A Year in Review: Terry's Top 10 Films of 2014

I have a rule that I have developed over the last couple years.  I will not publish my top ten films of the year until I have at least seen all of the Oscar Best Picture nominees.  With the busy schedule I keep, this usually means I don't catch all of them until they are all out to rent or buy.  This week I finally saw the last of 2014's eight nominees (and I am glad I did as that last film made my top ten, but more on that later).  I am just happy I am able to put this list out before we reach the midpoint of 2015 ... barely.

Of the 37 movies I have seen from 2014, I gave seven 4 star ratings.  That is my lowest total of 4 stars since 2006.  There were not many great films, but I will say there were a whole lot of good films.  I may have only given seven 4 star ratings, but I also only gave seven ratings under 3 stars.  That is partially because, with a busy schedule, I am very selective in what films I see.  However, I also think there was a lot of quality.  Maybe not high quality, but quality nonetheless.  Anyways, here is the list.

Honorable Mention

Life Itself

Foxcatcher

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

A Most Violent Year

10.  Edge of Tomorrow

(dir. by Doug Liman)

I don't know how, but it feels like recently the phrase "Tom Cruise Movie" has become synonymous with mediocrity.  I honestly don't know how.  Outside of a couple duds (which, let's face it, everyone has), Cruise has been a steady and bankable action star especially recently with films like Jack Reacher, Oblivion, and the Mission Impossible franchise.  Edge of Tomorrow might be the best of the group.  It truly feels like a throwback action film that is just fun from start to finish.  Cruise and Emily Blunt are great as the two heroes out to save the world.  This is a strange action mix of Groundhog Day and Source Code as Cruise continually relives the same day that he always dies at the end of.  With each new reliving of that same day, he learns a little more about what he has to do to save the world, as he goes from clueless desk jockey to ultimate action hero.  My only two complaints with the film are the title and the timing.  The original title of Live. Die. Repeat. was such a better title for this film.  The timing was another issue I had.  Tom Cruise was just a little too old for this role.  If this had been made about 10 years ago (or with a different lead), it would have potentially been even better.  I can't complain too much about Tom Cruise though.  I would just love to see him throw in a few more critically acclaimed roles that could get him in awards talk again, but I don't see that happening in the near future.  As long as the quality stays up, I don't mind.

9.  Begin Again

(dir. by John Carney)

Possibly my favorite film of the last decade was Once, a small, simple love story with music at the center.  So when I heard director John Carney would be exploring a similar story with Begin Again, it quickly became one of my most anticipated films of the year.  I knew it would be different with big names like Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld, Mos Def, and Catherine Keener (a far cry from Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) being involved.  It definitely wasn't on the same level of Once, but it was very good in its own way.  Although the characters and details of the story are different, the basic stories of the two films are the same.  Two people develop an incredible bond with the help of music that forces each of them to reevaluate and reassess their lives.  The performances are great, the music is great, the film is great.

8.  Birdman

(dir. by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)

I hate putting this film on my list, and it has nothing to do with the film itself.  It had no business winning Best Picture!  However, with that said, Birdman is very good in its own way.  It is such a strange and bizarre film to get the attention it got.  A movie star haunted (quite literally) by his career-defining role tries to reinvent himself through the theater.  It's a simple premise, but nothing about the execution is simple and conventional which is what makes this film endlessly interesting and engaging.  There are two things I love about this movie and one thing I hate.  First, I love the way it is shot.  Sure, there are several camera tricks involved, but it appears to be one continuous shot from start to finish of this movie.  We marvel at the brilliance of one continuous shot that will last 5 minutes or so in other films.  This is one continuous shot for a whole film!  Second, many of the actors seem to be playing slightly slanted (or dare I say ... almost sideways?) versions of themselves.  Michael Keaton plays a washed-out actor known for playing a superhero that is trying to resurrect his career.  Michael Keaton IS a washed-out actor known for playing a superhero that is trying to resurrect his career.  Edward Norton plays a neurotic method actor that everyone loves on stage but hates off stage.  Edward Norton IS a neurotic method actor that everyone loves on stage but hates off stage!!!  Add to that performances by Emma Stone and Naomi Watts that also don't stray too far from reality, and you have a cast playing with their own lives.  This could have been a lot higher on this list if it weren't for the ending.  I hated the ending.  The movie goes about 5 minutes too long.  Chop off that ending, and I would be a little more okay with this film winning Best Picture.  Never mind ... I will never be okay with this winning Best Picture.

7.  The Imitation Game

(dir. by Morten Tyldum)

This biopic is a story I feel has been told before.  In fact, there were two biopics (The Theory of Everything being the other) nominated for Best Picture this year that basically tell the same story.  This one just tells it a lot better.  The obvious comparison for these films about genius minds tortured from within is 2001's A Beautiful Mind, which is an all-time favorite of mine (RIP John and Alicia Nash).  Although The Imitation Game is nowhere near A Beautiful Mind, it is its own type of brilliance as the story plays out quite differently from its doppelganger.  Alan Turing is a genius mind obsessed with puzzles that is given the task of breaking the Nazi coding system during World War II.  With the help of his companions, played by the likes of Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode, he creates the first computer to do it.  All the time, he is haunted by the fact that he is homosexual, something that was illegal in England at the time.  I love watching brilliant minds solve puzzles.  It is one of the things that makes A Beautiful Mind so great.  However, what makes this film unique and special in its own way is Turing's "demon."  It is so different than any of the other similar films because of society's view of homosexuality then, society's view of homosexuality now, and ultimately, how the story is shaped by these perspectives.  It is a fascinating story that, much like John Nash, is one that needed to be told.

6.  The Lego Movie

(dir. by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller)

This movie was just plain fun.  Whoever came up with this idea is a genius.  From the very beginning, you realize this would be a movie unlike any other you have seen.  At no point does the LEGO-ness feel like a gimmick.  It stays fresh from start to finish in a way few films are able to accomplish.  All this can be said about many films, but what makes this one special is the ending.  The heart comes out at the end in a way changes your perspective on the whole film.  It gives this silly little LEGO movie meaning and purpose that puts it on par with the Toy Story franchise in how it can relate to multiple age groups on multiple levels.  To paraphrase it's Oscar nominated song, everything was awesome.

5.  Whiplash

(dir. by Damien Chazelle)

As a musician and a teacher, this film automatically appealed to me on a different level.  However, I was not fully prepared for the chaotic ride this film takes you on.  Miles Teller plays an ambitious young drummer looking to impress the dictatorial (emphasis on "dic(k)") band director played by J.K. Simmons.  Simmons's character seems to be never satisfied simply for the sake of never being satisfied.  His search for approval drives the young pupil to the brink of insanity.  Watching this train wreck spiral out of control is sad, frustrating, inspiring, exhausting, and absolutely enthralling.  This film also produced my favorite quote of the year.  "The two worst words in the English language are 'good job.'"

4.  American Sniper

(dir. by Clint Eastwood)

This was the last of the Best Picture nominees I needed to see to make this list, and I am so glad I waited for it.  Bradley Cooper plays real life Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in American military history.  This film basically becomes a sniper version of 2009's The Hurt Locker, as it tells of the troubled life of a successful military man in the middle of the most recent conflicts in the Middle East.  While Kathryn Bigelow's masterpiece focuses more on the exploits of the deployment, Clint Eastwood's masterpiece focuses much more on the struggle it is to come home.  Being a successful soldier does not necessarily translate to being a successful member of society.  Kyle's wife, played brilliantly by Sienna Miller, learns this fact the hard way as Chris struggles to turn off the instincts that make him such a great soldier.  What makes this so perfect is the subtlety it deals with the subject.  It addresses it without ever really talking about it.  Bradley Cooper gives the best performance of his already impressive career as he is becoming one of the best actors of his generation.

3.  Gone Girl

(dir. by David Fincher)

Some directors just know how to make a certain genre.  With Martin Scorsese, it is mobster drama.  With Quentin Tarantino, it is dialogue driven homage.  With David Fincher, it is crime drama.  From Se7en to The Game to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Fincher has shown time and time again that he is the master of this domain.  Gone Girl is the latest to enter his canon, and it belongs solidly on his list of masterpieces.  Ben Affleck plays a troubled and shady character who is trying not to become a suspect in his wife's disappearance and possible murder.  This really feels like several different films thrown into one, as you are not really sure what is going on until halfway through the film.  Rosamund Pike gives a performance that should finally make her a household name.  Supporting characters played by Neil Patrick Harris, Carrie Coon, and Tyler Perry (yes, that Tyler Perry) round out a truly perfect cast.  This film leaves you guessing from start to finish at what is really going on, and it never seems to be what is expected.  It truly is Fincher at his best.

2.  Selma

(dir. by Ava DuVernay)

What an important story this is to tell, and what an important time to tell it.  Selma tells the inspiring story of Martin Luther King, Jr. leading his peaceful, non-violent march from Selma, Alabama to the state capital of Montgomery.  Led by David Oyelowo as MLK, this film does the very difficult task of blurring the lines between dramatization and reality.  You forget at times that you are not watching this happen live instead of watching a movie made 50 years later.  This film stirred so many emotions for me.  First, the story itself is so inspiring.  To see a group of people mistreated so universally by those around them, and to see a reaction come from such a place of strength and bravery is one of the greatest tales of the human condition I have seen in some time.  However, it also forces me to look at our current culture now and the issues with discrimination that have emerged once again.  People on every side of the current argument could learn from a film like Selma.  It is illogical to hate someone on the basis of something someone can't choose, like skin color.  However, whether any action is spurned by race or not, the other main lesson that can be learned from Selma is the way you fight violence towards minorities is through the strength of non-violence that Dr. King showed on that bridge leaving Selma.  How badly this generation needs their own Martin Luther King, Jr....

1.  Boyhood

(dir. by Richard Linklater)

With the strength of all the films on this list, there was no question what the top film on this list would be.  I cannot remember a movie-going experience quite like seeing Richard Linklater's Boyhood.  That is exactly what seeing this movie is too: an experience.  This film tells the story of growing up over a 12 year period.  The movie was filmed in short episodes with one being shot every year for 12 years.  We truly see the characters grow up.  This could have easily become just a gimmick of the film, but it truly worked and told a story from start to finish.  The best part was the story was very subtle, much like growing up actually is.  This is a film everyone needs to see.  It is a landmark achievement in filmmaking that should go down in history with some of the all-time greats.  It tells the story of a generation because, honestly, it took that long to make it.  It is one of the best films to come out in some time and will set a standard for films moving forward.

7th Annual AlmostSideways Oscar Challenge

Predict who you think will win the Oscars in our website's 7th annual Oscar Challenge.  Follow the link below to make your picks.  The ceremony is tomorrow.  Today is your last chance to sign up!!!

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Year in Review: Top 10 Films of 2014

2014 was a lot like previous years in that there were an abundance of great films, but truly transcendent ones, not so much (only three 4-star movies). 2012 was absolutely the closest relative to 2014 in that way. The best films of the year were really great, but I still found myself hoping that they would be surpassed by some surprise films that came out of nowhere, but we can’t always be so lucky. In 2012, I had to wait until a mid March 2013 video release of a foreign film to find the best film of 2012 (Holy Motors). In 2011, it was all the way until June 2012 before I saw Margaret. It is frustrating that 95% of cities never get to see them on the big screen, but that is just the way of the industry.

Many of my most anticipated movies such as Child 44, Midnight Special, 99 Homes, the Cameron Crowe movie, and the Terrence Malick movies all got pushed back. While We’re Young, Trash, and Love & Mercy seemingly never surfaced. This just reminds us that even the most talented and successful indie directors do not always get the benefit of the doubt and get distribution, which is really unfortunate. I am sure that their eventual summer video release will give them a nice run on Netflix or wherever, but they are never going to get the audience and attention that they most likely deserve. Oh well… I digress.

I really did enjoy 2014, though. A little teaser: for the 2^nd time ever (and 1^st time in 62 years), a director has back-to-back #1 films of the year for me [Preston Sturges; Sullivan’s Travels (1941), The Palm Beach Story (1942)]. Without further ado, here are 2014’s best achievements in film:

Films seen: 99

Thumbs up percentage: 55.56%

Actor of the year: Mark Ruffalo (Begin Again, Infinitely Polar Bear, Foxcatcher, The Normal Heart)

Actress of the year: Julianne Moore (Non-Stop, Maps to the Stars, Still Alice, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1)

Best Actor: Miles Teller – Whiplash, Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler, Brendan Gleeson – Calvary, Macon Blair – Blue Ruin, Joaquin Phoenix – Inherent Vice

Best Actress: Emmanuelle Seigner – Venus in Fur, Kristen Wiig – The Skeleton Twins, Scarlett Johansson – Under the Skin, Lika Babluani – In Bloom, Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons – Whiplash, Edward Norton – Birdman, Robert Pattinson – The Rover, Ethan Hawke – Boyhood, Takamasa Ishihara – Unbroken

Best Supporting Actress: Uma Thurman – Nymphomaniac: Vol. 1, Patricia Arquette – Boyhood, Sienna Miller – American Sniper, Mireille Enos – Sabotage, Carrie Coon – Gone Girl

Best Original Screenplay: Birdman, Nightcrawler, Boyhood, In Bloom, Calvary

Best Adapted Screenplay: Whiplash, Gone Girl, Jersey Boys, Inherent Vice, We Are the Best!

Best ensemble casts: Birdman, Fury, Inherent Vice, Gone Girl, Boyhood
Most underrated film: Jersey Boys

Most overrated film: Interstellar

Biggest surprise: Chef

Biggest disappointment: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Best sequel: The Raid 2

Great indie films that no one saw: Blue Ruin, Cold in July, The Guest, In Bloom, Joe

Bottom five of the year (from bad to worst): That Awkward Moment, This Is Where I Leave You, Blended, Draft Day, Gambit

Most anticipated unseen films: Boulevard, Coming Home, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Goodbye to Language, Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, Life Itself, A Most Violent Year, Mr. Turner, Selma, Two Days, One Night, White Bird in a Blizzard, Wild, Winter Sleep

Others receiving votes: Calvary, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Gone Girl, The Raid 2, We Are the Best!

10. Foxcatcher (directed by Bennett Miller)

Kicking off the list is a movie that was among my most anticipated since I first saw the trailer in summer 2013. With every month that went by, my anticipation grew. Somehow, it met my expectations and exceeded them in some ways. The movie is the true story of Jon du Pont (Steve Carell), a millionaire who sponsors the Foxcatcher wrestling team for the Olympics in 1988. The union that he has with Mark Shultz (Channing Tatum) and mentor/brother David (Mark Ruffalo) becomes increasingly complicated and leads to tragedy. Director Bennett Miller has now made three films that were so in touch with their tone and real life characters that they have gotten high praise from all circuits. Watching Foxcatcher is not pleasant, but it is something that the audience will have a hard time forgetting. The performances will get under your skin, and the mood will leave you greatly unsettled and stunned. It is a special film and will only get better with age.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Original Screenplay (#5; Birdman), Best Ensemble Cast (#4; Birdman)

9. Big Bad Wolves (directed by Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado)

Thank you Mr. Tarantino for proclaiming that this was the best film he saw in 2013. Like many other movie buffs, when QT recommends something, I see it. I would likely have never come across this movie otherwise. It is a brutal and thrilling little film from Israel about a string of murders that cause a collision course with the father of the latest victim (Tzahi Grad), a vigilante cop (Lior Ashkenazi), and the main suspect in the case (Rotem Keinan). Much of the movie takes place in a basement with just these three characters trying to hash out exactly what is going on along with the audience. The movie is filled with twists and turns, none of which are too far-fetched or artificial. It is the best foreign crime drama of the year, a title that might not seem like much, but for someone who watches them constantly, that is a real achievement. Other than perhaps David Fincher, Hollywood does not have a director who consistently makes great crime dramas like this. They are all overseas.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Foreign Language Film (#2; In Bloom)

8. Snowpiercer (directed by Joon-ho Bong)

When Korean director Joon-ho Bong gets a movie made, I pay attention. Each of his last four films have wound up in or approaching my top 10, including my #1 film of 2005 (Memories of Murder). He is a master of suspense and complex characters. With Snowpiercer, we got his first effort in the English language, and not an ounce of his appeal or intensity was lost. The Snowpiercer is a train that represents the last of civilization. A climate experiment left most of the earth frozen over, so the speeding train is all that remains. What makes this different than any other runaway train film is the politics. A class system is developed on the Snowpiercer, and it becomes more and more evident that this is just a small representation of the current earth, just with a more extreme and small-scale scope. A couple Bong regulars (Kang-ho Song, Ah-sung Ko) have parts, but it is the work that Bong is able to get out of Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, among others that is really impressive. I hope that he can become the next Ang Lee and really take over the title of being the best Asian director in the world, but we will see. More people need to be exposed to this, The Host, Memories of Murder, Tokyo, and Mother for that to happen.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Cinematography (#4; Under the Skin), Best Sound Effects Editing (#3; The Raid 2)

7. The Guest (directed by Adam Wingard)

At first glance, this movie might not seem like much. As the movie begins, it doesn’t seem like much more. Maybe it really isn’t supposed to be. However, as the movie went along, violent scene after violent scene, twist after twist, I became hooked. The movie is about a soldier named David (Dan Stevens), who shows up at a family’s house claiming to be a friend from the military of their son who recently was killed in action. The more we see, the more clear that there is something sinister about David and his past. Bodies begin to pile up, as does the suspense. This is not a horror movie, although that description might imply that. The story is really in that Labor Day subgenre, but it has the panache of Nicolas Winging Refn and the visual style and queues of John Carpenter. It is absolutely a throwback, and I really had a hard time getting it out of my head. Pulling a movie like this off is really difficult since the audience really has to buy in and care enough to not write it off as unrealistic. It is fairly absurd, but then again, so was Breaking Bad. There are moments when the two are comparable. I could ramble on more, but just trust me. Find a way to see this. You will not regret it…I hope?

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Sound Mixing (#2; Whiplash), Best Editing (#5; Boyhood), Best Original Score (#1)

6. In Bloom (directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Groß)

It always seems like there is one obscure foreign film that I see every year that ends up on my top 10, and for 2014, it was absolutely In Bloom, a coming-of-age film from Georgia. It is the story of Eka (Lika Babluani) and Natia (Mariam Bokeria), two young girls who are constantly trying to break away from society and their overbearing family lives. It has a lot of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days in it, as well as the visual style of A Separation. Coming from a couple first time directors and starring two young actresses giving their film debuts, it is really an astonishing feat to make a film this passionate and polished. It portrays coming-of-age and sexual awakening with as much authenticity as possible. For films like this, one of the best compliments you can give is that it feels like a documentary, and that is absolutely true of In Bloom. There is not a false note in it, and it is one of the most rewarding experiences I had watching a film in 2014.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Actress – Lika Babluani (#4; Emmanuelle Seigner), Best Original Screenplay (#4; Birdman), Best Foreign Language Film (#1)

5. Nightcrawler (directed by Dan Gilroy)

Nightcrawler represents the biggest surprise hit of the year. Think about it: a movie called “Nightcrawler” being one of the undisputed best movies of the year. It’s crazy, but it’s true. Jake Gyllenhaal gives the performance of his life in the lead role as Louis Bloom, a criminal who stumbles upon his calling, which is being a freelance crime scene photographer. He combines his street smarts with his obsessive and psychotic attitude to become the class of the very defined subculture and constantly shocks the other characters and audience with his behavior. First-time director Dan Gilroy outdoes himself with Nightcrawler. It is the best representation of Los Angeles at night since Crash. The movie blends elements of Dexter, Chinatown, Taxi Driver, and Drive to pull out every thrill and thought-provoking aspect imaginable. Throughout the movie, the audience is just spellbound and hoping that it never takes a misstep. It doesn’t. It is a special movie and one that will define 2014 in time.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Picture (#5), Best Actor – Jake Gyllenhaal (#2; Miles Teller), Best Director (#5; Richard Linklater), Best Original Screenplay (#2; Birdman), Best Editing (#2; Boyhood)

4. Whiplash (directed by Damien Chazelle)

Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash might very well be the best movie of the year. More than any other in 2014, this movie I could not forget. It was stuck in my head for days after first viewing, and with another, I might just have to put it at the top of this list. Miles Teller plays Andrew, an aspiring drummer with all the talent and motivation in the world. J.K. Simmons is Fletcher, the tough-as-nails instructor who pushes his students to the point of breakdown in order to achieve his musical vision. Both actors are at the top of their game and give the two best performances of 2014. Chazelle’s direction is furious, and the editing is as relentless as any movie I have ever seen. The movie has the grit and visual fury of a Darren Aronofsky movie, particularly Black Swan. It gets under your skin and stays there. Teller makes us care about Andrew, even though he is not all that likable. Chazelle hits us over the head and leaves the audience with a feeling similar to the title, and it is hard to recover. It is the best Sundance winner since American Splendor in 2003.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Picture (#4), Best Actor – Miles Teller (#1), Best Supporting Actor – J.K. Simmons (#1), Best Director (#4; Richard Linklater), Best Adapted Screenplay (#1), Best Sound Mixing (#1), Best Editing (#4; Boyhood)

3. Jersey Boys (directed by Clint Eastwood)

Go ahead, roll your eyes. I am not even a fan of musicals in general, but something about this movie about the rise of The Four Seasons in the 1960s really got to me. Eastwood directs it with such flair and beauty that you would think that it was a Scorsese picture. It is a mob drama on top of a music biopic. The performances are all top notch, particularly stage performer John Lloyd Young as lead singer Frankie Valli and veteran Christopher Walken in his scene-stealing supporting role. The movie is simply the most entertaining couple hours of the year, which is saying quite a lot. The music is outstanding, but that is not limited to the actual music scenes. It is a soundtrack to die for. It has the token Eastwood winks to Hollywood and other media, and it ends the story correctly and fully, like all of his films. Nobody loved this movie as much as I did, but I stand by it. It is in the argument with Yankee Doodle Dandy, Sid & Nancy, and Control for the title of the greatest music biopic of all time and is easily the best Eastwood movie of 2014, despite what audiences (and Oscar/any voters) may think.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Picture (#3), Best Director (#3; Richard Linklater), Best Adapted Screenplay (#3; Whiplash), Best Cinematography (#5; Under the Skin), Best Art Direction (#4; The Grand Budapest Hotel)

2. Birdman (directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)

I really loved this movie. It was my prediction to win Best Picture back in March, and it is right there in the forefront of the Oscar race still. Upon hearing the premise, it was my most anticipated movie of the year. It sounded so bizarre and cool, but filmed by the most depressing director on the planet. It basically lived up to that as well as the hype. It is about a washed-up actor who once played a superhero and never got out of its typecasting. Riggan Thomson/Michael Keaton is that actor. He is trying to put on a stage play, while trying to balance family issues and conflicts with his costar Mike (Edward Norton). The movie is really funny, but it is also extremely dark and true. Few movies get the backstage life quite like this movie does. The actors are all up to the challenge of a film that is essentially one continuous shot, especially Norton, Keaton, and Emma Stone, all receiving nominations. There is something very Black Swan-ish in this movie as well. It blends the real with the surreal, making the audience really question exactly what they are seeing. Give the writers and editors credit here. To make this movie this way is a remarkable achievement. It burns in the memory. There is nothing like it.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Picture (#2), Best Supporting Actor – Edward Norton (#2; J.K. Simmons), Best Director (#2; Richard Linklater), Best Original Screenplay (#1), Best Cinematography (#3; Under the Skin), Best Makeup (#3; Under the Skin), Best Original Score (#4; The Guest), Best Ensemble Cast (#1)

1. Boyhood (directed by Richard Linklater)

Surprise, surprise. The best movie of the year is actually being hailed as such. Richard Linklater is officially a top five director working today. With his “Before” series, he won our hearts over and broke them, never straying from the flawless standard that he set. Here, he had a much larger leap of faith, not simply having nine years to go from film to film, but he had a short amount of time to shape his characters year by year, continuously filming for twelve. The end result is near impossible. It is the most rewarding movie-going experience I can remember. The movie centers on Mason (Ellar Coltrane), who ages on screen and before our eyes. Skipping ahead a year never seems out-of-place or forced. It is just the gradual progression of life, life looking back at a photo album and connecting the dots. The scenes we don’t see are vaguely explained, but for some reason we just know. Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, and Lorelei Linklater add to the astonishing and daring cast that really make us believe and feel what the characters do. It is hard to not see some of yourself in all of the characters. It is like watching a documentation of an actual family, but only seeing the highlights, the important parts of childhood and parenthood. I cannot fully express what this movie means to me in words, but I can say for certain that it is an experience that I have never had before, and while it is approaching three hours, it does not feel nearly that long, yet if feels like we have known the characters our whole lives. It is a near-flawless motion picture and clearly, almost without debate, the #1 movie of 2014.

 

Personal Nominations/Wins: Best Picture (#1), Best Supporting Actor – Ethan Hawke (#4; J.K. Simmons), Best Supporting Actress – Patricia Arquette (#2; Uma Thurman), Best Director (#1), Best Original Screenplay (#3; Birdman), Best Editing (#1), Best Ensemble Cast (#5; Birdman)

Thoughts? Your top 10? What are you surprised didn’t make my list? Let me know in the comments!

Reactions to the Oscar Nominations: 2015

So, the nominations are out, and there were some shockers, some pleasant surprises, and as usual, there was a lot of confusion. Gone Girl got all but ignored, Selma got a mild pat on the back after intense snubbing, and then there’s the little film that could in Whiplash. Check out the nominations below, along with how my predictions did and some thoughts on this year’s crop. Also, I will include my early prediction to help get you all ready for the Oscar Challenge!

BEST PICTURE
American Sniper

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Predicted: 7 for 8

Reactions: So in my top 10, I only missed Selma, which I had correctly getting snubbed everywhere else. It becomes the second movie under the new stupid rules to only get one additional nomination with its Best Picture nomination. The biggest shocker is Gone Girl getting the shaft, which will become a theme as this goes along. A Most Violent Year was also in my predictions, which is now the first movie since Quills in 2000 to win the National Board of Review and fail to get a Best Picture nomination (and the first since 1971 to not receive a single nomination).

Preliminary prediction: Boyhood

BEST DIRECTOR

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – Birdman

Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher

Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Morten Tyldum – The Imitation Game

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had the wrong British production taking the nom with James Marsh instead of Morten Tyldum. I also had David Fincher getting the previously clear nomination in instead of Bennett Miller, who is now seemingly the next Stephen Daldry with the Academy. Foxcatcher features the first loan director nomination since 2007. This is a fine group. Wes Anderson is such an auteur, and even though this is far from his best film, it is refreshing to see him recognized for his direction.

Preliminary prediction: Richard Linklater

BEST ACTOR

Steve Carell – Foxcatcher

Bradley Cooper – American Sniper

Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game

Michael Keaton – Birdman

Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Timothy Spall getting a surprise nomination and Jake Gyllenhaal getting in over Cooper and Carell. Carell was suffering from a bit of category fraud, so I assumed that he would get overlooked. It was a great performance nonetheless. Bradley Cooper is the new Golden Boy at the Oscars with his 3^rd straight nomination, only the 10^th actor to accomplish that. This should be Keaton’s Oscar to lose, but we will see with his speeches if he turns anyone off. It is just great to see him finally an Oscar nominee.

Preliminary prediction: Michael Keaton

BEST ACTRESS

Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night

Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore – Still Alice

Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon – Wild

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had Amy Adams in for Cotillard, which I don’t feel too bad about. This is, if I am not mistaken, the first Oscar nomination for a film by the Dardenne brothers. Cotillard is beloved, though. I love that they didn’t wind up snubbing one of the really deserving nominees. Felicity Jones is especially exciting to see here. Julianne Moore cannot be stopped, though. It is finally her time.

Preliminary prediction: Julianne Moore

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Robert Duvall – The Judge

Ethan Hawke – Boyhood

Edward Norton – Birdman

Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher

JK Simmons – Whiplash

Predicted: 5 for 5

Reactions: This was done when it started. We all knew and know what is going to happen here. Edward Norton finally breaks his nominationless streak!

Preliminary prediction: JK Simmons

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Laura Dern – Wild

Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game

Emma Stone – Birdman

Meryl Streep – Into the Woods

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Jessica Chastain and Tilda Swinton getting in over Knightley and surprise nominee Laura Dern. This is a strange group. I love that Meryl Streep keeps getting the inexplicable nominations. Patricia Arquette seems like a juggernaut at this point. Only maybe Emma Stone and her goofy popularity in the amazing Birdman can really have a shot at dethroning her.

Preliminary prediction: Patricia Arquette

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Birdman

Boyhood

Foxcatcher

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Nightcrawler

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had usually sure thing Mike Leigh and his film Mr. Turner in over Foxcatcher. It’s crazy because it seemed like Foxcatcher was just barely hanging on before the nominations, and now here we are with 4 major nominations. This race comes down to Birdman, Boyhood, and Budapest. They all killed in nominations and any of them can win.

Preliminary prediction: Birdman

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

American Sniper

The Imitation Game

Inherent Vice

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: Once again, Gone Girl gets ignored. I had American Sniper on 6^th. This is always a very sophisticated group of nominees, and then there’s Whiplash. I love that it really hit a home run with the members. This race is suddenly wide open with favorite Gone Girl missing out completely. I should have just listened to my own commentary all along…they don’t like you adapting your own material!

Preliminary prediction: American Sniper

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Birdman

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Ida

Mr. Turner

Unbroken

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had Interstellar in for Ida. This is such an interesting group of nominees. A movie like Ida, which isn’t exactly The White Ribbon, simply does not get mentioned in categories like this. Once again, this is incredibly refreshing. Unbroken would have been a tragic snub, but I honestly don’t know who our favorite it. The camera work in Birdman is the showiest, so I guess…

Preliminary prediction: Birdman

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Interstellar

Into the Woods

Mr. Turner

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: So this is the one where Birdman doesn’t get in…ok. I can handle Mr. Turner instead. I think this is about as close to correct as we can ask for.

Preliminary prediction: The Grand Budapest Hotel

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Inherent Vice

Into the Woods

Maleficent

Mr. Turner

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had Belle in for Maleficent, which I suppose I was just taking a stab at their love for that era of period pieces. We need a new frontrunner now…and I don’t know which one to choose. Inherent Vice! It is no shot, but man I loved those costumes…

Preliminary prediction: Into the Woods

BEST SOUND MIXING

American Sniper

Birdman

Interstellar

Unbroken

Whiplash

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Gone Girl and Into the Woods in for Interstellar and Unbroken. This Gone Girl snubbing really got out of hand by this point. This is a fairly standard group of nominees, and if there is justice, Whiplash would take it. However, I fear…

Preliminary prediction: Interstellar

BEST FILM EDITING

American Sniper

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Whiplash

Predicted: 2 for 5

Reactions: Ugh, I had Birdman, Gone Girl, and Nightcrawler in for all but Boyhood and Imitation. How exactly does Birdman miss out? Really, that is even more of a tough movie to put together and make it work than Boyhood. Wow. Anyway, this is a cool group anyway. This is where we find out that Whiplash really is a threat.

Preliminary prediction: American Sniper

BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING

American Sniper

Birdman

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Interstellar

Unbroken

Predicted: 1 for 5

Reactions: Ouch, I chose the wrong group of action movies here. I had Tranfsformers, Fury, Apes, and Lego Movie in for all but Interstellar. So what does that tell you? Don’t listen to my winner prediction either.

Preliminary prediction: Interstellar

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Guardians of the Galaxy

Interstellar

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Maleficent and Hobbit in for Apes and X-Men. This is a stacked category. Normally Interstellar would be the forgone conclusion, but I am not so sure this year.

Preliminary prediction: Guardians of the Galaxy

 

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Foxcatcher

Guardians of the Galaxy

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Predicted: 3 for 3

Reactions: Boom! My second aced category! Shh…don’t tell them is was the easiest one…

Preliminary prediction: Foxcatcher

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“Everything Is Awesome” – The Lego Movie

“Glory” – Selma

“Grateful” – Beyond the Lights

“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” – Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me

“Lost Stars” – Begin Again

Predicted: 2 for 5

Reactions: I only got the “Glory” and Glen Campbell right, missing the others in favor of songs from Big Eyes, Boyhood, and Unbroken. So, the Lonely Island guys are nominees. Everything really is awesome.

Preliminary prediction: “Glory”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Interstellar

Mr. Turner

The Theory of Everything

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I missed Mr. Turner in favor of…sigh…Gone Girl. The Theory of Everything is clearly the best score of the year, but that is not usually what wins. It is the catchy music, which is why Budapest takes it.

Preliminary prediction: The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Citizenfour

Finding Vivian Maier

Last Days in Vietnam

The Salt of the Earth

Virunga

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had The Case Against 8 and Citizen Koch in for Finding Vivian Maier and The Salt of the Earth. Not having seen any of these, I won’t even try to sound like I know what I’m talking about.

Preliminary prediction: The Salt of the Earth

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Ida

Leviathan

Tangerines

Timbuktu

Wild Tales

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had some movie called Accused in for Tangerines. Interesting. I have only seen Ida, which is good, but I somehow doubt that it really is going to win this.

Preliminary prediction: Wild Tales

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Big Hero 6

The Boxtrolls

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Song of the Sea

The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: No Lego Movie, oh ok. Wait a minute…what? Um…ok yeah sure Song of the Sea. We all saw that, right?

Preliminary prediction: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Overall predictions: 74/106; 69.81% (67.29% in 2014)

Without the last 5 categories: 57/81; 70.37% (69.51% in 2014)

On the Big 8 categories: 33/43; 76.74% (75.00% in 2014)

Hmm…so I actually did better this year? It must have just been the repeating nominees in the technical categories because I feel like I was really botching some of them. Nice…

10 COOLEST FIRST TIME NOMINEES

1. Emma Stone

2. The Lonely Island

3. Steve Carell

4. Common

5. Rosamund Pike

6. Felicity Jones

7. Eddie Redmayne

8. JK Simmons

9. Benedict Cumberbatch

10. Charlie Siskel (nephew of Gene)

10 WORST SNUBS

1. Gone Girl for Adapted Screenplay

2. Birdman for Editing

3. Miles Teller for Best Actor

4. The Lego Movie for Animated Feature

5. Clint Eastwood for Best Director – Jersey Boys ;-)

6. RoboCop for Visual Effects

7. Under the Skin for Cinematography

 

8. Tracks for Cinematography

9. Gone Girl for Original Score

10. The Rover for Best Makeup

Stay tuned for our 7^th Annual Oscar Challenge!