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The Young Folks’ Best Movies of 2014

TYF Staff

Best Films of 2014

The Young Folks team has come together to list the very best in entertainment and pop culture for the year 2014!

2014 was a wonderfully eclectic year in movies with few common threads aside from independent cinema making a tremendous mark on the year. Blockbusters didn’t make as much money but made up for it in creativity (Edge of Tomorrow, Guardians of the Galaxy and Godzilla all showcased particular visions). Foreign film has once again proven to be a force to be reckoned with (Mommy, Winter Sleep and Ida all ended up on “Best Of” lists this year). Animation ranged from the momentous to the intricately simple (compare The LEGO Movie and Song of the Sea). Video on Demand got titles such as Snowpiercer, musicals were fun, action films kicked butt, and comedy got to show off its performers. It was a great and fun year. Let us know what your favorite films of 2014 were in the comments.

[tps_title]Cristina Moreano’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

 

1. Wild Tales (Relatos Savajes)
2. Boyhood
3. Gone Girl
4. Guardians of the Galaxy
5. Nightcrawler
6. The Theory of Everything
7. The Grand Budapest Hotel
8. Frank
9. Chef
10. Locke

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[tps_title]Cat Gioino’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

  1. Interstellar

I mean, after McConaughey won that Oscar it’s like people started realizing he was better than just taking his shirt off or acting in commercials. Well, unless it’s Lincoln. He’s been driving that Lincoln before he won his Oscar. So uh… where were we again? Oh right, something about him being a good actor and taking his shirt off.

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  1. Gone Girl

Well Hitchcock’s been dead for a while, so who made this? Oh wait, the same twisted guy behind Se7en and House of Cards. So this is one of the reasons why I’ll be paranoid of a number of things – all while I’m still trying to slide onto my seat from the suspense the film gives off so easily.

  1. Calvary

Holy anything! Wow is this movie amazing. I’m Catholic and I still think this movie is amazing. I mean, it’s a priest trying to be nice while the audience just wants to kill everyone. BRB apologizing for saying kill.

  1. Nightcrawler

As if the title weren’t enough to persuade you to watch the movie, you need to go watch the movie because of Jake Gyllenhaal alone. You’re constantly asking yourself whether you would do this or if it’s so out of this world, yet your philosophical questions won’t save you from the wrath of…

wait for it…

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the Night Crawler.

  1. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Insert why Wes Anderson is quirky here. Insert why he’s a reason Bill Murray is loved by everyone. Insert Bill Murray here. Insert method acting and precise table settings here. Insert the Oscars for makeup and production design here.

  1. Birdman

It’s Michael Keaton playing Michael Keaton playing Michael Keaton. That’s motivational alone.

  1. The LEGO Movie

Why haven’t you seen this movie yet? Jump on the bandwagon already… or wait, maybe not. I mean, go watch the movie, but don’t jump on the bandwagon.

… unless that bandwagon is watching this movie, in which case you should.

  1. Boyhood

I can’t believe I had to sit through a twelve year movie. I started a girl there. I came out a woman. However, if not for the actual context of the film, watch it to see just how time passes. It’s watching home videos come to life in a story you can’t help but follow.

  1. Guardians of the Galaxy

It was such a top hit with everyone that you’d just feel left out if you haven’t seen it. Plus Groot. That is all.

  1.  Big Eyes

Like Rosalind Franklin, what do you do as a woman whose work was taken credit for by a man? And in this case, your husband? We’ll have to find out what Christoph Waltz is capable of in taking Amy Adams’ work in this film.


[tps_title]James Gilbert’s Top Ten Films of the Year:[/tps_title]

10. How to Train Your Dragon 2

9. Guardians of the Galaxy

8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

7. Interstellar

6. Birdman

5. Under the Skin

4. Whiplash

3. Gone Girl

2. Foxcatcher

1. Boyhood

[tps_title]Zenaida Gorbea’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

1) Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

2) Big Eyes

3) Water & Power

4) The Giver

5) Cesar Chavez

6) Nightcrawler

7) Boyhood

8) Purge: Anarchy

9) Lucy

10) Edge of Tomorrow

[tps_title]Luciana Villalba’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

 

  1. Interstellar – By far, my favorite movie this year. There hasn’t been a movie yet that impacted me so much as this one. I remember I left the theater thinking about fourth dimensions, space travel, wormholes, etc. I loved the approach Nolan took with it and made it more spiritual and human than any other space movie I’ve seen.
  2. Gone Girl – My man, Fincher. Look at all the yellow! One of the most thrilling movies I’ve seen this year, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Plus, I had never seen Rosamund Pike before, and after this movie, I am a fan.
  3. Guardians of the Galaxy – I did not expect this movie to make me laugh as much as it did. It was absolutely hilarious and the story was great, too. My love for Chris Pratt was strengthened after seeing this (love you boo).
  4. Snowpiercer – When I heard people say that this movie was good I didn’t believe them. I had to wait until I checked it out on Netflix to realize that this was an action movie but had a great story and acting. Recommend it to everyone.
  5. Still Alice – Having a family member with Alzheimer’s Disease is already painful; imagine seeing someone else portraying that on the screen. Needless to say, it’s a beautiful and powerful story, with a great performance by Julianne Moore. Calling it now that she takes Best Actress at the Oscars.
  6. The LEGO Movie – How to describe this movie in three words? Everything is awesome!
  7. The Maze Runner – Probably one of the best YA movie adaptations in a while. As a huge fan of this book series, I was very happy with the cast and the movie. Can’t wait for Scorch Trials!
  8. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 – Nothing really happened, but got me real excited about Part 2.
  9. Divergent – I gave in and finally watched it. I was pleasantly surprised. Not amazingly ohmygodbestmovieever, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
  10. Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Probably my favorite Marvel movie film that wasn’t The Avengers, right before Guardians came around.

[tps_title]Allyson Johnson’s Top Ten Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

I could have easily created a top 20 list but alas.

  1. The Immigrant: The film is beautiful to look at. The cinematography is lush and warmly shot with the locations feeling authentic and lived-in. The story about the evolution of morals, true sacrifice and damaged love is enticing in its apparent simplicity before it rips the rug out from under you in the last ten minutes. James Gray’s film about a Polish immigrant trying to help her sister through any means necessary went through distribution hell, which is a shame. It’s classic without being hackneyed and draws forth emotional responses due to performers who give it their all.
  1. The Skeleton Twins: There are plenty of people who didn’t like this film, and I’d agree that there are some obvious missteps and weak spots, but, sometimes all a film needs is one or two scenes that hook you, and this Kristin Wiig and Bill Hader film had them. The scene where they lip sync to “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” broke my face with the smile it plastered on me and their moment in the bar during Halloween was one of the more genuinely affecting scenes of 2014. This film showcased a breakthrough performance with Hader and offered up a wonderful Luke Wilson. The film’s focus on utilizing laughter and humor even in the darker moments of life was wonderfully delivered.
  1. Pride: There’s nothing wrong with “feel good” movies. Pride has one of the most impressively stacked casts of 2014 with standouts in Imelda Staunton, Bill Nighy, Andrew Scott and newcomer/chameleon Ben Schnetzer. The soundtrack was as infectious as the films characters, the storyline allowed emotional highs and lows for all its actors without it ever feeling scatterbrained or incoherent, and it was one of the few stories this year that truly earned its underdog stature. It’s a story about fighting for what’s right, offering a hand to those who need it and showing solidarity in times of strife.
  1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Everyone is talking about Guardians of the Galaxy as being a “turning point” for the Marvel universe, and while I loved that film I’d argue that It was The Winter Soldier that truly set the stage for the shift. Effortlessly bridging genres such as action-adventure and political thriller, the film was the one film this year that had me on the edge of my seat in excitement and anticipation. I left this film with a smile and an immediate want to see it again… and again. There’s some incredible fight choreography, a great trio of performers in Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie and Scarlett Johansson, an epically scaled score by Henry Jackman and a plot that has drastically changed the Marvel universe from hereon forward. It’s a great film and one that should be mentioned more as the year ends.
  1. Starred Up: There is no performance this year like Jack O’Connell’s in the British prison drama Starred Up. Playing a caged animal more than a violent young man, O’Connell plays this damaged character as all kinetic and wound up energy, constantly putting on a show, hiding a wounded young boy behind it. The movie dances with the ideas of manhood, father and son relationships and the bonds you make when all you need is a hint of affection.
  1. Calvary: This film ran me through an emotional gauntlet. It set a story with a ferocious and furious fire at the pit amidst a deceptively tranquil setting. It’s a classically rendered story; it’s a film about the virtuous versus evil, a good priest trying to tame and heal his wounded and embittered peers. It’s a story that’s about the loss of innocence, the confidence one has in their faith and what happens when a man seeks vengeance on an honest man because some bad ones abused him. Brendan Gleeson leads an impressive ensemble as the good natured but angry priest with supporting standouts in Kelly Reilly and Chris O’Dowd. This is a film that lingers.
  1. Obvious Child: In a year stuffed with movies about men, directed by men and written by men, Obvious Child was automatically going to appeal to me as an advocate of female representation. Loving the film for everything else that made it up was simply an added bonus. The script is whip smart, Jenny Slate and Jake Lacy deliver charming and wholly formed performances, and the film manages the balancing act of being outrageously funny while simultaneously containing a lot of heart. It’s what romantic comedies should all strive to be.
  1. Birdman: This is easily my most exciting film of the year because of how it turns the cinematic world on its head. Cinema progresses with time: obvious, I know, yet people are reluctant to accept growth. The cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki and decision to cut the film to make it look like one long take by director Alejandro Iñárritu pushes the confines of what we’ve seen so far. It also allows for some electric performances by a cast that all seem thrilled to be a part of the film.
  1. The Grand Budapest Hotel: When I love a movie by Wes Anderson, it’s when he manages to combine his particular stylistic sensibilities along with a story that’s resonant with its viewers. (I’m sure many fans of his will argue that all of his films do this.) His latest, The Grand Budapest Hotel, works so well because we get the greatest turn out of both of those aspects of his filmmaking in one film, not once resting too heavily on sentimentality or style. It is a fluid and immensely enjoyable film with some fine performances, particularly from Ralph Fiennes who perfectly captures the essence of a man out of time. The film dabbles in a handful of genres from comedy, romance and action, but the thread of melancholy that persists throughout is what makes the heart’s pulse so thoroughly felt. It’s a film that loves its story and its characters and presents itself as if it were a pop-up picture book for all of us excited viewers to flip through. Also worth noting: the score and cinematography are both top-notch.
  1. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya: When a movie is really, truly great it can leave you flabbergasted, a mess of emotions. Kaguya, directed by the mastermind Isao Takahata, stunned me into silence. I’ve written about the film and even still can’t truly wrap my thoughts into comprehensive words about how this movie simply made me feel. It’s a stunning, evocative piece of art (in its truest form) that uses the language of animation and color to reinforce emotional responses. It’s a tale about a girl who wanted to feel the love of earth and how the misdoings of parents, the want and need for wealth and finery, and self-preservation can all transcend their normal boxes. The score by Joe Hisaishi, the meticulously hand-drawn artwork, the passionate voice acting and the devastating narrative are all done with a master’s hand and a master’s eye. The movie and its makers understand the finely sewn emotions of the heart and aren’t afraid to leave you feeling hollow because of them. It’s a powerful accomplishment in film this year and along with Budapest, one of two masterpieces.

Honorable Mentions (that I HATED omitting): We Are the Best!, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Boyhood, Only Lovers Left Alive, The Double, Guardians of the Galaxy, Whiplash, and Like Father, Like Son.

[tps_title]Gabrielle Bondi’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

  1. Boyhood – Yup, this movie still reigns as my favorite film from 2014. It’s not just that it took 12 years to make. It’s just a great film that captures those key moments in life, big and small. It’s one of the most intimate “epics” I’ve ever seen.
  2. Gone Girl – Goddamn, Amazing Amy. Fincher brings to life an unforgettably sinister character with Gone Girl. Rosamund Pike is a revelation.
  3. Obvious Child – This movie is one of the best films about women… ever. A sweet romantic comedy that is filled with authenticity and real situations. Thank you, Jenny Slate and Gillian Robespierre, for giving young women a film that we can actually relate to.
  4. The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson does it again with his trademark filmmaking and insanely talented cast.
  5. Birdman – All bow down to Alejandro González Iñárritu. He managed to do everything, all at once, in such a stunning and spectacular fashion.
  6. Interstellar – Christopher Nolan blew my mind with this ambitious and spiritual space thriller.
  7. Still Alice – Julianne Moore gives a heartbreaking performance in this small, but powerful film. I wasn’t expecting it to stay with me like it did.
  8. Snowpiercer – One of the best dystopian thrillers to come out in years, Snowpiercer is audacious and thought-provoking.
  9. The Imitation Game – A moving film with great performances, especially from Benedict Cumberbatch.
  10. Guardians of the Galaxy – The most fun I’ve had at a movie all year.

Honorable Mentions: Pride, The Guest, Whiplash, and Life Itself

[tps_title]Evan Griffin’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

  1. Godzilla

By this point people know I’ve been watching Gareth Edward’s Godzilla with rose-tinted glasses, but I also like to think that it is the best representation of what kind of films Godzilla can star in through this 21st century, and its results are so much sweeter when you’re more patient with a film like this. The tone they went for was through close, human stories to keep scale in perspective in as many shots as possible, and to tease the beasts in the right place and time, in the same way Ridley Scott’s Alien and Spielberg’s Jaws once did. It may not have been the right movie for everybody, but it certainly was for Godzilla fans.

  1. Snowpiercer

This international blockbuster starring Chris Evans is kind of a big deal. See, the Weinstein Company was going to distribute this “Max Max on Ice” action thriller into United States theaters, prepared to cut 20 whole minutes from the film. South Korean director, Joon-ho Bong, wouldn’t have any of that, so Snowpiercer saw a limited theatrical release, but was also released in Video On Demand format the same day as theaters. As we enter 2015, we may begin to see such releases more and more, where your home is the place for viewing the grand, eventful films of the future. Snowpiercer is fun, yes, and even surprisingly deep, but what it stands for as an international film in addition to that makes it such a significant part of 2014.

  1. Interstellar

Christopher Nolan, while his films have their faulty moments, is lauded for his slick style, home-brewed scripts and his unwavering love for the tradition of film, and he put all of these into his efforts for Interstellar. Its the first film to not only make me completely enthralled by a character played by The McConaughey, but to also wrangle with portraying the concept of time and wormholes as they exist in our observable universe beyond the planet earth, in a way that is digestible for a broad audience. It’s all at once imaginative and terrifying, while attempting to portray real scenarios calculated by NASA over the years, and sharing Nolan’s love of Stanley Kubrick’s prestigious space odyssey.

  1. Edge of Tomorrow

I would never have expected a month-of-June blockbuster starring Tom Cruise based on a Japanese light-novel, and made by a massive American studio, to turn out well… but this science fiction twist on Groundhog Day hits all the right beats at the right time, and changes up its own sequence of things before each set of repeating becomes too much. It begins with the smarmy a-hole that Tom Cruise usually plays in films, and makes him evolve into a heroic jokester by the finale, and Emily Blunt playing the most kick-ass, sword-wielding mech-warrior in all of 2014.

  1. Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno

Now that we’re well beyond the time that film adaptations of American comics can be taken seriously both by studios and audiences, it seems that Japan is finally getting around to doing the same with some of their most successfully published manga stories. Not only is Ruroni Kenshin a beautifully created, post-Edo Period bit of exciting samurai-action-fantasy, but it also has wonderfully dynamic characters throughout it. Its not only unique that Warner Bros. of Japan was able to produce a universally enjoyable, international blockbuster based on an anime, but made this year’s sequels, Kyoto Inferno and The Legend Ends, arguably even better than the first. I advise anyone looking for high quality action to give these films a chance.

  1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

As we enter 2015, something will have changed that I never actually dreamed of: people are beginning to love Captain America as a character as much as I have for years. That’s because the Russo Brothers’ incredibly executed spy thriller for the greatest man out of time portrays his greatest qualities that comic fans have known for so long: he believes in a type of freedom that we’ve nearly surrendered in the 21st century, he’s a brilliant tactician, and he can kick high quality ass with the likes of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee in a fluid, terrifying dance of a fighting style.

  1. Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel proved they aren’t afraid to try something different. A movie that promised to be something original akin to the original Star Wars, two unproven co-stars made completely from CGI, and a soundtrack filled with music from the ’70s? Nobody expected that the worrisome attributes of Guardians of the Galaxy would be its greatest triumphs. It feels adventurous, it’s genuinely funny, and with planet and species names being thrown about a vibrant color pallet, the film is kept gravitated home by Peter Quill’s nostalgic needs for his mom’s old music, and well written stories for killer aliens and CG creations like Rocket and Groot. Additionally, it sets up a whole new roster of potential stories and even grander villains for Marvel to take on in the coming years.

  1. Boyhood

As if Richard Linklater didn’t already create something special with his films Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight, he took on a 12 year project, with the same cast and crew throughout, to chronicle the life of a boy growing into a young man (Ellar Coltrane). While the story isn’t what drives the film, the passage of time, and the slow and steady growth of characters does, and with a generation of filmgoers primed for nostalgia of the last decade, Boyhood hits all the right notes.

  1. Locke

Tom Hardy stars in yet another role that proves his ability as a committed, classic actor in playing Ivan Locke, a Welsh construction manager and family man whose life as he knows it unravels around him in a single night while driving from Birmingham to London, all through beautifully performed dialogue via cell phone, written and directed by Steven Knight (Eastern Promises). A bottle room drama inside the cabin of a moving car in the dark of night, it couldn’t be any more surprising, and unbelievably compelling.

  1. Birdman

A captivating comeback for Michael Keaton, several stellar performances, and an Oscar- worthy response to the hyped up superhero genre, and all the while it successfully blends what makes film and theater so unique to themselves with incredible, long, beautifully crafted and performed shots throughout by director Alejandro González Iñárritu; shots that are so long that it can’t be denied its portrayal of the power of theater in continuous staging and performances on a stage.

Yet to be seen 2014 films that may have ended up on this list:

Unbroken, Frank, Foxcatcher, Nightcrawler, Whiplash, The Imitation Game, Calvary, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Gone Girl, John Wick, Under the Skin, Life Itself.

[tps_title]Jenna Johnson’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]


1. Guardians of the Galaxy

2. Boyhood

3. Jamesy Boy

4. Gone Girl

5. The Fault in Our Stars

6. Fury

7. Obvious Child

8. Happy Christmas

9. Unbroken

10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

[tps_title]Matt Rice’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]


1.       Under the Skin (Jonathan Glazer)

2.      Boyhood (Richard Linklater)

3.      Ida (Paweł Pawlikowski)

4.      Norte, the End of History (Dav Diaz)

5.      The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson)

6.      Stranger by the Lake (Alain Guiraudie)

7.      The Babadook (Jennifer Kent)

8.      Child’s Pose (Calin Peter Netzer)

9.      We Are the Best! (Lukas Moodysson)

10.    Only Lovers Left Alive (Jim Jarmusch)

Honorable mention:  Snowpiercer (Bong Joon-ho)

[tps_title]Tyler Stevens’ Top 10 Films of 2014:[/tps_title]

  1. Boyhood
  2. Selma
  3. Starred Up
  4. Nightcrawler
  5. Comet
  6. The Imitation Game
  7. Citizenfour
  8. Gone Girl
  9. Foxcatcher
  10. Wild

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Two Days, One Night, A Most Violent Year, A Most Wanted Man, Frank, Life Itself

[tps_title]Melissa Berne’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]


Disclaimer: I haven’t seen The Imitation Game, Selma, St. Vincent, A Most Violent Year, Whiplash, How To Train Your Dragon 2, Big Eyes, The Boxtrolls, The Judge or Inherent Vice yet.

1. Gone Girl
I don’t have enough words. The cinematography. The music. The acting. All were brilliant! Rosamund Pike is a revelation and I can’t wait to see what she does next. Whether people liked it or not, it spawned so many think pieces and everyone couldn’t stop talking about it. For me, it’s an entertaining film containing smart and funny satire and this year’s best casted film.

2. Obvious Child
I saw it twice in one week! Jenny Slate needs to be everywhere.

3. Interstellar
This movie got my neurons firing! And I loved it.

4. 22 Jump Street
I laughed my ass off!!

5. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
THG continues to show off its sophistication amongst other YA movies with this 3rd movie. Although not as good as Catching Fire, they pulled off a good, substantial film.

6. Divergent
Because THEO JAMES.

7. The LEGO Movie
I loved the creativity and I was impressed with the animation. It entertained me and I’m not a LEGO fangirl.

8. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
An improvement from the first; Andrew and Emma are really great in their parts.

9. The Theory of Everything
Because Felicity Jones. Everyone has a hard-on for Eddie, but I was really impressed with how Felicity can show her determination with no words.

10. Wild
On one hand it made me feel inspired to go on a long ass hike, too. On the other hand, I’m like HELL NO. Regardless, I liked the storytelling.

[tps_title]Paul Gilbert’s Top 10 Films of 2014:[/tps_title]


1. Belle

Racial politics meet Pride and Prejudice. Gugu Mbatha-Raw gives a terrific performance as one of the best humanist and feminist icons in recent cinematic history. It stands tall with last year’s 12 Years a Slave, and perhaps a little taller.

2. The Babadook

You can’t get ride of the Babadook. Nope. No you can’t.

3. Birdman

One hell of a cinematic experience. Features hauntingly fractured performances by Michael Keaton and Emma Stone. Also, the soundtrack is the best of the year.

4. Ida

The mise-en-scene of Michelangelo Antonioni and the stillness of Andrei Tarkovsky. Ida is a beautiful cinematic meditation on religion and heritage.

5. Trip to Italy

Actors/comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon have not lost a step since their culinary adventures in 2010.

6. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson and Ralph Fiennes on top of their games.

7. Wild

Reese Witherspoon takes us on a trek to find the best of ourselves.

8. Guardians of the Galaxy

Yes, it is better than Star Wars.

9. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Ape vs. Man, Man vs. Man, and Ape vs. Ape.

10. The Theory of Everything

Hard to ignore Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones’ performances.

[tps_title] Yasmin Kleinbart’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

  1. Birdman
  2. Whiplash
  3. Obvious Child
  4. The Grand Budapest Hotel
  5. Nightcrawler
  6. Snowpiercer
  7. Boyhood
  8. Gone Girl
  9. Guardians of the Galaxy
  10. The Babadook

[tps_title]August King’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

10. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

9. The LEGO Movie

8. Under the Skin

7. The Babadook

6. Edge of Tomorrow

5. Los Angeles Plays Itself

4. The Grand Budapest Hotel

3. Boyhood

2. Gone Girl

1. Nightcrawler

[tps_title] Jon Espino’s Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

10) Captain America: The Winter Soldier / Guardians of the Galaxy – It was a great year for comic book based films, from X-Men: Days of Future Past to Snowpiercer. The two standouts this year come from Marvel and each are amazing, but for distinctly different reasons. Winter Soldier breaks all the stereotypes by creating a suspenseful, near-political thriller in a universe where super-powered heroes and villains run rampant. Guardians, on the other hand, plays into the bombastic nature of comic books, hitting every sweet note (with a rocket launcher).

9) The Babadook – The best horror film I’ve seen in years. This films captures us in the page of its story book and doesn’t let us go until we’ve faced all of our demons. The great use of narrative, suspense and true, not cheap scares, make it a great addition to any fan of the horror genre that is tired of gore-filled films.

8) Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson creates another flawless adaptation of a fantastic novel, this time one written by Thomas Pynchon. With a star-studded cast and a completely accurate/eccentric narrative, you’ll become immersed in this world, even if you don’t quite understand what is going on.

7) Selma – This film was full of nothing but powerful performances, but the greatest part of it was just how much the message of the struggle for equality still resonates and echoes with current events.

6) Ida – This film was gorgeously shot in black and white and deals with a heartbreaking time in world history. The performances are sensitive, thoughtful and tragic all at the same time.

5) Force Majeure – There is a fantastic discomfort that comes with watching this film. It questions the nature of a relationship and familial roles after a near death accident makes them realize they are not both on the same page. The best way to describe it is as a train wreck happening in a beautiful mountain landscape. You don’t want to watch, but there is no way you could ever turn away.

4) Under the Skin – Love it or hate it, this film is gorgeous. All the beautiful imagery, both natural (Earth) and extraterrestrial (alien), is enough to complete engross you. Scarlett Johansson’s performance adds another layer of depth to this already deep look into humanity with her eerie and haunting performance.

3) Boyhood – This film took a huge risk by keeping the same cast for 12 years and creating a film as they age in real time with the film. The risk paid off. The time span of this film alone is enough to propel it to the top of any “best of 2014” list. The story is also very good, but watching every character age before your eyes is just an inexplicable feeling.

2) The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson outdoes himself in this film by providing his signature intoxicating visual style but with a darker story. Every shot is framed to perfection, every character is expertly developed, and every cameo will fill you with joy.

1) Birdman – This film is a tour de force. It combines great technical aspects (like filming and editing everything together to make it seem like a single take), powerful performances from the entire cast (but most notably Keaton and Norton), and an engaging and successfully ambitious tiered story. There is also a little added bonus that Keaton and the film’s main character’s lives mirror each other.

Honorable Mentions: Snowpiercer, Nightcrawler, Winter’s Sleep, Whiplash, Life Itself, and A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night.

[tps_title]Alejandra Torres’ Top 10 Movies of 2014:[/tps_title]

  1.      The Theory of Everything

Everything about this film is lovely. The story, the music, the direction, the use of montages to relate certain periods of Stephen Hawking’s life, but most of all the performances, specifically, Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Stephen Hawking. His performance is so true that even Stephen Hawking himself said that he felt as if he were watching himself on screen. This film is so full of life, and director James Marsh, in conjunction with his stars, is able to capture the smallest moments and turn them into something more. There are small instances where the focus is solely on Eddie’s hands as he attempts to write out a problem on the board, or on his feet dragging as he walks toward a classroom, or on his eyes smiling at you, and speaking what he cannot say. It’s not just Eddie acting, it’s his body, and Marsh’s direction is awe-inspiring as he chooses to focus in on these small, but significant moments that will make you feel everything.

  1.      The Imitation Game

This film tells the story of Alan Turing, and his part in trying to crack Nazi Germany’s Enigma Code that helped win World War II. I was utterly captivated the entire film. Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance is spectacular. He makes you sympathize with a character that is constantly repelling those around him. The time jumps are also a great technique that keeps the story moving, keeps you learning about Turing’s past, present, and future.

  1.      Unbroken

Angelina Jolie’s second directorial feature tells the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini, the U.S Olympian, who ran in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, who served as a bombardier during World War II, who survived on a mere raft for 47 days out on sea after his plane crashed, and who survived several POW camps. This man lived so many lives in just one lifetime, and at times, especially in the second half of the movie, it is evident just how tiring and draining his life was, particularly during his time at the camps. The first half is nearly perfect. The juxtaposition in the shots is almost like a twisted romance. One scene, for instance, shows a beautiful, clear sunset serving as the backdrop for dozens of bomber planes. Also, the use of flashbacks in conjunction with the present time scenes keeps us on edge, showing us the origins of Louis, and how he became the man  who is able to survive every obstacle that is put in his way. As for the second half, although draining, Jack O’ Connell’s performance is so powerful, so raw that you don’t want to stop watching. Like Louis’ extraordinary knack for picking up fuel at the end of a race, so too does Jack O’ Connell carry you to the end of the film.

  1.      Interstellar

Visually, this movie was spectacular. Christopher Nolan literally showed us a possible future for this world as well as other worlds outside our own galaxy. He did it all while also showing a more intimate side of himself, a more intimate side of humanity.

  1.   Gone Girl

Like the novel, David Fincher’s adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is shocking in every scene, twisted in every performance. With each revelation, you feel sick, but also can’t help but feel awe at this antagonist that we don’t often see in films.

  1.   The Fault in Our Stars

In 2012, John Green captured our hearts and made us feel the feels like never before with his unorthodox, but timeless romance of two love-struck teenagers, who are not only fighting for love, but for their lives. In a year where several YA adaptations that are set in a dystopian society were made, from Divergent to The Maze Runner and to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, this particular adaptation was a breath of fresh air. Instead of being set in a world where kids are literally fighting heads of governments, or factions, this tale is set in a very real world where kids still talk about their favorite books and video games, where teenagers stay up late hoping for that special someone to text them back, and most importantly, where the youth of society is painfully aware of the inevitability of human oblivion, of their oblivion.

  1.   Guardians of the Galaxy

This movie was such a happy surprise. Where Marvel’s squad of misfits lack in the usual qualities you’d find in your everyday superheroes, they make up for it in heart. The chemistry between these unlikely superheroes also contributes to the success of the film. Finally, Chris Pratt as Star Lord and Baby Groot dancing in the end are the best. That is all.

  1.   Belle

Belle was beautiful. Her story is a special one, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw has raw and captivating talent that you just want to keep watching.

  1.   The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

Although I’m a bigger fan of the second installment, this film was also great. The imminent war is palpable, so the action is that much greater. Also, that one scene where Jennifer Lawrence sings convinced me that it belonged on my Top 10 list.

  1.  X-Men: Days of Future Past

This sequel to the first prequel was just as good. It’s always fun to see this cast get together, and creating magic.

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