Best movies of 2014
It happens every year.
For the first 10 months of 2014, I wondered how I could fill a proper Top 10 with the best movies of the year. Over the past several weeks, I've played a furious game of catch-up, relying on Netflix and VOD to find those missing gems.
Now I can't settle on what to include.
As with every year, my list is incomplete. Paul Thomas Anderson's latest, "Inherent Vice," only just opened in Spokane today. "American Sniper" won't be here until next weekend.
On the plus side, many of my picks are now available via home video or in our local theaters. Great movies are out there, meaning you won't need to waste your money on "Taken 3" this weekend.
1. Boyhood
No movie this year is as acclaimed as Richard Linklater's 12-years-in-the-making masterpiece, and I believe that speaks more to the universality and emotional wallop of its story than its structural ingenuity.
The movie follows a boy named Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from 1st to 12th grade, and Linklater reassembled his cast and crew every summer for 12 years to allow Coltrane to age naturally onscreen. Rather than focusing on typical monumental events, "Boyhood" is the culmination of small moments and conversations that more subtly dramatize Mason's growth.
It's a coming-of-age story that also has a lot to say about raising children, and Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke give career-best performances as Mason's imperfect-but-reliable parents.
Nothing else came close to being my No. 1 pick of 2014. "Boyhood" was a transportive experience in the movie theater, and I still don't have the words to express the overwhelming emotion I experienced throughout its 165-minute runtime. I felt like I knew Mason, and I was reacting to his struggles and joys as if it were happening to my own child. I don't know if I've ever experienced that level of empathy for a fictional character before. Available on home video.
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel
As a longtime devotee of Wes Anderson and his distinct, storybook style, it can be hard for me to pinpoint why some of his movies, like "The Grand Budapest Hotel," are more celebrated than others. I could churn out paragraphs defending "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" and argue the same core storytelling choices are present in "Grand Budapest," a movie that will likely garner multiple Oscar nominations next week.
Take away my somewhat-biased love of the visual aesthetic, "Grand Budapest" is probably the most ambitious Anderson film in scope while being the tightest in execution. Ralph Fiennes is a hilarious and anchoring presence at the center of the film's caper, especially as the movie veers into darker subject matter. The film tackles some ugly European history (the escalation into World War II) filtered through Anderson's quirky color palette, all while maintaining a frenzied, farcical tone.
Oh, and it contains the greatest downhill ski chase in film history. Available on home video.
3. Life Itself
A documentary on the life and career of critic Roger Ebert is plenty enough to hold the interest of film aficionados. "Life Itself," however, transcends its subject by exploring the physical and emotional struggles faced by families dealing with terminal illness and end-of-life health care. The movie is a wonderful tribute to Ebert, but the true power of the narrative lies in its immediate relatability. Available on VOD and airing on the CNN network. Check listings.
4. The Lego Movie
A hyperactive animated comedy based on a toy product shouldn't be a thing we celebrate as important cinema. Yet everything about "The Lego Movie" is joyous. The unique visual style explodes off the screen, and there's more genuine humor per minute than any other movie in 2014. Available on home video.
5. Birdman
A percussive technical achievement (the entire movie appears as one uninterrupted shot, with a few hidden cuts here and there) and the most accessible work to date from director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Michael Keaton is terrific as a former star of superhero films hoping for a creative resurrection on the Broadway stage. Edward Norton, Emma Stone and the rest of the supporting cast are equally electric. Now in theaters.
6. We Are the Best!
Two 13-year-old girls in Stockholm circa 1982 decide to keep punk rock alive by starting their own band... even though they have zero musical experience. Luckily their quiet Christian classmate is classically trained and itching for a little rebellion. The results are bold haircuts, creative infighting, boy troubles and a high stakes gig against the establishment. An absolute blast from start to finish, featuring a trio of wonderful young performers. Available on home video and Netflix instant streaming.
7. Nightcrawler
Jake Gyllenhaal is brilliantly creepy as Los Angeles videographer Lou Bloom, who hunts for gruesome crime and accident images to sell to TV news outlets. Though the movie works better as a grotesque character study than a commentary on tabloid journalism, writer/director Dan Gilroy creates an unnerving and unforgettable image of L.A. and how it influences its morally bankrupt residents. Available on home video Feb. 10.
8. Obvious Child
Jenny Slate delivers a star-making performance as a struggling comedian who, after a one-night stand, makes the decision to terminate the resulting pregnancy. Hold off on writing those letters. "Obvious Child" is a comedy that includes sensitive subject matter, but shouldn't be reduced to a single plot point. It's a sharply-written character study with a fresh female voice, and it never turns into political grandstanding. Available on home video.
9. Dear White People
A comedy focusing on the lives of four African-American students at a predominantly-white Ivy League college, "Dear White People" provokes while avoiding the common traps that derail many movies about contemporary race relations. The movie is somewhat rough around the edges, but writer/director Justin Simien has an auteurist potential that suggests future greatness. Available on home video Feb. 3.
10. Edge of Tomorrow
In this thrilling sci-fi adventure, Tom Cruise makes hilarious use of his embattled public image to play a cowardly PR man thrown into battle against a race of vicious aliens. He dies almost immediately, only to be reset to the beginning of the day, forced to endure the battlefield until he figures out how to be less of a jerk and more of a bad*** alien killer. Director Doug Liman infuses so much fun into the "Groundhog Day"-style concept that it's easy to forgive the middling final minutes. Available on home video.
11. Under the Skin
Equal parts baffling and mesmerizing, "Under the Skin" follows Scarlett Johansson as a mysterious woman/probably alien as she seduces and... well, the whole thing is a bit hard to explain. Jonathan Glazer's hypnotic film (boasting the year's most memorable score) will infuriate many but leave patient viewers with plenty to dissect. Available on home video and Amazon Prime instant streaming.
12. Force Majeure
A seemingly well-adjusted Swedish family goes on vacation in the French Alps, only to have an avalanche false alarm create a snowmound of trust issues. A candid, often funny and beautifully shot drama. At the Magic Lantern Theater in Spokane.
13. Selma
Some of the best biopics focus on key time periods in its subject's life (think "Lincoln" or "Thirteen Days"). "Selma," about Dr. Martin Luther King's efforts to organize a cross-state march in Alabama, is a worthy addition to that subcategory, providing an insightful look at the man without overstuffing the plot. David Oyelowo seamlessly and spectacularly fills Dr. King's shoes. Now in theaters.
14. The One I Love
A relationship drama with a unique twist. Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss star as a couple in need of a romantic respark. They take a weekend getaway recommended by their therapist, and... something weird happens (don't let anyone spoil it). While the plot gets a little crazy, "The One I Love" finds compelling new ways to explore marital tension. Available on home video and Netflix instant streaming.
15. Snowpiercer
Director Joon-ho Bong's sci-fi adventure is delightfully bonkers. Set in a dystopian Ice-Aged future, the last survivors of the human race live on a speeding train that circles the Earth. The poor struggle to survive in the slums of the back train cars, while the rich enjoy extravagant luxuries at the front of the train. Chris Evans leads an insurgent army to the front of the train, where heavy societal revelations are made and buckets of blood are spilled. Available on home video and Netflix instant streaming.
16. Guardians of the Galaxy
The new "Star Wars" won't be here until December. We'll be lucky if it's half as entertaining as "Guardians," a rolicking space adventure headlined by a talking raccoon and a Han Solo-like rogue in the form of "Parks and Recreation" star (and "Lego Movie" standout) Chris Pratt. Available on home video.
17. A Most Wanted Man
A low-key spy thriller anchored by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in an unshowy but powerful lead performance. Hoffman was always at his best in this kind of soulful, low-wattage role. Available on home video.
18. X-Men: Days of Future Past
A movie that simplifies and rejuvenates one of the most convoluted franchises in film history, "Days of Future Past," led by director Bryan Singer, is the most satisfying "X-Men" movie to date. It's a big budget, time travel extravaganza that knows when to take a few quiet moments for James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender to bounce words off each other. Available on home video.
19. Top Five
Chris Rock writes, directs and stars in a movie that (finally) matches the electricity he possesses as a stand-up comedian. Backed by a charming Rosario Dawson and an impressive series of amusing cameos, "Top Five" is a genuine and insightful outlet for one of comedy's most important voices.
20. Into the Woods
Bolstered by solid performances all around, Disney's "Into the Woods" retains the heavier moments of the stage musical while tightening the narrative to better serve mass audiences and moviegoers. The music remains terrific. Now in theaters.
Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.