Ruk's Top 69 Movies of 2014 (How to Lose Friends and Alienate People)

[rukaio101]

26. Gone Girl

"You two are the most fucked up people I've ever met and I deal with fucked up people for a living."

 

 

What can I say about this film that hasn't been said before? The story is great. The direction is tense. The media satire is spot on. Rosamund Pike... holy shit, Rosamund Pike. That is a Hopkins Hannibal Lecter level performance right there. I'll admit I've not seen Still Alice, but I'm struggling to believe Moore's performance is going to be better than that. Affleck also does a more than adequate job holding the film together despite having a much less colourful role. Thoughts of Gigli and Daredevil are long passed now. There's also a great turn from the supporting cast like NPH and, shockingly, Tyler Perry.

 

If I had to make a criticism, I'd say that the film does drag a bit until the reveal, but this is still a tense, fun affair that in any other year would've probably reached my Top 15.

[rukaio101]

Sorry I've been having to place gaps in this. I've been going through a bit of a writing lull at the moment and what attention I have is being spent on my more important projects. I'm going to go for a rush and try to get as many out as I can before Friday since my time past then is probably going to vanish into the endless void that is Monster Hunter 4.

 

Still though, at least I'm doing better than Rorschach. 

 

25. Assault on Arkham

"Anyone who throws boomerangs has some real issues letting go."

 

 

Now that's more like it. The final DCAU movie on the list this year, this is much closer to the standard I expect from them. Dark, action-filled and with some great writing, the film manages to successfully introduce most of its ragtag team of villains and then let's us have fun wondering who's going to get bumped off and how. Admittedly, Batman's inclusion feels a little pointless (although they used the Joker fantastically) and a couple of Suicide Squad members feel a little underdeveloped, but this is still tons of fun and more than makes up for the craptacular doublebill of JLA:War and Son of Batman.

 

Here's hoping David Ayer's Suicide Squad is this good.

[rukaio101]

24. Godzilla

"I guess we're monster hunters now."

 

 

Yes really.

 

Godzilla seems to have a Love it/Hate it reputation on these forums. And I’m firmly in the love it group. But... I can also completely understand where the people who hate it are coming from. Aaron Taylor Johnson is really bland. Blander than cardboard flavoured oatmeal. With grey food colouring. Bryan Cranston was almost comically superior to him as a lead. But then again, I’m not watching this movie for the humans. I’m watching it to see giant monsters fuck shit up. And on that level, this movie more than delivered. Certainly, it was mostly the MUTO’s who did most of the fuck shit up-ing, rather than Godzilla, and this has been a point of contention for a lot of people. But honestly, I was really intrigued by what this movie did with Godzilla. He’s not directly opposing humanity, yet he can hardly be called an ally. He's something else entirely. And, quite frankly, I find that far more fascinating that the generic 'he's just like an animal'/'just wants to kill humans' stuff we usually get.

 

So yeah, while I can sympathise with those who hate the film, Aaron Taylor Johnson is not nearly bland enough to override my hysterical love of giant monsters fighting. Maybe if he was Shia LeBeouf....

[rukaio101]

23. The Raid 2: Berandal

"Bring back the ball."

 

 

The first Raid is one of my favourite movies of all time and a near perfect action movie. Even without mentioning the outstanding choreography, I thought it was tightly plotted and paced to perfection. The Raid 2... is decisively not. But god damn it, it still has far better action than every other movie this year. Seriously Hollywood. Scrap that crappy Raid remake idea, bring Gareth Evans to Hollywood and set him to work on the Taken franchise or something. Even if he may have gotten bogged down in his own story this time around, he could bring so much improvement to near any action movie. And it's not like the Taken franchise hasn't fallen enough. Or maybe team him up with Gareth Edwards and bring us that kung-fu Godzilla movie we've all been waiting for. 

Edited February 11, 2015 by Rukaio Alter

[rukaio101]

22. Penguins of Madagascar

"Charlize, they're on the ray! Helen, hunt them down! Will, hurt them! Halle, bury them! Hugh! Jack! Man the battle stations! Kevin! Bake on! We're still going to need that victory cake!"

 

 

Yes, really..... again.

 

Seriously though, it's a shame this flopped because I had so much flippin' fun watching it. It's a pure, unadulterated sugar rush that revels in its own energy and madness and is near impossible for me not to love. The first two thirds of this movie are a near non-stop ride of frantic hilarity and, had the film kept it up, it would've easily made my Top 15 at least. Unfortunately, it tries to go for a more a serious plot and character arc in the final third which doesn't quite work, but this movie is more than worth it just for those first two thirds alone. Madcap, energetic and really very funny, this is actually probably one of my more rewatched movies of 2014. And I'm not even a fan of the Madagascar franchise.

 

I hope Dreamworks sorts out their troubles (and maybe gets a new marketing team) because I really enjoyed this in a way few other animated films can hope to imitate.

[Ethan Hunt]

N. Penguins was just trash ( outside of the first scene which was amazing)

Edited February 11, 2015 by Ethan Hunt

[rukaio101]

21. Big Hero 6

"We jumped out a window!"

 

 

The latest film from an increasingly rejuvenated Disney Animation, this film certainly has a lot going for it. A fantastically complex main character, a funny yet surprisingly touching mascot, another deep sibling relationship (which NuDisney seem masters at capturing) and a fanbase that isn't as obnoxious as Frozen's! Hurray!

 

Seriously though, I am very impressed with how 3-dimensional they made Hiro, especially considering how overused and tired the whole 'boy genius' trope can be. He's arrogant, wastes his skills and has more than enough flaws and traits to make him feel like a well-rounded character. And he got dark in places. The scene where he orders Baymax to kill Yokai is one of my favourite scenes this year. Sure I was a little annoyed at how easily he got over it, but I still thought he was a great character and one of the most complex Disney protagonists.

 

I'll admit though, I've got a few issues with it. And strangely, it's more on the superhero side than it is the drama side. The action in this movie feels lukewarm in places. Certainly there are some good moments like the car chase and whenever the other 4 heroes get to show off their powers, but I found a lot of the action forgettable. Yokai has a cool design, but isn't that interesting a character (and I guessed his real identity incredibly quickly). And I found the flying scenes pretty boring. Admittedly, this may just be in comparison to HTTYD2 which has some of the best flying scenes I've seen in any movie, but I was never that excited when Baymax took flight. Also, for all the hype San Fransokyo got, I thought it just seemed like any other generic cityscape. Sure there were a few neat touches here and there, but nothing jaw-dropping.

 

So yeah, while not perfect, Big Hero 6 is still a great movie and just another example of the Disney Renaissance 2.0.

[chasmmi]

Good to see not everyone hates Godzilla

[Alpha]

Good to see not everyone hates Godzilla

 

Yeah, don't really get the hate for Godzilla. I liked it.

[baumer]

Everyone hates Godzilla.  

 

Not everyone knows it yet.

[ChD]

Surprised to see Godzilla... Even more surprised to see Big Hero 6, but that's welcome.

[rukaio101]

20. X-Men: Days of Future Past

"So, you always were an asshole."

 

 

Believe it or not, going into the new year, this was the Superhero movie I was most expecting to enjoy. Not only was it coming off the fantastic X-Men First Class, but it was also bringing one of my favourite directors, Bryan Singer, back to the franchise. Plus we had Sentinels, Wolverine, both past and present X-Men and dodgy posters aside, it looked like it was going to be a lot of fun. And did the movie live up to my expectations?........... Pretty much, yeah. 

 

Dark and action-packed but with enough time for smaller character moments that pack nearly as big a punch (Eric's outburst on the plane being downright terrifying), this was a fantastic return to form for the X-Men movies, both critically and BO-wise. Also, like first class, it's an X-Men movie that actually felt like a ensemble film, rather than Wolverine and his super-friends. Admittedly, Dinklage's Bolivar Trask is infamously wasted and I'm not particularly fond of Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique and the focus she received. But this is still a great movie to enjoy.

 

Now here's hoping Apocalypse will finally bring Cyclops (one of my favourite X-Men), the respect that he's due...... Aah, who am I kidding. That's probably not going to happen.

[Kalo]

 

Now here's hoping Apocalypse will finally bring Cyclops (one of my favourite X-Men), the respect that he's due...... Aah, who am I kidding. That's probably not going to happen.

we can hope, they made an excellent choice with Tye Sheridan, imo he's one of the most talented actors in the industry right now under 20. they better not waste him.

Edited February 11, 2015 by Kalo

[rukaio101]

19. Selma

"Are you trying to shit me, Governor Wallace? Are you trying to fuck your president?"

 

 

Despite being English, the Civil Rights Movement in the US has always interested me. Like Gandhi's infamous protests, the clash of peaceful ideologies and brutal oppression and the way many of the protestors kept to their peaceful ideals even when faced with such vile hatred is just incredible to me. The stories from that time are so horrible that you wouldn't at all blame the protesters for getting violent and you want to see the oppressors get their comeuppance, yet the fact that they don't betray their principles even when it would be advantageous makes them seem all the more inspiring for it. And Selma captures that period very well.

 

Admittedly, compared to last year's 12 Years a Slave, Selma does feels bit unfocused as it attempts to cover multiple storylines and characters through the event, but when it tries, it can be as every bit brutal as its more successful predecessor. The scene with the riot police on the bridge in particular is one of my standout scenes of the year. And I appreciate the way it humanises the protesters instead of making them all perfect and whiter-than-white. It addresses MLK's weaknesses for women and the multiple rifts between the different factions of the Civil Rights Movement. And in a way, this humanisation makes what they achieve seem even more touching than if they were simply oh-so-perfect oppressed people.

 

As I said though, it does feel a bit unfocused in places and while I'm not too fussed about character changes in biopics (if only because they happen all the time) I can understand why people might be a bit annoyed at Lyndon B. Johnson's portrayal. But still, Selma is both brutal and uplifting at times and completely deserves the BP nomination it got.

[rukaio101]

18. Black Sea

"I lost my family because of this job."

 

 

Well, now I can add submarines to the long list of 'Shit I'm never going near again thanks to movies'.

 

I don't know whether this film has actually come out in the US yet but if it has and you see it playing near you, I'd advise you go check it out. Unless you're particularly claustrophobic. This submarine thriller about a quest for Nazi gold is so tightly shot and burningly intense that I had trouble breathing in the cinema. It felt almost more like a horror movie than a thriller. You're constantly on edge as you wonder what's going to go wrong next or who's going to make it or if anyone's going to make it out at all. Jude Law just blows it away, particularly towards the end as his character goes from a traditional down-on-his-luck captain to a full on character from a Greek Drama threatening to let his own greed and pride drag his crew down to the depths with him. There's a hauntingly good (near) final shot that I won't spoil here.

 

That said, the film does have a few issues getting going. While it does set things up nicely, the conflict between the crew feels very artificially forced with one character being a jerk simply because the writers wanted to build up tension. Certainly, when shit does go wrong the tension is most definitely there, but some people might think it runs hollow. Also, I've not seen many submarine movies but I've seen a fair few reviews claiming that it's not much more than a traditional sub thriller. But I'm not going to judge this movie any based on films I've never seen. And if it is traditional sub thriller, it's still a damn good one.

 

Honestly, this is one of those few films that'd I really recommend you try and watch in theatres if you can. Sitting in the darkness, with your full attention on the film creates such a sense of claustrophobia that I can't imagine watching it at home can replicate it.

[4815162342]

^ 2015 for us Yanks. Wanted to see it last weekend but couldn't find time.

[CoolioD1]

I started reading this list and I didn't disagree with the placements but the smugness of the commentary turned me off to it. yuck. no thanks.

[rukaio101]

17. Calvary

"I think she's bipolar, or lactose intolerant, one of the two."

 

 

This film is yet another reason why Brendan Gleeson is one of my favourite actors of all time. Screw all this complaining about Oyelowo and Fiennes being snubbed, where the hell was the Best Actor nomination for Brendan Gleeson? The man has such a presence in near every movie he's in and is especially fantastic when working with one of the McDonagh's, like in this movie.

 

I'll admit though, this is the kind of movie I struggle to describe. It's a study of many different things, the Catholic Church (both successes, failings and monstrosities), the victims of child abuse, the general apathy of so many people in this town, so many things. And it leaves a lot of its plot threads still dangling unfufilled in the wind. But in a way, that really works with the bleak atmosphere the film is attempting to create. And honestly, this is one of the few films that can pull off the 'main actor stares pensively in the distance for a few minutes' shot that I hate in so many other movies.

 

Really, it's an interesting watch that left me really not sure how to feel about it. It takes so many of the tropes I usually hate (muted colour scheme, lots of environment shots, a pervasive sense that it's trying to be deep (although I'd argue it succeeds)) and largely makes them work, thanks to an outstanding central performance and some top-notch writing and directing.

[rukaio101]

I started reading this list and I didn't disagree with the placements but the smugness of the commentary turned me off to it. yuck. no thanks.

You just used the words 'Yuck. No thanks'...... and you're calling my commentary smug?

[rukaio101]

16. Cold in July

"All right, boys, it's Howdy Doody time."

 

 

The other indie revenge flick I saw this year, I can easily say I enjoyed this a lot more than Blue Ruin. It has a fantastic plot, filled with some great twists and turns and the main three actors all put in a brilliant performance and have fantastic chemistry with each other.

 

It's funny I should compare it to Blue Ruin, because there's a lot to compare it to. There's little action but when Cold in July does get an action sequence it's a damn intense affair. The main character is also a bit of a timid guy and not at all the sort of hero you'd expect to see in a movie like this but, while I found Dwight annoying in his timidity, Michael C. Hall genuinely seems like a likeable guy seriously troubled by what he has done. Despite his wish that everything would just go back to normal, it doesn't feel unnatural when he gets dragged deeper and deeper into the mess. Sam Shepard also puts in a great performance switching from intimidating to suspicious to downright torn and heartbroken when he gets to the truth of matters. And Don Johnson's Jim Bob was just inherently likeable. Honestly, I want to see that character get his own spinoff series and a private detective/pig farmer. Presumably with some sort of punny name.

 

Anyway, if you're the sort of person, like me, who wasn't that impressed with Blue Ruin, I'd advise you give this movie a go. In fact, I'd advise you just give it a shot anyway. It's tense, well acted and filled with interesting twists and turns.