My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2014
#10 - Locke
I think this is technically a 2013 movie, but it was released in UK theaters in 2014 and I watched it in 2014, so I'm counting it on this list. Locke is an extraordinary film. It takes the familiar trope of setting the plot of a movie in one location and really excels at it. This plot device can be a gimmick when handled wrongly. But, when it's executed as terrifically as with this film, it can be quite interesting. Tom Hardy gives a riveting and magnetic performance as a man whose life is literally falling apart during his ride in a car. I came in to this movie knowing very little about it, and I'd like you to do the same, so I won't reveal anything else. Definitely something to watch. It's amazing how much suspense can come from a man driving a car and talking on the phone.
#9 - The LEGO Movie
This is one of my favorite animated films to come out in years. Not only does it have terrific characters and a surprisingly heartfelt storyline, The LEGO Movie also boasts some of the most dazzling visuals and gut-busting moments of laughter that I've seen all year. It has a wonderful voice cast who all seem to be really enjoying themselves, which you don't see everyday in a film like this with big names like Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman lending their voices. I watched it a couple times in the theater and I've seen it once on Blu-ray, and it still retains that infectious sense of fun. With The LEGO Movie, everything is awesome.
#8 - Guardians of the Galaxy
If I had made this list right after seeing this film the first time, it probably wouldn't have made the cut. I enjoyed the heck out of it, but I felt it wasn't quite on the level of Marvel's best. After watching it again recently, I realized that Guardians of the Galaxy is a ridiculously good movie that does deserve a place among the finest that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to offer. It took an utterly obscure group of comic book characters and literally made them pop culture touchstones overnight. The characters really are my favorite thing about this movie. They're all so well-crafted and portrayed so well by the great cast. Not to mention the wonderful visual effects, hilarious script, touching character moments, and awesome soundtrack. I really love Guardians of the Galaxy and can't wait to see the sequel.
#7 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The next pick on my list is yet another Marvel film that came out this year. Captain America: The Winter Soldier thoroughly exceeded any expectations I had for it going in and now ranks as one of my favorite installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The action sequences are unbelievably well-made. This film has the most taut and exciting action that I've seen in a film all year. It also features Marvel's most thoughtful and politically astute screenplay to date. This really is a thinking man's superhero movie, while also being extremely fun and enjoyable as an action blockbuster. The First Avenger 'aint got nothin' on this.
#6 - The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
This probably isn't something you'll find on a lot of top 10 lists for 2014, but Peter Jackson's conclusion to The Hobbit trilogy affected me so strongly that I couldn't not put it on here. I don't think I've been as emotionally impacted in a movie theater all year; coming to the realization that this is it from Middle-earth was difficult. I've seen a lot of negativity directed towards The Battle of the Five Armies and the Hobbit films in general. However, I really do love them, and this one is my favorite of the three. I think it felt the most like a Lord of the Rings movie, with sweeping battle scenes to go along with its intimate characters and relationships. No matter what everyone says, I love this movie, and can't wait to see it again.
#5 - How to Train Your Dragon 2
This movie really blew me away. I loved the first one a lot, and it has become one of my favorite animated films of all-time. However, I didn't expect its sequel to match it as effortlessly as How to Train Your Dragon 2 ultimately did. The scope of the film is impressive and the visuals are breathtaking. It's also very fun and exciting, surprisingly action-packed, and quite funny. The real strength of How to Train Your Dragon 2, however, comes from the richly written characters and dialogue, and the soulful and heartwarming screenplay. This is something that both kids and adults will love.
#4 - Edge of Tomorrow
This is the one film of 2014 that I can honestly say I had absolutely no expectations going in to, but came out of the theater absolutely loving it. I went to see it because I do like Tom Cruise and I thought its Groundhog Day-ish premise was interesting. However, I was not expecting Edge of Tomorrow to be one of the smartest, most exciting blockbusters to come along in years, as it was. Cruise and Emily Blunt have knockout chemistry, and the action sequences are incredibly well-filmed - some of the most thrilling I've seen this year. It also features almost nonstop humor and some big-hearted moments which only accentuated the experience. This is an absolute must-see.
#3 - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Unlike the previous pick on this list, I had a lot of expectations going into Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. And I was not disappointed in the slightest. I really enjoyed its predecessor, but this built on and improved every aspect that I liked about the first. It has interesting and layered characters, a smart script, amazing action sequences, and one of the smartest and most grounded approaches to science fiction in recent years. This is one of the must-see films of 2014, and I think it's probably my favorite in the entire Apes franchise at this point.
#2 - X-Men: Days of Future Past
When I walked out the theater after seeing this film for the first time, I knew it was going to be one of my top 3 of the year. I really can't think of any flaws in Days of Future Past. It's exciting, complex, emotionally effective, and just the absolute best installment in the X-Men franchise to date. The script was expertly written, and it melded the cast from the older films with the cast from First Class very well. This is an absolute must-see that erases the mistakes made in past franchise entries, and provides something refreshingly original to the series as well. X-Men: Days of Future Past has become one of my favorite superhero films of all-time. It really is that good.
#1 - Interstellar
It's no secret on this blog that I love Christopher Nolan as a filmmaker. He is my favorite director of all-time, and has made more of my favorite films than anyone. Thus, I had high expectations going into Interstellar. I can honestly say that all expectations were met and exceeded. The entire cast is absolutely terrific, the visuals are utterly astounding, the score is magnificent. The film is unbelievably intense, thought-provoking, and ambitious. I can't say enough about Chris Nolan's sci-fi epic. It's not only my favorite film of the year, it's become one of my favorite science fiction films ever. I'm disappointed in some of the negative response it has received. I'm hoping that, over the years, it becomes more revered and respected as has happened to some of the most praised masterpieces of cinema, particularly in the sci-fi genre. I truly believe this is a masterpiece that has plenty of compelling ideas about humanity's place in the universe and the true power and meaning of love. If you haven't seen this movie, that needs to become a priority for you. I absolutely adore Interstellar, and have come to admire it even more with multiple viewings. 
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