My Top Ten Favourite Films Of 2014 (and a few honourable mentions that didn't quite make the top ten but deserve recognition). There are a couple of films on the list that were made before 2014, but I'm sticking with my annual rule of qualifying by UK release date, not year of production.
10. The Guest
(Darkly-comic slasher-influenced thriller that built on my enthusiasm for the team of Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett. Dan Stevens steals the show as our handsome, polite and definitely psychopathic lead and clearly having the time of his life. I dare say he's my favourite new star of the year.)
(Darkly-comic slasher-influenced thriller that built on my enthusiasm for the team of Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett. Dan Stevens steals the show as our handsome, polite and definitely psychopathic lead and clearly having the time of his life. I dare say he's my favourite new star of the year.)
9. Gone Girl
(From one of my favourite performances of the year to another, if Rosamund Pike isn't at least nominated for something at the Oscars, it'd be a travesty. Slick, intelligent, layered and...yes, also pretty funny in places, this is typical Fincher goodness.)
(From one of my favourite performances of the year to another, if Rosamund Pike isn't at least nominated for something at the Oscars, it'd be a travesty. Slick, intelligent, layered and...yes, also pretty funny in places, this is typical Fincher goodness.)
8. Calvary
(The more subdued follow-up to Martin MacDonagh's 2011 film, The Guard, I actually prefer this film about a kindly priest in a small Irish town who finds out he'll be murdered within a week. MacDonagh beautifully balances Father Ted-styled humour and an emotionally engaging tale, supported by a wonderful lead performance from Brendan Gleeson as well as his son Domhnall, Aiden Gillain, Dylan Moran and Chris O'Dowd.)
(The more subdued follow-up to Martin MacDonagh's 2011 film, The Guard, I actually prefer this film about a kindly priest in a small Irish town who finds out he'll be murdered within a week. MacDonagh beautifully balances Father Ted-styled humour and an emotionally engaging tale, supported by a wonderful lead performance from Brendan Gleeson as well as his son Domhnall, Aiden Gillain, Dylan Moran and Chris O'Dowd.)
7. Interstellar
(Whilst comparisons with Kubrick abound, personally I see Interstellar as more of Nolan's tribute to Steven Spielberg in connecting a sci-fi plot with a beautiful story about family. Mind-blowingly imaginative in its visuals and absorbing in its story, credit must also be due for making a science-fiction that is simultaneously "high-concept" yet accessible.)
(Whilst comparisons with Kubrick abound, personally I see Interstellar as more of Nolan's tribute to Steven Spielberg in connecting a sci-fi plot with a beautiful story about family. Mind-blowingly imaginative in its visuals and absorbing in its story, credit must also be due for making a science-fiction that is simultaneously "high-concept" yet accessible.)
6. The Grand Budapest Hotel
(I've seen Grand Budapest Hotel three times now and plan on making many return visits. A surprise smash from Wes Anderson, this colourful caper with an all-star cast, Grand Budapest Hotel also demonstrates Anderson's flair for being both zany and bittersweet. The film twists and turns at such a fast pace, it's hard to keep trackmof everything so great about the film, so for time's sake, I will single out Ralph Fiennes as giving a bravura comedic performance.)
(I've seen Grand Budapest Hotel three times now and plan on making many return visits. A surprise smash from Wes Anderson, this colourful caper with an all-star cast, Grand Budapest Hotel also demonstrates Anderson's flair for being both zany and bittersweet. The film twists and turns at such a fast pace, it's hard to keep trackmof everything so great about the film, so for time's sake, I will single out Ralph Fiennes as giving a bravura comedic performance.)
5. Paddington
(There was a quiet low-key expectation for this film outing for Michael Bond's beloved bear to turn out to be a turkey. How wonderful it is then, that it's a very sweet, endearing and entertaining adventure. Ben Whishaw stands out voicing the titular bear and is instantly lovable. The film also skilfully manages to juggle the feeling and ideas of the original Paddington stories whilst giving us something new and exciting. Now, where did I leave my marmalade sandwich?)
(There was a quiet low-key expectation for this film outing for Michael Bond's beloved bear to turn out to be a turkey. How wonderful it is then, that it's a very sweet, endearing and entertaining adventure. Ben Whishaw stands out voicing the titular bear and is instantly lovable. The film also skilfully manages to juggle the feeling and ideas of the original Paddington stories whilst giving us something new and exciting. Now, where did I leave my marmalade sandwich?)
4. A Story Of Yonosuke
(Bit of an obscure entry for this 2012 Japanese comedy that got a very small release in the UK in 2014. Set in Japan in 1987, the film follows the life of student Yonosuke (Kengo Kôra) and his misadventures in his social and love life. Mostly an easy-going film and surprisingly long (2 hours, 40 minutes) it may be an acquired taste but the work of actors Kengo Kôra and Yuriko Yoshitaka as Yonosuke's extremely sweet girlfriend won my heart pretty much instantly.)
(Bit of an obscure entry for this 2012 Japanese comedy that got a very small release in the UK in 2014. Set in Japan in 1987, the film follows the life of student Yonosuke (Kengo Kôra) and his misadventures in his social and love life. Mostly an easy-going film and surprisingly long (2 hours, 40 minutes) it may be an acquired taste but the work of actors Kengo Kôra and Yuriko Yoshitaka as Yonosuke's extremely sweet girlfriend won my heart pretty much instantly.)
3. 12 Years A Slave
(We all knew it'd turn up on the list. 12 Years A Slave came to British cinemas at the start of 2014 and went on to Oscar glory. A film about the American slave trade with a black British director (Steve McQueen) and star (Chiwetel Ejiofor), the film paints a suitably disturbing portrait of the lives of slaves amidst a deceitfully beautiful backdrop of the deep south. The film evokes the works of Herzog, Kubrick and Leone in parts but still stands its own ground wonderfully.)
(We all knew it'd turn up on the list. 12 Years A Slave came to British cinemas at the start of 2014 and went on to Oscar glory. A film about the American slave trade with a black British director (Steve McQueen) and star (Chiwetel Ejiofor), the film paints a suitably disturbing portrait of the lives of slaves amidst a deceitfully beautiful backdrop of the deep south. The film evokes the works of Herzog, Kubrick and Leone in parts but still stands its own ground wonderfully.)
2. The Bababook
(Just when all hope seemed lost for mainstream horror movies, The Babadook arrived like an oasis in the Sahara. Looking like Tim Burton's worst nightmare after gorging on The Exorcist (1973) and a David Lynch marathon, this Australian horror film eschews tired jump scares and gore in favour of terrifying atmosphere and greatly executed ghost story. Both the scariest and greatest horror film I've seen from the last few years.)
(Just when all hope seemed lost for mainstream horror movies, The Babadook arrived like an oasis in the Sahara. Looking like Tim Burton's worst nightmare after gorging on The Exorcist (1973) and a David Lynch marathon, this Australian horror film eschews tired jump scares and gore in favour of terrifying atmosphere and greatly executed ghost story. Both the scariest and greatest horror film I've seen from the last few years.)
1. The Lego Movie
(Yes, it's a feature-length promotion for Lego and yes the ending is a little ropey but, my god, if it's not absolutely brilliant for most of its runtime. Visually stunning and with an extraordinary sense of imagination held together by wonderfully self-aware satire and a stunning amount of really great jokes. I laughed more at the first fifteen minutes of this movie than I have done at most comedies the whole way through! If you have kids, let them watch this. If you don't have kids, watch it. Just...go watch Lego Movie. Everything about it is awesome!)
(Yes, it's a feature-length promotion for Lego and yes the ending is a little ropey but, my god, if it's not absolutely brilliant for most of its runtime. Visually stunning and with an extraordinary sense of imagination held together by wonderfully self-aware satire and a stunning amount of really great jokes. I laughed more at the first fifteen minutes of this movie than I have done at most comedies the whole way through! If you have kids, let them watch this. If you don't have kids, watch it. Just...go watch Lego Movie. Everything about it is awesome!)
Honourable mentions: Magic In The Moonlight, Locke, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Godzilla, Mr. Turner, The Imitation Game, Nightcrawler, Inside Llewyn Davis.
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