Top Tens

My Top Ten of 2014

2014 was a year of ambition. Between Marvel's tightening grip on world dominance and Christopher Nolan's Interstellar adventures, there were some extraordinary passion projects that came to a deservedly wide appreciation. I could easily have made a top 20, because there were so many impressive films this year.

As with previous lists, this is based on UK release dates. Some films that I didn't get around to seeing include The Rover, Hayao Miyazaki's last animation The Wind Rises, Ida, Mr. Turner and David Cronenberg's Maps to the Stars. But I saw 53 films this year, so I still cast a pretty wide net.

10 - Locke

I'm a bit of a sucker for single-space films, from the Ryan Reynolds' led Buried to the traditional television "bottle episode". When an artist is constrained so drastically, it's fascinating to see the creative manoeuvres that unearth an exciting and engaging story. Above all though, this is a masterclass in restraint from Tom Hardy - an actor truly at the top of his game.

9 - The Grand Budapest Hotel

King of calculated quirk, Wes Anderson has been on a roll in recent years. His latest follows Ralph Feinnes as the head concierge of the prestigious hotel - a role that he excels in - and is probably the funniest of the director's canon. A typically myriad star cast is held together by the sincere figure of Saiorse Ronan, who brings heart that has been sorely missed in other Anderson outings. Delightfully fun.

8 - The One I Love

An inventive high-concept premise gives way to a fascinating exploration of long-term relationships. That's all I want to give away about Charlie McDowell's stunning debut feature. Layered performances from Mark Duplass and Mad Men's Elizabeth Moss lead to a climax that is rich and beguiling with meaning. Available on US Netflix.

7 - Blue Ruin

Another indie success, another directorial debut. Jeremy Saulnier, who gambled everything to make this Cannes triumph, pitched the film as "No Country For Old Men - perpetrated by morons". An eery thriller led by a fantastic central performance from Macon Blair, it also doubles as a meditation on the pernicious nature of revenge.

6 - Life Itself

One of my favourite writers, let alone film critic, Roger Ebert is a true legend. The pulitzer prize winner brought such humanism to film interpretation and film criticism to the masses in America. Master documentarian Steve James follows Ebert's career alongside his struggles with cancer towards the end of his life. A fittingly down-to-earth, moving tribute. 

5 - Under the Skin

Jonathan Glazer's sci-fi puzzler follows Scarlett Johansson's alien around Scotland as it preys on unsuspecting male hitchhikers. Possibly the most divisive film of the year, it had me absolutely absorbed, perplexed and obsessed at the cinema. Stunning Kubrikian imagery, alongside humanist encounters, leads to a sharp sense of sexual danger from both sides. A lyrical abstraction that demands repeat viewing.

4 - The Raid 2: Berandal

The martial arts sequel picks up a few hours after Redemption finished, but that's where the similarities end. The first was a contained, video-game like burst up a tower block, whereas Berandal is a sprawling two and a half hour adrenaline ride of epic physicality. The story is slight and inconsistent, but the thrills override all off this to leave pure awe. No wonder they've enlisted some of the actors for Star Wars VII. For my money, one of the best action films of all time. 

3 - The Lego Movie

Phil Lord and Chris Miller are miracle workers. First updating an average 80s TV show into the revered Jump Street franchise and now turning possibly the most sickeningly consumerist film premise into the most enjoyable and intelligent comedy of the year. The most fun I had at the cinema in 2014, with a final act of startling emotional weight that elevates the thrills and laughs to something special. 

2 - 12 Years a Slave

English artist Steve McQueen brings his potent style to the heartbreaking tale of Solomon Northup. Last year's best picture winner at the Oscars pushes the savagery of the slave trade to the forefront and doesn't shy away. Lingering shots bring a visceral appreciation to the viewer of the helplessness of the African American people. Stunning performances, especially from Michael Fassbender and Chiwetel Ejiofor, complete the picture to make a flat out masterpiece.

1 - Boyhood

A film called 'Boyhood'. But it may as well be called Motherhood, Fatherhood or Sisterhood. Richard Linklater, a master in naturalism and a real actors' director, devised an ambitious and downright incredible concept in 2003. What followed is an accomplishment that I would describe as maverick and incredible, but for the absolute humanism of Mason and the people that surround him. "Rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth." This is what Linklater delivers.