Here is my list of the best movies of 2014 in no particualr order. No hate please since these are the movies that I personally loved, not the ones everyone should love.
The Wind rises
From the first moment on, it is obvious that this is a film made with love and heart by someone who loves telling stories. Hayao Miyazaki's last film is simple, deep and very emotional. One of the most beautiful animated movies I have ever seen.
Captain America: the winter soldier
As a Captain America fan, this film gave me everything i could possibly have asked for and more. A grounded and realistic spy thriller with an awesome story, great villains, an emotional core and kick-ass action. Best comic-book movie of 2014.
Corrections class
Not a film that I would ever want to watch again, but Ivan Tverdovsky's documentary style drama is nevertheless worth seeing, as it directs our attention to many important problems in society, that we often choose to ignore. Well shot, well acated and very memorable.
It follows
The filmmakers use the fear of the unknown and blend music, cinematography and shadows to give the audience a horror film that is not easily forgotten. Brilliant, original and scary as hell.
Warsaw 44
This is truly a film that makes me want to be a pacifist. The Polish film shows the horrors of war in a completely true manner, without ever sugarcoating anything. It's at times shocking to say the least, but at the same time there is a hopeful undertone here that shows how even in the worst of times, hope always exists.
Birdman
What a film this is! A brilliantly told character study about a depressed mind that at the same time is also touching, well acted and funny as hell. Michael Keaton is mesmerizing and deserves an Oscar for his performance.
Boyhood
A story about a boy and his family that was filmed over the course of twelve years. "Boyhood" is about growing up, learning who you are and about the small moments in life that matter the most. But as great as the movie is, it's not one that i would ever want to watch again.
Nightcrawler
Jake Gyllenhaal gives one of the best performances of the year in this crime drama about a man who manages to enter the world of crime journalism and becomes obsessed with filming crime scenes and accidents. Gyllenhaal is fantastic playing a disturbing, creepy, borderline psychopath character who is so repulsive and yet so interesting. The film also makes some good points about society and how far young people are willing to go to get jobs.
Tokyo Fiancee
A sweet, at times even too sweet of a love story between a Belgian woman and a Japanese man that nevertheless is well told, funny, very hearwarming and honest. I don't know how the other people in the audience reacted but I watched almost the whole movie with a big smile on my face and that does not happen too often. I love this film and can't wait to see it again.
Whiplash
Another movie with great central performances. Miles Teller proves once again that he will one day become a force to be reckoned with and J.K. Simmons gives a multilayerd and at times even crazy performance. The story is inspirational, the ending is near perfect and the soundtrack is THE best of 2014.
A special mention
The last moments- A film made during the YourFilm 2014 youth exchange that i took part in, by my friends. Amazing what they were able to do with less than 4 minutes. A fleshed out and well told story with great music and great camera work.
"The last moments"link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YVw8jnAvgM
The Wind rises
From the first moment on, it is obvious that this is a film made with love and heart by someone who loves telling stories. Hayao Miyazaki's last film is simple, deep and very emotional. One of the most beautiful animated movies I have ever seen.
Captain America: the winter soldier
As a Captain America fan, this film gave me everything i could possibly have asked for and more. A grounded and realistic spy thriller with an awesome story, great villains, an emotional core and kick-ass action. Best comic-book movie of 2014.
Corrections class
Not a film that I would ever want to watch again, but Ivan Tverdovsky's documentary style drama is nevertheless worth seeing, as it directs our attention to many important problems in society, that we often choose to ignore. Well shot, well acated and very memorable.
It follows
The filmmakers use the fear of the unknown and blend music, cinematography and shadows to give the audience a horror film that is not easily forgotten. Brilliant, original and scary as hell.
Warsaw 44
This is truly a film that makes me want to be a pacifist. The Polish film shows the horrors of war in a completely true manner, without ever sugarcoating anything. It's at times shocking to say the least, but at the same time there is a hopeful undertone here that shows how even in the worst of times, hope always exists.
Birdman
What a film this is! A brilliantly told character study about a depressed mind that at the same time is also touching, well acted and funny as hell. Michael Keaton is mesmerizing and deserves an Oscar for his performance.
Boyhood
A story about a boy and his family that was filmed over the course of twelve years. "Boyhood" is about growing up, learning who you are and about the small moments in life that matter the most. But as great as the movie is, it's not one that i would ever want to watch again.
Nightcrawler
Jake Gyllenhaal gives one of the best performances of the year in this crime drama about a man who manages to enter the world of crime journalism and becomes obsessed with filming crime scenes and accidents. Gyllenhaal is fantastic playing a disturbing, creepy, borderline psychopath character who is so repulsive and yet so interesting. The film also makes some good points about society and how far young people are willing to go to get jobs.
Tokyo Fiancee
A sweet, at times even too sweet of a love story between a Belgian woman and a Japanese man that nevertheless is well told, funny, very hearwarming and honest. I don't know how the other people in the audience reacted but I watched almost the whole movie with a big smile on my face and that does not happen too often. I love this film and can't wait to see it again.
Whiplash
Another movie with great central performances. Miles Teller proves once again that he will one day become a force to be reckoned with and J.K. Simmons gives a multilayerd and at times even crazy performance. The story is inspirational, the ending is near perfect and the soundtrack is THE best of 2014.
A special mention
The last moments- A film made during the YourFilm 2014 youth exchange that i took part in, by my friends. Amazing what they were able to do with less than 4 minutes. A fleshed out and well told story with great music and great camera work.
"The last moments"link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YVw8jnAvgM
