Tyler’s Top 5:

5. The LEGO Movie – Lord and Miller become the true auteurs of kinetic, hilarious, endlessly re-watchable entertainment with this film that transcends its status as a feature-length commercial with great characters, heart, story, and wit.

4. Palo Alto – Gia Coppola’s little-seen, mood-driven, beautifully shot indie is a wonderful adaptation of James Franco’s collection of short stories, complete with a hypnotizing soundtrack, amazing cinematography, and a breakout performance from Nat Wolff.

3. Snowpiercer – This visually arresting, creative, ambitious science-fiction epic combines a great cast with exhilarating direction to create a breathless, strange, action-packed tale of futuristic class warfare.

2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Not only the best blockbuster since The Dark Knight, but also the best science-fiction film since Children of Men. A Shakespearean tragedy with grand themes and rich characters, this is a remarkably tense, brilliantly directed step-up in the epic reboot franchise.

1. Boyhood – Richard Linklater’s magnum opus is also the masterpiece of the 21st century. A nostalgic, heartfelt, brilliant time capsule of childhood filled with amazing performances, writing, and direction. A true, awe-inspiring cinematic achievement and one of the best films I’ve ever seen.