Top 5 Movies of 2014 (As of Sept. 18)

Editor's Note: I have not seen all the movies that came out this year. Listed here are the movies that I have seen.

Summer is over and, let's be honest, there were some amazing movies this year. Below, I have listed the best movies this year in my opinion (and I highly recommend watching them)!

#5. Guardians of the Galaxy

Already the highest-grossing movie of the year, Guardians of the Galaxy is also one of the greatest movies this year. The script is well-written, each character having their own complex-yet-simple personas, and they are well-played by the actors. It's also well-directed and just all around fun to watch!

#4. Edge of Tomorrow

Yet another sci-fi flick makes it into my list, and what better choice for fourth place than Edge of Tomorrow? It's a time-loop thriller done right, with pitch-perfect pacing, edge-of-your-seat action, a fair amount of complexity and twists, and great lead characters portrayed by great actors!

#3. How to Train Your Dragon 2

A children's movie making the list? What sorcery is this?! I'm not sure, but there is no doubt that writer and director Dean DeBlois has crafted an amazing sequel and a beautiful animated adventure. The script is fantastic, perfectly balancing the light-hearted humor for the kids with a story that anyone of any age would enjoy.

#2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Another sequel/sci-fi flick. This was the year for it, I guess. Anyways, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a thrilling, of not intriguing, adventure. The morals and messages ring loud and proud throughout this well-scripted and well-directed movie. It has the best pacing I've seen in all the movies this year, neither ending too soon or too late. And the story itself is so good, I just had to buy the novelization (which I hope to read soon)!

#1. Boyhood

If you have seen Boyhood, then you shouldn't be surprised to see it as my number one choice for Movie of the Year. Following the story of a boy for a real twelve years, Richard Linklater masterfully weaves a dramatic tale about growing up. It is a long movie (nearly three hours), but it goes by quickly, like life.

Do you agree with the list? What are your top picks for Movie of the Year? What's your favorite movie of the year? For me, the answer is The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Not the best movie, I know, but it's still my favorite!

Comments

"Need for Speed" (2014) REVIEW

I know I'm not the only one who thought this movie was going to be a flop. I mean, not only is it a high-speed street racing movie, but it's also a videogame movie. Still, I gave it a shot, but mostly for the D-Box experience. Even with the earnings from winning illegal street races, Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) is still unable to keep his auto repair shop from his father open. For a chance to get $500,000, Tobey takes an offer from his street racing rival and successful car dealer Dino Brewster (Domonic Cooper) to finish building the Ford Mustang that Caroll Shelby was working on when he died. After building the car and selling it without Dino's consent, Dino challenges Tobey and Tobey's friend, Pete, to a street race for the money. Nearing the end of the race, desperate for revenge, Dino pushes Pete over a bridge and drives away, leaving Tobey to be blamed for vehicular manslaughter. Two years later, fresh out of prison, Tobey seeks out to knock Dino off his p...

Books on Film by Black Authors

There's no real order to this list, nor can I guarantee which ones are worth reading or not. However, the quality of the books are not the point, but rather we should lend these voices our eyes, ears, and time, giving them a stronger voice than they would have had without at least mentioning them. Titles link to the Goodreads page for the specific book and additional links will be listed to buy the book from Barnes & Noble and/or Thriftbooks (non-affiliated). Don't forget to see if your local bookstore might have these in stock! Missing your favorite? Tweet me @AuthorKLau and I'll update the article! Independent Visions: A Critical Introduction to Recent Independent American Film by Donald Lyon Far from the big money movie machine of Hollywood lies the cutting-edge, artistically fresh world of American independent film. These independent filmmakers, working outside the formulas and constraints of the big studios, produce today’s most exciting and innovative movies. In ...

Blue Beetle Rebirth Vol. 1: The More Things Change (Rebirth #1, #1-#6)

2/5 Jaime Reyes as the Blue Beetle has interested me and been on my reading list for a while. When I first discovered the character watching Batman: The Brave and the Bold , seeing Jaime as a relatable teen arguing with the sentient suit that gives him his powers, his New 52 line had already been cancelled. Then Geoff Johns wrote Rebirth and added a little scene with Jaime Reyes that I thought was both very interesting and promising. In short, Keith Giffen doesn't deliver in this volume until issue #6, where he kind of gives a small splice of what the series could be. Getting the obvious out of the way, the dialogue here is absolutely horrible. I tell myself it feels like a first draft, but then there are moments of repetition and sentences upon sentences of nothing going on. By then, it feels more like a very bloated outline with the characters speaking mostly hot air. The dialogue here isn't flat, it's completely empty. This, in turn, makes all the charac...

Kevin Lau

Search This Blog