A friend of mine and I were talking recently and wondering whether tv had just gotten better or if movies had also gotten worse. When I heard a critic say that there were a bunch of second best movies this year but not a best movie I thought that sounded appropriate. I was supposed to do my best movies list last week (or the week before, or the week before that…) but I just kept trying to watch movies to see if I was missing anything. Well I’ve seen my final addition to the list so here goes, order as always is somewhat arbitrary:

1. Room/The Big Short – Together I think these might make up my favorite movie, the first I caught early before I knew anything about it or what anyone had to say (which for me almost always helps) and the performances by these two actors in a story that went beyond what you normally see on a kidnapped life was so moving, but what it had in small film amazing it might have lacked in big pic spectacle which I thought Big Short had in spades, a great ensemble cast bringing a big American moment to the screen in a way that was suspenseful and quite funny as it educated us on the crappy credit/housing market and I always love weird Christian Bale.
2. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – I’m a sucker for a well done small coming of age story and this poignant story won me over as we look at friendship, cancer, and movies.
3. Spotlight – I’m not typically a huge fan of historical based films but this look at the specific time and the way the story was uncovered as well as the set of circumstances that held it back from surfacing earlier, with a cast that brought the intensity, drew me in.
4. Sicario – Emily Blunt as the idealistic FBI agent getting in way over her head on a task force in the war on drugs was tension filled from start to finish, and not that I’d thought about it before but don’t mess with Benicio Del Toro.
5. Ex Machina – Programmer Domhnall Gleeson gets the opportunity of a lifetime but he has no idea what he’s getting into but can you really believe what you see or hear when you’re talking to Artificial Intelligence, or its creator for that matter, captivating.
6. Ant-Man – I generally enjoy the bringings from the Marvel universe as well as an origin story, and the comedic take lead by Paul Rudd in what was basically a sci fi heist flick of fun, who knew tiny ant powers could be so powerful.
7. Carol – From the moment Rooney Mara sees Cate Blanchett we fell for her and watching them fall in love in a time and situation that aren’t going to allow it makes you want to follow them on their journey.
8. The Martian – I was dreading seeing another Gravity but the tension on this was mixed with not only humor (and no this was not a comedy regardless of what the Golden Globes decided) and some space MacGyvering made Matt Damon pretty entertaining to watch.
9. Anomalisa – This is a movie worth watching just because Charlie Kaufman doesn’t disappoint in creating yet another super odd flick and not just because it’s stop motion,

For a look at a bit of an overview of what I’ve seen about check out the critics’ list. What were your fave movies of the year?

Here’s a little round up of what some of the critics and award shows are saying are worth seeing. I’m trying to make up for lost time but not sure what I’m going to get to before I do my own top list, but in bold are what I’ve seen so far. Though I will tell you right now I don’t get why people are so on the Mad Max thing, I mean it was entertaining but… really?

• 45 Years – SH
• Anomalisa – DM, AOS
• The Assassin – MD, FW
• Beasts of No Nation – DM
• The Big Short – MD, AOS, SH, CN, AA, AFI, BA, CC
• Bridge of Spies – MD, AA, AFI, BA, CC
• Brooklyn – DM, SH, BG, AA, CC
• Call Me Lucky – DM
• Carol – MD, AOS, SH, BG, AFI, BA, CC, CFC
• Clouds of Sils Maria – Ti, CN
• Creed – DM, AOS, Ti, CN
• The Diary of a Teenage Girl – MD, SH, FW
• The Duke of Burgundy – FW
• Ex Machina – DM, BG, Ti
• The Fool – SH
• The Hateful Eight – DM
• Hitchcock/Truffant – FW
• I’ll See You In My Dreams – Ti
• In Jackson Heights – MD
• Inside Out – AOS, BG, CN, AFI, CFC
• It Follows – BG, CN
• Iris – Ti
• The Kindergarten Teacher – MD
• The Look of Silence – SH, CN
• Mad Max: Fury Road – DM, MD, AOS, BG, AA, AFI, CC, CFC, FW
• The Man from UNCLE – Ti
• The Martian – MD, AA, AFI, CC
• Mustang – Ti
• Nasty Baby – FW
• Out 1: Noli Me Tangere – AOS
• Phoenix – Ti
• Queen of Earth – FW
• Results – AOS
• Revenant – AA, BA, CC, CFC
• Room – DM, BG, CN, AA, AFI, CC
• Sicario – CN, CC
• Sixty Six – MD
• Son of Saul – CN
• Spotlight – AOS, SH, BG, Ti, CN, AA, AFI, BA, CC, CFC, FW
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens – DM, BG, AFI, CC
• Straight Outta Compton – AFI
• Tangerine – SH, Ti
• Taxi – AOS
• Timbuktu – AOS, BG
• Truth – SH
• Welcome to Me – AOS

AA – Academy Award Nominations, AFI – American Film Institute, BA – BAFTA Nominations, CC – Critics Choice Nominations, CFC – Chicago Film Critics, FW – Flavorwire, SH – Stephen Holden for NYT, MD – Manohla Dargis for NYT, BG – Bill Goodykoontz for The Republic, DM – Drew McWeeny for Hitfix, CN – Chris Nashawaty for EW, AOS – A. O. Scott for NYT,  Ti – Time Magazine

Looking back over this last year none of the faves really stood out for me so for my number one pick I went with what I remember actually enjoying. That’s not to say that if I made this list again any other day it wouldn’t come out quite differently. And though I didn’t see everything you can see what I did see from the critics’ picks.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy – I generally like a good comic book romp but this movie unburdened by any knowledge of the characters or stories managed to draw me into the world of the band of misfits led by the charming Chris Pratt.
2. Whiplash – Seriously uncomfortable, this was the movie whose performances most stayed with me raising questions of the tutelage of greatness, and insanity put to a nice jazz track.
3. Bad Words – I dig a random Jason Bateman and this flick hit the nail right on the head with an inappropriateness that was laughable and surprisingly touching.
4. Skeleton Twins – Wiig and Hader looked into the past and the present of these estranged siblings with a realness and a randomness that brings them beyond their SNL sketches.
5. Big Eyes – The period setting in the lovely San Francisco made the look at this unbelievable artistic duo and the woman behind the man in this odd rise to fame all the more compelling.
6. Selma – Beautiful portrayals of King and those around him in this look back at the pivotal civil rights, I appreciate an historic drama that has me in disbelief of the activities for the right reasons.
7. The Imitation Game – Smart and socially inept has become all the rage but this look at the mathematicians behind cracking code and the social mores of sexes and sexuality kept me engaged, and who doesn’t enjoy some Cumberbatch.
8. Grand Budapest Hotel – While this wasn’t my favorite Wes flick it had the beautiful visual style and quirkiest of characters that will always keep me coming back.
9. Edge of Tomorrow – Who doesn’t like a good action flick, and while I’m not the hugest of Cruise fans this movie strikes a great balance of action and the progression of story by repeating it over again in a way that isn’t repetitive.
10. St Vincent – Bill Murray as a curmudgeon has become how I think of him but the dysfunctional daily life that he and his somewhat willing circle of folks leads to somewhat unexpected bad and good sentimental journey.

Any standouts for you this year?

Movies is always the last list I get to because so many movies come out after the year is technically over. I’ve seen a few. We’ll see if I get to move before I do my own list. Stay tuned.

• American Sniper – AA, AFI, BA, MD
• The Babadook – AOS
• Beyond the Lights – MD
• Birdman – AA, AFI, AOS, CC, CFC, EW, FW, G, IS, MD, RC
• Boyhood – AA, AFI, AOS, CC, CFC, EW, FW, G, GG, IS, MD, RC
• Citizenfour – AOS, RC
• Cold in July – FW
• Dear White People – AOS, FW
• The Dog – MD
• Edge of Tomorrow – MD
• Foxcatcher – AFI, GG
• Gloria – MD
• Gone Girl – BA, CC, EW
• Goodbye to Language – MD, RC
• The Grand Budapest Hotel – AA, CC, CFC, EW, G, MD, RC
• Guardians of the Galaxy – EW
• Ida – AOS
• The Immigrant – FW
• The Imitation Game – AA, AFI, BA, CC, GG
• Inherent Vice – FW, MD
• Interstellar – AFI, MD
• Into the Woods – AFI
• Jodorowsky’s Dune – EW, RC
• The Lego Movie – RC
• Leviathan – AOS
• Life Itself – EW
• Listen Up, Philip – AOS, MD
• Love is Strange – AOS, G, IS
• Lucy – RC
• Manakamana – MD
• Manila in the Claws of Light – MD
• Mistaken for Strangers – FW
• The Missing Picture – MD
• Mr. Turner – AOS
• National Gallery – MD
• Nightcrawler – AFI, CC, RC
• Paddington – BA
• The Sacrament – MLS
• Selma – AA, AFI, AOS, CC, EW, FW, GG, MD
• Snowpiercer – EW, FW, MD
• Takes of the Grim Sleeper – FW
• The Theory of Everything – AA, BA, CC, GG
• Top Five – MD
• Unbroken – AFI, CC
• Under the Skin – CFC, G
• Violette – MD
• We Are the Best! – AIS
• Whiplash – AA, AFI, CC, CFC, EW, IS
• Wild Tales – RC

AA – Academy Award Nominations, AFI, AOS – A. O. Scott for NYT, BA – BAFTA Nominations, CC – Critics Choice, CFC – Chicago Film Critics, EW, FW – Flavorwire, G – Gotham Awards, GG – Golden Globe Nomination, IS – Independent Spirit Awards, MD – Manohla Dargis for NYT, MLS – Mick LaSalle for SFGATE, RC – Richard Corliss for Time

I actually caught up on movies a while ago but as usual there is something particularly daunting about throwing down with a top ten list. Of the movies that I have seen this year some just floated to the top. The order as always is pretty subjective.

1. American Hustle – Darned if I don’t like a good hustle flick, and darned if this wasn’t a good hustle flick, and not only because of the great cast; an always irresistible (to me) Christian Bale, even when he’s gross he’s good, but Cooper, Adams, Lawrence, Renner, and a wonderful use of Louis C.K. really didn’t hurt.
2. Her – Spike Jonze’s odd take on topics is often a hit for me but this futuristic romance with almost a seventies stylized look took me along a poignant romance path, even if I do normally hate Johansson her roboticness worked for me in this tale.
3. 12 Years a Slave – Our protagonist gets tossed into an awful life where we are made to see in him fish out of water but what’s worse, that he’s not really a slave or that slavery exists? Good performances show a lot to be bothered by.
4. The Way Way Back – The cast and script bring charm to this coming of age tale, summer vacation with mom and her new boyfriend starts out a little rough, but our protagonist starts to come into his own, who knew a water park and its management could be just what it took, Rockwell, Collette, Carell, and Janney add lovely if not lovable character performances.
5. Enough Said – Second takes on romance through beautifully touching performances by Louis-Dreyfus and Gandolfini, maybe I’m getting old, ok older, but the realness in the still cinematically unreal relationships was a nice touch.
6. Out of the Furnace – Did I mention that I love Bale? Well he’s not quite weird enough in this role for it to be my fave but when he tries to do right by his messed up brother he goes from blue collar bad company to back woods worse, violence much?
7. The Spectacular Now – Admittedly I often enjoy these teen coming of age tales and this slant on the ‘party’ guy and the ‘nice’ girl gives just enough of a less than typical character and path to make it feel sincere and effective.
8. Captain Phillips – Based on true stories make me a little crazy but I was brought along with the tense turns of the hijacking with Hank’s well played captain, wondered if paying more attention to what really happened would have helped or hurt.
9. Dallas Buyers Club – The performances from McConaughey and Leto in particular were almost enough to make the movie, but the somewhat historical look at this ’80s cowboy navigating the AIDS medical system kept our story engaging.
10. Much Ado About Nothing – I do love me some Joss Whedon but I also love an interesting slant on existing material and this modern setting shot on a small break at Whedon’s home brings new light to the romantic Shakespearean pairing.

What were your picks and pans from 2013?

Another fine year for film. Following you will see some of the critics and award noms that might point you in the right direction, or not. I haven’t seen them all, but I have done what I can so my seen are shown in bold. And stay tuned for my top picks. Critics key with links below for reference.

• 12 Years a Slave – RC, AFI, CN, GG, CC, MD, AOS, SH, IS, F, AA, KT, BS, CFC, GA
• The Act of Killing – RC
• After Tiller – MO
• Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – F, MO, GA
• All Is Lost – CN, AOS, IS
• American Hustle – RC, AFI, GG, CC, MD, AOS, SH, AA, KT, BS, CFC, MLS
• The Armstrong Lie – BS
• At Any Price – MLS
• Before Midnight – CN, MD, SH, F, GA, MLS
• Behind the Candelabra – MD
• Beyond the Hills – F
• The Bling Ring – AOS, MO
• Blue Caprice – F
• Blue is the Warmest Color – F, AOS, SH, BS
• Blue Jasmine – F
• The Butler – AOS, BS
• Captain Phillips – AFI, CN, GG, CC, MD, F, AA, KT
• Computer Chess – MO
• The Conjuring – CN
• The Counselor – MD
• Dallas Buyers Club – CC, AA
• Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay – CN
• Drug War – F
• Enough Said – CN, AOS
• Frances Ha – AOS, IS, F, KT, MO
• Frozen – RC, BS
• Fruitvale Station – AFI, CN, F, KT, BS
• Furious 6 – RC
• The Grandmaster – RC, MD
• Gravity – RC, AFI, CN, GG, CC, SH, F, AA, BA, KT, BS, CFC
• The Great Beauty – RC, MD, SH
• The Great Gatsby – AOS
• Hannah Arndt – AOS
• Her – RC, AFI, GG, CC, MD, F, AA, KT, NS, MO, CFC
• The Hobbit  – RC
• Inequality for All – BS
• Inside Llewyn Davis – AFI, GG, CC, MD, AOS, SH, IS, F, KT, BS, CFC, GA
• The Invisible Woman – KT
• Manakamana – MD
• Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – BA
• Much Ado About Nothing – MLS
• Mud – F, BS
• Nebraska – AFI, GG CC, SH, IS, F, AA, KT, BS
• Out of the Furnace – CN
• Pain and Gain – AOS
• Paradise: Love – SH
• The Past – SH
• Philomena – GG, AA, BA, BS
• The Place Beyond the Pines – F
• Post Tenebras Lux – MO
• Redemption – MD
• Rush – GG, MD, BA
• Saving Mr Banks – AFI, CC, BA, BS
• The Selfish Giant – BA
• Short Term 12 – KT
• The Spectacular Now – F
• Spring Breakers – MD, AOS, SH, MO
• The Square – MD
• A Touch of Sin – MD, AOS, SH, MO
• Touchy Feely – F
• The Unknown Known – BS
• Upstream Color – MO, GA
• The Way Way Back – BS
• The Wolf of Wall Street – AFI, GG, CC, AOS, SH, F, AA, MLS

AA – Academy Award Nominations, AFI, AOS – A.O. Scott for NYT, BA – BAFTA, BS – Betsy Sharkey for LAT,  CC – Critic’s Choice Nominations, CFC – Chicago Film Critics, CN – Chris Nashawaty for EW, F – Flavorwire, GA – Gotham Awards, GG – Golden Globe Nomination, IS – Independent Spirit Award Nominations, KT – Kenneth Turan for LAT, MD – Manohla Dargis for NYT, MLS – Mick LaSalle for SFGate, MO – Mark Olsen for LAT, RC – Richard Corliss for Time, SH – Stephen Holden for NYT