* (Originally posted 30/12/2014 but mysteriously it vanished a day later)
Is 2014 the Best year Yet For Movies?
I haven't posted anything in ages because I have been working (painfully slowly I admit) at getting a 'proper' site up and running with a proper URL so I took a year off from movie blogging.
But of course I have still been going to the movies and have been writing capsule reviews over on www.letterboxd.com - user name 'GaF'.
Because it is now clear that if this year isn't the best year ever for movies it is certainly in the top five it seems like a good time to do a one off posting to cover this thought.
Honestly getting the top five movies of 2014 was a doddle.
Aside from some minor jockeying for the second and third spots it was not difficult at all.
My best of the year was quickly apparent and not at all surprising to myself or anyone who knows me and the remaining four places were easy even if the order wasn't quite as simple.
That left slots 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Not so easy.
There were simply far too many quality movies to stuff into 5 slots so some culling was required - never pleasant when dealing with movies that I liked so much.
Further evidence then that 2014 was a really, really good year for movies.
I am aware that the year isn't quite over (at the time of initial posting) and I have maybe one more movie left in me for 2014 but I feel pretty safe in finalising the list now.
(I am sure that "Night At The Museum: The Secret of the Tomb" is a fun flick and a fine one but I very much doubt it will be a top ten fixture)
So lets push on.
The GaF Blog Top Ten Movies of 2014
TEN:
"Edge of Tomorrow" (3D)
Directed by Doug Liman
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton
Budget: $178,000,000
Box Office: $369,206,256
The disappointing box office take on this one might be a sign of the fading star that is Tom Cruise.
Personally I like his acting and when he is criticised have always highlighted not only what a good actor he is but how damned good he is at picking a project and making it happen.
Regardless his personal life seems to have tainted his on screen work for many.
If the poor performance of "Edge of Tomorrow" is down to this it is a shame because this movie is an absolute corker.
With a central concept that owes much to video games this movie nonetheless bucks the trend of those before it that were so inspired and makes the ideas that it borrows into positives.
We have Cruise's military PR man effectively trying and re-trying a mission to defeat an alien invasion.
He re-spawns each time having learned a little more as to how to defeat the enemy.
It really is a video game as a movie and whilst normally that should sound a warning bell (sadly) in this case have no concern.
It is the manner in which director Liman executes the premise that makes this film work so, so well.
The tone is just right - it may be a gritty and dirty flick but it is never less than fun and often- funny.
Cruise plays against type- at least initially- as not only a coward but an inept combat soldier.
Humour is drawn from this many times but never as effectively as the scene in which he attempts to pull off a very Mission Impossible-esque stealth roll and gets himself crushed by his own sides truck.
Cruise is great in this film and seems to relish the chance to play a character that undergoes such a sea change in character and ability.
As good as he is arguably the ace in the hole here is the amazing Emily Blunt.
Tough, gorgeous and lethal both in and out of a combat exoskeleton she is 2014's Queen Ass-Kicker in a year loaded with rivals including Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and Zoe Saldana's Gamora.
(Maybe I will have more to write about both of these shortly....)
The script provides surprise after surprise as it deftly transitions Cruise from inept coward into elite soldier.
And with a look equal parts "Saving Private Ryan" and "Independence Day" this movie is quite the stunner (and yes that also extends to Emily Blunts amazing slinky swoop move much used in trailers - check it out here)
The 3D is very good and augments the flawless CG effects nicely. It is an action packed spectacle flick that demands your attention for every single second.
This one is a blast and deserved to be seen by far more people than it was.
NINE:
"Nightcrawler"
Directed by Dan Gilroy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo and Bill Paxton
Budget: $8,500,000
Box Office: $37,973,206
Apparently Jake Gyllenhaal learned his lines for this film off by heart as if he was performing in a live play.
His commitment would no doubt meet the approval of the character he plays- a man driven to the point of obsession.
Louis Bloom wants to be successful. He doesn't know exactly at what or how to begin with but he knows it will take an unwavering drive.
When a chance encounter leads him to discover that people are making money selling videotaped footage of real life car accidents and violent crimes he finds a focus for his sociopathic drive.
So he gets a cheap camera and takes on an unpaid intern whose main qualifications are desperation and a GPS capable cellphone.
The 'fun' in this film beyond Gyllenhaal's uber creepy performance is seeing not only how far Louis will go to achieve his dubious goals but how far those that pay him will go in search of ratings.
The media is given a right royal (and well deserved) skewering here and it is a joy to behold.
Rather disturbing too but nonetheless- a lot of fun.
Should we get too smug in condemning either party the creeping realisation that neither would do what they do if they didn't have a captive audience should avert our gaze inward somewhat.
This is a tense, smart and very entertaining flick.
EIGHT:
"X-Men: Days of Future Past" (3D)
Directed by Bryan Singer
Starring: Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman
Budget: $200,000,000
Box Office: $746,045,700
As good as Matthew Vaughn's "X-Men: First Class" is there really is only one man who should direct X-Men movies as far as I am concerned and that is he who started it all- Bryan Singer.
Right off the bat in this film Singer delivers a knietic action scene that bests his own fine work with Nightcrawler's introduction in the sublime "X2: X-Men United".
In lesser hands this scene would be confusing or flat and devoid of the sort of visual panache that Singer is so good at.
But the director tosses multiple characters around (literally) with such skill and such finesse that it not only all makes perfect sense but it informs the plot and characters all while thrilling us.
The cast is truly excellent with all of our old favourites Wolverine (Jackman), Magento (McKellan / Fassbender), Charles Xavier (Stewart / McAvoy) and many more.
Lawrence really ramps up the sexy side of Mystique here too with some amazing feats of flexibility and acrobatic flair.
Staggering then that the scene stealer is a newbie - Evan Peters as Quicksilver.
He only has three scenes but the best is the one that sees him clear out a room full of foes all in super-duper slo-mo.
It is one of the best scenes in any movie this year and is fully deserving of the notoriety that it has achieved.
The time bending plot is never confusing and ties up lots of series strands very nicely indeed.
Some old favourites appear late in the film and serve to all but wipe out the distasteful flavour that the very average "X-Men: Last Stand"
Yes, this movie is so good that it puts the series right back on track.
Of course it makes the wait for the already announced "Apocalypse" even more painful but that is an agony no doubt worth enduring.
SEVEN:
"Begin Again"
Directed by John Carney
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, James Corden, Catherine Keener, Mos Def, Hailee Steinfeld
Budget: $N/A
Box Office: $63,464,861
One of the best things about 2014's movie line up for me is the number of 'smaller' movies that really surprised me by how readily they sat next to the big hitters on this list.
I saw "Begin Again" almost by accident because a friend wanted to see "Edge of Tomorrow" and as I had seen it twice already a short time ago I needed something to see while he watched Cruise and Blunt kick alien ass.
Knowing that Keira Knightley was in it didn't do a thing to dissuade me either.
I am a huge fan of Knigthley and coming off the back of a year away from the silver screen her return only serves to underline what a talent she is.
Singing and playing guitar as the dumped girlfriend of a rock star Knightley is simply brilliant in this film.
Joining Mark Ruffalo's down and out record producer to create an album guerilla style on the streets of New York there are so many great songs here that even if there wasn't a nice story and a great cast performing perfectly this would still be a very, very pleasant hundred or so minutes.
But the story is very strong and the performances uniformly great.
Mos Def, Catherine Keener, James Corden and of course Ruffalo and Knightley couldn't be better.
And Hailee Steinfeld cannot be far from her first Oscar - surely?
After her stunning work in the Coen Brothers "True Grit" she has gone from strength to strength and her role in "Begin Again" as Ruffalo and Keeners daughter is another winner.
Even the non-professional actor Maroon 5's Adam Levine does a fine job as a character who may be 75% douche but still earns at least some sympathy.
There are far too many really great scenes in this film to mention but the dual headphone plug walk around New York with the shared playlists and Ruffalo visualising Knightley's bar song coming to life with accompaniment from non-existent musicians are top of the pile.
And the manner in which Knightley's Gretta figures out what her boyfriend has been up to is pure genius and is totally drawn from her character and what we already know about her.
As with his brilliant "Once" Carney says more about the creative process with this film than a dozen others could hope to.
Utter magic and massively underrated.
SIX:
"Gone Girl"
Directed by David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Kim Dickens, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry and Patrick Fugit
Budget: $61,000,000
Box Office: $356,450,000
I have read several reviews for this film in which the source novel is described as pulp, low quality dross.
Not having read Gillian Flynn's bestseller I can't comment but what I will say is that David Fincher's take on Flynn's own script is phenomenal.
Gripping for its entire two and a half hours and with a doozy of a reveal at the one hour mark this film had me beaming with joy in the same way that Fincher's "The Social Network" did a few years back.
Arguably this is a career best performance from Affleck but there can be no debate about what this has done for Rosamund Pike's career.
Even as a fan since "Pride and Prejudice" in 2005 the sheer quality, range and courage of her performance still surprised me.
I knew that she was good but this good?
Pike is by turns sweet, cunning, sexy, brutal and vulnerable.
With excellent support from Kim Dickens, Neil Patrick Harris and amazingly - Tyler Perry this may be a pulp tale at heart but the end result is ultimately pure grade A prime stuff.
Much praise to Fincher for the surgical skill with which he presents the events and the twists.
He is a master at feeding the right reveal at the time and his choices with the timeline are perfect.
His regular score duo Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor once again provide a terrific score.
It is haunting one moment, industrial and grating the next and never less than brilliant.
"Gone Girl" is more then enough to make up for the disappointment that Fincher didn't make another Dragon Tattoo movie.
FIVE:
"Chef"
Directed by Jon Favreau
Starring: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Emjay Anthony, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr, Bobby Carnivale, Dustin Hoffman and OliverPlatt
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $45,967,935
Like "Begin Again" this film is one of the more 'intimate', smaller movies on the list and is fully deserving of its high ranking.
Be warned that it is definitely not a movie to watch on an empty stomach- or in fact a less than full one!
There are many scenes of drool inducing food preparation in this film and you had better have easy access to a stash of snacks. With scenes featuring close up shots of butter slathered bread grilling with cheese melting atop or prime beef barbecued for hours and hours sliced open with the lightest stroke of a knife it borders on food eroticism on several occasions!
In one scene the connection is overtly made as Scarlett Johansson's Molly reclines on a couch watching Favreau's Chef prepare a sauce soaked pasta creation for her.
It is food preparation as a substitute for sex in cinematic terms but it also shows a genuine love for all things culinary by the filmmakers.
That love is evident in scene after scene but the real heart of this film is the relationship between father (Favreau) and son (an excellent Emjay Anthony)
I was reminded of "Real Steel" but this is perhaps even more touching in its presentation of a Father trying to reconnect with his son.
And yet again the great Oliver Platt provides brilliant support as a critic who finds himself locked in a social media war with Favreau's chef.
Perfectly cast and with a nifty visual style (the Twitter graphics are particularly good) I loved every second of this film.
FOUR:
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Directed by Wes Anderson
Starring: Ralph Feinnes, Tony Revolori, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Lea Seydoux, Bill Murray, Jude Law and F Murray Abraham
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $172,711,636
This film might have the finest cast that I have ever seen assembled and it may be Wes Anderson's best work to date.
There is so much inventiveness to cherish in this manic affair that it demands more than one viewing.
There are numerous characters of such whacky outrageousness that you could easily populate half a dozen movies using them.
Tilda Swinton is all but unrecognisable as an elderly love interest and Willem Dafoe as a villainous assassin is my second favourite character.
Only because Ralph Fiennes is front and centre and deserves an Oscar nomination for his performance.
As M Gustave the concierge of the titular establishment he is incredible.
Delivering lines like "She was shaking like a shitting dog" with the kind of gravitas usually reserved for the likes of Mike Leigh movies Feinnes shows a remarkable talent for comedy.
His is a character of pure madness - just what we expect from Anderson.
And he surely delivers here with a full 100 minutes packed to the gills with constant hilarity.
One of the funniest movies of the year and definitely one of the best.
THREE:
"Guardians Of the Galaxy" (3D)
Directed by James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Michael Rooker, Glenn Close, Djimon Hounsou and Mikaela Hoover
Budget: $170,000,000
Box Office: $772,349,244
A little known Marvel property in the hands of a director known for low budget indie flicks makes for the most fun movie of the year.
Filled with humour, action and great characters this is a blast from start to finish.
Of all the movies I saw in 2014 this is the one that always felt way shorter than its two hour running time.
It zips along so well that you could be forgiven for missing how skillfully writer / director Gunn introduces the five main characters not only to the viewer but to each other.
By the time the movie ends the five strangers will have formed a close bond and the viewer will be left trying to decide which is their favourite.
And it is to Gunn's credit that it isn't easy.
This is quite a crew...
A machine gun toting raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper, a Han Solo-esque rogue (performed to perfection by Chris Pratt), a walking tree (Vin Diesel), a green Assassin (Zoe Saldana- never sexier) and a vengeful thug (Wrestler Dave Bautista - a revelation).
As loaded with action an humour as this movie is it is the characters that are the key to its massive box office success.
Everything springs out of the unique nature of each of the lead characters.
There isn't a dull moment as they race through the beautifully rendered galaxy trying to prevent the end of all things thanks to one of the mysterious infinity stones.
Gunn keeps the tone light - a relief after the very dark opening scene in which a young Peter Quill loses his mother to cancer and is immediately abducted by aliens.
But from then on it is pure fun with sparkling dialogue and one of the best soundtracks ever assembled.
Loaded with 70's songs both very familiar and only vaguely so it too fits just perfectly.
Gunn uses the songs literally only very occasionally - refer to the "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" scene).
Other times songs should not work in the context in which they are used but turn out to be just right.
("Escape- the Pina Colada Song" most notably)
This is a great, great movie and almost the best Marvel movie to date.
I say almost because....
TWO:
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (3D)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Frank Grillo, Cobie Smulders, Hayley Atwell, Emily VanCamp
Budget: $170,000,000
Box Office: $714,083,572
There was no tougher decision for me on this list than two and three.
"Guardians of the Galaxy" almost edged Capatain America but this one wins out with its suspenseful, action packed plot delivering audacious amounts of franchise altering surprises.
Really- there is no going back after this one- the Marvel series gets a serious kick in the butt.
As with Guardians though it is character driven stuff- Marvel movies always put their characters first.
The chemistry between Cap and Black Widow that was only hinted at in "The Avengers" is clear to see here.
Evans and Johansson are a great pairing and deserve more movies together- Marvel and otherwise.
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) is one of my favourite actors and is perfect as Cap's new sidekick Falcon.
He slots into the universe seamlessly and is a great addition.
It is great to the great Hayley Atwell back too as Peggy Carter even if it is little more than very heartbreaking scene.
And Robert Redford....
His presence goes a long way towards giving this movie a 1970's era spy thriller feel.
Redford is truly excellent here and his contribution cannot be underestimated- it is quite a coup getting the Hollywood legend in this role.
There is also much of the tone of movies like the original Terminator with the relentless Winter Soldier proving to be every bit as daunting and formidable a foe as Arnies cyborg.
I can't think of a better action sequence this year than the Nick Fury car chase / shootout that culminates with the first appearance of the villainous Winter Soldier.
As if more evidence were needed "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" shows us that Marvel Studios can seemingly do no wrong these days.
With the announced slate of sequels and new properties running through to 2019 we are in for many treats indeed if they can stay anywhere the quality of the two offerings this year.
ONE:
"Interstellar"
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, McKenzie Foy, Michael Caine, Wes Bentley, John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, David Gyasi, Ellen Burstyn
Budget: $165,000,000
Box Office: $649,509,000 (to date)
This one was always going to be a strong, strong contender for the best film of the year for me.
From the second that I read the announcement it became my most anticipated movie.
And it didn't disappoint.
I expect intelligent, epic films from Christopher Nolan and I expect that I will enjoy them more and more with each viewing and so it is with "Interstellar".
As with "Inception" - the movie that I still consider the finest ever made- it was only on the second viewing that "Interstellar" really got its claws well and truly into me.
I am not yet ready to put this film above "Inception" as my favourite but it may yet.
It is a genuine masterpiece - one that deserves to be placed right next to 2001" A Space Odyssey - a movie that is a clear inspiration.
There is also a debt to the likes of Malick's "Tree of Life" and Tarkovsky's "Solaris" - something that Quentin Tarantino has highlighted.
Nolan is often accused of making clinical movies lacking in emotion- a charge that baffles me as "Inception" and all of the Batman movies are rich with emotion.
"Interstellar" should end all of those accusations however.
If you aren't experiencing tears or at least a lip quiver about ten times during this film you may want to check for a pulse.
Like most of the movies I have selected for this list character is the secret to the success of "Interstellar".
Nolan smartly changes his brother Jonathan's script to alter Murph from a boy to a girl which not only gives more weight to the relationship between the child and her Father but allows for the inclusion of one of todays finest actresses.
Jessica Chastain plays the older iteration of Murph.
It seems there is nothing that Chastain cannot do and as expected she is amazing in this role.
She has emerged as her generations Meryl Streep.
It should be noted that 14 year old McKenzie Foy does a fantastic job as the young Murph.
And anyone who assumed that Matthew McConaughey's career resurgence peaked with his Oscar win for "The Dallas Buyers Club" will be corrected well and truly once they see his work here.
McConaughey and Chastain both deserve Oscar nominations but as Cooper McConaughey has never been better.
The scene in which he watches a backlog of video messages from his family back on Earth is a highlight in a performance that is as good as anything I have seen this year.
The script was a collaboration between Nolan's team and renowned Theoretical Physicist Kip Thorne.
It feeds a ridiculous amount of science into the plot and if occasionally the dialogue comes off as pure exposition I think we can forgive it.
There is an incredible amount of scientific theory delivered here.
As with all of his films the movie that Nolan delivers on the surface is just the start- it is the underlying themes that are the real meat.
In this case the story of interstellar space exploration has a very emotional core to it.
To say any more would be to spoil this incredible film.
I only hope that the Academy remembers this film come Oscar nomination day on January 15th
To further highlight what a great year 2014 was the list of movies that just missed the top ten is still pretty impressive...
"Snowpiercer" - great science fiction flick from the director of Korean monster flick "The Host". Violent and smart allegory with brilliant direction and some standout action set pieces.
"Lone Survivor" - Peter Berg's take on the true story of a four man special forces team trapped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. Raw, brutal stuff.
"Maleficent" - Way better than I thought it would be. A visually stunning fantasy flick full of inventiveness and surprises.
"What We Do In the Shadows" - Hilarious Kiwi vampire flick that somehow manages to respect the very source material that it milks for laughs. And there are many.
"Fury" - David Ayer's in your face World War 2 tank movie is uncompromisingly gritty but thanks to a stellar Brad Pitt in the lead and some incredible battle scenes is a winner.
"The Raid 2" - Sequel to the hit Indonesian action flick that tops its predecessor in every regard. A modern classic of the genre that brings to mind John Woo's brilliant "Hard Boiled". A stunning action treat.
"Under the Skin" - The very epitome of 'weird cinema'. I am not entirely sure why I enjoyed this as much as I did. There is something both haunting and hypnotic about this film. It is a brave move for Johansson and not just due to the high level of nudity required of her. If you are in the mood for something different this is your film but expect it to stay with you long after it ends.
"The Lego Movie" - I am staggered that what could have been a cynical cash grab turned out to be one of the funniest movies of the year.
"Housebound" - Another Kiwi comedy / horror with a great lead performance from Morgana O'Reilly and a script chock full of twists and turns. Great fun.
Is 2014 the Best year Yet For Movies?
But of course I have still been going to the movies and have been writing capsule reviews over on www.letterboxd.com - user name 'GaF'.
Because it is now clear that if this year isn't the best year ever for movies it is certainly in the top five it seems like a good time to do a one off posting to cover this thought.
Honestly getting the top five movies of 2014 was a doddle.
Aside from some minor jockeying for the second and third spots it was not difficult at all.
My best of the year was quickly apparent and not at all surprising to myself or anyone who knows me and the remaining four places were easy even if the order wasn't quite as simple.
That left slots 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Not so easy.
There were simply far too many quality movies to stuff into 5 slots so some culling was required - never pleasant when dealing with movies that I liked so much.
Further evidence then that 2014 was a really, really good year for movies.
I am aware that the year isn't quite over (at the time of initial posting) and I have maybe one more movie left in me for 2014 but I feel pretty safe in finalising the list now.
(I am sure that "Night At The Museum: The Secret of the Tomb" is a fun flick and a fine one but I very much doubt it will be a top ten fixture)
So lets push on.
The GaF Blog Top Ten Movies of 2014
TEN:
"Edge of Tomorrow" (3D)
Directed by Doug Liman
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton
Budget: $178,000,000
Box Office: $369,206,256
Personally I like his acting and when he is criticised have always highlighted not only what a good actor he is but how damned good he is at picking a project and making it happen.
Regardless his personal life seems to have tainted his on screen work for many.
If the poor performance of "Edge of Tomorrow" is down to this it is a shame because this movie is an absolute corker.
With a central concept that owes much to video games this movie nonetheless bucks the trend of those before it that were so inspired and makes the ideas that it borrows into positives.
We have Cruise's military PR man effectively trying and re-trying a mission to defeat an alien invasion.
He re-spawns each time having learned a little more as to how to defeat the enemy.
It really is a video game as a movie and whilst normally that should sound a warning bell (sadly) in this case have no concern.
It is the manner in which director Liman executes the premise that makes this film work so, so well.
The tone is just right - it may be a gritty and dirty flick but it is never less than fun and often- funny.
Cruise plays against type- at least initially- as not only a coward but an inept combat soldier.
Humour is drawn from this many times but never as effectively as the scene in which he attempts to pull off a very Mission Impossible-esque stealth roll and gets himself crushed by his own sides truck.
Cruise is great in this film and seems to relish the chance to play a character that undergoes such a sea change in character and ability.
As good as he is arguably the ace in the hole here is the amazing Emily Blunt.
Tough, gorgeous and lethal both in and out of a combat exoskeleton she is 2014's Queen Ass-Kicker in a year loaded with rivals including Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and Zoe Saldana's Gamora.
(Maybe I will have more to write about both of these shortly....)
The script provides surprise after surprise as it deftly transitions Cruise from inept coward into elite soldier.
And with a look equal parts "Saving Private Ryan" and "Independence Day" this movie is quite the stunner (and yes that also extends to Emily Blunts amazing slinky swoop move much used in trailers - check it out here)
The 3D is very good and augments the flawless CG effects nicely. It is an action packed spectacle flick that demands your attention for every single second.
This one is a blast and deserved to be seen by far more people than it was.
NINE:
"Nightcrawler"
Directed by Dan Gilroy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo and Bill Paxton
Budget: $8,500,000
Box Office: $37,973,206
His commitment would no doubt meet the approval of the character he plays- a man driven to the point of obsession.
Louis Bloom wants to be successful. He doesn't know exactly at what or how to begin with but he knows it will take an unwavering drive.
When a chance encounter leads him to discover that people are making money selling videotaped footage of real life car accidents and violent crimes he finds a focus for his sociopathic drive.
So he gets a cheap camera and takes on an unpaid intern whose main qualifications are desperation and a GPS capable cellphone.
The 'fun' in this film beyond Gyllenhaal's uber creepy performance is seeing not only how far Louis will go to achieve his dubious goals but how far those that pay him will go in search of ratings.
The media is given a right royal (and well deserved) skewering here and it is a joy to behold.
Rather disturbing too but nonetheless- a lot of fun.
Should we get too smug in condemning either party the creeping realisation that neither would do what they do if they didn't have a captive audience should avert our gaze inward somewhat.
This is a tense, smart and very entertaining flick.
EIGHT:
"X-Men: Days of Future Past" (3D)
Directed by Bryan Singer
Starring: Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman
Budget: $200,000,000
Box Office: $746,045,700
Right off the bat in this film Singer delivers a knietic action scene that bests his own fine work with Nightcrawler's introduction in the sublime "X2: X-Men United".
In lesser hands this scene would be confusing or flat and devoid of the sort of visual panache that Singer is so good at.
But the director tosses multiple characters around (literally) with such skill and such finesse that it not only all makes perfect sense but it informs the plot and characters all while thrilling us.
The cast is truly excellent with all of our old favourites Wolverine (Jackman), Magento (McKellan / Fassbender), Charles Xavier (Stewart / McAvoy) and many more.
Lawrence really ramps up the sexy side of Mystique here too with some amazing feats of flexibility and acrobatic flair.
Staggering then that the scene stealer is a newbie - Evan Peters as Quicksilver.
He only has three scenes but the best is the one that sees him clear out a room full of foes all in super-duper slo-mo.
It is one of the best scenes in any movie this year and is fully deserving of the notoriety that it has achieved.
The time bending plot is never confusing and ties up lots of series strands very nicely indeed.
Some old favourites appear late in the film and serve to all but wipe out the distasteful flavour that the very average "X-Men: Last Stand"
Yes, this movie is so good that it puts the series right back on track.
Of course it makes the wait for the already announced "Apocalypse" even more painful but that is an agony no doubt worth enduring.
SEVEN:
"Begin Again"
Directed by John Carney
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, James Corden, Catherine Keener, Mos Def, Hailee Steinfeld
Budget: $N/A
Box Office: $63,464,861
I saw "Begin Again" almost by accident because a friend wanted to see "Edge of Tomorrow" and as I had seen it twice already a short time ago I needed something to see while he watched Cruise and Blunt kick alien ass.
Knowing that Keira Knightley was in it didn't do a thing to dissuade me either.
I am a huge fan of Knigthley and coming off the back of a year away from the silver screen her return only serves to underline what a talent she is.
Singing and playing guitar as the dumped girlfriend of a rock star Knightley is simply brilliant in this film.
Joining Mark Ruffalo's down and out record producer to create an album guerilla style on the streets of New York there are so many great songs here that even if there wasn't a nice story and a great cast performing perfectly this would still be a very, very pleasant hundred or so minutes.
But the story is very strong and the performances uniformly great.
Mos Def, Catherine Keener, James Corden and of course Ruffalo and Knightley couldn't be better.
And Hailee Steinfeld cannot be far from her first Oscar - surely?
After her stunning work in the Coen Brothers "True Grit" she has gone from strength to strength and her role in "Begin Again" as Ruffalo and Keeners daughter is another winner.
Even the non-professional actor Maroon 5's Adam Levine does a fine job as a character who may be 75% douche but still earns at least some sympathy.
There are far too many really great scenes in this film to mention but the dual headphone plug walk around New York with the shared playlists and Ruffalo visualising Knightley's bar song coming to life with accompaniment from non-existent musicians are top of the pile.
And the manner in which Knightley's Gretta figures out what her boyfriend has been up to is pure genius and is totally drawn from her character and what we already know about her.
As with his brilliant "Once" Carney says more about the creative process with this film than a dozen others could hope to.
Utter magic and massively underrated.
SIX:
"Gone Girl"
Directed by David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Kim Dickens, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry and Patrick Fugit
Budget: $61,000,000
Box Office: $356,450,000
Not having read Gillian Flynn's bestseller I can't comment but what I will say is that David Fincher's take on Flynn's own script is phenomenal.
Gripping for its entire two and a half hours and with a doozy of a reveal at the one hour mark this film had me beaming with joy in the same way that Fincher's "The Social Network" did a few years back.
Arguably this is a career best performance from Affleck but there can be no debate about what this has done for Rosamund Pike's career.
Even as a fan since "Pride and Prejudice" in 2005 the sheer quality, range and courage of her performance still surprised me.
I knew that she was good but this good?
Pike is by turns sweet, cunning, sexy, brutal and vulnerable.
With excellent support from Kim Dickens, Neil Patrick Harris and amazingly - Tyler Perry this may be a pulp tale at heart but the end result is ultimately pure grade A prime stuff.
Much praise to Fincher for the surgical skill with which he presents the events and the twists.
He is a master at feeding the right reveal at the time and his choices with the timeline are perfect.
His regular score duo Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor once again provide a terrific score.
It is haunting one moment, industrial and grating the next and never less than brilliant.
"Gone Girl" is more then enough to make up for the disappointment that Fincher didn't make another Dragon Tattoo movie.
FIVE:
"Chef"
Directed by Jon Favreau
Starring: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Emjay Anthony, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr, Bobby Carnivale, Dustin Hoffman and OliverPlatt
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $45,967,935
Be warned that it is definitely not a movie to watch on an empty stomach- or in fact a less than full one!
There are many scenes of drool inducing food preparation in this film and you had better have easy access to a stash of snacks. With scenes featuring close up shots of butter slathered bread grilling with cheese melting atop or prime beef barbecued for hours and hours sliced open with the lightest stroke of a knife it borders on food eroticism on several occasions!
In one scene the connection is overtly made as Scarlett Johansson's Molly reclines on a couch watching Favreau's Chef prepare a sauce soaked pasta creation for her.
It is food preparation as a substitute for sex in cinematic terms but it also shows a genuine love for all things culinary by the filmmakers.
That love is evident in scene after scene but the real heart of this film is the relationship between father (Favreau) and son (an excellent Emjay Anthony)
I was reminded of "Real Steel" but this is perhaps even more touching in its presentation of a Father trying to reconnect with his son.
And yet again the great Oliver Platt provides brilliant support as a critic who finds himself locked in a social media war with Favreau's chef.
Perfectly cast and with a nifty visual style (the Twitter graphics are particularly good) I loved every second of this film.
FOUR:
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Directed by Wes Anderson
Starring: Ralph Feinnes, Tony Revolori, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Lea Seydoux, Bill Murray, Jude Law and F Murray Abraham
Budget: N/A
Box Office: $172,711,636
There is so much inventiveness to cherish in this manic affair that it demands more than one viewing.
There are numerous characters of such whacky outrageousness that you could easily populate half a dozen movies using them.
Tilda Swinton is all but unrecognisable as an elderly love interest and Willem Dafoe as a villainous assassin is my second favourite character.
Only because Ralph Fiennes is front and centre and deserves an Oscar nomination for his performance.
As M Gustave the concierge of the titular establishment he is incredible.
Delivering lines like "She was shaking like a shitting dog" with the kind of gravitas usually reserved for the likes of Mike Leigh movies Feinnes shows a remarkable talent for comedy.
His is a character of pure madness - just what we expect from Anderson.
And he surely delivers here with a full 100 minutes packed to the gills with constant hilarity.
One of the funniest movies of the year and definitely one of the best.
THREE:
"Guardians Of the Galaxy" (3D)
Directed by James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Michael Rooker, Glenn Close, Djimon Hounsou and Mikaela Hoover
Budget: $170,000,000
Box Office: $772,349,244
Filled with humour, action and great characters this is a blast from start to finish.
Of all the movies I saw in 2014 this is the one that always felt way shorter than its two hour running time.
It zips along so well that you could be forgiven for missing how skillfully writer / director Gunn introduces the five main characters not only to the viewer but to each other.
By the time the movie ends the five strangers will have formed a close bond and the viewer will be left trying to decide which is their favourite.
And it is to Gunn's credit that it isn't easy.
This is quite a crew...
A machine gun toting raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper, a Han Solo-esque rogue (performed to perfection by Chris Pratt), a walking tree (Vin Diesel), a green Assassin (Zoe Saldana- never sexier) and a vengeful thug (Wrestler Dave Bautista - a revelation).
As loaded with action an humour as this movie is it is the characters that are the key to its massive box office success.
Everything springs out of the unique nature of each of the lead characters.
There isn't a dull moment as they race through the beautifully rendered galaxy trying to prevent the end of all things thanks to one of the mysterious infinity stones.
Gunn keeps the tone light - a relief after the very dark opening scene in which a young Peter Quill loses his mother to cancer and is immediately abducted by aliens.
But from then on it is pure fun with sparkling dialogue and one of the best soundtracks ever assembled.
Loaded with 70's songs both very familiar and only vaguely so it too fits just perfectly.
Gunn uses the songs literally only very occasionally - refer to the "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" scene).
Other times songs should not work in the context in which they are used but turn out to be just right.
("Escape- the Pina Colada Song" most notably)
This is a great, great movie and almost the best Marvel movie to date.
I say almost because....
TWO:
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (3D)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Frank Grillo, Cobie Smulders, Hayley Atwell, Emily VanCamp
Budget: $170,000,000
Box Office: $714,083,572
"Guardians of the Galaxy" almost edged Capatain America but this one wins out with its suspenseful, action packed plot delivering audacious amounts of franchise altering surprises.
Really- there is no going back after this one- the Marvel series gets a serious kick in the butt.
As with Guardians though it is character driven stuff- Marvel movies always put their characters first.
The chemistry between Cap and Black Widow that was only hinted at in "The Avengers" is clear to see here.
Evans and Johansson are a great pairing and deserve more movies together- Marvel and otherwise.
Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) is one of my favourite actors and is perfect as Cap's new sidekick Falcon.
He slots into the universe seamlessly and is a great addition.
It is great to the great Hayley Atwell back too as Peggy Carter even if it is little more than very heartbreaking scene.
And Robert Redford....
His presence goes a long way towards giving this movie a 1970's era spy thriller feel.
Redford is truly excellent here and his contribution cannot be underestimated- it is quite a coup getting the Hollywood legend in this role.
There is also much of the tone of movies like the original Terminator with the relentless Winter Soldier proving to be every bit as daunting and formidable a foe as Arnies cyborg.
I can't think of a better action sequence this year than the Nick Fury car chase / shootout that culminates with the first appearance of the villainous Winter Soldier.
As if more evidence were needed "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" shows us that Marvel Studios can seemingly do no wrong these days.
With the announced slate of sequels and new properties running through to 2019 we are in for many treats indeed if they can stay anywhere the quality of the two offerings this year.
ONE:
"Interstellar"
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, McKenzie Foy, Michael Caine, Wes Bentley, John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, David Gyasi, Ellen Burstyn
Budget: $165,000,000
Box Office: $649,509,000 (to date)
From the second that I read the announcement it became my most anticipated movie.
And it didn't disappoint.
I expect intelligent, epic films from Christopher Nolan and I expect that I will enjoy them more and more with each viewing and so it is with "Interstellar".
As with "Inception" - the movie that I still consider the finest ever made- it was only on the second viewing that "Interstellar" really got its claws well and truly into me.
I am not yet ready to put this film above "Inception" as my favourite but it may yet.
It is a genuine masterpiece - one that deserves to be placed right next to 2001" A Space Odyssey - a movie that is a clear inspiration.
There is also a debt to the likes of Malick's "Tree of Life" and Tarkovsky's "Solaris" - something that Quentin Tarantino has highlighted.
Nolan is often accused of making clinical movies lacking in emotion- a charge that baffles me as "Inception" and all of the Batman movies are rich with emotion.
"Interstellar" should end all of those accusations however.
If you aren't experiencing tears or at least a lip quiver about ten times during this film you may want to check for a pulse.
Like most of the movies I have selected for this list character is the secret to the success of "Interstellar".
Nolan smartly changes his brother Jonathan's script to alter Murph from a boy to a girl which not only gives more weight to the relationship between the child and her Father but allows for the inclusion of one of todays finest actresses.
Jessica Chastain plays the older iteration of Murph.
It seems there is nothing that Chastain cannot do and as expected she is amazing in this role.
She has emerged as her generations Meryl Streep.
It should be noted that 14 year old McKenzie Foy does a fantastic job as the young Murph.
And anyone who assumed that Matthew McConaughey's career resurgence peaked with his Oscar win for "The Dallas Buyers Club" will be corrected well and truly once they see his work here.
McConaughey and Chastain both deserve Oscar nominations but as Cooper McConaughey has never been better.
The scene in which he watches a backlog of video messages from his family back on Earth is a highlight in a performance that is as good as anything I have seen this year.
The script was a collaboration between Nolan's team and renowned Theoretical Physicist Kip Thorne.
It feeds a ridiculous amount of science into the plot and if occasionally the dialogue comes off as pure exposition I think we can forgive it.
There is an incredible amount of scientific theory delivered here.
As with all of his films the movie that Nolan delivers on the surface is just the start- it is the underlying themes that are the real meat.
In this case the story of interstellar space exploration has a very emotional core to it.
To say any more would be to spoil this incredible film.
I only hope that the Academy remembers this film come Oscar nomination day on January 15th
To further highlight what a great year 2014 was the list of movies that just missed the top ten is still pretty impressive...
"Snowpiercer" - great science fiction flick from the director of Korean monster flick "The Host". Violent and smart allegory with brilliant direction and some standout action set pieces.
"Lone Survivor" - Peter Berg's take on the true story of a four man special forces team trapped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. Raw, brutal stuff.
"Maleficent" - Way better than I thought it would be. A visually stunning fantasy flick full of inventiveness and surprises.
"What We Do In the Shadows" - Hilarious Kiwi vampire flick that somehow manages to respect the very source material that it milks for laughs. And there are many.
"Fury" - David Ayer's in your face World War 2 tank movie is uncompromisingly gritty but thanks to a stellar Brad Pitt in the lead and some incredible battle scenes is a winner.
"The Raid 2" - Sequel to the hit Indonesian action flick that tops its predecessor in every regard. A modern classic of the genre that brings to mind John Woo's brilliant "Hard Boiled". A stunning action treat.
"Under the Skin" - The very epitome of 'weird cinema'. I am not entirely sure why I enjoyed this as much as I did. There is something both haunting and hypnotic about this film. It is a brave move for Johansson and not just due to the high level of nudity required of her. If you are in the mood for something different this is your film but expect it to stay with you long after it ends.
"The Lego Movie" - I am staggered that what could have been a cynical cash grab turned out to be one of the funniest movies of the year.
"Housebound" - Another Kiwi comedy / horror with a great lead performance from Morgana O'Reilly and a script chock full of twists and turns. Great fun.
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