Top 15 Films of 2014

Every now and again, the stars align and some years are incredible, like 1960 (The Apartment, Eyes Without A Face, Psycho, Spartacus, Peeping Tom), 1974 (Chinatown, The Godfather Part II, The Conversation, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Lenny), 2008 (Slumdog Millionaire, The Dark Knight, Frost/Nixon, Iron Man, The Wrestler, Milk, The Reader, WALL-E)...and last year was no different. Terrific movies were released in droves, and honestly, narrowing this list down to a measly fifteen was mighty difficult. Nonetheless - read and enjoy!

(*Honorable Mentions: Big Hero 6, Chef, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Gone Girl, Selma, X-Men: Days of Future Past)

15.) Nightcrawler: Reminiscent of The Conversation and Taxi Driver, Nightcrawler is an intense, character-focused thriller. Jake Gyllenhaal is an absolute stunner, and in my opinion gives the best male performance of the year - he'll make your toes curl and your bones rattle. This is a riveting, old-school movie that will not disappoint.

14.) Snowpiercer: Truth be told, I really wanted to hate this movie. The ridiculous premise and cheesy title (so cheesy) made it all sound like...well, a train wreck. Thankfully, I was dead wrong. Snowpiercer is a sci-fi/action bolt of lightning, and you'll be sucked into its world from the first shot to the last.

13.) Edge of Tomorrow: Holy crap, this movie was unexpectedly awesome. An alien invasion? Time travel? Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt kicking endless amounts of extraterrestrial ass? What's not to love? This is an exciting, efficient film made with tons of talent and intelligence.

12.) Ida: While I don't think this is the best film of 2014, it's certainly the most beautiful. Shot in crisp black-and-white and framed with a photographer's aesthetic, Ida is gorgeous. Telling the story of an orphaned nun about to take her vows, the plot unfolds with delicacy and precision. It may move slowly for typical moviegoers, but the themes and ideas on display are breathtaking. It is well worth your time and attention.

11.) Foxcatcher: I have to ask: how was this movie NOT nominated for Best Picture? Sure, 2014 was a great year for cinema, but regardless, Foxcatcher is magnificent. Each leading performance is a revelation (especially Steve Carell as subtle psycho John du Pont), the writing is natural, the pacing is organic (a bit leisurely, but very satisfying), and the cinematography soars. This is a profoundly sad film, colored with a muted palette, inhabited by coldness. But it's also very satisfying. For those who appreciate searing drama, this is a film you can't miss.

10.) Willow Creek: Yeah - this is a horror movie about Bigfoot. So what? You may shake your head and cluck your tongue, but until you actually see this movie, you have no idea. Is it a good film? Absolutely. Is the acting believable? You betcha. Is the plot effective? Uh-huh. Is it scary? Oh, words can't quite do it justice. This is the very epitome of cinematic tension, and you'll be covering your eyes and holding your breath until those final screams and the bitter end. I'll put it to you like this: what Psycho did to showers, Willow Creek does to camping. Yeah.

9.) Under the Skin: This is avant-garde cinema, buoyant with vivid imagery and anchored by an amazing Scarlett Johansson in the lead role. You'll watch the final credits roll and mull the whole thing over in your mind. It lingers like a taste on the tongue you can't quite explain, but very much enjoy. (Oh yeah - and did I mention Johansson plays a murderous alien, bent on luring men back to her nest and devouring them? What's not to love?)

8.) Boyhood: With its keen observational tone and sense of bright-eyed whimsy, Richard Linklater's Boyhood is considered by most critics to be the best film of the year. It tells the story of Mason Evans Jr, a boy who we watch from age 6 to 18. The movie was filmed in real time, which means it was shot in pieces over the course of 12 years. This, in and of itself, is an accomplishment. Truly impressive, though, is how it's all put together. Storylines amble like errant clouds in summer - taking their time, changing, breaking apart, coming back together. An underlying rhythm bumps beneath the surface, propelling everything forward with ease. Watching, I felt as though I had experienced practically all of Mason's emotions, his struggles, his triumphs. The universality is fascinating. Mason is the archetypal American boy, and he reminded me of what life used to be.

7.) Guardians of the Galaxy: If Fun with a capital "F" is what you're after, then look no further than Guardians of the Galaxy. Arguably the best Marvel superhero film to date (dare I say better than Iron Man? The Avengers, even?), the film focuses on a ragtag band of interplanetary alien criminals working together to save billions of lives from a vicious extremist. The pacing is perfect, the action is must-see, the special effects are stunning, but most important of all: the chemistry between the characters is a true joy. This natural characterization, splashed against the outrageous space-opera plot, is a cool juxtaposition. This movie is fresh, fast, and, like I already mentioned, fun. Definitely my kind of film.

6.) The Babadook: ...and then I was really, really scared. The Babadook keeps you up in the night - makes you question that mysterious creaking from down the hall, your eyes scanning wildly in the dark, trying to make sense of the shadows. This is a top-notch horror flick, effective and frightening. The Babadook might be a boogie man of unimaginable cruelty, but it's also the grief and turmoil of our main characters, and the symbolism works surprisingly well. If you have nerves of steel and can stand the scary stuff, then I urge you to give this thing a watch.

5.) Calvary: If you can wrap your ears around the dialogue and accents (which range from very Irish to there's-no-way-that's-English Irish), then this will be an incredibly rewarding experience. Our protagonist is Father James, a grizzled priest played perfectly by Brendan Gleeson. In the opening scene, he is told in a confessional that he will be murdered in seven days to atone for the sins of Catholicism. What follows is true allegorical glory, mirroring Christ's final moments leading to the crucifixion. The cross at Calvary is now a handgun on some lonesome Irish beach, with a thundering surf replacing the jeering crowd. There is a lot of unexpected comedy ("I didn't kill your dog," insists a furious murderer, "I love dogs! Why would I do a thing like that?"), but mostly the film is sad, poignant, and poetic.

4.) Whiplash: Maybe it's just because I'm a drummer, have played in my share of jazz bands, and have, too, been plagued by feelings of inadequacy, of frustration, of bottom-scraping lows but also stupefying highs...but that's not just it. Personal relevance notwithstanding, it's a marvelous film. The characters on display here are mesmerizing, particularly J.K. Simmons as the bloodthirsty, barbaric band director. The cinematography and overall direction are sublime, bringing visual life to this musical film with fast cuts, fluidity, and entertaining camera work. By the end credits, you'll be totally invigorated, satisfied, and gasping for breath. This is a bold, brash film. Whiplash, indeed

3.) The Imitation Game: Now this is a movie. Seriously - I think it has everything a perfect film needs in order to be, well, perfect. Skillful direction? Beautiful imagery? Emotional depth? Intelligence? Charm? The Imitation Game has it all, with room to spare. This historical thriller focuses on Alan Turing, a professor-turned-spy during WWII with an amazing plan. The always-incredible Benedict Cumberbatch stuns as our protagonist, playing Turing's neuroses with humanity and gravity. Equally impressive is Keira Knightley as Joan Clarke, Turing's mathematical protege. From the first scene to the last, you're whisked away by the story and ushered swiftly downstream by the efficient production. I went into this film knowing (and expecting) very little. I urge you to do the same.

(*...now, honestly, I can't decide which of these final two films is better than the other. Really. So, I'm going to go with my gut and take a stance. But honestly, they're both wonderful.*)

2.) Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): Wow. Just...wow. Birdman is a film that defies all aesthetic, intellectual, and cultural conventions. Starting with a smattering of letters (one of which briefly reads "amor" - Spanish for "love") and ending with an impossible sunrise, this is a film of the highest quality, caliber, and order. About a failing actor's attempts to write, direct, and star in a Broadway play, the film is a tightly paced nightmare - a claustrophobic, clamoring thing that claws away at the viewer's senses. Digitally edited to give the illusion of one continuous shot, director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu spins the tale of actor Riggan Thomson with authority and finesse. In the lead role is the grand Michael Keaton, who gives this character depth, clarity, and madness. In fact, all the performances are superb, especially Emma Stone as Riggin's strung-out daughter and Edward Norton as a terrifyingly pretentious actor.

But this movie is more than a well-edited collection of performances. Teeming below is a contentious undercurrent of questions: What is art? What makes a hero? Why are we here? What's the point of it all? By making use of magical realism, nihilistic humor, ardent social commentary, and unique style, Birdman is a cinematic lightning rod, the very explanation to why 2014 was an amazing year for cinema. From its production design to musical score to philosophical musings, Keaton and company have given us a new classic. It's an artistic epicenter, a new jumping-off point for film and filmmaking.

1.) Interstellar: This is an incredible movie. Nay - a fantastic movie. It's probably the best film of last year, and maybe one of the best ever made. It is, in the very least, the best Christopher Nolan movie - and yes, that means I rank it above Inception, The Prestige, and even, (*gasp*), The Dark Knight.

Oh, yeah. I'm serious.

I hate to laundry list all of the film's best attributes (I just scribbled out fifteen frickin' reviews, and I feel like now that I've arrived at number one, the format is getting stale), but I can't think of any other way to tackle it. There's so much to love, and I fear a few too many authorial tricks would be distracting. Best to keep this simple, direct, and to-the-point. So here we go.

The special effects, folks - they're awesome. The score, which is pure Hans Zimmer, is transcendent. The cinematography and production design compliment each other perfectly, and every scene simmers. The plot is immaculate, with whimsy in perfect balance with human drama. Speaking of, the individual performances are outstanding. Mathew McConaughey steals the show, finding levels of truth and reality I thought impossible in a big-budget epic like this.

Best of all, these components interlock with grace and nuance. Interstellar is a modern 2001, a grand visual circus with humanity and intellect whirring within. It's a meditation on the human condition - examining what makes us whole, what drives us, what propels us to survive. Simply put, it's a masterpiece.