I don’t
grade films I watch in any metrical way (stars, numbers or anything similar);
because I don’t know how to say that one film is 30 or 40% better than the other one. But, in
spite of that, I still love some movies more than other.
Here is my list of the films that came to movie theaters over the previous year.
The Conjuring – James Wan is a
genius at making horrors that require a modest budget (no CGI or fancy gimmicks
in the costume department) and result in scary, creepy films. The Conjuring is
a perfect example, and is one of two finest horrors in the previous year.
Evil Dead – This film is the other
one. One of the best remakes/reboots I have ever seen, Evil Dead brought
splatter horror back to life and then tried to kill it with a chainsaw. Compact
film that excels in everything its director planned to do.
This Is the End – Set Rogan and crew
made a great comedy in their unique style. Backstreet Boys included.
Only God Forgives – Nicolas Winding
Refn pseudo-thriller in the Bangkok underworld is a fantastic cinematic piece,
rich in visual symbolism. If I had to bet on one film that will survive the
next 50 years and become a classic, I would bet on this one.
Mud – A drama that captures the
essence of growing up in modern, poor and southern USA, and presents the
incredible, but not always visible talent of Matthew McConaughey.
Prisoners – A grim thriller about
child abduction that is difficult to watch, but is also one of the hardest
gripping films of the year.
Upstream Color – Best Sci-Fi film of
the year, because Shane Carruth is a master thinker in every cinematographic
role he takes. In the year that brought so many science fiction films with
enormous budgets that sucked completely and will be forgotten in two years, Upstream
Color won’t share their faith.
The Way Way Back – A warm and funny
family story that also showed us that Steve Carell could play a real and very unsympathetic
jackass.
Man of Tai Chi – certainly one of
the best martial action films of the past several years.
Drinking Buddies – An odd story
about friendship and love that somehow became a very impressive small film.
Don Jon – A fine way for Joseph
Gordon-Levitt to start his directing career, this film is truly innovating in
its exploration of modern sexuality and relationships. It may look like it’s
about porn, but it’s actually about all of us.
