(This article was originally posted on The Examiner.)
The Best Films I Saw in 2014
* I updated this column slightly on January 21 and February 11, but I did not alter my top 10 choices, and I did not add any films that were released in Chicago after 2014.
It was once again a fairly good year for film, even though fine cable miniseries continued to steal some of the thunder and critical cache from cinema.
Some of the greatest film makers (Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog and David Lynch) were inactive this year, but Lynch is supposed to do a sequel to my favorite show ever, Twin Peaks for cable this year.
I did not have access to very many critic‘s screeners this year (Thank God for Netflix, local libraries, and Odd Obsession video). For this reason I decided to limit this list mostly to films that played Chicago in 2014, so Godard’s Goodbye to Language (which played at the Gene Siskel Center in 2015), Selma, and the Dardenne Brothers’ Two Days One Night may appear on next year’s top 10.
I was particularly sorry to leave out Goodbye to Language. It features some of the most creative cinematic uses of 3-D ever, and at least one case one shot is superimposed over another (so if you move your head the image changes.) It’s probably more innovative and invigorating (it woke me up completely) than 90% of the Oscar best picture nominees.
I also can’t wait to see the new films by Clint Eastwood, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Abel Ferrera (I don’t think his new films even come to Chicago anymore which is a pity.) When I was in Italy in December, there was a huge buzz around Ermanno (Tree of Wooden Clogs) Olmi’s new film, Torneranno i prati, but I don’t know if it will ever be imported to America.
Although there were no dominant trends I can never remember seeing so many top notch sci-fi films (Under the Skin, Snowpiercer, the Zero Theorem, Intersteller, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Rover) in one year. There were also many recurrent faces on my list. This was a great year for Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer, Zero Theorem, and Only Lovers Left Alive), Scarlet Johanssen (In the Skin and Chef), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher and Begin Again), and Michael Fassbender (Frank and Xmen: Days of Future Past.) Then again every year is a good one for Michael Fassbender.
Also for the first time ever I had two black and white films on my list (Ida and The Girl Walks Home Alone at Night), and both of them were better because they were shot in that format (hopefully someone will do a good silent film soon.)
Also I was delighted that I was asked to participate in the International Online Film Critics poll. You can go here to see the results of the previous years’ poll athttps://sites.google.com/site/internationalonlinefilmcritics/editions/4t…Now here’s the list.
1) Grand Budapest Hotel-Ralph Fiennes is hilarious as a daffy hotel owner who tries to hide his ex’s inheritance from the authorities. He also tries to prove his innocence when he is framed for murder. This quirky comedy is director Wes Anderson’s second masterpiece in a row.
2)Ida-Superb minimalist drama about a nun to be who searches for her parent’s graves only to have her faith tested. This beautiful black and white film has some of the best cinematography and most striking shot compositions of the year. In Polish with English sub-titles.
3)We are the Best-Exhilarating fake rockumetary about three pre-pubescent girls who start a punk band (two are rebel rock types and one is a buttoned down Christian). The film effectively makes ordinary events seem extraordinary, and one of the best scenes involves a bad haircut. In Swedish with English sub-titles
4) Under the Skin-Eerily haunting film about an extraterrestrial who takes on a human female form to seduce and feed off the local males. This movie breaks down the wall between fiction and documentary because some of the scenes in which the alien picks up men were unscripted and done with non-actors who did not know they were being filmed. This is like a fine film length episode of Twilight Zone.
5) Snowpiercher-Terrific and exciting sci-fi action film with obvious class overtones. In a post-apocalyptic future the whole human population is on a train, with the exploited poor stuck in the back while the wealthy live a life of luxury in front. Of course the poor rebel and fight their way to the front, so the film is like Michael Savage’s worse nightmare. The South Korean director, Boon Joon-ho was supposedly very unhappy with the American cut of the film, but I have not seen the longer version.
6) Birdman-Michael Keaton (played an exaggerated version of himself) is a now washed up film star who made it big starring in superhero films (he played Birdman instead of Batman). He also either is delusional or he has real super powers. He decides to star in and produce a play based on a respected Raymond Carver story, but the main actor (played by Ed Norton) gives him a hard time. This may be Keaton’s crowning acting achievement and the film manages to be utterly unique and surprising every step of the way. All three principal actors (Keaton, Norton, and Emma Stone) are excellent. Director Alejandro Innaritu takes some risks and delivers in this brilliantly uneven tour de force.
7.) Girl Walks Home Alone Late at Night-A man gets involved with a femme fatale who killed his father in this noirish romantic thriller. Tagged as “The first Iranian vampire Western”, this makes most other vampire films (like Twilight) look like overwrought juvenile kitsch in comparison. The film plays with time signatures like Blue Velvet, and it seems to take place in both the 50’s and 80’s. This film is scheduled to open again on Feb. 20 at the Gene Siskel Center. In Persian with English sub-titles.
8) Zero Theorem-Terry Gilliam’s underrated sci-fi film features a Kafkaesque protagonist who is hired by a big corporation to prove that existence equals zero (or life is meaningless). This highly intellectual finale to the dystopian trilogy (which included Brazil and Twelve Monkeys) is one of the most imaginative and inventive films of the year and it is comparable to Pi.
9)Foxcatcher-Bizarre sports film about a business tycoon who lives through other people he hires. He hires some coaches to lead a wrestling team to the Olympics but there are some early hints that he is mentally unhinged.
10)Boyhood-The story of a family growing up was shot in real time (the main actors Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette have obviously aged), and director, Richard Linklater’s film almost matched the masterpiece he directed last year, Before Midnight. This would make a good double feature with 48 Up.
11.) Jodorowsky’s Dune-Fascinating documentary about an unproduced film with a script and storyboards that no studio would finance, but they were perfectly willing to steal ideas from it.
12.) Calvary- Father James is a moral and well-meaning priest who is pursued by a crazed stalker who wants revenge for being molested by another priest. Father James also has a strained relationship with his daughter who blames him for withdrawing from her after her mom’s death. Brendon Gleeson (He probably deserved an Oscar nomination) is great as the likeable, flawed, and multi layered main character, and the ending might be the most powerful ones of the year.
13 )Gone Girl-Rosemund Pike delivers an unforgettable performance (one of the best of the year) as a woman who disappears and causes a media frenzy. The film uses Ben Affleck’s natural unlikeability to good effect, and he plays the husband accused of killing her, but not everything is as it seems. Director, Dave Fincher is on a winning streak.
14.) Dear White People-Tyler James Williams (former star of Everybody Hates Chris) confronts racial tensions at a university in this marvelous social issue film which is in the tradition of Spike Lee’s School Days. The title comes from a controversial radio show in which a film student (played by Tessa Thompson) confronts Caucasians about their bigotry. The exciting ending is as strong as any 20 minutes of cinema released this year, and the screenplay is also one of the year’s beast.
15) Begin Again- Joyous music filled film about a female songwriter (played by Keira Knightley) who is mentored by a down on his luck music producer (Mark Ruffalo). This is a neat gender role reversal of Once, made by Frank Carney, the same director.
16) Frank- A fairly normal guy is recruited to play keyboards for a band led by a man who never takes off his paper mache mask. Michael Fassbender is memorable in the title role, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, is also remarkable as a mentally unstable Theremin player who tries to manipulate Frank. The music that the band plays in the film is wonderfully avant-garde and unique (like a cross between Pere Ubu and Velvet Underground.)
17) The Dance of Reality-Alejandro Jodorowsky’s first film in decades is a beautiful mess. In this semi-autobiographical film influenced by Fellini and Browning, Jodorowsky’s tyrannical father worships Stalin and abuses him which and his too loving mom sings all her lines as if she were in an opera (she also believes that he is a reincarnation of her dead dad.) After seeing this film you can better understand why Jodorowsy’s films are the way they are.
18)Take 5-Chris Rock’s semi-autobiographical film about a professional comic who longs to be taken seriously is a breath of fresh air, but ironically it is still not quite as brilliant as Rock’s stand up.
19)Chef-Life affirming film about a chef who struggles to retain his integrity when he clashes with his bottom line restaurant manager. Featuring a great soundtrack (the film effectively uses music during the cooking scenes) and nice supporting performances by poet/actor, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, and Sofia Vergara from Modern Family.
20) Low down-Disturbing biopic about Joe Albany, a brilliant jazz drummer and junkie who got to play with Charlie Parker, Benny Carter and Miles Davis. John Hawkes plays him as a charming scumbag (channeling a young Sean Penn) who carelessly exposes his daughter to dangerous characters, seedy surroundings and unpleasant situations. Based on a biography written by his long suffering daughter (well played by Elle Fanning). Directed by Jeff Preiss, the talented cinematographer who shot Let’s Get Lost, one of the greatest jazz films ever. Believe it or not this features a cameo by the dwarf from Game of Thrones and Flea. Currently playing at Facets Multimedia.
21.) Winter Sleep- Torturous but powerful portrayal of a middle aged writer who uses his sense of moral superiority as a weapon against others. Like Dostoevsky’s underground man, he thinks his well-liked, but he is actually despised by most people including his much younger wife. The film also touches on the issue of economic inequality after a violent incident involving a tenant’s son. This three and half hour plus film is overlong but it contains moments of greatness. The film is not for everyone but it won the Palm d’Or, the biggest honor at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. I preferred director, Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s previous work, Climates. Based on the short story, “The Wife”, by Anton Chekhov. In Turkish with English sub-titles.
23.) Love is Strange-John Lithgow and Alfred Molina play an older gay couple who must live apart for financial reasons after the main bread winner has lost his job (he gets fired for marrying a man). Tensions arise between one of the men and his nephew’s wife (Marisa Tomei) when they occupy the same house.
24) Obvious Child-A standup comedian’s act turns sour when she finds out that her boyfriend slept with her best friend. Featuring a winning performance by SNL alum, Jenny Slate, and a glorious dance sequence set to the title track.
25) Venus in Furs-The always intriguing Emmanuelle Seinger plays an actress who auditions for a play based on the famous title S and M novel (It’s the same one the Velvet Underground based their classic song on). Her real life husband, Roman Polanski plays the director of the play (he also was the film’s real director) who has an ongoing dialogue/argument with her about gender and art, and the conversation could have come from their real lives. The film received a nomination for best director from the International Online Critics group ( I was a participant). Seehttp://www.monstersandcritics.com/winners-of-the-2013-2014-international…
26) Dormant Beauty- A young girl is involved in an accident and she ends up in a coma with little chance of a cure, but she cannot be put out of her misery because Italian law prohibits it. The respected political film maker Marco Bellocchio’s latest explores the issue of euthanasia with intelligence and sensitivity. In Italian with English sub-titles.
27)Guardians of the Galaxy- This was the summer’s perfect escapist/popcorn film and it expertly combines action and comedy with galactic sci-fi. It’s like a cross between Star Wars and The Avengers with a colorful cast of characters (including a human, two green aliens, a raccoon like creature and a talking tree) fighting each other than teaming up to save the world. Also stay for the extra credit clip to see the most delightful cameo yet in a marvel film. I even like the way they used the mostly bad ‘70s songs (context is everything and they serve an important purpose in the film.)
28) The Wind Rises- In this exploration of aesthetic beauty, a young architect encounters his role model in a dream and this encourages him to perservere. Hayao Miyazaki’s dazzling and colorful new (and possibly last) animated film never quite rises to the level of his best work, but it is still worth a look.
29 )Mr. Turner-Mike Leigh’s well-acted bio pic about J.M.W. Turner, an artist who was known (at least initially) for doing marvelous sea landscapes. Timothy Spall plays him as an unlikeable and nasty self-absorbed artist who continually cheats on and neglects his wives and mistresses. He is shocked that his audience abandons him when he turns toward abstraction and begins to use unconventional material to produce his paintings. This powerful but overlong film may not match previous classic art biopics like Lust for Life, Camille Claudel, I Shot Andy Warhol, Basquait, Love is the Devil, and Sirens, but it comes close enough.
30.) Interstellar-Visually dazzling film from Christopher Nolan about two scientists Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway) who go through a worm hole while looking for a new home for the human race. The film cleverly explores the issue of time travel paradoxes and the final payoff is heartbreaking
Honorable Mentions (in order of quality) – A few of these were released outside Chicago earlier.
The Punk Singer
Le Weekend
The Wind Rises
Pussy Riot A Punk Prayer
Get on up
Violette
Young and beautiful
The Double
Pride
Maleficent
Captain America: the Winter Soldier
Cesar Chavez
Moebius
Revenge of the Mekons-A highlight of the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival). see http://cimmfest.org/revenge-of-the-mekons/
Xmen: Days of Future Past
Only Lovers Left Alive
The Rover
Stai Lontana da Me
Joe
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Lego Movie
Lucy
Best director-Pawel Pawilkowski for Ida
Best actor-Michael Keaton for Birdman
Best actress-Rosemund Pike for Gone Girl
Best supporting actor-Steve Carrell for Foxcatcher
Best supporting actress-Tilda Swinton for Snowpiercer
Best screenplay-Wes Anderson for Grand Budapest Hotel
Best cinematography-Daniel Landlin for Under the Skin
Most promising new star (well she’s new for me)-Jenny Slate for Obvious Child
Most promising new directors (tie) Ana Lily Amirpour for The Girl Walks Alone at Midnight and Chris Rock for Take Five)
Best music video-Come Back Haunted (Nine Inch Nails directed by David Lynch)
Some Good Chicago documentaries- I did not include shorts on my list this time, but Free Speech and The Transcendent Journey of Chris Drew (directed by local photographer extraordinaire Nancy Bechtol) and Sid Yiddish, a film about a challenging performance artist/poet and provocateur (directed by Ryan Buckley) are both well worth checking out.
Worse films of the year: Jersey Boys, Sin City a Dame to Die For, Son of God, Tusk (although I admired it for its audacity), Vampire Academy
Note: Lars Von Trier’s Nymphomaniac Volumes 1 and 2 contains both some of the best and worse scenes of the year, so I can’t make up my mind on it, but I know that the risk taking lead actress Charlotte Gainsborough has been doing far more consistently interesting and important work than the Oscar darling Meryl Streep.
