10 - Neighbors (dir. Nicholas Stoller)
Now this is case and point of the fact that I just haven't seen all the movies I should have this year. However, I did really enjoy Neighbors. This studio comedy contained enough absurdity and weird bits to keep my interest and the performances were on-point. And I think at the end of the movie there is something to be said about learning to move on and accepting your current situation in life.
9 - Godzilla (dir. Gareth Edwards)
I had a tough time with this movie, simply because I wanted so bad to love it. I personally don't even fully know what I expected, but I was a bit let down. I am a huge fan of the 1954 Japanese Godzilla. It's simply one of the best monster movies period. I am also a huge fan of Gareth Edwards first film Monsters. A really unique low budget monster movie that features really great characters and some beautiful visuals. So my hope was that Gareth would be able to give us a 2014 Godzilla that contained the spirit of the original monster himself, along with human characters that I could really get to know and care about. I got about half of that. I'm not sure if a Hollywood version of Godzilla in the year 2014 could be handled any more faultless than he was for this movie. I mean, I could truly feel his presence in the theater. I'm pretty sure I was cheering during the battle scenes. However, everything else in the movie fell completely flat for me. I couldn't of been more disinterested in the characters and I thought there was a large waste of great talent. Not a huge of Aaron-Taylor Johnson either and I don't think he was a good lead. However, the thirty minutes that Godzilla is on screen was so much fun and that is why Godzilla is number 9 on my list.
8 - X-Men: Days of Future Past (dir. Bryan Singer)
It is extremely rare that a superhero movie will ever make my top 10 list. I'm just not that into superhero movies. The X-Men though, have always been an exception. I think that they are the most interesting and entertaining of the superhero movies, especially in the Marvel universe. X-Men: Days of Future Past exceeds on many levels, but mainly from it's great cast. I think that the actors chosen fit the roles perfectly and I am able to find myself engaged with them almost immediately. Dealing with a subject such as time travel, can too often become convoluted and distracting for the audience, because they are too busy trying to figure out the timeline of events. This movie skips all of that by making it very straight forward of how time works in the universe and how the future is affected by going back and changing events.
7 - The Grand Budapest Hotel (dir. Wes Anderson)
Wes Anderson gives us a black comedy that is very funny and yet sad. The tone of the movie almost depends on the audience you see it with. As expected there is an excellent ensemble cast in the movie, but Ralph Fiennes is truly superb and really stands out. You either like or don't like Wes Anderson's movies, I happen to like them.
6 - The Final Member (dir. Jonah Bekhor, Zach Math)
A documentary on the world's only penis museum and one man's pursuit in finishing his collection of mammal penises by finding the right human to donate his own. Absolutely hysterical and absurd, while also carrying a poignant theme on what it means to leave your mark or legacy.
5 - The Overnighters (dir. Jesse Moss)
There's so much I could say about The Overnighters, but none of my words would do it justice. What a roller coaster of a documentary. The turns it takes through out are not only surprising, but just truly and utterly affecting. This is going to be a contender for my end of year top 10 list for sure.
4 - Under the Skin (dir. Jonathan Glazer)
Beautiful, ambiguous, intense. This movie is on another level.
3 - Borgman (dir. Alex van Warmerdam)
What if evil came in a physical form and found it's way into your life unexpectedly and started turning everything around for you. Slowly taking over everything you once knew, until everything you had is no longer yours? Borgman is one of the most brilliant dark fairy tales I have ever seen. Hilarious, disturbing, and horrifying.
2 - Blue Ruin (dir. Jeremy Saulnier)
A very intense revenge thriller. Sounds pretty typical, but Blue Ruin handles revenge as something that one may not always want to do, but sometimes it has to be done.
1 - Only Lovers Left Alive (dir. Jim Jarmusch)
One of the greatest working directors Jim Jarmusch returns with one of the best and most unique vampire films in recent memory. With a fantastic lead cast, Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as a couple of misfit aging vampires, Only Lovers Left Alive is hilarious, smart, and poetic. By far my favorite film of the year and it's going to be a strong contender at the end of the year as well.
