I will, however, look back on the past year and be able to remember it fondly if for nothing else, all the wonderful places I was transported to. Christopher Nolan and the "Interstellar" gang took us back in space for round 2 after last year's "Gravity", while the creepy Lou Bloom documented crime chases in the seedy streets of L.A. in "Nightcrawler" and watching Anna Kendrick's Cinderella sing her little heart out and run away from Chris Pine's Prince through the woods was a spectacle in its own right.
So yeah, it's been a rather fun year at the movies, and another painstaking endeavor to try and rank the rather excellent work of some very talented and committed storytellers. But alas, here I am anyway.
So let's see how your favorites stacked up in my humble opinion. Or better question, are they even on here at all?
My top 10 films of 2014.
"Interstellar" is easily Christopher Nolan's most ambitious film, in a filmography including the likes of 3 Batman films and "Inception". It's also his most understood film, but his most emotionally resonant. Nolan's critics have derided him for being too emotionally distant in works filled with visual grandeur, but here, at the center of this large space expedition, is the love shared between a father and his daughter.
This man has taken us into peoples' dreams, and in and out of Gotham city, but space is arguably his most difficult feat, and boy does he rise to the challenge. Space has never been more beautiful; challenging Alfosno Cuaron's work in last year's "Gravity", the film is filled with so many strikingly gorgeous visuals, allowing us to see space in a whole different way. The Kubrick/"2001: A Space Odyssey" influences are clear throughout, though Nolan doesn't have the skills as a writer to pull off what Kubrick was able to do with his film. Where so much of Inception's success came from the fact that the premise relied so heavily in fiction, Interstellar suffers from questionable science, and mumbled dialogue. But its flaws are what make it every bit as fascinating as it manages to be; the things that don't work really make the things that do, stand out that much more. There are flashes of sheer brilliance, and I wonder if maybe Nolan maybe enlisted a more effective screenwriter to pen the film, if Interstellar could have truly been perfect. But then again, I don't think it needs to be. It's a shame that the film has been so mistreated by critics, because despite it's flaws, Nolan has provided us with a film that's every bit as visually gorgeous as it is emotionally affecting. Time will tell if Interstellar will join A Space Odyssey on the universally accepted list of "misunderstood films", but if nothing else, it's proof that Nolan is one of the most exciting talents working today, and that's enough to justify Interstellar's existence.
Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix & Jeremy Renner)
From the opening shot of the film, James Gray films the iconic Statue of Liberty with her back turned to the camera, a beautifully calculated decision. The writer/director wants you to know that despite countless lessons in classrooms across the country of how we were "the land of opportunity", and a light in the darkness for incoming immigrants, our very own Lady Liberty turned a blind eye to many of the injustices that our country invoked on these poor, helpless people. Gray tells us a story that many would rather go without hearing.
The Immigrant, by definition, is a tragedy; much of the narrative focuses on Ewa (Marion Cotillard) desperately trying to survive in a world that was built to oppress her. She reluctantly agrees to serving under the volatile pimp Bruno (Joaquin Phoenix), because her comfort means less to her than her sister's well being. Cotillard is a marvel, delivering yet another incredible tour de force performance that stands strong next to her Oscar winning work in "La Vie En Rose" and should have been Oscar nominated work in "Rust and Bone". But besides her performance, the real reason the film is so memorable is for how handsomely it's mounted. The cinematography for one, is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and also features beautifully intricate costumes. Of all of Gray's films, this one is certainly his masterpiece, and while I found the film to be a bit slow, this is no doubt one of the most memorable film experiences of the year. It's an outrage that distributor Harvey Weinstein has sabotaged the film's marketing/Oscar chances so obviously (no real release, dumping it quietly on Netflix, no FYC's) over an alleged battle over the final cut with the director, because films like this don't come around too often. This is Gray's love letter to early 1900s America... a love letter stained with blood and tears that once seen, is impossible to forget.
Tightly edited, gorgeously lit & shot, and sublimely acted, "Nightcrawler" is a pulse-pounding experience. Though there's a sense amongst viewers that this is some sort of satirical look at journalism in the sense that Sofia Coppola's "The Bling Ring" was a look at crime and celebrity culture/excess, "Nightcrawler" is a character study first and foremost. Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal) is a fast talking, obsessive and charismatic creep. Every interaction with Lou is a sales pitch; he's constantly trying to sell himself to potential employers, wearing his ambition as a second skin of sorts. Though obviously wanting, no one really takes the bait, that is, until he meets Nina (Russo), the head of a dying local TV station in Los Angeles. Lou happens to be in the right place at the right time, capturing some graphic footage that proves useful to Nina, who is in need of some ratings. They team up, and much to Nina's delight, Lou gets her more gritty, violent footage that's primed to boost her ratings... but at what cost? Just how is he getting this footage?
A lot of the film's marketing and praise has been focused on praising Gyllenhaal's work, so meticulously detailed it's impossible to distinguish actor from character. Yes, there's that method element that has been included in so many of his performances as of late, but the real magic of his performances lies in his eyes. Lou is constantly measuring his odds in every situation, examining how he can get something out of any and all of his interactions; he's not interested in small talk. Similarly excellent is Rene Russo, who really deserves some more substantial roles than the one she got stuck with in the "Thor" films. Nina, like Lou, is a vampire, seeking to suck as much blood as she can without spilling any of her own. It's a devilishly sick dynamic, one that is expertly played between these two vets. But besides that, Gilroy's script and direction are so tightly wound with unrelenting tension, and gorgeous camera work and lighting. This film is a knockout.
"Obvious Child" could have easily been "Frances Ha" 2; it could have been a quirky little indie focusing on an equally zany, unconventional female lead who doesn't wanna grow up. Add in abortion, and at face value, the films are almost indistinguishable (aside from Ha's black and white filter).
The debut film from writer/director Gillian Robespierre, however, is not anything like Frances Ha, nor is it like most films of its kind. On the contrary, Obvious Child is a film so proud of wearing its heart (and message) on its sleeve that it distinguishes itself from many other female focused comedies. Jenny Slate plays Donna, a stand up comedian who is not only dealing with being dumped and knocked up, but reevaluating where she is in life, whether it be her job, her family and friends, or her own person; who does, and doesn't, she want to be?
It's so easy to pin a lot of the success on Slate, whose performance is so damn good I can't believe this is the only project someone has put her in the center of. But to do so, would to undermine the efforts of all of the other key players, namely Robespierre, who along with co-writers Karen Maine and Elisabeth Holm, create a truly believable female experience, while fleshing out equally believable and complex characters. Gaby Hoffman as Donna's best friend Nellie, Jake Lacy as Donna's one night stand/potential boyfriend, or even Polly Draper as Donna's mother, all are fully developed and thought out characters with their own agendas and personalities, existing in the same space as the equally well developed central character. How exciting is that? Supporting characters that exist not only to support the main character, but exist on their own merits and morals; it's not often a film is able to work such magic. Despite Obvious Child's small size in the context of huge, studio driven films, it's a substantially large achievement.
It's impossible to distinguish Michael Keaton from his character in "Birdman", Riggan Thomson. We all know him as Batman before the role was recreated by Christian Bale. After he donned the famous cape and cowl, however, he disappeared from the spotlight, starring in projects that did nothing to further his career. Similarly, the character of Thomson was once famed for playing a superhero, Birdman, but whose career crashed and burned in a similar way. The meta-fusion between actor and character, is a narrative that dominates the film. Two actors struggle to differentiate themselves from their pasts, and show us all what they're really made of.
In an attempt to regain his credibility as an actor, and relevancy, Thomson launches a stage adaptation of Raymond Carver's short story, "What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Love". It's a puzzling move for an actor whose past lies purely in CGI and super heroism, and not everyone is fooled, namely the critics who have their pens ready to take down the production. On top of this, Thomson is troubled by his eccentric, narcissistic and alcoholic leading man Mike (Edward Norton), his freshly out of rehab daughter (Emma Stone) and his internal monologue in the form of Birdman that threatens the stability of his psyche. How is Riggan going to pull this off? Will he pull it off? Will he live through it? Riggan isn't too sure, and neither are we.
Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (fresh off of his Oscar win for "Gravity"), brings the New York playhouse that the film takes place in to life. The film has been closely edited to resemble one dream like long take; there aren't any edits to cut away from person to person, which allows the performances to really breathe. Norton and Stone have attracted the lion's share of the praise outside of Keaton (and deservedly so) but so much of the story works because of the smaller, no less accomplished work done by Watts, Ryan, Galifinakis and Riseborough. This may have been pegged to be a tour de force by Keaton (and it is), but much like "Black Swan" four years ago, Birdman is a thrilling psychological study of an artist desperately trying to create, filled with memorable and thrilling visuals, editing, music and performances.
There's nothing warm about David Fincher's latest. From the opening shot of Rosamund Pike's Amy Elliot Dunne, a shiver is sent down our spine. The morose color palette that encompasses the film inspires no feelings of security, with Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross' creepy score keeping us ever so perched on our toes, waiting for the release of tension of that never comes.
Gillian Flynn's screenplay is just as twistedly brilliant, and acidly funny as her best selling novel. It manages some biting social commentary on the dynamic between husband and wife, not to mention some bruising comedy to boot. Ben Affleck (carefully led by Fincher) gives a performance that will have many reconsidering him as a leading man, and Pike gives a brilliantly venomous turn that will have you guessing long after the credits roll. But this world is filled with other memorable characters, from Kim Dicken's Detective Booney, to Carrie Coon's excellent Margo and even Tyler Perry's Tanner Bolt, Fincher and Flynn successfully immerse us in this bleak world where nothing is what it seems to be. Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth's work is nothing short of extraordinary, and the film is tightly edited, moving briskly through it's 149 minute running time. Gone Girl may be full of mysteries, but one thing that's clear is that this film ranks as one of Fincher's best.
To talk about the premise of "Under the Skin" in detail (or really at all) would take away from its magic; going in blind to this is truly the best cause of action. You will be wowed, amazed and transported in a way unlike any other film has managed to do in years. Jonathan Glazer achieves something so remarkable, that words simply don't do it justice. The film tackles the themes of humanity and sexual dominance; a bit of a role reversal. A woman is preying on men, who are portrayed as unknowingly helpless, with arguably the most minimal dialogue of any film this year. It's truly an experience, and a work of awe-inspiring art. It's a film that challenges us, rather than entertains us; it doesn't always explain everything. We don't know why Johansson's beautifully menacing protagonist is roaming the countryside, and we don't know what becomes of the men she lures back to her lair, but we don't need to, nor should we want to. To want that, would be taking away from the experience. You will be thinking about this one for years to come. Glazer and Johansson have crafted a work of art, reminding us why the medium of film is not only important, but beautifully thrilling. A modern masterpiece, in every sense of the word.
Kristen Wiig's post-"Bridesmaids" career is admirable; she could have easily cashed in on the record breaking success and made a sequel, or followed in the footsteps of countless other SNL alums and made empty, unfunny comedy vehicles. Instead, Wiig has taken a different route entirely, "the road less traveled", and picked some smaller, more interesting projects. "The Skeleton Twins" is another worthy addition to that cannon.
Anyone who watched SNL knows that Wiig and Bill Hader have some truly amazing chemistry with one another; it's impossible to take your eyes off them. But what's so surprising is that these two performers, whose past experience lies so heavily in comedy, can adapt to tackling some very dark, dramatic themes. Wiig's Annie from Bridesmaids was a surprisingly dark character, despite existing in a film that played for laughs. Here, she gives a very understated, but all the more powerful, depiction of depression, the best since Kirsten Dunst's performance in "Melancholia". As for Hader, what left is there to say about his performance that I haven't already said? By no means is this a caricature of a gay man, instead, an earnestly honest, and painstaking portrayal that will, disappointingly, without a doubt be ignored by the Academy. I laughed and I cried while watching this film, and the unforgettable "duet" scene where Milo and Maggie lip-synch to Starship's, "Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now" is one of the best scenes of any movie of this year. This is a film that deserved a bigger audience and more attention than it got; it's a beautiful character study, and testament to the strength shared between siblings, or even just really close friends. Life may be hard, but it's beautiful, and no one should go through it alone.
2.) "The Babadook" (dir. Jennifer Kent; Starring: Essie Davis & Noah Wiseman)
I had never heard of writer/director Jennifer Kent's first film prior to it winning a prize from the New York Film Critics Circle. Soon after it was awarded, I began seeing people all over Twitter ranting and raving about it; it was inescapable. I decided to buy into the hype, took the plunge and watched it.
The Babadook is that rare horror film that truly is as horrifying as people say it is, but not for the reasons you'd expect. Sure, there are some genuine "jump" moments coordinated with precise sound editing that make you want to scream, but the real horror of the film lies within its premise. A mother, still grieving from the death of her husband, who died on the way to give birth to their son. To say Amelia (played by a sublime Essie Davis, giving one of the best performances of the year) loathes her son, is an understatement. He is a living reminder (and a loud one at that) of her husband's death; he is a black hole, sucking any flicker of happiness or joy she feels, even if for a second, out of her.
The underlying theme is dark, and grows more twisted upon repeated viewings. Without the horror premise, the film could easily succeed on its own about the relationship between this mother and her son, but partnered with the grounded horror elements, becomes something else entirely. Kent is less focused on cheap thrills and predatory monsters, and more concerned with the unsettling horror Amelia faces in the form of her motherly duties. It's the most memorable film about grief since "Rabbit Hole". The ending, though touching, is unsettling, and lingers with you long after the credits stop rolling. The fact that it is so perfectly executed, and being from a first time writer and director, makes the achievement so much more thrilling. The tightness of the sound editing, the quality of the writing and beautifully grim cinematography, all would have you believe this was a project coming from an auteur. I look forward to seeing Kent's next project, and Davis (if there's any justice in the world) will be cast in more projects, giving more complex performances such as this one; My bones are still rattling.
1.) "Selma" (dir. Ava DuVernay; Starring: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Egojo, Tim Roth, Tessa Thompson, Lorraine Toussaint & Oprah Winfrey)
There are the right ways to do a biopic ("12 Years A Slave", "Lincoln") and there are the wrong ways ("The Theory of Everything", "The Iron Lady"). It's a tricky tightrope to walk, because on one hand, you want to create an accurate portrait of the person you're portraying. After all, they did in fact, actually exist. On the other hand, you want to create an enjoyable, memorable experience for the audience, not a history lesson. Oftentimes, directors and screenwriters who helm these stories of real life people stray too far into conventionalism, creating projects that are so dull and lifeless, it doesn't really matter how accurate they are. But all I could think of when watching Ava Duvernay's "Selma", was that a director had finally created a biopic that was also able to stand alone as a rousing, entertaining, well put together piece of film.
It was clear that after her last film, 2012's frustratingly underrated "Middle of Nowhere", that DuVernay was a force to be reckoned with. But what shocked me the most, is that she could take her talent, and knack for creating a small film with amazingly authentic human interactions, and transfer them into a film with a much wider scale and scope. The costumes are meticulously put together, the film itself is handsomely mounted with A+ production design and gorgeous cinematography (I think it's safe to say that Bradford Young is this year's cinematography MVP). And the performances are staggeringly, jaw-droppingly powerful; standing the most tall, is David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who puts his blood, sweat and tears into creating a magnificent performance, the best by an actor this year. Instead of portraying him as simply the myth we have come to learn in classrooms and history books, Oyelowo and DuVernay portray him as a man first and foremost, complexities and all, struggling to do the right thing. Caught between a rock and a hard place, this is not the story of King's life, rather, a snapshot.
But the real power of the film is how timely it feels. Though taking place in the 1960s, DuVernay reminds us that the fight for Civil Rights did not end with "I have a dream". It would have been easy for her to simply piece together a touching film about Dr. King's life, maybe even end it with that iconic, stirring speech. But she's smarter than that, instead, choosing to tell a more important story of the struggle of those who fought long and hard to move mountains, while showing us just how many mountains still need to be moved. "Selma" deserves to win all of the Best Picture awards based purely on merit alone. But the fact that it manages to be as socially relevant as it is, is something else entirely. This is the type of filmmaking that we not only need more of, but that deserves to be rewarded.
The Long List: Those that came close but didn't crack the top 10 (Alphabetical Order):
11. "Begin Again" (dir. John Carney; Starring: Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine, James Corden, Cee Lo Green and Catherine Keener): Reintroduces the magic of movie musicals; one of the most naturalistically entertaining movies to come around in a long time. Great lived-in work from Knightley, who reminds us she can act outside of a corset. Bonus points for "Lost Stars".
12. "Beyond the Lights" (dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood; Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker & Minnie Driver): A beautiful, powerfully acted study of the sexualization of women in the music industry, and the relationship between a mother and her daughter. Guru Mbatha-Raw's performance is a star making achievement, supported by great supporting work from Nate Parker and the always excellent Minnie Driver.
13. "Boyhood" (dir. Richard Linklater; Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater and Ethan Hawke): A mosaic of smaller stories and even smaller themes tied loosely together to represent the bigger picture: life, in all of its meandering, emotional, quiet, loud, and beautiful moments. Arquette's performance makes me wish the film was called "Motherhood".
14. Dear White People (dir. Justin Simien; Starring: Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Paris, Brandon P Bell, Kyle Gallner and Dennis Haysbert): A hilariously sharp study of racial politics, featuring a breakthrough performance from Tessa Thompson. Some of the most memorable, hard-biting dialogue of the year.
15. Cake (dir. Daniel Barnz; Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Baranza, Sam Worthington and Anna Kendrick): A beautifully scrappy film about grief and all that comes with it, featuring a game-changing performance from the always reliable Jennifer Aniston; she's as good as you've heard.
16. "Nymphomaniac Volume 1" (dir. Lars Von Trier; Starring: Stacy Martin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Shia LeBeouf, Christian Slater and Uma Thurman): As Von Trier as Von Trier gets, featuring a startiling performance from newcomer Martin that manages to hold the viewer and guide them through the sprawling narrative. Her absence is felt in Volume 2, and the film isn't able to recover. A return to form for the scene stealing Uma Thurman
17. "Snowpiercer" (dir. Bong Joon-ho; Starring: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, John Hurt & Ed Harris): Wildly inventive, and thrilling to boot, "Snowpiercer" is an example of how a lacking genre can still feel new again. Tilda is marvelous in a tiny role, and Evans proves he's a commendable leading man. Great production design and performances from the entire cast.
18. "Still Alice" (dir. Richard Glatzer & Walsh Westmoreland; Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart and Kate Bosworth): A film as fragmented as the protagonist's deteriorating memories, and even more affecting. Moore manages to create such a developed character, and quietly depicts her fading away. Great performances from the supporting players, especially Stewart, whose scenes with Moore deliver some of the most enjoyable acting all year.
19. "Wild" (dir. Jean-Marc Vallée; Starring: Reese Witherspoon & Laura Dern): So much more than the "star vehicle" it's been perceived to be. On one hand, Reese delivers her best (dramatic) work to date; the film is as much about her finding herself as an actress as it is about Cheryl finding herself as a woman. The sensitive direction and cinematography make this a gorgeous ode to the human spirit.
20. "22 Jump Street" (dir. Phil Lord & Christopher Miller; Starring: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube, Jillian Bell, Wyatt Russell & Amber Stevens): A rare instance that a sequel is funnier than its predecessor. Great work from Channing Tatum, who continues to prove he's one of the most versatile leading men working in Hollywood; he fills the character with surprising depth, in addition to getting some great laughs.
Honorable Mentions (Films I liked but didn't love, in Alphabetical Order):
The underlying theme is dark, and grows more twisted upon repeated viewings. Without the horror premise, the film could easily succeed on its own about the relationship between this mother and her son, but partnered with the grounded horror elements, becomes something else entirely. Kent is less focused on cheap thrills and predatory monsters, and more concerned with the unsettling horror Amelia faces in the form of her motherly duties. It's the most memorable film about grief since "Rabbit Hole". The ending, though touching, is unsettling, and lingers with you long after the credits stop rolling. The fact that it is so perfectly executed, and being from a first time writer and director, makes the achievement so much more thrilling. The tightness of the sound editing, the quality of the writing and beautifully grim cinematography, all would have you believe this was a project coming from an auteur. I look forward to seeing Kent's next project, and Davis (if there's any justice in the world) will be cast in more projects, giving more complex performances such as this one; My bones are still rattling.
There are the right ways to do a biopic ("12 Years A Slave", "Lincoln") and there are the wrong ways ("The Theory of Everything", "The Iron Lady"). It's a tricky tightrope to walk, because on one hand, you want to create an accurate portrait of the person you're portraying. After all, they did in fact, actually exist. On the other hand, you want to create an enjoyable, memorable experience for the audience, not a history lesson. Oftentimes, directors and screenwriters who helm these stories of real life people stray too far into conventionalism, creating projects that are so dull and lifeless, it doesn't really matter how accurate they are. But all I could think of when watching Ava Duvernay's "Selma", was that a director had finally created a biopic that was also able to stand alone as a rousing, entertaining, well put together piece of film.
It was clear that after her last film, 2012's frustratingly underrated "Middle of Nowhere", that DuVernay was a force to be reckoned with. But what shocked me the most, is that she could take her talent, and knack for creating a small film with amazingly authentic human interactions, and transfer them into a film with a much wider scale and scope. The costumes are meticulously put together, the film itself is handsomely mounted with A+ production design and gorgeous cinematography (I think it's safe to say that Bradford Young is this year's cinematography MVP). And the performances are staggeringly, jaw-droppingly powerful; standing the most tall, is David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who puts his blood, sweat and tears into creating a magnificent performance, the best by an actor this year. Instead of portraying him as simply the myth we have come to learn in classrooms and history books, Oyelowo and DuVernay portray him as a man first and foremost, complexities and all, struggling to do the right thing. Caught between a rock and a hard place, this is not the story of King's life, rather, a snapshot.
But the real power of the film is how timely it feels. Though taking place in the 1960s, DuVernay reminds us that the fight for Civil Rights did not end with "I have a dream". It would have been easy for her to simply piece together a touching film about Dr. King's life, maybe even end it with that iconic, stirring speech. But she's smarter than that, instead, choosing to tell a more important story of the struggle of those who fought long and hard to move mountains, while showing us just how many mountains still need to be moved. "Selma" deserves to win all of the Best Picture awards based purely on merit alone. But the fact that it manages to be as socially relevant as it is, is something else entirely. This is the type of filmmaking that we not only need more of, but that deserves to be rewarded.
The Long List: Those that came close but didn't crack the top 10 (Alphabetical Order):
11. "Begin Again" (dir. John Carney; Starring: Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine, James Corden, Cee Lo Green and Catherine Keener): Reintroduces the magic of movie musicals; one of the most naturalistically entertaining movies to come around in a long time. Great lived-in work from Knightley, who reminds us she can act outside of a corset. Bonus points for "Lost Stars".
12. "Beyond the Lights" (dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood; Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker & Minnie Driver): A beautiful, powerfully acted study of the sexualization of women in the music industry, and the relationship between a mother and her daughter. Guru Mbatha-Raw's performance is a star making achievement, supported by great supporting work from Nate Parker and the always excellent Minnie Driver.
13. "Boyhood" (dir. Richard Linklater; Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater and Ethan Hawke): A mosaic of smaller stories and even smaller themes tied loosely together to represent the bigger picture: life, in all of its meandering, emotional, quiet, loud, and beautiful moments. Arquette's performance makes me wish the film was called "Motherhood".
14. Dear White People (dir. Justin Simien; Starring: Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Paris, Brandon P Bell, Kyle Gallner and Dennis Haysbert): A hilariously sharp study of racial politics, featuring a breakthrough performance from Tessa Thompson. Some of the most memorable, hard-biting dialogue of the year.
15. Cake (dir. Daniel Barnz; Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Baranza, Sam Worthington and Anna Kendrick): A beautifully scrappy film about grief and all that comes with it, featuring a game-changing performance from the always reliable Jennifer Aniston; she's as good as you've heard.
16. "Nymphomaniac Volume 1" (dir. Lars Von Trier; Starring: Stacy Martin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Shia LeBeouf, Christian Slater and Uma Thurman): As Von Trier as Von Trier gets, featuring a startiling performance from newcomer Martin that manages to hold the viewer and guide them through the sprawling narrative. Her absence is felt in Volume 2, and the film isn't able to recover. A return to form for the scene stealing Uma Thurman
17. "Snowpiercer" (dir. Bong Joon-ho; Starring: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, John Hurt & Ed Harris): Wildly inventive, and thrilling to boot, "Snowpiercer" is an example of how a lacking genre can still feel new again. Tilda is marvelous in a tiny role, and Evans proves he's a commendable leading man. Great production design and performances from the entire cast.
18. "Still Alice" (dir. Richard Glatzer & Walsh Westmoreland; Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart and Kate Bosworth): A film as fragmented as the protagonist's deteriorating memories, and even more affecting. Moore manages to create such a developed character, and quietly depicts her fading away. Great performances from the supporting players, especially Stewart, whose scenes with Moore deliver some of the most enjoyable acting all year.
19. "Wild" (dir. Jean-Marc Vallée; Starring: Reese Witherspoon & Laura Dern): So much more than the "star vehicle" it's been perceived to be. On one hand, Reese delivers her best (dramatic) work to date; the film is as much about her finding herself as an actress as it is about Cheryl finding herself as a woman. The sensitive direction and cinematography make this a gorgeous ode to the human spirit.
20. "22 Jump Street" (dir. Phil Lord & Christopher Miller; Starring: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube, Jillian Bell, Wyatt Russell & Amber Stevens): A rare instance that a sequel is funnier than its predecessor. Great work from Channing Tatum, who continues to prove he's one of the most versatile leading men working in Hollywood; he fills the character with surprising depth, in addition to getting some great laughs.
Honorable Mentions (Films I liked but didn't love, in Alphabetical Order):
- "Beyond the Lights" (dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood; Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker & Minnie Driver)
- "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her" (dir. Ned Benson; Starring Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Viola Davis & Bill Hader)
- "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him" (dir. Ned Benson; Starring: James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader & Viola Davis)
- "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (dir. Wes Anderson; Starring: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Edward Norton, Mathieu Amalric, Saorsie Ronan, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Léa Seydoux, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman & Tilda Swinton)
- "Godzilla" (dir. Gareth Edwards; Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Wanatanbe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins & Bryan Cranston)
- "Into the Woods" (dir. Rob Marshall; Starring: Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine and Johnny Depp)
- "Maps to the Stars" (dir. David Cronenberg; Starring: Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Olivia Williams & Robert Pattinson)
- "Men, Women and Children" (dir. Jason Reitmen; Starring: Adam Sandler, Rosmarie Dewitt, Judy Greer, Ansel Elgort, Kaitlyn Dever and Jennifer Garner)
- "Noah" (dir. Darren Aronofsky; Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Ray Winstone & Anthony Hopkins)
- "Two Days, One Night" (dir. Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne; Starring: Marion Cotillard)
- "White Bird in a Blizzard" (dir. Gregg Araki; Starring: Shailene Woodley, Eva Green, Christopher Meloni, Shiloh Fernandez, Gabourey Sidibe, Thomas Jane & Angela Bassett)
- "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (dir. Bryan Singer; Starring: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Nicholas Hoult & Ellen Page)
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