I'm actually glad that I rarely focused much on new games this year. Because of this, I focused more on movies and man, was this year amazing. It started out sort of strong, and it just kept bringing in great titles afterwards with its usual surprises. It's basically the opposite of last year.
Because a Top 10 wouldn't do it justice, I've decided to make a Top 14 because... why not? However, I am only naming films that originally came out this year, so technical 2013 releases like The Wind Rises or Under the Skin don't qualify.
Before doing so, I'd like to make some honorable mentions on films I liked, but just not enough to qualify on the list: Divergent, Godzilla, A Brony Tale, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Lucy, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, The Skeleton Twins, My Little Pony: Equestria Girls - Rainbow Rocks, Gone Girl, St. Vincent, The Boxtrolls, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and The Imitation Game. Without further ado, here are my Top 14 Films of 2014.
14. Chef
While many people went to see X-Men: Days of Future Past on opening weekend, I went to see this instead and I don't regret it. This was just the movie to see after going through something that almost drove me to depression, but I'm not here to talk about that.
Jon Favreau plays this chef who is dissatisfied that he does not have much freedom to cook what he wants and leaves to start his own food truck business (you could say this is a sort of Take That towards his experience in directing Iron Man 2). This gives him time to bond with his son which makes for a very heartwarming story. Plus, the food presented in this movie look delicious. After viewing it, you'll probably go hungry.
The movie has this overall innocence to it, avoiding all that raunchy stuff we see in a lot of R-rated comedies that I am just sick and tired of, which is quite refreshing. Actually, if they remove all the F-bombs, this would have been a PG-13 movie, widening the audience a little more. Though that didn't stop some people from taking their kids to see it and it's actually not bad.
What keeps this movie from getting any higher is that some of the humor feels dated, with references towards internet memes and the usage of Twitter and Facebook. I know social media plays a big part, but it's just not gonna hold up after ten years. I like my humor to be timeless, thank you very much. However, there was enough to keep me entertained that I didn't mind so much. It's an overall tasty experience that is worth your time.
13. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
I am getting sick and tired of movie studios splitting movies based off of books into two parts, but I'll save that for an upcoming rant. How's the movie, though? It's good, and it got me hyped up for Part 2, but that's practically this movie's only purpose.
After the events of Catching Fire, Katniss reluctantly becomes the symbol of hope for the rebellion against the Capitol. Jennifer Lawrence does a great job with the role. You can see how distraught she feels after her hometown was destroyed and how nervous she is into inspiring the rebellion. It's also great to see some familiar faces again like Finnick and Effie. Plus, Phillip Seymour Hoffman (may he rest in peace) is quite enjoyable.
I hear so many complaints that there isn't much action and too much padding that it just goes on and on. I highly disagree. The movie's main purpose is to add tension, in which it is definitely full of and I feel every scene is important. By the way, just hearing "The Hanging Tree" song sends chills down my spine because of how much emotion is put into it.
I'm kind of conflicted with this one. It's really well made and greatly expands on the book. As a film on its own, however, it is irrelevant without Part 2, which is why I can't stand the decision of splitting movies into two parts. Regardless, Mockingjay Part 1 is pretty good. Moving on.
12. The Book of Life
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I came into this movie with not that many expectations. This was directed by the same guy who created El Tigre, which I remember being a decent show on Nickelodeon, so I hoped some good came out of it. Thankfully, I found it to be pretty darn good.
The first thing to praise when it comes this movie is the art style. Think of it as a CGI El Tigre, with the many familiar-looking character models. It has very unique look influenced by Mexican culture that sets it apart from other CGI animated movies. And let's not forget how lively and colorful it is, especially when Manolo, the main protagonist, travels to the Land of the Dead.
I found the plot a little all over the place, though. There's this love triangle which is the main driving force of the plot, as two gods make a bet around it, but also adding in a last-minute antagonist and it takes a while for the story to begin.
Positively speaking though, the love triangle actually has a lot of depth and falls far from typical. Manolo and Joaquin are actually good friends despite pursuing the same girl. Despite that, however, I found myself constantly predicting who will win Maria's heart, but there's still a lot going for it, like its well-timed and hilarious comedy as well some of its heartwarming moments.
While the story might need tweaking, The Book of Life is still an enjoyable flick with a good cast and a unique art style that makes it one of the more worthwhile animated films of the year.
11. The Grand Budapest Hotel
I didn't really know what to expect when I first heard about this movie as I'm not familiar with any of Wes Anderson's movies, which I should get around to watching. Nevertheless, this was enjoyable. This is a sort of hard movie to describe, but I'll try my best.
Ralph Fiennes plays this concierge who works with his lobby boy to clear his name from murder. Both actors work pretty well together, and Fiennes has a lot of funny lines, all of which are well-timed. The rest of the cast is spot-on, though some have more screen-time than the others.
The film looks stunning and very colorful, if not a little over-saturated in some parts, with some well-designed set-pieces. Apparently this is supposed to take place in some fictional country that is influenced by German culture. From what I can pick up, there are some subtle references to World War II, even down to the "ZZs" referencing the Nazis.
I can't really do this movie justice. This is one you have to see for yourself if you want to make some sense out of it. I was able to follow the story okay, and found a lot of enjoyable and funny moments, that it warrants another view.
10. Big Hero 6
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After films like Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, and Frozen, Walt Disney studios adds another worthy entry in the Animated Canon. It's nice to see them try different things, and making an animated film loosely based on an obscure Marvel superhero comic is a good start.
Part what makes this movie is Baymax himself, who quickly proves to be one of the best comic relief characters all thanks to his deadpan, robotic tone and how the animators took advantage of his inflatable design. The friendship between him and the main protagonist, Hiro, is really spot-on, right up there with Hiccup and Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon.
The rest of the characters are great. It's nice to see how racially diverse each of them are and how much personality they have. I just wish they had a little more screentime, though, because by the end, they didn't leave much of an impact.
The story overall is pretty good. It keeps the audience engaged, providing a lot of laughs as well some serious moments. Heck, it's not afraid of tackling some mature themes like personal loss, which is quite welcoming in my eyes. It does kind of fall into some predictable territory at times, but they never bugged me that much and they definitely didn't turn me off.
I had a lot of fun with this movie. The story is well-done, the characters are memorable, and the animation and visuals are nice and colorful. Do check it out if you haven't.
9. Guardians of the Galaxy
That quote translates to "this movie is awesome!"
Chris Pratt plays Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star Lord, who steals an artifact that everyone else is after. He forms an unlikely alliance with four other misfits: an assassin named Gamora (played by Zoe Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (played by Dave Bautista), a talking raccoon named Rocket (played by Bradley Cooper), and his humanoid tree friend named Groot (played by Vin Diesel).
Each of the members are a joy to watch, though Rocket pretty much steals the show for me and everyone else due to his anger management issues and hilarious one-liners. Plus, he's a raccoon with a machine gun. What's not to like about him?
That's the thing about this movie: it doesn't take itself too seriously. It has a lot of hilarious moments and witty dialogue. Though it is not without its emotional moments, some being effective and others feeling a little forced, in my opinion.
A common problem in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that besides Loki, the villains are bland and forgettable, and it's no different here. Seriously, writers, make your villains more interesting, especially the one you're setting up for the Infinity War.
Guardians of the Galaxy is hilarious and action-packed, filled with likable characters and great action sequences (plus, we've got some awesome music from the 70's). Its campiness is a welcome change of pace in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making it one of the more standout installments. I'm curious to see how the sequel will turn out.
8. Big Eyes
Tim Burton adds another great film on his resume, with him as director, and having the same writers of Ed Wood, talking about something art-related.
Amy Adams plays Margaret Keane, known for painting those portraits of big-eyed children. The problem is that her husband, Walter Keane (played by Christoph Waltz), keeps taking credit for her work, leading to a courtroom case at the end.
Amy Adams does a great job portraying Margaret as conflicted, vulnerable and lacking in self-respect. She let her husband take credit because at the time "no one would buy a woman's painting." The audience understands, but at the same time, they sympathize with her. Christoph Waltz is brilliant as Walter Keane. He comes off as funny and charming, but underneath it all, he's just a cheat. I'm not familiar with Christoph Waltz, but he makes for a great antagonist.
As a side note, the movie is just aesthetically stunning, making for some colorful visuals and it's a delight to those big-eyed paintings. Big Eyes is well-made thanks to the performances of both Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz and one of Tim Burton's finest to date.
7. Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
I wasn't as impressed when I first saw this, but after a second viewing, it's easy to say that this is among one of the better movies of the year.
Michael Keaton plays as Riggan Thompson, an actor best known for his iconic superhero role. His career hardly went anywhere and hopes to reclaim his glory once again. This is actually a nice form of meta-casting, seeing as how Keaton himself was known for playing Batman, so he was perfect for the role. His character has to go through some inner turmoils, even having to talk to his Birdman persona who constantly taunts him about his irrelevancy, making things more interesting.
The cast is also great. Edward Norton plays this actor who is quite rude and self-absorbed, even down to stealing Riggan's spotlight. Emma Stone plays Riggan's daughter, Sam, who is quite doubtful of her father and has a sort of strained relationship with him. There is also this critic, played by Lindsay Duncan, who is bent on ruining Riggan's career with just one negative review once she sees the performance. This leads to one great scene between the two actors later on, which I will dare not ruin it for you guys.
What I have to lend praise to, though, is the cinematography. Almost the entire movie gives the illusion that it was done in one long take, even though it actually wasn't. I don't know how they accomplished it, but they did. You get to see what is behind the scenes, and certain sequences take place in real time. I'm all for this winning the Oscar for Best Cinematography, which is likely to be nominated.
It's a funny and well-made satire with its great cast, interesting characters, and impressive camera work that is worth a look.
6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The Marvel Cinematic Universe just gets better and better thanks to this movie. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo do a great job in expanding the characters of Captain America, Black Widow, and Nick Fury, all while giving us a thrilling ride.
Cap, alongside Black Widow and newcomer Falcon, uncovers a conspiracy concerning S.H.I.E.L.D., while also fighting against a mysterious assassin named the Winter Soldier. The idea of a government conspiracy in a superhero movie gives this sort of paranoia that makes it all the more engaging. It can be serious at times, but it always knows when to balance out the fun.
Cap teams up with Black Widow, whom he didn't trust at first for understandable reasons, but work together nonetheless. Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson have great chemistry together, providing some great dialogue and just being a great duo overall.
The things that I'm not crazy about are its Disney Deaths and uninteresting villain. Seriously, it has its share of fake-out deaths that one could see coming a mile away. The Winter Soldier himself doesn't stick out as much, despite the revelation of his identity. Marvel Studios really needs to improve on their villains.
Regardless of those two problems I have with the movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is one of the best installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and I'm looking forward to what they're doing next in Captain America: Civil War.
5. The Lego Movie
When I first saw the trailer, it didn't grab me at all. I thought it would be one of those typical and obnoxious kids' movies that will make older audiences groan. That was until I heard all the praise towards it, that I checked it out. After watching it, I was totally blown away at how much it exceeded my expectations.
Having played with Legos before, whether it would be the actual toys or the video games, I was blown away with how much creativity and imagination was put. This movie even inspires creativity, a running theme.
Pretty much everything in this movie is excellent. The comedy is well-done, with jokes that have great timing. The characters are also memorable and likable. The animation is also well-done. It's CGI emulating stop-motion animation, kind of like those fan-made Lego videos you see on YouTube. The Lego Movie is another unique animated film that will be looked at for years to come. It deserves all the praise it gets.
Before I go any further, the last four movies listed are the ones worthy of my SOMETHING WONDERFUL rating. These ones wowed me from beginning to end, giving me a worthwhile experience by giving me something new or refreshing and/or touch on my emotions, overall just giving me a reason to watch them over and over again.
4. Whiplash
So apparently, J. Jonah Jameson retired from the Daily Bugle to become a music teacher. Sweet!
Miles Teller plays this jazz drummer who enrolls in this music class and is mentored by a hardcore and brutal music teacher, played by J. K. Simmons. Tellers' character has a desire to be one of the best and the viewers can see his ambition, even if he's not quite the person you'd really want to be friends with.
J. K. Simmons steals the show for me. Miles Tellers' character may be jerk with a heart of gold, but Simmons' character is even more a jerk, but a passionate one at that. He is like a time bomb just waiting to explode, due to how intimidating he is. If I had a teacher like that, I would instantly quit.
The heck that Miles Teller goes through because of his teacher is really intense and you can really feel his pain and fury as he sheds his blood, sweat, and tears trying to drum perfectly while Simmons is flat out yelling at him. The cutting of various close-up shots between the actors adds even more tension.
Whiplash is an insane but inspiring movie with well-done performances, fantastic directing, and sick drumming. It's one I'll be enjoying for time to come.
3. The Fault in Our Stars
I came in not knowing much about it. I've never read the book, nor have I seen the trailers; I just knew what the plot was and that's it. And to tell you the truth, I was surprised with how well it turned out. It's quickly become one of my favorite love stories, and for good reasons.
It follows two cancer survivors, played brilliantly by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, who meet and fall in love with each other. It has a very optimistic feel as the two leads are just so likable and adorable that they were made for each other. It balances out comedy and drama so well that you'll laugh and possibly cry by the end. It may seem like your typical teen romance, but it's done so well that it falls far from that and I can find myself going back to this one.
I'm going to be honest, though: I didn't cry during this movie at all. The emotions were in the right place, but I didn't break down crying or shed a single tear, though that's maybe because it's difficult for me to do so. I did feel for the characters and it's good enough for me. When I first watched it, it was originally my favorite movie of the year, until another one came out a week later and took its place...
2. Boyhood
I was looking forward to this movie, mainly because of its gimmick. It was shot over a period of twelve years, which made me curious as to how director Richard Linklater would actually accomplish this after putting everything together to give us the final product. I can very well say that he managed to succeed, making a one-of-a-kind movie that will hold up for years to come.
The story is quite simple: it chronicles the life of Mason (played by Ellar Coltrane) from childhood up until he departs for college at age 18. I know there's more to it, but there's a lot that happens that makes it more of an experience than an actual three-act narrative.
The main characters are all well-developed and go through a change, whether it would be his mother remarrying or his father trying to become a responsible adult.
The ways that it transitions from year to year are quite subtle and clever. You can tell what year each series of scenes take place in, whether it would be a song that was popular at the time or an event taking place like the 2008 presidential election (sort of). There are also other subtle things like the change in technology. Early on, you briefly see him playing a Game Boy Advance SP, then years later, he uses an iPhone. A friend of mine even describes it as a time capsule, which is a pretty accurate description. It's those little touches that makes it worth watching a second time. Many 2000's kids like myself may have some nostalgic memories while watching..
Don't be turned off by its three-hour run-time, as I think every minute is worth it. It's a great coming-of-age story that is well-cast and well-directed. It's funny, emotional, and relatable, making it a breathtaking experience from beginning to end.
1. How to Train Your Dragon 2
Yes, this one replaced The Fault in Our Stars. No other movie afterwards could even top it for me, though Boyhood was kind of close. I can't even begin to describe how amazing this film is and how much it blew me away. Actually, for starters, I went to see this in the movie theater seven, count 'em, SEVEN times!! Even more so than Frozen.
The story has Hiccup and Toothless going up against a guy who is building a dragon army. Meanwhile, Hiccup reunites with his long-lost mother (not much of a spoiler as the trailers gave it away) who is trying to save the dragons from said villain.
Not only does it bring back familiar characters (and make them slightly older), it also introduces new characters, as well as taking its time to expand on the world and introduce new dragons which are all greatly designed. It also manages to amaze me with its stunning flying sequences, complete with John Powell's score (which I hope gets Oscar-nominated) and Jonsi's "Where No One Goes." It's also one of Dreamworks' more adult movies. Heck, this one is a little darker than its predecessor, but never to an extent.
The fact that, in my opinion, a mediocre movie like 22 Jump Street dominated it at the box office on opening weekend baffles me (it's Kung Fu Panda 2 vs. The Hangover Part II all over again). Heck, hardly anyone I know has watched it, which just saddens me.
It's got everything that makes for a satisfying summer blockbuster. The story is epic, funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, complete with lovable characters, stunning visuals and action sequences, and great voice acting overall. Not only do I declare it as the best animated movie of 2014, but it's also my favorite movie of 2014. Here's hope that the upcoming third installment in the trilogy will live up to the first two. Well, add it to the list of favorite movies of the decade:
And that concludes my Top 14 films of 2014. It's been a great year in cinema and I hope for some satisfactory and surprising titles next year. Feel free to mention your favorites in the comment or on It's Tail Time.
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