#3
WHIPLASH
DIR. DAMIEN CHAZELLE
Here is where my list gets a bit chalky. I am sorry about that, but I cannot help these last three films are truly great pieces of cinema. I do not think anyone expected to be as knocked out with Whiplash as they were. The movie grabs you by the throat immediately and never lets go, making it very difficult to breathe. Everyone and their mother has praised J.K. Simmons‘ performance, and I will not argue with any word of that praise. Fletcher is the best kind of villain, one who truly believes he is doing good, and Miles Teller‘s Andrew wanting to appease him through that horror is both scary and intense. Part of you wants him to succeed because, obviously, you care about this kid and hope he gets what he wants, but another part of you almost wants him to fail so Fletcher cannot get the satisfaction of his methods working. It is a fascinating film with one of the best ending scenes in the past who knows how many years.
#2
BOYHOOD
DIR. RICHARD LINKLATER
Much like The Grand Budapest Hotel, what else is there to say about Richard Linklater‘s extremely ambitious Boyhood what already has not been said? I am just a couple of years older than Mason when the film ends (he is about to start college, I am about to graduate), so the experiences this kid goes through are not very far removed from my own. From the moving to a new place at a young age to being a kind of self serious, artsy type in a Texas high school, I related to Mason a little more than I could have ever expected. Every moment feels real. Every line of dialogue feels authentic. Then there is the power of watching these people age, which I’ll leave to far more intelligent people than myself to explain the “whys” of what makes it so effective. Boyhood is the frontrunner for best picture, and this is one of the few years where I have no issue with that. It is a special film, and if I were to determine the “best” film of the year, Boyhood would probably be it.
#1
BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)
DIR. ALEJANDRO GONZÃLEZ IñÃRITU
Boyhood may be the best, but Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is my favorite. This movie hit everything I like. Long takes. The theater. New York. Dialogue heavy. Actors. Dark comedy. A slightly heightened sense of reality. Everything about Alejandro González Iñáritu‘s latest felt like it was made exclusively for me. Rarely does a film like that come along. I am just glad it seems to be working for other people as well. I love how the film is not prejudiced in who it makes fun of. Celebrities are made fun just as much as serious actors just as much as critics just as much as superheroes to just about anything in the entertainment industry. I know people want to talk about Michael Keaton and the Batman/Birdman connection all day long, but that should not take away from the fact Keaton is superb in this part, as are the rest of the ensemble, and shows he should be working constantly.
I probably could not explain to you all as clearly as I want about how much I love this movie. That is the trouble with things you like. It is extremely personal. I can’t map out the dots in my head leading me to love this movie. I just do.
There you have it. My top ten films of 2014. For a recap, here is the list one last time.
- Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
- Boyhood
- Whiplash
- Dear White People
- Locke
- The Raid 2
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- A Most Violent Year
- Ida
- Into the Woods
What do you think of my list? Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think in the comments, as well as with your own top tens. Perhaps you have changed those rankings and seen some more films since Brad posted his top ten.
