In the last 12 months, humanity received another year’s worth of movies. Some of those were complete nonsense wrapped in a super-serious packaging while others had everything in theory, but still somehow became less than awesome. But, 2014, like the previous year, also brought about some absolutely brilliant films and movies which maybe aren’t perfect, but include elements or novel ideas that in my view deserve truckloads of praise. In the same year, Movies Films and Movies blog also added some new features, like the Crowdfunding push section and interviews with figures from the movie industry. But, when the year is done, the focus should be on the films which impressed me the most, so here is my list of the best movies of 2014 which I saw (I’m sure I missed plenty great ones, but those will be seen in 2015).
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – this sequel had an emotional punch and the willingness to deal with a true notion of a world that is becoming post-human. Along with great acting and visuals that were merged into a great story, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is one of the finest post-apocalyptic films in recent years.
The Rover – grueling and difficult to watch or empathize with, this Australian thriller is also a post-apocalyptic story, but one that set it sights on the incredibly ordinary people, placed in a horrible state of transformation. This film is an excellent proof that David Michôd has what it takes to make another, Australian L.A. Confidential type of masterpiece.
Blue Ruin – like the previous film, Blue Ruin explores the mental condition of desperate individuals forced into a criminal environment. Written and shot outside of the AAA thriller production guidelines, the movie is one of the best independent films of 2014.
These Final Hours – this list is becoming dominated by films made in Australia, but the continent deserved it. A poetic story about the last day on planet Earth, These Final Hours is both moving and engaging, a lot thanks to the very talented Nathan Phillips.
The Babadook – without a doubt the best horror of the year, this film managed to leave big production horrors like Annabelle in the dust. A creepy story with some fantastic photography molded The Babadook into a brilliant, violence-absent horror.
Summer of Blood – the funniest film of 2014 (which didn’t see many great comedies), thanks to the warped mind of Onur Tukel. The notion of a vampire that is this big of a jerk is a great release from the obnoxious Twilight concepts that flooded the big screens.
Nightcrawler – this action oriented drama is very bold in showing us what we really don’t want to see (and big portion of the audience will probably fail to make this connection anyway). Dan Gilroy used Jake Gyllenhaal to the maximum by building an ideal psychopath for our world of blood thirsty consumers.
The Film of the Year:
Fury – I often have difficulty choosing just one film in any category (the same reason why I don’t use any rating system in my reviews), but in 2014, the best film of the year for me is hands down this war drama. The sheer power of the film to draw me into its story truly terrified me, and had a lasting impact. The film David Ayer made maybe wasn’t ideal, but it took me to a completely different place, and did it so thoroughly that I feel the need to pronounce it the best of 2014.
