I'm writing what was originally going to be a posted response to Belated Media's top films of 2014 and I'm expanding on it. For their top 2014 (and other top film lists click this link. Also check out two (currently) really good videos they did about Star Wars Episodes I and II actually being good.
I have seen some films recently that made me think, ignited my sense of wonder, or I found all together good. So, I hope you enjoy my list and give me feedback on what you think or thought. Here they are, in no particular order:
Edge of Tomorrow
Let's kick things off with, possibly, my favorite film of the year. Sure it has some cliches, but, for the alien work and the technology (exoskeleton) work, I think EDGE OF TOMORROW deserves at least an honorable mention. I actually enjoyed it more than Guardians of the Galaxy (see below). Edge, at least put work into making aliens that were truly that: alien. The beings could not be understood nor humanized. Their movement was non-terrestrial and it did a very good job making them scary (although I did find some of the shots gratuitously placed for the 3D port, like a scene on the beach when an alien flails its appendages and it jumps out at you in the 3D version).
I thought that watching Major Bill Cage progress from a coward to a hero was a decent human character development. I thought Emily Blunt did an excellent job in her first real action piece. And I give all the actors perks (Cruise included) for learning to act in those heavy suits. The film accomplished, at many points, the feel of a classic WWII film, yet did present something new. Yes, the ending did kind of fall back on some of the classic time-travel tropes, but at least it more or less worked for the story of the film.
Sure it was GROUNDHOG DAY with guns and aliens. But, it was the only film of last year I bought--I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think it deserved to receive an honorable mention in many of the great films of last year.
Guardians of the Galaxy
This was the 300 pound elephant of the year, and I would be remiss to not mention one of the other films I caught last year. Guardians was a romp, both old and new, it fed us on many entertaining levels. It was a well-done film from Marvel using the updated, more Marvel-universe-centric characters than the ones from the comics I used to love reading as a kid. This had nothing to do with the 31st century team I remembered. But, it was a load of fun. While not as intellectually stimulating as Edge of Tomorrow, it still provided fun and a well-told story. People complain about the villain, but he did a good job making the heroes cool and look good, which is really what any antagonist is supposed to do.
I liked the casting and the characterization. I like the fact that each time Vin Diesel said, "I am Groot." his script told him, on the other page, what his character was really saying and they pulled a Chewbacca/Han Solo relationship between Groot and Rocket. I find Zoe Saldana sexy and enjoyable as Gamora, though I also found Karen Gillan with a great bad-girl seductiveness that gave her sexy in her own right. (My son tells me I'll love her as Amy Pond, but I have to work my way to those episodes). I also thought that Dave Bautista did a great job as film acting was not his original field. Wrestlers do a pretty good job. Not being familiar with Parks and Rec I didn't know Chris Pratt, but I thought he did a great job. I particularly loved seeing Michael Rooker as Yondu (a hail back to the comics I did read as a kid). The whistle arrow was fun.
Otherwise, I think I got a good chuckle out of the Honest Trailer for the film, which does hit on a few of my sticking points that I too had.
On the whole, I look forward to buying this film.
John Wick
This film was actually fun. As my friend Evan put it, it's almost a live-action Cowboy BeBop film. It's the classic revenge story of once deadly man loses almost everything then the stupid world he walked away from comes calling and takes the rest of everything he had left. Now he's back and he's going to get his revenge. Despite the fact that I did enjoy this film, maybe my training in martial arts and firearms made some of the action sequences a little hard for me to suspend my disbelief. That being said, a simple revenge story can be one of the best.
The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies
I plan to write a full article on the almost-had-it film set of the Hobbit franchise. This one suffices me to say, I did not particularly enjoy the series from a story standpoint, to say nothing about the comparison to the wonderful novel from whence it sprang. "Based On" in the loosest sense...(see my Tolkien film review at this [future] link).
Interstellar
OK, I haven't seen this yet. (I'll wait for everyone's shock to wear off.) But I hope to find an IMAX showing of it this next week, if I can make it. If not, I'll see a regular showing and still try to enjoy it for its story sake and its comparison to 2001:Space Odyssey.
On the whole, I still saw more movies last year (or just after the year began) than I did the year before. I'm hoping to start posting more book and movie reviews this year and really engage with the site, so you know me better by the time you start seeing my friend R. P. Goodfellow's books start coming out. Thanks for those who have read my blog so far, and I hope to help you think and have some fun in the coming year.
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