in that way. This movie never stops to a take breathe, and goes to places that you didn’t think it could go. Ironically, one of the movie’s themes is the ability to push yourself farther than you ever thought possible to achieve greatness. Now the way J.K. Simmons’ character goes about pulling that out of his student (Miles Teller) is downright despicable, but you cannot take your eyes off the screen. This movie puts you right in the forefront of this verbal and psychological war between the two, and you feel it as an audience member. However, this would not be believable without the brilliant performance by J.K. Simmons. Miles Teller did a hell of a good job preparing for this movie as well, and he will be an actor to be aware of in the near future. This story immediately grabs you from the beginning and does not let you go until the very end. I kept finding myself wanting to see what happens next, and that is a good feeling to have during a film. As a side note, I had a very personal connection with this movie. I have been a drummer for almost my whole life, so I really enjoyed watching the display of talent and music in this film. Also, I have been in that world of symphonic bands led by a strict band director. Now obviously not to the level that is shown in the film, but I can definitely relate to certain aspects of the movie. Have you ever been called out and embarrassed in front of your peers by a superior? Take that fear, and multiply it by one hundred. That is how far this movie goes.

2. Boyhood

My top two picks have a lot in common with each other, in the sense that they are both extraordinary film achievements that give us a personal in depth look on life. However, it is hard to compare ‘Boyhood’ to another film, because there is just nothing else like it. If you don’t know, this movie was filmed over the course of 12 years. They would film a little bit every summer, so the audience got to see this family, and especially the kids, grow up right on screen. Since this movie kept the same cast throughout the entire filming process, the leaps in time never take you out of the story because it is still the same actors, just older. Over the course of this movie you see this family go through the high moments and (mostly) low moments of life. Granted there isn’t much of a plot to the film, but it doesn’t exactly need one. Moments and events in life tell the story, and that is the beautiful theme of this movie. We  as the audience are so invested into this boy’s life, that we feel his emotions and feel like we’ve known him since he was 6 years old. That is made possible by the directing, editing, and performances in this movie. I especially have a deep connection with this movie because the main character is only four years younger than me. So a lot of the things he was doing growing up, I was doing as well. I knew kids like him, so I could completely relate to this movie. It was fun for me to re-live those points in time. From beginning to end, you become devoted to this movie and this boy’s journey of growing up.

1. Birdman

Once again, this is unlike any movie I have ever seen. The way this film is directed is simply amazing, and the performances are great as well. The entire film looks like one continuous shot, and it never gets boring or takes away from the story. If anything, it adds to the story because it makes it feel personal and puts you right there with the characters. This seems like a role Michael Keaton has been waiting to play for a while, and he is perfect. Also, the supporting cast lifts this movie to a higher level with the wonderful performances by Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, and Emma Stone. Their roles give a nice reality to the movie and serve an important purpose. However, I mostly enjoyed the inter-woven themes in this film. A lot of people can come out of this movie finding different meanings, but I believe this movie puts a mirror up to audiences and the film industry today. It touches on the experiences with critics, blockbuster movies, Indies, and taking on a role that’s your passion. It’s very interesting to see these concepts explored and put out in front of you in such an intimate way. It was very enjoyable to watch and discuss way after it was done. That is when you know you have a great film.