50 Best Films of 2014 - #10 - #1

10. Guardians of the Galaxy

Not only a top ten of 2014 entry, but easily my favorite movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One of my biggest complaints about some of the other films, specifically Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World come to mind, were their attempts to be comedic yet completely failing at actually being funny. Thus I was concerned when I was told just how much of a comedy Guardians of the Galaxy would need to be, but boy did it deliver. Not just with laughs, with EVERYTHING. A joyous, exciting, heartfelt, clever blast of a picture.

9. The Babadook

If you knew me well, you would know how unheard of this is for me. I have a real hard time connecting to a horror film, as I usually think an interesting premise and creepy trailer ends up ruined by the same stupid and predictable tropes, bad writing and excessive gore. The Babadook is an Australian horror film, and it's bloody friggin' brilliant. If you are simply looking to be spooked, it's scary as hell. If you are looking for depth and characters to actually care about, you cannot go wrong here. The Babadook is a meaningful metaphor wrapped in an intense and terrifying film, and it works on every level.

8. Birdman

A completely brilliant, unique cinematic experience, Birdman was a joy to watch for it's fascinating narrative and amazing performances, but it went to a whole other level due to the technical genius on display throughout. This is actually a difficult movie to explain, you just need to see it and decide whether it works for you or not. Some have called it artsy nonsense, pretentious, and silly. I call it one of the best and most original pictures of 2014. 

7. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya

I was already a massive fan of the legendary Studio Ghibli, with My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away being their two masterpieces so far. I officially have a third movie to welcome into that category. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya is a completely spellbinding, heartbreaking piece of cinema that for me, despite also loving How to Train Your Dragon 2 and The LEGO Movie (both of which were in the previous list of ten), is by far the best animated work of 2014. 

6. Whiplash

I still get the chills whenever I think about the last 10 or 15 minutes of Whiplash, the most memorable sequence from any movie released last year. Seriously, it's so electric it made the hair on my arms stand up. That isn't to say that the rest of the film was lackluster in any way. Whiplash was destined to be one of the 15 or so best of the year, and then that finale happened, and I can't stop thinking about it over a month after witnessing it unfold. That's the power of incredible cinema, and what Damien Chazelle crafted here is just that.

5. The Grand Budapest Hotel

The masterpiece I had always been waiting for from Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel is gorgeous on so many technical levels and also a brilliantly clever comedy. I had no idea how good Ralph Fiennes could be in a comedic role, and it certainly isn't easy to execute the quirky and odd material of a Wes Anderson, but he absolutely nailed it. Seriously, his timing is so spot on perfect I felt like I was grinning from ear to ear anytime he occupied the frame. 

4. Interstellar

Big, bold and ambitious filmmaking. I am a sucker for it, always have been and always will be. I can forgive a flaw or two because I am so mesmerized by the spectacle of the whole experience, which explains why Christopher Nolan's Interstellar lands as the #4 movie of the year. It isn't a perfect film, I cannot lie, but with every ever so slight issue I have with it, I am in jaw dropping awe of EVERYTHING else that worked so damn well. I saw it twice in theaters, and I can promise you there will be 20 more viewings at home coming in the future.

3. Winter Sleep

By far my favorite foreign film of 2014, and one worthy of inclusion into the top 3 overall and yet Winter Sleep isn't even nominated by the Academy. Ah, such is the complicated and confused relationship I have with those people in charge of Oscar nominations, but so be it. I just hope the lack of recognition doesn't stop people from seeking out and watching this gorgeous picture, and while my voice is small and unimportant, it won't stop me from continuing to scream it from the rooftops: Winter Sleep is a triumph of cinema and easily the finest acted movie of the year.

2. Gone Girl

I can't stop falling more and more in love with the work of David Fincher. Just when I think I couldn't admire the man and his vision on a deeper level, here comes Gone Girl, another cold and calculated thriller that entertained me endlessly and made my skin crawl with its ominous tone and perfectly unsettling performances. Based on the incredibly popular novel by Gillian Flynn, one of the aspects of this movie that really elevated it to new heights was the screenplay by that very same writer, with Flynn adapting her own work. It's one thing to come in and chop apart the words of someone else, but to do it to your own? To have the humility and intelligence to say to yourself, yes I wrote this, but a lot of it doesn't work when translated to the big screen? That's really something special.

1. Boyhood

Life. It's a fucked up, weird, heartbreaking, devastating, fascinating and beautiful thing, and it was encapsulated so poetically and gorgeously by Richard Linklater. Watching Mason grow up really resonated with me on multiple levels. Not long ago I was a kid growing up dealing with the bizarre and bullshit issues that accompany adolescence, and yet now I sit here with a 7 year old daughter and I can't believe how fast time has gone. Watching twelve years go by over the course of less than three hours with such a graceful and natural fluidity really made me think about the fact that time is relentless. All we can do is accept it and enjoy the ride.

If I Picked the Oscars - Best Picture

I have already laid out my personal nominations and winners for Best Actress (here), Best Actor (here), and Best Director (here) so here we are. Best Picture of the year.

As the Academy nominated 8 films this year, I will do the same. 

Birdman

It would be a crime to not include Birdman in the mix for Best Picture of the year, as unique films like this are so rarely given the recognition they deserve. The film works on every single level, as it can be appreciated for its excellent direction, the incredible performances, and for every single glorious technical achievement I picked up on throughout that practically had me drooling. This isn't just some one trick pony that will lose its luster on revisits either. Birdman is more of a, buy the Blu-ray, watch every single special feature to learn as much about the medium as possible, and then admire the movie for years to come.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

A best picture nominee for me, and yet it likely won't walk away with the Best Animated Feature award on Oscar night. This is how things usually work between me and the Academy, but I'm used to the disconnect. For me, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a work of art, a stunning slice of Studio Ghibli that, in time, will have it ranked up there among the previous masterpieces they have already released, like My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. Quite simply, this is a sublime film.

Whiplash

Electric. So damn electric. Roughly a month since I sat down and lost myself in Whiplash and I can still feel the electricity pulsing through my veins, a film so expertly crafted and featuring a conclusion that literally had me on the edge of my seat. The power this work has had over me ever since it finished is intoxicating, I can't wait to see it again.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

I have said so, so many things about The Grand Budapest Hotel already, to wax poetic about it again here would be redundant. The Wes Anderson masterpiece I had been waiting for, it's as simple as that.

Interstellar

The grand ambitions of Christopher Nolan have paid off again, as Interstellar swept me off my feet and took me to places I have only dreamed of visiting before. I have mentioned before that I don't think this is a perfect film. I have heard some complaints that I honestly agree with. So why is it nominated for Best Picture then? Because I am a sucker for bold, big, and brash pieces of cinema, and I respect the hell out of a filmmaker who is willing to take the audience to places that will open up their minds to the wonders of paying the money it takes to go to the theater and experience a vision the way it was meant to be seen.

Winter Sleep

An absolute masterpiece and one of the finest examples of the beauty of performance art that I have seen in some time, Winter Sleep is easily the best foreign film I have witnessed this year and, in my world, one of the three best films of any kind, period. Remember that disconnect with the Academy I brought up earlier? Winter Sleep, somehow, wasn't even nominated in the Foreign Language category, let alone for Best Picture of the year. I have no comprehension how this oversight occurred, but no trophy or lack there of can challenge the way I feel about a work of art like this.

Gone Girl

If you go to the top of this post and click on the link to my previous post, regarding my nominations and winner for Best Director, you can read up on my deep, passionate love affair with the work of David Fincher. I am not going to go down that road again here, so I will just say this. Gone Girl is so perfectly crafted and so damn entertaining, I had a giant smile on my face throughout the entire experience when I saw it in the theater back in October. It is the type of movie that reminds me of why I love this particular medium so, so much. 

and the Oscar goes to...

Boyhood

Some who have seen Boyhood say nothing happens during the film. I say everything happens during it. Life happens during it, a story of living that is soaked in that magic realism that Richard Linklater loves to portray in his work. Some say that my love for the film is misplaced, that it is unworthy of such admiration. Tell that to the tears I shed during it's moments that are heartbreaking as well as those that inspire. 

Everyone has their own opinion, and mine is this: Boyhood isn't merely the best film of 2014. It is one of the greatest of all time.

If I Picked the Oscars - Best Director

Since I already covered the beautiful people that perform in front of the camera, time to acknowledge the brilliant work done behind it.

These would be my five nominees for Best Director if I were calling the shots, with the last one listed being the winner.

Christopher Nolan - Interstellar

I know a lot of people will disagree with me on this one, but I thought Interstellar was an incredible cinematic experience, and the confident, ambitious direction of Christopher Nolan was the star for me. Well, him and TARS as well. I will always favor filmmakers who have the guts to try something new, to dazzle an audience rather than play it safe and conventional. Interstellar dazzled the holy hell out of me.

Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel

I have been a huge fan of Wes Anderson for a long, long time now, back to when my friends and I first discovered the comedic genius of his early pictures like Bottle Rocket and Rushmore, yet I always felt like his previous work was missing something. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I wondered if Wes would ever put it all together and unleash his masterpiece onto the world. It happened way back in early 2014 when The Grand Budapest Hotel hit theaters. Brilliantly written, perfectly shot, exquisitely performed and every technical aspect of the film felt award worthy, Wes won't win the award with me or with the Academy, but he certainly deserves the recognition of a nomination.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - Birdman

2014 was a year with a lot of unique and interesting cinema, but the work of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu combined with genius cinetographer Emmanuel Lubezki on Birdman was precise, confident and fascinating to witness unfold. As I said above with Nolan, I will ALWAYS favor the filmmakers who want to dazzle me, and you may notice a trend with my three nominations thus far. They all dazzled, and most importantly, they all did it in completely different ways. A lot of people say a movie was "like nothing they have ever seen before" to the point that it feels like such a statement has lost its luster, but I really have never seen anything like Birdman before, and I loved it.

Richard Linklater - Boyhood

If I were choosing the man who was behind my favorite film of the year, or my favorite storyteller of the 2014, Linklater would be at the top of the list, but as I am choosing the greatest achievement in direction I have him coming up just a bit short. His work on Boyhood was masterful and the film itself has a profound impact on me emotionally, and I'm thrilled the mainstream world is finally getting a chance to appreciate the ridiculous talent he is. His films are critically acclaimed and everyone knows what Dazed and Confused is, but the name Richard Linklater was still a name that, when mentioned, would typically be followed by the question "Who?". Hopefully that won't be the case anymore thanks to Boyhood. 

and the Oscar goes to...

David Fincher - Gone Girl

Yes, my adoration of Fincher shines through again in 2014, as I was mesmerized by his recent brooding thriller Gone Girl. Some may see my constant bouquet tossing at Fincher's feet and assume I blindly love his work no matter what, but that isn't the case, as proven from the fact that I can't work up the motivation to give The Curious Case of Benjamin Button a second chance. I simply love his style, I get lost in the stories he chooses to tell, and I could revisit his best films over and over and over again.

Gone Girl is one of his best, a dark and twisted yet brilliantly satirical look at both the modern media and marriage, and Fincher directs the hell out of this movie. It is so expertly crafted and entertaining, watching it is intoxicating. 

Plus, I'm still bitter about 2010. Tom Hooper? The Kings Speech? Don't even get me started.

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.

100 Favorite Films - #90 - #81

A continuation of my list counting down my 100 favorite films of all time.


90. Before Sunset (2004)

My Review of Before Sunset

I begin my second list of ten films the same way I did the first ten, with a Richard Linklater "Before" film. This time it is the second piece of the trilogy, and not only does it take place nine years after the events of the first film it was also released nine years later as well. This adds an authenticity to the story that can't be replicated by typical Hollywood trickery like makeup to age the characters ever so slightly, and it also adds an ability to allow to audience to connect deeper to the film. Why? Because our lives change so much over the course of nine years, perhaps in regards to romantic relationships as well, so finding out what had happened to Jesse and Celine during the same time feels exciting. Before Sunset just feels so real, and the ending is pure bliss.


89. Warrior (2011)

Predictability is often times a major problem for me with films, and yet here we have Warrior by Gavin O'Conner, quite possibly one of the most predictable films I have ever seen. Two brothers played by Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton both find their way into a major MMA fighting tournament and both need the first place prize money for reasons that tug on the heartstrings. I don't watch MMA, I don't even know anything about MMA, but I know a gem of a film when I see one and Warrior almost literally makes me stand and cheer, and quite a few tears are shed as well. Oh, and I didn't even mention the Oscar worthy performance by Nick Nolte as their father.


88. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Quentin Tarantino has become a household name with his unique and controversial style, but back in 1992 he was an unknown and Reservoir Dogs put him on the map. What begins as a jewelry heist gets ugly when the police are practically waiting for the team of criminals and the only way out is to resort to violence, and those on the crew that survived the ordeal try and hash out who among them could be a police informant.

A low budget film that has become iconic for its structure, its performances, its clever and fierce script and some rather brutal imagery. I couldn't get enough of it as a teenager and Reservoir Dogs has never lost steam since.


87. Prisoners (2013)

Prisoners was my introduction into the work of filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, and I have since gotten the chance to friggin' love two of his other pictures, Incendies and this years Enemy, but I didn't need those other films to immediately know that I was witnessing something truly special. Prisoners tells the horrifying story of the kidnapping of two young girls and the lengths some people will go to in order to find and save their children.

This is exactly the type of film I love. Intense, gritty, dark, ominous and the cinematography by the amazing Roger Deakins, I was captivated throughout and I have since learned that a revisit works just a well. The mystery being solved doesn't diminish a thing.


86. Blade Runner (1982)

My admiration for this masterful slice of Ridley Scott science fiction did not come with my first viewing many years ago. I recall thinking parts were cool and overall I liked it, but it certainly wasn't something that would find its way to any of my "Best Of" lists. Well, clearly that has changed because multiple viewings later and I get giddy thinking about the neon glow, Rick Deckard and the replicants. An influential, modern classic that I absolutely must revisit every so often.


85. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

This is one that often sparks a debate because yes, I have seen both the original and the remake, and yes I prefer the latter. The style of David Fincher is one I adore, and when I read the source material in advance of seeing this I couldn't wait to see the way he would handle it. The end result was everything I could have wanted and more, and the performance by Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander puts it over the top.


84. The Decalogue (1989)

Originally a television miniseries in Poland, the ultra ambitious project by filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski is now regarded as one of greatest films ever made and rightfully so. A series of ten relatively short films, all roughly an hour in length, Kieslowski based each one on one of the ten commandments and while some of the films are stronger than others, the overall result is remarkable and unforgettable.

The single best installment of the ten is Decalogue V based on the commandment thou shall not kill. Clearly a statement from Kieslowski involving his strong opposition to the death penalty, I will randomly think of some of the powerful imagery from that film and it has been quite some time since I have seen it.


83. In the Mood for Love (2000)

A beautiful romance portrayed with grace and artistry by director Wong Kar-wai, In the Mood for Love is a smooth, eloquent story about two young couples who reside in apartments adjacent to each other. As each of those relationships struggle due to the loneliness of their spouses constant travel schedules, the ones left behind are able to connect with each other on a deep, intense level.

Even when the film illustrates a romantic connection, a moment that should be joyous, the mood of this picture is always quite morose as the struggle of two people falling in love when they know they should remain loyal to their spouses brings forth guilt rather than passion.


82. Interstellar (2014)

My First Review of Interstellar

My Second Review of Interstellar

The recently released polarizing science fiction epic by Christopher Nolan is the newest film on my list, which was a pretty safe bet since it was only released just over a month ago. I saw it twice at the cinema during the first week of its release and I was overwhelmed by the magic I felt emitting from the giant screen in front of me. I understand and appreciate the various flaws of this work that have been brought to my attention, but none of it matters because when I think about the experience I feel warm and comfortable and yet thrilled and nervous all at the same time.

I love the potential of the science fiction genre to show us new worlds, to take us farther than any human being has ever gone, and to bring our imaginations to life as we wonder if anything we witnessed was truly possible down the road. Do I think the film is perfect? I do not. Surprisingly, considering its ranking on this list, I actually do have slight reservations with the overall work. However, I could watch it on repeat for all the reasons it does work, and those are the aspects that I can't stop thinking about.


81. United 93 (2006)

I recall when the film United 93 was first released, a lot of the discussion revolved around whether or not it was made "too soon" and was thus insensitive to those that lost their lives on the tragic day of September 11th, 2001. I'm not the person to make such decisions and I can't imagine what those grieving had to go through, but as a film of great films United 93 is a powerful, incredibly well made work.

Paul Greengrass was the perfect choice for a subject matter like this, as he somehow managed to take a story that everyone in the audience would know precisely how it would tragically end and yet he fried our nerves and brought tears rushing to my eyes without being manipulative or writing dialogue that would be pandering for tissues. It all felt hauntingly, horrifyingly real, and when that final frame disappeared from the screen I found it impossible to move or talk. I just had to sit there and appreciate the bravery and heroism of those on that plane, those that knew the only chance they had was to fight back and whether they knew it or not, a lot of lives were likely saved because of it.

Next up will be #80 through #71. The image above is a taste of a film that will appear on that list.

Thanks for reading!

Following Review

Sixteen years before he dazzled audiences with the ambitious film Interstellar, Christopher Nolan put out his debut film Following, and while the scope of his work continues to grow and the budgets of his blockbusters continue to balloon, the talent displayed with his first feature is undeniable.

Told rather rapidly in a non-linear fashion, Following for the most part focuses on two men, one named Bill who has a habit of following strangers for observation purposes, and another named Cobb who catches Bill in the act. Cobb is a burglar who decides to teach Bill about his breaking and entering techniques. Much like the visual palette of the film, nothing about these actors or the characters they are portraying are flashy, but for an extremely low budget feature (a whopping six thousand dollar production budget), all of the pieces fit together to make Following an enjoyable, twisty treat. 

This was my second time watching this Nolan thriller and it was just as much fun watching it all unfold again as it was the first time. Also, Following is hard to resist given its running time of only 70 minutes. Too tired to stay awake through a 150+ minute epic? Only a little while until you need to be somewhere? Are you a Netflix streaming subscriber? If any or all of these apply to you, give Following a look and see where it all began for one of the most famous directors working today.

4/5

Interstellar Review

My adoration for Christopher Nolan as a filmmaker does not manifest blindly, despite what many people may assume as all I see around the internet is the term "fanboy" thrown out any time a rave Nolan review pops up. My eyes are open while I experience his films and if the time shall come in which his work truly disappoints, I will feel it and accept it. It just hasn't happened yet, and Interstellar certainly isn't the one to let me down. In fact, after my revisit yesterday, this time in front of a majestic IMAX screen, I am confident that this is not only the most ambitious work of his career, it is also his best.

Christopher Nolan does not make flawless films, let's make that clear. I do not believe he is a one man masterpiece machine or that he walks on water, but I love his filmography and the power it has over me because the man is a grand, ambitious entertainer. He is a man of big ideas and big execution, and any flaws that may pop up during films like Interstellar or Inception are easily forgivable because I admire the desire to dream big and present a grand vision at the expense of perceived perfection.

I realized long ago that I am a man who embraces the all important second viewing of a film, because for whatever reason my brain seems to process more of the details once I already know what is coming, once I am allowed to just sit back and lose myself in the ride rather than try to guess what happens next. I had minor issues with aspects of Interstellar initially after one watch, as I found parts of the film to feel rushed despite its nearly three hour running time, wishing we could have had an additional 15 or so minutes on Earth with Coop's family to really let the power of the relationships resonate. I didn't seem to notice this as being an issue this time around, and perhaps it was because I had already taken this journey once before, but I was emotionally invested quickly and the tears of Murph knowing her father may never return home broke my heart.

My other key issue with the film was the tonal shift of their time on the second planet they land on, the Hoth-like beast of a world that feels more like a nightmare than salvation the second we lay eyes on it. I found the direction the film takes while on that planet to be jarring after one viewing, and perhaps it was because I didn't see it coming and I didn't expect it, because now I felt that sequence flowed just as beautifully as the rest of the work, and I understand the significance of what occurred there thematically more than before. The editing that is showcased here, as we follow both the drive of Coop to save himself and humanity and also the similar passion of his daughter back on earth as she cannot give up the fight to rescue both her loved ones and the world, is completely enthralling and beautifully handled. These two worlds are vastly different but the circumstances on them are familiar, both feeling desolate and potentially hopeless, and despite being millions of miles apart from each other, a father and his daughter simply will not give up.

If you read my previous review of Interstellar, you may be surprised to see me mention any flaws at all considering how head over heels in love I was with the film then. I had these minor reservations but I still never questioned how I felt about the complete journey Christopher Nolan took me on in the cinema that night. My love for film cannot be broken down simply with X's and O's like a play design in football, it is a far richer and deeper experience than just pointing to a flaw and deducting points off my final grade of the movie. If you were to look at the trend of my favorite films over the past three years, The Tree of Life in 2011, Cloud Atlas in 2012 and then Gravity in 2013, you will find that I connected with these works on such a deep, profound level that whether or not a performance was a little off or the script could have been tweaked and so on, these issues cannot diminish what I feel internally as I let the experience wash over me.

To me, cinema and art in general is all about a personal connection. You can break down every minute of a film and analyze it to death, and sometimes I am guilty of doing this myself, but for the most part I know whether or not a film worked because I can feel it in my soul. As I sit here and reflect on my second Interstellar trip, I would not be able to find a single moment that left me troubled or baffled or simply feeling off. Does that mean it is a perfect film? Hardly. For me though, for what I am looking for when I take my seat inside that theater, for what whets my appetite when appreciating the medium that has stole my heart, Interstellar is a grand, sweeping work that feels like a dream I might have that I would hope to let play out before I must wake. The incredible imagery of a ship attempting to dock in the depths of space combined with an eerie score by Hans Zimmer that seemed to always match exactly what was needed in that moment, that for me is science fiction. I have always craved exploration, a curiosity resides inside me that wants to know what can be found in every nook and cranny of not only our world, but our universe and beyond, and while no film could ever completely satisfy my desires, at the very least Christopher Nolan certainly tried. His vision lifted me out of my seat and brought me to places far beyond my field of vision, and for that I thank him.

Interstellar is a film about love, and the central relationship is the bond of a father and his daughter. As I absorbed the movie into every pore, I remember thinking that I would do anything and everything, I would travel anywhere and face any danger if it meant saving the little girl that I brought into this world. Try and tell me why I shouldn't love this film, go ahead, your case might be incredibly valid and well reasoned, but in the end it will not work. When cinema speaks to me, I listen. Interstellar has spoken.


5/5