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Top 10 Favorite Films of 2014

1. Interstellar

Christopher Nolan's incredibly ambitious exercise in science fiction is easily my favorite film of the year. The film begins with small moments of family but quickly spirals into a barrage of awe-inspiring space imagery. However, the film doesn't lose its heart in all of the drool worthy interstellar travel. It actually builds as the film fly's off into the unknown. Interstellar has one of the most gut wrenching and emotional scenes I have ever seen on film. Matthew McConaughey is an emotional beast in that scene (which takes place in front of a computer screen) and throughout the entire film. Interstellar left me in tears and with my brain firing on all cylinders. It is a film that feels exactly made for me.

2. Guardians of The Galaxy

While I was intrigued by this film before the year started, I thought there was no way anyone could ever pull off this group of characters. I was proven wrong by director James Gunn when I sat down for what would become one of my favorite films of the last few years. While Guardians is a crowd pleaser like all of Marvel's films, this one is elevated by great characters and a unique director. Most Marvel super hero films are directed by average directors without a distinct voice. That all changes with this film. I don't think I had more fun all year in the theater than I did watching Guardians of The Galaxy.

3. Godzilla

Godzilla is by no means a perfect film. However, it easily makes notches at the top of my favorites of the year based on the pure joy it brought me. The depiction of Godzilla in this movie is exactly what I want out of a monster movie. Sure, the story is average and the characters are one note but the film does enough in both categories to keep the film moving. Gareth Edwards uses the Jaws monster movie formula. This means that you show the monster sparingly until the final battle. By doing this it raises the tension and stakes for the end of the film and makes the audience truly excited to see the big guy on screen in all of his glory. The next Godzilla film can't come soon enough.

4. Boyhood

Richard Linklater's 12 year project to tell the story of a boy growing into an adult is one of the best stories about life that you'll ever see. The film was filmed over the course of 12 years using the same actors to portray their characters story arcs. The standout here in the boy himself, Ellar Coltrane. Somehow Linklater found the perfect kid for this ambitious project. Coltrane is understated throughout the film but he gives an unforgettable performance. In fact for such a huge project, the film itself is actually understated. It's a simple story of growing up and what comes with that.

5. The Babadook

This film is remarkable for a bevy of reasons. First of all it's a great horror film. Second, it's a great film in general. Third, it was directed by a first time director. Lastly, this film introduced to the world one of the most terrifying ideas in movie history, Mister Babadook. While the film isn't as scary as the marketing has made it out to be, it is in fact scary. However, that's not as important as the core of the film. The film is ultimately about the relationship of a mother and a son dealing with a major case of grief. Oh yeah, they also have to deal with Mister Babadook. This one shouldn't be missed. If it's in a word, or in a look, you can't get rid of the Babadook...

6. Gone Girl

I was certainly excited to see Gone Girl going in to 2014 but only because of director David Fincher's previous work. I was skeptical that this so called "airport fiction" story would work on a larger level than just schlock. This film blew me away. Fincher's unforgettable style is working throughout the film. Ben Affleck is great but it's really Rosamund Pike who elevates the material. Pike is perfectly unpredictable and dangerous to the point that you'll have no idea what will happen next.

7. Under The Skin

Under The Skin is this year's Upstream Color. Chances are that statement means nothing to a lot of people reading this. Under The Skin tells the story of a mysterious woman who drives around picking up random men off the street. To say anything more than that would venture into spoiler territory, so I won't do that. Scarlett Johansson goes for gold in this film. She is put through a lot of physical and emotional stress and it works. The film's ending is one that will leave you thinking about it for weeks. If anything I said above interests you at all, check this one out.

8. Dawn of The Planet of The Apes

This is the second film in the new Planet of The Apes franchise. Matt Reeves (director of a small film called Cloverfield) gets his chance to make a giant blockbuster. Not only is Dawn of The Planet of The Apes a great action set piece film, it also serves as a fantastic character piece for Caeser, the ape. I don't think I'll ever forget the opening 20 minutes of this film. There is not a single line of dialogue spoken as it opens with the Apes simply living their lives in the forest. It's breathtaking. I will also not soon forget what looks like a simple scene of an ape joking with a human gone terribly violent.

9. Edge of Tomorrow

This film unfortunately failed to light up the box office when it came out in the summer of 2014. That's a huge shame. Edge of Tomorrow is one of the best sci-fi films I've seen in a long time. It takes the premise of repeating a day (I.E. Groundhog Day) and runs with it. This film is one of the most fun rides of the entire year. Tom Cruise is appropriately charismatic but his character also isn't a perfect hero from the get go which makes his arc exciting to watch. The real star of the film however is Emily Blunt. She kicks major ass in this film. The only problem with Edge of Tomorrow comes in the third act. It's just so much fun leading up to the end that it doesn't really live up to that. Don't let that get in the way though. If you haven't seen Edge of Tomorrow, please do so now.

10. The Guest

The Guest is probably the smallest film in terms of release and reception on this list. It's directed by Adam Wingard, of You're Next fame. It stars Dan Stevens as a mysterious veteran returning home. This film never lets on what exactly is happening, not even at the end. The Guest is an 80's throwback film that the only way to describe it is The Terminator mixed with The Bourne Identity. From the 80's inspired synth score to the insane third act of this film, you really have to see it to get it. Just remember, it's supposed to be fun.

Worst Movie of The Year

Pompeii

This film is an absolutely atrocious giant piece of garbage. Pompeii is unbearable on every level. The film features god awful acting, painful special effects and some of the worst digital photography that has ever graced the big screen. I hated this movie from beginning to end. Don't waste your time watching this abomination. If I can persuade you to not watch one film from 2014, it would be Pompeii. Save yourself.

The Ides of March (4 out of 5 stars)

The film The Ides of March stars Ryan Gosling next to George Clooney and is directed by George Clooney. Gosling stars as Stephen, a higher up on the presidential campaign trail. Clooney plays Mike Morris, a presidential candidate who is currently in the race for democratic nomination. The film revolves around Stephen’s incredibly hard position on Morris’ campaign. The Ides of March is a perfect portrayal of how politics in the United States can get polluted very quickly. The political melee kicks off with a scene in the beginning of the film when the rival candidates campaign chairman tells Stephen’s boss “I might want to steal him from you.”

Gosling shines as the perfect good guy. He is the complete package in The Ides of March. From emotional moments to pure tense scenes, he does it all. This can be seen in the middle of the film when Stephen’s boss tells him some hard to hear news. He goes on an emotional roller coaster from then on. Stephen becomes a very intense character that gosling is able to pull off without a hitch. In every single scene in the film, it’s hard not to notice Gosling’s acting.

The Ides of March is highlighted by first-class camera work by Clooney. Bits and pieces of the film are shot like a documentary. While others are shot more conventional, with long panning shots of a specific character. For instance, there is a scene when Clooney shows what all of the higher-ups are doing in their offices with one stationary shot. The focus starts with the lowest campaign employee, then re-focuses on Stephen with the lower employee still in the frame, and finally pulls the focus all the way out to show Stephen’s boss on the phone. This scene is used to show the political totem pole at the campaign office. Clooney is able to show who is important and who is less important by simply changing the focus of the camera. The Ides of March is a perfect representation of American politics and will make anyone who sees it rethink their votes come next fall.

50/50 (4 out of 5 stars)

The film 50/50 stars the perfect pairing of Joseph Gordon-Levitt alongside Seth Rogen and is directed by Jonathan Levine. Levitt plays Adam, a very young cancer patient that must deal with an awful situation. Rogen plays Adam’s best friend Kyle, the supportive buddy. The film centers solely on Adam and his life changing transformation after he is diagnosed with cancer. Levitt shines through an incredibly emotional ride that showcases what life’s real priorities are.

The absolute strongest feature of 50/50 comes in the form of Levitt and Rogen’s on-screen relationship. When they are matched up together the film seems to fly by because they are perfect buddies. Their bond never seems fake or forced. It works so well is because they fight back and forth quite a bit, just like real friends. This makes it easy to relate with Adam and Kyle because everyone bickers with their best friend while maintaining a friendship. The dialogue between the two is especially comedic and well thought out.

Contrasting characters make 50/50’s dialogue comical and down to earth. On one hand there is Adam who doesn’t stray from societies rules and lives a very clean lifestyle. On the other hand there’s Kyle, a scruffy guy that is the complete opposite, dirty and a risk taker. It’s their different lifestyles and ideals that make it easy to laugh at the situations that are portrayed. For instance, Adam wants get to work on time while Kyle doesn’t mind stopping and waiting in line for coffee. Their dynamic is a perfect yin and yang of comedy.

The cinematography of 50/50 is very different from most films. Levine relies mostly on a documentary style of filmmaking. Nearly all of the scenes are shot handheld. This makes the film feel more real and grounded. In some scenes Levine uses a soft focus to portray Adam’s feeling of numbness particularly after he is told he has cancer. These types of shots make 50/50 look and feel distinctive from other films.

Levine manages to make very serious and emotional subjects into a hilarious journey. Levitt and Rogen are perfect buddies for this type of film. The characters Adam and Kyle contrast well together because of their black and white differences. Levine’s filmmaking spirit is a complete match for the thought-provoking storyline. Great acting and memorable characters make 50/50 an absolute touching film.

Drive (4 out of 5 stars)

The film Drive stars Ryan Gosling and Carrey Mulligan under the direction of filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn. Gosling plays a Hollywood stunt driver who does a little part time work in driving criminals around Los Angeles; While Mulligan plays Irene, a lone mother whose husband is in prison. The film revolves around a lingering heist that has gone wrong. Somehow keeping a coherent story while going on a wild tangent into the heart of LA crime, Drive is a great ride.

Drive begins with a high level of slickness that never lets up until even the credits are over. From the subtle beginning shots of Gosling driving through the LA nightlife, to the simple font used for the title card, this film is a visual treat. In the opening scene, we get to take a ride with Gosling that is wonderfully composed. The car’s rear view mirror provides details and depth to each carefully framed shot. Every single shot being meticulously thought out is easily spotted with Refn’s storytelling style because in many scenes, the camera stays fixed at a single position.

Refn handles the storytelling of Gosling’s character who is aptly named “The Driver”, quite easily. Drive barely has three lines of dialogue that provide exposition. It is not very often that a film can pull off this kind of character while keeping the subject interesting. A few minutes after the film begins, it doesn’t matter what Driver’s name is, it doesn’t matter what his background is, he is just fun to watch. Some of the credit must go to Gosling himself for being so likeable to begin with. However, Refn is able to be gripping while maintaining that Driver has a past that is up for interpretation. Interpretation is part of the ride of chaos.

What makes this film an absolute ride is that while there is complete chaos in terms scene-to-scene continuity, Drive manages to attain a cohesive story. In the opening scene this film looks to be another heist film. By the middle of the film Refn disregards Driver’s night job and focuses on his growing relationship with Irene. The film’s third quarter turns to another heist job that has gone wrong. Finally coming to an end with a straight up revenge thriller. It is this sense of genre bending that Refn pulls off without missing a beat.

Drive is one intense journey that displays what a monster L.A. crime really is but also shows a hero’s struggle to do the right thing. From beginning to end this film looks and feels like no other. Even though little exposition is given for Driver, it is incredibly easy to be engaged with his every move. By the end of the film, it’s not clear exactly what genre Refn is shooting for but it doesn’t matter, there is too much going on to care. Drive is a fantastical ride that changes on the fly throughout and should not be missed by anyone.