"Mike's Top Fifteen Films of 2014"

"Mike's Top Fifteen Films of 2014"

Posted on Dec. 31, 2014  on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Post Archive

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

1). “Boyhood” (2014)

My film of the year and the one that changed my view on conventional filmmaking. Fifteen minutes into this movie I knew I was seeing something unique and special. Richard Linklater shot this film over a twelve-year period, with the principal actors aging naturally during the length of the film. It’s a simple story of a family dealing with the separation of the husband (Ethan Hawke) and wife (Patricia Arquette), seen mostly through the eyes of their two children (Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater). It’s an amazing film that was so effortless and enjoyable to watch that it doesn’t seem it’s almost three-hour length. Mike’s “Boyhood” Review

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

2). “Whiplash” (2014)

A drama that is part horror film is the best way to describe this movie about a young drummer (Miles Teller) who joins a top-flight band of a music conservatory. His world is turned upside down by the leader of the band, played by J.K. Simmons. Both leads give amazing, unbelievable performances that are both gut wrenching and sometimes terrifying. Mike’s “Whiplash” Review

Photo courtesy of A24

3). “ Locke” (2014)

This was my favorite film of the year, mostly because it took me by surprise. I saw this film at the 2014 Atlanta Film Festival and enjoyed it so much that I had to see it again when it came out in the theaters. Tom Hardy gives a performance of a lifetime. The whole film is Hardy driving in his car. It sounds boring, but it’s one of the most compelling and moving performances of the year with plenty of suspense. Credit Hardy and writer / director Steven Knight into creating a truly memorable cinema experience. Mike’s “Locke” Review

Photo courtesy of Raduis/TMC 

4). “Blue Ruin” (2014)

Macon Blair was magnificent in the role of a homeless man who goes back home to get revenge for the killing of his parents. The film, written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, takes an unconventional hero and puts him into a situation that looks un-winnable. It’s a remarkable performance by Blair, who is on screen for almost the whole film. Mike’s “Blue Ruin” Review

Photo courtesy of Music Box Films

5). “Ida” (2014)

This Polish film is on the short list for the Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film and in my eyes, is the front-runner to win it. Set in 1960’s communist Poland, Anna (Agata Trzebuchowska) is a young novitiate nun, happily preparing to take her vows. She discovers that her past isn’t what she thought it was and goes on a trip to discover why that is so. Shot in black and white, this mesmerizing film does a masterful job of portraying what it was like to live in the starkness of Communism. Trzebuchowska is an actress who continually draws your eye to her. As Anna struggles to learn the truth about her past, she begins to understand that it’s a world that holds onto its secrets with a firm grip. Mike’s “Ida” Review

Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers

6). ”The Lego Movie” (2014)

This is the film that I enjoyed the most in 2014 and surprisingly, had one of the best scripts of the year. From the very start, this film just puts a smile on your face. I especially enjoyed Chris Pratt as the “every man” Emmett, who learns that he might be the key to saving the world. However, it was Will Arnett who steals the show as the voice of the slightly ego-maniacal Batman. This film proves Hollywood can make an animated film that both parents and kids will enjoy…that everything can be awesome! Mike’s “The Lego Movie” Review

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

7). “Foxcatcher” (2014)

In a film filled with great performances, it was Channing Tatum, as the dumb, younger wrestler, who on his own makes one bad choice after another. Steve Carell gives it his all as the creepy wealthy DuPont heir who takes Tatum’s character under his care. Not to be outdone, Mark Ruffalo is equally compelling as the older and wiser of the two wrestling brothers. It’s a fascinating movie that slowly builds its tension to the final tragic outcome. Mike’s “Foxcatcher” Review

Photo courtesy of Open Road Films

8). “Nightcrawler” (2014)

Jake Gyllenhaal gives an outstanding performance as one of the most despicable characters on screen this year. He plays a young man who stumbles upon the rough and tumble world of free-lance news reporting, following the police around to crime scenes and wrecks, where the bloodier the scene the better. He screws over anyone he can to get the shot that will pay the big bucks. Rene Russo lights up the screen as a desperate news producer who is willing to do almost anything for ratings. Mike’s “Nightcrawler” Review

Photo courtesy of Radius/TWC 

9). “Keep On Keepin’ On” (2014)

This incredibly moving documentary is about the friendship of two musicians; a promising young blind jazz pianist named Justin Kauflin and jazz legend Clark Terry. Both men are going through some of their toughest times and their friendship, cemented of the love of jazz, gives each man strength to “Keep On Keepin’ On.” Mike’s “Keep On Keepin’ On” Review

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox

10). “Gone Girl” (2014)

This is a film that is filled with people you won’t really like and takes so many twists and turns you almost feel like you need a scoreboard to keep up. This is a film that is funny and yet in many parts is dark and depressing. It’s a tale that about how fast the media can turn a hero into a villain and how quickly we make judgments about people. Mike’s “Gone Girl” Review

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

11). “Top Five” (2014)

Chris Rock wrote and directed this funny, at times raunchy film that is smart and full of heart. Rock plays a comedian who is getting ready to marry a reality star and is having his film (a drama) released on the same weekend. Rosario Dawson plays a reporter who shadows him for the day. They have great chemistry together, and that makes this film a delight to watch. Mike’s “Top Five” Review

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

12). “Life Itself” (2014)

Incredibly moving documentary about the inspiring life of film critic Roger Ebert. The film covers his life warts and all, as you see his highs (winning the Pulitzer Prize) and the sorrow of watching Roger slowly give up the fight with his many ailments. It’s a film that will stay with you for a long time. Mike’s “Life Itself” Review

Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight

13). “Birdman” (2014)

This fascinating film is part comedy, part satire. Michael Keaton plays an actor whose better days are behind him. He is attempting to mount a comeback on Broadway but may lose his mind in the process. While I enjoyed Keaton in the title role, I thought Emma Stone, playing his troubled daughter and Edward Norton, playing a Hollywood star to into method acting were the highlights of the film. My only objection to the film was that I did not like the ending to the film. Mike’s “Birdman” Review

Photo courtesy of Marvel

14). “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014)

Chris Pratt is so much fun in this film as Peter Quill, a thief who prefers the name Star Lord. Quill gets way in over his head attempting to steal an orb that apparently everyone in the galaxy wants. The film is just a blast to watch and keeps moving right from the start. It’s hard to understand that everyone in the world would fall in love with a tree-like creature named Groot. Mike’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” Review

Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight

15). “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014)

An absolute joyride of a film that takes this Wes Anderson film and combines it with a Marx Brothers film. Ralph Fiennes plays Gustave H, one of the best concierges in the world who gets involved in a very complex world of intrigue and espionage. There were times that I thought I was watching one of the old Roadrunner cartoons when the action scenes unfold. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is Anderson at his best and is one of the most enjoyable films of the year. Mike’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” Review

Honorable mention:  “Dear White People”, “The Way He Looks”, ”Kill the Messenger”, “Begin Again”, “Obvious Child”, “The Lunchbox”,   “We Are the Best”, “The Past”, “Force Majeure”, “Snowpiercer”, “Love is Strange”, “Finding Vivian Maier”, “The Babadook”, “Chef”, “Frozen”. “Selma”

Check out Mike’s Bottom Ten Films of 2014

"Locke" Movie Review

My review of "Locke" starring Tom Hardy, Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson.

"Locke"

Published on May 9, 2014 on CWAtlanta.cbslocal.com

Wayback Machine Archive Post

Photo courtesy of A24

“Locke” (2013)

The first scene of the film we see Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) leaving a huge construction site with his hard hat, reflective vest and rubber boots on. He gets into a very nice car and drives away from the site, as it’s apparently quitting time. We follow him as he drives down some city streets until he gets to a stop light with his left turn signal on. We don’t know it yet, but Locke is making a decision that might change his life. If he turns left, he goes back to his very stable life as a construction site manager, happily married with two sons. If he turns his car right, he goes into the night with the certainty that his world will be changed. Locke turns right and we go on a journey with him that is one of the most suspenseful and exciting films of 2014.

Soon Locke is fielding phone calls from his kids, who want to know when he is going to be home for the big soccer match. Calls from his boss, who wants to know why he is leaving town on the night before the largest civilian concrete pour ever in Europe, one that he is supposed to be in charge of. Calls from the very worried man who will be in charge of the pour if Locke doesn’t turn the car around and come back to the worksite. And finally, from his wife who wants to know where he is headed to and why.

Thus begins our ride along with Locke, a film that develops in “real time” with Tom Hardy as the only person who appears on screen during the whole film. If you would have told me that a film where we ride along with a character for 85 minutes would have been so well done and incredibly moving, with a performance by Hardy that is truly a Tour de Force, I would have said you were crazy. But it’s because of the script and direction of Steven Knight and the mesmerizing performance of Hardy, that this film feels more like it’s 45 minutes long and puts you on the edge of your seat better than any adventure film released so far.

It’s seems like such a simple idea, follow a man as he makes phones calls while driving down a highway at night but it’s such a tough act to pull off. It takes an actor that we instantly root for to bring this film to its fruition and Hardy is up to the task, in probably his best performance to date. Locke isn’t a complicated man, in fact you can tell by the way he talks to his workers and his kids that he sees things usually in black and white. He is a man to who believe rules are to be followed with discipline and resolve. Locke sees it his duty not to let anyone down. But through Hardy’s performance, we see a man that has to make some tough decisions and some of those decisions are certainly going to hurt some people. For the most part, Hardy gives a restrained performance but as we would expect. He lets us see that this isn’t easy for Locke to make. He is determined to do the right thing, even if it hurts the people that he loves and respects the most. Hardy lets us see in his eyes and his expressions how much this weighs on Locke.

This could have come across as just a character study but under the direction of Knight, it’s more a suspenseful thriller with plenty of twist and turns. Knight uses incredible camera placements, most of which are inside the car, making us feel as closed in and isolated as Locke does. Little character tells come out in the script, as Locke needing to get to his destination as soon as possible, is passed by car after car. If as Knight has created a character who won’t speed, the risk being too high for Locke to try it.

The cinematography by Haris Zambarioukos is superb and the editing, by Justine Wright keeps the pace going, building the tension as the night and the miles roll by. I especially enjoyed the musical score of the film by Dickon Hinchlife. In a lesser film, Locke would have played songs on his car sound system, letting the music tell the story. In this film the soundtrack is kept to a minimum; with many of the scenes accompanied by the sounds of the highway and the tension of the callers voices as they talk to Locke, slowly discovering what he has done.

This is a powerful film with one great performance by Hardy, who delivers what the director provides him with gusto. You won’t regret going on this adventure with Locke, in fact it might be the best road trip you take all year.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again

My movie rating system from Best to Worst: 1). I Would Pay to See it Again 2). Full Price 3). Bargain Matinee 4). Cable 5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again

The film is playing exclusively at UA Cinema Tara 4

“Locke” Website