If I’m completely honest I think 2014 was a pretty bad year for movies. Looking back through the list of films I had watched and looking at what grossed well in the cinema I was really struggling to find one that I thought was a classic and that would go down in history. If I was cheating outrageously (as my colleagues have accused me of doing before) I would pick Frozen as my number 1… It came out in December 2013 and I didn’t get to see it until January and the impact it had on my two daughters will remain with them and me forever. However I will play by the rules and stick to 2014 UK releases. This is also not a ‘Top 10’ and, apart from my first choice, the rest are listed in no specific order.
Jason’s Film of the Year
Predestination
(You can read my review from back in October here)
This is definitely the most original work I have seen this year by a long margin and I highly recommend that if you didn’t see it you acquire a copy. I will definitely be adding it to my Blu-ray library. It is such a moody work and the dialogue between Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook just keeps you riveted. I am looking forward to giving it a second watch. I certainly wish there had been more films of this quality to watch.
Best Comic Book Conversions
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- X-men: Days of Future Past
- 300: Rise of an Empire
We had plenty of films to choose from this year as Hollywood continued in it’s determination to mine every last bit of comic culture for all it’s box office potential. Marvel’s offerings are probably slightly higher up the pecking order here and the takings show that they certainly know how to market their movies and keep us coming back. 300: Rise of an Empire sneaks in purely on the back (or front) of Eva Green’s performance (I’m biased).
Best Fantasy Movies
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
- Maleficent
- Snowpiercer
Both Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Maleficent were far deeper than I expected with excellent stories and character development. For a genre not normally associated with these traits I am glad they did well financially.
Snowpiercer, like Predestination, was just very different. I do like a bit of originality.
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies would probably make this list as well, but I won’t be seeing that until after Christmas, which is sadly beyond the deadline for this review set by my editor.
Best Dramas
- American Hustle
- Gone Girl
- The Equalizer
American Hustle had all the Oscar buzz for the start of the year, Gone Girl had all the convoluted twists for the end of the year and Denzel Washington was just magnificent in The Equalizer (take note on how to do ‘Over 50s Action’ Bruce Willis and co).
Best Kids Movies
- How to Train Your Dragon 2
- House of Magic
What no Lego Movie? My kids kind of liked it and I thought it really dull! How to Train Your Dragon 2 and House of Magic were both excellent though and I foresee sequels in their future!
Best Young Adult Movie
- None!
Between Divergent, The Maze Runner and Mockingjay Part 1 you would have thought there would be one that stood out from the crowd… Sadly there wasn’t.
Stinker
- Noah
I found this film so boring… I may have snored… Apparently Exodus: Gods and Kings is similarly snooze-worthy… Not a good year for The Bible.
There are a few films coming out in the next week or two that may have made the list – you can check those out here. In the meantime I’ll be back with a list of films that are tickling my fancy for 2015 after Christmas.
Lives 'down under' now so also enjoys getting stereo-typed as Butlers and White Imperialists when treading the boards.
- Star Wars – The Force Awakens – Latest Trailer - October 20, 2015
- San Andreas - June 3, 2015
- New Releases for June 2015 - May 29, 2015
Not the best year for movies – but great article.
Thanks Vhairi.
Watched Snowpiercer last night and I’m still waiting for the ending. Perhaps it will arrive in a sequel … or prequel … or perhaps it never left the station. Like the train, the movie appeared to be going places, but then it derailed!