Gavin’s Top Ten Films of 2014
Here it is, my favorite films of 2014! This year surprised me, it’s been a great year for challenging and engaging material that spans both genre and technique. I tend to be very open in my tastes, which runs the gamut from indie to blockbuster, but this year’s list came down to stories that more personally affected me emotionally and sometimes spiritually. To make a long story short (too late!), let’s get on with the show:
10. Starred Up
Starred Up works in such a simple and effective manner: what happens when a a second generation violent criminal gets locked up in the same system with the father that neglected him? Is it nature that causes his violent swings? Is it the lack of nurture? Violent, dark, occasionally vulgar, and very real. One of the best character studies of the year.
09. Obvious Child
A smart reclamation of the romantic comedy, Gillian Robespierre’s directorial debut is a strong, honest look at romance in the 21st century. Plus, there’s not too many romcoms out there about abortion. Jenny Slate shines as the lead, and I’ve always been a sucker for Gaby Hoffmann. My only complaint about the film is probably the stand-up portions, but come on, standup’s hard man.
08. Only Lovers Left Alive
It’s hard to think of an adult, non-horror themed, vampire film in this post Twilight world. Vampires feel tired. Only Lovers Left Alive attempts to fix that, and frankly, it’s nice to see a genre film take itself seriously and attempt to avoid convention. Only Lovers Left Alive is a meditation on life, the long and short of it, depression, and dealing with love and loss. It is gorgeously rendered, and yeah, some of it feels like beautiful people laying about listening to a great soundtrack, but are you saying your life’s not like that?
07. The Babadook
Speaking of depression, The Babadook, the breakout first film by Jennifer Kent, is as equally scary as it is sad. Horror is a genre that often gets overlooked because of its reliance on convention, but The Babadook sets itself apart by playing with a different emotional base than most of its contemporaries: grief. It’s rare to find such an emotionally complex haunter that keeps you guessing what it’s truly about. Smart visual effects and an incredible turn by both leads help sell the terror, but the emotional core comes straight from the well crafted script. Perhaps it’s a film about a family torn apart by the festering wound caused by the loss of a loved one, or perhaps, it’s something more. One thing is for sure though, once you let it in, you can’t get rid of The Babadook.
06. Jodorowsky’s Dune
Jodorowsky’s Dune is quite thewell crafted documentary that’s almost like peeking into an alternate dimension. What would have happened if one of the world’s most experimental voices had adapted a big budget space opera like Dune? We’ll never know, but it’s fun to muse during the running time of the film about what could have been. Jodorowsky himself is such a bombastic character, he’s worth the price of admission alone (however, he’s still a little too big for his britches in terms of the impact he may or may not have had, and this doc is pretty enamored with him, which doesn’t always allow for the completest of pictures). If you’ve ever had a dream, worked so hard to get somewhere, and watched it fall apart right in front of your eyes, this film’s for you.
05. Blue Ruin
This movie shocked me to the core. Jeremy Saulnier’s follow up to Murder Party, (an under-seen gem in my book) just works on so many levels. Blue Ruin is a revenge film, but one that plays like real life. No one sets out to be a killer, and in a world where we see people get their just desserts in films all the time, it’s nice to see a movie that really wants you to realized that taking a life is a traumatic and terrifying thing. Blue Ruin is filled with funny, awkward, and down right traumatic moments that manage to make you cringe and laugh at the same time. It’s not an easy film, but I kind of like not being talked down to.
04. Calvary
Calvary is a masterclass on so many levels. From excellent film making, to an incredibly wry and witty script, to the top notch acting (oh man, Brendan Gleeson, you’re a worldwide treasure), everything just clicks. Calvary is as much a film about faith in a higher power as it is about faith in people. It’s perhaps not the easiest film for everyone, and it presents a lot of complex ideas about religion, humanity, sex, violence, prejudice, duty, and our existence in the here and now, all wrapped up in the story of a good man who’s been given a week to live. Still, it’ll manage to make you laugh, maybe shed a tear (strangely enough, not me, and I’m a big baby), and stick with you for days afterwards.
03. Ida
And here’s another film that muses both on faith and duty: Ida, the story of a orphan girl about to take her holy vows as a nun, who reconnects to her past through a long lost aunt, discovers she’s Jewish, and sets out to find the grave of her parents who were killed during World War II. Ida is remarkably gorgeous, looking like a lost Bergman film, with a soul that’s as heavy as the subject matter. Agata Trzebuchowska is stunning as Ida, and she carries an immense presence for a role with such little dialog. However, the real star is Agata Kulesza, Ida’s aunt Wanda, who carries a special lightness about her buried under years of guilt and bitterness. I wish all movies were as beautiful as Ida, visually and spiritually.
02. The Guest
This is the one that’ll probably leave most people scratching their heads, but if you know me, this movie was practically made for me. This 1980’s-esque psudeo-horror-action flick is the perfect popcorn muncher. Charged by fantastic performances from Dan Stevens and relative newcomer Maika Monroe, this sharply plotted thriller grabs you from the get go, and never really lets you go till the credits roll. The look of the film is gorgeous, saturated with enough neons to make 80’s Michael Mann blush, and don’t get me started on that intense synth-laden score. More than anything, this reminds me of the films I’d watch Saturday afternoons with my dad as a kid, and that couldn’t make me happier.
01. Under the Skin
From happy, to outright traumatized, I couldn’t shake Under the Skin for weeks after I saw it. I’ve heard this film called everything from masterpiece to misanthropic, and I can’t really disagree with either analysis. I think that’s the beauty of this film though, yes there is a heavy divisiveness too it, but that’s what makes it work as a piece of art. You’re going to see in it what you want, and somehow, through it all, I saw some hope. Glazer will always have an ostentatious quality to his films, but it works in his favor, especially here in this small movie that plays much larger than it actually is. Mica Levi’s score is a haunting spectical, sure to be an instant classic. And let’s not forget Scarlett Johansson, who gives one of the best performances of her career here. It’s not an easy task to play someone so far removed, journeying through both humanity’s strengths and major flaws. It’s a daring, beautiful, angry, occasionally hopeful and completely unnerving piece of work that I loved every second of.
