My 2014 Favorite Films

Interstellar
For over three hours, I was riveted and visually blown away by this film about explorers traveling through space and time to save the human race. I cannot remember a movie at this length that captivated me for the entire time. My friends wanted to delve into the deeper meanings and plot holes after viewing this epic film.  All I wanted to do was bask in the wow factor of a real science fiction masterpiece.  Major acting props go to Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain.  Director Christopher Nolan proves again he is just plain awesome. 

The Judge

When it comes down to it, the performances of Robert Downey, Jr and Robert Duvall are the real reasons to watch this movie about a judge accused of murder, who is being represented in court by his estranged lawyer son.  Every scene these two men share is tense, troubling, and spectacular.  When Downey has to help his aging father in the bathroom, you feel for both men in a heartwarming and heartbreaking way. 

Birdman

Michael Keaton is back and better than ever as a washed up movie actor who once played an iconic superhero. He hopes to revive his career through directing and performing in a Broadway play.  Keaton and Edward Norton give stellar performances along with an amazing cast of Hollywood stars, but the cinematography of this film is a major plus.  Almost the entire film is designed to look like one continuous shot, and that is amazing. 

Nightcrawler

Jack Gyllenhaul plays one of the creepiest characters on screen in 2014 or in recent memory for that matter.  As someone who has worked as a reporter and video journalist in local TV news, I can relate first hand to the underbelly of television news and the mentality of “if it bleeds, it leads.”  But, Gyllenhaul’s portrayal of a freelance videographer covering, selling, and even becoming a part of daily horrors on the streets of L.A. is compelling. 

Boyhood

I loved this film. The opportunity to watch an actor age in real life over twelve years as he plays a young man on the same journey into adulthood is just refreshingly creative. It reminds me of watching all the young men and women I have worked with over the years in youth ministry and as a teacher, except this experience is condensed into one feature-length film. Ellar Coltrane plays the boy, teen, and young man with a depth that is refreshingly real.

Into The Woods

Based on the Tony-award winning Broadway musical of the same name, the story told in this play-turned-movie is a fun and quirky, retelling of many of our favorite childhood fairy tales.  The film, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt have already received Golden Globe nominations, but my personal favorites in the film are Daniel Huttlestone and Tracy Ullman as Jack and his mother.  It’s fun to see Ullman back in a blockbuster hit and the young Huttlestone is awesome as Jack in the Beanstalk.  Anna Kendrick and Chris Pine also give entertaining takes on Cinderella and Prince Charming, as does Johnny Depp in a brief but fun turn as The Wolf. 

Unbroken

Not since The Passion of the Christ and watching Jim Caviezel portray Jesus Christ on the cross have I winced so much in a movie. Jack O’Connell gives an Academy-award-deserving performance as Olympian Louis Zamperini, the WWII veteran who survived a near-fatal plane crash, 47 days in a raft at sea, and torture in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.  The pain portrayed by O’Connell is palpable.  Angelina Jolie does a phenomenal job directing this story based on a true-life tale. 

Foxcatcher

Steve Carrell gives the dramatic performance of his career in this movie about the Olympic, wrestling-champion-brother team and their rich sponsor.  As the brothers, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo also give career high performances. I remember some of this story from the news when I was younger, but that still did not prepare me for the intensity of this tragic story.

Guardians of the Galaxy

More Chris Pratt please. The Parks and Recreation alum leads an awesome cast of quirky intergalactic criminals in the best superhero film of 2014.  This movie is fun, fast-paced and leaves you wanting more.  One of my favorite moments is when Pratt’s Quill, aka Star Lord, begins dancing to the song “Ooh-ooh child” and challenges the villain Ronan to a dance off.  The song track to this movie is stellar.

Big Hero 6

As you can see from the photo to the left, I love Baymax, the inflatable robot co-star of this Walt Disney Animation Studios film.  Disney has done it again with this visual masterpiece, part action-adventure, part heartfelt comedy.  Baymax is the sidekick to prodigy Hiro Hamada and his band of techie heroes.  This group of animated superheroes give the Guardians of the Galaxy a run for their money. 

The Lego Movie
Everything IS awesome in this 3D animated film. And that theme song will get stuck in your head over and over again.  I asked for more Chris Pratt, and here he is as the lead character Emmet, a Lego figure defined as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the Lego universe. Emmet and his friends go on an epic journey to try to stop the evil tyrant Lord Business.  There are major movie players behind many of the Lego character voices, including Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, and Jonah Hill.  Will Arnett as the voice of Batman is especially entertaining. 

Life Itself

This documentary takes an in-depth look at the life, career and influence of the late movie critic Roger Ebert.  If you grew up watching Siskel and Ebert movie reviews on television, this movie is a great behind the scenes look at the how that famous duo became a cultural phenomenon.  Even more compelling is Ebert’s fight against cancer and the way he perseveres and continues to be an influence in the movie industry when the disease literally takes his voice away. Someone sent me his  TED talk “Remaking My Voice” at the height of my speech problems, and it was inspirational in my own journey.