The Best Films of 2014 (so far)
In ascending order. The best is at the bottom.
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- DirectorDavid MichôdStarsGuy PearceRobert PattinsonScoot McNairy10 years after a global economic collapse, a hardened loner pursues the men who stole his only possession, his car. Along the way, he captures one of the thieves' brother, and the duo form an uneasy bond during the dangerous journey.A taut, terrifyingly intense neo-noir/western depicting a cold, hard, desolate, dog-eat-dog world full of bleakness and despair, and its survivors that crawl through the darkness like rodents in a trap - not unlike Cormac McCarthy's works. Australian writer/director David Michod proves himself to be a gifted director - utilizing both skill and vision to create a near-flawless depiction of an relentlessly grim future. Guy Pearce is great as the violent, grizzled drifter, but it is "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson who successfully sheds his disco ball image and shows the world that he is far, far more than just Edward Cullen - he is an actor with a future.
- DirectorYuriy BykovStarsArtyom BystrovNatalya SurkovaYuriy TsuriloDima Nikitin is an ordinary honest plumber who suddenly decides to face the corrupt system of local politics in order to save the lives of 800 inhabitants of an old dormitory, which is about to collapse.If Frank Capra and Akira Kurosawa were still alive and joined forces to make a movie in modern-day Russia, this would be it - a contemporary fable about a noble and righteous man whose extinct behavior and thoughts puts him in a time long gone, as he ploughs his way through a sea of cynicism, corruption and inhumanity, going deeper and darker as he progresses. A moral tale that needs to be seen and appreciated far more than it is now, as its consistently gripping direction by Yuri Bykov gives it a sense of urgency unseen in many a picture of late.
- DirectorIra SachsStarsJohn LithgowAlfred MolinaMarisa TomeiAfter Ben and George get married, George is fired from his teaching post, forcing them to stay with friends separately while they sell their place and look for cheaper housing -- a situation that weighs heavily on all involved.A poignant and effective slice of life that shows the hardships of a same-sex couple trying to get a move on in the bustling New York City. Funny, sad and moving in many doses, sometimes all at once, this film not only benefits from but also takes advantage of the effective performances of its two leads, Alfred Molina and John Lithgow, who turn what could've been a one-sided picture into an illuminating portrait of everyday life in the big city.
- DirectorVishal BhardwajStarsShahid KapoorTabuShraddha KapoorA young man returns to Kashmir after his father's disappearance to confront his uncle, whom he suspects of playing a role in his father's fate.Writer-director Vishal Bhardwaj's third adaptation of a William Shakespeare tragedy with added Bollywood spice works for all the right reasons - from its beautifully shot mountaineous region and snowy peaks, to its crushing socio-political drama that weaves in the Indo-Pakistani conflict without resorting to condescending its audience, to its crushing human tragedy about an intelligent young man shattered by the cold, cruel world around him, in an adaptation that would make the Bard very proud.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsJake GyllenhaalMélanie LaurentSarah GadonA man seeks out his exact look-alike after spotting him in a movie.A spellbinding, mind-popping *beep* that surrounds you in a sea of surrealism, absurdism and paranoiac unease, until it encapsulates you completely and you surrender to its seduction. This is the second film involving star Jake Gyllenhaal and director Denis Villenueve following last year's "Prisoners", and I have to say this is a much, much better film - the work of a gifted filmmaker.
- DirectorKim Seong-hunStarsLee Sun-kyunCho Jin-woongJeong Man-sikAfter trying to cover up a car accident that left a man dead, a crooked homicide detective is stalked by a mysterious man claiming to have witnessed the event.If you thought you were having a bad day, try being a detective under investigation for corruption, accidentally running a guy over on your way to your mother's funeral, then hiding said body in your mother's casket only to find out someone else was watching you and is now threatening you with it. If you laughed at the misfortune of it all, wonderful, you can enjoy this brutally hilarious, and ingeniously gripping South Korean neo-noir.
- DirectorHans Petter MolandStarsStellan SkarsgårdBruno GanzPål Sverre HagenAfter his son is murdered by drug dealers, a snowplow driver starts seeking revenge."Death Wish" meets "Fargo" in this brutally hilarious revenge thriller/dark comedy as veteran character actor Stellan Skarsgård ("The Avengers", "Good Will Hunting") confidentially takes centre stage playing a mild mannered ("Citizen of the Year") snowplough driver who snaps and decides to give some Norwegian gangsters a Bronson-style dose of revenge after they kill his son, triggering a morbidly funny and violent gang war which culminates in a showdown that would make Tarantino smile with approval. We have the western genre, could this be a "northern"?
- DirectorDavid Gordon GreenStarsNicolas CageTye SheridanGary PoulterAn ex-con, who is the unlikeliest of role models, meets a 15-year-old boy and is faced with the choice of redemption or ruin.Nicolas Cage's best acting work in years accentuates this dark, brooding slice-of-life tale in the Deep South where humanity struggles amidst the monstrosities around it, powerfully directed by David Gordon Green who breaks his streak of silly stoner comedies ("Pineapple Express", "Your Highness") and returns to his dramatic roots.
- DirectorJuly JungStarsBae DoonaKim Sae-ronSong Sae-byeokA young police officer is sent to work in a small village and takes in a teenager to protect her from her abusive stepfather.A riveting, boiling kettle from South Korea where the suspense seeps in from the first shot and boils over come the final act. Writer/director July Jung/정주리 has crafted an exceptionally gripping film with strong subdued performances by its leading ladies (Doona Bae/배두나 ("Cloud Atlas") and Kim Sae-Ron/김새론 ("The Man From Nowhere/아저씨"). This intriguing and ultimately touching human tale about a policewoman with a past and a mysterious teenage girl that shows up at her doorstep is equal parts quirky and disturbing, and she ultimately creates a hard-hitting human drama at its core that makes you question - how far does one go to protect someone?
- DirectorJon FavreauStarsJon FavreauRobert Downey Jr.Scarlett JohanssonA head chef quits his restaurant job and buys a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged family.Jon Favreau's latest comedy may follow a familiar structure, but it bears the mark of a filmmaker's passion project, a glowing tribute to the love of food that is expertly crafted with love and charm, benefiting greatly to the extraordinary chemistry between every member of the impressive ensemble cast, and shot lovingly without being obtrusive. While having a thing or two to say about criticism, this is undoubtedly the feel-good movie of the year so far. Not since "Ratatouille" will the film cause one to seek the nearest restaurant/food outlet once the movie's over, as the beautifully shot food porn will cause stomachs to rumble, providing one didn't eat before watching.
- DirectorWes AndersonStarsRalph FiennesF. Murray AbrahamMathieu AmalricA writer encounters the owner of an aging high-class hotel, who tells him of his early years serving as a lobby boy in the hotel's glorious years under an exceptional concierge.I enjoyed everything about this deliriously whimsical dark comedy - from its exquisite cinematography and elaborate production values, to a horde of charming performances from a lot (and I do mean a LOT) of talented actors, to its unique atmosphere that fills you up with blissful joy and glee. And coming from autuer filmmaker Wes Anderson, another film from him is another honey-and-toast treat for the eyes and ears.
- DirectorJ.C. ChandorStarsOscar IsaacJessica ChastainDavid OyelowoIn New York City 1981, an ambitious immigrant fights to protect his business and family during the most dangerous year in the city's history.Writer/director J.C. Chandor's third effort is a mesmerizing character study of a well-to-do criminal, played effortlessly with steely resolve by fast-rising star Oscar Isaac, who will not allow himself to break, not for a moment, even at the most strenuous of situations, and even when everyone is at odds against him, including his own firecracker of a wife, played with equal intensity by Jessica Chastain. The film slow burns like a kettle, and constantly bubbles towards an intriguing, thought-provoking conclusion while still perfectly encapsulating the tough era that these hardened characters walk in.
- DirectorMichael SpierigPeter SpierigStarsEthan HawkeSarah SnookNoah TaylorAs his last assignment, a temporal agent is tasked to travel back in time and prevent a bomb attack in New York in 1975. The hunt, however, turns out to be beyond the bounds of possibility.This Australian sci-fi mystery thriller starring Ethan Hawke and shockingly good newcomer Sarah Snook is full of twists and turns enough to make Auntie Anne's pretzels run out of business. It's not about the clever plot twists that will sure creep people out, it's about how the plot twists are done, the emotional stakes that the protagonists have to face when dealing with these certain revelations, that made me look back and think at the whole thing, and on that regard it is pretty damn remarkable. A character quips that his story "is one you won't believe". I certainly didn't, and got *beep* as a result.
- DirectorGareth EvansStarsIko UwaisYayan RuhianArifin PutraOnly a short time after the first raid, Rama goes undercover with the thugs of Jakarta and plans to bring down the syndicate and uncover the corruption within his police force.The best action film of the year. This is a rampaging, roaring beast of an action movie from Indonesia, jam-packed with one crowd-pleasing, bone-shattering, neck-breaking action sequence after another. The Indonesian team that brought 2012's action extravaganza "The Raid" ups the ante with this one with a bigger, twisty crime story that serves as an excuse to unleash Iko Uwais to single-handedly destroy a criminal empire with his bare hands and legs. Each graphic, brutal kill is drowned by the winces and cathartic cheers and action-gasms from the extremely lively audience, myself included. You want action... you got action.
- DirectorDavid AyerStarsBrad PittShia LaBeoufLogan LermanA grizzled tank commander makes tough decisions as he and his crew fight their way across Germany in April, 1945.An excellent American genre film; brutally violent, masculine, politically incorrect and rough hewn like a blunt but grimly efficient sword. Every shot is elegantly composed, every performance (especially Brad Pitt's and Logan Lerman's) is nuanced, and every moment has an underlying stake with not a minute to waste on such useless traits as character development - the audience is thrust straight into hell on earth and all you can do is survive the spectacularly vicious onslaught of tank-grinding carnage. Writer/Director David Ayer can now join the round-table with Sam Peckinpah, Walter Hill, Oliver Stone and John McTiernan as ultra-macho, tough-as-hell and no-nonsense filmmakers.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsBradley CooperSienna MillerKyle GallnerNavy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.This imperfect but well acted character study chronicles the chipping effects of modern war on the psyche of one patriotic but flawed human being, and the toll on his loved ones as he ping pongs between duties in Iraq and his family at home. Add some truly intense action/sniper sequences, all beautifully filmed and edited, and a strong dramatic performance by Bradley Cooper, and we might have Clint Eastwood's directorial return to solid form. At the age of 84, the movie legend's still got it.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsMatthew McConaugheyAnne HathawayJessica ChastainWhen Earth becomes uninhabitable in the future, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, is tasked to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans.Christopher Nolan's sci-fi epic is terrific entertainment, and a glowing tribute to Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey". Absolutely do not miss the IMAX experience - you'll thank me later. More importantly, despite its exposition-heavy flaws, it is astounding in its perfect marriage of mind-blowing visual effects, editing, music and cinematography (all of which should nab Oscar noms) with the thematic fragility of human love that knows no boundaries, not even time and space, in a Spielberg-ian sentimental move that makes the stakes more interesting, anchored by a strong Matthew McConaughey performance and a fine ensemble cast. Finally a blockbuster where you can escape into your senses and not feel short-changed.
- DirectorJohn CurranStarsMia WasikowskaAdam DriverLily PearlA young woman goes on a 1,700-mile trek across the deserts of West Australia with four camels and her faithful dog.Skip "Wild" and see this modern-day "Walkabout" with the flair and scope of "Lawrence of Arabia"; this staggeringly beautiful film is told with skillful ambition and some truly beautiful cinematography complementing Mia Wasikowska's strong performance as the real-life explorer who trekked across the Australian outback and desert towards the Indian Ocean. Director John Curran doesn't waste time and crafts an exceptionally powerful film that rings a bit too soft compared to the 1971 Nicolas Roeg masterpiece.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBen AffleckRosamund PikeNeil Patrick HarrisWith his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.A spellbinding wallop of a thriller that hooks its audience into its spell and never lets go for 2 and a 1/2 hours, the latest from modern auteur David Fincher and author/scribe Gillian Flynn hysterically and morbidly satirises the whole idea of superficial love and marriage, suburbia America, and the hypocrisy of the media all in a scathing one-three punch, soaked in a bath of masterfully crafted suspense, meticulously acted performances from a talented cast (most notably a star-making turn from former Bond girl Rosamund Pike), and blindsiding the audience in every twist and turn like a maestro playing the piano.
- DirectorJean-Pierre DardenneLuc DardenneStarsMarion CotillardFabrizio RongioneCatherine SaléeLiège, Belgium. Sandra is a factory worker who discovers that her workmates have opted for a EUR1,000 bonus in exchange for her dismissal. She has only a weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses in order to keep her job.Marion Cottilard's gripping performance soldiers this low-key, blue collar French drama about a worker who is hell-bent and unbroken on keeping her job when the cruel French working system forces her to beg to her bonus-promised colleagues to keep her job. Equal parts emotionally devastating and inspiring, this is an extremely relatable movie for most, and will hit hard for those struggling to make a living as well.
- DirectorJennifer KentStarsEssie DavisNoah WisemanDaniel HenshallA single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book titled "Mister Babadook" manifests in their home.The best horror film of the year. For those complaining about how excellent, quality horror movies aren't made anymore, here's an opportunity to put their money where their mouths are. Forget "Insidious" and "The Conjuring", this is the real deal - a black sheep of a horror movie that rumbles from newcoming Australian writer/director Jennifer Kent and leaps straight into your nightmares as it uses age-old children's nighttime fears to create something truly nightmarish and terrifying, in scenes that echo the subtle scares of "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Shining", but defiantly holds its own as a different beast of sorts. Using an ultimately human story about a stressed out single mother and her hyperactive son as a backdrop benefits this gem greatly as it adds genuine characters that we can relate to, and thus makes the fears much, much more terrifying than expected.
- DirectorJohn Michael McDonaghStarsBrendan GleesonChris O'DowdKelly ReillyAfter he is threatened during a confession, a good-natured priest must battle the dark forces closing in around him.A disturbing, thought-provoking yet profound balancing act between the exploration of pure human nature and keeping the faith in dark and twisted times, disguised as a pitch-black comedy/drama from gifted writer/director John Michael McDonagh in only his second feature film. What makes this film even better is Irish thespian Brendan Gleeson ('Mad-Eye Moody' from the "Harry Potter" films) giving one hell of a performance as the bewildered priest who has to pay for the townspeople's sins, and who has to face his fate the hands have dealt him with.
- DirectorTommy Lee JonesStarsTommy Lee JonesHilary SwankGrace GummerThree women who have been driven mad by pioneer life are to be transported across the country by covered wagon by the pious, independent-minded Mary Bee Cuddy, who in turn employs low-life drifter George Briggs to assist her.Tommy Lee Jones' latest directorial effort is a winner - beautifully shot, written, directed and acted by Jones and the very talented Hilary Swank. It is a haunting, poignant, surreal western (or could it be anti-Western?) tale of women struggling in a time and place that tests their endurance and strengths, and the temptation of their fellow man to succumb to their weaknesses in pursuit of success.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEllar ColtranePatricia ArquetteEthan HawkeThe life of Mason, from early childhood to his arrival at college.An incredibly beautiful film with many layers that provoke the mind and emotions, and left me feeling completely overwhelmed with bittersweet tidings due to a tsunami of nostalgic poignancy, but ultimately left me feeling optimistic about the future; a landmark film that speaks of our generation perfectly. If you were, or are parents with kids who were, born within the 1990s and early 2000s, you owe it to yourself to see this film. Teens more than welcome.
- DirectorDan GilroyStarsJake GyllenhaalRene RussoBill PaxtonWhen Louis Bloom, a con man desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.An extremely cynical psychological thriller and blistering satire on mass media, told through the eyes of an excellent Jake Gyllenhaal performance, where he's in the running for "movie scumbag of the year" award - his sociopathic maniac complete with gaunt look, bulging eye sockets and weasely grin, told through the lean and mean streets of Los Angeles with enough energy and flair to make it the "feel-bad" movie of the year.
- DirectorRonit ElkabetzShlomi ElkabetzStarsRonit ElkabetzSimon AbkarianGabi AmraniAfter a lukewarm marriage of over twenty years, a woman appeals to her husband's compassion to obtain the desirable divorce document in front of a court, which proves to be more challenging than she would expect.It's "12 Angry Men" meets "A Separation" as this courtroom drama chronicling the bitter divorce of a married couple within an Israeli rabbinical court flows with the intensity of a heart-stopping thriller. Taking place mostly entirely within a single room over a span of a few years, this is an angry, volatile picture, not so much having something to say about the Israeli divorce laws, as much as it portrays the extremely stubborn, cruel, funny and heartbreaking nature of humanity. A film to be savoured and discussed.
- DirectorJonathan GlazerStarsScarlett JohanssonJeremy McWilliamsLynsey Taylor MackayA mysterious young woman seduces lonely men in the evening hours in Scotland. However, events lead her to begin a process of self-discovery.Mind-blowing neo-surrealist masterpiece that very, very subtly explores the fragile philosophy of human nature and existence via terrific use of pure abstract cinematic language via masters Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch and Andrei Tarkovsky; and fills the screen with wondrous, eye-popping visual marvels and cinematography. You don't see the movie as much as you experience the senses and aura around you as you fall into a trance. Born filmmaker Jonathan Glazer couples these with the most unnervingly eerie music score in decades and a terrific use of Scarlett Johansson's body language/performance art.
- DirectorJoshua OppenheimerStarsAdi RukunM.Y. BasrunVolker HanischA family that survived the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.Like its predecessor last year, Joshua Oppenhemier's latest documentary is one of the year's best films - an exceptionally strong film about the rarely told genocide of Indonesian "communists" that subtly but surely doesn't hold back, painfully revealing horrific truths and the stark duality of human nature in all their brutally honest glory. What this one does have over the original though - is that the nightmarish surrealism and heavy political undertones are eschewed in favour of more humanism, focusing more on the act of confronting cold-blooded reality head on and a past that refuses to stay dead, even if it does hurt many loved ones.
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsMichael KeatonZach GalifianakisEdward NortonA washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.The "Dr. Strangelove" and "Battleship Potemkin" of showbiz satires, this scathing, hilarious and brilliantly directed dark comedy by Alejandro González Iñárritu ("Babel", "21 Grams") is a refreshingly lighter film than the rest of the films on his resume - clearly he was having fun directing this thing. Seamlessly edited to give the illusion of a single take throughout, the show is filled with a lot of talented faces ranging from Edward Norton to Emma Stone, and even a straight performance by Zach Galifianakis, but this is the Michael Keaton comeback, ladies and gentleman. This is his show, front and center, and he commands every scene that he's in with panache and hysterical self-awareness, that it's hard not to imagine him as a frontrunner for the Best Actor Oscar.
- DirectorDamien ChazelleStarsMiles TellerJ.K. SimmonsMelissa BenoistA promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.A great film, perhaps the year's very best. This powerful, jazz-fueled tale chronicles the thirst for success and the consequences that come with it, while also brutally portraying the ability of tough love that brings out the best in people regardless of the cost. The poignant, unexpected power of the film to move and inspire audiences lies in its key players, promising young actor Miles Teller ("The Spectacular Now") and veteran character actor J.K. Simmons (Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy) delivering subtle and volcanic performances, respectively, and its gifted writer/director Damien Chazelle, who at the young age of 29, already shows the confidence, skill and mastery of veteran filmmakers. Expect a slew of well-deserved Oscar nominations for this one. Miss it at your peril.