Friday, September 4, 2015

Top 10 Films of 2014

  TOP 10 FILMS OF 2014


  Hello, everyone.  Once again, this list is coming out 6+ months after the year ended.  I just had to wait and see all of the films before I made an accurate list for 2014.  Sadly, I was severely disappointed with 2014 when it came to film.  Usually, I'm on board with all of the critics and their tastes in good films, as was seen in 2013, but this year I was not.  I feel like 2014 was a very lackluster year for film but there were a few golden gems hidden in between the filler and slosh.  As always, this is my personal opinion, so don't take it as me pretending it's factual.  Hope you guys enjoy.  Let me know if you have any questions or recommendations and thanks for stopping by.  


10. The Wind Rises (2013)


  IMDB Synopsis:  A look at the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the man who designed Japanese fighter planes during World War II.

  Director: Hayao Miyazaki

  Stars:  Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and Martin Short
  REVIEW: 

  I know this film came out in 2013, technically.  Yet it didn't hit the states until early 2014.  So for me, it is a 2014 film.  I am a huge Hayao Miyazaki fan and this being his final effort, his magnum opus, I was nothing but impressed.  Being impressed is the status quo with Miyazaki.  In The Wind Rises, we saw a harrowing and emotional tale of a young man achieving his destiny and finding love.  I won't lie, I teared up a bit in this film.  The score is beautiful, sound effects unique (having plane sounds be oral noises made by voice actors is pretty unique), the story is engaging regardless of the slow pace the film steadily takes.  The love factor of this film was beautiful and engaging for audiences and it will leave you clenching the tissues trying not to cry in front of your friends.  If you are a Miyazaki fan or even a film fan in general, go out and watch this.  Get some feels in.  










9. Under the Skin (2013)



  IMDB Synopsis:  A mysterious woman seduces lonely men in the evening hours in Scotland. Events lead her to begin a process of self-discovery.

  Director:  Jonathan Glazer

  Stars:  Scarlett Johansson 


  REVIEW:

  You will see a trend in this list of films that were made in 2013 but were released in 2014 and Under the Skin is one of them.  At first, I didn't like this film in all honesty.  Much like the previous year's Only God Forgives, this film grew on me and within no time I realized its glory and the things that make it a masterpiece.  The film is hard to watch and very strange but it hosts Johansson's greatest role of her career and a lot of interesting scenes with techniques I have never seen.  This film took years to make and small details, like the fact that the hitchhikers are REAL hitchhikers filmed with hidden cameras, make this film a special piece that is rarely seen in cinema.  Every shot is meticulous and beautiful in nature and the performances all feel real.  If you can get past the difficult-to-watch scenes, I think you will find yourself appreciating this film, even if not immediately.











8. Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)



  IMDB Synopsis:  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.

  Director:  Wes Anderson

  Stars: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum, and Jude Law


  REVIEW:

  One of the only big Oscar films that I really enjoyed this year, Grand Budapest Hotel was quite a fascinating work of art.  It achieved good drama with a blend of humor and mysticism.  The cinematography in the film is beautiful and strange in so many good ways, reaching perfection with its score neatly unifying the storytelling.  There is no shortage of A-list actors in Grand Budapest Hotel, Ralph Fiennes giving his best performance since Schindler's List.  From start to finish there is no shortage of laughs and great scenic details and it stands easily as Wes Anderson's best film, marking his well-deserved Oscar attention (about time).  If you are looking for a good laugh laced in with fantastical storytelling, look no further.    






7. The Babadook (2014)



  IMDB Synopsis:  A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.

  Director:  Jennifer Kent

  Stars:  Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman and Daniel Henshall



  REVIEW:

  Let my bitching about Oscar snubs begin.  This was up there with Gyllenhaal being snubbed for Nightcrawler.  Essie Davis gave one of the best performances I have ever seen and I am not saying that just to be dramatic.  She was phenomenal.  It seems that every year there is a horror film that just stands out from all of the others.  2010 was Insidious, 2011 was The Inkeepers, 2012 was Cabin in the Woods, and 2013 was The Conjuring.  2014 is The Babadook.  The levels that this movie attacks psychological breakdowns and the slow, agonizing journey towards insanity while leaving you questioning whether or not you understand the film shows how amazing and perfectly The Babadook is put together.  From start to finish, this film is disturbing on so many levels and truly leaves the audience sickened and clenching the ends of their seats, white knuckled and all.  The main complaints I have heard of this film are from people who do not understand it.  If you need an explanation, look up fan theories.  The director has not clarified the true meaning of the film, but there is enough evidence through the run time of a certain theory likely being true.  This is by far the best horror film of 2014 and maybe even the best psychological thriller of the decade so far.  Be open-minded and make sure to watch this when you have company.   










6. Wild (2014)



  IMDB Synopsis:  A chronicle of one woman's 1,100-mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent personal tragedy.

  Director:   Jean-Marc Vallée

  Stars:  Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, and Gabby Hoffman


  REVIEW:  

  I am always a sucker for good feminist films.  Mix that propensity with my love for 2013's Dallas Buyers Club, and how could I not absolutely love this film?  Director Jean-Marc Vallée's interpretation of the novel written by real-life Cheryl Strayed is a beautiful and intense tale of a woman who became lost and had to go upon a journey to find the parts of herself she lost.  The trauma she goes through is so believable and every scene with her and her mother (played by Laura Dern) is touching and captivating.  Not one moment of this film came off as unbelievable.  It truly explores the concept of second chances and the personal journey one must take after a life-altering event.  There were scenes in this film that left me absolutely speechless and frozen in my seat.  The power behind the filmmaking and performances are amazing to say the least.  It is easily one of the best biographical films in years.  
  





5. Enemy (2013)



  IMDB Synopsis:  A man seeks out his exact look-alike after spotting him in a movie.

  Director:  Denis Villeneuve

  Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent and Sarah Gadon


  REVIEW:

    In 2013, my favorite film was Villeneuve's Prisoners.  That is also my favorite film of all time.  This director is a god in what he does.  Never have I seen someone so meticulous with every shot they take, like they stood for hours trying to get the perfect angle or expression.  Now, Enemy is a very hard film to get into and more over to understand.  The film is an allegory and metaphor for so many things.  Yet again, I would highly recommend watching Stuckmann's Explained Review, inserted below the trailer for this film.  Gyllenhaal is amazing as always and it never disappoints when it comes to this man.  I feel as though this film is one of those that not a lot of people appreciated, but years down the road people will study this film and try to use it as a template.  It is an incredibly interesting film and I can't delve too much into the plot without having to spoil things.  Guys, give this a try and watch Stuckmann's review AFTERWARDS.  Oh yeah, if you don't like spiders this film may not be the one for you.





Stuckmann's Explained Review:







4. Frank (2014)





IMDB Synopsis: Jon, a young wanna-be musician, discovers he's bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank.

Director:  Lenny Abrahamson

Stars:  Michael Fassbender, Domhall Gleeson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal



REVIEW:

  This film was a wonderful experience that I never expected and didn't see coming from a mile away.  Where to begin, well, the music in this film was great ("I Love You All" gets stuck in my head all of the time), the acting is great from all of the cast, the script is a perfect balance of awkward hilarity and downright sad moments from the characters.  There is serious chemistry here.  Not the good kind either.  This entire film is filled with awkward tension and hilarious moments that left me laughing aloud.  I hate comedies for the most part, so trust me when I say this is good.  I hate that it didn't get the coverage it should have, nor the exposure.  Fassbender and Gleeson were perfect for these roles and the film never lost my attention.  It's weird, spunky, funny, intense, inspiring and uplifting all at the same time.  I'm serious, if you haven't seen this movie, go watch it now.  It's on Netflix, the DVD or Blu ray isn't too expensive.  Don't let a film like this get completely overlooked.










3. Foxcatcher (2014)




IMDB Synopsis:  The greatest Olympic Wrestling Champion brother team joins Team Foxcatcher led by multimillionaire sponsor John E. du Pont as they train for the 1988 games in Seoul - a union that leads to unlikely circumstances.

Director:  Bennett Miller

Stars:  Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo


REVIEW:



  When I first saw the trailer for this film, I knew . . . this was going to be something I hadn't seen before.  The haunting character of John du Pont played by Steve Carell swooped in and took my attention the moment I saw his face and heard his voice.  It instantly became my most anticipated film of 2014.  It did not disappoint.  All three of the actors in this film were astounding.  It single-handedly changed my views of Channing Tatum as an actor.  The fact that he didn't get nominated for an Oscar blew my mind.  Carell was terrifying in this film and his resemblance to the real du Pont in his expressions and body language is uncanny.  Ruffalo was great as a man who is torn between choices and is reluctant to follow his brother into the endeavors that ensue.  The entire film feels like a bomb is about to go off.  Carell's du Pont is unpredictable and disturbing.  When I first started researching the film and its true basis, I looked for hours online at actual documents of the incident that took place (won't spoil it), and I watched videos of the real du Pont.  It was all so nightmarish but fascinating.  This film gave me chills and was really a phenomenal success on Miller's part.  It received many Oscar nominations and was hailed at film festivals with high regard.  This movie is hard to stomach at points, but I highly recommend it.











2. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)



IMDB Synopsis:  A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe.

Director:  James Gunn

Stars:  Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel



REVIEW:


  When Marvel announced this film, people were skeptical.  They didn't think an off brand superhero team would be well received and all of the fans and executives alike, found it risky.  Especially with Gunn coming off the godawful Movie 43 (yeah, hard to think it is the same director, right?).  But lo and behold, this film took the world by surprise.  It is, in my opinion, the greatest Marvel film ever made, and in my full review (link at the bottom), I call it the "Next Star Wars".  Bold statement?  Maybe to some, but I feel it is well-deserved.  This film floored me!  I couldn't believe how good it was.  I didn't know what to expect and boy was I surprised.  Every performance in this film was perfect, the CGI was the some of the best I've ever seen, the soundtrack was perfect, there was nothing wrong with this movie!  When I had lost faith in Marvel, they released this.  Though after Age of Ultron, my faith has diminished more, Guardians still stands as a testament to Marvel's ability to create characters we will love and cherish forever.  This film was the definition of a success.  The fact that the soundtrack won a Grammy shows just how successful it was.  If you have not seen this, what is wrong with you?!  This film is the best superhero film Marvel has put out.  Go see it, now.









1. Interstellar (2014)



  IMDB Synopsis:  A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival.
 
  Director:  Christopher Nolan

  Stars:  Matthew McConaughey, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathway, Casey Affleck, and John Lithgow



REVIEW:


  Where to begin.  Nothing this year took me on as much of a journey as Interstellar.  I was completely captivated by this film from start to finish.  I was skeptical going in but when the credits rolled, I literally sat for fifteen minutes speechless.  I couldn't even move, I was so astonished.  This film was beautiful in every shot, epic in scope, filled to the brim with Oscar worthy performances (let's not talk about McConaughey's snub here . . . or Nolan's for that matter), and the direction and visual effects left my chin on the floor.  The fact that almost all of the effects in this film were not CGI or green screen says enough.  I actually did a full review for this film after I saw it if you want to read more on my opinions of it, the link will be below.  Nonetheless, there was not an aspect of this film that I didn't like.  It was flawless in design and I hadn't seen a Science Fiction film in a few years that held this type of weight on me as a viewer.  The three hour run time felt like one hour.  There were scenes where I wanted to cry my eyes out.  No emotion was left unturned throughout the duration of Interstellar.  Nolan once again proved why he is perhaps the greatest director of our generation.  This film, like many greats, was completely snubbed during the awards season.  If you doubt my feelings of the Oscars and how they treat Nolan, consider this: he has never been nominated for Best Director and Inception is his only film to get nominated for Best Picture.  That's right, Memento, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, Inception Insomnia, The Prestige and not a single Best Director nomination and only one Best Picture nomination.  Favoritism yes?  Regardless of the politics involved, Interstellar is one of the greatest Science Fiction films ever made and is an amazing drama simultaneously.  McConaughey was outstanding as always and this film has not lost its quality as I experience it again and again.  Interstellar was an easy pick for the best film of 2014.  In a year drowned with Oscar-bait films and art house pet projects, there were a few great films.  This is by far the best of those few.








  As always, thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read my opinions.  Every view means the world to me and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and suggestions.  If you don't agree with the list, let me know why.  I am always open to learning new things and seeing things in a different light.  I know this list is quite late, but nonetheless, I hope you enjoy.  Until next time!




Guardians of the Galaxy Review:

http://charlesdunphey.blogspot.com/2014/08/gotg-next-star-wars.html


Interstellar Review:


http://charlesdunphey.blogspot.com/2014/11/interstellar-2014-review.html

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