Thursday, January 22, 2015

"Paddington" Review


There are movies that take you until the end to get into. There are movies that entertain you in the theater and only the theater. Then there are movies that give you the widest, cheek-aching grin, from frame one till the end of the credits. Those are the best movies, and "Paddington" is one of that kind.

When an earthquake forces a young bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) out of his Peruvian home, he treks to London, where he hopes to find an explorer who visited Peru 40 years ago, befriended his aunt and uncle, and promised them a warm welcome if they were to ever visit. Lost and alone, the bear is picked up by the Brown family, who name him Paddington (after the train station), and assist in his search for the explorer and a place to call home.

Talking bears, trans-Atlantic travel, and adventurous explorers...and I've yet to mention Paddington's love (bordering on obsession) for marmalade or the psychotic taxidermist (Nicole Kidman) hunting him for her collection. This is weird: the kind of weird Mad Libs seems to be made for. But somehow, it all melds together. The script, adapted from the popular children's book series, is so comfortable in this world, and the movie follows suit. There are no winks to the audience, and the movie's immersive as a result.

"Paddington" is childlike. Its colors are saturated, sets vibrant, and cinematography exciting, some of the most playful I've seen in years. The world is magic and silly, but never to the point of a cartoon. It's not hard to imagine that with a few tweaks and scientific discoveries that this world could be our own, and the clash of realism and imagination blends so well.

In no way does this feel like the product of focus groups. "Paddington" spreads variety without losing energy: its comedy ranges from outrageous slapstick to titter-inducing dialogue. Each scene is carefully crafted, and I find myself marveling at the combo of writing/editing/animation that manages to get the biggest laugh, every time.

A cornucopia of British greats are here: Jim Broadbent, Michael Gambon, Peter Capaldi, Imelda Staunton, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville. Standouts include Nicole Kidman's taxidermist (think Cruella De Vil mixed with Victor Frankenstein) and Julie Walters as the wild, caring badass, Mrs. Bird. They're casted and fit in the story perfectly. No one overstays their welcome, and all do inspired, charming, sometimes surprising work.

There are surprises, but "Paddington", as a whole, feels familiar: like a classic bedtime story. However, where "Star Wars" is the shining example of "the hero's journey", "Paddington" achieves the same in "finding where you belong." Driven by childlike imagination, it transcends the tropes and limitations of a kids' film, and becomes thoughtful, wholesome entertainment. This is the kind of film that makes it into personal collections, and I wouldn't be surprised if years down the line, future critics will refer to this as a hallmark of their childhoods. So if the debate for a family movie this weekend lies between "Paddington" and "Strange Magic", I'm not saying "don't see the Epic meets Frozen mashup the world never asked for," just see "Paddington" first. Thank you all for reading; I'm the Man Without a Plan, signing off. 


Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Some Thoughts On The Oscar Nominations

Good morning to you all in the States, and good afternoon/evening to anywhere else anyone reads my little blog. As most of you know, the nominations for the 87th Academy Awards dropped on the 15th, and as with every year, there were snubs, triumphs, and reactionary pieces galore. However, before I say my own piece about the nominations, let me give you some news about how the blog's going to work from now till the ceremony on February 22nd.

American Sniper
Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash


As of now, I've seen six of the eight nominees for Best Picture (listed above), with only "The Theory of Everything" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" left to go. I figure, since I'm almost there, why not watch the whole lot? I'm going to rank the Best Picture nominees from least favorite to favorite, and give my (realistic) predictions on who will probably win. Of course I'm not an Oscar voter, but it's always fun to play along. In the meantime, outside of the ones I've already done, I'm not going to do separate reviews for each nominee. I've already given "Selma" and "Boyhood" their own reviews, and covered "Birdman" and "Whiplash" in my "Top 10 Favorites of 2014" list, so click the links if you wish to read more of my thoughts on those.

So does this mean that all reviews will be halted until the awards? Not at all; the new college semester takes chunks out of my time, but I'll still be watching new films. I've currently got "Paddington" underway; it should be posted either tonight or tomorrow. Now, with news out of the way, let's talk about some of the nominations. The full list can be found here: http://oscar.go.com/nominees.

There weren't many surprises as far as "Best Picture" goes, but "Whiplash's" nomination came as a pleasant shock. With press buzz dominated by "Birdman", "Boyhood" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel", this film seemed lost in the background. However, this film managed to garner "Best Adapted Screenplay" and "Best Editing" nominations: evidence the Academy didn't let the explosive indie drama sit at the wayside. Writer/director Damien Chazelle crafted a stunning debut film, and I'm glad his film is getting recognition.

As snubs go, I've yet to see "Nightcrawler," so I can't jump on the "give Gyllenhaal Best Actor" bandwagon, but if there's anyone that deserved a Best Actor nomination, it's David Oyelowo for "Selma." His performance was a triumph, wholly mesmerizing. It's impossible to imagine the film succeeding without his input, so if his performance is stronger than the likes of Michael Keaton, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Bradley Cooper, why wouldn't the Academy recognize it with at least a nomination?

"The LEGO Movie" isn't up for "Best Animated Feature"?! For a movie showcasing breathtaking levels of imagination, creativity, work, and heart, how can a box office and critical juggernaut not be included in the running? The nominees are strong: "Big Hero 6" and "How To Train Your Dragon 2" are great films, but when looking back at the year, there were few movies, if any, that made such a cross-generational impact as "The LEGO Movie." This was a category that was almost certainly in the bag, and to not give this film due credit is a disservice.

Those are my two cents on the nominations; for the most part, I'm fine with the list, and excited to see who will win next month. I'll finish off the Best Picture nominees and start work on that list, due to come a couple days before the ceremony. In the meantime, expect more reviews and feel free to share suggestions for what I should watch next. Thank you all for reading; I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.

Monday, January 12, 2015

"Selma" Review


The word that comes to mind when thinking of "Selma" is elegant. Ava Duvernay's political drama triumphs due to Paul Webb's tightly woven script, which balances the big/small picture dynamics of political chess and vulnerable intimacy. Using this backbone, Duvernay presents an alternative to an idyllic view of the Civil Rights Movement, offering insight into the many cogs turning in the background, whether it come from power politics or systematic oppression.


After an unsuccessful appeal to President Lyndon B. Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) for legislation prohibiting institutional barriers that prevent African-Americans from voting, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) sets his next battleground in Selma, Alabama. The town, outspoken and often violent in their opposition, allows King a place to highlight the injustices being committed towards Blacks, and bring mainstream (a.k.a. White) awareness for the cause.

King is meticulous, and Oyelowo's efficient performance brings the audience into his thought process. We see him write his speeches, editing often to maximize his impact. A courtroom scene sees King pause at the right moment as he quickly, but carefully, reorganizes his response. From what kind of sheriff resides in town to Selma's geography to the details regarding a protest, King has every detail mapped out so his influence will reach its highest potential.

"Selma"s" best moments come during Martin's interaction with wife Coretta (Carmen Ejogo), who helps calm him down, balance him out. Ejogo is just as, if not even more engaging than Oyelowo as Coretta struggles to find courage and manage the firestorm directed at her, her husband, and even worse, their children. She exhibits a calm resilience: there's no doubt she's a kind woman, but I wouldn't ever cross her. The Golden Globes did Ejogo a disservice by not giving her at least a nomination; let's hope the Academy comes to their senses.

The rest of the supporting cast is chock-full of standout performances, including Tim Roth's sly, demented George Wallace (who sounds like a southern Christopher Walken?), Tom Wilkinson's reluctant, legacy-obsessed Lyndon Johnson, and Henry G. Sanders as the quiet activist grandfather Cager Lee. They serve Duvernay's balance, offering different perspectives and approaches to the issues on the table.

So what are the issues on the table? There's the issue of the institutionalized voting barrier, obviously, but I think Elogo gets it when she denounces hate as "demented" but "ignorant enough to be serious." I think "ignorant" is the key word. King's crusade to spread White awareness isn't only a press move to shake the masses, but get people to empathize. It's easy for people to dismiss racism if they belong to the non-oppressed class. If you don't have a personal stake or reaction to another's plight, you simply can't understand their struggle, and as a result, won't care. 

Now, are events such as the ones that occurred in Selma (and as a follow-up, Ferguson) a simple "black vs. white" scenario? Absolutely not, and "Selma" makes sure to present the issues as complex and muddled as they are. There's no clear answer, only the knowledge that no extreme is correct. Balance, my friends, is the key. to work through these issues; the entire population needs to work through them, but if "Selma" shows us anything, it's that we should overcome ignorance, empathize, and then...well then, we're going to have a lot of work to do. Is "Selma" the Best Picture for the 2015 Oscars? No. Is it an important film? Absolutely.

Thank you all for reading; I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.

   

Saturday, January 10, 2015

"Taken 3" Review


Bad movies are sometimes referred to as "junk food for the mind." Using this criteria, "Taken 3" (or "Tak3n") is the Heart Attack Grill : so unapologetically grotesque that you can't help but admire it a little. The third entry in the franchise sees the once visceral, surprisingly emotional, high-stakes thriller become a parody of itself, as Liam Neeson fumbles around an inconsistent plot and hilarious dialogue. This is the stuff RiffTrax was made for.


Neeson reprises his role as Bryan Mills, a ex-government operative with a "particular set of skills," including kicking ass, mowing waves of bad guys down with a single pistol, and making the greatest threatening phone calls ever seen on screen. After he's framed for the murder of ex-wife Lenore (Famke Jenssen), Bryan searches for the men responsible, getting wrapped in a whirlwind of criminal syndicates and botched business deals, all while a LAPD inspector (Forest Whitaker) is on his tail, ready to bring him in.

With a movie whose title replaces "e" with "3", I don't expect greatness, but rather over-the-top, impossibly ridiculous fun. And on that front, "Tak3n" succeeds, filling the theater unintentionally with laugh-out-loud scenes of implausibility and writing so silly, I half expect a "wah wah" to follow. Neeson and Whitaker are in on the joke, hamming it up as they quip at each other. Whitaker, in particular, looks like he's fighting off laughter in each scene, glancing around as if to address the crew, saying "Do you guys see this mess?" Throw in the usual bumbling antics from the cops and you should have cheesy gold.

Here's the catch though: "Taken 3" will hold a place in my heart as one of the worst directed action movies I've ever seen. The action is incomprehensible, doubly damaged by frantic edits and the shakiest cinematography I've ever seen. Walking out of the theater, people reported headaches and nausea; the eye is simply not equipped to try to make sense of this nonsense masqueraded as "intensity." There's a scene in which Bryan jumps over a fence, and the movie takes 12 cuts in order to do what should be done in one. Were the editors sabotaging the film or was director Oliver Megaton (Taken 2, Transporter 3) so enamored by the angles he demanded them all be put in?

The movie rallies back in the end with a satisfying two-headed climax and a relaxed camera, but by this point, it's too late. "Taken 3" provided a hilarious theater experience for me, but if you're not here to crack jokes, and are expecting a fulfilling conclusion to the trilogy, you'll be disappointed, or in the worst-case scenario, insulted. If anything, watch it on cable with your friends.

Thank you for reading; I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.




Wednesday, January 7, 2015

My Top 10 WORST Movies of 2014!

As I said in the last list, 2014 was a year of extremes: triumphs and catastrophes alike. I've already recounted my favorites, but now, it's time to purge myself of the failures. It's going to be tough, but just like puking up a heavy night of drinking, afterwards, I'm confident I'll feel much, much better. So let's not waste any time, and give these films one last kick in the ass.

10) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.


Alright, where's my pitchfork? If I'm going to join the angry mob, I feel I should get one. Should I repeat other criticisms: the overemphasis on April O'Neil's (Megan Fox) story, subsequent neutering of her character, dismally boring rendition of Shredder, and lack of screen time with the Turtles? Die-hard fans and Michael Bay opponents spit anger towards this film, but I'm just disappointed.

This movie isn't irredeemable, and to scrap the project would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Most people will grant that the Turtles' personalities and interactions with each other are reminiscent of the cartoons. The elevator scene took 30 seconds, but was fun, immediately cemented as most fans' favorite part. Similarly to "Transformers", the titular characters were just left at the side.

Other people cry foul at Megan Fox's performance, but give her credit. In the beginning, she started to sway me. She was pushy, focused, often too curious for her own good. In other words, she was April O'Neil: a spunky, ambitious reporter who would work hard to get to the bottom of a story. The problem lies with the script. After a strong beginning, the writers neutered the character, making her a total ditz, to the point where I couldn't imagine how she managed to graduate high school, let alone land ANY reporter position. When in the thick of battle with the Turtles, she serves to have light flood behind her open mouth.

Add in a laughably ridiculous (even for TMNT) re-write of the origin story and a senseless plot, and man, this one just hurts. However, I can't deny the promise that lies under the surface, and with the news that the sequel will bring fan-favorites Bebop and Rocksteady, it seems like the writers are at last listening to fan suggestions, and we might get a strong modern take on the Turtles. However, what last August brought us hurt, best to be left by the wayside.

9) Sabotage.


David Ayer directed this? Seriously? Most people will recognize the director from last October's WWII tank film, "Fury," which saw Ayer ambitiously crafting a visceral tale featuring the brotherly bond between soldiers. However, Ayer helmed another ensemble of enforcers in March's "Sabotage," a savage picture in all sense of the word.

The machismo is dialed to eleven as the likes of Arnold Schwarzengger, Sam Worthington, and Joe Manganiello drink, fight, curse, and insult each other with dialogue that would make the characters from "Wolf of Wall Street" blush. They play crooked DEA agents whose team, led by Schwarzenegger's John "Breacher" Wharton, is hunted down one by one after a drug cartel bust leads to the theft of $10 million.

The secondary characters are murdered in bloodiest fashion; a scene in a trailer looks like Ayer's attempt to channel David Fincher's "Seven". However, "Sabotage" is no "Seven." For all the grime and over-the-top madness, "Sabotage's" worst sin is that it's entirely forgettable. Outside of Schwarzenegger, the rest of the cast has no charisma, and the action is surprisingly scarce. In the end, all we got was guts and curses, with none of the fun.

8) The Purge: Anarchy.


It's weird. I was expecting to hate "The Purge: Anarchy" more than I did. What's weirder is that I'm disappointed I didn't. I regard the original "Purge" as the worst movie of 2013: a movie clueless as to whether it should look pretentious or laughably silly. With psuedo-satire about the American crime system spewed by ridiculous stereotypes, "The Purge" soon turned my confusion into groaning anger, and after hearing word of the coming sequel, I put my war paint on, ready to go back into the fire and bully this movie as much as possible.

What I ended up getting was more of the same, but the low quality didn't shock me as much. Despite opening up the survivors' playground and upping the variety of violent groups (my favorite being led by a sunglasses-wearing meathead with a Gatling Gun), "The Purge: Anarchy" trades in laughably bad stereotypes for boring ones as these three groups of survivors band together to try and survive the night where all crime, even murder, is legal.

The tone is still all over the place; at times, the movie basks in its insane horror roots, but then provides socio-political commentary on the wage gap and class wars. In a movie where motorcycles gangs dance with machetes and make faces into the camera, it'd be better if the filmmakers didn't try. However, the world of the Purge is opening up, and judging by its box office success, I may be getting another rendition of this in 2015.

7) Tammy.

The short and simple explanation for "Tammy's" failure is Melissa McCarthy. Tammy, despite being rough around the edges, is supposed to have some goofy charm, gaining sympathy as we pity her loss of husband and job. However, McCarthy's performance comes off as desperate, often rambling to throw as many jokes at the audience as possible, hoping one of them will catch. It also doesn't help that she's up against Kathy Bates and Susan Sarandon, who, despite less screen time, tell better jokes.

Likeable losers are difficult to pull off, and in "Tammy's" case, McCarthy simply doesn't stand out enough to break her character's shortcomings. If she were more rude or more passive, that'd be a good contrast, but as is, she comes off as a watered-down version of her other roles in "Bridesmaids" and "The Heat."

I was bored to tears, and when a storm cut power in my screening, it took all my willpower to not leave the theater, having to postpone seeing the film again. At least I've got a free film voucher to show for it.

6) Oculus.


Out of all the horror movies I saw this year, none made me laugh quite so hard as "Oculus," a film so devoid of brains, that I debated whether this was an elaborately sarcastic parody of the "Paranormal Activity" and "Insidious" movies.

Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites are astonishingly crazy and dull, respectively, as a sister and brother who seek to prove that a maleficent spirit, using a mirror, possessed their father and led him to murder their mother ten years ago. The brother, who shot the father in a panic, has just been released from a psychiatric hospital, cured of his belief in the mirror's evil, while the sister has spent the bulk of her young adult life gathering information about the mirror, convinced in its evil powers.

In order to buy "Oculus," you have to buy the fact that the mirror is scary, and the movie just doesn't sell it. A couple scenes take advantage of visual tricks to build tension, but never does the film pay off in a way that excels past horror entries like "The Conjuring" or "Paranormal Activity 2."

The sister's obsession with the mirror is downright silly as she approaches it with a "Home Alone" mentality, setting up traps and cameras to a) document every weird thing that could happen or b) destroy the mirror once and for all. The brother tries to reason and hopefully get her to leave the scary stuff be, but the movie finds new, ridiculous ways to keep the plot going. "Oculus" pulls out every horror cliche in the book, coughing up more laughter than scares: an easy skip in my book.

5) Transcendence.


I doubt even the most faithful Johnny Depp fans can find it in their hearts to defend "Transcendence," a visually intriguing but pretentious sci-fi flick that stars Depp as a scientist who imparts his consciousness into an artificial intelligence. As his intelligence and the AI mesh and develop, he starts to radically alter humanity's relationship with technology, growing more and more powerful, but less human by the minute.

"Transcendence" gets points for its twist ending, which some critics used as evidence for saying the movie's naysayers "just didn't get it." However, a twist doesn't do enough to forgive bland characters, action, and acting. With a career-worst performance by Depp and underused actors such as Cillian Murphy and Morgan Freeman, "Transcendence" lacks the emotional punch needed to connect with the characters, and the intellectual depth to make this film about the dangers of AI better than other B-movies of its genre.

4) Neighbors.

Now we're starting to see the glimpse of my visceral hate. "Neighbors" was not only boring, but obnoxiously unfunny, to the point where it didn't matter if the jokes were about pot or the woes of turning 30 and boring, my groans grew in annoyance. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne star as Mac and Kelly Radner who, after the birth of their baby, feel the strain of responsibility and maturity conflicting with their desires to be fun-loving, partying adults. When a fraternity led by Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron) moves in next door, the frat's wild parties become too much for the Radners to handle, and the war for suburban supremacy ensues between the old and young.

Wherever I go, I can't win. Rogen and Byrne are dull, lame when they try to fit in with the guys or subsequently mock them. On the other hand, the frat kids are obnoxious, exchanging enough versions of "bro" to make your skin crawl. The only one who makes anything of his character is Efron, who shows a bit of disturbing psychosis as an antagonist. I feel weird comparing him to Robert Mitchum, but Efron shows a tad of suave charisma, that when contrasted with his outbursts, leads to some frighteningly creepy and disturbed moments. Maybe he should try a horror role in the future?

When not indulging in stereotypes, the jokes range from disgusting to predictable, and the whole film wears on the mind to the point where I just want it all to end. "Neighbors" is the bastardized blend of "American Pie: The Naked Mile" and "Pacific Heights", and if that, to you, sounds like the worst kind of cocktail, trust me, it is.

3) Let's Be Cops.


I don't want to talk about this. In fact, I feel more comfortable conversing about the number 2 and 1 picks than this film. Like "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", I left the theater disappointed, because judging by the trailer and premise, there's a wacky, albeit dumb comedy here.

Somewhere lost in Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr's desperate acting and haphazardly crafted story, there's a fun idea. However, the finished product feels lazy, as if the screenwriters, cast, and crew, had an outline filled with necessary buddy-cop plot points and fleshed out the details with the least amount of effort possible in order to make a release date.

"Let's Be Cops" was an underwritten, unfunny bore that made me miss "Rush Hour 3". Think about that.

2) The Single Moms Club.


"The Single Moms Club" is a film to despise: a shallow melodrama with a reprehensible sense of humor that insults both men and women alike, making light of serious difficulties plaguing single mothers. It teaches women that men are the devil, but required to have any shred of self-esteem and a fulfilling life. This is worse of a vanity project than M Night Shamalyan's "Lady In The Water," where Tyler Perry dresses himself as the perfect man: the only sensitive, strong, responsible anchor in a sea of cheaters, abusers, misogynists, and brainless hunks.

The movie's messages are conflicted: after the movie goes out of its way to denounce an emotionally abusive ex-husband, it finds a stalker's forced sexual assault and the victim's subsequent sheepish, giggly submission as hilarious. the entire movie is built around single mothers' need for emotional support from their friends and family. However, when a member of the Single Moms club loses one of her children, the rest mope for a bit with her, then all go home. Where's the support? Where's the search party? I guarantee you, when my mother was out with friends and didn't know where I was for one split second, even if I was right behind them, the entire party of women would stop mid-sentence, turn and start the rescue like they were Navy Seals. This movie reveals itself to be all talk and not even a thought of action.

It's infuriating how much this movie gets it wrong, and even more so how much support and goodwill Tyler Perry has with his audience, who will laugh along with him no matter what, as long as the material mentions something they experience in day-to-day life. The message can be as horribly outdated and false as the stereotypes the movie "attacks," but Mr. Perry's movies will still make money. In a list of worst directors, Perry makes it in the top 5, and it's only appropriate that his movie does too. This is an utterly reprehensible film.

1) A Million Ways To Die In The West.

This movie wasn't just boring, just incompetent, just disgusting. In this year of less-than-stellar to awful comedies, for a movie to make it to the bottom of the pile, it had to actively offend my sensibilities, insult my intelligence, waste my brain cells, breath and time. "A Million Ways To Die In The West" is not only the worst of this year, but the worst movie I've ever seen.

One could call the movie "sophomoric," and technically, they'd be right, but whereas Family Guy, South Park, and Futurama go over-the-top, infused with energy, "A Million Ways To Die In The West" spends its time with painful dialogue, putting its characters in wacky situations to just have them sit on the sidelines, refusing to interact at all. Was the idea here to be so unfunny it makes us chuckle out of confusion? Cast Ben Stein in the lead role and then we'll talk, but as is, Seth MacFarlane's character should be left to a cameo, or even better, non-existent.

MacFarlane is in over his head, and when stacked against the likes of Liam Neeson and Charlize Theron, he falters miserably. His character tries to be the most intellectual guy in the room, but there's no snark, no quick-witted comebacks, only watered-down mockeries of the people in the background. I give few points to Liam Neeson for hamming it up, but when most of the movie is spent following MacFarlane, watching the movie becomes a drudging chore.

The jokes can be seen from a mile away, and the ones that aren't, are explained not a second later, with a wink to the audience, as if we couldn't comprehend why animal genitalia and diarrhea breaks the norms of our everyday sights. I've never been in a movie that spoon fed its audience worse than a Happy Madison production, but this May, I was unfortunate enough to experience such a travesty firsthand. As I left the theater, I shook with anger, my headache piercing. "A Million Ways To Die In The West" infuriates me: an insufferable, dismal affront to comedy.


DANIEL'S NOTE:
2014 had its failures, and I'm sure 2015 will as well, but it never hurts to remain positive, right? I've always had faith in us moviegoers to discern quality from garbage, and while the Hollywood system can bombard us with nonsense, we've gotten breathtaking victories, films that challenge, entertain, and move us. If there's any glimmer of hope to be taken from these travesties, it's that future filmmakers will see the landmines, and kindly, enthusiastically, step away. Thank you all for reading; I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.








Monday, January 5, 2015

My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2014!

Another year has come and gone, and as far as movies were concerned, 2014 was full of sharp divisions. I unashamedly adored the good pictures and despised the bad. Now, the debate rages in my mind: would I rather prefer a year of pretty good versus mediocre, or wonderful versus loathsome? Last year, I felt the good firmly outweighed the bad, and while I will "purge" myself of the stinkers in another list, today, I'd like to celebrate my favorite achievements and experiences from the last 12 months. A caveat to this list: I missed out on some commonly recognized films, such as "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Under The Skin," "Snowpiercer," "Only Lovers Left Alive," and "The Theory Of Everything." I can't see every movie every year (believe me, I'm trying to), but as with all lists like these, you're getting a cross-section of the cinematic landscape curated through my limitations and sensibilities. So, without further ado, in the words of Heath Ledger's Joker, "Here we go."

10) Begin Again.  

I deliberated between this film and "The Fault In Our Stars" (call that a #11 spot), but ultimately chose this for two reasons. The first is that of the two, "The Fault In Our Stars" is by far the more popular, garnered by favorable reviews, box office success, and pop culture relevancy. It's got its fair share of recognition already.

The second, and most important reason, is that "Begin Again" left me with the biggest gleeful grin on my face. As singer/songwriter Gretta (Keira Knightley) and producer Dan (Mark Ruffalo) record her city-spanning outdoor album (which sounds like a sweeter Norah Jones), I feel a childlike spontaneity and energy. Using pantyhose for a pop filter on a microphone, enlisting neighborhood kids for an impromptu chorus, carrying all the equipment from rooftop to alleyway to boat: these choices envelop in the process of making music for the joy it can bring. And these songs are joyful. They tell the story of people trying to make the best out of their worst, whether it be divorce, a break-up, or a lack of satisfaction with their efforts.

Ruffalo and Knightley share warm chemistry; James Corden and Cee Lo Green bring laughs in their supporting roles. "Begin Again" was a delight to experience, and definitely recommended as a heartwarming, happy picture.

9) Guardians of the Galaxy. 

Okay, I'm gonna pitch this to you. Imagine a space epic based off of an obscure late 60's comic series. The cast is going to feature five misfits, the standout star being a giant humanoid tree that repeats only three words. The soundtrack? A blend of 70's pop, R&B, and rock. (Oh, by the way, an aside to Mr. Tarantino. You know that one song from "Reservoir Dogs"? It's ours now. Forever.) Doesn't this sound like the #1-grossing movie of the year? Well, it should, because it is.

"Guardians" is a testament to the golden rule of cinema: it doesn't matter how crazy or ludicrous an idea can be, as long as it's executed well, and damn, this film is a blast. It marries the spectacle of "Star Wars" and goofiness of Mel Brooks, and the match is made in heaven. Director-writer James Gunn gives his characters equal time to be pathetic, loving, spiteful, and loving in a manner that makes them more relatable. If the Avengers are the people you want to be saved by, the Guardians are people you want to dance with. Judging by its popularity, looks like Vin Diesel was right: "WE are Groot," and that's fine by me.

8) The LEGO Movie. 

Talk about another surprise. I entered "The Lego Movie" with the least amount of anticipation. I, along with the naysayers, dismissed this film as another bland, uninspired studio project, meant to cash in on the brand. Who would've thought that eleven months later, I'd be saying this: "The Lego Movie" is the "Toy Story" of this generation. Yeah, I said it.

"The Lego Movie" revitalizes animation, specifically stop-motion. All the Youtube videos and White Stripes videos of the past have prepared us for this moment, and never has the use of the medium been so ambitious. As layers of blue bricks imitate ocean waves and throngs of yellow-headed people partake in synchronized dancing, my mouth drops to the floor, trying to make sense of the creative process, thinking of the hours spent designing, editing, and physically moving each piece to craft this Lego multi-verse.

If the film were just ambitious technically, it'd be one thing, but its comedy is never-ending in the same vein of "Airplane!" or "Hot Fuzz", movies that require more than one viewing and a need to search every spot of the frame to catch every joke. This movie is overwhelming, but never loses sight of its simplicity, which not only evens out the pace, but propels it to greatness. "The Lego Movie" doesn't simply tell a tale of good vs. evil, but one of balance: the balance of creativity and structure, innocence and wisdom, childhood and adulthood. It shows us the positives of each stage of our development as people, and teaches us that we need both frames of mind "working together in harmony" to succeed. In its effort and imagination, "The Lego Movie" crafts a tale that will span generations, certain to grow in importance as the years go by.

7) Her. 

Part of me feels like I'm cheating for including this film, seeing as it won the Oscar for "Best Original Screenplay" for 2013, but its wide release was in January 2014, so I'm excited to include it for this year. What "Her" examines is the prospect of artificial intelligence's integration into society in the context of a love story. Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) are one of cinema's great odd couples: a man who feels the beauties of the world have gone gray and an artificial intelligence program whose wide-eyed innocence is enraptured by every experience in the world. However, their relationship develops just like it would between two people. It rises and falls; they share conversations about the mundane and the unfathomable; they laugh, making jokes using awful puns; they sing duets (a magic little lullaby entitled "The Moon Song".)

Director Spike Jonze takes this love story and pulls it in different directions, whether it be the solutions to problems that arise in this kind of human/AI relationship or the comparison of limited human understanding and the seemingly infinite expansion of artificial consciousness. It looks at the stigmas associated with this kind of interaction, as well as the evolution of AI from something as simple as Siri to as complex as a lover. This can leave the latter part of the film wandering a bit, but Jonze's earnestness to explore the possibilities is admirable, and serves as a thoughtful "what if" scenario developing from the current state of humanity's relationship with technology.

6) Interstellar. 

I see "Her" and "Interstellar" as siblings, cut from the same cloth. They both desire to explore the possibilities of science fiction using its effect on society as an emotional anchor. However, there's a stark difference between Spike Jonze and Christopher Nolan. "Interstellar" stuns me primarily because of Nolan's direction, his scope. Really, there's no one in Hollywood whose sense of grandeur equips them with the skill set to push the boundaries of the visual medium in capturing the immensity and unpredictable nature of space. One could make the argument for last year's "Gravity", but its strength more lies in drawing the viewer into the astronaut's point of view, not so showing off the infinite magnitude of space. Nolan, along with director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema (who, coincidentally, worked on "Her"), choose breathtaking shots of galaxies, planets, and landscapes that stretch the screen similarly to "Lawrence of Arabia." Add in Hans Zimmer's haunting, at times disturbing, and colossal score, and the movie envelops its audience in this extraterrestrial environment.

However, I've found Christopher Nolan's movies to be hit-or-miss with me, and what I've determined to be the culprit is the characterization. The ambition and technical craftsmanship is always there, but I've noticed that his films I enjoy are bolstered by the performances. Heath Ledger's Joker in "The Dark Knight" takes the sprawling metropolis of Gotham City and shrinks it to the size of a bouncy ball; never does the camera deviate from his face and his performance elevates the script and film as a whole. I disagree with many on this next point, but I dislike "The Prestige" because I feel Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman's performances don't stand out over the underwritten, one-note characters. When there's no emotional anchor for me to relate to, I find I can respect the vision of the piece, but enjoy little, my reaction dropping to disinterest.

Thankfully, "Interstellar" follows in the same vein of the first example, in possibly my favorite marriage of performance and ambition of Nolan's work. Matthew McConaughey is a powerhouse: tenacious, curious, loving. He makes it easy for us to follow him to the edges of the universe, even past our comprehension of what we know. Anne Hathaway serves as a sobering counterweight to McConaughey's looseness, dedicated possibly moreso to the search for a habitable planet for us to call home.

I compare the film most often to "2001: A Space Odyssey", and with the same curious fervor for exploration, "Interstellar" ventures forth to discover new environments, dimensions, and states of being. It celebrates humanity's restlessness and its efforts to keep moving, often unsure of where the journey will lead us, but hopeful that there'll be something wonderful and awe-inspiring to find.

5) Gone Girl.


A husband searches for his missing wife. From such a simple idea comes one of the more adept thrillers I've seen in years. "Gone Girl" is wound like a watch, meticulous and sharp, thanks to David Fincher's direction and Gillian Flynn's screenplay. (Just goes to show you what happens when you let the author of a novel adapt her own work. Novel idea, right?)

"Gone Girl's" intrigue comes from its pace. Looking back, there are points in the film where it could end and I'd be satisfied by the answer, but like a wind-up car, the movie pushes on, disregarding traditional mystery narrative and ending on its terms. Like "Her", the story stretches into different tangents, at times satirizing the romanticized media frenzy of criminals, and at others, looking at the nature of perspective and how one can alter their opinion towards another at the drop of a dime.

But with all this jammed into 149 minutes, I could follow the movie for 149 minutes more. An all-star cast (Ben Affleck, Neil Patrick Harris, and an underrated Carrie Coon) leads the way. Exalted by a jaw-dropping performance from Rosamund Pike (a Best Actress nomination is all but certain), "Gone Girl" chalks another success up to David Fincher's name.

4) Whiplash. 

I'm gonna brag a bit. While watching "21 & Over," I noted Miles Teller's slightly sarcastic, sharp-tongued, but endearing charisma, leaned over to my best friend and said, "I think this guy is going to be the next big thing." Ladies and gentlemen, let me indulge in my psuedo-comment war and say "FIRST." Miles Teller's rise as a leading man, starting with "The Spectacular Now," "Divergent", and "That Awkward Moment", culminates in his career best in Damien Chazelle's "Whiplash," the tale of an aspiring jazz drummer (Teller) pushed to the brink by his sadistic teacher (J.K. Simmons) to be in all senses of the word, perfect.

"Whiplash" is Chazelle's debut, and already he shows an adept gift for atmosphere, pacing, and sharp dialogue. He keeps the film nail-bitingly tense, but never for too long, releasing some of the pressure with a little humor or romantic subplot before raising the stakes and madness even further than we previously thought expected. I'd normally feel silly defining a jazz movie as a "thriller," but as I watch "Whiplash", I feel a constant uneasiness in my gut, resembling a horror movie where you know the worst is yet to come, but you don't know when.

This fear is manifested in J.K. Simmons' Terrence Fletcher, a psychotic man who rules his ensemble with a dictator's iron fist. Simmons gives this character an overbearing presence, from his demeanor to his mastery of manipulation. He's a ticking time bomb, and as I sit, I wait to see what possible thing could set him off into a frenzy of expletive mania. What's scarier is that Chazelle allows you to see his point of view, and to a degree, we can empathize, driven by a subconscious desire for greatness. Simmons is this year's frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor and I would be surprised if he doesn't clinch the Oscar.

However, let's not forget Miles Teller, whose Andrew begins to adopt Fletcher's insanity as his stubbornness rivals his teacher's in a demand to not only destroy his teacher's expectations, but his own. Andrew's blood is literally left all over the drumset, as a sacrifice to his chosen craft. We see through Andrew's eyes how an obsession with excellence can derail one's sanity, and in an explosive finale, we see the product of such a battle. Needless to say, I, along with the rest of the theater was breathless. This may not be the kind of bait the Academy looks for, but this is the kind of movie that we will never forget.

3) Boyhood. 

Much of the talk around Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" is in relation to its 12-year production, starting in the summer of 2002 and ending in the fall of 2013. The film sees the same family, Mason (Ellar Coltrane), his father Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke), mother Olivia (Patricia Arquette), and sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), through those twelve years of development as Mason grows from a first-grader to a college freshman.

One can't talk about "Boyhood" without referencing its real-life timespan, but to stop there does the film a disservice. Anyone can make a nearly three-hour movie with film collected over twelve years. Where "Boyhood" excels is in Linklater's ability to cherry-pick pieces of my life, your life, your parents' lives, and pull the same emotional weight out of each moment. Do you remember fighting with your siblings over car space? What about the moment your dad explained to you what birth control was? Do you remember how embarrassed and grossed out you were? Were you, (and ARE you really) aware of how much Mom did for you?

"Boyhood" brings these moments out to the forefront, celebrates them, whether good or bad, as pieces that guide us through lessons of life. By the end, these people are family; we're protective, proud, and happy to see them grow wiser, stronger, more thoughtful. But in no way does "Boyhood" wrap it all in a bow and "happily ever after". It would've missed the point if it did. We don't seize the moment, the moment seizes us. We never stop growing, learning, or changing. We're molded by time and experience, and if we've done it all right, in the end, we're molded for the better.

2) Birdman. 

This is easily the most pathetic selection on the list. "Birdman's" characters are pathetic; they're losers. They're pretentious, naive, angry, and desperate. But aren't we all? Director Alejandro González Iñárritu expresses that "we all have a Birdman", the belittling voice in our head. It says we're not good enough; it's never satisfied with our efforts: our own little Terrence Fletcher, if you will.

Riggan Thomson's (Michael Keaton) voice takes wing as Birdman, a character he used to play in a popular superhero franchise. After declining to do the fourth movie and seeing his popularity decline over the years, Riggan tries to write, star and direct in a Broadway adaptation of "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love," in a bid to reclaim his star power. All throughout the film, Riggan comes across opposition including a pretentious actor (Edward Norton), a spiteful critic (Lindsey Duncan), and Birdman himself, who spends the movie persuading Riggan to don the costume one more time.

"Birdman's" characters are driven by applause, almost to total madness. They look to others for validation in their efforts, and their audience is coping with a society whose connection with the Internet and the virtual is growing. As a response, people, fearful of losing tangibility, consistently ask if something is "real." Are the effects real? Are the actors actually doing what is shown on stage?

Edward Norton's character, in a scene with Naomi Watts, suggests that while they're performing a scene as lovers in bed, they should actually have sex, to achieve maximum artistic potential. The line's funny, but this leads to my question "Birdman" implies: what is this artistic zenith? Does it matter if we achieve it; why can't we be happy that our effort pleases us? Riggan's daughter (Emma Stone), in a rage towards her father, brings up that because he's not on Twitter, or with the flow of technology, it's as if he doesn't exist. With society's growing interaction with technology, and technology's ability to tie us closer together, it's as if we can't be left alone anymore. Other individuals need to talk about a play or a movie or book for it to gain tangibility, to gain worth.

"Birdman" deals with the psychological impact of a virtual society blended with ego, and one man's search for some comfort and peace in himself. Through a tautly edited, fantastically acted work, Iñárritu has managed to wake us up from our cell phones, and think about how we deal with ourselves and the others around us.

1) Locke.


Catch me at the right time, and I would call "Birdman" my favorite movie of the year. However, after revisiting Steven Knight's "Locke," I'm utterly stunned by how much it achieves with so little. On the night before the most important day of his career, with wife and sons waiting at home to watch an anticipated soccer match, Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) decides to instead drive to London, in a move that will upheave his entire life.

The entire movie is shot inside Locke's car, the interactions with his family, friends, and coworkers taking place on a car speakerphone. The film is intimate, as if we're sitting in the backseat, completely immersed (and soon after, completely versed), in all the doings of his life. Locke, strained from this juggling act of trying to keep everything afloat, is laid bare and broken, even to the point of physical sickness. Trapped in his car, his thoughts wander, go on tangents, burdened by stress, we see the psychological damage in real time: hard to watch, but oddly familiar.

As the movie ends, the camera rises to show all the cars on the highway, and suddenly it dawns on me. When we drive in our cars with the windows up, either blaring the radio, picking our noses, or letting the stress of our lives wash over us with tears, we enter our own little world, where for the length of a car ride, we can be set free, left to our own devices to process everything life throws at us. But what Knight reminds us with this last shot is that like Locke, we may not be perfect; hell, we may be awful people. But we're all trying to do the right thing. We're trying to be better. The process is difficult, almost unbearable at times, and we may leave some loose ends frayed beyond repair. But we keep on trying, cause in the end, that's all one can ask for.

"Locke" features Hardy's strongest performance, a stellar supporting cast (all voice-overs), and impactful writing from director Steven Knight. It is a gem, and I am proud to name it my favorite movie of 2014.


DANIEL'S NOTE:

A million and twenty thanks to each and every one of you reading my reviews, whether past or present. I can't believe it's been more than a year since I've started this blog; it's an absolute joy exploring how cinema's influence, whether it be to remind us of the virtues of life, take us to fantastic worlds, challenge our perceptions, bring us to tears, or simply make us smile. I hope that 2015 exceeds any expectations, bringing us groundbreaking stories, moving performances, and stellar works of human expression. And hopefully, I'll be sitting in that comfy chair, nestling a popcorn bucket in my arms, letting the movies do their magic. So along with this year of 2014, the Man Without A Plan is signing off.