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GHcool 
"Forever a curious character."
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 Posted - 12/21/2014 : 07:52:55
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Its that time of year again. These are my top ten favorite films that I saw in 2014:
1. Like Father Like Son - Upon seeing this Japanese film, Spielberg bought the rights to it and intends to remake it with a Hollywood cast. See this film first! Its available to stream on Netflix! Its a gut-wrenching story in which there are no good or bad characters, no right or wrong decisions, and yet ethical choices must be made. All four of the principle actors give intelligent, nuanced performances that suggest so much with a look or a pause.
2. The Lego Movie ("Parts and wrecked creations.") - I love movies that define and then constantly redefine their universe, while still managing to maintain consistent and have a character-driven drama. The animation wonderfully suggests toys at play, which was entirely appropriate.
3. Big Hero 6 - The Lego Movie did a lot with its relatively low budget. Big Hero 6 did about as much with the most advanced and exotic technology in the world. The sound design on this film was unbelievable (remember, this in animated, so nothing you see is real and every sound had to be artificially placed).
4. "Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey" - Yeah, this is kind of a cheat because it is a documentary mini-series, but you know what? It was so good and inspiring that I had to give it a mention here. The whole series is available on Netflix. Each episode is an hour long.
5. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ("World War 'zee.") - Does for Rise of the Planet of the Apes what The Dark Knight did for Batman Begins; it elevates the series and puts it on course for something powerful thematically. The outdoor cinematography is pretty incredibly and the visual effects are flawless.
6. Into the Woods - The ads make it look more "kiddie" than it actually is. The production, choreography, and sound design is extremely complex; more than any film this year, I marvel at how well this was directed.
7. Edge of Tomorrow ("Groundhog War.") - I went in with low expectations, but this is one of those rare bang-kill movies that has a very intelligent screenplay as well. The film editing worked both as a traditional action film and also as a weird non-linear puzzle.
8. Nightcrawler - Jake Gyllenhaal gives the performance of the year as a misanthrope who understands the system better than anyone around him. This is also the most beautifully edited film of the year: each cut is invisible, exactly the right camera angle is on screen at exactly the right time and for the exact duration to make a maximum impact.
9. The Tale of Princess Kaguya - Another beautiful animated film and another moving drama from Japan. Check out the trailer.
10. Life Itself - Roger Ebert meant a lot to me growing up. I began reading him when I was about 10 and haven't stopped even after his death last year. This film is an appropriate tribute to American master.
Other films I admired this year include Begin Again, Boyhood, Gone Girl, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Interstellar, Lucy, and X-Men: Days of Future Past.
I have not yet seen American Sniper, Boyhood, Force Majeure, Foxcatcher, The Equalizer, The Hobbit 3, The Homesman, John Wick, Love is Strange, A Most Violent Year, Mr. Turner, Selma, Unbroken, Whiplash, or Wild. If I see any of them and think they are deserving, I'll amend the list.
What are your choices???? :) |
Edited by - GHcool on 01/08/2015 17:19:47 |
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Top Ten Films of the 2014
