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
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
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
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
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
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.
I loved Grand Budapest Hotel. I saw The Winter Soldier then saw Budapest right after haha. I had to talk to the theater about timing and everything when i was buying my tickets ti see if I would miss anything and I ended up missing the first five minutes of Budapest but it was still worth it.
ReplyDeleteblog:http://moviesasllakdja.blogspot.com
Yeah its a great picture :)
ReplyDelete