Best of 2014

It's time for the annual Best of 2014 wrap-up. I make my list for reasons similar to other critics, but not all of them. My criteria is how a movie makes me feel, plain and simple. That's the whole point of film, isn't it? to evoke emotion of some kind, whether it's through strong characters, complex relationships, clever writing, good directing, a familiar story, or just plain cool action. I was going to make a top 10, but that proved a bit difficult this year. So, this is my 12.5 best films of 2014.

Best film of the year - Whiplash. I just saw this a few days ago, but see my rave review for more details.

Feel good film of the year - Chef. Chef was a gem that wasn't talked about much, but this film of a divorced dad leaving his prestigious job as head chef of a fancy restaurant to travel in a food truck hit the mark. Jon Favreau wrote, directed, and starred, and anytime you mix an upbeat story with delicious looking food, the film wins. It didn't try to be more dramatic than it needed to be, it just went with the flow. Not a great film, but memorable enough and just leaves you smiling at the end.

Most original film of the year - Birdman. It will be a shame if Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu doesn't win Best Director. The seamless camera work and pure originality of the story and characters is nothing short of brilliant. Nothing comes close to Birdman in terms of grounded surrealism (maybe I'll coin that term).

Most fun at the theatres - Guardians of the Galaxy. A lot of it might be due to Chris Pratt's emergence as the next big thing, but Marvel nailed it when they took a band of unknown characters and started yet another billion dollar franchise. Bravo, Marvel. I never cease to be amazed with their savvy decisions. Hopefully Ant Man continues the lesser known character success. And if not? They've still got the Avengers.

Most surprisingly awesome action film - Edge of Tomorrow (aka All You Need is Kill, aka Live, Die, Repeat). Doug Liman proved that a 50 year old Tom Cruise is still a viable action star. This was a great adaptation of a Japanese story and combined some sweet special effects with a great sci-fi story.

Most underrated Oscar-Caliber film - Nightcrawler. Gyllenhaal's performance blew me away, and although I wouldn't remove any of the Best Actor nominees, Jake got snubbed. The film leaves you with an icky feeling, but that was the whole intent. And it was well-done. Mission accomplished.

Best military film - American Sniper. Although my review was more "good, not great" than anything else, it is still a genre close to my heart. American Sniper still makes my list.

Best Biopic - tie: The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything. I know, I'm cheating, but it's hard not to give props to both of these films. Fortunately for Michael Keaton, the performances of Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch and the films themselves have so much in common that they just might hurt each others chances of winning a deserved Best Actor. Both of these films were incredibly well-done and as such, deserve the recognition.

Most heart-wrenching family drama - Still Alice. Julianne Moore will win the Best Actress Oscar for a woman who develops early-onset Alzheimers way too young. Heart-breaking performance, and leaves you wanting to hug your family.

Best film not recognized at all by the Academy - Cake. Not only is Jennifer Aniston's performance the best of her career, it's a true shame that she wasn't nominated for an Oscar. Beyond the performance, the film touches a nerve and is very much underrated.

Best film that pretty much nobody saw - Men, Women, and Children. Jason Reitman is one of the brilliant young minds in the business, and this look at how social media and ubiquitous cyber-access has caused detachment from reality and each other is severely underrated. Not worthy of award recognition, but worth watching.

Best short film - VHS: Viral segment - "Parallel Monsters". Guilty pleasure? Of course. Is VHS: Viral a good film? No. However, the segment titled Parallel Monsters by Nacho Vigalondo is frighteningly tense. At no more than 20-25 minutes, you feel like you were transported to a Twilight Zone episode, or a Tales from the Crypt without the cheesiness. It starts out confusing and quickly, but as you begin to realize that something is not quite right, your heart starts pounding until the ultimate ending leaves you breathless. It's true, you have to wade through the other segments which are gory and I suppose somewhat entertaining, but Parallel Monsters is a sharp piece of writing.

That's it for 2014, another year in the books. Keep checking back for my Oscar predictions as well as my 2015 year in preview.

American Sniper

I've been a fan of war stories told on screen for years now. From the historical fiction of the 70's, 80's, and 90's to the more recent trend of non-fiction. Zero Dark Thirty, Lone Survivor, Captain Phillips (to some extent), and now American Sniper have elevated the prestigious Navy SEALs to a level of exposure before unprecedented. If the Navy SEALs are gods among the military, then Chris Kyle is certainly Perseus. Kyle's autobiography hit shelves a few years back and I happened upon it, and was blown away. Known as "The Devil" to the Iraqi insurgents, and "The Legend" in the American military community, he is the undisputed combat confirmed kill leader in American military history with over 160. However, his modest personal account puts that number closer to 300. No matter how you feel about killing in wartime, this staggering feat is an epic number worthy of a biopic.

Chris Kyle came from humble beginnings in Texas, and joined the military in 1998 at the age of 24 and served four tours in Iraq before calling it quits in 2009 and settling in Texas with his wife and kids. He was somewhat ironically killed in 2013 at a shooting range near his home where he routinely took soldiers suffering from PTSD to get some therapy.

Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper in the titular role, I anticipated this film perhaps more than any other holiday release, yet I was somehow disappointed by the product. The initial adaptation was slated to be helmed by Steven Spielberg, who dropped out due to what could only be a scheduling conflict with his upcoming Tom Hanks Cold War thriller and I think the more serious tone may have been what was missing. Some of the dialogue and story seemed a bit rushed, and although tastefully done, there could have been even more attention on the man and less on the action, which might have added another half hour to the film. Of course, the action is the whole point but it seemed a bit like we didn't fully become invested in Kyle by the time he became a legend. That and the suspense and tension of war wasn't as gripping as films past. All I can say is it could have been better.

Eastwood has a place in Hollywood as one of the finest directors in history. Unforgiven, Mystic River, and Million Dollar Baby all make my top 100 list so there is no questioning his artistry and ability. American Sniper seemed a bit sloppy though, and maybe even rushed. I got the sense that the intent was well, but many of the scenes were set up in a hurry and just pounded out. Cooper on the other hand, did a fantastic job in the role. A complex character with an increasingly heavy emotional toll that gains weight with each kill he makes and numbs him to the gravity of mortality. I only wish that the two scenes where he has cause to reflect on what he's done were given a bit more screen time. Unfortunately, both of them are displayed in the trailers, but they show the true range of Cooper. His Texas drawl (Cooper was born in Pennsylvania) is authentic and convincing, and he delivers his lines in the macho, military fashion expected. Interestingly, Cooper is one of only a handful of actors in history to be nominated for Best Actor three straight years (Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle). None of the others left without some hardware, although this year's contenders will likely shut him out. He's next up re-teaming with Jennifer Lawrence and David O. Russell in Joy.

Sienna Miller plays Kyle's wife adequately, but the rest of the cast are unknowns, which is for the best. The relationship between Navy SEAL and wife is cliche and tenuous, but I suppose the dynamic is typical given the appropriate credit due. The sharp contrast of the American Dream and the cost of American Freedom are never more starkly shown than in military biopics, and as inspiring as the stories are, they are equally disheartening. I suppose that is why the story is told in the first place.

American Sniper is definitely the best military themed film of the year, but it is not as well done, or exciting as Lone Survivor. Different stories, both unique in their tones and messages with the one similarity of heroism in the face of mortal adversity. And the unseen cost of war.

I will continue to support the genre, and as stories that once were lore now become highly visible, ubiquitous, and almost instantly accessible through the Internet, I only hope that the importance and reverence given to the brave soldiers won't be taken for granted. A good film, but should have been better. 7/10.

Whiplash

Miles Teller plays Andrew, a young, wide-eyed jazz drumming protege who is moving up at the fictitious Shafer Music Conservatory in New York City (think Juilliard). He runs into veteran conductor Terrence Fletcher like a buzzsaw. Fletcher is played intimidatingly by J.K. Simmons, whose command of the screen is unrivaled in film this year. They develop a relationship that has so many nuanced emotions running through it that I don't have time to go into it in one sitting, but what unravels on the screen is pure magic.

Novice writer/director Damien Chazelle knocks it out of the park in a story without much depth, but plenty of pizzazz. Set to constant jazz music, which is always a cool thing, there is a mood created that is casual, but simultaneously high stakes. The ear of the conductor is more fickle than mine, but I enjoyed the criticisms and the urgency and importance that underscored perfection.

Paul Reiser returns to the screen playing Andrew's single dad in a subtle, supportive role, and Melissa Benoist is the downplayed love interest. Their screen time is limited, which works in the film's favor. The real gem is the dynamic between Andrew and Fletcher.

I've been wanting to see this film since I first heard about it, but it's been eluding me for months. I finally had the opportunity to see it, and let me be the first to say, it is every bit deserving of the 5 Oscar nominations as well as J.K. Simmons' Golden Globe win. The Best Adapted Screenplay nomination is a bit misleading since it is based on the Damien Chazelle short of the same name from 2013. Same writer, same director, I say it's an original screenplay. Potato, potato.

I've seen the Best Picture nominations, and Whiplash is my favorite. The others have their strengths for certain, and it's likely going to come down to Birdman or Boyhood for the win, but if I were a voter, Whiplash gets the nod and let me tell you why.

First off, originality is in short order this year. Boyhood, Birdman, and the Grand Budapest Hotel notwithstanding, there have been an inordinate number of biopics and non-fiction work. Superheroes in the summer, biopics in the winter. What's the film world coming to? I digress. You sort of know what's going to happen to Louie Zamperini when you step into the theatre for Unbroken. Or Chris Kyle in American Sniper. Or Alan Turing. Or Stephen Hawking. Or John DuPont. Or J.M.W. Turner. Or Martin Luther King, Jr. Or Margaret Keane. Shall I continue? Actually I might not have any more. My point is, there is something special and increasingly rare about walking into a theatre and watching a good old-fashioned original story. Especially this year.

Secondly, the performances of the two leads are flawless. The whole point of the film is their dysfunctional mentoring relationship, and there is this bubbling respect vacillating with anger, humiliation, understanding, and an eagerness to please. Fletcher is a viper, but his bites are the driving force for Andrew's ambition.

"There are no two words more harmful than good job." These words are chilling as Fletcher speaks them to Andrew in a rare moment of calm discussion over a drink. They epitomize his teaching philosophy, and as he eloquently explains why he's so hard, you come to understand and almost shamefully appreciate the aggression. There is some palpable kinship between the two. A love for good jazz music, and a mutual respect for the skill and quest for perfection that each is striving for.

Finally, as the final act approaches, everything that has been building slowly comes to a fantastic explosion, and as the screen goes black after a dazzling interplay done solely with their eye contact, for the first time this year, I got chills. That's the mark of a well-done film.

I don't expect it to win Best Picture, but J.K. Simmons' performance will cause him to be seen in a different light. His ability to turn his emotions on a dime is a side of him we haven't seen before. Don't be surprised if this is the start of a late blooming award winner as he will win the Best Supporting Actor, in what has come to be my favorite category because of the glut of perennial ripe roles (although not well nominated this year... I'll explain in a later post).

Go see Whiplash for the music, for the acting, for the writing, and for the tension. Who knew jazz drumming could be so intense? 10/10.

Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Birdman is a genre-bent dramedy that follows a washed-up superhero, Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton) as he attempts to re-establish relevance on Broadway in a production he has put together, based on a Raymond Carver play (which may or may not be fictional - I'm not up on Carver works). As the play gets closer to its debut, Riggan begins to unravel amidst the chaotic pressure, and the viewer is thrown into a fast-paced, spiraling trip where Riggan's own psyche takes on a tangible form and his castmates and family are thrown into a whirlwind of humor and confusion.

Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu is garnering critical raves for his latest project. He wrote and directed it, and mostly it flew (no pun intended) under the radar until it was initially viewed. The masterful work represents just another step in his short, but distinguished resume. Probably best known for Babel and 21 Grams in the US, he is the front-runner for Best Director so far, and I imagine the originality and flawlessness of the direction will win him the award this year. It's shot as if in one continuous sequence with the exception of a couple of blackouts that represent transition of days, and although it seems frenetic at times, it is seriously deliberate, and mesmerizing. This film will get him on the Hollywood short-list, but it's his next one that might be even better. The Revenant, based on the Michael Punke novel follows a frontiersman in 1820 who is mauled by a bear and left for dead by his fellow travelers, then he seeks revenge for their leaving him behind. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy star - it might be Leo's inevitable Oscar in 2015.

Aside from the visionary direction, the cast is what makes this film incredible. Ripe roles, great dialogue, both inner and outer. Michael Keaton has the meatiest role, and devours it without any shame. We've never seen him before, and the verisimilitude of his character is forgotten early on. Riggan was the star of the successful Birdman trilogy in the 1990's, and he's spent the last 20 years justifying why making a Birdman 4 would have been selling out his principles. However, there is the shadow of regret looming like a storm cloud through the whole film. A truly remarkable piece of acting for the man who played the first big screen Batman (but fortunately chose to quit after 2). This is by far the pinnacle of his career, but might open some doors that otherwise were certainly closed before. He can next be seen in 2015's Spotlight, which focuses on the Boston Catholic Church child molestation scandal.

The rest of the supporting cast is amazing. Starting with Ed Norton, he has resurrected a career that was going off into the sunset with his third impressive role in the past 3 years (Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel). He plays the Broadway hot shot actor who is brought in to save the play after the male co-star suffers an injury. He plays the role with swagger, but also a delicate sensitivity behind his pompous bravado. He's my favorite to win the Golden Globe, and for now is my front-runner for the Oscar. The only obstacle would be JK Simmons, but I haven't seen Whiplash yet - still waiting for it to play near me...

Emma Stone shows that she's more than a lip-sync champion and comedic lightweight. She plays Riggan's daughter who isn't quite estranged, but is emotionally unattached from him despite working on the play with him. It's a complex relationship, but she plays it well. Zach Galifinakis is the frantic agent, and I've said he plays straight roles great for some time now. Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough round out the cast as the female actors in the play, and they both show the incestuous side of show business, but do it playfully so it doesn't add any unnecessary emotional drain to the film.

I really like the tone that Innaritu brought to the film. It's a very serious film portrayed as a comedy. Dazzling camerawork and surreal transitions from real to delusion. It's refreshingly original in a time of biopics, remakes, and superheroes (although it's kind of a superhero film). This is its hope for awards. Originality. It's missing from Hollywood these days, but then again, Birdman won't make billions at the global box office.

It might win Best Actor, but the competition is exceptionally stiff this year. Cumberbatch, Redmayne, Gyllenhaal, Oyelowo, Phoenix, Murray, Waltz, Cooper, Isaac, Carell. The strength of the category is overwhelming in contrast to the weakness of the Best Picture category. Keaton will get a nomination for sure, but I don't see him winning. Norton on the other hand, will win his first Oscar for his supporting role.

Innaritu wins Best Director, and with it, his likelihood of picking up Best Picture is automatically the odds-on favorite. I have more than a few films to see yet before officially making that call, but the one thing that might distress the film is its ambiguity and deep metacognitive approach. You could think about this one for hours, which is awesome, but it's not quite mainstream movie audience style. America likes endings tied up with a bow.

This is a very well done movie, and is worthy of the recognition for certain. A beacon of originality, which is a breath of fresh air. 9/10.

The Interview

By now everyone has heard about the controversial leaked data from Sony Studios, allegedly perpetrated by the North Koreans, now seemingly to be an inside job. Just days before the release, there were ominous threats made toward any American movie theater that was going to show the film, and ultimately the studio kowtowed to the terrorist threats. Ultimately, after being chastised by Hollywood and President Obama, Sony decided to brazenly throw caution to the wind, fight the terrorists, and release the movie through various outlets. It just so happens that the film has earned more than initially projected, so there you go. Suck it, North Korea. Now, outraged patriotic Americans want to fly over North Korea and drop DVD's in a guerilla freedom blitzkrieg. Too bad the North Koreans are still watching VHS.

Seriously though, this is a comedy. A true bromantic comedy reuniting the slightly effeminate James Franco, who plays the vapid pop culture talk show host, Dave Skylark and his producer, Seth Rogen, who plays his best friend and confidant, Aaron Rapaport. The two of them score an interview with Kim Jong Un, who they find out is a fan of Skylark's show, and so naturally, the CIA intervenes and asks Dave and Aaron to assassinate the leader for them. That's really about it for the plot. Very simple, but very controversial as the subject of a comedic assassination plot is a currently reigning head of state.

Rife with pop culture references, and a strange obsession with Honeydicking, The Interview doesn't do anything to make North Korea look any worse than the dozens of documentaries that simply show their actual government controlled way of life. In fact, Kim Jong Un (played by Randall Park) is portrayed to be a slightly compassionate, and complex man, although it is done in an obviously sardonic way.

Take away North Korea, and this is a vehicle for James Franco and Seth Rogen to make raunchy jokes, engage in debauchery, and basically have fun making a movie that they know people will want to see. I imagine that they are pretty good friends in real life, and the line of fiction in comedy is continually blurring; not so much with plot or story-lines, but with interpersonal relationships and banter. Take This is the End for example. The movie was ridiculous, but take away the whole apocalypse thing, and it's just a bunch of celebrities hanging out having a good time. The same is true with The Interview. Seth Rogen seems to be acting as himself, and James Franco is trying a bit too hard to be funny. It works from time to time, but his constant identity crisis is baffling to me (comedian, serious thespian, student, teacher, writer, director, etc.) I guess it's good for him that he's so ambitious, but I'm left with the impression that he's just trying too hard to be thought of as more than just a pretty face.

Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (writer - Superbad, Pineapple Express, Green Hornet, This is the End), it's nothing exceptional in really any way. Some of the best humor occurs before North Korea is even mentioned (the whole Eminem sequence), but you have to hand it to the team. They took a clearly controversial film and knocked it out from start to finish, standing by their work and ultimately winning the war on terror and distributing a red, white, and blue slap in the face of the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea. Bravo fellas.

The supporting cast is mostly forgettable except for Lizzy Caplan, whose CIA agent Lacey is a wasted opportunity for a great supporting comedic performance/bromantic love interest. She does a nice job with the role, but isn't fed enough juicy material or given enough screen time to create anything substantial. The supporting cast is mostly fodder for Franco and Rogen to do what they think is funny, which at times actually is. The one missing piece is the cameo of Dennis Rodman - what's up with that?

The Interview isn't nearly as shocking or controversial as expected, and it is on par with the humor of Rogen and Franco's past works, but for some reason the absence of drugs/alcohol diminishes the humor. Hmm. They would do well to stop forcing humor, and letting it evolve, and please, spread the love to the rest of the cast. James Franco, you aren't as funny as you think you are. 6/10 because of the guts to make the movie in the first place.

Nightcrawler

Los Angeles at night. Is there a more sprawled out canvas of "anything can happen" in America? The city itself is a dark and tempting character, with iconic sights from the Hollywood Hills, to Mulholland Drive. Beverly Hills to the Pacific Highway. The bright lights and the dark streets of this flat, urban landscape. It's hard to imagine nearly 4 million people live in the limits, yet there is something that is so attractive. The more movies you've seen, the more tempting she is. It's a magical city, and director Dan Gilroy captures her dark, seedy magic as if it were one of the characters. I haven't been this impressed with LA as a main character since Collateral, or Heat. You might even say that this seems like a low-budget Michael Mann film.

Jake Gyllenhaal is mesmerizing as Lou Bloom. To say he's a bit quirky and creepy would be an understatement, and Jake nails it. Lou is a borderline sociopath looking for some direction in life. He is intelligent, but not educated, and doesn't seem to have any friends, family, or connections. The back story doesn't matter though because Lou is such an interesting character. Gyllenhaal lost a considerable amount of weight to play the gaunt, almost Kafka-esque version of his former self. His bug eyes, greasy hair, and emaciated features create a compelling anti-hero. He becomes entranced by the world of crime photo-journalism, stumbling upon an accident scene and marveling at the adrenaline rush of human misery and society's infatuation with watching. A man with little conscience, this is right up his alley. As a quick study, he discovers that he is actually pretty good at the job and thrives on the carnage besieging the city at night. As he starts to make a decent living, he befriends a news station program director (Rene Russo) more out of the mutual absence of moral integrity and the craving of profitability, and less out of actual friendship. Things begin to spiral out of control when Lou loses himself in his job, not at all motivated by the money as much as the respect of the news station, and the adoration of the public.

Nightcrawler preys on the voyeuristic instinct of all of us, and Tony Gilroy throws us right in the middle of the nasty world of network news. The approach is highly cynical, and you won't leave the film feeling very good about yourself. Or humanity. Or anything really. In fact, that's what Gilroy manages to accomplish; an icky feeling after watching this deplorable and despicable subculture cannibalize themselves and each other. Why would you want to watch a film like this, you ask? Because just like the car wrecks on the highway, you can't look away. That's the catch-22.

Gilroy and his brother hit the scene a few years back with the brilliant Michael Clayton, and Nightcrawler is brilliant in an entirely different way. The way that Network made us look at news dissemination through a cautious lens, Nightcrawler questions the ethics of the industry when ratings are the only true measure of success. It's an unscrupulous industry, and it's people like the entrepreneurial Lou Bloom who keep it moving at a darker and more graphic pace.

The plot isn't anything clever or even unpredictable, but Gilroy captures the essence of the film through his use of rising tension. The music is subtle but effective, and the pacing is sound for a novice filmmaker. What holds the film together however, is the City of Angels at night, and Lou Bloom. Outstanding job for a film with a budget of only $8.5 million. Expect it to be an awards sleeper.

In the end, you get so caught up in this seedy world, that you don't know whether to root for Bloom to achieve success, or root against him and his insatiable appetite for (insert human misery here). Does it make you a bad person if you secretly root for him? Of course, but it's the movies and the best performances are the ones who cause you to sympathize with a character despite his tremendous flaws. For that, Jake Gyllenhaal has accomplished his objective, and I expect he will receive an Oscar nomination in the process. Still one of the more underrated actors around when it comes to talent and potential (his role in Prisoners was amazing), he gets his first Best Oscar nomination for Nightcrawler.

The violent news culture we live in is amplified on screen, and this film isn't for everyone, but for a crime drama/thriller, it's definitely entertaining. Gyllenhaal impresses me once again. 8/10.