Quick disclaimer: I have not watched every movie released in 2014, obviously. This is a Top 10 list of the movies that I have seen. Also note that throughout the year, I’ve kept a record of every movie that I’ve watched this year (grand total was 100 – yes, a nice round number) and left a short, one to three sentence review of the movie. I’ve included those here as well. All ten are worth seeing, if you haven’t seen them already.
10. Blue Ruin
Dwight, gentle man on a vengeful rampage. The most non-Coen, Coen movie. A wonderful surprise of a film.
9. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Those eyes at the end were haunting. My new favorite of the entire Planet of the Apes series.
8. The Babadook
Wow, such a stressful movie. Once you become aware of the Babadook, consider yourself fucked. And by the way, that little boy can act.
7. Whiplash
Never strive for mediocrity. “I’d rather die drunk, broke at 34 and have people at a dinner table talk about me than live to be rich and sober at 90 and nobody remembered who I was.”
6. Interstellar
Enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s ambitious Interstellar! Not my favorite Nolan film, but it’s up there. Poignant story about survival and love, the importance of science, and time dilation.
5. Gone Girl
Amazing Amy is one cray cray bitch.
4. Nightcrawler
One determined motherfucker.
I am Groot. Wow, so fantastic. Star Wars, but modern and fun!
2. Boyhood
Snapshots of adolescence. The purest of coming-of-age movies.
Beautifully symmetrical. Lots of cameos. Entertaining, but enjoyed Moonrise Kingdom much more.
Honorable mentions: The Lego Movie
Finally, here are movies from 2014 that I wish I saw, but just didn’t have the time to see: Selma, Big Eyes, Snowpiercer, Unbroken, American Sniper, The One I Love, We Are The Best!, Love Is Strange, and Birdman (which, I assume would have made my Top 10 had I seen it).
