If you are one of those people who believe that modern
cinema has lost its originality, you should stop reading this right now. For
the first time in my life, I saw more new release films than ever before and I
tried to watch as much as I possibly could. Even this year’s comic book
adaptations seemed to be new hybrid films infusing new elements not attempted
before within their genres. This is a ranking of the films that I liked best,
not necessarily the highest rated, so you will find that some films that are
rated higher than others will appear lower on the list.
10. The LEGO Movie
From its trailers, Chris Miller and Phil Lord looked like
they were about to drop a grade A bomb on the world in an explosion of animated
LEGO bricks, voices of top list actors, and characters from all over the world
of pop culture (Batman? BATMAN!?). Instead, they delivered what is probably the
biggest surprise of the year. Their story is a modernized take on Orwellian
society a la “1984” and makes great usage out of the vocal talents of the cast.
Liam Neeson’s happy voice to this day makes me laugh uncontrollably. 7/10
9. Nymphomaniac
Lars Von Trier certainly has a lot to say about love, loss,
and sex. Joe, a woman who is driven to the lowest lows in life due to her
addiction to having sex, recounts her story to Seligman, played by a very
subdued Stellan Skarsgård. I decided to
include the film’s both halves as one as they really are one film, divided into
two parts due to length. The film is really brought down in its second half,
but its opening two hours are a powerful exploration at the destruction that
sex (without love) can have on one’s personal life. I really do believe that
Von Trier hates women and this film certainly hammered this point into my mind.
7/10
8. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
7. Nightcrawler
6. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
It blows my mind that the Planet of the Apes franchise still has steam in it 46 years after
the first film. Director Matt Reeves steps in as director, taking over from Rise of the Planet of the Apes director
Rupert Wyatt. Reeves took out the references and Easter eggs from the past
films and crafted a smart and beautiful story about Caesar and his colony of
apes living in the wilderness around San Francisco. Jason Clarke brings
earnestness to his role as Malcom, a man who wishes that both groups could work
together. In a role that gives J.K. Simmons’ a run for his money as villain of
the year, Caesar’s ally Koba turns on him. I can’t remember the last time I saw
film in which I sympathized so deeply with a villain. The way I saw it, this
movie doesn’t have a villain. Caesar is our main character, so we side with him
naturally, but Koba is pretty damn convincing. 8/10
5. Under the Skin
Scarlett Johansson plays a femme fatale in this picture,
luring horny men to their deaths. The film features what are easily the most
bizarre sequences of any of the films I’ve ranked on this list and is
definitely the heaviest this side of the top spot. The backdrop of Scotland
proves to be an aesthetically beautiful decision as director Jonathan Glazer
films primarily on location, outdoors. When the film enters its second half
Johansson’s Female character begins to go on a journey of self-discovery, we
are forced to rely entirely on her subtly beautiful performance. But why she
goes on this journey and pretty much every other aspect of the plot is open for
interpretation, something that no other film I’ve this year has achieved.
Scarlett is one of my favorite actresses and this role really gets to show off
her acting skill and prowess. 8/10
4. Whiplash
How far are you willing to go to get what you want? Andrew
wants to be one of the great jazz drummers, even if it means great harm or
self-injury. Scenes of bloody blisters, and people who want the same thing you
do. J.K. Simmons steals the show as Terence Fletcher, the music professor from
hell who insults, slaps, and tortures his students to push them to be the best
musicians possible. The heart of the entire film though lies with Miles
Teller’s performance as Andrew. His face is so beautifully expressive that we
can feel everything he does. At times, no dialogue is needed to get the
audience to a certain feeling. I am a musician myself and found the film to be
the best and worst of an academic experience studying music. 8/10
3. The Babadook
2. Birdman
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu takes us behind the scenes of
the most important dramatic production of Riggin Thompson’s life. A man who is
typecast as the superhero he played in a film decades ago attempts to prove he
is not a washed up hack living in the past, but an actor who cares deeply about
his craft. Where Tim Burton’s Big Eyes
failed in its commentary about art criticism, Birdman succeeds. What does it mean to be dedicated to your craft
and (just as it is explored in Whiplash) how far are you willing to go to prove
your dedication? Edward Norton’s character Mike supplies many laughs as Norton
is essentially playing a dramatized version of himself (a dedicated character
actor). Not only does Birdman give us
the best performance of Michael Keaton’s career but is also the funniest movie
to play in cinemas this year. Iñarritu creates an eccentric take on what it
really means to be an actor. 9/10
1. Interstellar/Wetlands
Don’t make me pick. Please don’t make me pick which of these
two was my favorite film of the year. I couldn’t decide which, so I picked
both. Interstellar is Christopher Nolan’s biggest and most heartfelt film to
date. An enormous spectacle to behold, the film explores a new galaxy in which
to save mankind from a dying Earth. Thrilling action sequences in this movie
really are an essential part of the story. The film does not stop to have a
chase sequence; every set piece is necessary to move the story forward. The
scenes involving a wormhole, a black hole named Gargantua, and anything scored
by Hans Zimmer’s use of a pipe organ created an experience unlike any other
this year. Deep into the film’s third act, there is a docking sequence so
intense, my heart raced all 4 times I saw it. The final 20 minutes of the film
contains a scene so radical, it’s out there, it’s miraculous Paramount and
Warner Brothers didn’t interfere in its production. The film is deeply
philosophical, exploring the relationship between Cooper (Matthew McConaughey)
and his daughter Murph (played by Mackenzie Foy and Jessica Chastain). 9/10
Wetlands came out
of nowhere. Having drawn quite a bit of buzz on the festival circuit for its
graphic content, the film lives up to the buzz. Carla Juri stole my heart and
has yet to give it back. Her interpretation of Helen Memel is so punk that it
makes me sad that I could never be anywhere on her level. As a matter of fact,
the entire film is punk. It’s gritty, dirty, grimy, and never afraid to
challenge a social taboo. Masturbation? No problem. Public toilets? There is a
scene for you (and it will traumatize you). I really wish this film could have
had a wider release for more people to experience. The friendship between Helen
and her best friend Corinna (Marlen Kruse) is wonderful as the two young
actresses bring a sincerity that can’t be faked. They are in the roles as deep
as they could go and it shows. Helen longs for reconciliation between her
separated parents and the way she attempts it (after a shaving accident
involving hemorrhoids) will stay with you for a very long time. Go bold or go
home, indeed. 8/10
