Seems like only yesterday I was thinking about the film goodness I consumed in 2013, so it’s a little disconcerting that the time has come around again so quickly. 2014 has been a good year for film in my opinion. I think it has more to do that because the last year has been decidedly more busier for me, I’ve been forced to be more selective in what I have chosen to watch and I’ve been giving TV more of a go too, so with my choices being more refined to fit my taste, I’ve liked most of the stuff I’ve seen. Without further ado, here are my top 12 films of the year (‘cos I’m weird like that):

12. LEGO MOVIE dir. Chris Miller & Phil Lord

11. UNDER THE SKIN dir. Jonathan Glazer

10. NEXT TO HER dir. Asaf Korman

9. APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR dir. Desiree Akhavan

8. KEEP ON KEEPING ON’ dir. Alan Hicks

7. TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT dir. Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne

6. BLUE RUIN dir. Jeremy Saulnier (Read my review here)

5. POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS dir. Edward Lovelace & James Hall

4.WE ARE THE BEST! dir. Lukas Moodysson

3. THE FORGOTTEN KINGDOM dir. Andrew Mudge

2. WHIPLASH dir. Damien Chazelle

1. GIRLHOOD dir. Celine Schiamma

(An upcoming more in-depth review of what made The Forgotten Kingdom, Whiplash and Girlhood my top films of 2014 to come!)

It was hard to confine my choices to a reasonable finite number (as why I have 12 instead of the more sensible 10) and I did spend a considerable amount of time flip-flopping on my definitive list, while being certain of my top 5, I was less so on the rest. I feel that because of this I should mention those who were nudged out of a spot on the top 12 but which there’s still whole lotta love:
GONE GIRL, UNDER THE STARRY SKY, LEVIATHAN, SNOWPIERCER, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, TIM’S VERMEER, LE WEEK-END, CONCERNING VIOLENCE and FINDING VIVIAN MAIER.

It wasn’t just about new releases and seeing as many festival films as possible. 2014 was an important for me to make use of my work connections and watch some classic cinema on the big screen or new releases. And I discovered some real treasures. Top 10 Films discovered in 2014:

ALIEN dir. Ridley Scott 1979

– A sci-fi classic seen once before when I was much too young and had no business watching such things. A real thrill to revisit.

KILLER OF SHEEP dir. Charles Burnett 1981

– Los Angeles like you’ve never seen her before. Poetic nod to Nothing But A Man 

ACE IN THE HOLE dir. Billy Wilder 1959

– Wilder at his most biting. Kirk Douglas is magnificent as the arrogant antihero.

A CHILD IS WAITING dir. Jim Cassavettes 1963

– A bold and sympathetic look at disability and society ( a real feat of that time). Judy Garland is wonderfully warm and natural. A real talent.

JAZZ ON A SUMMER’S DAY dir. Aram Avakian & Bert Stern 1959

– Like a refreshing drink on a hot summer’s day. The fashions and music make you wish you could enter the screen and really be there.

SOUL POWER dir. Jeff Levy-Hinte 2008

– Electrifying footage of one of the best concerts ever to be held. Scream along with James Brown & co. “I’m BLACK AND I’M PROUD”

LIFT TO THE SCAFFOLD dir. Louis Malle 1958

– This trailer says it all.

PASSION FISH dir. John Sayles 1992

– 2014 was the year I discovered John Sayles. This offering is about the power of sisterhood against racial and class lines.

BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET dir. John Sayles 1981

– Sci-fi at its best in my opinion. Sci-fi tropes used to explore society and humanity. Plus it made me want to order beer on the rocks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGaueP0Iufo

NOTHING BUT A MAN  dir. Michael Roemer  1964 (Read my review here)

– Malcolm X’s favourite film. It’s easy to see why

There are also a ton of films I desperately wanted to see but life and circumstance got in the way. Here are a list of films I missed but not for long:
INHERENT VICE, PRIDE, FRUITVALE STATION, MAP TO THE STARS, OBVIOUS CHILD, STILL ALICE, SKELETON TWINS, A MOST WANTED MAN, MR TURNER, ILO ILO, IDA and FORCE MAJEURE

Happy New Year! Here’s to a gluttonous year of great film! REMEMBER – there’s still time to enter my Christmas giveaway and kickstart 2015 with some film goodies!