We have officially reached the end of the year. It is time to uncover the best films of the year. The following is a rundown of the Top 50 films that I saw in 2014 (for films that I missed, check this list). From animated films to very surreal foreign films, it was a great year that is deserving of some recognition. These are the films that strove for something different whether artistic or thematic. Enjoy as I count down personal favorites and give some opinions on why they matter. Don't be afraid to share your thoughts on the films as well as your own list.
41. Only Lovers Left Alive (dir. Jim Jarmusch)
On the surface, the film is a very boring vampire hipster movie. However, dive in deeper and it becomes a study of something greater. Taking place in Detroit, the story follows two vampires as they age and become irrelevant. The scenery around them is decaying and the appreciation for art is going along with them. It is crucial that the film takes place in the city that went bankrupt this year, as it provides a haunting decay and subversion of art. It also manages to create something wholly unique and exciting in a blood-sucking genre that has been sucked dry for quite awhile now. It's a slow burn, but an effective one at that.
42. Night Moves (dir. Kelly Reichardt)
The follow-up to meditative western Meek's Cutoff sees Kelly Reichardt tackling the pros and cons of environmental activists. While the film isn't a necessarily exciting story that moves from scene to scene, it does manage to create atmosphere better than any other film on here. It manages to create a chilly, ethereal experience that cuts to a deeper interior conflict of its protagonists. It is beautiful and well shot with Jesse Eisenberg proving yet again that he is more than a shtick actor. It may not keep you enthralled, but it sure is a worthwhile look into what "pure cinema" actually looks like.
43. The Raid 2 (dir. Gareth Evans)
This movie is for psychopaths. After The Raid came out and revolutionized how action movies were made, Gareth Evans came back with something bolder and crazier. It may not be successful from a plot perspective, but it does lead to some awe-inspiring fight sequences that are brutal but also more memorable than any other action movie out there. The film's final 30 minutes alone are some of the most intense moments this year. Still, the film's magnum opus of a moment comes in a mind blowing car chase that is worthy of being watched and dissected for years to come. It may be more uneven than the first, but its ambitions make it something unique and powerful.
44. Joe (dir. David Gordon Green)
Adding to the contemporary Southern Gothic genre of cinema is Joe. It is a film that not only keeps Tye Sherdian's resume looking impressive, but also brings out one of Nicholas Cages' most compelling and interesting performances in years. It also shows David Gordon Green's resurgence to quality character studies is getting underway in great and exciting ways. Full of humor and peril, it is a surrogate father relationship that manages to become heartbreaking in the final act. It may not be entirely as successful as Green's early work like Snow Angels, but it definitely shows why he is a master of capturing the midwest better than most directors not named Alexander Payne.
45. Noah (dir. Darren Aronofsky)
It has been awhile since there has been a successful biblical epic. Ridley Scott tried with Exodus: Gods and Kings, but failed miserably. While it is an uneven mess at times, Noah is a breathtaking and ambitious look into the bible that tries to mix religion with a more secular viewpoint. The story is just as much about the faults of man as it is about the specifics of the story. Russell Crowe delivers a decent performance and manages to bring the story to life in striking and interesting ways. However, the film's biggest success is in the montages, which manages to convey complicated evolution subjects in ways that show how insightful this film could have been if it was more focused.
46. Venus in Fur (dir. Roman Polanski)
While the days of Roman Polanski being a crazy influential artist are likely behind him, it doesn't mean that he can't revolutionize the stage performance. In this two character play taking place predominantly in a theater, he explores a lot of complicated gender dynamics. Where an actress comes into the theater to audition for a role, she ends up controlling the director while going in and out of character, often in very slight ways. It may not be always an engaging film, but the film manages to successfully challenge a lot of notions held by society that may also tie into Polanski's unfortunate past. It is a hefty film and one that needs to be closely watched to enjoy, but it shows that Polanski can make the art of conversation into something more.
47. A Field in England (dir. Ben Wheatley)
If you like your cinema experimental and doesn't make a whole lot of sense, then you might want to give this one a shot. It is a trippy look into a few actors hanging out after a war in, you guessed it, a field in England. With a great soundtrack and a lot of sporadic visuals, it is a film that is more appreciative of what it tries to do than any actual story. It isn't entirely successful, but it does reflect what art house cinema could be with a director whose legacy has always been about keeping the audience guessing.
48. It Felt Like Love (dir. Eliza Hittman)
There is so much unassuming joys of watching this directorial debut. While it occasionally comes across as a crasser version of Palo Alto, it actually has a lot cheaper charm worn on its sleeve. With a woman coming of age and finding her sexuality, it is a film that tackles the subjects with a raw realism and honesty that isn't present in a lot of cinema. There's plenty to take out of the performances and reflects a nice subdued portrait of being a young woman nowadays.
49. Blind (dir. Eskil Vogt)
From the writer of Oslo August 31st comes his directorial debut, which is just as complicated and challenging as that film. The Norwegian film follows parallel lives of a woman who has gone blind with a man who has porn addiction. The results are some of the most compelling and existential looks into connecting with people despite certain isolation. It may be dry and a little dark, but it all has too much going on to ever be boring. For those that like their world cinema challenging, this is for you. It is sure to leave you perplexed and full of new insight in the process.
50. They Came Together (dir. David Wain)
Forget 22 Jump Street. This is the meta comedy of the year. Combining Amy Poehler with several alums from The State, this romantic comedy satire is an over the top analysis of just how ridiculous the genre actually is. Thankfully the actors are committed and the script is perfectly aware enough to make David Wain's direction full of slight cues that are hilarious. It may be dated and confusing in some ways, but the intentions are definitely there and meant to rebel against the norms in ways that Wain hasn't done since Role Models.
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