Top 5 Films of 2014

 Top 5 Films of 2014

 

Its been far too long since I have posted on here, so I'm doing a list of my favourite films of 2014. Its been a great year for films, with a nice balance of brilliant blockbusters, incredible Oscar winners and arthouse gems, here are my top 5 of the year.

 

 

#5 Guardians of the Galaxy

 

 

As an avid hater of anything Marvel, Guardians of the Galaxy caught me by surprise, the film turned out to be a hilarious sci-fi romp in the same vein as Star Wars. The usual superhero fare is simply not my cup of tea, even the acclaimed Avengers Assemble has never piqued my interest, this however was brilliant. With tongue planted firmly in cheek Guardians of the Galaxy takes aim at the conventions of sci-fi and turns them on its head in self referential delight. The characters are vivid, animated and always funny, making the film an absolute joy to watch. The final battle set in Marvel's favourite location, the generic city, was slightly underwhelming compared to the bright and colourful locales seen in the earlier portions of the film, however it doesn't detract from what is surely Marvel's best film to date.

 

 



 

 

#4 Lilting

 

 



http://www.fliks.com.au/movie/lilting/poster/

 

Starring Ben Whishaw and the astounding Pei Pei Cheng, this quietly affecting drama tells the story of two people struggling with grief and their cultural differences. Junn (Cheng) is mourning the loss of her young son Kai who was killed in an accident, when a stranger appears at her care home, her sons boyfriend. The relationship between the two is mostly told in emotive body language and facial expressions, as Junn can't speak English. The film deals with ideas of cultural identity, loss, misunderstanding and guilt as it slowly escalates into an emotional piecing together of Kai's memories and experiences. The two lead performances are quiet yet shattering, Whishaw is increasingly becoming one of Britain's finest actors, and Pei Pei Chengs legacy remains untarnished, she is mesmerising.

 

 

 



 

#3 Gone Girl

 

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/check-out-the-new-poster-for-david-finchers-gone-girl-plus-amy-dunne-has-a-pinterest-account-20140911

 

 

David Fincher's latest mystery is Gone Girl, a crime scene thriller about the disappearance of Amy Dunne (Pike) on the 5th anniversary of her marriage to Nick Dunne (Affleck). The film twists and turns throughout the 2 hr 30 running time, utilising both Nicks viewpoint and diary entries from Amy to try and piece together what happened. It's difficult to explain much of the plot without revealing anything, suffice to say it isn't what you would expect from the genre. The film tackles issues surrounding the media, gender roles, relationships and what they mean, delving deep into what makes a relationship work, or what doesn't. It's also meticulously directed by Fincher, who frames every scene with precision and detail, Gone Girl is a film that you could watch countless times and still not notice the detail put into each and every frame. A special mention must be given to Rosamund Pike, who has transformed herself from posh English darling to Hollywood superstar in her blinder of a performance.

 

 

 

 

#2 Nightcrawler

 

 



http://www.finalreel.co.uk/nightcrawler-alternate-posters/nightcrawler-alternate-poster-janee-meadows/

 

Nightcrawler tells the story of Lou Bloom, a man looking for a job in Los Angeles, after several failed attempts, he stumbles upon a camera crew filming a crash on the freeway. After speaking to film crew he learns of a freelance crime journalism that pays well, nightcrawling, the process of filming accidents, murders and robberies in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles. He quickly becomes engrossed in a grisly world of crime, television and journalism which begins to eat away at his sanity. Jake Gylenhaal has outdone himself with this film, in what is surely an Oscar winning performance he plays the sociopath character brilliantly, delivering some of the most downright insane scenes in any film I have seen. The film is darkly comic, satirising today's picture taking, selfie posting culture as well as the business of American television news mixing it with gut wrenching violent imagery.

 



 

#1 Intersellar

 

 

http://forum.parttimepoker.com/shooting-off-sponsored-party-poker-nj/983324-interstellar-review-spoiler-free.html

 

As much criticism Interstellar has gained, I still think it is the best film of the year. Christopher Nolan's Sci-Fi epic is unbelievable in scope and ambition, telling not just a human emotional story, but a scientific explanation of everything that happens. To some viewers this might be a turn off, audiences want to be entertained not taught, but the great thing about interstellar is that it manages to be both an intelligent and thought provoking piece as well as a blockbuster adventure, something which some critics cannot stomach. Much in the same way as 2001 did, Interstellar attempts to use space as a vehicle for events and ideas happening on Earth, in this case the film is a lesson of love and humanity, set against the silent backdrop of space and its imposing vastness. The film looks incredible too, especially in its native 70mm Imax version, the first glimpse of Saturn is jaw dropping, the scale of this film is on another level and the lack of green screen is a welcome change. Performance wise, Anne Hathaway, Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain take the cake, all giving moving and passionate performances that all deserve nominations. Interstellar is a film that you must see while it is playing in cinemas, it'll be remembered for years as another landmark in Science Fiction and is Nolan's best film to date.

 

 





 

 

Thanks for reading! There are so many more films that I could have included, 12 Years a Slave, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Maps to the Stars came incredibly close! You can follow me on Twitter @Karlrichings to keep up to date with film reviews.



The Quiet Ones Review

The Quiet Ones Review

 

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/still/the-quiet-ones-poster06.jpg

For 4 years Hammer Horror films have failed to provide a quality horror picture that compares to 2010's Let Me In, The Quiet Ones most certainly does not buck that trend. The film is based on a 'true story', one set in England's Oxford University. A lecturer and his group of students carry out an experiment in the name of science, the experiment is designed to prove that paranormal occurrences are created by the force of human fear. The test subject in question is Jane Harper (Olivia Cooke),  a disturbed individual who has a knack for creating supernatural energy and whose past is blurred and forgotten. Jane, played brilliantly by Olivia Cooke, is an interesting character from the offset, managing to single handedly carry the film through its unbearably slow start. Director John Pogue attempts to give each character a sense of background and standing in the world, aiming to make the audience care, an exercise that ends up slightly overdrawn. Once things get going, the film's mystery is ignited, and the narrative briefly holds its own. After a surprisingly enjoyable middle section, complete with a battering of jump scares, the film's plot begins to lose its sense of mystery and follows the well trodden path into mediocrity.

 

The Quiet Ones makes up somewhat for the lack of innovation with a solid cast, all of whom provide good performances which bring the stale character archetypes to life. The well established and much loved Jared Harris plays the slowly maddening professor, and does so with considerable clout, delivering a character that is sufficiently creepy and ever so slightly insane. British newbies Sam Clafin and Erin Richards make up the rest of the cast, both performing to an admirable degree, particularly Clafin as Janes' love interest Brian. As is standard with Hammer films, the cinematography is moody and colourless, even in the films vibrant 1970's setting. While the sounds of T Rex are never a few minutes away, the lifeless and dreary settings never evoke the same passion. To make matters worse, the film attempts to switch between a regular filming style and a found footage/video camera style, with Brian's role as the documenter of the experiment as the excuse. The problem lies with the jarring cuts between standard film and home video, taking place at crucial moments within the film. Not only does the cutting between the styles not work, but the handheld camera is thrown about and ran with like an iPhone, something that would simply not be possible with clunky 1970's technology.

 

In terms of horror, the film manages a few jolts in the middle half, using the handheld camera to full effect. A darkened room with only a circle of torch light illuminating the surroundings has of course been done many times before in found footage films, however Pouge plays with expectations, leading into some decent and genuine frights, as well as tension that leads to nothing. Unusually, the film shys away from the use of CGI during most of the film, a decision that really helps keep the mood and atmosphere in tact, unlike the recent Marked Ones or Devil's Due.

 

For now at least, the horror genre appears to be undergoing a creative drought, with few releases being more than re-runs of the same formula. Perhaps Hammer will return to its former glory, but for now the production company survives on it's legacy. The Quiet Ones is an average horror film, popcorn entertainment that serves only as a night out with friends or for a night in with a partner, horror fans looking for the next game changer will have to carry on waiting it seems.

 

6/10



Top 5 Films of 2014 So Far

Top 5 Films of 2014 So Far

Its been 6 months since my last post! So since its been so long I thought I would reintroduce myself with my favourite films of 2014 thus far. As usual, the first few months of the year give us some what turn out to be the years best films, mostly due to the Oscars and other ceremonies. So here are my personal picks for the best of the year so far.

#5 - August: Osage County

http://talent.adweek.com/gallery/August-Osage-County-Alternative-Movie-Poster/14547493

 

Based on the award winning play of the same name, this family comedy/drama revolves around the troubles of a dysfunctional family as they reunite after the death of a relative. Meryl Streep plays a superb part as the broken mother whose drinking habits and depression have driven the family apart. While the film gained some Oscar attention, it gained generally average reviews upon its release, with most accusing it of lacking a heart. Personally I found the film to be very poignant, while some of the head biting and arguments drive some of the scenes towards shout-offs, the end of the film was done beautifully. August Osage County is a high drama version of what it is like to have a broken family, and in that respect it succeeds.

 



 



#4 - Dallas Buyers Club

 

 



http://a-bittersweet-life.tumblr.com/post/73218955299/read-learn-absorb-the-screenplay-to-jean-marc

 

Matthew McConaughey won the heart of critics in last year's Mud, in Dallas Buyers Club he once again proves that he is a formidable talent in the world of Hollywood. Dallas Buyers Club tells the true tale of a Texan cowboy diagnosed with HIV and given 30 days to live. The film tackles some tough subjects such as homophobia, the American health care service and anti-corporate activism, which are all held together by both McConaughey's and Jared Leto's performances. The film is funny, which is unexpected considering the subject matter, however it works perfectly, giving the film a lightheartedness while still being incredibly moving.

 



 

#3 - Her

 



http://shyfyy.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/her1.jpg

 



Her is a comedy directed by the brilliant Spike Jonze, it takes aim at modern relationships as well as our relationship with technology, in a very literal sense. The story begins with Theodore, a lonely letter writer who is finalising his divorce. The film is set in a dystopian future where virtual reality has taken over the real world, namely with OS1, the worlds first artificially intelligent operating system. Theodore buys the OS and upon installing it is met with a female voice (played by Scarlett Johansson), the AI operating system slowly begins to form a relationship with the writer, leading into a full blown relationship with his computer. The premise sounds creepy, but the sharp humour makes sure the narrative never becomes more than an intelligent comment on our technology obsessed society. Spike Jonze once delivers a visually beautiful film too, filled with his trade mark melancholic framing and beautiful colours, not dissimilar to his work on Being John Malkovich.

 

 





 

#2 - 12 Years a Slave

 



http://tlkabtmovies.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/12yas-poster-art.jpg

 

So much has already been said about Steve Mcqueen's masterpiece 12 Years a Slave, that it leaves little to write about that has not already been written. What can be said is that this film is a true cinematic triumph in every way possible. The winning combination of stellar performances, assured direction and thematic bravery has created a beautiful, yet earth shattering piece that is sure to become a modern classic. A must see.

 

 



 

#1 The Grand Budapest Hotel

 

 





http://www.aintitcool.com/node/65500

 

As a massive fan of Wes Anderson's work, its no surprise that The Grand Budapest Hotel has topped this list. The Grand Budapest Hotel is Wes Anderson at his best, very much encompassing all of his quirks and auturisms that have established his career as one of the worlds most celebrated filmmakers. The film is a typical Wes epic, being perhaps most similar to his brilliant stop motion The Fantastic Mr Fox, but less like his last feature Moonrise Kingdom. The narrative revolves around Gustave, the concierge at The Grand Budapest Hotel and his new lobby boy Zero, as they steal a priceless work of art and attempt to escape the pursuing authorities, all the while maintaining the traditions of the established hotel. It's a film that is laced with superb verbal gags, meticulous direction and brilliant performances from a plethora of Hollywood stars. The definition of a perfect film.

 

 



 

 

That concludes the list for my favourite films of the year so far, however there were a few films that came incredibly close to the top 5, so I have to give credit to Inside Lleywn Davis, Frozen and Labour Day, all of which I enjoyed immensely as well.