2014 Top 10

It's that time of year. Film and media-related websites are buzzing about the Oscars, and I for one am holding my breath to see who gets nominated. I'm sure that, as usual, my ideas of who should get recognition are very different from the Academy's, but here's who I'd see get their names up in lights if I could:

10. The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
I'd give it: Best VFX, no contest.
Why: As a Tolkien fan, Battle of the Five Armies makes me cringe. Not only did Pete Jackson add stuff from the Silmarillon, but he also added crap that never freaking happened in anything that Tolkien ever wrote (*cough*TAURIEL/KILI/LEGOLASLOVETRIANGLE*cough cough*). And I sincerely wish that they'd kept the adaptation down to two movies, or better yet just one, because there's just not enough plot, even with all the crap they added, to make the book fill three movies. But with all that said, the casting is fantastic, Martin Freeman is hilarious, and the visual effects? Stunning. What Five Armies lacks in plot, it makes up in brilliant CGI, and while I'm generally not a fan of CGI I think that it's incredibly well-done here. I'll admit Five Armies might have some competition from Interstellar, but I'm about 99.9% sure that when all is said and done, the Academy will agree with me on this one.

9. Interstellar
I'd give it: Best Sound Editing
Why: I'll admit, this wasn't my favorite Nolan film ever, mainly because it was so damn long. But holy crap was there a lot to love here. Again I say if Best Casting were a thing, that's for sure what Interstellar would win. The choices they made, from Michael Caine to Mackenzie Foy, were spot-on, and I loved the cameos they managed to sneak in. But there isn't a Best Casting award, so if I were in the Academy, I'd recognize my second-favorite element of the film: the sound. Oh, dear lord, the sound. The score, the diegetic sound, the periods of silence at just the right time--all I can say is that if Inception won Best Sound and Best VFX in 2010, Interstellar should definitely do the same.

8. Lego Movie
I'd give it: Best Animated Feature
Why: Okay, yeah, when I first saw the trailer all I could think was "Dear God, will they stop at nothing to wring money out of people?" But then I went and saw it, and holy dear mother of God it was fantastic. I wasn't expecting it to be so funny; I went in there predicting juvenile humor and idiotic action sequences. For the first fifteen minutes or so I was greatly annoyed at the unsubtle message of non-conformity coming at me from an entertainment conglomerate partnered with a toy company (ironic much?), but as the film continued I realized, hey, they actually have a point here. I won't spoil the ending for anyone who still hasn't seen it (GO RENT THIS MOVIE I'M BEGGING YOU), but it was tear-jerking and hilarious at the same time--not something I can say for most kids' films, animated or otherwise.

7. Captain America: Winter Soldier
I'd give it: Anthony Mackie or Sebastian Stan for Best Supporting Actor
Why: I know, I know. It's a superhero movie. I'm not stupid, I know that the chance of either of these two men winning Best Supporting Actor is about the same as Kirk Cameron supporting same-sex marriage, because superhero movies just don't win Academy Awards--not often, and not any of the "major" ones. (I still can't get over the fact that Gary Oldman never got a single damn nomination for Dark Knight or Dark Knight Rises--Academy, what is wrong with you?!) But both Mackie and Stan turned in fantastic performances in a film already chock-full of insanely good actors (Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson...and, oh yeah, Robert Redford), and if I were in charge, they'd get some serious recognition.

6. Big Hero 6
I'd give it: Best Editing, Best Sound Editing
Why: Okay, maybe I only have a giant soft spot for this movie because I'm a huge Marvel nerd. I admit it. BUT. With that being said, the pacing of the story and the use of sound in Big Hero 6 is damn near flawless. I can honestly say I didn't see the majority of the "plot twists" coming, and even the longest action sequences never seem to drag, which is the problem I have with oh, maybe 90% of the action/fantasy/superhero films that I watch--yes, Five Armies, I'm looking at you. And call me crazy, but the sound was right up there with Interstellar. I could not only hear every line of dialogue, but I never got blasted out of my seat with the music or explosion effects, both of which are common issues with action-packed superhero films.

5. Guardians of the Galaxy
I'd give it: Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design
Why: Again I say, I know that both of these are long shots. My boyfriend told me he's rooting for Birdman to win Best Cinematography and, okay, I understand why--it wasn't my favorite, but I can still see the appeal. As for production design, I feel like movies like Five Armies and Mockingjay 2 will have a better shot. Like I said, superhero films are frequently overlooked by the Academy, which I'll probably rant about in greater detail later. But the sets in this film are absolutely fantastic, because they're the perfect blend of ancient, futuristic, vintage and modern--no small feat, considering the amount of world-building that has to happen in a short amount of time. The sets and costumes go hand-in-hand, and nothing we see ever feels "jarring" or anachronistic. As for the cinematography, I can only imagine how hard it is to shoot fight scenes, and Guardians has some pretty insane ones. The prison escape? Come on!

4. Gone Girl
I'd give it: Best Adapted Screenplay (even though it CREEPED ME THE HELL OUT)
Why: This is another one that my boyfriend recommended and I...well, I didn't hate it, but oh dear God if I never see this film again it'll be too soon. Let's just say that if this were a list of the best feel-good films of 2014, Gone Girl would not have been included in this blog post. The self-indulgent Marvel fan in me would love to see Big Hero 6 or Guardians win Adapted Screenplay, but deep down I know this film deserves it more. I won't spoil the ending. Suffice it to say that Gone Girl packs a crap-ton of story into a standard-length movie, and it does so without cheap exposition or excessive use of montage. Bottom line: Casual Moviegoer Avery never wants to see this movie again, but Aspiring Screenwriter Avery wants to watch it another 500 times for research. So, yes, I'd have to say all in all, I'd give Gone Girl Best Adapted Screenplay.

3. Only Lovers Left Alive
I'd give it: Not sure if this one counts--technically it premiered in 2013, so does that qualify for 2014 Oscars? If so, I'd put Hiddleston in the running for Best Leading Actor against Christoph Waltz, and put the script against Life After Beth for Best Original Screenplay (more on those two in a minute).
Why: I'm not a huge fan of vampire movies. My favorite kind of monsters were always...well, monsters. Actual movie monsters. Like, the kind you'd find in 1950s B-movies. Up to now, my favorite "vampire movie" has been Nosferatu, and I'm not even sure that counts. But this movie is incredible. This is another one that I'd nominate for "best casting," if such an Oscar existed. The chemistry between Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston crackles with an intensity that makes the cliched pairings of human-vampire in pop films like Twilight seem pathetic. The writing is amazing. And forget Loki (sorry, Loki)--this is Hiddleston's best performance yet. Sympathetic and, quite bluntly, sometimes fucking terrifying. If we're talking awards, he's a worthy opponent for Christoph Waltz. Which leads me to...

2. Big Eyes
I'd give it: Best Score, Amy Adams for Best Leading Actress, Christoph Waltz for Best Leading Actor, Tim Burton for Best Director
Why: As a longtime Burton fan I'll be first to admit he's put out some real stinkers in the last decade or so. I'm a fan of 90s Burton--Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleepy Hollow. And I'm not kidding when I say that Big Eyes is better than any of them. Not only do Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz deliver fantastic performances, but the supporting cast does as well: Jason Schwartzman, Krysten Ritter, Danny Huston--amazing performances from all, and not one single sighting of Johnny Depp, Christopher Lee, or any of Burton's other "usuals." The score is beautiful, the decision to shoot on-location was a wise one indeed, and the single hint of Burton's whimsy--the "big eyes" that Margaret Keane sees on everyday people when the guilt of her lies catches up to her--is well-placed and doesn't feel at all overwrought. If Burton ever has a shot at winning Best Director or (even I don't have any optimism for this one) Best Picture, this is it.

1. Life after Beth
I'd give it: What WOULDN'T I give it. Aubrey Plaza for Best Supporting Actress, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Screenplay...dare I say, maybe even Best Picture?
Why: This is one of those beautiful, hilarious, heartbreaking independent films that will never, ever get one-sixteenth of the credit it deserves. It is hands-down the funniest, most heartfelt, most realistic zombie film I have ever seen. It makes Walking Dead feel overwrought and the films of Romero seem gaudy and cheap. While other zombie films are choked with jump-scares and cliches, Life after Beth relies on just the right mixture of humor and heartache to raise the tension. From the opening scenes, you'd never know it was a horror film. While the movie makes use of the comedic talents of much of the supporting cast (namely John C. Reilly, Cheryl Hines and Matthew Gray Gubler), there are some gut-punch moments that help ground a film that could otherwise be seen as a farce. There's some zombie-related satire, but it's subtle and pointed and doesn't seem to carry much of a political message, which quite frankly suits me just fine. The makeup is great, doesn't look low-budget at all. As for Aubrey Plaza--oh, how I wish I could burst into the Academy voting sessions and play them this film before they make their choices. Like Hiddleston in Only Lovers Left Alive, Plaza is handed a story wrought with genre expectations and, for all intents and purposes, blows those expectations out of the water with a performance that makes those movie monsters so human that you almost forget why they're considered monsters in the first place. I would be so thrilled to see this film get some love--any love--at the Oscars, because it was hands-down the best one I saw all year, and it's definitely the best zombie picture I've ever seen period. Sadly, I know that's just a fantasy.



I'm pretty sure that my film-school friends will see this list and go "That's it?!? What about Birdman? Boyhood? Noah? Selma? Avery, come on...what about Mockingjay?" All fine films, and I'm not saying they shouldn't be recognized as such. But I also believe that there are so many amazing movies out there that will never get formal recognition, and I wanted to acknowledge those even if the Academy wouldn't.

Besides...this is my personal top ten list. These might not be the movies that are universally recognized as the best that 2014 had to offer, but they're the films that impacted me the most.