Hey there, and happy 2015 to all! I haven’t returned to this space since the Oscars back in March. Since then I’ve been busy, very fortunate to continue to work and grow in the industry -- various roles on a few indie features, a short, some commercials and a couple of web-only projects. Even got to hang out in the background a few times. Viva Duane! It’s been a fun first year in LA and I’m looking forward to pushing ahead and making more things happen.
And you bet your ass I’ve been watching a lot of movies. I somehow exactly kept pace with last year’s number at 186 by my count, because of course I keep track of these things. Click through to see the full list. A solid third of these (66 and counting) are from 2014 (or from 2013 but only released widely enough this year to be eligible during the upcoming awards season). Compared with previous years I’m already in pretty good shape heading into the Golden Globes which hopefully portends well to being ahead of the game for the Oscars, nominations still to be announced on Jan 15th. There are a few newly released key players that I haven’t had a chance to see yet: Selma, Big Eyes, and Into the Woods are on the docket for the next fortnight or so. I’m definitely loving the plethora of theaters and stuffed-to-the-gills early release schedules here! Resolving to see more indie features at smaller venues in 2015.
I’ll catch up with a bunch of quick hits for 2014 flicks, starting today with my favorite features that were released in the past 12 months. Top 10 in no particular order:
A Most Violent Year (wr./dir. J.C. Chandor) - Hot off the presses, a gritty, simmering opus with Godfather-esque leanings, Chandor's newest success shows a steady hand that should continue to deliver seething drama in years to come. Intense performances by Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain.
Under the Skin (dir. Jonathan Glazer) - Exposition can be tricky business. One of my biggest pet peeves is a script that over-explains the action to the audience or hammers home themes through on-the-nose dialogue (I’m looking sideways at you here, Interstellar). So it was refreshing to see this mesmerizing and unsettling sci-fi/horror hybrid simmering with underlying themes of isolation, social interaction, and sexual agency. It alternates stretches of throbbing, dreadful anticipation with moments of overwhelming electricity. Most importantly, it doesn’t attempt to explain things at all, leaving the viewer in full on decipher mode and wondering, “The hell did I just see?” I love that mode.
Inherent Vice (wr./dir. PT Anderson) - Based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel, it’s a twisting, episodic neo-detective rollick with a down and out P.I. who is more addled than hard-boiled. Too deep and complex to completely absorb in one or two viewings, it’s the darker, sexier, more introspective cousin to The Big Lebowski. I’m sure my initial rating will only improve with time.
The Babadook (wr./dir. Jennifer Kent) - A vibrant, perfectly-crafted horror film with edgy, unnerving performances from Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman. Relying smartly on suggestion and imagination to provide creeping tension and dreadful scares, it is underscored by strong character development replete with an acidic twist of maternal guilt and feminist empowerment. Bonus points for the unconventional ending.
Whiplash - (wr./dir. Damien Chazelle) - Miles Teller pours his sweat onto the screen and JK Simmons delivers an award-worthy supporting performance of manipulative intimidation under the guise of mentorship. It’s Black Swan meets Full Metal Jacket, but with drums and jazz combos instead of bullets and ballet.
Jodorowsky’s Dune (dir. Frank Pavich) - Alejandro Jodorwsky is one of cinemas most original beasts, and if you ask me his films (El Topo, The Holy Mountain, Santa Sangre) are the absolute pinnacle of tripped out cult classics. With this documentary we get a little peek at perhaps one of the most influential unfinished films of the century, his epic planned adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel. May not appeal to those who don’t already have an affection for Jodorowsky’s unique brand of madness, but for me it was like chipping away at a mountain to get a glimpse at a long lost Holy Grail.
Nightcrawler (wr./dir. Dan Gilroy) - With Jake Gyllenhaal’s gaunt, wiry Louis Bloom, Gilroy gave us one of the creepiest, most memorable characters of the year. He also delivered a taut, edgy thriller complete with a spectacular chase scene. It feels like a spiritual sibling to Taxi Driver, shifting the focus from the mean streets of NYC to the gritty reality underlying LA’s image-obsessed, media-driven gloss. Along with Inherent Vice, I felt that I soaked in more here by living in LA for the past year, as knowing the geography of the city lent the action a new layer of immediacy (and lunacy) that I previously never could have appreciated.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (wr./dir. Wes Anderson) - Mr. Anderson continues to up his game and deliver the goods by melding the wide-eyed romanticism of Moonrise Kingdom with the sprawling weirdness of The Royal Tenenbaums. A hilarious, beautiful, magical journey.
Boyhood (wr./dir. Richard Linklater) - Takes a little time to find its tone and makes a few melodramatic missteps here and there, but it’s ultimately a tremendous achievement, reminiscent of Michael Apted’s 7 Up documentary series in its scope and delivery. Patricia Arquette is the story’s heart and soul, and the parallel line with Ethan Hawke’s dad progressing through “Manhood” is a brilliant character/story understroke.
Birdman: or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu) - A weird, fantastic, thoughtful meditation as well as a dizzying technical juggernaut. The winking script and turns by Keaton and Norton, especially, deliver punches that land over and over again, oftentimes with jabs directed at themselves. I was not exactly a fan of the “2nd ending” and did not dig Emma Stone here, but those are minor quibbles for an experience that was still probably my favorite of the year.
Honorable Mention:
The Wind Rises (wr./dir. Hayao Miyazaki) - Any opportunity to watch Miyazaki’s genius on a large screen is a rewarding experience, and his latest (and probably final) was no exception. A slight notch below his masterpieces, it’s still a beautiful, wistful bow for a towering master.
Guardians of the Galaxy (dir. James Gunn) - Pure fun. Star Wars for a new generation?
The One I Love (dir. Charlie McDowell) - Another fun, twisty indie with a clever, sci-fi tinged concept, this time picking apart the minutiae of romantic relationships by holding up a mirror. Imperfect and strange, yet incredibly entertaining.
Only Lovers Left Alive (wr./dir. Jim Jarmusch) - A hip, sultry twist on the immortal ennui of vampires set amongst the crumbling ruins of Tangiers and Detroit.
The Raid 2 (wr./dir. Gareth Evans) - While it didn’t hit me in the face quite as hard as the first one that is only a slight fault. The fight scenes are just as brutal and impeccably choreographed. Total killer.
The Imitation Game (dir. Morten Tyldum) - Bandersnatch Camphorbinge (sp?) is impeccable as Alan Turing, WWII Enigma code-breaker, father of the computer, and one of the most important unsung, tragic figures of the last 100 years. Takes gross liberties with the true story, but still delivers exciting historical drama mixed with relevant social commentary.
Aaaaand for good measure -- with the caveat that I and have thus far boycotted The Interview and thankfully avoided Tusk -- the worst thing I managed to watch all year was...
Annie (dir. Will Gluck) - Next stop, Dudsville. Yeah, I watched it and while it doesn't take a genius to transition the story into the modern age it’s flat, pandering, and unimaginative. The remixed original songs lack heart and the new ones lack punch. All it took was Bobby Cannavale hamming it up and a quick cameo by Patricia Clarkson to remind me how much I would rather be watching The Station Agent...Or anything else really. Props to Rose Byrne for being the only one who looks like she’s having some fun with it.
I hear football and beer calling my name, so best wishes to all in the new year and more happy days ahead!
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