5. The Grand Budapest Hotel
I really like Wes Anderson movies. They're not to everyone's taste, with their extreme quirkiness and obvious stylisation (and, to be honest, I'm not such a fan of The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2003)) but they're fun yet heartfelt and I loved that this colourful comic caper was such a big surprise hit.
I've seen it twice now (both at the start and at the end of its theatrical run) and the fun remained when I revisited it. A heady mixture of kooky designs, brilliantly zippy timing and performances by both Anderson regulars (Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson...) and some stand-outs for first-timers like F. Murray Abraham and Ralph Fiennes, who shows a largely untapped well of comedic potential. Good for a giggle.
4. Calvary
A dark comedy about a priest in a small eccentric community in Ireland, yes, it all sounds a bit Father Ted. But this is a different beast (and, okay, it's more a drama than a comedy). I'm really excited about what's happening right now in the Irish film industry and this is a great example of the quality of work being produced. Brendan Gleeson gives a warmly understated performance as a priest who discovers that he will only have a week before he is murdered by a mysterious figure he speaks to in confession.
Alongside this are performances from other major names in Irish acting including Aiden Gillen, Dylan Moran, Chris O'Dowd and Brendan Gleeson's own son, Domhnall as an imprisoned serial killer. the audacity that the picture sometimes indulges in (like its very tough opening few lines of dialogue) may not be to everyone's taste, but I think this is a wonderful gem of a movie.
3. The Lego Movie
Everyone has seen it, many have seen it repeatedly and yes, it's a feature-length advert for Lego, but it's the funniest and most inventive film of the year. Taking the old story of the everyman becoming a saviour and hitting it with quick fire gags and seemingly endless new visual vistas there is not one moment of this film that is not extremely entertaining and will make you relive your childhood all over again. Yes, everything is indeed awesome.
2. The Story Of Yonosuke
An obscure Japanese film that got a very small UK release this year, I saw this film purely by chance at a one-off screening as part of an annual season of contemporary Japanese cinema and was pleasantly surprised by it. The story of working class Nagasaki teenager coming to study in Tokyo in 1987 and his developing relationship with a sweet rich girl, the film exhibits a skill between amiable comedy and sweet drama as we follow Yonosuke's journey (often through reminisces of his friends years later) amidst a story that is both detailed yet intimate. If you can find this film, check it out. It's a great film that's slipped through the cracks.
1. 12 Years A Slave
There is one thing I disagree with many people with in terms of 12 Years A Slave. I doubt that this is a fully accurate portrayal of slavery because the reality of things was probably far more barbaric and cruel and given this film's already tough subject and execution that says something of what's being dealt with. I started this post talking about how Wes Anderson has a specific directorial style and the same is true of Steve McQueen. His love of long, lingering Leone-esque shots and beautiful cinematography bring a fully immersive world into view and helps anchor a real sucker punch to the gut that few movies deliver. I defy anyone not to be a little stirred by this movie, its content, or what it says about the human spirit.
I've only seen this movie once so far, but as I left the screening I overheard a rather deep discussion a few rows back. It was about the holocaust, but it was a discussion obviously inspired by this movie and, personally, I think a movie that can stir up public debate and discussion is a film of rare and special importance.
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