2014 was a whopper of a year for me. First child was born and I started a new full time job...so seeing movies and TV kind of difficult. I'm catching up to seeing a bunch of movies from the last couple years right now...so here is my Top Ten List of what I saw so far for 2014.
10. Interstellar
I like Christopher Nolan and I think this was a nice attempt to make a hard sic-fi movie with a serious tone. Good performances and great effects throughout, the problem came in some of the scripting in the second half. I have no problem with the sort of oddball existential stuff, but I did have a problem with McConaughey explaining to me what's happening, when it was kind of visually clear what was happening. I also found the Matt Damon is a villain thing to be trite and predictable, and out of place in the tone and themes of this film. I applaud the effort to make a big budget studio release that tries to be legit sci-fi rather than just LASERS!
9. Frank
Such a weird unique movie. I enjoyed the concept and thought the movie was enjoyable, funny, but a little sad too. Michael Fassbender gives a great performance and does it mostly hidden under a giant fiberglass head. It is the kind of off kilter movie that is bound to have a little cult following but will mostly miss a lot of people.
8. Guardians of the Galaxy
James Gunn jump from small budget films to the big money makers of Marvel, and he nails it. As much as I am bored with the more fantasy sci-fi movies, and as much as I miss smarter hard sci-fi...this was fun as hell. I kind of lament that I enjoyed Interstellar less than this in way, but that when fell slightly short of what it wanted and needed to accomplish, this one did everything it wanted to in spades. Cast is good, effects are good, the script is fun, and the movie moves along at a solid pace. If only Marvel made every movie as fun as this and the Avengers.
7. Gone Girl
What a fucked up couple this movie is about. Well crafted thriller from David Fincher, looks good, feels unsettling at times, and features quite the performance from Rosamund Pike...who just digs into this role. I really enjoyed watching this, though I doubt I'd ever want to see it again.
6. Locke
Tom Hardy in a car. That is really all this movie is...Tom Hardy driving for 80 minutes, as a man ditching his job the night before a major construction project in order to be there for the birth of his son...with a woman who is not his wife. Hardy is the only actor seen on screen, everyone else is literally phoning it in, as Hardy's character tries to help someone else do his job, explain to his wife just why he is doing this, and try to calm the woman he had a one night stand with who is in labor. It is an edge of your seat kind of movie...and it has no locations beyond the inside of a car.
5. Blue Ruin
This movie about revenge is so well done. It isn't a typical action revenge flick, with a lead character kicking so much ass, here our main character is a homeless guy who kills the man he believes killed his parents and then must take on that man's entire family...but he is kind of inept at all of it. It is funny in a sad kind of way, but what really sells the movie is the lead performance.
4. Whiplash
JK Simmons is fantastic in this, and Miles Teller is proving to be a new young actor to watch out for. Simmons plays Teller's teacher at a music conservatory who is brutal and tough at trying to make great musicians. Simmons puts up with no shit and he is just intense to watch. I've seen him in so many things over the years, but I don't think I truly realized how good he is as an actor until now. Much more exciting movie than an average summer blockbuster.
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel
I love Wes Anderson movies. People may complain that he makes the same movies over and over again, but I don't see it that way. He has a specific style, and that style is getting increasingly stylized, but I like the style...and while his movies always have a similar tone, they rarely feel like the same movie being rehashed. This was hilarious, stylish, and creative, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
I can't believe that this series is this good right now. I'm a sucker for monkey movies...I love King Kong and I love the Planet of the Apes movies. But even as a fan of the Planet of the Apes, I can admit a good chunk of the movies aren't that great. I enjoy them, but I am not beyond seeing their flaws. The original is a stone cold classic, but the sequels were hit and miss, and Tim Burton's remake was terrible. Rise of the Planet of the Apes surprised me with how solid it was...Dawn blew me away. This movie fixed all the things I found to be flawed in Rise, and it balanced action and smarts and social commentary in exactly the way this series always tried to. One of the few movies from this year I'm really jonesing to dive into again.
1. Birdman
Excellent. Michael Keaton is one of my favorite actors, and it is so nice to see him leading a movie again, and he gives his all. It's a top notch performance from Keaton, but also everyone in the movie is pretty solid. The movie flows with the camera moving like one continuous shot, and it just works. I really loved everything about this and I think it deserves any accolades it gets, more so than the film that is going to get all the accolades, Boyhood...which was average despite it's long term production.
Now that 2015 is in full swing, here is what I am actually looking forward to. I'm slightly intrigued but can't say I am actually anticipating the new Star Wars. That franchise ran out of steam, and I'm sure the new one will be perfect at capturing some of the spirit and fun of the original, because JJ Abrams already essentially did that with Star Trek, but I dunno...who cares at this point. I think the franchise movie I am really looking forward to in 2015 in Mad Max: Fury Road...because those trailers look fucking amazing. Based on his previous work in both animation and live action I am interested to see Brad Bird's new film Tomorrowland, though I think I'm only half interested. I just found out Don Hertzfeldt has a new film that is sci-fi...and I love everything he does, and I love sci-fi...so I can't wait to see that. For big summer movies..I guess Avengers 2...I mean Avengers was fantastic...I'm just sort of tired of Marvel, even though I have enjoyed their movies for the most part. I am actually really anticipating is Red Letter Media's Space Cop...which I think will finally be coming out this year...though who knows for sure. The moment they release it on DVD, I will be making a purchase.
Beyond that I keep looking through the list and I think I'm indifferent to most of what is coming out. We will see what gets recommended.
10. Interstellar
I like Christopher Nolan and I think this was a nice attempt to make a hard sic-fi movie with a serious tone. Good performances and great effects throughout, the problem came in some of the scripting in the second half. I have no problem with the sort of oddball existential stuff, but I did have a problem with McConaughey explaining to me what's happening, when it was kind of visually clear what was happening. I also found the Matt Damon is a villain thing to be trite and predictable, and out of place in the tone and themes of this film. I applaud the effort to make a big budget studio release that tries to be legit sci-fi rather than just LASERS!
9. Frank
Such a weird unique movie. I enjoyed the concept and thought the movie was enjoyable, funny, but a little sad too. Michael Fassbender gives a great performance and does it mostly hidden under a giant fiberglass head. It is the kind of off kilter movie that is bound to have a little cult following but will mostly miss a lot of people.
8. Guardians of the Galaxy
James Gunn jump from small budget films to the big money makers of Marvel, and he nails it. As much as I am bored with the more fantasy sci-fi movies, and as much as I miss smarter hard sci-fi...this was fun as hell. I kind of lament that I enjoyed Interstellar less than this in way, but that when fell slightly short of what it wanted and needed to accomplish, this one did everything it wanted to in spades. Cast is good, effects are good, the script is fun, and the movie moves along at a solid pace. If only Marvel made every movie as fun as this and the Avengers.
7. Gone Girl
What a fucked up couple this movie is about. Well crafted thriller from David Fincher, looks good, feels unsettling at times, and features quite the performance from Rosamund Pike...who just digs into this role. I really enjoyed watching this, though I doubt I'd ever want to see it again.
6. Locke
Tom Hardy in a car. That is really all this movie is...Tom Hardy driving for 80 minutes, as a man ditching his job the night before a major construction project in order to be there for the birth of his son...with a woman who is not his wife. Hardy is the only actor seen on screen, everyone else is literally phoning it in, as Hardy's character tries to help someone else do his job, explain to his wife just why he is doing this, and try to calm the woman he had a one night stand with who is in labor. It is an edge of your seat kind of movie...and it has no locations beyond the inside of a car.
5. Blue Ruin
This movie about revenge is so well done. It isn't a typical action revenge flick, with a lead character kicking so much ass, here our main character is a homeless guy who kills the man he believes killed his parents and then must take on that man's entire family...but he is kind of inept at all of it. It is funny in a sad kind of way, but what really sells the movie is the lead performance.
4. Whiplash
JK Simmons is fantastic in this, and Miles Teller is proving to be a new young actor to watch out for. Simmons plays Teller's teacher at a music conservatory who is brutal and tough at trying to make great musicians. Simmons puts up with no shit and he is just intense to watch. I've seen him in so many things over the years, but I don't think I truly realized how good he is as an actor until now. Much more exciting movie than an average summer blockbuster.
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel
I love Wes Anderson movies. People may complain that he makes the same movies over and over again, but I don't see it that way. He has a specific style, and that style is getting increasingly stylized, but I like the style...and while his movies always have a similar tone, they rarely feel like the same movie being rehashed. This was hilarious, stylish, and creative, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
I can't believe that this series is this good right now. I'm a sucker for monkey movies...I love King Kong and I love the Planet of the Apes movies. But even as a fan of the Planet of the Apes, I can admit a good chunk of the movies aren't that great. I enjoy them, but I am not beyond seeing their flaws. The original is a stone cold classic, but the sequels were hit and miss, and Tim Burton's remake was terrible. Rise of the Planet of the Apes surprised me with how solid it was...Dawn blew me away. This movie fixed all the things I found to be flawed in Rise, and it balanced action and smarts and social commentary in exactly the way this series always tried to. One of the few movies from this year I'm really jonesing to dive into again.
1. Birdman
Excellent. Michael Keaton is one of my favorite actors, and it is so nice to see him leading a movie again, and he gives his all. It's a top notch performance from Keaton, but also everyone in the movie is pretty solid. The movie flows with the camera moving like one continuous shot, and it just works. I really loved everything about this and I think it deserves any accolades it gets, more so than the film that is going to get all the accolades, Boyhood...which was average despite it's long term production.
Now that 2015 is in full swing, here is what I am actually looking forward to. I'm slightly intrigued but can't say I am actually anticipating the new Star Wars. That franchise ran out of steam, and I'm sure the new one will be perfect at capturing some of the spirit and fun of the original, because JJ Abrams already essentially did that with Star Trek, but I dunno...who cares at this point. I think the franchise movie I am really looking forward to in 2015 in Mad Max: Fury Road...because those trailers look fucking amazing. Based on his previous work in both animation and live action I am interested to see Brad Bird's new film Tomorrowland, though I think I'm only half interested. I just found out Don Hertzfeldt has a new film that is sci-fi...and I love everything he does, and I love sci-fi...so I can't wait to see that. For big summer movies..I guess Avengers 2...I mean Avengers was fantastic...I'm just sort of tired of Marvel, even though I have enjoyed their movies for the most part. I am actually really anticipating is Red Letter Media's Space Cop...which I think will finally be coming out this year...though who knows for sure. The moment they release it on DVD, I will be making a purchase.
Beyond that I keep looking through the list and I think I'm indifferent to most of what is coming out. We will see what gets recommended.
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