Top 10 Movies of 2014

And so we've come to the end of yet another enjoyable year of cinema. There's been plenty of highs and lows, disappointments and exceeded expectations. So now, with only a handful of days left, I've decided to give you my entirely subjective list of the best films released in the past 12 months. In case you missed them or are just interested, feel free to click the title of each movie to be taken to my review. Also, I'd like to take this time to thank anybody who's stuck with me for yet another year, and hopefully I'll continue to give my opinions well into 2015. So, without further ado, here are my picks for the best releases this year: 

10 - X-men: Days of Future Past
This instalment marks a consistent theme for my list this year: surprises. I went into Bryan Singer's latest X-Men movie with apprehension, because the series as a whole has always been hugely varied in its entertainment value and critical reception. Thankfully, this latest outing was enjoyable from start to finish, and managed to seamlessly blend the older franchise with this current, updated interpretation. 

9 - 12 Years a Slave

Released at the very beginning of this year in the UK, 12 Years a Slave was inarguably one of the most powerful movies I've seen in a cinema. By the end the entire audience was stunned into silence, and this shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody who has seen the film - it's engrossing and tragic throughout. It's definitely not a movie which I could recommend to everybody due to the intense nature and historical origins of the story, but 12 Years a Slave has remained with me in vivid clarity since I first saw it 12 months ago.

8 - Edge of Tomorrow 

Continuing with surprising hits this year comes Edge of Tomorrow. Now known alternatively as 'Live. Die. Repeat.' due to poor box office results, this sci-fi action movie brought Tom Cruise back into the public eye as a more than viable choice for leading protagonist, and was just a very fun movie. The movie played with the idea of an ever-repeating day, which led to an enjoyable blend of comedy, action, and drama. I wouldn't be hugely surprised if you told me you haven't seen Edge of Tomorrow, as it appears most people chose not to, but I implore you to check it out as soon as possible. 

7 - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

If this were a list for the longest movie titles, then Dawn of the Planet of the Apes would be a definite front-runner. Regardless of its long-winded name, this sequel improved upon its already solid foundations in every way, and provided an engrossing comparison between ape and human life. The motion capture by Andy Serkis in particular was stellar, and allowed a sense of raw emotion previously unfathomable in CGI characters. The consensus for this movie is mixed to say the least, but I personally loved it. 

6 - The Wolf of Wall Street

After first viewing this drug-fuelled Scorsese biopic, I was a little under-whelmed. I'd heard such insurmountable praise for the film that I had build my own levels of hype to unreachable standards... not surprisingly, they weren't met.  But in hindsight, The Wolf of Wall Street is most certainly worthy of plenty of praise. Leonardo DiCaprio portrays infamous stock-broker Jordan Belfort as equally humorous and detestable, and all of the supporting cast make this 3-hour epic a joy to behold, even if certain scenes drag on a little longer than necessary. 

5 - Gone Girl

Many movies this year had endings which didn't fully conclude or at least satisfyingly wrap-up the events which had preceded them. Gone Girl takes the crown for this. But does it matter? Not in the slightest. David Fincher's missing-person thriller was an intriguing ride from start to finish, and although the ending wasn't quite as punchy as I had hoped, it still didn't even come close to diminishing the rest of the movie. A film which definitely earns its 18 rating, Gone Girl makes for some very entertaining viewing. 

4 - The Babadook

2013 provided us with some excellent horror. 2014 on the other hand, was considerably lacking. Perhaps this is why I loved The Babadook so much. Or, more likely, perhaps it's because it is an incredibly smart, eerie film. Boring gore is replaced by consistent tension, and in the place of lifeless stereotypes are characters who you genuinely feel attached to. Even if you're not a fan of horror, I would still urge you to watch this movie, as it may tempt you to check out some of the better films released within the genre, and convince doubters that horror movies can still terrify without requiring a loud bang in the night. 

3 - Interstellar

What can I say about Interstellar that I haven't already? It's not Nolan's finest movie, but is still a phenomenal achievement which manages to appeal to a whole plethora of movie fans. On one side there's the moving relationship between Matthew McConaughey's character Cooper and his daughter, and then there's also an epic space drama which deals with time travel and relativity. The special effects are quite literally out of this world, and the movie embodies the idea of a proper 'cinema movie'. Watching this anywhere else but on a huge screen would truly be an injustice. 

2 - Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel knows what they're doing when it comes to comic-book movies. This cannot be exemplified more than with Guardians of the Galaxy. Here, Marvel managed to take a relatively unknown series and turn it into an immensely popular film which was not only widely seen, but praised almost universally for its creativity and sense of fun. I've seen the film multiple times since its release, and the immensely catchy soundtrack is still a joy to listen to. Couple this with excellent characters, and you've got a real treat on your hands. 

1 - Nightcrawler

Bet you didn't see this coming. Yes, my favourite movie of the entire year was a film which I actually saw without even planning to. Nightcrawler was a dark, menacing, and yet morbidly funny story a man who discovers that you can make a reasonable amount of money simply by recording brutal accidents which can then be sold to news outlets. It's a film which is practically driven entirely by Jake Gyllenhaal's amazing performance as Louis Bloom, but also features some breath-taking cinematography and witty dialogue. If you haven't seen this yet, rectify that. 

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Review

And so our second visit to Middle Earth has come to an end. With that comes a sort of gleeful melancholy; the Lord of the Rings trilogy is inarguably more vast in terms of both story and scope than that of The Hobbit, but it's been a fun ride nonetheless. The question is: can this final instalment conclude yet another epic Peter Jackson saga? At times, the answer is definitely a resounding 'yes'. 

Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman)

The Battle of the Five Armies begins immediately with the consequences of Bilbo's actions from the previous film. Smaug is destroying Lake Town. Thorin is becoming rapidly unhinged. Gandalf is in peril. It's a beginning which quite literally throws you in, and so newcomers to the franchise might want to do a little background reading before the title appears. Once the immediate danger is resolved, The Hobbit: TBOTFA turns into a film resembling something that portrays the Cold War. The dwarves have possession of the mountain, but their leader, Thorin, is not satisfied. He demands that they find the precious Arkenstone which belonged to his Father, therefore meaning it belongs to him. It's difficult to divulge much of the plot without spoiling the first 30 minutes of the movie, so I won't explain how the battle in the title actually comes to be. I will however, say that the battle itself is as entertaining as you'd expect from a film taking place in Middle Earth, even if it's a little drawn-out. 

It might just be because I've read the book (which is only 300 pages, hence why most people don't think it needed a trilogy), but many of the scenes within the battle go on for just a little longer than necessary. There's definitely some thrilling moments littered throughout, and some which rival previous events such as the Battle of Helms Deep, but overall things begin to feel slightly monotonous. In fact, the first half of the movie and the build-up to the fighting was far more enjoyable than the combat itself. 

Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage)

Regardless of this, it's still a pleasure to see Bilbo and Gandalf and all the regulars back for one last time. Gandalf's moments in particular carry a real weight to them, which most fans of the franchise would probably expect. The most surprising character though, would be the recently appointed king, Thorin. It's as much Thorin's story as it is Bilbo's, and the movie does a really great job of conveying how power and wealth have corrupted him and skewed his perspectives on loyalty and honour. By the time the credits roll, you really feel like you've been on a journey with these characters. In the end, the flaws seem comparatively less important. 

Verdict

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is a satisfying final visit to the world created by Tolkein. It contains some subtle nods to the other trilogy which provide great fan-service, and is a film which very nearly achieves the epic nature of Return of the King, even though not quite. If you haven't seen any other films set in this universe, then I highly doubt The Hobbit: TBOTFA will do anything to persuade you. If you are a fan of Tolkein's world however, then you've no doubt seen this already. If you haven't, then definitely go and see it, even though it's probably the weakest of the trilogy...but only because it's such a strong trilogy to start with. 

"Will you follow me...one last time?"