2014 – 12 Days of Movies
This has been a pretty good year for me and movies. I’ve made some progress in writing screenplays and I’ve begun my own blog in which I can write reviews.
I would like to thank those who have helped keep me right in my format and those who have supported my beginnings as a part-time film-reviewer, in particular “The Granite Rock” and Cineworld-Union Square.
And of course I would like to thank those who have read my opinions and voiced their own in response.
As 2015 gets closer and closer, it seems fitting to summarise the movies released in the past 12 months.
Bear in mind, I have obviously not seen every movie released this year (in fact 24 new movies in a year is a minuscule number compared to most critics). Also, because I exclusively review movies I have seen in theatres and this blog has only been up since October, there will be a number of movies on this list that do not have a full review on the main blog.
One more criteria is that the movies here are released in the UK in 2014. A number may have premiered elsewhere
I shall release my “Top 24” over the course of the 12 Days of Christmas, starting on the 24th of December. So two of my list a day.
Let’s get started…
24) The Expendables 3
My first review, despite it appearing on my blog in the wrong place. I can’t say I hated watching this movie, but it’s stupid and contains old, old men trying to recapture their youth in front of us.
The lack of violence in a supposedly “stupid violent film” makes the whole thing feel a little confused. Sly Stallone even expressed regret in a recent interview over making his movie a PG-13.
I take that as a positive that less film-makers will hopefully dilute their art to get bottoms in seats. Unfortunately there’s still going to be a fourth one.
Give this one a skip.
Here’s my review: “The Expendables 3”
23) The Equalizer
Denzel kicks ass! That’s just a description of the actor, but his character does his fair share here.
I love gritty action movies. But I feel like everything that was good about “The Equalizer” has already been done in recent years by the JB franchises (James Bond, Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer).
Give this one a miss. Re-watch “Flight” instead.
Here’s my review: “The Equalizer”
22) Horrible Bosses 2
The boys are back and better than ever!
This a funny film with some clever jokes mixed in with some obvious duds. Still not a waste of anyone’s time. It will probably get a threequel, but I think that if it does, it’s most likely going to suck.Lightning can only strike so many times for a relatively low-concept idea.
In my opinion Warner Brothers should quit while they’re ahead. They may no longer have Middle Earth to romp in next year, but they have a mountain of DC films to get through. The economy may be bad, but at least movie executives will be OK over the next 10 years!
Here’s my review:“Horrible Bosses 2”
21) Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
What?! An Oscar-bait idea for a biopic is number 21 on the list?!
Yes, the upteen-millionth film based at least in part on the life of the late Nelson Mandela is well-acted and has a pretty nice U2 song at the end.
Yet the plot is slow, feeling very much like it was trying to be “Ghandi” but came short in keeping me fully interested throughout and despite his immense acting talent shining through, Idris Elba simply did not look like Mandela, particularly when playing him in his later years. This is not a requirement in biopics, but if there is too little resemblance, it can be distracting.
I would, however, say watch this on Netflix or Sky Movies. It is an important story that is incredible and true enough to keep you invested during a number of its moments.
20) Godzilla (3D)
OK so this is going to be a review for a monster film isn’t it. We’ve seen them a tonne of times, with buildings falling over and people who are way too attractive looking great while the green-screened destruction happens all around them. The animator is going to give a better performance than the actors!
Actually, no. The monsters look cool, but they’re in the background. The focus is on the people. On how humanity would react to something as awful as 100 storey lizard.
The acting is pretty decent. I actually care about those getting squished, which is more than I can say for most monster flicks. In particular, Bryan Cranston owns it in his surprisingly tiny performance. Movies about people stand the test of time better than those of monsters (see “Jaws” versus “Godzilla: Final War”).
See it if you have time. Not in its terrible post-converted 3D though.
19) Paddington
My only real memory of Paddington Bear from my childhood was seeing some books on a shelf with him on the cover and a recurring advert for Marmite in which he gave some Marmite sandwiches to some birds which they immediately regurgitated (fascinating advertising strategy!).
Therefore I had no idea what to expect from the movie. What I got was some pretty decent slapstick and a heart-warming tale of a bear trying to find a home. Pretty standard kid’s movie then.
However, add in a completely insane Nicole Kidman as an evil taxidermist and a few brilliantly funny lines and you have yourself a memorable flick.
I had fun with this movie and I think you will to if you share a film with your kids.
Here’s my review: “Paddington”
18) What We Did On Our Holiday
The two creators of the wonderful sitcom “Outnumbered” give us another excellent little creation. This story of a family visiting their Scottish grandfather is laced with the uplifting joys and grinding hardships of being a family, much like “Outnumbered”. This is a very funny film and it is funny in a very special kind of way.
The jokes come from little kids mainly and I have a feeling that the well-developed adult characters would reminisce on these small quips, quoting them years down the line as real parents do. It all feels real.
Some moments do feel forced, but that’s nit-picking. A nostalgic mind like mine found great comfort in the fact that films like this exist.
Here’s my review: “What We Did On Our Holiday“
17) The Penguins of Madagascar (3D)
I think I never appreciated just how clever the “Madagascar” movies were when I was growing up with them, at least in their comedy.
The animation style Dreamworks employs is quick and super sharp, making motion pop out of the screen and the visual jokes seamlessly timed.
So, logically taking the funniest part of a series of films whose merit is almost entirely based on how funny it is seems to be the best thing to do. And it works.
This surpasses the previous “Madagascar” films. It may not have as much focus on drama, but that’s the point. The only drama that matters is in the relationships between four penguins. It trims the fat and gets straight to the point. This is 90 minutes of very well rendered 3D joy.
Here’s my review: “The Penguins Of Madagascar”
16) Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
In comedy, the overall story is not as important as the jokes involved. There are few places where that is more true than in the “Anchorman” movies.
Will Ferrell, whether you like his work or not, has done something almost unique with this film. He has made a successful and well-written film which is simply a series of SNL sketches with a paper-thin complete disaster of a plot. Given the premise, you won’t believe the situations which happen and then just sort of stop!
While “The Big Lebowski” was similar and definitely more subtle, the “Anchormans” make up a Legend which deserves its following of almost the same size.
15) The Wind Rises
In the past few years, I hear people saying how much they love Anime, how beautiful the animation and stories are. They almost say it with pride.
I always was a little wary of that pride. When one is proud of their like of a particular high-art form one could come across as pretentious. This pet peeve was put behind me when I saw the second anime film I have ever seen, “The Wind Rises”.
This is a gorgeous film. Every frame is a painting, each story inspiring.
Years ago I watched “Spirited Away” and didn’t like it at first. But the artistry and story have grown on me and I concede that the work of Studio Ghibliis totally worth the hype.
14) The Dallas Buyers Club
The guy from “Sahara” got an Oscar this year rather than Leonardo Dicaprio?
The reasons behind the Academy not giving more than a nod to luscious Leo is a discussion for another day, but in the meantime all I can say is that Matthew McConaughey gives a truly brilliant performance here as true-life AIDS sufferer Ron Woodroof.
Despite its heavy subject matter, this movie is not a straightforward tear-jerker. It is actually quite a surprisingly light-hearted con-movie at times and that just makes the situation strangely feel more real to the audience.
Give credit where its due to Jared Letoas well, playing a fellow AIDS patient and transgender who gives an even better performance than McConaughey. He’ll make an excellent Joker.
13) Candlestick
After this movie’s dizzyingly good opening title sequence, we are shown a gorgeous shot of London. Then the first words are spoken by two of the main characters. Then we take a second to change our perceptions.
The way these characters speak, act and work off one another is hammy and theatrical. How could anyone like this? Because it is a tribute to the great thrillers of the 40’s through 60’s.
This small, independent, British film captures with its minimalist approach, all that film-lovers have been missing, while delivering something wholly new.
Please check it out, this film deserves your support.
12) American Hustle
Academy Award Winner David O’Russell is back in the director’s chair in front of his “best-of” cast including Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper in a con movie which was hyped beyond belief in late 2013/early 2014.
While many found the buzz exaggerated the quality of this movie, and in a way I did too, I can’t think of much that is wrong with this movie.
Perhaps some of the jokes are not as strong as they could be, but this looks and feels like an almost divine mixture between some of the time’s best writing and acting and the atmosphere of an old Scorsese movie.
Check it out and make up your own mind.
11) Noah
No religious film is without controversy. The public will view it as too preachy, innacurate or, in a surprising number of cases, overly violent.
“Noah” received similar damning from factions of belief. It did not stick to the biblical story, it was blasphemous and the character’s motivations occasionally made no sense.
From my point of view, this is one of the smartest examinations of a religious subject put to film ever. The book of Genesis and the other places where the story of the great flood is written, even in Sunday School textbooks, is a story open to interpretation and that is exactly what this movie is about.
Not only are we invited to interpret it, but the characters explore a fundamental question of existence: “If God exists, how do we deal with that?”
This gorgeously shot story has made me look again at the story of Noah from a new perspective.
I won’t go too deeply into what my beliefs are of what actually happened, but I can share with you this analysis of the film: Renegade Cut – Noah.
10) The Guardians of the Galaxy (2D)
From a study into the relationship between God and Man to a sci-fi film based on an obscure comic book with a talking tree and raccoon in it.
The reason for the seemingly insane decision to put the latter above the former is simple. “Noah” is a film I would recommend that all people see and I know for a fact not everyone will enjoy it. “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a movie I recommend to all people, but I know that pretty much everyone will enjoy at least something about it.
This film has been described by many (including myself) as the Star Wars people wanted to see rather than the version in which Darth Vadar complains about the feel of sand!
It’s an epic ride that promised a lot of laughs and did not disappoint.
Here’s my review: “Guardians of the Galaxy”
09) The Lego Movie (2D)
Everyone started their reviews for “The Lego Movie” saying that they thought that this looked like it was going to be a terrible movie but ended up being fantastic.
I could see why most would think it looked like a huge cash-grab, taking from all the source material that Warner Bros have the rights to and packaging it with one of the most popular toys of all time, but when I heard about this movie, I was excited. And my excitement paid off.
The ridiculousness, epic-ness and humour of the movie was exactly what I hoped for. Think “The Cornetto Trilogy” for kids. This is the best family film I have seen for a long time.
I heard that the Batman from this movie is possibly getting his own spin-off. There can only be one reaction to that news: “EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!”
Renegade Cut also did an analysis of this movie: Renegade Cut – The Lego Movie.
08) Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2D + 3D)
I no longer care that Andy Serkis has not won an Oscar. Though I think it’s about time that more people appreciate that performance-capture technology simply captures a performance like a movie camera.
His second performance as Caesar is a sight to behold and the VFX by the always brilliant Weta Digital are truly wonderful. You believe those Apes are there!
While the premise does seem to be a little small, the tension in this movie is palpable. Just as one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, one shouldn’t judge a movie by the number of “of the”’s in its name.
“Dawn” is a brilliantly acted and wonderfully realised masterpiece. I saw this in 3D and 2D and I have to say I approve both. So there’s no excuse to miss out
07) Edge of Tomorrow (2D)
This film didn’t do as well as it should have at the box office. I don’t know what else the movie going public were doing at the time of this movie’s run, but I’m sure it wasn’t as important as watching this film.
Tom Cruise is in a battle against aliens and when he dies he gets sent back to the beginning of the day. “Groundhog Day” references aside, this is a very clever premise. The filmmakers take advantage of every tragedy or joke from this outlandish scenario.
It also cleverly makes Tom Cruise’s character grow over the course of the movie. That’s unfortunately rather rare for a lot of action films. Normally the protagonist is badass and will remain badass forever.
Emily Blunt also kicks ass here. Like a mix between The Bride from “Kill Bill” and Tauriel from “The Hobbit”. Go Girl!
This movie hasn’t be greenlit for a sequel and rightfully so. I want this film to stand alone as an example of how sci-fi action should be done.
06) The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Before you ask, I have not lost my fanboyness. As a whole, the cinematic Middle Earth Saga is my favourite movie of all time. I treat it as one 20 hour flawed masterpiece.
This particular chapter of it is extremely good at rounding off the connections between the two trilogies and ending the arc of “The Hobbit”. Thorin, Bilbo and Gandalf are stellar, the action is awesome and the story is dark yet fun. I wrote a near 600 word review since I was really reviewing the trilogy as a whole.
This final episode has its flaws but I believe some of them will be made right in the longer cut (which will mark the true end to this saga).
If I were to watch a single movie from this year, I would choose one of the ones higher in this list over this one.
“The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings” is a story “that grew in the telling” and is greater than the sum of its parts.
Here’s my review: “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”
05) The Imitation Game
I happen to dabble in screenwriting and before this movie was brought to my attention, I dreamt that someday I would write a movie which would do justice to one of my personal heroes, Alan Turing. Benedict Cumberbatch beat me to the punch and I could not be happier!
While Sherlock Holmes was the role which brought everyone’s attention to the actor, I believe that this is the role he will be remembered for.
This fantastic film is thrilling, smart and doesn’t sugar-coat some of the awful truths of not only WWII British Intelligence, but the way Britain used to treat its own citizens.
I adore this movie. It was everything I hoped for.
Here’s my review: “The Imitation Game”
04) Gone Girl
After seeing this movie I ran to the bus. I wasn’t late. The film had simply given me a shot of adrenaline! Those like me who had not read the book on which this David Fincher masterpiece was based on will have no idea what’s coming for them.
This film is disturbing, brilliantly shot, written and acted and has a most-oxymoronic nature that is both frighteningly real and of the most unusual macabre.
All I can say is that I am repulsed by this movie, yet as I write this I am desperate to watch it again!
Here’s my review: “Gone Girl”
03) A Most Wanted Man
Phillip Seymour Hoffmann’s career was ended too soon, but with a truly brilliant closing lead role.
In my favourite spy movie I have yet seen, he stars alongside Rachel McAdams and Willem Defoe in a race to not only protect Germany from the threat of terrorism, but, if possible, make sure justice is carried out too.
While watching this film, you feel right there with these characters. Every conversation, every scene feels like it was recorded from situations involving real spies.
In the second of this generation’s John Le Carre adaptations, this proves that if Hollywood ever runs out of other source material to exploit, they have a fresh supply of genius stuff waiting for them to turn into masterpieces.
Please watch this movie.
Here’s my review: “A Most Wanted Man”
02) Inside Llewyn Davis
The Coen brothers are two of my favourite filmmakers and this film is no exception to their excellent filmography.
The story of Llewyn Davis, a fictional revival folk musician from 1961 is a tale which I think has the makings of a true classic.
Its songs are beautiful, its acting impeccable, its humour perfectly timed and the writing, well, come on, it’s a Coen Brothers movie, of course it’s brilliantly written!
Though the plot is that of a simple week, the thoughts it raised in my mind stayed with me for days.
01) 12 Years A Slave
Best Picture of the Year at the 2014 Oscars. I have to admit, the Academy got it right.
There’s not much I can really say about it that hasn’t already been said. The number of 5 star reviews on the poster alone was ridiculous. They even had one which read “The best movie ever”. That may be an overstatement.
I still think that this is one of the most important movies I have ever seen. It’s the first film about slavery that I’ve seen that really captured how awful it is. Go see it and if you cry, you’re not alone.
Thank you very much for reading. I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and are having a great New Year. I’m now running out of stupendous superlatives!