Tag: dawn-of-the-planet-of-the-apes

It’s been ten years since 2014! Let that sink in for a moment! TEN YEARS SINCE FREAKING 2014! I got nothing else to add than that!

In all seriousness, when looking back on 2014, I can never stop to think about just how much amazing films that came out of that year. No matter what genre of movies you like, there was something for you about everybody! Action, drama, comedy, horror, suspense, thriller, and also some superhero stuff! I would go as far to say that 2014 was the best year for films since I’ve been alive. Yeah, it was THAT good!

And maybe it was just me but I also can’t help but feel like this was the last “tolerable” year when it came to discourse surrounding films and entertainment! Before it was all about what’s woke and what’s not and something something something “cultural war”, the conversation surrounding film was more on what the medium itself was about and NOT the politics behind it all, both from a studio standpoint and social/cultural standpoints! Yes, we did unfortunately get a sneak preview with what was to come for the next decade with the infamous geek culture movement that was GamersGate but at the time, it was easy to ignore that and just judge films for what they actually are!

And if I were to judge 2014 in film form, I don’t think you could get much better than this! There were bangers after bangers scattered throughout the entire year, from a promising spring to a knockout summer movie season to a worthy Oscar season. There were so many great films to come out in 2014 that I couldn’t narrow it down to just 10 or 15 movies! No, I had to go with 20 of them, TWENTY! And there were also ten other honorable mentions that I couldn’t squeeze but desperately wish I could! That should give you an indication of just how incredible 2014 was for movies!

Let’s not waste anymore time and dive straight into this list! Starting off with my TEN honorable mentions!

Honorable Mentions:

• Enemy
• The Theory of Everything
• 22 Jump Street
• A Most Violent Year
• Locke
• The Boxtrolls
• The Drop
• The Imitation Game
• The Fault In Our Stars
• Frank

That’s right! Not a single one of those was able to crack my top 20! You starting to see why I keep saying that 2014 was an AMAZING year for films! Anyways, now my top 20!

20.) The Babadook

Starting off the list is was my favorite horror film to come out in 2014 with The Babadook! Jennifer Kent is able to start her directing tenure with a bang with with this creepy and terrifying thriller, acting as perhaps the scariest film at the time since Sinister. The performances from Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman are stellar, the atmosphere is as haunting as it could get, and the Babadook itself is one of the more scary antagonists in recent horror movie history. It’s not quite a film that I go back to rewatch often but it’s undoubtedly a must watch for any fan of horror there!

19.) Fury

One of the most compelling war flicks in recent memory, David Ayer is able to deliver a film about the horrors of war and the atrocities that come with it for those that are involved in it. Despite all the stellar things about this film such as the intense action sequences, great cinematography, and spot-on direction, it’s the performances from the cast members such as Brad Pitt, Shia Labeouf, Jon Bernthal, Logan Lerman, and Michael Douglas that is able to evaluate the picture even further to make it stand out as well as it does. It may not break any new boundaries for war films and there is a near half hour long detour that could have been trimmed down from time but aside from that, Fury is a damn solid war flick.

18.) Life Itself

Back in 2013, we lost one of the best and most respected film critics in the industry with Roger Ebert. One year later, we were able to get a great documentary that did this great man justice in Life Itself.  A beautiful and emotional dive into this iconic movie review, showing his incredible legacy in a powerfully moving narrative among other critics and filmmakers out there. He was a film critic that earned the respect from every one around him and this documentary gives a great showcase as to why. RIP Roger Ebert! Cinema would never be the same without you! Two thumbs up!

17.) The Grand Budapest Hotel

While Wes Anderson can be a hit or miss filmmaker for me, he was able to hit big time here with The Grand Budapest Hotel! Anderson’s style is able to fit perfectly throughout this film, delivering his most striking visuals to date alongside an uncommonly fast-paced and engaging story. The cast members are all on top form here, the script is witty and full of charm, the production value is absolutely outstanding, and there’s even a very engaging and moving narrative at center, making everything matter more in the grand scheme of things. I do imagine most Wes Anderson fans would have this rank much higher on this list but The Grand Budapest Hotel is still more than worthy of landing a spot among the top 20 best films of 2014.

16.) Selma

If you’re looking for perhaps the most personal film of the year where you can hear the director’s voice throughout the entire picture, Selma would likely take the cake as the best of the year in that regard. This is a film where you can feel the weight of every scene, line, & moment that Ava DuVernay shows on screen. This is the kind of biopic that likely has and will be shown in schools so that generations never forget the message, spirit, power, and importance of the man that is Dr. Martin Luther King. It may not be the most comfortable watch but Selma is undeniably one of the most important watches of 2014.

15.) Snowpiercer

Captain America: The Winter Soldier was not the only 2014 film that had Chris Evans being a badass, that honor also is shared with Snowpiercer, directed by the brilliant mind of Bong Joon-ho. It’s a film that is able to exceed at being an action flick, a sci-fi epic, and a post-apocalyptic film all at that exact same time without losing any sort of cohesion. Filled with awesome set pieces, a memorable ensemble cast, and plot twists thrown at you at every turn, there is not a second of Snowpiercer that isn’t remotely entertaining or engaging. Even if the third act left a little bit to be desired, this is still a damn exciting ride that you should not miss! Just stay away from the tv series!

14.) Interstellar

What might be Christopher Nolan’s most ambitious film to date, Interstellar makes for one of the most interesting and intriguing sci-fi films of the 21st century. The film goes into great lengths about mankind’s place in the universe and what we are willing to achieve for the survival of the human race. The effects are a feast for the eyes, it’s superbly acted, the emotional core between Cooper and his daughter is very well done, and the first two acts is able to execute it’s themes to near perfection. It’s only the bumpy as hell ending and the way a certain subplot gets completely handwave by the conclusion that prevents this from being up there with Nolan’s very best. Even if it’s not able to stick the landing as well as it could have, Interstellar makes for one engaging ride that is worth experiencing at least one time.

13.) John Wick

Before the sequels would go even bigger, bolder, lore-heavy, and dive into traditional world building, John Wick was largely a smaller-scale self contained story about a hitman coming out of retirement to avenge the death of his dog, the last piece of his late wife that remained. It may be a rather straightforward and simplistic motivation but that’s all that’s needed. Because what matters most is that we get to see Keanu Reeves kicking ass once again and become even more of a badass than he ever did in The Matrix films. With elements such as the glorified action, awesome stunts, superb lighting and cinematography, an excellent supporting cast full of recognizable talent that all get their moment to shine, and of course, the awesome Keanu Reeves delivering cheesy one-liners in a direct but cool way. While some might take issues with the simplistic plotting /characterization along with needing to tolerate corny puns and having to suspend your disbelief, anyone else that is able to accept the tropes that have become common with action movies while also wanting something fresh and new should think John Wick is right up their alley. It’s one of those movies that is able to deliver exactly what you would ever want in an action movie and even more.

12.) How To Train Your Dragon 2

Fulfilling it’s role as the dark middle chapter of DreamWorks’s most critically acclaimed film series, How To Train Your Dragon 2 is a strong example as to why they can be counted on to deliver strong middle chapters for stories when they count the most. Taking the next level in terms of animation and technical achievements, this sequel is able to exceed for the same reasons that the very best sequels out there are able to do. It takes the characters to the next step of their development by putting them on a journey which makes them challenges who they are and why they do what they do. The voice work is also particularly strong here, especially with Cate Blanchett acting as Hiccup’s long lost mother. Not to mention, the surprising fate with one of the characters stands as one of the most bold moves that any DreamWorks film has every made. While the antagonist himself is a weak line and it lacks the freshness and novelty the first film had, How To Train Your Dragon 2 is still a very impressive animated sequel that is worthy of praise.

11.) Nightcrawler

One of the most gripping and unique thrillers to come out in 2014, Nightcrawler makes for one of the most fascinating character studies in recent memory! This is a film where the main character is basically an antagonist but he’s so interesting and menacing on screen that you just get engaged whenever he is on screen regardless. It’s a nice deep look into the inner meanings of being a reporter and the lengths one will go to in order to get the news and footage that they need. Jake Gyllenhaal is exceptionally excellent here, perfectly balancing the charisma and chaotic nature of it’s character. Complemented by dark and striking visuals, a strong supporting cast, and a rather haunting atmosphere, Nightcrawler delivers greatly as a unique, intense thriller! The fact it falls just shy out of the top 10 is criminal but that’s only because of how genuinely great these next ten films are!

10.) Captain America: The Winter Soldier

If Captain America: The First Avenger was a perfect period piece flick, then Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a perfect flick for the modern times. Not only a very well done espionage thriller with plenty of thrilling action, character development, and important subject matter, but it managed to make certain characters more interesting and badass than ever before. Captain America became cool to like in this one, Black Widow was more interesting and developed this time around (along with having the best hairstyle here), Nick Fury actually gets to do something here than just try to motivate the Avengers through pep talk, and man does Winter Soldier make for an intense and threatening presence whenever he is one screen. This was the Russo Brothers first film in the MCU and they were able to make one hell of a first impression! Captain America: The Winter Soldier was an absolute game changer for the MCU when it came out back in 2014 and it still remains one of their very best films to date!

9.) Edge of Tomorrow

Perhaps the most surprising summer blockbuster of the year, Edge of Tomorrow (or Live. Die. Repeat as it was later changed to….I think) was significantly better than it had any right to be! This is a time loop film that is able to do everything it possibly can with it’s Groundhog Day-like premise! It’s able to be action packed, entertaining, funny, well-acted, perfectly paced and be able to surprise you at basically every turn! Although Tom Cruise shows he’s still able to be a convincing action star outside of Mission Impossible, it’s Emily Blunt as Rita Vrataski that steals the show entirely, fondly earning the name the Full Metal Bitch! Yes, it’s a shame this film didn’t do that well at the box office (likely due to the film’s rather lackluster campaign) but that doesn’t change the fact that this is an absurdly great and clever sci-fi action thriller that is MORE than worthy of your time!

8.) Gone Girl

Even when you think that David Fincher has run out of ways to tell compelling stories, he proves us all wrong with Gone Girl. This works near perfectly as not just a faithful adaption of the novel which it is based on but it also works as terrific social commentary on the politics surrounding media and the consequences of coming to a general consensus without having all of the information. Ben Affleck might be damn good here but Rosamund Pike is absolutely INCREDIBLE here, giving perhaps the best performance out of any actress this year. With a fantastic script, great cinematography, an engaging cast, and a narrative that will keep you intrigue and guessing throughout, Gone Girl is a fantastic thriller and one of the very best films to come for the great David Fincher.

7.) X-Men: Days of Future Past

While there’s definitely a strong argument to be made that Logan is objectively the best X-Men film ever made, Days of Future Past is by far my absolute favorite “team-up” X-Men film in the series. From the superb character development to the amazing action set pieces (The Quicksilver scene is still an all-timer!) to the warm, dark tone to the resonate themes to the inventiveness of the time travel storytelling to the inspired score, this is basically everything you can ask for in an X-Men film or in basically any superhero movie in general. But the one thing I believe is most important to take away from Days of Future Past is how just because you are course-correcting your franchise does not mean the overall product has to suffer because of it. I can’t really recall any movie in recent memory that was able to be a kind of course-correcting movie without feeling the need to sacrifice it’s own quality for a brighter future. As curious as I am with how the Marvel Cinematic Universe handles the X-Men property from now on, I can’t imagine them topping this film or craft something as creative and inventive as this, at least in terms of live-action (X-Men 97 is MAGNIFICENT btw!)

6.) Birdman

The film that won Best Picture at the Oscars may not quite be the very best film that I saw in 2014 but in many ways, it’s pretty damn close! Birdman remains one of the most unique and original films in recent memory, giving a great insight into a legendary actor passed his prime, how film critics observe film, and the way that Hollywood operates in chasing successful trends. The one-shot gimmick is unique and never wears out it’s welcome, the screenplay is excellent, the narrative is engaging, the cinematography is more than Oscar-caliber, and the performances from Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, and Edward Norton is among the very best in all three of their careers. Even if it does have a tad sense of smugness throughout, almost as if director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is shouting his frustrations at the way superhero flicks are taking over anything, Birdman is an extremely impressive cinematic achievement that it’s too hard to care about any potential shortcomings.

5.) Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

If you want a textbook example on how to do a proper summer movie blockbuster, this would be exactly what you find in that dictionary. Released in a loaded 2014 movie season that was serving constant bangers, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was able to stand greatly among them. This is a layered, three-dimensional, and at times unpredictable film that is able to tell a cautionary tale about the roles that two different species play and every single one of them looking for the best possible outcome for themselves. Instead of going with a conventional “apes good, human bad” approach, Dawn instead shows the pros and cons of both the humans and apes, highlighting the gray area that is consuming both sides, as the two sides are trying to make for the best possible future for themselves in the worst possible times. We also can’t forget the spectacular visuals and motion capture of the apes that has never been better than it has been here, great action, perfect tension throughout, and one of the coolest and underrated villains in recent memory in Koba, played perfectly by Toby Kebbell. Perfectly paced, perfectly written, perfectly directed, and perfectly acted (Give Andy Serkis an Oscar already!), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is blockbusters at it’s absolute finest, giving me all hope that we are still capable of making great franchise installments.

4.) The Lego Movie

One of the most genuinely surprising films in recent memory, The LEGO Movie was able to defy any logical odds and become an instant classic! This is a movie where you have the LEGO people be actual characters who get development, it’s own unique animation style, tons of exciting and inventive set pieces, incredibly funny and original jokes, poking fun at movie cliches, subverting expectations at every turn, and has a heartfelt message that can appeal to both kids and adults that have played with LEGOS at some point in their lives. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were able to fully realize their vision when sitting comfortably in the director’s chair and used this premise to create this magnificent animated picture. While I’m sure the movie was able to help sell tons of LEGO sets the way that stockholders hoped it would, The LEGO Movie was able to be something much more than simply be a movie exist to sell toys, even if that was intention with stockholders. It showed that just because you’re a brand doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the artistic integrity and creativity to make something special. 

3.) The Raid 2

You wanna talk about an action filmmaking TRIUMPH, that would be The Raid 2! Gareth Evans is able to take everything that made the original Raid so good and crank it up to ELEVEN here! The action is constantly non-stop, throwing one amazing fight at you after another with constant blood and carnage throughout, the shock value is off the charts, every single frame and set piece feel expertly crafted, the pacing is absolute rapid fire, and even the story and characters are quite engaging, helping make every fight scene that more gripping and suspenseful. I don’t think I have ever seen an action film with better fight sequences, more convincing stunts, and more superb fight choreography than this! There is nothing here that feels half assed, restricted, or unconvincing! Even if nothing that happened in this movie happened in real life, it will FEEL like that when you are watching The Raid 2! There’s been a lot of great action films out there but when it comes to the pure action itself, I don’t think I’ve seen a film that delivers that any better than The Raid 2!

2.) Guardians of the Galaxy

While this may not be technically the best directed, acted, or written MCU movie, I don’t think there’s any other MCU movie I would rather rewatch than the original Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s incredible how a movie with this different of concept and characters and play barley over two hours yet it still feels like the complete package. Every member of the Guardians of the Galaxy is instantly iconic and lovable, with the big standouts being Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, the story is familiar but also refreshing with it’s own unique identity to it, the action scenes are well-crafted, it’s incredibly funny as hell, the score is kick-ass, and there’s some hard hitting emotions that feel just right. Even the one-note villain of Ronan the Accuser, is actually quite functional in his own way as being the space equivalent of Hitler. There are definitely Marvel movies that are better made and might be better objectively but you’d be hard pressed to find one that’s as fresh, surprising, and flat-out more entertaining than Guardians of the Galaxy! This is a film I can watch time and time again and NEVER be bored with!

1.) Whiplash

There are rare times when films feel more like than just films but feel like experiences! I don’t think I can think of a more fitting example of that than Whiplash! There was no film in 2014 that was able to enthrall me, challenge me, have me on the edge of my seat, or keep me engaged than Whiplash! This is not just a film about music but it’s about pushing yourself beyond measures to be the best version of yourself you can possibly me. It’s about the lengths you will go to accomplish your dream goals and what you are willing to sacrifice along the way! It’s about a professor trying to get the very best out of his student in ways that are unconventional and absolutely anxiety inducing! Best of all, Whiplash is about filmmaking at it’s finest! Damien Chazelle’s directing is spot-on, Miles Teller turns in the best performance of his career, J.K. Simmons’s Terence Fletcher is one of the best film antagonists in recent memory, the screenplay is as air tight as they come, the score and editing is sublime, not a single moment feel wasted, and the third act is one of the best and most satisfying climaxes of any film I have ever seen! When it comes to all the films I saw in 2014, there is not that stuck with me the most and had me appreciating the more I thought about it than Whiplash! An absolute masterpiece on every level and legit one of the best films I’ve ever seen period!