Best in Movies 2014: 20-16

20) The Grand Budapest Hotel

     Figured that I'd start this bad boy off with an ode to director Wes Anderson. I had a weird feeling that I was going to run into this film, again as a favorite of the year. Now, this is only the third film that I've watched from Anderson since 2009's Fantastic Mr. Fox, which means, I'll have to see more of his work, in due time; but, I enjoyed this movie a good deal. If Ralph Fiennes wants to do more comedies, he should; he was wonderfully splendid as creepy, self-absorbed Gustav H. The rest of the cast is well-supplemented here to add to the depth of Fiennes character. Many have similar and/or different idiosyncrasies that gave this film more depth. Also, it's a beautiful movie both visually, as well. The Hotel, which has a significant role in the movie, feels like a character in its own right with the mixture of its bright pink exterior and in some instances, interior, too. As typical with a lot of Anderson's films, actors who've been in his movies have cameos here, and they're cool to see. It's like seeing Owen Wilson or Bill Murray in this film, it's like Wes built this "class of" collage for these characters, and they just come into his projects. 

19) Love is Strange  

     
     I'd like to call Love is Strange a random draw of 2014, because, aside from gay marriage angle, I knew nothing else about it. I knew who was in it (well, besides Marisa Tomei), I just didn't know anything else. I saw this movie as the second week of the NFL was wrapping up on Sunday Sept. 14th, so I thought it would be timely if I caught a movie as the weekend was winding down that evening. As I nominate this movie as my 19th favorite of 2014, I have to point its superb direction, solid cinematography, top-notch cast. Of all the highly acclaimed Oscar contenders for 2014, this one will probably be left off, since, it wasn't as high profiled like Birdman. So, I don't have a clear reason as to why it hadn't receive any attention as an awards contender for, at least, the performance of Alfred Molina. Maybe, it was a tad too subtle for some, I guess. For what it's worth, this small production impressed me.

18) Maleficent

     Fairy tales aren't for me. Their overwrought lines with wishes and love only annoy me at the highest level. Now, this isn't me being "that guy" to generate clicks for this little blog site, I've ALWAYS hated that advice from some random jackass telling kids about "true love at first site" or "having true love overcome hatred". Maleficent is a retelling of 1959's Sleeping Beauty, which had a lot of sappy love tropes, back when we weren't as progressive as we are now. Part of the reason why I enjoyed this update as much as I did, was that, rather than make another version of the same thing, the antagonist was more layered than recent adaptations. Maleficent is still the same brooding villain, just more vulnerable in moments here. For example, in the original Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent was upset that she wasn't invited to King Stefan's party, then curses his newborn, Aurora, when she becomes 16, would prick her finger on the spinning wheel of death. The 2014 film is her taking her revenge on Stefan, because he clipped her wings in order to prove his worth to his king; then, Maleficent proceeds towards vengeance against her former friend and curses his daughter......except, later on, has a modicum of sympathy for her goddaughter, especially, when her spell is irreversible. The only way it can be broken is by forgiveness. It's not that the story was groundbreaking or inventive, it added a layer that didn't make her goal so vague. Her goal was meaningful, rather than materialistic, which made the movie even more engaging. Angelina Jolie looks like she had a blast making this character come to life, as much as we enjoyed it with her. I wasn't crazy about the fights scenes, but the overall direction was solid, same for the rest of the production, cast. If I ever planned to write about a surprise of 2014, I'd nominate this one.  

17) 22 Jump Street

     22 Jump Street immediately made me rethink my thoughts on the first movie (I didn't give it a favorable review). I clearly was anticipating something based off the series, but, I just couldn't see that that film was parodying other franchises. Yet, I loved 22 for its well-timed jokes, references and excellent cast. Aside from Jonah Hill, this is Channing Tatum's domain, whether or not, he can transition to be a serious actor (though, I've heard, that he's really good in Foxcatcher), he's a great comedic actor. Part of it is, he's always good at being so one-note, that it doesn't require much for him to do anything else in that area of arts. Kinda sucks that White House Down didn't work, since, he was being.....Channing Tatum in a movie that had an identity crisis. Jillian Bell works here as sort of the insecure college student suspect of Hill & Tatum. And, of course, crazy-ass Peter Stormare was pretty funny as the drug dealer. As of this article, I haven't gone back towards watching 21 Jump Street; however, let's just say that, I'm apologizing to it in advance. I shouldn’t have over thought that film in the first place, anyway.

16) The Drop

     
     Tom Hardy owned this movie. He established himself as an excellent lead with The Drop. Hardy has demonstrated in the past, he can stand toe-to-toe with excellent lead actors. Here, though, he did manage to overshadow the late James Gandolfini. These roles don't seem to intimidate Hardy, nor does acting alongside Gandolfini, either. Now, I don't want y'all to think that my support for this film isn't sorely on the acting of one man. Many of the characters here as compelling, even multi-layered, because it's a movie about people dropping money off various bars throughout Brooklyn. Noomi Rapace is very good here too, albeit, her character wasn't as interesting as her counterparts, but she rarely disappoints. I liked how everyone was always trying to one up each other, expecting that no one was going to get the advantage on anyone. Even the two leads sort of had a sibling rivalry as to who's going to make it out alive before one (or both of them) were to get wacked. I was even impressed by the direction, too. He’s a Belgian director, and whatever information he took on the bourough of Brooklyn, he did an excellent job on capturing the moment. Thoroughly surprised by this movie.