Blue is the Warmest Color
Blue is the Warmest Color was a huge surprise for me, a 3 hour french film, that stole my mind and heart and held them both captive for weeks following my viewing. An intense story of passionate love and sexual exploration, a film that perfectly captures the indescribable feelings that entangle us when lost in the euphoric and sometimes painful place that is love. A feat I thought to be impossible to translate unto a script but are seamlessly portrayed by the actresses in the film, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux, who you quickly forget are acting in a film with their longing stares and bated breathes, committing fully to each moment unabated by cameras, a script or a director. The film oftentimes feels voyeuristic, looking into the intimate lives of two lovers so hopelessly enamored with eachother that every step that distances them manifests itself as a sharp sheering pain in the viewer. I can't praise this film enough, it's intoxicating and mesmerizing; a truly unique, perfectly encapsulated depiction of life and love.
her
Her is a thoughtful romantic film for the modern, technology obsessed generation. Surprisingly poignant and heartfelt, Her delves deep into its fascinating premise and transcends genre conventions all the while delivering a both emotionally and visually beautiful film. Joaquin Phoenix gives a sweet and charming performance, but it's Scarlett Johansson who steals the show giving one of the best performances of the the year solely through the use of her disembodied voice. A man falling in love with an Operating System seems like an easily exploitable premise, but it's handled with such sincerity that it becomes quite touching. Exploring highly relevant themes such as loneliness in an increasingly connected world and the connection between a person and increasingly lifelike technology her is astonishingly funny and poignant all within a wonderfully realized and wholly plausible near future.
Gravity
Gravity is an unforgettable theater experience a breathtaking and nerve-raking thrill ride that transports you into this painstakingly detailed environment that will fool you in its validity for its duration. Gravity stars an understated yet powerful Sandra Bullock in a deftly told allegorical story of rebirth. This film feels like a sincere fist-pump in the name of scientific progress that not only shows the ingenuity of our race but celebrates our limitations and flaws. This is a movie that shouldn't be seen in any other way than IMAX 3D it is a legitimately awe-inspiring experience that's easy to lose yourself in. Movie so rarely surprise lately but Gravity is an astonishing breath of fresh air. A harrowing and simple yet compellingly told story that encapsulates everything that makes the cinematic movie-going experience so precious.
12 Years a Slave
12 Years a Slave sits among rare company, a large-scale mainstream film depicting incomprehensible horror, in this case, slavery in America. Steve McQueen's proclivity for long shots extract every ounce of suffering from every scene, portraying this deadly serious time with near infinite depth. Every silent moment speaks volumes, every symbolic moment creates striking imagery; it's a film so unrestrained it's oftentimes difficult to watch. Not a single weak performances in a movie with dozens of multifaceted characters, none are oversimplified monsters even when they act monstrously, every action is driven by sound logic however flawed and twisted. A powerful, harrowing, unflinching look into an oftentimes overlooked and oversimplified time in this countries history.
Dallas Buyers Club
Dallas Buyers Club is a remarkable true story, faithfully recreated by two incredibly dedicated actors. The film will always be remembered for the lengths to which the actors went to dangerously emaciate their bodies to properly portray AIDS victims. But the real takeaway should be the dedication and commitment the actors showed that comes through a thousand fold on screen. In what is the best performance of his career Matthew McConaughey plays a stereotypical southern man whose entire belief system and life are shattered when he is diagnosed with AIDS. McConaughey magnificently plays a man who is all at once, cocksure, kind, bigoted and charming it's a tough role to pull off but he embodies the character so well you'll forget he was ever terrible in anything. Jared Leto's similar dedication transforms him completely into the transgender woman hopelessly dependent on drugs. Dallas Buyers Club is a heartening film about an initially self-serving man who in utter defiance of the FDA saved the lives of countless victims of HIV.
The World's End
The World's End finds a group of old high school friends reliving a failed bar crawl attempt. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost swap their usual roles with Pegg playing the perennial fuck-up and Frost the straight man. Both give impressively nuanced performances for a film that deceptively sells itself as a sci-fi comedy. The films thought provoking themes of friendship, alienation, addiction and homogeneity invite thoughtful discussion to an already ripping fun action comedy. In typical Edgar Wright fashion, The World's End is sharp, stylishly shot, reference heavy, action packed and refreshingly thoughtful, a genre film that aims to entertain and enlighten. Despite the energetic action scenes and sharp witty humor the film never loses it's surprising emotional depth, delivering an unforgettable ending that is both tragic and hilarious.
Before Midnight
Before Midnight is the latest in a series of films that keeps finding profound things to say about love, charting a romantic relationship over three films and 18 real-world years. An unprecedented concept for Hollywood, arriving at sequels naturally and patiently. Before Midnight finds the couple, portrayed by the enrapturing Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply, in their forty's dealing with decades of baggage, parenthood, and even resentment. It's a realistic portrayal of a committed relationship that is oftentimes difficult to watch, made even more heartbreaking by the effortless looking performances of the two leads. The film like its predecessors is made up of 40 minute impressively engaging uncut walks filled with existential conversations about life, hopes, regrets and beliefs. Before Midnight may very well be one of the most grounded portrayals of long-standing relationships ever filmed and it's utterly brilliant.
Inside Llewyn Davis
Inside Llewyn Davis is the cinematic equivalent of a folk song, by the end not much has changed but you've hopefully reached a better understanding. A melancholic few days in the life of a struggling artist in the folk music scene just a few months before becoming the genre became a nationwide sensation. The story is traditional Coen brothers ilk as Llewyn Davis, soulfully played by Oscar Issac, meets with a series of eccentric fellow musicians while constantly being belittled. The unforgettable music, played live during filming, allows every musical performance to burst with context, as each respective performance blends with the song and the state in their lives. Downbeat, yet humorous with understated but strong performances rounded out with catchy music propel this film among the Coen brother's best.
The Act of Killing
The Act of Killing is a chilling and terrifying documentary that follows the lives of infamous mass murderers in Indonesia. Men who graduated from simple street hustlers to committing government sanctioned war crimes during the 1965 purge of communism from Indonesia. Their satisfied recounts of what they perceive as the glory days all the while filming elaborate and feverishly insane staged reproductions of said events will disturb anyone with an ounce of humanity. While morally depraved these men are the center of the most mesmerizing and fascinating in-depth look into their guilt ridden psyche and the power of documentary film-making. The ability to expose, enlighten, and edify that which most deserves a thorough examination and evaluation.
Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim is unabashedly the most accurate realization of a young child's imagination. Fueled by a palpable passion and love for all things fantastical and just straight up cool. Like the mechanical giants that populate it, Pacific Rim gleefully strides forward, confident in the utter smack-down it's about to bestow upon an eagerly anticipatory audience. The movie embodies everything movies can be when made with love and attention to detail. It boasts some of the biggest action ever seen in a movie, yet it never loses sight of the human element. The movie is big, loud, and sometimes dumb but it delivers one of the most singularly engaging and rousing movie-going experiences of the year. It's playful and earnest and all the more endearing for it.
Honorable Mentions: *coming soon*