I've counted down my favorite male performances of the year, my favorite female performances of the year, and (essentially) my least-favorite/most disappointing movies of the year. But now that I've gotten the lists no one cares about out of the way, it's time to make the list a few less people will not care about: my favorite movies of the year!
As always, this list is entirely subjective, so any and all comments about how wrong I am for liking something more than something else should be kept to a minimum -- in other words, quiet in the peanut gallery!
25. Enemy
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Bizarre and slightly chaotic, this dark, symbolic tale of a man and his doppelganger is both an excellent showcase of Jake Gyllenhaal's skills as an actor and a great example of the effectiveness of a psychological drama when it doesn't succumb to the predictable tendencies often found within the genre.
24. Why Don't You Play In Hell?
Directed by Sion Sono
Carefully walking the line between being just ridiculous enough to be entertaining, but never going so far as to stop being impactful, this movie sucked me in to the story, characters, and delivered an unforgettable third act rife with gore, hilarity, and even a few moments of great human drama.
23. The Trip To Italy
Directed by Michael Winterbottom
Though it may not have been as fresh as the first 'The Trip' (which was already an adaptation of the TV series starring Brydon and Coogan), I actually found this one slightly more enjoyable, as it toyed with my expectations and continued to dig even deeper into its characters than the first film did. Funny, moving, and an entirely beautiful-looking, pleasant experience from beginning to end.
22. The Babadook
Directed by Jennifer Kent
Quite possibly the most popular horror movie of the year, and for a very good reason. Instead of simply relying on cheap jump scares and generic bland set-up, this movie digs deep into the psyche of its emotionally-tormented lead and provides unique, wholly unsettling atmospheric tension blended with palpable human drama. Essie Davis is absolutely phenomenal.
21. Calvary
Directed by John Michael McDonagh
Somewhat of a tonal catastrophe, this comedic drama (or dramatic black comedy?) starts off with one of the most jarring and disturbing scenes of the year and radically shifts back and forth between comedy and drama for the rest of the film. It all is held together by a collection of memorable scenes and a never-better Brendan Gleeson, giving one of my favorite performances of the year. Definitely not an easy watch, but a memorable one to say the least.
20. American Sniper
Directed by Clint Eastwood
One of the most controversial movies of this awards season, and almost entirely for the wrong reasons. But regardless of the blind love/hate filmgoers seem to have for this movie, I still found it an excellent character study (thanks in large part to a fantastic performance by Bradley Cooper), and one of the more intense war movies in recent memory. Clint Eastwood hasn't been this good since Letters From Iwo Jima.
19. Life Itself
Directed by Steve James
Though I, admittedly, passed up on most documentaries this last year, I still wouldn't be able to see myself enjoying or being as emotionally affected by another documentary this year than I was with this. Chronicling the life and influence of film critic Roger Ebert paired with recent footage during his struggles near the end of his life, this movie had me in tears by the end. A beautiful tribute to the most important film critic of all-time.
18. The Raid 2
Directed by Gareth Evans
Though it doesn't match the intensity and ferocity of its predecessor, this is one sequel that's hard to scoff at. With some of the most incredible cinematography and stunt choreography of the year, this gripping 2-and-a-half hour long Indonesian action film gets you hooked and doesn't let go until you're absolutely exhausted.
17. How To Train Your Dragon 2
Directed by Dean DeBlois
Another sequel I quite enjoyed from 2014, only this one is especially notable for me by the fact that it made me cry not just once, but twice (and during the sappiest scenes, no less). Absolutely stunning animation, a beautiful story, and not afraid to take the big risks almost all other animated movies would never dare to. Even better than the first one -- and that is saying something.
16. The Imitation Game
Directed by Morten Tyldum
One of the biggest successes of the awards season, and for a good reason. Benedict Cumberbatch (as previously stated in my last post about the best performances of the year) delivers the goods in the lead role, with excellent support from not only a fantastic cast, but a strong script and some great filming/editing techniques that somehow manage to make scenes made up of nothing more than mathematics and mechanical clicking sounds some of the most nerve-wracking and intense sequences of the year.
15. Inherent Vice
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Though it obviously doesn't match the levels of quality and "wow" that some of his other movies have managed, this is still one of the most entertaining movies PTA has made, and as unconventional as it may be, is one of the best comedies of the year. Think Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas meets The Big Lebowski and you'll have a decent idea what to expect. It's certainly not for everyone, but it's an experience I would love to revisit.
14. The Sacrament
Directed by Ti West
Ti West is arguably the best horror director of the past several years, and though The Innkeepers is my favorite of his films so far, The Sacrament is definitely a close second. Creepy, atmospheric, with a third act full of intense and horrifying sequences, and a (mostly) great example of the potential found footage movies have, this is not only one of the most disturbing movies of the year, but of the decade as well.
13. Nightcrawler
Directed by Dan Gilroy
A directorial debut made with all the confidence, individuality, and technical proficiency of a seasoned veteran, this darkly amusing crime thriller is one of my favorite character studies of the year and an incredible vehicle for Jake Gyllenhaal, who delivers what will probably be the greatest performance of his entire career.
12. Housebound
Directed by Gerard Johnstone
One of the more absurd, but completely enjoyable horror comedies of the decade, this movie had me hooked from the first time I watched it and didn't lose an ounce of enjoyability even after my third viewing in a week. Funny enough to be a comedy, touching enough to be a drama, just creepy enough to be horror, but far too unpredictable to fit into any of those genres exclusively, this is easily one of the most entertaining movies I saw all year.
11. A Most Violent Year
Directed by J.C. Chandor
With 'Margin Call', Chandor proved he was a master with dialogue. With 'All Is Lost', he showed his range by removing dialogue almost completely from the equation and focusing almost entirely on action. But here, in his third directorial effort, he finds the perfect blend of action and dialogue to create one of the most compelling straight-forward crime dramas of our time. I loved it.
But what movies from 2014 did I love even more? Tune in next time where I will reveal my top 10 favorite movies of the year!
I haven't seen any of these movies but now feel I should.
ReplyDelete