I only saw 18 movies actually released in 2014, so here are my top 15 and bottom 3. You can have as many or as few as you like. Please try to keep to movies actually released in 2014. Top 15 15. Robocop - I actually liked the movie, but it was close to being on the bottom list. 14. The Lego Movie - I know other people were enamored with this movie but to me it was just ok. 13. Planes: Fire & Rescue - I wasn't expecting much going in, was way better then it should have been. Probably the best movie in this whole "cars" universe. 12. Maleficent - I have a love/hate relationship with this movie. Out side of Angelina Jolie, who was born to play the character everything else is mediocre. 11. X-Men: Days of Future Past - The best X-Men movie to date, really enjoyed it. 10. Jodorowsky's Dune - Give this man 200 million and let him make this version. I don't know if it would be Dune but it would be trippy as hell. 9. Godzilla - The movie makes me think of Ian Malcom's line from Jurassic Park. There is going to be Godzilla in the Godzilla movie. It was a good movie but not great. 8. How to Train your Dragon 2 - A good second movie, however some of the heart is missing. Didn't stop me from crying when Stoick sacrificed himself. The reconnection between Stoick and Valka is beautiful. 7. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies - The only Hobbit movie I actually saw in the theater. Again, just okay. Makes me wish we got a two hour version of the Battle of Helms Deep. 6. Chef - Jon Favreau's turn to smaller film making and its a winner. 5. Tim's Vermeer - A great documentary about trying to recreate how Vermeer painted the Music Lesson. 4. Big Hero 6 - A fantastic movie, the bond between Hiro and Baymax is endearing. 3. Edge of Tomorrow - Didn't expect this movie to be so great. A lot of it has to do with a wonderful performance by Tom Cruise. 2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Simply the best Super Hero movie to date, for me anyway. 1. Guardians of the Galaxy - It must be the M of Marvel in front of these movies that make them so great. Or maybe they are just great movies. Bottom 3 3. SpiderMan 2 - Awfuller then SpiderMan 1 2. Sabotage - Poorly written, poorly directed and poorly acted. 1. Transformers: Age of Extinction
This year I saw: Sabotage---enjoyed it. It's trendy to beat up on Arnold these days, but I still think he makes a fun movie. In this case, it was a bit more serious and I think he pulled it off. November Man---I also enjoyed this, but it could've been a lot better. Worth it for Brosnan fans who want to see him in a "Taken" older-guy-still-a-badass type role. Personally, I love Brosnan and really wanted to see this movie succeed because I'd like to continue to see him in action roles, and I thought there was a good shot at it, but the word-of-mouth fizzled and it never took off. 3 Days to Kill---Another "Taken" older-guy-still-badass role, this time with Costner. The movie is an action-comedy hodgepodge. Entertaining diversion, but as with November Man, it's nowhere near as good as Liam Neeson's "Taken 1" or "Non-Stop". Unfortunately. Expendables 3---I love these movies. It's become trendy to bash the 80s action heroes, but these movies are fun throwbacks. It's unfortunate that the bootlegs came out so close to the movie's premiere. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones---Ok popcorn fare for some average scares. The series is out of gas. Better than some other horror flicks but way below the first and third movies, which were to me, the best two of this increasingly tired franchise. Grand Budapest Hotel---I've never been a big Wes Anderson fan, (I didn't quite get the appeal for Rushmore, and I thought Royal Tenanbaums was ok but overrated, but Grand Budapest Hotel makes me want to revisit the other. I enjoyed this character rich film, with its unique characters, color palette, and a wonderful lead in Ralph Fiennes.
I accidentally hit the post button before I was finished: Non-Stop---This Liam Neeson entry is his best since the first Taken. Definitely worth a look for those who enjoy his work. Gone Girl---Ultra suspenseful film, riveting from start to finish. Definitely a must-see 2014 film. Interstellar---Mindbending, smart science-fiction film with phenomenal effects, good performances and keeps you guessing throughout. X-Men: Days of Future Past---I've been a fan of this series since the first film, which I saw in theaters back in 2000. I've enjoyed all the movies, including this one. But despite the positive reviews, I'll tell you a secret---I found this entry a little tired. Still, I always root for X-Men movies to do well, and I'm glad this one did. Captain America: Winter Soldier---Marvel continues its unbelievable roll, churning out excellent superhero films and making it look incredibly easy. Great cast: Loved Redford, but I was especially impressed with Anthony Mackie as Falcon. And it was great to see Sam L in an extended role as Nick Fury. Guardians of the Galaxy: This was probably the most fun at the movies this year. I went in with my brother and some of his friends, totally expecting it to be...just ok. And they really tapped into something: an ingenuity with characters and worlds that we probably haven't seen since...the original Star Wars? Regardless, it was a fun time at the movies filled with all the emotions you could want from a movie.
I didn't see very many movies this year in the theaters. I've been catching up with them on DVD, so I'll have a better list in like six months. 1. Boyhood This movie is to millennials what Dazed and Confused was to Gen X. 2. Birdman A weird movie where Michael Keaton plays a man who starred in a superhero franchise then turned down a sequel (I know, big stretch for him). It's beautifully shot and characterized and makes some good observations about how social media is used to stay relevant. 3. Edge of Tomorrow What sticks out most about this film to me is that the aliens are the most visually imaginative ones we've seen in a long time. 4. The LEGO Movie Just a whole lot of fun. 5. Guardians of the Galaxy Another fun movie. I loved the characters but the action scenes were a bit cartoony and logicless for me to get into them. 6. The Grand Budapest Hotel Visually a nice movie but it's one of those Wes Anderson films where the story is randomly all over the place.
I've always thought Tom Cruise has been unfairly imposed with a "pretty boy" crutch. I've always thought he was a good, capable actor with lots of charisma and equally effective in action or dramatic roles.
I didn't see many movies this year, but I'll put Interstellar on the top of my list, with Guardians of the Galaxy close behind. I didn't see any movies I didn't like this year.
10. The One I Love 9. Camp X-Ray 8. John Wick 7. Captain America: Winter Soldier 6. Guardians of the Galaxy 5. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 4. X-Men: Days of Future Past 3. Interstellar 2. Edge of Tomorrow 1. Boyhood As far as the worst: The 7500 Leprechaun: Origins Left Behind
Top Guardians of the Galaxy Captain America: Winter Soldier The Fault in Our Stars Wild The Babadook The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies The Equalizer Purge: Anarchy Bottom The Hercules movies Dracula Untold Maze Runner Divergent Dumb and Dumber to The Quiet Ones 1,000,000 Ways to Die in the West I, Frankenstein Transcendence Need for Speed Monuments Men 300 2
I just watched The One I love, was wondering what your thoughts on the movie were? What do you think the doubles were? Are they the previous guest that somehow get altered to look like the new guest? Were they only informed by the sessions with the therapist?
Top Ten of Movies of 2014 (no particular order) - Guardians of the Galaxy - Captain America: The Winder Soldier - X-Men: Days of Future Past - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part One - Billy Crystal: 700 Sundays - Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Edge of Tomorrow - Big Hero 6 - Interstellar - Gone Girl Bottom Five of the Year The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Maleficent 22 Jump Street Draft Day Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Captain America:The Winter Soldier topped out my list. Still just waiting to get Guardians of the Galaxy on blu-ray (and not in a rish to do so....for any movie that uses "Hooked on a Feeling" as a catchsong, well, ya' lost my interest for any big screen viewing.) Worst? Anything with Seth Rogen in it gets an automatic shove to the bottom of the list. I also enjoyed Sabotage. It was definitely not your typical Schwarzennegger action flick. It was more an action-drama than a "blow up cars with a Hollywood hand cannon" type of flick....and I welcomed that change for Arnie. I thought he did well in the movie.
This year I only saw "X-Men: Days Of Future Past" at the theatre. It was either due to my schedule being busy or the movies that I looked up the trailer for I found did not pique my interest enough to make me spend the money on a movie ticket or a DVD/Blu-Ray. I also bought Spider-Man 2 on Blu-Ray, but I found that it was more of a CGI showcase than a movie with any decent story. But a few other, for me, "New" movies that I saw in 2014 were: Dragnet (1954 movie) - way better than the 1980's Dragnet movie. The Incredible Hulk (2008) - pretty decent decent, and while I have not been a Hulk fan, it is a well written movie (plus I wanted to check a few things that were mentioned in "Marvel Agents Of Shield" Season 1). "Man Of Steel" - easily worst than Spider-Man 2 as this movie just reeked of stale and moldy storylines --- I saw all 3 Christian Bale Batman's in the theaters, but I don't want to pay for a movie ticket for the Superman/Batman movie, or any other movie in this Cinema Universe if we are going to get a warmed up, rotten leftovers for a story.
These are in order from best to worst. TOP: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) - Best film I watched all year. It was fun, exciting, full of hilarious moments, all wrapped up in a great story. I can't wait for the sequel! Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks! (2014) - This film was great! I enjoyed it better than the original Equestria Girls, and can't wait to see what comes next from DHX and Hasbro! The Lego Movie (2014) - Everything is awesome! A whimsical film about the joys of being a kid at heart. Loved it. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) - I've read the novels, and the films adapt them very well. Great acting, lots of suspense; I can't wait for the last film. Maleficent (2014) - Angelina Jolie *is* Maleficent in this film. I like the approach the film took to the story lore, and I enjoyed this better than the original Disney animated film. A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) - I'm a fan of Seth MacFarlane. He's not to everyone's taste, but all I expected in this movie were crass jokes, farts, and references to vaginas. I got what I expected. Noah (2014) - A film of epic proportions, that missed the mark somewhat. It wasn't a bad film, it was quite decent. To me it dragged overly long in places, but otherwise it was a good story filled with mythical creatures that engaged me for the most part. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) - I didn't enjoy the sequel to the superb "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" as much as I hoped. It was good, solid acting with a good story, but I think it suffered from too long a running time. Hopefully the third will bounce back for me. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) - A good hybrid between the darkness of the comics, and the fun, lightheartedness of the cartoon series. The turtles' appearances took some adjusting, but when I found their personalities to still fit their characters, I was happy. BOTTOM: Legends of Oz (2014) - I was so disappointed in this film. I was looking forward to a fun romp in Oz with some great characters that I know and love, and what I got was not that. Not only that, the animation was subpar for what turned out to be a $70 million budgeted production. Just a terrible disappointment. Left Behind (2014) - This is *the* worst movie of 2014. The acting was wooden, the story was junk, the special effects were non-existent, the characters were poorly fleshed out. It was a mess, and deserves every single insult thrown its way. Utter garbage.
1. Hobbit 3 2. Guardians Galaxy 3. Winter Soldier 4. X-Men Future Past 5. How Train Dragon 2 6. Edge Tomorrow 7. Dawn Planet Apes 8. Godzilla 9. 22 Jump Street 10. Grand Budapest Hotel
TOP 10: 1. The Grand Budapest Hotel - I was unsure about the tone of this at first glance, but on subsequent viewings it has been confirmed to be a masterpiece in my view. And it inspired me to look into the writings of Stefan Zweig. 2. Boyhood - Richard Linklater is the cinematic master in the examination of the subject of time, and this is his most fascinating project in that regard. 3. Guardians of the Galaxy - Pure fun. 4. The Immigrant - A terrific modern morality play, centered around a brilliant Marion Cotillard performance. 5. Gone Girl - Another strong foray by David Fincher into pulp filmmaking; and as someone who's been a Rosamund Pike fan for over a decade, glad to see her finally taking centre-stage. 6. Life Itself - A wonderful tribute to Roger Ebert. 7. Whiplash - Riveting depiction of the sacrifices toward becoming a great artist, while also interrogating the implications of that concept. J.K. Simmons understandably gets most of the awards attention, but Miles Teller is almost as good. 8. X-Men: Days of Future Past - In some respects the least-heralded of the three great superhero films of last spring/summer, but it's got the most thematic weight. 9. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - In some respects the most middle-of-the-road of the superhero films, but it's a perfectly-assembled action film with great characterization. 10. Begin Again - Lovely romantic fantasy. BOTTOM 5: 5. 300: Rise of an Empire - Is only worthwhile when Eva Green is onscreen. 4. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - Has some good parts, but looks woeful when compared with its competition, in particular. 3. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For - What felt fresh a decade earlier feels grindingly repetitive now. 2. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies - Boring. 1. Lucy - A dumb movie that thinks it's a smart movie, and works neither as a cerebral story or as an action film.
I saw Interstellar today. It's an interesting mix of Nolan complicated world physics and Spielberg sentimentality. I enjoyed most of the story but the ending seemed a little contrived. Why did you guys pay to see Birdman if you only like Hollywood films?
X-Men: Days of Future Past I really enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would, and it really seemed to put the X-Men series back on track. It was so dark in places, yet had wonderful humour throughout to keep it from veering over the edge. The Lego Movie Brilliant. A film that nurtures your inner child, whilst making sure that we continue to have enough fun so we don't become old and stuffy. Captain America: The Winter Soldier A very good spy flick, which mixed up the Marvel universe nicely. I loved how it impacted Agents of Shield, and look forward to seeing how things unfold in other films. The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies Just saw this yesterday. I feel like the trilogy could quite easily have just stayed at two films, but this was a nice conclusion to what had come before. Guardians of the Galaxy Probably need to rewatch this again as I fell asleep and missed some on first viewing. What I remember was a lot of fun though. Maleficent Angelina Jolie is brilliant in this, pretty much making the film herself. I love the twisted interpretation of Sleeping Beauty, making me sympathise with Maleficent very much. Amazing Spider-Man 2 Fell flat in some places, but overall I enjoyed it. I still aim to see Fault in our Stars, Edge of Tomorrow, Interstellar, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For and The Boxtrolls.