Top 10 films of 2014

1   Godzilla

After the disastrous 1998 remake, I was very excited to see how Gareth Edward's version would be, specially since he showed quite a lot of promise back in 2010 with the similarly-themed 'Monsters.' Thankfully, he had the good taste to stay as close to the original movie as possible. It takes an hour or more for the big guy to finally appear, but when he does, it's truly magnificent! I love the way the director has managed to film the monster that captures the sheer enormity of his size. He is often too big to fit the screen! Very thrilled that there are sequels in the making. If they're this good we've got a lot of joy to look forward to for years to come.

2   Interstellar

Christopher Nolan is one of few filmmakers that always delivers very clever, beautiful, spectacular and at the same time emotionally engaging movies, and 'Interstellar' is no exception. One of the few films of 2014 to actually live up to the hype (I'm looking at you, 'Birdman'), what really impressed me was the fact that despite all the talk about 'them,' there were no aliens in this epic science fiction drama. 'Interstellar' is not dystopian. It is utopian, because in the end love transcends all boundaries, even that of time.
 
3   Boyhood

Richard Linklater's film was made over a period of twelve years, a feat in moviemaking that will make 'Boyhood' go down in history as a very important movie. Aside from that it is also a heartfelt and funny coming-of-age drama with a subject matter that at times verges on pedestrian yet always remains exciting.






4   Guardians of the Galaxy

After the disappointment that was 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' and the slight letdown that was 'Captain America: Winter Soldier,' I had almost given up on Marvel movies. But then along comes 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' and not only restores my faith in the Marvel cinematic universe but also turns out to be best of the bunch!





5   The Signal

'The Signal' is an independent film that almost passed by with nowhere near as much attention as it deserves. It starts out as a drama about three friends on a road trip, turns into a sci-fi thriller with alien abductions and secret government labs, veers off every now and then into horror before it transforms into a superhero movie and finally ends on a very surreal and arty note. If that sentence isn't enough of a qualifier, nothing I can say in its defence will do. 



6   How to Train Your Dragon 2

Fans of dragons, vikings and world-class animation will not have missed these two lethally cute and oftentimes hilarious family films. When the Alphas appear halfway in, that's when it hit home that this was going to be 2014's best animated movie experience.





7   300: Rise of an Empire

Unlike the sequel to 'Sin City,' the sequel to '300' was as good as the first film. Eva Green was a welcome addition to the franchise, and a worthy successor to Gerard Butler. Not very popular with critics, then again it's their job to be critical. Our job is to just enjoy, and there is plenty to enjoy here! Although I'm partial; even if '300: Rise of an Empire' were awful I would still love its style.


8   Gone Girl

Maverick filmmaker David Fincher's career had started to wane considerably after 'Zodiac' in 2007, but with 'Gone Girl' he shot back up to highest of forms like a rocket. He has found a pair of equals in Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (they have produced the music to his last three films), and the story of 'Gone Girl' is complex and powerful. Kudos to Rosamund Pike as well, her performance sort of carries the whole film.



9   Tusk

Warning, this movie definitely will not appeal to all tastes! Kevin Smith is one of my favourite directors, the kind of filmmaker whose lowest points ('Jersey Girl,' 'Mallrats,' 'Cop Out') are nevertheless highly entertaining in their own way. The 'body horror' genre is also a personal favourite, although it's hard to pull off. Smith has just the right amount of wit and grossness to make a film that in anyone else's hands would just be silly, and considering that the story about a podcaster who is kidnapped and surgically turned into a walrus started life as a joke (similar to 'The Human Centipede'), the end result is even more impressive!

10  The Grand Budapest Hotel

Last but not least, what may be the crown of Wes Anderson's career. With 'The Grand Budapest Hotel,' the auteur has managed to find a vehicle that perfectly encapsulates everything he loves. The quirkiness, the details, the humour, the historical backdrop, the cast of characters. It kinda feels like his whole film career has been practice for this.



 
Honourable Mentions: The Babadook, Noah, Maleficent, Edge of Tomorrow, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Big Eyes, The Penguins of Madagascar, The Raid 2, Wild, The Homesman.