Wow! It’s hard to believe it is time to do this again. The 2014 movie year has come and gone and now it’s time to look back on the year that was. To be more specific it’s time to look at the best films of the year. Personally I love doing these lists and comparing them to those of critics and fellow bloggers. It’s a chance to reflect back on 2014 and champion the movies that meant the most to me. Now doing a list like this is tough and it means leaving out some movies that deserve attention. To remedy that I’ll start by simply listing my #11-20 picks.

(Click on the movie title to read my full review of it)

#20 – “Edge of Tomorrow“
#19 – “Nightcrawler“
#18 – “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies“
#17 – “Snowpiercer“
#16 – “The Railway Man”
#15 – “Godzilla“
#14 – “Magic in the Moonlight“
#13 – “The Grand Budapest Hotel“
#12 – “The Immigrant“
#11 – “The Lego Movie“

Now let me share my Top 10 movies of 2014:

#10 – “The Monuments Men“ – I’m sure I will be the only person in the world with “The Monuments Men” on their Top 10 list. So be it. I had such a good time with this film and it held up nicely after a second viewing. Interestingly enough, I don’t recall hearing a single person talk about what I love most about the film – its sense of nostalgia. In several ways this film is a throwback to the buddy war movies of the 1960s and early 70s right through the closing credits. I loved that. It’s also based on a remarkable true story and it features a fabulous ensemble cast. Could it have utilized these things better? I’m sure it could, but I never got hung up on these things. Instead I sat back and watched this transporting bit of nostalgia and was thoroughly entertained from the start.

#9 – “Big Eyes“ – It has been enjoyed yet dismissed by many critics, but “Big Eyes” is a film that has really stuck with me. It’s a surprising and refreshing step outside of the box for Tim Burton, a director known for his dark, macabre style. The film is based on the true story of the popular artist Margaret Keane and her husband Walter yet it rarely feels like a biographical piece. It’s such a strange story and Burton tells it by sitting back and allowing his two top level performers to fully form these characters. Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams are tremendous. They give two very different performances, but each are perfectly in tune with who these characters are. It’s such a good movie filled with heart, heartbreak, self-discovery, courage, and of course art.

#8 – “The Lunchbox“ – One of my favorite finds of 2014 was the Indian romantic drama “The Lunchbox”. The movie was made in 2012, released in India in 2013, and finally hit American theaters in 2014. The romance genre has been plagued by dopey, schmaltzy junk without an ounce of smarts or heart. “The Lunchbox” has a lot of both and all of it from first time feature film director Ritesh Batra. There are several things I love about the film. Batra gives us real people, not caricatures. He also steps back and gives his actors room to work. And I do love the performances from his two leads Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur. Both are incredibly grounded and genuine. I also loved the deliberate pacing, the subtle humor, and the firm focus of the story. This is a real treat of 2014.

#7 – “Ida“ – One of the most penetrating films of 2014 came in a small 80 minute package from director Pawel Pawlikowski. “Ida” has the strength of being both painfully grim and stunningly beautiful. It is a story of self-discovery for a young lady who knows practically nothing about her past. It’s shot in glorious black and white and Pawlikowski tells us so much through his camera. He captures so much emotion from his characters and there are also a number of shots that are simply stunning to look at. Young actress Agata Trzebuchowska is wonderful and perfect for the lead role and she conveys so much through her expressive eyes. Agata Kulesza deserves Oscar consideration for her supporting work. “Ida” was one of 2014’s big surprises. It’s also one of year’s best films.

#6 – “Blue Ruin“ – I love it when a smaller unknown movie comes out of the blue and blows me away. Last year it was “Upstream Color”. This year it is “Blue Ruin”. Writer and director Jeremy Saulnier took a small cast and a minimal budget and crafted one of the most unpredictable and edge-of-your-seat thrillers of the year. It’s a fairly simple story about an act of revenge and the violent domino effect that follows. Saulnier tells as much of his story through his camera as he does through dialogue and you never know where things are heading. It’s smart and strikingly unconventional. The film is also helped by a brilliant and understated performance from Macon Blair. There were several films in 2014 that deserved a bigger audience, none more than the wonderful “Blue Ruin”.

#5 – “Only Lovers Left Alive“ – At the start of the year if you would have told me that a vampire movie would make my Top 10 list I would have called you insane. Well, that is exactly what happened thanks to independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch. But as I stated in my review, simplifying this as just a ‘vampire movie’ would be doing it a tremendous disservice. There is so much more to “Only Lovers Left Alive”. Jarmusch uses his vampires to reflect on a number of society’s ills from humanity’s destruction of ourselves and our world to the demise of art and creativity. But this is also a mood piece centered around two fascinating characters played by the great Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton. I loved spending time with these two. It’s cool, romantic, poetic, and hypnotic.

#4 – “The Rover“ – David Michôd earned a lot of attention in 2010 with his dark crime drama “Animal Kingdom”. In 2014 he brought us a very different but equally striking film “The Rover”. This dystopian survival drama takes place in the rugged Australian outback after a world economic collapse. But Michôd doesn’t spend time talking about how things came to be the way they are. Instead he places us with two different but equally fascinating characters, Eric (Guy Pearce) and Reynolds (Robert Pattinson). Pearce is mesmerizing, violent, and tortured. Pattinson is simple, dependent, and sympathetic. The visual style of storytelling, the gritting cinematography, and two fabulous lead performances drive this bleak but thoroughly compelling piece of cinema.

#3 – “Captain America: The Winter Soldier“ – 2014 proved to be a very good year for the big tent pole blockbuster. Several big budget movies delivered spectacle and quality to the masses. For me the very best of the lot was “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”. Through the 2014 movie year I heard several people talk about superhero fatigue. That’s not a problem for me as long as we get films of this quality. This film gets back to the basics of action movies. Yes it has its signature special effects driven finale, but so much of the film relies on traditional stunt work and hand-to-hand combat. There is also the cool spy element to the story and one of my favorite villains of the year. Add all of these things together and you have a blockbuster that really works.

#2 – “Boyhood“ – Richard Linklater’s crazy idea of filming a movie over a 12 year period using the exact same cast was an ambitious undertaking. It could have been a disaster, but it turned out to be a film that has ended up on many ‘Best of 2014’ lists. But there is a good reason for that. “Boyhood” is a coming-of-age story unlike any I have ever seen. It’s a film not focused on the big moments in life but the small ones that over time define who we are. The film is all about the characters particularly a boy named Mason. We literally grow up with him (and actor Ellar Coltrane) on screen. We also grow  with his family and in a sense we feel like family. Most importantly I left feeling the importance of being a dad – of being there for my kids because as Linklater shows us, time goes by fast and we never get those moments back.

#1 – “Interstellar“ – I don’t know if any other movie from 2014 was talked about as much as Christopher Nolan’s epic space opera “Interstellar”. There was more discussion and debate over everything from the film’s meaning to the film’s quality. For me “Interstellar” transcended simple cinematic entertainment. It was an experience. It left me deeply touched and I was thinking about it for days. It’s certainly a movie thick with plot and ideas, but these things never tripped me up or hampered my experience. Instead I was caught up in the story, the deeper themes, and the pure emotional pull of a father’s love for his children. I loved “Interstellar”. I loved its ambition, its cast, its visuals, its heart, and its willingness to follow its own rules. In a year filled with good movies, “Interstellar” has been the film that most reminds me of why I love movies.

Movies make great Christmas gifts. Hopefully plenty of you got some good movies during you Christmas gift exchanges. Here’s what I got this year.

Now show me the movies you got for Christmas this year!

I just wanted to take a moment to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas. Thank you so much for every visit, every “like”, and every comment you’ve made over the last year. Your time, input, and encouragement has never gone unnoticed. So here’s wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a blessed 2015 filled with great movies that we get to talk about throughout the year!

Full disclaimer: For those who don’t know, I am not a fan of Seth Rogen or his brand of humor. As I’ve stated ad nauseam, I am so tired of the raunchy comedy, and Hollywood (as it so often does) drowns us with anything that tastes slightly successful. The vast majority of comedies these days fit into this category. The genre has become a dead zone for people who don’t find humor in the antics of Rogen and company. This is why I won’t miss “The Interview” from an entertainment perspective. But what about the precedent set by Sony’s recent actions.

For those who don’t know, Sony has decided not to screen Rogen and James Franco’s movie about assassinating North Korea’s leader. This comes after information which seems to indicate North Korea was behind the Sony hackings which released tons of personal information, emails, upcoming projects, full-length movies, and more. More serious threats surfaced, major theater chains withdrew the film, and soon Sony pulled the plug. Naturally this has drawn all kinds of reactions. But is there a clear-cut answer to who’s right and who’s wrong in this controversy?

The main player under the public microscope is Sony. Was their act spineless and cowardly? Is this some backhanded way to get more attention for the film? These are just some of the questions being asked and I tend to think it’s a little of both. In some ways Sony has modeled this climate of appeasement that we often see in our government today. It’s caving in to a threat without weighing the repercussions. But on the other hand we live in a different world. In this day and age retaliation can go well beyond hacking into a database and stealing some movies. Was this on Sony’s mind when they made this decision?

Or could it be that Sony was embracing the old adage “there is no bad press”. Is it beyond reason to think that this may have played a role in Sony’s decision? I mean look around on blogs, websites, and news shows. Everyone’s talking about “The Interview”. And how do Sony’s financial woes fit into the equation? Are they drawing attention to the film because they need it to bring in a lot of money? Are they pulling the film in hopes of not potentially losing more money?

But Rogen and Franco shouldn’t escape the microscope. They have a significant role to play in this as well. Look, I get the whole idea about creative expression and the freedoms of an ‘artist’. I’m thankful for that ideal, otherwise we would have missed out on a number of great films throughout the years. But I can’t help questioning the wisdom behind making “The Interview”. I mean we aren’t just talking about mocking a nation’s sitting leader. We’re talking about assassinating him. Regardless of how bad the leader may be or how threatening his policies are, you’re obviously pushing boundaries that are going to elicit responses, some a lot more severe than hacking a computer.

But then I think about their freedoms to creatively express themselves. Does this send the ball rolling down a hill that could squash any future project which might be deemed dangerous or controversial? And isn’t it good that this precedent hasn’t already existed? I automatically think back to “The Great Dictator”, a film by Charlie Chaplin poking fun at and critiquing the fascist and antisemitic regime of Adolf Hitler. It’s a great movie and it is rightly viewed as a classic. But there were concerns about the adverse effects of “The Great Dictator”, and it didn’t push things as far as “The Interview”. In fact, several years after its release Charlie Chaplin said he never would have made the film had he known more at the time.

So is there a cut-and-dry right answer to this? Is Sony cowardly for giving in to the pressures? Was it wise for Rogen and Franco to make a movie that could have serious repercussions for many people other than themselves? Is this one of the most shrewd and shameless marketing ploys ever used for a movie? Is the creative license subject to any boundaries? Personally I think this controversy has asked more compelling questions worthy of conversation than most people think.

The 72nd Annual Golden Globe nominations have been announced and the awards season is officially underway. I have to admit I get really excited this time of the year. Many people dismiss the various awards and often times for good reason, but I find them to be a great time to reflect back on the movie year and jockey for the films I find the most deserving.

This year’s nominations were announced today and they started off on the right note. I mean Kate Beckinsale announcing nominees? Brilliant! As for the actual nominations, as expected there were several surprises, several snubs, and several absurdities. There were also several fun observations that have me excited for the show and the days leading up to it. So without further ado here are a few random thoughts on this year’s Golden Globe nominees.

– I was surprised at the number of movies represented that I still need to see. The Imitation Game, Big Eyes, Into the Woods, Foxcatcher, Selma, Still Alice, and Wild just to name a few. I have some fun catching up to do.

– I shared this tweet shortly after hearing the nominees:

– “The Theory of Everything” was nominated for the big one, Best Motion Picture -Drama? Many would say it’s simply an okay movie with two fabulous performances. Is that enough for a nomination?

– Where is the nomination for Marion Cotillard? Her work in “The Immigrant” was brilliant.

– “Interstellar” gets shut out with the exception of Hans Zimmer for Best Original Score. Can’t say I’m surprised, but I vehemently disagree with its omission.

– I LOVE seeing “Ida” in the foreign language category. It would be robbery if it wasn’t there. But once again I ask why is such a tremendous film restricted to one lone category.

– It was a big morning for one of my favorite filmmakers Wes Anderson. Unfortunately it is for one of my least favorite films from him. Not bad by any means, but not Wes Anderson greatness.

– EVERYTHING IS AWESOME! Love seeing “The Lego Movie” getting some love!

– What the heck is “Cake”?

– Could Emily Blunt finally be getting the recognition she deserves? Even though I haven’t seen “Into the Woods” I love that it has given Blunt some attention.

– Did I mention Meryl Streep was nominated? Oh never mind, of course she was.

– The 72nd Annual Golden Globes will once again be hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. I for one am very happy about that.

– George Clooney is getting a lifetime achievement award at age 53? Isn’t he a tad young for that? Surely this was just a way to get him into the show.

– This year there are several nominees that may not make their way onto Oscar’s list, but it looks like “Birdman” and “Boyhood” are the two sure things.

– The Quvenzhane Wallis nomination was a real surprise especially since every trailer I’ve seen for “Annie” has been absolutely cringe-worthy.

– It’s a good thing J.K. Simmons was nominated. If he hadn’t been I think the “Whiplash” fans would have rioted. I can’t wait to see this film.

Those are just a few random thoughts about this year’s nominations. The winners will be announced January 11, 2015 on NBC. Here are all of the movie nominees:

Best Drama

• “Boyhood”
• “Foxcatcher”
• “The Imitation Game”
• “Selma”
• “The Theory of Everything”

Best Musical or Comedy

• “Birdman”
• “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
• “Into the Woods”
• “Pride”
• “St. Vincent”

Best Director

• Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
• Ava Duvernay, “Selma”
• David Fincher, “Gone Girl”
• Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Birdman”
• Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Best Actress in a Drama

• Jennifer Aniston, “Cake”
• Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
• Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
• Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
• Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

Best Actor in a Drama

• Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
• Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
• Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
• David Oyelowo, “Selma”
• Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy

• Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
• Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
• Bill Murray, “St. Vincent”
• Joaquin Phoenix, “Inherent Vice”
• Christoph Waltz, “Big Eyes”

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy

• Amy Adams, “Big Eyes”
• Emily Blunt, “Into the Woods”
• Helen Mirren, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”
• Julianne Moore, “Map to the Stars”
• Quvenzhané Wallis, “Annie”

Best Supporting Actress

• Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
• Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”
• Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
• Emma Stone, “Birdman”
• Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”

Best Supporting Actor

• Robert Duvall, “The Judge”
• Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
• Edward Norton, “Birdman”
• Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
• J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

Best Screenplay

• Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
• Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl”
• Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Armando Bo, “Birdman”
• Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
• Graham Moore, “The Imitation Game”

Best Foreign Language Film

• “Force Majeure Turist,” Sweden
• “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Ansalem Gett,” Israel
• “Ida,” Poland/Denmark
• “Leviathan,” Russia
• “Tangerines Mandariinid,” Estonia

Best Animated Feature

• “Big Hero 6”
• “The Book of Life”
• “The Boxtrolls”
• “How to Train Your Dragon 2”
• “The Lego Movie”

Best Original Song

• “Big Eyes” from “Big Eyes” music and lyrics by Lana Del Rey
• “Glory” from “Selma,” Music and lyrics by John legend and Common
• “Mercy Is” from “Noah,” Music and lyrics by Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye
• “Opportunity” from “Annie,” Music and lyrics by Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck
• “Yellow Flicker Beat” from “The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1,” Music and lyrics by Lorde

Best Score

• “The Imitation Game”
• “The Theory of Everything”
• “Gone Girl”
• “Birdman”
• “Interstellar”