Best Films of 2014

An intriguing idea for a documentary, the story of a 'mystery' woman who happened to be an exceptional photographer. The intrigue doesn't last too long as you begin to realize this poor woman who appreciated her private life, is being exposed more and more. The annoying guide through this uncovering makes a scene out of her 'wanting' exposure, but by that time it's bullshit. His ego is too big to change things now.

I rate this a six because, as a documentary, it's very well done, and it at least caused some emotion, even if negative.

This film wants to be so much more than it is, emotionally and inspirationally. Witherspoon is fine and Dern is exceptional, but their story simply never hits the emotionally peaks it needs.

Much like with their previous film 'Dallas Buyers Club', I enjoyed the editing from Vallée and editor Pensa and their creative approaches to what ends up being a mediocre adaptation.

Director: Tom Gormican
His 1st movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

There are a decent amount of laughs in here and the six main characters are interesting enough. The main problem is with how demeaning toward women they are, and they never really learn not to be. They just end up with the women without really changing for the better. The Efron character learns one lesson in how to be a proper boyfriend, that's about it out of all three characters, on how to be better men. I'm not saying a movie has to have that goal, but in this type of movie, if it doesn't, then it sends the message that their shitty view on women is okay.

Added to Lists:

Three Amigos or Amigas
__________

Location: NoLita in Manhattan, NYC, NY, USA

Bernal does a great job in the lead, directed by TV host John Stewart. It's done well enough, and it's an important story; but it never gets out of the made-for-tv feel.

A two-actor play-like playful movie about a play and auditioning for that play, which is the same title of this movie.

At times cheesy, at other times stylish... it's not a movie with a clear vision nor a clear reaction from the audience.

A lovely little film about food, family and friendship. Mirren leads a relatively unknown, solid cast. In the end it's nothing special, simply a nice tale that was nicely filmed.

This film had potential to be as good as Sodheim's "Sweeney Todd" but it becomes clear early on the film is rushed. They should have allowed a lengthier running time and allowed moments to happen. There is too much going on, and knowing not a lot of people have seen the stage play the filmmakers should have been kind to the audience and given them a chance to appreciate the moments and the music, instead of speeding from one song to the other and one story to the other.

It's a shame because the production value is top notch - production design, costumes, hair/make-up, sound design, and the source music is solid. The one fault of the music is similar to the hasty editing, there are too many songs and by the time you're finished you might be saying, 'Gee, I like the songs and the music, but I can't really name any of the songs."

Nick Frost is quite funny but there isn't really too much original fare in this light and innocent comedy about love and dreams.

This is a first-rate superhero movie. Top notch effects, crew, cast, everything.
The problem here is I really don't care that much about these mutants and what has happened to them, what is happening to them and what will happen to them.

I feel like I've gotten more than my fill of X-Men and find it unlikely I will watch the next one, as I'm assuming there will be another one... and another one.

I really dig the cinematography, production design, and the concept of this low-budget sic-fi film. Sure the story isn't real original and there isn't any clear direction but I was into it and liked the questionable ending.

Heavily influenced by 'Do the Right Thing' and modern technology and social issues, this try-hard falls short of a truly impactful presentation.

It has its moments and serves up several intelligent views from various parts of the spectrum and basically puts everyone in their corner no matter how close to center they think they are.

Are you conCERNed?

You should be.

This is a wild ride though an unheard of mission filled with brilliant minds, dangerous idea, and stranger things yet to come...

This was to be the comedy blockbuster of the summer. And while it was commercially successful it was lacking on true comedy craft. Rogen is overcast, the penis and drug jokes are not fresh, Dave Franco is least funniest comedy 'star' working today, and the physical comedy is hit and miss.

The highlight here is Rose Byrne, who is has a great range in projects, and was very busy this year. She deserves more attention than she ever gets. Efron was funnier than the other guys in the cast and has escaped his obsessed tween audience pretty nicely here.

In this movie you care more about the apes than the humans, which works; but it worked more effectively in the first film, when Caesar was the focus. I think the movie should have kept focus on him, instead it tried to make us care about a whole group of apes and did a terrible job at wanting the audience to care about the humans. This is strange considering how good the cast is, but as in the first movie, it is terribly miscast. This gaffe mainly goes to Jason Clarke as a leading man and the excuse for a role they gave to the great Gary Oldman.

With all of this I still liked the film. Its visuals are remarkable and the overall story still intrigues me. Unlike with the X-Men or Spider-Man series it is still possible I will continue to watch this saga unfold.

An often comedic stuck-in-one-place film about a Jewish family that's not at actually Jewish. Pretty much every actor in here is well-known and typically likable, even if they aren't in this film.

At times it struggles to provide the emotional pull each character deserves, but it has accomplished this better than most film in which it's akin to. The best performance ends up coming from Tim Olyphant, even with loads of perfect comedic timing from Bateman.

David Michôd attempts to go for more bad-assness after 'Animal Kingdom' and the results are barebones brutal badassery.

A life-affirming documentary about music, friendship, passions, and acceptance.

The funniest characters from the "Madagascar" series get their own movie, and prove they were the characters we came to see.

An extraordinary journey around the world, by a girl, Laura Dekkar, who is wise beyond her years, boasting an old soul and fresh taste for adventure.

The film is well balanced, mixes water painting graphics, and doesn't cheapen itself with dramatic tricks.

Marion Cotillard is one of my favorite actresses and Phoenix has resurrected as one of my favorite actors, yet neither one of them likable in this film. This doesn't mean their performances are not good, it's simply a movie with few likable characters which makes it a tough one to get through.

The cinematography is beautiful and the final shot is one of my favorites of the year.

With such a cast and concept I expected more. It was no doubt entertaining and intriguing; but I feel like this was a missed opportunity and I found it unsettling being told to care more about art than human beings.

Gleeson is so believable as a man of the cloth and commanding in his presence, which plays nicely against this small tale on the small island of Ireland.

The cinematography is beautiful but the editing is a bit of a mess.

This is a ballsy and impressive film, like 'Buried', from a couple of years ago, was. Unfortunately Hardy's voice gets annoying after a while and, really, the character isn't appealing. But I recommend at least giving this experiment a try, watching it play out.

An enlightening aspect of the Viet Nam war that is rarely told. It's a fine example of the consequences of a country leaving a war-torn country. It's powerful yet doesn't tell a strong enough overall story. It's filled with many anecdotes accompanied by a huge amount of archival footage I've never seen before.

It's an impressively-made documentary that is important to watch even if it seems, at times, a little too easy to call these US officials heroes when the US messed so many other things up before and after.

He didn't conquer, he liberated. This well-made film about Simon Bolivar liberating the South American people of the Spanish is a modern epic presented in the most classic of ways.

The cinematography is beautiful and so are María Valverde and Juana Acosta.

Chadwick Boseman nails this performance. It's a crime he didn't receive more awards attention - I'm saying this because awards have weight even if they are far from accurate.

James Brown isn't known for his people skills and likability but that doesn't matter, because Boseman gives him new life in what we can only assume is at least halfway accurate.

The overall script is weak, but the editing and cinematography help. But the extended performances of Brown's music is what makes this film watchable to the end.

Waltz, who has been nothing but reliable, is a bit over the top in this very colorful and well-written biopic. Adams is, who is also nothing but reliable, is superb. I love the little moments, like the one above, that allow the viewer to see what she is going through, with ease.

A children's film that makes history fun. I can get on board with that.

Godard has spent his life trying to push the envelope and create new imagery and ideas... in this movie I see a master trying to go too far from what is considered art. But he had me watching and curious all the way through

This movie missed the mark, slightly. It has not been successful because the average viewer will grow impatient and expect things to be told to them and, therefore, will not be rewarded with a brilliant ending.

While I enjoyed it quite a bit I believe this type of film actually does need to give us a little more in the middle to assure the ending will be worth it.

Just as good as the first, plus Cate Blanchett!

This film really threw me. I thought it was a documentary and then a pseudo documentary then I find it it's entirely fiction. It is nicely filmed and provides some unique techniques in style, language and theme.

A pretty straight forward feel good movie that moved along nicely and hit most of the marks, until the final speech that seemed to not fit with the rest of the film.

Bill Murray looks like shit and sounds like shit and acts like a shit, making this a memorable performance. I appreciate Melissa McCarthy trying out a straight, subtle role, but would have still liked more from her, she seemed to play a role that could have been performed by anyone. Naomi Watts' accent was a little distracting at first but I think she actually did a decent job as a Russian hooker, even if it was a little too much of a caricature.

The second installment of this beautiful display of disgusting sexuality takes it up a notch on brutality and Von Trier makes sure to remind you he is at the helm.

The stories aren't as interesting as the first Volume and I begin to lose interest and all respect for the main characters by the end. But in the end, I can't deny its craft and the imagery affectively stay in your mind for days, whether you want it to or not.

I didn't expect much going into this because I figured it was just going to be a money-maker and the creativity and love of muppets would be out the window without Segal. Thankfully I was wrong.

Gervais, Fey and Burrell are really great opposite these muppets and the classic Henson antics are still prevalent throughout. Most importantly, Bret McKensey still writes the songs, which are a delight.

Yet, with all of this, it still doesn't hold the magic of the classic Muppet movies, but at least they are better than those three dreadful ones that came out after 'Muppet Christmas Carol'

The movie that will be famous because of its controversy not because of its entertainment value. This is not to say it isn't entertaining. It actually is, it's effective, twisted, dumb, and poignant all in one. I may have rated it higher if I weren't growing tired of the Rogen/Franco brand.

Despite the terrible, changed title, Kazan and Radcliffe are fun together. They are supported by strong cast, too. It has a similar vibe to the superior Ruby Sparks.

An important documentary about the shit that people in DRC have to endure, and more so, the gorillas and other endangered wildlife.
Another example of the terrible force of greed.
Greed greed greed.
It's just money, you fuckers!

Jenny Slate delivers a very believable performance of a flawed comedianne/lover. This movie is equally hilarious as it is dramatic and a nice study on embarrassment.

A cerebral documentary on Nick Cave, his Bad Seeds and what it means to be an artist. It's beautiful shot and directed. The emotional peaks are not there, but perhaps, like a Nick Cave song, they are never there.

I had too high of expectations for Ayoade movie, but it was still a worthwhile trip.

This film's poor reception befuddles me. It's very difficult to grasp present trends in a feature film effectively and efficiently while still making it fresh. I believe this movie did that and was able to create well-rounded characters who are each microcosms of people effected by the disconnection of technology.

I hope this movie gets a second chance and people catch on. I feel like if I were currently in high school this would be the cool movie to see, like maybe "The Big Lebowski" was when I actually was in high school (I'm definitely not saying this is as good as 'Lebowski'.)

A classic tale of a boy and his fluffy robot. Disney is continuing it's second animated renaissance(the first started with "Little Mermaid" and ended with "Pocahontas"). This second one started with "Tangled"), this second is different, now with computer animated movies. This won't be one of the more memorable ones but it is worthy of mention as being among the best animated movies of the decade.

Perhaps the best-known film critic gets his amazing life put into a worthwhile documentary. It's a beautiful, loving tribute to the man.

A stellar cast tells an important story in US history in an intelligent and, sometimes too dramatic, way. It is emotionally affective, where 'The Butler' wasn't; and well cast, where 'The Butler' wasn't. The only thing about it that I didn't like was Oprah, which happens to be one of the many things I didn't like about 'The Butler'.

In the end it's an important story that is told and shot well enough. And of course, we all know the music was solid.

The book is universally revered because the story is so incredible, unfortunately this film doesn't do it justice. The direction and acting keep it from being a memorable masterpiece and biopic people will talk about for years.

The writing was surprisingly bland, considering it comes from the Coen brothers. The scope of the film deserves a big screen and thankfully the master cinematographer, Roger Deakins, gives us everything in that regard. It's a gorgeous looking film that had me in awe throughout. It was so good it took me away from the story sometimes, but if it were better directed and acted this would not have been an issue.

The third and final installment is worth watching but it's not necessarily an improvement on the overwrought series. Clearly there was a lot to cover but ultimately I think keeping it to two films would have been better.

It's gorgeous production design and high caliber cast make up for the seemingly endless fighting and quarrels that I never fully understand.

Somehow, even without much Hayley Attwell or as interesting of a story, this second film about the first Avenger is an improvement. I will give most of the credit to the writing and better action sequences.