Top Ten Movies of 2014

#3

Locke

DIR: Steven Knight

[amz asin=”B00KH57UVA” size=”small”]For a film that runs only 85 minutes, Locke contains more to consider and think about than most bloated, over-stuffed blockbusters could ever dream of offering and I explored it to every last fiber of its being. I dissected writer/director Steven Knight‘s Blu-ray audio commentary (read that here) and I interviewed Knight as well (read that here) and then, sitting down with the movie even now, it manages to keep me fully enraptured. 85 minutes in the car with Tom Hardy is 85 minutes well spent.

REVIEW SNIPPET:

The mere fact Knight and Hardy were able to draw us in to such a major degree in 85 lightning fast minutes is a testament to the film’s power and if you’re upset at the end because you don’t get some ultimate finale, then the film worked for you as well. That anger you feel is not due to it being a bad film, but a film that held you by the heart and was unwilling to give you the happy ending you would have wanted. Let your imagination go and you decide where it all goes from there… what conclusion do you come to? The mystery of cinema doesn’t always work in the most obvious ways, sometimes you must decide the ultimate path for yourself.

Read my full review here.

#2

Whiplash

DIR: Damien Chazelle

Whiplash gets to the heart of the competitive spirit. Just how far will you go to be the best? How far can you push yourself and how far are you willing to be pushed? Can you accept the criticism it takes and can you dedicate your life to something, forsaking all others? A great conversation would be to talk to someone after seeing Whiplash, asking them where they think 19-year-old jazz drummer Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) takes his career after the electric last minutes of the film. Does he become one of the greats? Does he believe he’s finally made it? Has he gained the respect of the domineering Terence Fletcher (played with absolute brilliance by J.K. Simmons)?

REVIEW SNIPPET:

This isn’t a movie for softies. This isn’t a movie for people that think things in life should come easy or those that think second, third and fourth place finishers deserve trophies. I’m sure some will see this as a cautionary tale of “how much is too much?”, and that’s definitely part of the story and not to be overlooked, but I look at it more as a story that proves greatness, as in true greatness, is reserved for a select few and it doesn’t matter what obstacles are placed in front of them. If the spotlight is meant for them, they’ll find their way into it.

Read my full review here.

#1

Birdman

DIR: Alejandro GonzÃ¡lez IÃ±Ã¡rritu

After seeing Birdman I just knew it would either be number one or number two on my year end list. It was late enough in the year that I knew there wasn’t much else left to top it and it simply spoke to me. Its cynicism and satire is on point, the dialogue electric and the unblinking eye of Emmanuel Lubezki‘s camera. Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone and the entire cast give co-writer and director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu everything they have and Antonio Sanchez‘s jazzy, drum-filled score keeps the pace. Birdman is exceptional in most every way.

REVIEW SNIPPET:

Once Birdman starts it doesn’t stop until the film runs out and even then its energy seems to bleed into your veins as you exit the theater. It’s a story of actors and the stage, artists and their critics. It’s about the desire to be somebody as much as it’s the fear of being a nobody. It tells of a world where artists are no longer recognized for their talent, but instead for the larger-than-life characters (literal and figurative) they play. Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is one such artist.

Read my full review here.

And that does it for my top ten of 2014, here they are again, in order:

Birdman
Whiplash
Locke
Gone Girl
Mommy
Boyhood
Nightcrawler
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Edge of Tomorrow
The Guest

Previous Year Top Ten Lists

You can find all my previous year end top tens using the links below.

Now it’s your turn. Share your favorite films from the year directly below. I’m sure your lists will change as some of these films have still yet to make it to every market and some of you will even have to wait until DVD or Blu-ray to catch them all as the studios continue to neglect some areas of the country and world.

Coming soon, I will take a look at the worst films of the year that I saw, my most disappointing as well as a final capstone on the year with my 7th Annual RopeofSilicon Awards where I name my choice for Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Actress, Director, Screenplay and more from over the course of the year. You can take a look at the previous five years right here.