Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson is not the kind of filmmaker who "needs" a masterpiece. His filmography was impressive enough before Grand Budapest Hotel came out at the beginning of this year. If this film is a masterpiece (arguably, I admit), I have to say it's the silliest masterpiece I've ever seen. This is a director who let loose and encouraged his actors to let loose, and the result is nothing less than brilliant. Not much more needs to be said about it.
Nightcrawler
Obvious Child
If anyone but Jenny Slate were playing the lead character in Obvious Child, the film wouldn't have worked at all. But put it in her capable hands and it's fantastic. Teetering the line between hilarious and poignant, Obvious Child strikes a chord for women in a way that I haven't seen in a pretty long time. And I always appreciate films that go just where they need to and not any further, which Obvious Child does. Uncomfortable (in a good way) but highly recommended.
Gone Girl
I know what kind of magic a great cast in the hands of David Fincher can produce (see Zodiac) and that was my main reason for seeing Gone Girl. That, and I couldn't remember the last Ben Affleck film I'd seen. After seeing it in theaters, I found I couldn't stop thinking about it for days afterward. Any film where the characters constantly question not only themselves but their partners is good in my book. And even though the only flaw with Gone Girl (besides its terrible/weird ending) is that its twist will lessen the impact of the film in subsequent viewings, I really found it to be an all around achievement. Gone Girl's true brilliance lies in its seemingly bland exterior, but in its second and third acts turns into a well done meditation on the human condition and what people really know about each other. Fincher stuns once again.
Starry Eyes
Like with some other films on this year's list, I watched Starry Eyes based solely on the reviews of critics and industry people whose opinions I trusted. And like with Gone Girl, I knew little to nothing about the story line, so I went into it with totally fresh eyes. I hasten to say much about this film because it's better to simply experience it like I did. I will say that it's amazing what you can do with a small budget, an ambitious director, and a lead actress so committed to her role that you know she was in pain during filming. Starry Eyes is an unexpected treat.
The Babadook
Even though I've decided not to rank my favorite films of 2014, if hard pressed, I would have to put this at the top. Considering my high expectations for The Babadook (I'd read about it for close to six months before it finally came out in the U.S. on VOD), I could have been disappointed or felt that the wait wasn't worth it; that was the total opposite of how I ended up feeling about it. The most powerful thing about The Babadook is that it really is about grief and how untapped grief can manifest itself. That's something that we can all relate to in one way or another. This theme really made it a gut punch in the final act. And one of my favorite things about this film is that it's a slow burn horror film; it takes its time in developing the story and the journey that the two main characters take. It also has that "filmed anywhere" feel to it that adds to its creepiness and realism. And if nothing else, The Babadook gave me even more reasons to not have children.
Under The Skin
The reviews of Under The Skin calling it "an experience" instead of a film are absolutely right. More than any other film on my favorites list, this one just can't really be explained. It is visually the most gorgeous of all the films on here and interestingly, has the least amount of dialogue. In fact, it has the least amount of dialogue and story of any film I've seen in a long time, but it packs a punch and ends up being devastating in many ways. You walk away from it not knowing at all what happened, but knowing that you're glad you went along for the ride and experienced it. And who can complain about Scarlett Johannson anyway?
The Sacrament
The distributor of The Sacrament knows the ways to get me to see a film: a) make it based on an event I've always been fascinated by (Jonestown), b) put one of my favorite directors at the helm (Ti West), and c) have it star one of my favorite actors (AJ Bowen). These all add up to a crown jewel in the cap of everyone involved. The Sacrament is disturbing enough (particularly the final act) that I might not want to watch it again and again, but it really got to me when the credits rolled. The realism of the script, the acting and basically everything about it cannot be overstated. A "mockumentary" at its very finest.
Cheap Thrills
Cheap Thrills ended up being only the second film on my list (besides Nightcrawler) that was a reflection of how disturbing society is as a whole and what people are willing to do to survive and/or get ahead. It's the kind of film that even though I loved it, I found myself kind of grossed out that I was enjoying it and wondered what that enjoyment said about me as a person. Yes, I would see any film with Pat Healy and Ethan Embry (it's one of three Ethan Embry films on my list this year! hooray!) but they really pulled off a doozie of a film here. I'm not sure I would see it again soon, nor would I really recommend it to most people, but I'm glad I saw it.
Locke
One of the things I remembered about seeing Locke in theaters was that two people actually walked out mid-way through the film. I couldn't believe it at the time and I still can't. Locke isn't for everyone, clearly. If you need action, different scenery or more than one person on the screen for 90 minutes, Locke is not your film. If, however, you truly enjoy the tour de force performance of one incredibly committed actor, then this film will impress. I've liked Tom Hardy since his excellent performance in the underrated Lawless, but I had no idea he was this brilliant. I do now.
Housebound
In 2013 I declared that You're Next was the most fun film I'd seen all year. Housebound gets that honor in 2014, without a doubt. It could probably be classified into at least three different films in one, constantly keeping you guessing and having a hell of a time from start to finish. It's amazing to me that this kind of premise hasn't been used more often, as Housebound proved what kind of brilliance can happen when done right. It's also been awhile since I've seen a movie where during a certain scene I actually said out loud, "YES! THANK YOU FOR GOING THERE! YES!!" but I did with this one. And its end was so satisfying I can't even believe it exists out in the real world. Housebound is that magnificent.
The One I Love
The less said about this film's plot, the better. Suffice to say that when you put Elizabeth Moss and Mark Duplass together with a good script, wonderful things happen. If you don't know much about either of these people (most people saw Mad Men, so Elizabeth Moss is fairly known by now), they have a lot to offer. This is Mark Duplass' best film since Safety Not Guaranteed, which was so overlooked, it's criminal.
Blue Ruin
Blue Ruin has the distinction of being the only film on my list that I recommended to someone without even having seen it. I urged my dad to see it in theaters during its all-too-brief run and I'm glad he did - because he enjoyed it as much as I did when I finally saw it. Few films had gotten such rave reviews from every critic and film industry person I respected this year as Blue Ruin and they were all spot on. Much like last year's wonderful sleeper The Battery, this film is narratively tight, exceptionally acted and well directed. I can't recommend this film enough.
Happy Christmas
Sometimes a film makes my list on cast alone. Plot, direction, these things don't always matter when you put the right people together. Happy Christmas is that kind of film for me. Melanie Lynskey, Anna Kendrick and Joe Swanberg are a fantastic combination when acting in the same space, though they were already three of my favorite actors before this film finally came out on VOD. And while this is not Joe Swanberg's best directed film (Drinking Buddies is his masterpiece and likely always will be), it's a step in the right direction.
Late Phases
I never imagined that Ethan Embry would be in three genre films on my list in 2014, but he is, and I couldn't be happier. His role in Late Phases is small but memorable. The people who made this movie obviously knew how to get to me right away: put Larry Fessenden and Ethan Embry in the first scene and I'm hooked (including Tom Noonan in a small role doesn't hurt either). As someone who doesn't tend to like werewolf movies this was really well done. The lead actor carries the film beautifully and the twist on who the "creature" ends up being is smart. Just an all-around lovely little film.
The Guest
There was no film on my list that I'd waited longer to see than The Guest. I'd been wanting to see it so much that I was sure I'd be let down. After all, it was hard to imagine Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett topping 2013's You're Next, but somehow they pulled it off. A large part of this film's success is undoubtedly Dan Stevens, who absolutely shines in the lead role. The supporting cast is also strong (AJ Bowen! Ethan Embry!) and like Wingard and Barrett's other films, the soundtrack is fantastic. What I loved most about The Guest is that if you'd seen You're Next or A Horrible Way To Die, you knew who created it from the opening scene. And yet it was leaps and bounds ahead of those two films. I can't say enough about this film, but should mention that it isn't necessarily for everyone (as is the case with most of my favorite films). But for the rest of us, it's an unbeatable gem.
This film didn't actually make it on my list immediately, which doesn't happen very often. Despite a wonderful opening scene (which Mockingbird also had and the rest of that film was a terrible mess), I was on the fence about it during the first twenty minutes. But then Oculus really surprised me and ended up being a film that I couldn't not enjoy. Having gotten more into horror films in recent years, I'm more or less used to the acting being sub par, and most of the time that's okay. But the acting wasn't like that at all in this film, which in addition to the visuals and the story, made it a real treat to watch. It's the kind of slow burn, subtle, thinking man's horror film that I find myself turning to more often than not when I want something beyond some jump scares and gore. I found that with Oculus.
Enemy
One of the only reviews I read for Enemy (after I'd already seen it) had the perfect headline: "What did I just watch?" That's exactly how I felt after seeing this trippy but weirdly awesome little film. How you feel about Enemy will likely depend on two things: 1) how much you like Jake Gyllenhaal and 2) how quickly you buy into the utter silliness of the film. If you like Mr. Gyllenhaal (check) and you like occasionally giving yourself over to a film's obvious silliness (check) then there's a lot to enjoy with this film. Gyllenhaal's performance really makes Enemy work, but the supporting cast does a great job as well. While Enemy is not half the film that Mr. Gyllenhaal's other 2014 film Nightcrawler is, his performance in this one is almost as impressive. Also, Enemy gets the award for weirdest opening and ending scenes in a single film for me in 2014. How many times can I say, "This is just SO WEIRD!" during a film? The answer is a lot, apparently.
Movies That Were Good But Not Good Enough For The List:
Honeymoon
The Trip To Italy
Calvary
Grand Piano
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