The time has come where I count down my favourite movies of 2014. I would have picked a Top 10, however, this year has been especially brilliant for film, so I do have decided to do a few honourable mentions. All films listed were only viewed in the cinema, where they can be appreciated in their full glory. I’m sorry if you liked a film this year it’s not here, but this is just one person’s opinion.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Dallas Buyers Club
The two central performances from Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto in this film are near perfect, winning both of them Oscars at the start of the year. The movie itself is well-made and tells an interesting story, but might not have come off as well as it did if it wasn’t for the acting.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Following on from 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, I thought this was a really great film. The emotional depth met with outstanding visual effects really drew me into the collapse and unrest of this world. Andy Serkis as Caeser, leader of the apes and Toby Kebbell as Koba, Ceaser’s traitorous second in command are two of the year’s best acting performances, regardless of the motion capture.
Nightcrawler
This is an excellent film that makes some unequivocal statements about society, topped off with a transformative performance from Jake Gyllenhaal as Louis Bloom, a slightly mysterious aspiring camera-man.
Fury
A gritty, realistic view of the physical and emotional hardships endured over World War II, with excellent, detailed direction from David Ayer.
The Imitation Game
The heartbreaking true story of how Alan Turing and team broke the German’s “Enigma” code during World War II, ultimately ending the war an estimated 2 years earlier than predicted and saving 14 million lives. It also marked the creation of the first computer. Benedict Cumberbatch gives an incredibly touching performance as Turing.
TOP 10
10. Calvary
Beautifully written and directed by John Michael McDonagh and acted sublimely throughout, with career-defining performances from Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd and Dylan Moran. An intriguing plot of a murder mystery against a a significant message about the current state of Irish society certainly makes it one of the best and most important Irish films ever made, in my opinion.
9. Edge of Tomorrow
Groundhog Day with aliens is a high-octane, blood pumping action which I thoroughly enjoyed for its exciting plot, great direction and the wonderful chemistry between the two leads, Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.
8. Her
Her is an extremely thought-provoking film where Spike Jonze’s originality and a sensationalised vision of the present occupied my mind for days on both the impact of the technology on humans and the capacity of love that humanity is capable of. Joaquin Phoenix is at his best as Theodore Twombley, a recently divorced man who falls in love with his Operating System, Samantha, played by Scarlett Johansson, who, just with her voice, creates the most truthful, nuanced, heartfelt character in what is definitely my performance of the year.
7. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
An absolutely incredible superhero/conspiracy thriller from phase two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Written with excellent character development for Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), along with slick technical direction from the Russo Brothers, sets us up for one of the most anticipated movies of 2015, Avengers: Age of Ultron.
6. Begin Again
A fantastic ensemble of actors led by Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightly against the ambient sounds of summertime in New York City, not to mention an uplifting soundtrack by Gregg Alexander, make Begin Again a sweet, heartfelt film of how music connects the world.
5. Gone Girl
A gripping and thrilling tale of 21st century public perception and domesticity. Fincher is back to his best with a chilling and clever screenplay by the author of the book, Gillian Flynn, topped off with all-round superb performances from each cast member, including Rosamund Pike, Neil-Patrick Harris and even Tyler Perry! However, I wanted to single out Ben Affleck, who shows off his sublime acting talent in spite of the negative criticism he has garnered since the announcement that he would be suiting up as Batman in Zack Snyder’s upcoming Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
4. Guardians of the Galaxy
Marvel’s biggest risk to date paid off in what is my favourite superhero film of the year. Its fun, lively energy, exceptional visual effects and charming team of lovable misfits – including a tree and a raccoon – bounce off the screen in this entertaining, laugh-out-loud action/comedy, complete with a soundtrack of ’70s classics. Chris Pratt shows his acting skills as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, who eventually becomes the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
3. Boyhood
One of the most interesting films I’ve ever seen, even for a movie with a barely existent plot line. Filmed outstandingly well by Richard Linklater over 12 years, it follows the life of Mason Evans Jr. from the age of 6 through to 18, with all the highs and lows of growing up. It’s an emotionally enthralling film from start to finish. It resonated with me for a long time as the events of the story take place at some of the most significant points of my life as I grew up. As it went through each year, I became increasingly more invested in these characters and their erratic lives. I really enjoy the soundtrack, which marks the progress of time in terms of what year it is. There are some excellent performances from Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette and Ellar Coltrane, who remarkably pulls off the most difficult task of growing up on screen.
2. Interstellar
My favourite director, Christopher Nolan, strikes again with this incredibly complex tale of the depths of time, space and love. It’s a deeply moving and compelling, with a great amount of truth behind such an epic concept. The look of the film is beautiful and each scene brings the audience into another world. Hans Zimmer’s score fits perfectly into the movie, and it carries us further into the remoteness of space. Matthew McConaughey’s performance as heroic engineer, Cooper, is breath-takingly good and this character grounds the grand scale of the events depicted.
1. The Wolf of Wall Street
Scorsese and DiCaprio’s pure ambition certainly pays off in this insane journey that holds no limits. It delves deep into the world of rapacious stockbrokers on Wall Street, but does not shy away from the consequences of excessive greed and power. The stylistic, vibrant direction from Martin Scorsese, hilarious script by Terence Winter ad the perfect balance of fearlessness, wit and intensity from Leonardo DiCaprio as the avaricious Jordan Belfort combine to make the riotous The Wolf of Wall Street my favourite film of 2014.
Thanks for reading,
Elaine 🙂 x
Elaine Cullen 