2014 has come to a long overdue and
bitter end and that can only mean the always highly controversial list of my
favorite movies of the year is finally here. I should also mention someone
knocked on my door at roughly 2:30 AM last night. Actually, "banged"
on my door might be more accurate. All day I've been wondering if this
same individual will come to my home at the same time tonight. I have
strong suspicions as to this individual's identity but the implications are so
terrifying I dare not write them.
Before the list commences I would
like to repeat something I wrote last year: this is not a list of the
"best" movies of 2014. I was unfortunately not able to view
every release from the past 365 days and I would never presume to have the
intelligence, wit or depth of understanding of the art of cinema to craft such
a list. These are simply my favorites of the year, the ones that moved me
the most and they should only be taken as such.
13. Dredd
Some may find it odd that a movie
which was released in the fall of 2012 has managed to appear on my lists for
2013 and 2014 but that’s just testament to this film's greatness and staying
power! It’s even doubly relevant this year due to the release of the
awful Robocop remake. You see,
before Paul Verhoeven directed the original 1987 Robocop he was actually seeking to make a Judge Dredd movie but
this was halted due to rights issues and so much red tape. However, the
character's influences are all over that flick - just look at the similarity in
helmet design - and it remains a rightful classic. The remake was all
kinds of terrible and just shows how difficult it can be to craft that rare
perfect blend of action, humor, gore and general grooviness. Dredd
had all this is in spades two years ago and is already taking on the sweet and
somber hues of a classic. As its following only continues to grow I'm
sure it will survive the coming years without issue.
12. True Detective
I've been watching more television
these days and catching up on the countless programs my so called friends have
been recommending for the past few decades. That doesn't really apply in
this case because no one I knew actually watched True Detective but I tried it just the same as it seemed like the
perfect show for someone like me: mystery, serial murder, great actors like
Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan, and best of all it was
only 8 episodes; a complete story, little chance of overstaying its welcome and
stretching on to interminable lengths of repetition, padding and banal
nothingness. And across those eight episodes I was hypnotized like a
psych patient recounting horrific memories of unspeakable parental abuse. The mystery is great but what made this show
list worthy is that it’s actually a very sophisticated character study of these
two detectives and how their own inner turmoil in equal turns drives and
threatens to destroy them. And yes, the
tracking shot that ends episode 4 is as amazing as everyone said.
11. Hannibal Season 2
Intimate followers of my work know
all too well my deep love and devotion for this show and may recall season 1
also appeared on this list last year. That this love sprang forth like cleansing
baptismal water from my initial skepticism somehow makes it all the more pleasurable.
I love being proven wrong in such a gleeful manner. But I must say
as much as I adored season 1 and how it consistently blew me away and restored
my faith in television it seems almost primitive now that I witnessed the
rapturous glory of season 2. Leads Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen push themselves
ever further in what is a delightfully grim and absurd exploration of the
darkest corners of the psyche. This
season had so many twists and – far more importantly – nuanced characterization
that I was left every week in a state of dry-heaving withdrawal until the next
episode. Highlights would practically be
every episode but the creators led by Bryan Fuller outdid themselves with some
truly wondrous examples of elegant gore and the overall tone of the season,
especially as it reaches its end, of sheer operatic tragedy feels so utterly
proper. Hannibal satisfies my thirst for psychological intrigue, for
darkness, for gore, for wit and it does this all in style. I'd like to comment on the score now: Brian
Reitzell provides the music for Hannibal
- sometimes working in classical themes as well - and the music is as important
as any character or storyline. Whether it is playing up the horror or the
absurd it cranks every scene up several notches. This is no more true
than in the climactic scene of the entire season set it Hannibal's kitchen; a
scene already fantastic for its direction, acting and photography becomes tear
inducing beauty with the score. The producers seem to recognize the
greatness of the music since 4 soundtrack albums (2 for each season) have been
released so far. It is hard for me to imagine how this show could increase
in greatness but if it somehow stays the course I have no doubt this will
simply become one of my favorite pieces of art.
Period.
10. Interstellar
This was the most difficult choice
for me and I considered just making this a top 9 list but somehow Christopher
Nolan’s latest kept sticking in my brain like melted cheese drying out on a greasy
pan. This movie is so all over the place it almost makes me sick. I
would say it is even sloppier than The
Dark Knight Rises (maybe, its close) and I would be quite comfortable
calling it Nolan's worse movie. And yet! And yet there are so many
ideas here! Passion literally bursts out of the screen and strangles me
until the blood vessels in my eyes pop. There are entire sections and
characters I feel could be written out entirely and the movie would be none the
worse and I would even ultimately say that the final payoff does not work at
all. And yet! And yet I also believe and feel that Nolan
continuously challenged himself with this movie and challenged the audience’s
expectations over simple popcorn entertainment. Does it scale the
Kubrickian heights of 2001: A Space Odyssey
or does he have Spielberg’s touch for effortlessly selling the over-saccharine?
Definitely not and almost not at all. And yet! And yet within
this movie are moments small and large that completely captured me and immersed
me in that big screen spectacle in a way so few movies can anymore in this
special effects saturated age: the massive wave about to crash down on the
crew, a climactic ship docking scene that had me pissing my trousers, the
unexpected majesty of a "sounds of thunderstorms" musical selection
being played over the sojourn through space. The ideas are thrilling and audacious
(just the fact that such a big movie has ideas is a thrill) and the robots have
a rare and surprisingly original design. I desperately hope Nolan goes
back to smaller fair for his next flick but despite all of its many problems I
think I will be cherishing Interstellar
for a long time as a testament to exploration not within space but within
cinema and the glory of pushing your artistic goals and achievements.
9. The Lego Movie
Those who know me best know I am not
one to watch movies aimed for children. I'll be raped and skinned alive
for saying this but I don't really even care for Pixar or Disney movies. I was suckered into watching The Lego Movie after losing a game of
cards to a harpooner while we drank Singapore Slings and discussed baseball but
I was ultimately glad for this loss as the film won me over in mere seconds.
Its kinetic energy kept slapping me in the face like a large mouth bass.
The story is ultimately simple and revels in the tropes of “the chosen
one” type tales but while still promoting values I hold dear such as individuality.
But it is the rapid fire humor and great characters which kept me
literally glued to my television screen. There is also truly excellent
voice work; Bad Cop is easily one of Liam Neeson's best roles. Maybe I
should start watching more movies aimed at youngsters. Maybe I've just
been wrong all this time with the only logical solution to be suicide.
Also, I loved the animation in this! I miss the old days of traditional
2d style animation but this is the first time in what feels like decades where
I’ve felt excited by this newfangled all computer animation. Just like
the story, characters and jokes the look of the flick is a superb sugar rush
and the animators come up with all sorts of creative ways to use Lego.
I'm also quite sure the maddening song "Everything is Awesome"
will stick in my head until the end of my days.
8. Noah
2014 was definitely a year of
religious movies of all colors and stripes from cash‘ins like Son of God to evangelistic films like God's Not Dead and Saving Christmas to big epics like Exodus: Gods and Generals and even a Nicholas Cage movie like Left Behind but the biggest of these -
financially if not critically - was Darren Aronofsky's Noah and I would lay down my life to say it was also the most
interesting and one of the most interesting movies I saw all damn year.
What Aronofsky has cannily done is something so few directors seem
willing to do and that is treat a biblical tale with the same fervent devotion
to artistic integrity and expression as they would any other narrative.
Simply put he remains essentially true to the verses while not allowing
them to put a chain on his creativity. The end result is something that feels
far more personal and layered as opposed to the dry paint-by-numbers style of
Ridley Scott’s Exodus. Some
believers were put off by what they felt were outrageous changes such as rock
angels, a Cain on the arc and a possibly homicidal Noah bent on viciously
murdering his grandchildren. Some non-believers were put off simply
because they hate anything in any way associated with a Christian belief
system. Many from both groups are complete idiots. Aronofsky pulls and
culls from biblical mythology in a way I’ve never seen done before – seeds from
Eden, Nephilim fighting to protect the arc, Noah recounting creation to his
family – and films scenes that are both beautiful and haunting such as Noah's
visions, people clinging to rocks and screaming while the arc floats nearby and
the new promised land found at the end. It is surely scattered, messy, oddly
paced, riddled with uneven performances and difficult to call good in most
traditional ways. Yet each time I’ve watched I’ve been swept away just
like all the other soggy sinners.
7. Snowpiercer
Bong Joon-Ho’s adaptation of Jacques
Lob 1982 comic book (or graphic novel if you're a pretentious and self-hating
slob) Le Transperceneige is a simple tale that maximizes its potential and setting
in a way most films never do. At some point in the future mankind has
mostly died off after the earth has become a frozen wasteland. What's
left of humanity rides around the world in a big train with the poor and destitute
in the back cars and the rich and controlling in the front. All is in
order until a rebel group decides to spark a revolution and make it to the
front of the train without being slaughtered. The symbolism is obvious
but never feels heavy handed thanks largely to a great performance from Chris
Evans and Joon-Ho’s commitment to keep things moving as fast as the titular
train. Each new car brings equal parts thrills and surprises and the
story moves more fluidly than it has any right to. This was one of the most
fun times I had watching a feature film all year (though there are certainly
some very real and very grim elements). I'm known for being a notorious
asshole and perennial buzzkill but sometimes even I enjoy a little fun.
6. The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears
The directing duo of Helene Cattet
and Bruno Forzani first got my attention back in 2009 with their gorgeous neo
giallo Amer and they've done it again
in mad style with this flick which carries on the long standing giallo
traditions of having an amazing title and a story that may not make complete
sense (or none at all) but that gives way to dizzying imagery and atmosphere by
the buckets. I grappled with this movie which is about a man named Dan
played by Klaus Tange who returns home from a business trip to find his wife
missing and upon further investigation stumbles into a world of intrigue inside
his own apartment complex involving serial murder, bizarre eroticism and other
missing women. That sounds simple but by the end I had very little idea
what was happening or why. This movie was difficult, it was challenging,
it was frustrating but it always had me. The imagery is horrifying and
dizzying and pretty as a painting and the sound design as immersive as Amer.
Essentially, this is a ghoulish and sexy fever dream and I wish there
existed more. There was a filmic
technique which annoyed the piss and shit right out of me for the majority of
this picture but is cannily revealed at the end as not merely a stylistic
choice but a legitimate narrative device which develops the central storyline
and themes. That being said, I'm not really sure what the central themes are
though it definitely has something to do with vaginas though whether it’s fear
of them or love of them I can't say with any degree of certainty. Such is
the bizarre magic of this movie, it has stayed with me as something equal parts
sadistic punishment and garish beauty and I have no idea to whom I would
recommend it other than myself but that's good enough for me. Our dark
side is indeed our best side.
5. Boyhood
Richard Linklater claimed the much coveted
top spot in my list last year with Before
Midnight but he could only manage a hard 5 this year. Still, there is no
shame in not being able to replicate the audacious perfection of his Before… trilogy (the best cinematic film
trilogy ever? Probably. Though the Hobbit films must certainly come close
as well as Episodes I, II and III). By now everyone who isn't an idiot
knows the story behind this movie's filming: Over the course of 12 years or so
Linklater and actors Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Linklater’s daughter
Lorelei and most prominently Ellar Coltrane – who was 7-years-old when filming
began in 2002 – gathered together for a bit each year to film additional scenes
with the end goal being a filmic portrayal of Coltrane's character growing from
a child to college age. That is certainly an epic experiment but I submit
it wouldn't matter much if the end result wasn't worth a damn.
Thankfully, the final product is extremely heartfelt while blissfully
void of the saccharine. Hawke oozes as much charisma as ever and Arquette
anchors things with a reliably great performance but this is Coltrane's movie
and over the course of 12 years condensed into two and a half hours he is
intensely likable, relatable and wonderfully human. This is an extremely
rich and rewarding movie which frequently somehow made me feel both nostalgic
and hopeful by highlighting life's experiences, life's difficulties and life's
promise. I very much look forward to growing with this film.
4. Under the Skin
As countless others have pointed out,
it’s easy to think of this as an ominous distant cousin to Nicolas Roeg’s 1976
movie The Man Who Fell to Earth
though with Scarlett Johansen in the David Bowie role. The plot can be very
easily described as an alien disguised as a very attractive human woman (Johansson)
drives around Glasgow, Scotland to lure men back to a mysterious place where
bad things befall them. That's basically it as for what happens.
But what is it about? Ah, that is a much more difficult question
(at least for a doddering fool like yours truly). The questions it raises about sexuality -
both in how we grapple with it in life but perhaps especially how we grapple
with it when viewed through the prism of art - have stayed in my brain since
the first viewing. Along with those questions are some of my favorite
scenes of the entire year that still resonate with a haunted beauty (in style if
not necessarily in content): a ship hidden in the clouds above a cityscape, a
child left alone on the beach, what happens to the men once the woman takes
them back to her "home", and a particularly effective drive involving
a deformed and doomed hitchhiker. And above all this is Johansson's
vacant and penetrating stare, cutting through everything else on screen and
straight into my soul. Like Interstellar this is full of Kubrick
homages, though to a much greater effect.
Unfortunately I do think the final scene is a bad misstep but by this
time the movie has built up so much good will it could have done just about
anything and I still would love it. I would also posit this flick as
having the best score of any movie I've seen this year. Mica Levi’s music
is wonderfully creepy and gives me that glorious "something wrong is going
down" feeling that I love so much.
3. The Raid 2: Berandal
The Raid: Redemption was easily one
of the best action movies of the past decade but director Gareth Evans somehow
topped his already insanely high standards with an action epic for the ages.
This one ups the ante by combining the insane Indonesian
martial arts style pencak silat of the first flick with an expansive crime narrative about
rival gangs, undercover cops and usurpers to the corrupt thrones of power.
I won't belabor the plot details. Potential viewers are here for
one thing: the martial arts. This aspect is so mind explodingly incredible
it will make any fan of this genre weep with joy. Not enough can be said
about star Iko Uwais who reprises his role from the first film and who is a very
human protagonist who still believably sells the near indestructible force of
pencak silat that can fight through anyone in his way. The speed and
technical precision on display by Uwais, Cecep Arif Rahman and several others frequently left me giddy. Throw in
the best car chase of the year and two incredible new additions in the form of Hammer
Girl and Baseball Bat Man and fights that keep raising the stakes and I was in
fighting movie heaven. The final battle in the kitchen between Uwais and Rahman
is astonishing, bloody, brutal and utterly joyous to behold. As a man who loves
his crime movies and his martial arts movies I can say it is merely very good
in one aspect but a supreme near unparalleled masterpiece in the other.
2. Birdman
Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thomson,
an actor who once attained huge success in a superhero franchise but whose star
has largely faded and is attempting a credibility comeback by writing,
producing and starring in a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver short story.
The movie chronicles the last few days leading up the premiere as Riggan
has to grapple with his difficult relationship with his stagehand and daughter
Sam (Emma Stone), the unpredictable and newly appointed lead actor Mike Shiner
(Edward Norton), a critic who may destroy his last chance at doing something
worthwhile, and, chiefly, his own ego and insecurities which threaten to crush
him as he makes one last desperate stab for relevancy. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu
has crafted a gorgeous movie
designed to look like one continuous shot. The theatre, its roof, the
streets of New York City and the stage all come to vivid life and I would say
this is the best looking movie I've seen this year. But even beyond that
the rewards it provides are surprisingly strong. The way Iñárritu shows Riggan’s crippling insecurities and crumbling
sense of self is both tragic and comical and Antonio Sanchez’s drum score does
everything right to enhance these themes. Norton does great work here and adds
a substantial amount to a character that could have easily been one note.
But it is Keaton who is most definitely the center of this storm of the
ego and though I certainly can't pretend to be impartial - I've loved Michael
Keaton as long as I've loved movies - I can say his work is worth all the hype
that's been lauded upon it. As a man slowly crumbling from pressures both
external and internal Keaton's work is masterful and crucially subtle.
His character is largely self-absorbed but impossible to hate because he
feels so real and complex and through this Keaton offers several moments that
are likely career best. His performance is at once the restrained anchor that
holds it all together and the kinetic force of creative desperation that sends
it to the stars. Brilliant and layered, this a rare one that was worth
all the hype. Bravo to all.
Also, for anyone who loves this or
Keaton in general I would recommend a 2006 movie in which he starred called Game 6 that is also fantastic and has a
few rather striking similarities.
1.
Only Lovers Left Alive
And here we are. My number one
pick who's reputation is about to skyrocket thanks to my recommendation.
Tom Hiddleston and especially Tilda Swinton (who also did great work in Snowpiercer) are unbelievably perfect in
their respective roles as a married couple who have lived for centuries due
their vampire lifestyle. There isn't so much a plot per se. Sure, a
few unexpected twists happen to push things along and some mild suspense is
generated by a situation in the third act but this is mainly concerned with their
relationship. Director Jim Jarmusch lets
the scenes breathe and the resulting tone is hypnotic with the performances
heartfelt and gradually more absorbing.
Just when I thought I may never see another interesting vampire movie along
comes this gem to blow my brains out. It
is also one of the most romantic flicks I’ve seen in ages. And despite its more wistful tone Jarmusch
did have time to slip in one classic and striking horror image and it makes for
a beautiful and pitch perfect conclusion.
It’s an unassuming little motion picture and perhaps a left (or is that
right?) field choice. It’s not without its
flaws and I do believe there are flicks on this list more proficient
technically and even narratively. But when I review my list there are no other
two characters with whom I bonded so fiercely as these and no relationship I
cared more about. This is the one which has stayed with me the most of any new
release I’ve seen this year and the one which most demands my return. I look
forward to many future midnight viewings.
And there it is! The list
proper. But the fun isn’t quite over yet!
Let’s take a look at a few honorable mentions and pontificate as to why
they couldn't clear that last hurdle.
Non-Stop – Liam
Neeson on a plane. I was sold just knowing that much about it. This
was a serious contender and I do believe it is fantastic lark. It is
essentially perfect up until the reveal of the perpetrator's motivations for
the dastardly acts. Normally, I can look past things like this but the
reasoning was so convoluted - and frankly stupid - it brought everything down.
Still, just about everything is highly enjoyable and I expect this one to
rise in coming years.
In the Blood
– Woman loses husband in the Caribbean and goes on a rockem sockem manhunt to
get him back. Basic stuff but well done and the setting and female
protagonist are quite interesting. My incredibly unhealthy Gina Carano
obsession is likely giving this one a bit more credit than it deserves though.
Actually, I'm sure it is.
300: Rise of an Empire:
This sequel takes out all the endless idiotic speeches of the first 300 which gave college guys everywhere
pulsating erections before they promptly creamed their pants in their manliness
while watching sweaty nearly naked men grappling with one another. I love
that guys like to watch muscly guys. I love to do it too! I love
myself! This movie is a thousand times better by being about 45 minutes
shorter. Lots of fast death and Eva Green chewing scenery like it was Red
Man Chewing Tobacco (still America’s best chew) and being one of the best
villains of the year. In the end it was either too stupid or not stupid
enough, not sure.
Enemy/Nightcrawler:
Two Jake G movies where he plays varying levels of creepy doing various creepy
things. Both held my attention and I would recommend Nightcrawler to most (Enemy
to only a few). Ultimately Nightcrawler
was too contrived and shallow to advance further (his performance and the final
car chase are doozies though!) and Enemy
failed to rise to the artsy and pretentious greatness of something like Under the Skin. The very final
scene of Enemy did make me defecate
in my trousers however and for that I doff my hat to it.
Guardians of the Galaxy
- Marvel is definitely stepping in the right direction by allowing some
legitimate creativity to show through in what is arguably their best movie. I
suspect this will be a one-off but that does not change this being a surprisingly
enjoyable corn movie brought down by the standard Marvel formula (and formula
of just about every blockbuster involving superheroes, aliens, robots, magic,
vampires, hobbits and Will Smith) of the last third or so being nothing more
than a giant and incredibly uninteresting CGI battle.
Exodus: Gods and Kings:
Like Noah (even with another infamous
jerkface in the lead role) but a lot less weird and a lot more epic Ridley
Scottish. I loved the plagues and all the Old Testament goodies but it’s
all so familiar it fades rather quickly.
Grand Budapest Hotel
– Real humorous. Ralph and Willem do well. Tons of wit. Not quite sure why this one didn’t make it
actually.
Edge of Tomorrow
– I always complain that big budget movies are like video games these days but
this actually takes that idea to another level. It only grows tiring when
that gimmick stops. Also, Tom Cruise terrifies me.
John Wick
- Keanu Reeves shooting a bunch of people. Liam wasn't available?
The dog is really super cute and the action - especially the nightclub
scene - is shot so cleanly with such lovely brutality. Still, it does all
get rather repetitive after a while. Even these types of movies need to
mix things up a little.
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For: Close. So damn close. I’ll probably enjoy this
more on subsequent viewings than I will Interstellar.
And yet! Hmmm, not sure exactly. Robert Rodriguez’s direction
is as surefooted as ever, the actors are all game and even after so much cheap imitation
the look of the film is as immersive and impressive as the first. But it just had a little too much modern
Frank Miller writing and not the glorious crap kind like in The Spirit.
The Taking of Deborah Logan - Every year I trudge through seemingly endless amounts of
godawful horror in the hopes of finding those ever elusive diamonds in the
rough. I watched this just because it
had a creepy cover and I’m glad I made such a choice as it genuinely unnerved
me. Its independent origins are its
strengths and its weaknesses. Despite
its creepiness there’s a bit too much cheapness on display to really make the
leap to greatness. Still a great effort though
and worth seeking out for horror fans.
Locke – Tom
Hardy in a car talking on the phone for 90 minutes. One could and should not
ask for anything more than this in a movie. It didn't make the top 10 because
he talked too much about some things and not enough about others.
Chef – John Favreau wrote, directed and starred in this flick about a former restaurant chef striking out on his own and following his food oriented dreams. This has a great cast including Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt and Robert Downey Jr. and is great food porn and overall a fantastic movie. Truth be told I completely forgot about it but it may have otherwise made the list proper. It's too late to revise now though.
Now, I don’t do any kind of “worst”
or “least favorite” lists because it’s too mean spirited but I will be upfront with
my Most disappointing of 2014:
Godzilla - what a
piece of crap. They should have called it Boring Ass Military Movie
instead. Contrary to what a lot of losers think, Godzilla's limited
screen time isn't actually a huge problem. There are plenty of old school
G movies where he doesn't appear much until the end and there examples aplenty
of classic films new and old like Jaws
and The Dark Knight where central
antagonists and movers and shakers like the shark and the Joker have little
screen time. But the two differences between these movies is staggeringly
important: 1. Regardless of whether they are on the screen or not, the shark in
Jaws and the Joker in The Dark Knight ALWAYS have their
presence felt and ALWAYS feel like they are moving the story along with
everyone else desperately trying to catch up, this makes for compelling drama.
2. Whether the perfect trifecta of shark hunter, police chief and ocean guy in Jaws or the cast of awesomeness in The Dark Knight the characters who are
on screen a majority of the time are equally compelling, very well written and
we actually give a shit about them. Aaron Taylor-Johnson's boring ass
army guy is the definition of stock incredibly dull military dude and no one
else in a talented but completely wasted cast that includes Bryan Cranston,
Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche and Ken Watanabe is given a damn thing to do
but stare wide-eyed and do a little running. This movie was like eating a
big steaming bowl of horseshit stew washed down with a tall frosty glass of cat
piss. It broke my heart.
And that’s it faithful readers! Thanks for scoping this list and please feel
free to comment below and tell me what an idiot I am for having such shitty
taste! Also please chime in with some of
your faves and least faves. Let’s toast
to cinema too, huh? See you soon….
