Best films of 2014

[feather]

Re: Best films of 2014

I thought this was the funniest film from 2014

Sounds funny, will dl.

[KiwiTollway]

Re: Best films of 2014

I'm confused............ is Birdman about Schizophrenia??

I get the whole torturous creative process thing, doubts, aging, and all that, but really, that film is about Schizophrenia, right? Don't understand why no one is talking mental illness about it.

(btw, not my fav movie of 2014 at all)

[el presidente Highsteppa]

Re: Best films of 2014

Birdman was a lot of things - a meditation on how celebrity can corrupt an artist, the difficult road involved when you're trying to get a passion project off the ground and all the obstacles that could be in the way, how you might just have to be absolutely crazy to be an artist as a career choice and the insanity of trying to make a living out of it, and the destructive element of how art can consume the list of its creator.

It's a movie made for artist, by artists first and foremost, with a lot of inside jokes and humor about the theater industry in New York and the bullshit that comes with it. Not sure if I agree with the film getting the Best Picture Oscar, but for the direction and the illusion of the film being one continuous take, I definitely think it earned its Best Director Oscar.

[Gatz]

Re: Best films of 2014

I did not watch all those films in 2014 and the one i liked the most was not even nominated for and award but the movie that i liked the most was Chef. Of course it's a comedy not worthy of an oscar but the acting was very good the story was good and the latin/cuban/ style music was excellent, if you have a chance i recommend it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2883512/

[floridaorange]

Re: Best films of 2014

^watching this now - good film!

[KiwiTollway]

Re: Best films of 2014

I did not watch all those films in 2014 and the one i liked the most was not even nominated for and award but the movie that i liked the most was Chef. Of course it's a comedy not worthy of an oscar but the acting was very good the story was good and the latin/cuban/ style music was excellent, if you have a chance i recommend it.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2883512/

thanks for recommending this movie! watched it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it... the music too like you said, and the acting surprised me (the little boy stole the film though, lol)

[Gatz]

Re: Best films of 2014

thanks for recommending this movie! watched it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it... the music too like you said, and the acting surprised me (the little boy stole the film though, lol)

No problem, I did learn something about chocolat Lava cake.

[Kamal]

Re: Best films of 2014

Birdman was a lot of things - a meditation on how celebrity can corrupt an artist, the difficult road involved when you're trying to get a passion project off the ground and all the obstacles that could be in the way, how you might just have to be absolutely crazy to be an artist as a career choice and the insanity of trying to make a living out of it, and the destructive element of how art can consume the list of its creator.

It's a movie made for artist, by artists first and foremost, with a lot of inside jokes and humor about the theater industry in New York and the bullshit that comes with it. Not sure if I agree with the film getting the Best Picture Oscar, but for the direction and the illusion of the film being one continuous take, I definitely think it earned its Best Director Oscar.

I also thought it was a great tongue-in-cheek throwback to Keaton's rise to fame as Batman back in '89 (likely why he's called Birdman in the flick) and he resonated with that so well, in that he sort of fell out of the public eye (even though he had the odd movie out) and his role in this movie and the fame it acquired in reality was self-serving.

[Micko]

Re: Best films of 2014

I'm confused............ is Birdman about Schizophrenia??

I get the whole torturous creative process thing, doubts, aging, and all that, but really, that film is about Schizophrenia, right? Don't understand why no one is talking mental illness about it.

(btw, not my fav movie of 2014 at all)

I have yet to see the film but I seriously doubt it

One that has come out in Ireland (about schizophrenia) is called Patrick's Day - it's about a lad with schizophrenia who goes missing on our national holiday - have yet to see this one either - am certainly interested in it though

[KiwiTollway]

Re: Best films of 2014

I also thought it was a great tongue-in-cheek throwback to Keaton's rise to fame as Batman back in '89 (likely why he's called Birdman in the flick) and he resonated with that so well, in that he sort of fell out of the public eye (even though he had the odd movie out) and his role in this movie and the fame it acquired in reality was self-serving.

Yea, Keaton was perfectly cast for that role! I liked that aspect also... remembering when it seemed like he starred in everything.

In my imagination, when Birdman actually spoke (walking behind him), I thought it was a younger Keaton. like they dubbed him in visually from a previous movie. lol cool effect, like a mind game for me took me a while to get used to seeing the older/now version of the actor.

[el presidente Highsteppa]

Re: Best films of 2014

I saw Birdman alter ego as being more the temptation of an artist selling out - it embodies the idea that as a "successful" actor, you can make a career out of doing big budget, but meaningless films that the general public will adore and make you tons of money, but likely rob you of any credibility as an artist.

I found Birdman thematically to be very similar to Spike Lee's movie Bamboozled - except without the deep rooted racial politics that go along with being a black entertainer. It's not one of Spike Lee's best, but I did feel that there was something autobiographical about it.

[yerg]

Re: Best films of 2014

Grand Budapest Hotel - my favorite film of the year and my favourite Anderson's film yet

Captain America: Winter Soldier - did not expect it to be so good, nice
Godzilla - same, would never expect to like this movie, eventually I did
Edge of Tomorow - great premise, great execution
X-Men: Days of Future Past - so happy that Singer returned to make X-Men movies, he's the best for them
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For - another surprise, wasn't as good as the first one, of course, but still delivered
Guardians of the Galaxy - just a fun film with absolutely fantastic visuals
Nightcrawler - acting and writing made this film
Foxcatcher - same, acting and writing
Big Eyes - great story, could be darker hence Burton was directing but still turned out great
Inherent Vice - the humour!!!
Birdman - top notch acting and cinematography
A Most Violent Year - excellent story, super tight directing from JC Chandor (check his film All is Lost, the guy is going to be really big)
Interstellar - well, it's a flawed sci-fi masterpiece if you don't mind me to say that
Maps to the Stars - neurotic fairy tale from Cronenberg, what a treat this was
Wild Tales - sharp, hard edged social satire from Pedro Almodovar's protege
Exodus - a flawed epic, as usual with Ridley Scott, but I still enjoyed it very much

[yerg]

Re: Best films of 2014

I would like to add 1 more film to the list above, which i just saw - Mr. Turner by Mike Leigh
a great little film about the art of J.M.W. Turner, shown from both comedic and tragic sides of it, and some amazing cinematography in this

[yerg]

Re: Best films of 2014

another nice film I'm adding - Good Kill

finally Andrew Niccol made something decent again

A Las Vegas-based fighter pilot turned drone pilot fights the Taliban by remote control for 12 hours a day, then goes home to the suburbs and feuds with his wife and kids for the other 12. But the pilot is starting to question the mission. Is he creating more terrorists than he's killing? Is he fighting a war without end.