Joe's Top Ten Films of 2014

by Joe Moss

First, let me begin with a sincere apology to those who frequent this site expecting to see reviews for many more movies than we posted this year. I was not able to uphold my responsibility to website this past fall due to many other obligations that appeared on my plate from beyond my control. I promise that I will be more visible this year (2015) and that Trevor will not be the only person submitting reviews for half of the year.

The films that ended this year made it really difficult to develop a top ten. I believe both Trevor and I easily compiled our TOP FIVE list, but the bottom five have been tossed about, edited and argued over for at least a month -- probably longer.  I feel that the Hollywood studios need to stand up and take notice of the smaller independent filmmakers...this needs to the be the FUTURE of Hollywood. STOP THE REBOOTS!!  Please. Much of the fodder out of Hollywood this last year was not worth mentioning in reviews of any substance. However, the box office redeemed itself by October. My picks are all based around movies that struck a personal chord in my life. So without further adieu, here are my Top Ten favorite movies of the year in descending order.


10. The LEGO Movie

Emmet, Unikitty and Wyldstyle discuss plans to save the world.

This movie was all about absurd fun. Original, yes. This was an adult humor filled film masquerading as a children's movie! The amount of potty humor was outstanding, yet tempered just enough that it went over the heads of many. I truly enjoyed the ability of directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord to make a positive lesson out of what seemed to begin much like a pothead dream. Overall, the message was simple -- enjoy the simple everyday things out of life: play a little, and don't take every act so seriously. If you do this, then "EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!!!!"


9. Ida

Ida and Wanda learn what really happened to Ida's family.

Pawel Pawlikowski made an absolutely stunning movie that reminded me of Hollywood films of era gone-by. The long camera stills, the perfect shading, the old style black and white. Gorgeous. The story was just as intriguing: a young, orphaned postulate nun about to take her vows, is suddenly thrust onto an aunt (her only surviving relative) to learn about her family, her past and her parents.The only problem is, as we find in the course of the movie, her aunt needs her more than the other way around. This is a dynamic coming-of-age film set in rural Poland. Awkward at times, yet stunningly beautiful in it's real-world storyline about the tribulations of Polish Jews. Sure to be a front-runner for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.


8. Wish I Was Here

Adam, Grace and Tucker finally get to the pool to learn to swim.

As I stated earlier in the year, Sundance did not disappoint when it announced how the audience so favorably responded to this film. I am still over the moon about Zach Braff's sophomore release that I cannot express enough how quickly everyone should go to see it. If you are in the mood for a heart wrenching, true-to-life drama that transcends to address many of the social issues of today, look no further. In what feels like a short while (only 106 minutes) you will be hit head-first with the stark clarity in dealing with family-ties, religion, death and simple pains of growing up 'a little bit different' than the norm of society.


7. Starred-Up

Eric Is taken to his cell and watched by all as fresh-meat.

Raw. Powerful. Emotional. This movie reminded me about why the TV series "Oz" on HBO was such a success during its first two seasons. David Mackenzie's film follows a young man as he enters into the English prison system. We never truly find out what he did -- left to speculation from conversation and flashbacks -- but it begs us to ask ourselves are prisons there to help people find salvation, or to perpetuate all of the problems in certain segments of society. Eric (Jack O'Connell) is plagued by the few memories of his father -- also a prisoner (Ben Mendelsohn) -- and how his life may have turned out. But, as it happens, many people do not like his attitude toward other prisoners and the guards. He acts as though he's already in charged, or starred-up. Even more problematic is that the resident social worker Oliver (Rupert Friend) thinks that he is a salvageable young man with potential in society. If you can stomach the emotional turmoil of a harsh look into prison systems, look no further.

6. Wild

Cheryl sets camp for the evening and ponders a suddenly fresh future.

Reese Witherspoon is at her best in this film about Cheryl Strayed, a young women who 'strayed.' She strayed from the plans of childhood dreams to become an author. She strayed from her husband. She strayed from taking care of her brother. And most of all, she strayed from who she really was. Why? What caused such a catastrophic meltdown into sex, drugs, and debauchery? The death of someone she held on a pedestal. The film picks up as Cheryl attempts to get her life back on track by hiking through the wilderness (a beautiful metaphor for her life) until she is able to reach nirvana. In the process, she rediscovers a strength she didn't realized she had left. Cliche? Not hardly. This film was beautifully adapted from Strayed's memoirs about her hike to salvation along the Pacific Coast Trail. As well, this movie truly showcases why Witherspoon has a phenomenal screen presence and why she truly deserves another Academy Award for this poignant portrayal of a young woman on the edge, who finds redemption in the most unlikely place -- within herself.


5. Boyhood

Mason and his father discuss the loss of the muscle car he was promised.

I love Richard Linklater. He appears on my movie lists time and time again. He is such a ground-breaking, no nonsense, innovative film maker. How could he not be? Last year, with "Before Midnight," he wowed us with the third installment of a series following two strangers who fell in love and married. Now, with "Boyhood," Linklater follows a family through 12 years of life. That is correct: a movie shot over 12 years in real time! The audience literally watches as the actors grow up on film. To tell the truth, I am not even sure how he was able to edit the film footage down to a 165 minute run time. Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and his family are your typical dysfunctional modern family. He lives with his mother (Patricia Arquette) and sees his father (Ethan Hawke) sporadically over the years when he drifts into town as needed. The film is not for everyone as it is truly a voyeuristic look at the growing pains of a young man's life. His relationships with family, love, self-discovery, peer pressure and finally understanding who he, himself, really truly is. I must admit when leaving the theater, I was not as enamored by the film as Trevor and Sara, but after months of contemplation, and watching the film again, I understand why.  I related too much to the film's narrative story and I felt as though my own personal life was invaded for privacy and placed raw onto film. A true tearjerker for any mother to see, and a must see for everyone.


4. Nightcrawler

Lou and Rick film a triple wreck.

Have you ever wondered how the news agencies get the random snippets of blood and guts footage for the late night prime time slot? You know, the 'if it bleeds, it leads' type of footage? Well, you can look no further because this film will give you a raw, take-no-prisoners look into the behind-the-scenes arena of freelance videography. Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a down on his luck, goofball looking for the next quick score on getting rich quickly. He has already made the rounds as a petty thief from construction sites salvaging metals; as well, the local pawn shops are shutting down his racket of pedaling small goods, when he blindly stumbles onto a small two-man crew filming a wreck. Bulbs flash and he decides he too can do this. I know this sounds horribly kitschy, but the movie is absolutely fantastic, dramatic, thrilling and is highly entertaining.


3. Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Riggan and Mike in one of numerous heated arguments about acting virtue.

What does an old action-movie hero do when he retires from playing the part that made him world-famous? He decides to adapt his favorite author into a stage play and takes on the leading role of the adaptation. This is precisely the premise of Alejandro Iñárritu's hilarious comedy of errors, "Birdman." Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton) was Birdman, the superhero who saved the world in countess worldwide box-office successes. But at his age, he's tired of being the superhero. He feels it's time to play something of substance. He's already lost his wife, and is in the process of trying to salvage a relationship with his estranged daughter, Sam (Emma Stone).  Why not tackle an off-Broadway production as well? What ensues on screen is a complete farce showing what probably occurs more often than not behind the scenes of major theatrical productions. Melodrama at every turn as each actor attempts to out maneuver the other. Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) plays the perfect antagonist against Riggan. In fact, the over-the-top interactions between them make the movie perfection. It is because of this interchange that Michael Keaton will most likely earn his Academy Award this year. Number three is a low placing for this movie, and I truly struggled with my top three. But here is it's final resting place in my Top Ten.


2. Whiplash

The final scene where Andrew OWNS the stage and Fletcher.

Perhaps the most heavily anticipated movie of the year for me -- AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! I had wanted to see this film since the early buzz at Sundance in January 2013 when it was simply a short film by a new director, Damien Chazelle. His feature length film released this year is a showstopper that had one helluva beat! Andrew (Miles Teller) is a young man trying to become the next 'great' jazz drummer of our time. He is pushed into unimaginable acts of self torture by an instructor (J.K. Simmons) who is considered to be the best teacher at the elite music school in which Andrew is enrolled. Bullying never looked so refined, and never had such a poignant lesson to be learned about the depths of depravity the human soul can endure if they are chasing what they consider to be their ultimate dream. I loved this film from the first beat in the prelude, to the grand finale at the end. It was truly a struggle to not make this my number one film, and it sat there for a few weeks. Wes Anderson's masterpiece won out in the end.


1. The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Entire Cast of "The Grand Budapest Hotel."

I used to say that "The Royal Tenenbaums" was Wes Anderson's best movie ever, but that was surpassed this year. The eclectic mix of characters and the constantly twisting story line about the goings-on at an old rundown hotel far from it's heyday made for the most unforgettable and utterly entertaining movie of the year. Ralph Fiennes (and the entire cast) were superb.  Of course it doesn't hurt that Edward Norton makes another appearance in my Top Ten List (even with his small two-part cameo, he is unforgettable). The oft tongue-in-cheek humor that is commonplace with all Wes Anderson movies was at its finest in this screenplay. Each of the three times that I have seen this movie, I notice a little trinket of information missed the previous time. Slow paced, yet quick witted, this movie is great fun for an audience of all ages. All I really need to say is, "Bravo, Sir!! Bravo!"


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My Individual Awards are as follows: (not Academy Award Predictions, but my personal choices)

Best Picture of the Year - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Director - Alejandro Iñárritu (Birdman)
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
Best Original Screenplay - The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson)
Best Adapted Screenplay - Whiplash (Damien Chazelle)

Honorable Mention: (the film that I struggled to include on my list that "almost" made it):

11. The Guardians of the Galaxy
Hey, what can I say. I loved this movie and have watched it as many times as "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "The LEGO Movie." But was it Top Ten material? For a movie snob like myself, I don't think so. but I am human! If you haven't seen this movie, get it now!

The Guardians break out of prison in style!!

Review: Wish I Was Here

by Trevor Kirkendall

★★★★

We all know how great of a film “Garden State” is and how talented Zach Braff is as a writer and director. I wasn’t expecting much from “Garden State” when it first came out ten years ago (yes, it has been that long), but it became one of my favorite films of the year and of the decade. But it took ten years for Braff to follow that up with his second feature film “Wish I Was Here” and I’m not sure why. Every studio passed on this script. It wasn’t until Braff took his wishes to the crowd funding website Kickstarter that he was finally able to make the film on his own. And after seeing it, I can’t understand why studios passed on this one.

Braff has said this film was meant to be a “spiritual sequel” or sorts to “Garden State” and I can see that. Braff plays Aidan Bloom, a mid-30s actor struggling to find work. His wife Sarah (Kate Hudson) is left to provide for the whole family, which also includes their children Grace (Joey King) and Tucker (Pierce Gagnon). The kids are enrolled at a private Orthodox Jewish school, a request from Aidan’s father Gabe (Mandy Patinkin) who pays the pricey tuition.

But then Gabe reveals to Aidan that he has cancer and would like to take part in an experimental treatment, which will cost him the rest of his life savings. That means no more school tuition for the kids. So Aidan pulls them from the school and opts to try his hand at homeschooling. But when Gabe’s cancer experiment fails, Aidan is left to watch his father – a man who he’s never really seen eye-to-eye with – slowly fade away. That causes him to question some of his life choices and also how he’s seen in the eyes of his children. He also tries to bring his estranged brother Noah (Josh Gad) back into the family mix, especially for the sake of his dying father.

It sounds a lot more melodramatic that it really is. It’s mostly lighthearted and humorous in Braff’s unique brand of filmmaking. Overall, “Wish I Was Here” is very comparable in tone to “Garden State.” There are many moments that will really make you laugh out loud, moments that really warm your heart, and moments that will truly move your emotions.

Braff calling this film a spiritual sequel is reasonably accurate. It wouldn’t be a stretch to put Braff’s Andrew Largeman in the role of Aidan and Natalie Portman’s Sam in for Sarah, picking back up with them ten years or so after “Garden State” ends. Married with kids in Los Angeles, Largeman struggling to find work, his estranged father lying on his deathbed. It all works. But Braff wants to prove he’s a serious writer and director, which is why he chose to create completely different characters.

Braff’s Aidan is no Largeman and Hudson’s Sarah is no Sam. They’re vastly different from the people we knew in “Garden State.” Braff’s screenplay – which he co-wrote with his brother Adam – is just as solid as his last effort. But he’s grown up in the last ten years and no doubt experienced much more of life than he had when he did “Garden State.” “Wish I Was Here” is a more mature writing effort for Braff.

As a director, Braff understands the emotions he’s trying to convey from his screenplay. He’s able to make this film wear its emotions on its proverbial sleeves. Personally, there were things going on in my life at the time of “Garden State’s” release that affected me on a deep level when I first saw it. The same thing applies for me, personally, with “Wish I Was Here” ten years later. The ability to make that personal connection with your audience is really what separates the good directors from the great ones. And Braff is on his way to being great.

The film is full of great performances from Braff and Hudson and their young co-stars. But the performance from Patinkin could very well be a defining role of his career. Most will remember him for Inigo Montoya, but this really shows his range more than anything else I’ve ever seen him in. Movies like this only work when all those involved comes together in the most perfect of circumstances. Patinkin is what pushes this film over the edge to make it great.

Much like “Garden State” before it, Braff’s “Wish I Was Here” will probably go down as one of my favorite movies of the year, and will likely be a contender for my Best Ten at year’s end. This film has so many great elements that it’s hard to isolate the ones that work the best. Too many people have criticized Braff for not branching out further from “Garden State” with his second feature. I disagree. Sure he might have stayed close to home, but it works. It worked great in 2004 and it works well today. And there are enough differences here to separate the two films to make each stand distinctly on their own.

Review: Wish I Was Here

by. Joe Moss
★★★★

Why on Earth did all of Hollywood refuse to back such a scintillating film as Zach Braff's sophomore release? Maybe they couldn't handle the stark clarity with which he dealt with family, religion, death, and growing up; whatever the reason, their loss--his gain. "Wish I Was Here" has managed to surpass the respect I held for his freshman offering "Garden State" (which I loved dearly) by forcing me to deal with memories of my own family even as the script played before my eyes.

Aidan Bloom (Braff) is a struggling actor with a real problem--he hasn't been able to land a gig in years, the last being a dandruff commercial. His father, Gabe (Mandy Patinkin) is sick and may be dying. His brother, Noah (Josh Gad) is a genius recluse who refuses to talk to any member of his family other than Aidan. His wife, Sarah (Kate Hudson), the sole bread-winner for the family, is being sexually harassed at work and told by her bosses to "relax and be more fun;" and his children, Grace and Tucker (Joey King and Pierce Gagnon) are in danger of being thrown out of their private Jewish schooling due lack of payment by Gabe as he spends the money on his mounting medical bills. Aidan just cannot catch a break.

As this poignant look at life in suburban California plays on, the audience cannot help but be drawn into this plight of 'every man.'  We can all relate to the struggles of paying bills, and working dead-end jobs, and putting up with harassment of all types...simply because we have no choice. The American Dream is a tough reality to maintain for many of us working schmucks. The ending of the film is about as close to reality as you would expect--and I do not think it was a surprise ending...much in the reverse, it was the ending that we, as the audience, had rooted for. The most memorable line of the film to me was stated by Aidan in the few minutes, "My brother and I had always thought of ourselves as the hero, when maybe it was we who needed to be saved."

The script was so wonderfully written by Zach and his brother, Adam. I cannot help but feel the story was pulled from their own lives. There is too much raw emotion portrayed within the film to be anything but. Zach and Kate have a magnanimous chemistry that translates beautifully on screen--you truly feel they are married and struggling together...not as separate people ponderously dredging through the quicksand of life. Kate Hudson's innate ability to bring positive energy into every scene helps elevate Braff's natural, brooding sarcasm into the stratosphere. Additionally, Mandy Patinkin has Braff's father is so spot on (and they look so similarly) that I wonder if Zach didn't have moments of hallucination back to his own childhood during filming.

Sundance did not disappoint when it announced how the audience so favorably responded to this film. I am so over the moon about this film, that I cannot express enough the whys and how quickly everyone should go to see it. If you are in the mood for a heart wrenching, true-to-life drama that transcends to address many of the social issues of today...look no further.