50 Best Films of 2014 - #20 - #11

Now into the top 20 films from 2014

20. Under the Skin

A tricky one to recommend, Under the Skin is enigmatic and utterly, shockingly strange, and while I loved it obviously and I know others who did as well, I also know a fair share of people who would ask me why the hell I wasted their two hours, or they would turn it off halfway through in disgust. This is really only a safe bet if you meet one of these two conditions: a) you are physically attracted to Scarlett Johansson, or b) you find strange, abstract cinema with some real depth and meaningful thematic substance appealing.  

I will leave it at this: there is some really interesting stuff happening here regarding the way we view and treat women in society.

19. Blue Ruin

I really expected this to be a by the numbers, you can see what is approaching around every corner revenge thriller. I was so damn wrong. Blue Ruin is smart, edge of your seat stuff, if you have Netflix streaming I highly suggest checking it out.

18. Life Itself

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I used to walk to a store nearby to purchase a newspaper every Friday specifically for the movie reviews, and it wasn't a difficult decision whether I should pick up a Sun-Times or a Tribune. I wanted to read the words of Roger Ebert, and even when I disagreed with the man, I always admired him. Life Itself is a wonderful documentary that serves as a tremendous tribute to Roger, but the best thing about it is that it is honest rather than simply positive pandering. Steve James doesn't mind showing that his subject was flawed because it is human to be flawed, and as a result the film is truly special.

17. Foxcatcher

A chilling and brilliantly performed picture based on a true story, I was engrossed inside the world crafted by Bennett Miller from start to finish. Foxcatcher is a cold and dour experience without a doubt, and one looking for anything light and fun will surely be counting the minutes until it's over, but if you are like me and find odd amounts of joy watching something ominous this may work wonders for you too.

16. Inherent Vice

Luckily for me, I had read the delightfully strange source material this was based on before seeing the film, the novel by Thomas Pynchon of the same name, so I knew what to expect going in. I knew much of the narrative would seem incoherent and the style of storytelling would feel out of sorts, but strangely that was what makes Inherent Vice such a blast to witness unfold. Sure, it's a mess, but what a glorious mess it is. Directed by one of the brightest modern auteurs working today, Paul Thomas Anderson, even if you have no idea what the hell is going on you have got to admire just how well crafted the ride is.

15. Nightcrawler

Lead by my favorite male performance of the year by Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, Nightcrawler is another dark and creepy entry into my list, but unlike Foxcatcher it also has a wickedly clever sense of humor as well. The fact that this ended up at #15 on the year is a testament to just how strong 2014 was in cinema, because my goodness I love this movie.

14. The LEGO Movie

The first movie from 2014 I saw ends up being one of the finest of the year. It isn't often I can say that because typically the early months are the doldrums of the theatrical calendar, but The LEGO Movie turned out to be shockingly great. So clever, so warm, so much damn fun with a third act twist that brought quite a few tears to the eye, what initially felt like it was destined to be solely an advertisement for toys turned out to have an important and meaningful message in the end.

13. How to Train Your Dragon 2

Back in 2010, I was one of the few people who felt the first How to Train Your Dragon was the best animated film of the year. Understandable because the also amazing Toy Story 3 was released during that very same year, but How to Train Your Dragon just had this magical feeling that cast a spell on me and won me over immediately. I was concerned the sequel would be a let down, but that skepticism vanished quickly as the characters, the story and the stakes all matured since the release of the original. For quite some time this movie held my top spot of 2014 and with each revisit I am reminded why. How to Train Your Dragon 2 is an amazing film for any person of any age. 

12. Like Father, Like Son

The switched at birth story has been done before, but never this eloquently and with this much realism and passion. Like Father, Like Son is heartbreaking and thought provoking cinema, asking a rather important question: what makes a child yours? Is it the blood and genetics you share, or is it something more? A truly beautiful film, and as a father I made a very strong connection with this work.

11. The Raid 2

The first Raid film completely caught me off guard as I had assumed I would be bored by something that was essentially non-stop action, and instead I was pumped full of adrenaline and exhausted by the end of that insanely intense, blood soaked film. Within the first minute of The Raid 2, as the movie opens outdoors with a wide shot that is far different from the cramped and claustrophobic nature of the first film, it is clear director Gareth Evans wants bigger and better things with the sequel. That is exactly what he delivered, as this time around things are far more story oriented, yet when the action does show up it is just as intense and just as awesome as before. 

Next up, the top ten films of 2014. The picture above is from a work that landed not only on the list, but in the top 5 of the year.

If I Picked the Oscars - Best Actor

The other day I posted the first round of my personal Oscar picks, from who I would personally nominate and also who would win in the Best Actress category (that post can be found here).

This time around, Best Actor. These would be my five nominees if I were put in charge of the Oscars, and the last one listed is my pick to win the award.

Ralph Fiennes - The Grand Budapest Hotel

Bringing the uniquely brilliant material of Wes Anderson to life seems like it cannot possibly be easy, yet Ralph Fiennes made it look that way in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Displaying perfect comedic delivery and timing, it was an absolute joy to watch Fiennes work throughout this entire film. Despite its intentional absurdity, this movie managed to invoke a certain nostalgic feeling in viewers that clearly resonated, given its critical, box office and award season success. Ralph Fiennes is a major reason why.

Channing Tatum - Foxcatcher

Yeah, that's right. Channing Tatum is a Best Actor nominee in my book. For whatever reason this bright talent remains an actor that people love to hate, as everywhere I look I see negative reactions whenever his name is mentioned as a possibility for a film. I not only don't roll my eyes when I see his name, I root for him to get the part because the richer the material Tatum gets to work with, the better and better he will get. This was proven in Foxcatcher, a film that demanded strong performances from the entire ensemble and they all delivered, yet despite the actual Oscar nominations for both Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo, I felt Tatum's portrayal of Mark Schultz was the strongest piece of this excellent movie. Intense, unnerving, unsettling and just plain awkward, I completely bought in to his character and admired every second he was on the screen.

David Oyelowo - Selma

I would imagine being offered the chance to play Martin Luther King Jr. in a major motion picture would be both a massive honor and an incredibly stressful endeavor. Sure, if it works you will be beloved for bringing the passionate and extraordinary Dr. King to the big screen, but if it doesn't work? That would be a rough moment for any career, being known as the guy who failed at portraying such an important man, the face and the force behind the Civil Rights Movement. David Oyelowo accepted this challenge and he delivered, my goodness he delivered. His work in the film Selma is gripping, emotional, beautiful stuff, and honestly, I still can't believe Bradley Cooper received a nomination over him at the Oscars. Cooper was good, but Oyelowo went to another level.

Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything

The transformation Eddie Redmayne pulled off to play Stephen Hawking was incredible. It's easy for me to look through a performance like this and see the guy pretending to be the real famous person with an illness, rather than get lost in the role and lose sight of the difference between reality and a fictionalized version. When I was watching The Theory of Everything, I was beyond lost in the heartbreaking nuanced turn by Redmayne. I was in awe of just how real it felt. Hell, even the real Stephen Hawking said he thought he was watching himself after witnessing it. Now that's a hell of a compliment.

and the Oscar goes to...

Jake Gyllenhaal - Nightcrawler

Ahhhhh Lou Bloom. While Julianne Moore's performance in Still Alice was the best work I saw in 2014, Lou Bloom is my favorite character of the year, and Jake Gyllenhaal's portrayal of him lands the top spot om this list. Nightcrawler is such an ominous and entertaining delight, and Gyllenhaal absolutely nails the lead role, showing an unsettling amount of range. I found myself quickly going from a genuine laugh out loud to feeling a sinister chill reverberate through my body, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time watching Jake put on a brilliant, inspired show.

Two actors I desperately wanted to include on this list were Michael Keaton was his amazing performance in Birdman and Haluk Bilginer for his subtly beautiful work in Winter Sleep, but alas such is the nature of narrowing down such an amazing crop of performances to only 5. A great year and unfortunately, I couldn't pick them all.

Oscar Nominations 2015 - Final Predictions

My how things have changed since the first time I did nomination predictions a couple of months ago (which can be found here). I didn't even factor in the possibility of The Grand Budapest Hotel would be such a major player for Best Picture, considering it's March release date and quirky Wes Anderson nature, but there it was winning the trophy in the comedy or musical category the other night at the Golden Globes.

With the Oscar nominations being released early Thursday morning, here are my final predictions of who will be recognized in each category. Of course, after they are released and I my guesses are proven to be horribly wrong, I will then make some predictions of who will win of the actual nominees. I won't even bother picking winners now, merely nominations.

BEST PICTURE

Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Birdman
Gone Girl
Nightcrawler
Whiplash
Selma
Foxcatcher


I know the past few years the number of films nominated for Best Picture has turned out to be nine, so I will just continue the trend and pick that amount here. If a tenth film were to be slotted it, it would likely be The Theory of Everything, but I will continue to believe that voters will see what I saw: amazing performances insider a pretty standard, good but not great biopic.

If the list above does actually pan out, I will be thrilled. So many personal favorites among the nominees, with my top two films of the year being Boyhood and Gone Girl, and my current 4, 5, and 6 being Whiplash, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman. While Nightcrawler sits just outside my top ten, I am rooting for it to be nominated not only because it is a great film worthy of the recognition, I also will appreciate what it will represent since it is typically the type of work that would be acclaimed critically but ignored by the academy.

BEST DIRECTOR

Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
David Fincher, Gone Girl
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

With the potential love thrown in the direction of films like Whiplash and Nightcrawler (and I complain about neither receiving support), Fincher and/or Tyldum could be left off this list for either Damien Chazelle or Dan Gilroy, and you absolutely cannot count out Bennett Miller for Foxcatcher. Oh, and Clint Eastwood garnered a DGA nomination for American Sniper today, yet for some reason I can't shake the idea that the Academy will not follow suit. The only one of the films I listed as nominations that I haven't yet seen is The Imitation Game, so it wouldn't be fair of me to root against Tyldum in favor of one of these other possibilities.

BEST ACTOR

Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel


Going with a bit of a surprise here with Fiennes, but I can feel the love for The Grand Budapest Hotel that I was never expecting and my goodness what a delightful performance it is. My four favorite single lead performances of 2014 would be recognized here if these picks did pan out, with only Cumberbatch not a part of the mix for me and that is due to my not seeing The Imitation Game yet.

BEST ACTRESS

Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Amy Adams, Big Eyes

Another surprise pick at the end of that list, although it may not seem like it since Amy Adams just walked away with a Best Actress prize Sunday night at the Globes. That award was specific for her role in a comedy film, and thus the daunting task is trying to sneak in against the dramatic contenders. It seems like Jennifer Aniston would be the choice for that fifth spot for her film Cake, but I just have a gut feeling we hear Amy Adams instead. She seems to be recently beloved by the academy, nominated for an Oscar three of the last four years, and I expect that to continue here.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood

One of the few categories that I expect no surprises in. These are the five names that are likely to be recognized and I believe they will.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Emma Stone, Birdman
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year

Much like supporting actor, the expected five are the names I predicted above so I am anticipating no surprises. Although watch out for Tilda Swinton for her bizarre yet fantastic turn in Snowpiercer.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, Foxcatcher
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler

This category got very interesting when they deemed that Whiplash would be considered an adapted screenplay rather than original, a very strange decision as what the film is adapted from was literally a scene from the actual film that was released as a short to raise the funds to help make the full movie. Sounds confusing when I read that back, but I'm not sure how to work it better.

Whiplash seemed to be a shoe in for an original nomination, so that decision frees up a spot.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Nick Hornby, Wild
Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash


That vacated spot on the original side of the ballot means Whiplash gets to take one of the adapted spots from a film hoping for it, likely the work of Anthony McCarten for The Theory of Everything. Likely the only category that Inherent Vice will be recognized for, which is a shame.

BEST EDITING

Boyhood
Birdman
Gone Girl
Whiplash
Interstellar


It is very, very likely that Interstellar will be overlooked her for something like The Imitation Game, but I can hold out hope for as many nominations as possible for my third favorite film of the year, since I am pretty certain it will be ignored in all of the major categories I already covered.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Mr. Turner
Unbroken
Interstellar


Likely the only nomination for Unbroken, which is a good thing because the only aspect I would want that misfire of a film to receive recognition for would be the work of the amazing Roger Deakins (and even his cinematography left me underwhelmed to be honest). Again, rooting for the technical recognition for Interstellar.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Interstellar
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Into the Woods
Birdman
The Imitation Game


Interesting to see if Mr. Turner gets a nod here as I expect it will for cinematography, very much a possibility it knocks The Imitation Game out of that last spot.

BEST SOUND MIXING

Interstellar
Into the Woods
Whiplash
American Sniper
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes


Sound mixing is typically the category where you see a shitty movie like a Transformers 4 get nominated, so you never know, something like that could sneak in.

BEST SOUND EDITING

Interstellar
Into the Woods
Whiplash
Birdman
American Sniper

See above for possibility that Transformers 4 finds another nomination.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Into the Woods
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Mr. Turner
Belle

Should be really interesting to see who wins this one between Into the Woods and The Grand Budapest Hotel, both have such inspired costume design.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Gone Girl
Unbroken
Interstellar
The Theory of Everything
The Imitation Game

I watched every second of The Theory of Everything closely, and I can barely remember a single note of music from the film. The score did nothing for me, it felt like standard biopic material, but it shocked the holy hell out of me by winning the Golden Globe. I guess that means it scores a nomination here.

*I was informed after posting this that the Birdman score was deemed ineligible by the Academy. This means I begrudgingly slide Unbroken into the vacant spot.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Force Majeure
Ida
Leviathan
Wild Tales
Tangerines

Of these nominees, I have only seen Ida (it is very good)...that is going to have to change prior to the Oscars so I can have a better understanding of the competition.

BEST DOCUMENTARY

CitizenFour
Life Itself
Last Days in Vietnam
The Overnighters
Virunga

This is a category that seems to have the potential to surprise some people, so while I haven't seen a ton of recognition for the Netflix Original film Virunga yet, I have a gut feeling it pops up here.

Have to see CitizenFour still, since that appears to be the major competition for Life Itself which is a wonderful, beautiful film.

BEST ANIMATED FILM

The LEGO Movie
How To Train Your Dragon 2
The Tales of Princess Kaguya
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls

The first two films listed above both currently sit in my top ten of 2014, so safe to say I am a fan of animation this past year. Still need to see The Tales of Princess Kaguya, I admire the work of Studio Ghibli so much so I am expecting to love it as well.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Interstellar
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Transformers 4
Godzilla

Yes, I presented the possibility of two Transformers 4 nominations above, and here I flat out believe it will be among the five. Gotta love the technical categories, they make a Michael Bay film appear to be more accomplished than something like Inherent Vice.

As for the other four films listed, I would love to spend a weekend watching those on Blu-ray while laying on the couch. That would be a blast.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP

Birdman
Into the Woods
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy

Another potential showdown between Into the Woods and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

BEST SONG

"Glory" by Common and John Legend, Selma
"Big Eyes" by Lana Del Rey, Big Eyes
"Mercy Is" by Patti Smith, Noah
"Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
"Opportunity" by Sia, Annie


Same five nominees as the Golden Globes, and gut feeling the result is the same with "Glory" taking home the trophy. Not an official pick, just seems likely at the moment.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

Feast
Duet
Coda
The Bigger Picture
Footprints


For anyone who has not seen in, Feast is a wonderful animated short. Touching, heartfelt stuff.



BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
The Lion's Mouth Opens
One Child
Our Curse
Joanna


I read about these shorts and I always want to see them before the Oscars, but I never seem to. Need to find a way to start so I can have a better understanding of what makes them award worthy prior to the ceremony.



BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

Carry On
The Phone Call
Boogaloo and Graham
Aya
Baghdad Messi


Same as above, would love to see some or all of these before the Oscars take place. All I know is that these are titles mentioned as possibilities for the category, so I just kind of blindly picked.

Thursday morning the nominations will be announced and I will find out how I did, and then I will make some predictions of who will actually win after that. The Golden Globes felt like a preseason game, and here comes the real thing. Very excited.

My Unofficial 20 Favorite Films of 2014 - #10 - #1

The ten best films I have seen thus far in 2014. My official list will be posted the day of the Oscars, once I have had a chance to catch up with everything I am yet to see.


10. The Babadook

My Review of The Babadook


As solely a horror film, The Babadook is fantastic. Chilling, dark, and amazingly crafted, this is a movie that I would revisit every October when the crisp air outside feels ripe for a scare, but that alone doesn't put it in my top ten of the year thus far. No, what elevates this work is the fact that it is so much more than a seasonal thrill. The story of a grieving mother and son and the symbolic depth of what we see being a representation of their pain, The Babadook is far more than a scary creature in a children's book, and the work of first time director Jennifer Kent knocked my socks off.


9. Nightcrawler

My Review of Nightcrawler

Gloomy and atmospheric, the directorial debut of Dan Gilroy is an eerie and incredibly entertaining work featuring an Oscar worthy performance from Jake Gyllenhaal playing quite possibly the best character of the year, Lou Bloom. This film has everything, giving me chills down my spine yet also making me laugh out loud on multiple occasions. A smart, stylish and totally unique movie.


8. The Raid 2

I have never been the type of guy who gets a kick out of strictly action films. Entertaining at times, sure, but typically very shallow and lacking any real depth any memorable impression on me in the long run. Suddenly along came The Raid, a movie that is pretty much only balls to the walls action with absolutely no substance to grab onto...yet I completely, utterly loved it. Well, this year we got to witness the sequel and it was far more story oriented, much more ambitious and the result was a brilliant crime epic. The incredibly choreographed action is still there, but it's a part of a much richer experience overall.


7. The LEGO Movie

My Review of The LEGO Movie


Without a doubt the surprise of the year for me, The LEGO Movie is a hilarious, touching, clever blast of fun, a film I would have never expected would be in my top ten of the year come time to start putting out a list. It had me solely as a comedy but then that third act happened and, well, wow. Pretty brilliant stuff, especially with a revisit when you know the end and can admire everything that lead up to it.


6. The Grand Budapest Hotel

My Review of The Grand Budapest Hotel


I have been a fan of Wes Anderson for quite some time, but in 2014 he finally put together a complete, perfectly realized feature for the first time in his already fantastic career. Every frame was so focused with so much attention to detail, and the amazing cast wonderfully handled his typically brilliant screenplay with ease.


5. How to Train Your Dragon 2

My Review of How to Train Your Dragon 2


I was one of the few I know of that felt that the first How to Train Your Dragon film was the best animated feature of 2010, which doesn't seem like that bold of a statement if it weren't the same year that Toy Story 3 was released. Well, as of right now its sequel sits atop my animated list of 2014, with only the most recent work from Studio Ghibli potentially standing in its way. A great sequel that matured much like the characters it depicts and I love the risks taken with the storytelling of a film deemed for kids. The plan all along was for a trilogy, and I cannot wait to see how they conclude the story of Hiccup and Toothless.


4. Guardians of the Galaxy

My Review of Guardians of the Galaxy


I listed Captain America: The Winter Soldier during the first part of my list of 20 films, and I mentioned the down year for Marvel in 2013 in terms of quality. I had no idea that something even better would come along from that same cinematic universe in 2014, but that is just what happened when Guardians of the Galaxy was released. A perfect balance of fun, heart, fantasy, adventure, and an imaginative use of an unexpected musical score, I expected to enjoy this film based on the trailers but I had no idea just how much I would love it.


3. Interstellar

My First Review of Interstellar

My Second Review of Interstellar


I am always willing to forgive some flaws if they occur during a work that is incredibly ambitious, and that is exactly why I ranked Interstellar this high despite it not exactly being a perfect film. To some the length of this movie seems daunting, but I actually wish it would have been longer. I would have loved to experience more on Earth before the long journey begins, to have these characters further fleshed out, but unfortunately the first act did end up feeling rushed. However, the overall scope of the film and the nature of the science fiction storytelling absolutely dazzled me, and the eerie, old school musical score used during tense moments in space hit notes inside me so profoundly, I know I will admire it for years to come.


2. Gone Girl

My Review of Gone Girl


David Fincher does it for me again, as the modern king of thrillers delivered another outstanding gem in 2014, an adaptation of the hit novel of the same name. Dark, disturbing, and yet devilishly funny and entertaining, with a great lead performance from Ben Affleck and an even better turn from Rosamund Pike as his wife Amy, everything I admire about the work of Fincher is on display here and despite knowing the entire story in advance, I was riveted from start to finish.


1. Boyhood

My Review of Boyhood


At the end of my review of Gone Girl, I mentioned that it may be the new champion of 2014. This was nearly true, but it proved to be just a bit hyperbolic after I reevaluated the true genius of the work of Richard Linklater, his masterpiece Boyhood. An incredible film that hit me from multiple angles, both as a thirty year old who still recalls what it was like to grow up and struggle with adolescence and also a thirty year old who is raising a seven year old in this world. I love to see her progress and grow each day, but time seems to be moving far too fast for my liking. The fluidity of this film, the way twelve years moves by with grace and ease over a span of less than three hours, and the brilliant simplicity of the editing which never needed to be flashy but demanded precision to pull off the project, everything about the craftsmanship of Boyhood is sublime. Without a doubt, my favorite film of 2014.

Still so much to see from now until February 22nd, the day of the Academy Awards which will also be the day I post my official list of favorites from 2014. Make sure to check out how things change from now until then, and if you get a chance, watch some of my picks from the year thus far. Hopefully you love them just as much as I do.

Nightcrawler Review

Nicolas Winding Refn wasn't even on my radar prior to my witnessing the recent neon soaked urban masterpiece Drive, a film that navigated the streets of Los Angeles in a way that can only be described as cool. He had previous films under his belt, but in my world it was his debut into my cinematic soul and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face no matter what was taking place on the screen. Deranged deaths and the gloomy haze of a polluted city at night, it all tasted delicious and I wanted more, but who could duplicate such a vibe? Others have extracted a similarly strange sex appeal from content that should never make a level headed human being aroused, filmmakers like Michael Mann and David Fincher off the top of my head, but would I ever discover something new that would impact me the way Drive did?

I'm not 100 percent sure I can put you on that pedestal just yet, Dan Gilroy, but I know at the very least you came really, shockingly close.

Nightcrawler tells the story of a man named Lou Bloom, played so well by Jake Gyllenhaal that I can't even decipher what the proper adjectives would be to make anyone reading this understand, so I will circle back to that with a clearer mind soon. Bloom is looking for a job, and after some initial failings in that regard he stumbles upon a car wreck early one morning and he witnesses a cameraman named Joe Loder (Bill Paxson) capturing the tragedy on camera. As the sun rises a few hours later, that same footage recorded by Loder ran on a local morning news, and Bloom considers that the financial possibilities found with this unconventional career opportunity may be exactly the type of thing he was looking for.

Eerie, hypnotic, unsettling, striking, unnerving, haunting, hilarious, and much like Drive, so god damn cool, Nightcrawler is a wonderful balance of all of this and more. Photographed by Robert Elswit, who has some notable experience working with similar cityscape imagery as the regular cinematographer of the genius auteur Paul Thomas Anderson, I could bathe in the gorgeous aesthetic on display throughout this film. The directorial debut of Dan Gilroy, and by god keep em' coming sir. If this is the vision you are capable of the very first time you step behind the camera, I cannot wait to see what comes next.

None of this works without Gyllenhaal though. I am not typically a performance guy, not because I don't admire the work of actors at the top of their craft but rather because I am simply more drawn to those working behind the screens (see above where I gush about names like Refn, Robert Elswit, PT Anderson and Dan Gilroy), but I cannot ignore the importance of the lead performance here. With the physical transformation of a significant weight loss by Gyllenhaal came a total investment in the character, and thus the work done here has the potential to be iconic. I couldn't take my eyes off of him throughout, as even the slightest mannerism or most minor facial expression seemed to add depth to the character. Probably the finest work by an actor thus far in 2014, and that includes Eddie Redmayne who essentially was Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. Gyllenhaal absolutely owns Nightcrawler, and I honestly can't tell you what I would do if I saw the man approach me tomorrow. A part of me feels I would want to shake his hand, tell him that I am a big fan and spew praise of what he accomplished here, but another part of me would think Lou Bloom was heading my way with his motivational pitch, ready to offer me a career opportunity. Just the idea of that will keep me up at night.

A vibrant, exciting film about obsession and a wonderful, clever satire about the true goal of the media when they are delivering us the news. One of the best films of 2014, my goodness I can't wait to take this wild ride again.

4.5/5