Top 15 Best Movies of 2014

Article by Gabe Zia

So it's the end of 2014, and it's been a really good year for movie fans. There have been a lot of great movies for all sorts of movie fans, be it an art-house movie fan or a blockbuster fan, there's no real shortage of memorable movies from this year. However, the years come to an end, and so before 2015 really sets in, I'm gonna take a look at my Top 15 Favorite Movies of 2014. Keep in mind, the order of this list may not be entirely consistent with my ratings, but just my opinions on the films as of writing the list. Also, a few films will not be on here due to the fact that I couldn't see them, such as Selma, American Sniper, Dear White People, or The Signal.

(recently, this list has been updated with some new entries)

#15

Along with a lot of great indie films, 2014 also had some of the better blockbusters I've seen in a while, one of which was X-Men: Days of Future Past.

The X-Men series has - for the most part - consisted of a lot of really good films, mainly X-Men 2 & X-Men First Class. And although I loved those movies, I can honestly say that I think Days of Future Past is the best in entire series. Mainly because it manages to have all the great things from the other films, only in one movie. You've got all the memorable characters from the original films, and the characters from First Class, only now in a dark (and to be honest, better) light. This list isn't exactly full of blockbuster films, however of the really good ones, this is one of them.

#14

The term "Kubrick-esque" gets thrown around a lot in a year, when a film is either existential, has disturbing imagery, or is just trippy and overall weird. All of which are perfect terms to describe Under the Skin.

Under the Skin is one of those movies that isn't for the average movie goer, for a number of reasons. Mainly because of the fact that it's the kind of movie you'd have to pick apart in order to get what the director is trying to convey with the film, which isn't everyones thing per say. Not to mention, there is also the downright scary performance by Scarlett Johansson. She doesn't even say much or change her facial expression that much throughout the film, it's just the kind of vibe she gives off is creepy and downright unsettling. For someone to be able to do that with about few lines and even fewer facial expressions is amazing. 

#13
Following X-Men: Days of Future Past is not only my favorite Marvel film of the year, but my personal favorite Marvel film so-far, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Superhero movies these days mostly consist of a really similar outlines, so it's really cool to see one that brings a large amount of originality to the table. The Winter Soldier does exactly that, turning what could be a common superhero film, into a spy-thriller, which isn't by any means Marvels niche, but it without a doubt works. Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson are both at their highest marks so-far in the series, and the new characters are also great. What's especially nice about this movie is the fact that, unlike say Iron Man 2 or Thor 2, this actually feels like a sequel (or at least a follow-up) to The First Avenger, which is odd considering the 70 year gap between the two.

#12
I love a good comeback movie, a chance for a good actor to be famous again, which is interesting here because Birdman is both about an actor making a comeback, and stars an actor making a comeback.

Although it gets a little pretentious around the final act of the movie, Birdman is all around a great and memorable film. Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, and Zack Galifinackis are all fantastic in it, the script is really funny and smart, and it's really well directed. Especially rare is the fact that this movie feels like it's entirely one single shot. The editing is really fluid, and all the scenes are cut together insanely well, to the point where there's almost no point here where I thought it had changed scenes. All cut together is a film that just feels fluid, it feels natural, and it feels consistent.

#11
I love martial arts movies, mainly because I like martial arts. However, they're pretty rare nowadays, which if anything, makes The Raid 2 even more noteworthy.

Whats great about The Raid 2 is that it's such a rare kind of sequel that is not only better than the original, but also builds on what the original did. The first Raid was an action packed martial arts film, without much of a seeming plot, just a lot of action. It was still good, but nothing I'd think would win an oscar. However, The Raid 2 is that premise, only now it's a crime drama. The concept of a martial arts driven crime drama might sound ridiculous at first, but The Raid 2 does it and does it well.

#10
When I'm rating a movie, one of the biggest factors in my rating is whether or not the movie stuck with me, whether or not I thought about it for a long time after watching it, like Donnie Darko. And I can honestly say that throughout 2014, there was no movie that made me think and re-think the whole thing more than Enemy.

At face value, this is a doppleganger thriller. But the film itself is so far off from anything that I could describe as face value, that I have sometimes just completely forgot this movie is about dopplegangers. There is so much crazy weird imagery, and a lot of different meanings one could take from watching Enemy, because it's a thought provoking film. It's one of those films that you seriously have to watch more than once in order to really get it, and even that's a stretch because I've seen this movie ten times and I still have no clue what's going on.

#9

In a post-Twilight world, making a vampire movie is no easy task. Most modern vampire films consist of angsty teenagers with emo cuts and and annoying love triangle somewhere in the movie. So, when a vampire movie like Only Lovers Left Alive shows up, it's something to be noticed.

What makes Only Lovers Left Alive an interesting vampire movie is how much balance the movie has concerning its thematic and gothic elements. Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton are both fantastic in the movie, they've got great chemistry, even with the fact that they're really different characters. The writing in the film is great, with realistic and engaging dialogue almost throughout. The film is also really well paced, which is especially impressive considering it doesn't really have what most would call a plot for the majority of the film.

#8
Some movies take longer to make than others. Some movies take a few weeks, some take months, some may even take years. Boyhood took twelve of them, and oh my god did it pay off.

Forgetting the fact that this movie was filmed over the course of a whopping twelve years, the movie itself is still great and memorable, filled to the brim with interesting storylines, good writing, and good characters. The cinematography is great, and the soundtrack is really good. Then there's the fact that this movie was filmed over the course of twelve years, which you can really feel as the movie's going along. There are a lot of pop culture references in this movie that are really well times, and help the audience go along with the film so they have an idea of what year that scene is set during.

#7

After a long time (probably too long) of nothing new, Keanu Reeves has made an awesome comeback with John Wick.

Listen, if you had told me a while ago that the new Keanu Reeves movie about him seeking revenge against a couple of thugs who killed his dog would have made my top 10, I would have laughed in your face. However, add on interesting and unique supporting characters, great visuals, amazing stunts and action sequences, and Keanu Reeves giving his best performance yet, and you've got one hell of an action movie. This movie also does an amazing job of building this fictional world, be it from setting up a hotel where hitmen just lay low, or have a ton of hitmen throughout the film, each interesting in their own right. The end result is not only a great, original, and incredibly memorable action film, but also a film that sets up an awesome world which could lead to a great franchise.

#6
When this film was first announced, I wasn't convinced I was going to enjoy it. However, to my surprise, Edge of Tomorrow went above and beyond all expectations.

Tom Cruise isn't exactly a universally beloved actor, however I'm a fan of his, and films like this are exactly why. Say what you will about him being nuts, but the guy is a good actor, and a great action star. To Edge of Tomorrow he brings both his badass and his comedic acting talents to play, and they work together in what is a pretty awesome film. Emily Blunt plays what I think is her best role so-far in her career, and this movie is very well written, especially considering it's an action movie. It's like Groundhog Day and Halo got put into a blender, and that is never a bad thing.

#5
News driven dramas are uncommon, but when they happen, they usually make these journalists seem way nicer than real journalists. Nightcrawler however, is not one of these films.

Of the performances that I would classify as "most talked about this year", Jake Gyllenhaals performance in Nightcrawler would be ranked pretty high, and with good reason. You do not see Jake Gyllenhaal in this movie, you just see the character. Every motion, every facial expression, every little piece of this performance is perfect, making Gyllenhaal basically invisible in the role. This movie is eerie, it has a lot of great shots, it portrays modern media in a realistic light, which is way too rare.

#4
Of the thrillers of the year, only a few really caught my attention. Nightcrawler, Enemy, maybe Under the Skin. However, no movie in the year bugged me, as in freaked me out quite like Gone Girl.

(Possible Spoilers Ahead)

This is the kind of movie I don't like putting on these lists, not because of the quality, but because you cannot say anything about them. So, here are my spoiler-free thoughts on Gone Girl. Gone Girl is great, it's freaky, and Roasmund Pike was brilliant in it. I haven't read the books, so no comment on the film as an adaption. So concludes my spoiler-free thoughts on Gone Girl. If you haven't read the book or seen the movie or either, skip to #3.

Rosamund Pikes performance in the movie is one of the freakiest performances I've seen in my life. In this year alone, she is among the top few of performances that got to me, and got under my skin (pun not intended, but I'll leave it in there regardless). She plays one of the scariest psychopaths I've ever seen, because it's so honest and real as a psychopath. She doesn't need a chainsaw, or a mask, or anything that should actually freak someone out to freak someone out. It's her voice, her lines, her body language. By the end of the film, her mere presence sets off so many red flags, it's a miracle Ben Affleck lived to the end of the film.

#3
There are a lot of mixed feelings surrounding this movie, some love it, some hate it. For me, I think Interstellar is incredible.

Christopher Nolan remains to me one of the best directors working today, and Interstellar is exactly why. This movie is beautifully filmed, amazingly captured, it has a fantastic score by Hans Zimmer. Matthew Mcconaughey does a really good job, as can be expected nowadays. Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain are easily the standout characters of the film, and both give great performances. This film is mind-bending, it's existential, and for all the right reasons. It may be a long film, but it is without a doubt worth the runtime.

#2
These next two films, I consider them to be total equals. If I could, I'd put them both as a tie for number 1. However, I can't do that, so this is the order I've put them in. My pick for #2 is Snowpeircer

Snowpeircer is an incredibly rare kind of movie, because it's willing to be as dark and bleak as it possibly can. You can tell as you're watching the movie that no Hollywood producer was advising the writers making this movie, because this doesn't feel like a Hollywood film. It's violent, it's gritty, it's realistic, but it is also a beautiful movie. The cinematography here shows an incredible range of cinematic abilites, showing gritty dark scenes, to colorful sets that feel fresh and real. And these elements play on each other to make an incredible experience. Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton both deserve oscar nominations for their brilliant performances in the film. Chris Evans especially, this guy shows an insane amount of acting talent in this movie. There's one scene in particular which, as I was watching it, I was thinking "he needs to be nominated for an oscar for this". And I still think he does.

Before we get into my #1 favorite film of the year, I'll take a look at some of the films that didn't make the cut for the list. Here are my Honorable Mentions.

- The Guest
- Top Five

- Oculus
- A Walk Among the Tombstones

- The Imitation Game

- How to Train your Dragon 2
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Chef

- Big Hero 6
- The Skeleton Twins
- Fury

- Phoenix

- A Most Wanted Man
- Kill Me Three Times

- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Palo Alto

- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

- Frank
- Jodorowsky's Dune

#1 
The only reason that I can think of as to why Snowpeircer isn't #1 right here, is because it's not for everyone. Not everyone may get it, it may be too bleak for some. However, I think that my pick for #1 is the single most relatable movie of the year, and one of the most universally relatable films of all time. My pick for #1 is Whiplash.

Whiplash is a prime example of the idea that any premise can be turned into a masterpeice. The premise of Whiplash is simple, but the way it's executed is masterful. The cinematography and direction of photography is beautiful here, every shot is perfectly lined up. Miles Teller gives his best performance so-far, which is impressive considering a year ago I only saw him as the guy who plays charming young adults. J.K. Simmons is incredible in the film, and usually I'd say he needs to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but in this situation I think he has to win. I won't accept any other actor to win that award, it has to be him. The best part of this film is, like I said before, how relatable it is. Anyone can watch this film and relate to it, because of how simple the premise is. This college student has aspirations, and only the instructor for the class is in his way. It's relatable because almost everyone has been in a position like that, where they have an aspiration or an ambition, but there's either a teacher, or a boss, or some authority figure that seems to be dragging you down, or standing in your way. And those people will without a doubt enjoy this movie. All these are why Whiplash is my #1 favorite film of the year.