#10
INTO THE WOODS
DIR. ROB MARSHALL
I was very skeptical Disney and director Rob Marshall would have the capabilities to turn the great piece of theater from Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine into a successful film adaptation, and for the most part, they did a pretty great job. It has its issues here and there, but I thoroughly enjoyed my three times in the theater (thus far) with this film. They brought together an impressive cast of actors, with Emily Blunt crushing every second on screen, and Chris Pine creating some of the funniest moments of the year. They also let those Sondheim songs do their magic, and they are glorious to listen to, both intellectually and emotionally. For those of you who refuse to like musicals, this will not do anything to change your mind, but if you are someone who leans forward and listens to lyrics and how they correspond with the music, I think you will have an excellent time, as I did.
#9
IDA
DIR. PAWEL PAWLIKOWSKI
It is a rare for a period piece film to actually look like it was made in the period it is set. Usually, you get a modern day polish on some old-looking set and something feels wrong. Ida looks like it was made in 1960s Poland. Aside from it being gorgeous to look at, it immediately makes the world these characters, a woman about to take her vows to be a nun (the fabulous Agata Trzebuchowska) and her less-than-saintly aunt (the equally fabulous Agata Kulesza), a credible world with an emotionally charged history. The film is only 80 minutes long, and the efficiency it tells its story without losing a single bit of information or emotion is astounding filmmaking. Ida is on Netflix Instant at the time I am writing this, and I highly recommend giving it a watch.
#8
A MOST VIOLENT YEAR
DIR. J.C. CHANDOR
This is my favorite kind of gangster movie. A classical slow burn of a man, exceptionally played here by Oscar Isaac, trying to stay afloat with everything around him coming crashing down. Here, what makes it even more interesting is Isaac’s Abel Morales does not want to be a gangster. He wants to keep his heating oil business legitimate and do things honestly. The business is so fragile, however, the slightest mistake could lead to the exact path he does not want to go down. Jessica Chastain as his wife and business partner is electrifying and scary, with a fascinating character she could grab ahold of. Director J.C. Chandor (Margin Call, All Is Lost) grows with every film he has made, both narratively and technically, and I think his trajectory is only going upwards.
#7
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
DIR. WES ANDERSON
Here is one of those movies talked about so much I do not know what more I could add to it. Wes Anderson is on a hot streak at the moment, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Ralph Fiennes and company deliver a film that is just a joy to watch, demanding to be seen in a theater, which is why I took four trips to see it. I love the Russian nesting doll structure, saying so much on how we tell stories and how stories affect us. Every joke lands. Like I said, what more is there to say? It is a great movie, and everyone out there knows it.
