Brian Pittman’s Best of 2014

I have to admit, when Felix asked me to write up a list of my favorite films of the year, I wasn’t sure I could swing it. I didn’t get to the theater nearly enough and I feel like I missed out on a lot. But I was able to construct a list and I ask everyone to bear in mind, these are only picks based on what I actually was able to see. With that having been said, here we go.

2014BigHero6Disney10, Big Hero 6
Now, I know what a lot of people are going to say, but here’s the thing: I don’t care. This movie was very entertaining and brought to life a childhood dream of seeing a big budget animated film based on a comic book I loved. I won’t try justifying this choice beyond that, even though I felt the animation and story was great. It was a Disney movie and also didn’t come with a song that would get overplayed to the point where you grew to loathe it. So yeah, it gets on the list.

Oculus_podcast9, Oculus
This movie right here is one of the best horror films that shockingly no one seems to be talking about. It hovers this line between being a supernatural tale of tortured siblings possibly being haunted and potentially just being about those same siblings simply losing their minds. I don’t want to go too much into detail here, as this movie deserves more than a spoiler riddled blurp in a shitty top ten list. Go watch it. Now.

Angriest-Man8, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn
In the past year we lost a really talented man who many of us grieved immensely over. Robin Williams is a true legend in comedy and he deserves to be remembered for more than taking part in a trilogy of Ben Stiller comedies that he was far too good for. Thankfully, he made this movie, a story about a man attempting to right his percieved wrongs as he believes he has only 90 minutes left to live. This is Williams as he should be remembered, as a talented man who can do so much more than cookie-cutter performances. It also takes the sting out of the fact that he happened to die on my birthday.

joe7, Joe
Here on the internet, it’s not hard to find jokes about Nicolas Cage. Seriously, you can’t even really avoid them, as they are so plentiful that I would estimate we see at least 9 a day without ever realizing it. But, with all of his over the top performances it’s easy to forget that Cage actually can be really good. And I mean really good. This movie is the perfect reminder that he actually can act. I don’t even know if I should talk about the plot, because I think just telling you that there is a dramatic movie that came out in 2014 where Nicolas Cage turned in a truly great performance…that’s it, that’s all that you need. Please watch it, because it needs more attention.

TownThatDreaded20146, The Town That Dreaded Sundown
If I had to pick a single film on this list that almost no one talked about that deserved more attention than every big budget ball-buster this year, it’s The Town That Dreaded Sundown. A common misconception is that this is a remake, which it isn’t. This is actually a sequel to the original film, but not exactly as you’d expect. Basically, this film exists in a sort of real world setting, where a killer is emulating the killings from the original film and one girl is desperately trying to find out why. This movie honestly had me on the edge of my seat and really had me caring about some of the characters, which isn’t something most horror movies can manage. It deserved a much wider release.

The-Grand-Budapest5, The Grand Budapest Hotel
I love Wes Anderson. I do. If Wes Anderson made a horror movie, I would probably faint out of immense joy. There is something about his style that I find so attractive that I find it impossible to look away. So when this film hit theaters, I was both happy and worried, as it wasn’t playing in my immediate area. But I was willing to travel for Wes and was not at all disappointed. Here we have a tale about the man who runs a hotel in a very sketchy time, as told by his young protégé, and we watch as they both get dragged into a murder plot. It’s got many of the familiar faces from Anderson’s other works and oozes style from every frame of the film. Ultimately, it’s Wes Anderson and that’s enough for me.

captain-america4, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
I can honestly say, with no amount of irony or regret, that this is the best superhero film ever made. It keeps true to the core characters, offering an engrossing storyline involving betrayal and a vast conspiracy, topping it off with action scenes Michael Bay wishes he could pull off as nicely. At no point does the movie feel campy or stupid either, like it is ashamed of its heritage. It owns that heritage and delivers a perfect Captain America adventure. Evans is as great here as he was in the first film, but the movie is honestly stolen by his co-stars. Johansson dominates every scene she’s in and really highlights that there should be a Black Widow film, while Mackie offers a perfect everyman view of what it’s like to wander into this world of heroes only to end up becoming one. We’ve all seen it by now, so you know it belongs here. And as much as I loved Guardians of the Galaxy, this is the superior film.

nightbreed650-500x2503, Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut
Yes, it’s an older film, but it’s also a new cut of said film, so I exert my right to cheat and put it here. Nightbreed was already an incredibly entertaining film that felt less like a horror movie and more like a commentary on how society treats those who it sees as different. But, if you know the film and proclaim yourself a fan, you’ve likely heard about the many changes forced onto it that Clive Barker wished he hadn’t made. This new cut allowed him to fix that by bringing a more accurate vision to the world. It’s a film that still stands up as far better than a lot of what Hollywood grinds out and it’s great to see it creating buzz again.

lego-movie-trailer2, The Lego Movie
What do I say? I already reviewed the movie, so I suppose you could just go read that. Or you could just go watch it. Who am I kidding, you’ve watched it. We all have. This movie was probably the biggest surprise of the year, as many people had no idea what to make of it. The Lego movies never really seemed like something I wanted to watch before, but then this movie happened and I found myself reevaluating that opinion. I think a lot of people did, considering how popular this film became. It’s on the list because it was just that good. So go watch it again and play with some Legos.

st-vincent1, St. Vincent
Bill Murray is one of those actors who people seem incapable of hating. He just has this power to pull you in. Now, I don’t really know how many actually went to see this film, but I can guarantee that it wasn’t nearly enough. This movie tops my list for a lot of reasons. The cast, the writing, the directorial style, the overall message about never really knowing someone even when you think you do, it was all so very perfect. It’s sort of film that should be Juno popular, but it seems to not be. I wish I knew why. I mean, I liked Juno, but this movie is honestly a far better film. Sorry, Ellen, I still adore you. Hopefully more people will discover this gem of a film and start talking about it.

So yeah, there’s my list. You may not agree with it, you might hate what I chose, but it’s my list. Feel free to send me your choices and to go read my nonsense over at my blog for my thoughts on pop culture and nostalgia. Later days.