Introduction
As I have gotten older, I have let go of the idea that my opinion about a movie is right. The truth is that there are no rights and wrongs about what makes a good movie - only opinions that when pooled together make a majority or a minority.
For me, loving a movie can be as much about where I am in my life and who I share the experience with as it is about the movie itself. In fact, many of my most meaningful movie experiences have come when a great movie has intersected with my life circumstance at just the right time.
So thanks for taking a look at my opinions for the best of movies of 2014. I have also added some awards and a few movies to avoid. I realize this is going out a bit late this year, but the studios delayed the release of a lot of their best movies, so I had to wait later than I wanted. But I think the list is good enough and ready to go.
I hope you find a few good movies you haven't seen. By including them on this list, I believe they are worth the investment of your time. I always love to hear what you think about the movies on the list, even if you disagree with me, so feel free to email me anytime at bpeterson@chapman.edu to discuss them. Enjoy!
In Memoriam
Good Morning Vietnam - R (1986)
Everyone knows Robin Williams was a brilliant comedian, but I always loved him as a dramatic actor also. While I liked his characters in Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting, my favorite movie of his was Good Morning Vietnam. This movie embodies my sentiment above that many of my most meaningful movie experiences have come when a great movie intersected with my life circumstance at just the right time. When I was 16, I worked at a movie theater and I must had seen this preview over 50 times. I desperately wanted to see the movie, but it wasn't playing at my theater so I had to find it at another. Because I was five foot four and looked 14 when I was 16, I was carded at the box office window and denied tickets - even though I had a free pass since I was an employee of the movie theater chain. But not to be deterred, my cousin and I tried to see it again the next weekend. We found a tall guy in line, gave him some money, and asked if he would buy some tickets for us. It worked and we finally got tickets! I remember feeling the anticipation waiting for the movie to start in a theater full of enthusiastic moviegoers. I laughed and laughed and felt such a connection to the story and to the humanity of Williams' character. Playing an unorthodox military DJ serving in Vietnam, Williams was able to be his crazy comic self, while also bringing a new found seriousness to his acting - resulting in his first Academy Award nomination. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out - it is a funny and powerful movie.
From The Vault
The Shawshank Redemption - R (1994)There are movies, and then there is The Shawshank Redemption. Twenty years later, this movie still holds up. I was able to watch it in a theater at Chapman this year and it was just as powerful now as it was when I first saw it. This was the movie to put Morgan Freeman's narration on the map, and it is the best film adaptation of any of Stephen King's work. Frank Darrabont's writing and directing are incredible in every way. And this is also one of my all-time favorite movie posters.
2014 HITS AND MISSES
The Independent Spirit Award
The One I Love - R
The movie explores a couple's attempt to save their crumbling marriage and includes a creative twilight zone type twist. It was creative and interesting. I saw it at a screening where the director (a Chapman alum) was in attendance to do a Q&A. It was great to hear his rationale for the story and how the movie came to be. If you like original, creative independent movies, give it a try - you can now stream it on Netflix.
Wes Anderson: Been There Done That
The Grand Budapest Hotel - R
I was a big fan of Wes Anderson for many years. But his last two movies have left me cold as his trademark quirkiness has grown tired. This hillarious SNL skit shows how predictable he has become. I can't believe this was nominated for 9 Oscars. I was watching this on a plane and I couldn't even make it to the end - choosing instead to be like David Putty from Seinfeld and just stare at the seat in front of me rather than watch this movie any longer.
For the Music Lover
Mumford and Sons - The Road to Red Rocks
Although this technically came out in 2013, I saw it in 2014 year and thought it would make a great addition to the list. If you are looking for a documentary/concert about an incredibly talented band, this is a great one to see.
Kids Corner
The Lego Movie - G
I doubted a movie about legos would be any good. However, this movie was a lot of fun. From the music, to the lighthearted good humor, this was a great movie for parents and their kids. My daughters love to sing the dark and brooding song Batman sings to his girlfriend about his childhood: "Darkness . . . . . no parents . . . . . . .super rich . . . . . . kind of makes it better." Hysterical!Review from a 4-Year Old
My 4-year old daughter just saw the Lego Movie poster on the blog and wanted me to write down what she thought of the movie. Here is her verbatim review: "Everything is awesome in the lego movie. There is a bad guy that looks like a pirate. And Wild Styles is really beautiful - her real name is Lucy. Emmit is the awesomest guy in the world. He built a two seat couch that saves them in the water. The bad guy glued everyone together. Batman in the awesome guy in the world."
It looks like the future of my movie blog is in good hands!
How to Train Your Dragon 2
I didn't love this movie as much as I did the first one, but it was well done and a nice middle installment in a trilogy. There were some darker elements that were resolved too easily, but aside from that, I thought it was worth seeing.
The Days of Summer
Here are some fun movies from the summer months.
Edge of Tomorrow - PG 13
In the past, I have been accused of favoring art house independent films over mainstream movies -- which is pretty much true. But Edge of Tomorrow was the rare summer blockbuster that was smart, had believable suspense, and had two great performances by the leads. I'm not sure why there are so many Tom Cruise haters out there - the guy can act. He rarely makes a bad movie and has a lot of talent. But the real surprise of this movie for me was Emily Blunt. She shows great acting range and is a bonafide movie star. She is in line for a long and promising career. If you are looking for a popcorn action movie with a brain, this is a great one to see.
Guardians of the Galaxy - PG 13
This movie basically proved Marvel can do no wrong - shown here in another hysterical SNL skit. I thought this movie would fall flat, but it was funny and I cared about the characters by the end. Between the Lego Movie and this one, Chris Pratt had quite the year in terms of box office dollars.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - PG 13
I went to this movie with my son with very low expectations. It turned out to be actually really good. It had an independent feel to it - with a focus on story and quieter moments. Of course, it was only a matter of time before the action ramped up to a mind numbing pitch which I hate, but overall it was well done and was worth a summer night at the movies.
Godzilla PG 13
This was a fairly enjoyable reboot of a old monster classic. Of course, it is full of too many coincidences and unbelievable scenarios, but I guess that's what you sign up for when you watch a movie about a 100 foot fire-breathing lizard.
The Feel Good Award 3
Dolphin Tale 2 - PG
This years Feel Good Award goes to Dolphin Tale 2. It wasn't quite as good as the first movie (hence less crying, but still some of course), but it was a good old-fashioned family film that makes you feel positive about life as you leave the theater. Watching it with my 10-year old daughter made it a lot more fun.
The Should Have Been Great Award
Unbroken - PG-13
I didn't love this movie. In fact, I really didn't even like it. And when the final credits rolled I knew why -- the Coen brothers. How they were inextricably brought on to single handedly ruin Laura Hillenbrand's book is beyond me. I vowed last year I would never see another Coen brother movie again - only I was tricked into it as I didn't realize they wrote it! The movie should have been great, but the tone was one note, and the movie just wasn't able to capture the depth of what made this amazing man who he was (again blaming terrible Coen script). With a different director and writers, I believe this could have been an epic movie. But the final result was uninspiring.
The Long Term Vision Award
Boyhood - R
While I didn't love this movie deeply, I appreciated the vision it took to make it. The director followed the same cast over a 12 year period tracking a boys life from 6-18. This approach has never been used to make a fictional feature film before and for that Richard Linklater's original movie deserves mention.
Three Strikes and Your Out!
The Hobbit Part III - Greed Fills Middle Earth and Peter Jackson's Wallet
I can't believe they made this into 3 movies. And even worse - I can't believe I fell for it and bought tickets 3 years in a row. I blame this on the fact my son was 11, 12, and 13 and I thought it would be an amazing experience for he and I to share. However, after slogging through 9 hours of orcs, elves, and dwarves, I regret the whole thing! The story focuses on the greed of
2014 Top 10 Movies
#10 Whiplash - R
This movie examines the quest for perfection in music. It follows the story of a young musician (Miles Teller) who is driven to be one of the greatest drummers ever. He enrolls in prestigious music conservatory and is part of the studio band that traditionally is one of the best in the country. However, this success comes at a price as the music teacher rules the classroom with fear. While JK Simmon's has received a lot of awards for his performance as the teacher, it is extremely difficult to watch him embarrass, humiliate, and verbally abuse his students to a degree rarely thought possible. I despised his character as he goes against everything I believe about teacher/student relationships. Miles Teller's character has his own flaws - in his quest for success he makes his share of sacrifices along the way, ultimately alienating anyone close to him. The way power is displayed between teacher and student is one of the more interesting dynamic of the movie. The situations and music in the final 20 minutes make it worth the struggle. And I absolutely love this movie poster.
#9 Dear White People - RThis was Chapman alumni Justin Simeon's first feature film and it was impressive! He wrote and directed this movie that tackles a huge topic - finding a racial identity in today's post slavery/civil rights era. The story follows the very different paths of four Black students as they navigate college life at a fictional Ivy League university. It is smartly directed and incredibly well acted (Tessa Thompson). I particularly loved the complexity of the writing which I felt was outstanding. I really can't write a review to do this film justice, but A.O. Scott of the NY Times does here.
#8 Big Hero 6 - PG
A direct quote from my kids a few days after we saw it went something like this, "Dad just keeps going on and on and on about it, everytime he talks he's like 'Man, I REALLY liked Big Hero 6'." It's true - . I really did love this movie. It goes beyond the scope of most kids movies dealing with issues such as grief/loss, revenge/forgiveness, and using technology and science for health care and the greater social good. Plus it was laugh-out-loud funny and had great animation - all with a heart. This was easily my favorite animated movie of the year.
#7 Into the Woods - PG
What happens when you finally get what you wish for? Into the Woods interweaves familiar fairy tales to provide a possible answer to this question. I was first introduced to this play 20 years
ago and I fell in love with it. So when I heard they were making a
movie about it, I was excited. At the same time, I wondered if they
could pull off the transition from the stage to the screen. But I
believe that director Rob Marshall (Annie, Chicago) was the perfect
choice for
the job. Stephen Sondheim's rapid fire lyrics are so funny and smart I
never tire of hearing them. And I love exploring the idea of what may happen when you finally get what you think will make you happy. I thought the entire case was phenomenal - with
Emily Blunt and Anna Kendrick as the standouts. I love what Blunt
brought to the role of the Baker's wife, and Kendrick's voice was just
so beautiful (I guess this is unsurprising given she was nominated for a
Tony award at 12 years old). "On the Steps of the Palace" was one of the most creatively
shot songs in the movie. My ten-year old daughter was the perfect
age to introduce to the movie so after taking her to see it once and
listening to CD
over and over together at home, we went to see it again a second time . . . and
loved it again! #6 Interstellar - PG 13
No one can accuse Christopher Nolan of playing it safe. He makes ambitious movies and takes huge risks. I loved the vision of pushing global warming to its limits and seeing what we might do if the earth was not in a position to support life. I also respected that Nolan collaborated with the leading scientists of the day to provide a foundation for the theories of time and space explored in the movie. This is a big concept movie driven by a far-reaching story, solid acting, and high-quality direction. It is definitely worth seeing.
#5 Still Alice - PG 13
There are few Hollywood actresses that can convincingly play a linguistics professor at Columbia University. There are even fewer actresses that can play a 50 year old woman diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer disease. Julianne Moore somehow does both in this moving account of unexpected loss. This is my favorite type of movie - one that has a simple script, is about real people dealing with real situations, and one that honestly examines how the characters handle the situations. It is not a perfect movie - I would have liked to see more development of the family relationships and some additional backstory in how they got to where they were. But this movie excels in showing how one woman struggles with this disease when she is in the prime of her life and career. Julianne Moore is an incredibly talented actress - she brings so believability to the character. I don't believe there are very many actresses who could have pulled off this role so convincingly.
#4 Chef - R
Jon Favreau began with writing small independent movies (Swingers), moved into directing huge budget Marvel blockbusters (Iron Man 1 and 2), and returned to his independent roots writing and directing Chef - a simple, smart and moving story about finding integrity in your work and developing unexpected bonds along the way. I like how Favreau doesn't sentimentalize his characters or the situations they find themselves in. Instead, he plays it straight and doesn't feel the need to manipulate the audience. The end result is a movie that feels very real. The changes you see in the characters over the course of the movie are small enough to be believable, yet big enough to be meaningful. I loved this movie.
#3 The Imitation Game - PG 13
Ever since I saw Benedict Cumberpatch in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, I have loved his brilliant acting. In this movie he plays Alan Turing, a young British mathematician who helps bring an early end to World War II by breaking Enigma - the encoded German military communication system. I don't want to spoil the story for you, so I will only say it examines how the British government treated this war hero following his arrest in conjunction with a robbery in 1952. It is a smart and well acted movie, and the story is moving and important. I left the theater feeling like I had been punched in the stomach as this story is a tragedy at its core.
#2 Birdman - R
I absolutely loved this movie. The acting was amazing, the story drew me in from the beginning, and the direction and technical work were revolutionary (the film looks like one continuous take from beginning to end). The plot revolves around Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) a washed up actor who once played the superhero Birdman in the 80s (just as Keaton did with Batman). Riggan was defined by the role and struggled to ever be taken seriously as an actor ever since. So at the twilight of his career, he personally funds, writes, directs, and stars in a Broadway play in an effort to stay relevant and prove his worth as an actor. But it comes at a price as he struggles against his self-doubt and inner demons, as well as the doubts of others who want to see him fail. I loved the existential story line that asked big questions of its characters related to the importance of work, art, and personal relevance. Michael Keaton's acting was tremendous, and Edward Norton's crazy Broadway actor is fantastic in every scene he is in. I loved the percussion score coupled with shots of the drummer at key times in the movie. Writer/director Alejandro Inarritu deserves special mention. His vision of this movie was amazing, and the writing is smart and engaging. This was definitely the most intellectually satisfying movie experience I had all year.
#1 Selma - PG 13
This story of the civil rights march in Selma, Alabama was the most important story to be told this year. It was also one of the best acted and directed. After leaving this movie, I thought Selma would earn 10 Oscar nominations, but disappointingly it only received 2. Director Ava DuVernay gives the audience a front row seat to the quiet brilliance, compassion, and leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. She wonderfully balances a large scale epic with scenes of personal reflection and introspection. David Oyelowo is absolutely amazing as Martin Luther King Jr. He paints a powerful and intimate picture of King's personality. The movie also depicts how difficult it was to navigate the civil rights terrain - knowing how to plan strategy, keep people united, and hold onto hope during an utterly desperate time. Marin Luther King Jr. was truly a great man who really did change the world. This movie honors his work and those who had the courage to follow him. I hope you see it!
