Movies of 2014

I always wait until the end of December to complete my movie list because I hope to see at least a couple of top tenners during the holiday season when I usually have more access to better theatres and movie choices. Unfortunately, the end of the year was dominated with the furor surrounding “The Interview,” a movie I hadn’t planned on seeing - and still haven’t because of lack of access - but now feel compelled to see in order to protect intellectual freedom against the whims of tin-pot dictators here and abroad. These are the movies that I’ve willingly enjoyed in the dark this year:

1. The Imitation Game - I waited until the end of the year to see my favorite - the true story of Alan Turing and his team cracking the Nazi Omega code during WWII. Benedict Cumberbach is riveting as Turing and is surrounded by a stellar cast of English actors including Matthew Goode, Mark Strong and the ageless Charles Dance.

2. Begin Again - Mark Ruffalo plays a washed up record man who discovers a young troubled singer played by Keira Knightley. If this sounds like a lot like the Irish film “Once,” it’s because it was also directed by John Carney. Carney may be repeating himself a bit, but I was still charmed by the scenes of Ruffalo, Knightley and especially James Corden creating a album in the streets of NYC.

3. Le Weekend - In this delicate adaptation of a Hanif Kurdish short story, an older couple played by British veterans Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan try to rekindle their marriage with a weekend in Paris. What might be overly sentimental is undercut by the couple’s light-fingered antics. Hijinxs really ensue when Jeff Goldblum shows up to steal the show.

4. The Grand Budapest Hotel - In Wes Anderson’s most satisfying comedy since The Royal Tenenbaums, Ralph Fiennes plays a legendary concierge in a luxury Central European hotel in the 30s. Anderson is now one of our country’s most distinctive film voices.

5. The Hundred Foot Journey - Lasse Hallstrom’s magical realistic exploration of the culture clash between a family owned Indian curry house and a Michelin-rated French restaurant showcased the gifts of Helen Mirren and veteran Bollywood actor Om Puri. A feel good film without being overly saccharine.

6. The Skeleton Twins - SNL veterans Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader turned in powerful dramatic performances as estranged siblings pulled together by their dysfunctional family.

7. The Railway Man - Colin Firth is haunting as a British WWII veteran who travels to Burma to exorcise his demons from his years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. I even tolerated Nicole Kidman in a understated role as Firth’s wife.

8. Gone Girl - David Fincher’s adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s bestselling mystery had just the right amount of creepy ambience produced by Trent Reznor’s score. As with any film adapted from a book that I enjoyed, it had its missing elements.

9. A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby’s story of six people who bond after meeting one another on top of a tower block on New Year’s Eve when each was contemplating suicide. Pierce Brosnan and Toni Collette lead a wonderful cast.

10. Beware of Mr. Baker - A visceral documentary film about the gonzo drummer Ginger Baker that shows his visionary drumming along with his peculiar and frightening persona.

Notable Others:
* And So it Goes
* The Face of Love
* Fading Gigolo
* Girl on a Bicycle
* The Giver
* Great Expectations
* Labor Day
* The Monuments Men
* Words and Pictures

I'd love to hear about the movies that kept you rapt while munching your popcorn.