Best of lists are hard. Choosing the films I liked best isn’t hard, but keeping it to a reasonable number and ranking them is. One thing that’s not so much hard as it is annoying: coming up with something to say other than "I loved this and you should watch it".
I saw a lot of films this year but there are plenty I missed. I didn’t see Birdman, Whiplash, or Mommy, all of which are on many other best-of lists for the year (and in the case of Whiplash I can guess it would have made mine) but I also did see Boyhood, Gone Girl, 22 Jump Street, and a host of others that didn’t make my list.
All in all, I saw over 75 movies released in 2014. Not a huge percentage when you think about it but certainly more than the average person.
So with all that in mind here are my favourite dozen movies from 2014.
Bennett Miller has a pretty good track record. His last two films, _Capote_ and _Moneyball_, were both nominated for best picture, for both he was nominated for best director, and for both his main actors were nominated for acting awards. It looks like he’s going to keep the streak alive with _Foxcatcher_, which is a superbly directed, superbly acted, superbly compelling film.
@simonpegg – It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark & we’re wearing sunglasses
This week from around the web, a little peek at what’s going on with some of your favourite shows and movies. Make sure to check out the extra adorable piglets making a guest appearance on Cougar Town.
An established comedic star in heavy makeup for a dramatic turn alongside an up and coming star and a critically loved character actor in film based on a true story of recent American sports history directed by a guy who has only made 4 films in 16 years and gained Oscar nominations for two of them? Of course this is an Oscar contender.
To answer your question: Yes that is Steve Carellin heavy makeup being creepy as all hell. There’s not much to go on by Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo look good and Director Bennett Miller has only made _Capote_ and _Moneyball_ since 2005 soooooo this is one to watch.
14th November this will be in theatres. Make your plans now. Or not.
> When Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) is invited by wealthy heir John du Pont (Steve Carell) to move on to the du Pont estate and help form a team to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics at his new state-of-the-art training facility, Schultz jumps at the opportunity, hoping to focus on his training and finally step out of the shadow of his revered brother, Dave (Mark Ruffalo). Driven by hidden needs, du Pont sees backing Schultz’s bid for Gold and the chance to “coach” a world-class wrestling team as an opportunity to gain the elusive respect of his peers and, more importantly, his disapproving mother (Vanessa Redgrave).
> Flattered by the attention and entranced by du Pont’s majestic world, Mark comes to see his benefactor as a father figure and grows increasingly dependent on him for approval. Though initially supportive, du Pont’s mercurial personality turns and he begins to lure Mark into an unhealthy lifestyle that threatens to undermine his training.
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