2014 was the first year I documented and ranked the movies I saw. I've since gone back and posted on years prior, but '14 is pretty much where the #CinemAce journey begins. It is fitting then, that the number one movie of 2014 became one of my all-time favorites.
So let's go. 2014 was loaded.
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier; A+
It is hard to believe that the sequel to the 2011 Captain America debut was once considered unnecessary and a waste of time, simply minding the gap in between Avengers vehicles. Little did we know we were in store for the best Marvel Studios (obviously an opinion) movie and a film that would completely change the comic book game.
In 2012, The Avengers (A+) shattered records, but solo outings for superheroes, outside of Christopher Nolan's latter two Batman movies and the third Sam Raimi Spider-Man film, had yet to make the financial splash that superhero movies now hit with ease today. Since Marvel Studios' debut feature Iron Man (A+) in 2008, fans and critics alike were pleased but not blown away by the Iron Man sequel or The Incredible Hulk (A+), Thor (A+) and Captain America; The First Avenger (A+).
Helmed by Anthony and Joe Russo, brothers who previously worked in television, the Russo's brought a slick style to Captain America, taking him from out-of-time and out-of-place goody two shoes to an absolute badass.
Taking heavy inspiration from comic book writer Ed Brubaker's Winter Soldier run (probably my favorite run of comic book goodness), the Russo's insert the titular Winter Soldier as one of the franchise's best villains and successfully worked a real-world narrative into a comic book film.
Portraying Cap on screen always ran the risk of making him too much of a boy scout. As he progressed into the modern age, he truly became a star and arguably the most popular comic book character after The Winter Soldier.
On top of that, the Russo's and Marvel Studios completely shake up the entire universe with the destruction of SHIELD, and pave the way for the future of the MCU, which the Russo's have their fingerprints all over, going on to direct my top 2016 movie Captain America: Civil War (A+) and more than very likely my top 2018 film, Avengers: Infinity War (A+).
Also, that Henry Jackman soundtrack.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy; A+
After the success of The Winter Soldier, non-Avengers projects at Marvel definitely had people's attention. However, people were skeptical that even the behemoth that is Marvel Studios could turn their D-team into a box office success.
With The Avengers out of the box and the X-Men and Fantastic Four operated by Fox, the Guardians of the Galaxy became a reality. With an innovative, creative script from James Gunn and what has become an all-time soundtrack, the movie shattered August box office precedent and added another pillar to the résumé of Marvel.
Pinpoint casting, a forte of the studio, put together an incredibly likable title team. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and especially Dave Bautista highlight the Guardians, and made a winner of the film and fans of us all. The movie also fleshes out Thanos and the Infinity Stones, a tall task completed swiftly.
3. The Amazing Spider-Man 2; A+
Maybe it is my ever-loving bias of the web slinger, my first cinematic love from 2002, but I actually loved the sequel to 2012's inexplicable reboot. Like LOVED. Hits me right in the gut with every viewing.
Maybe it is my ever-loving bias of the web slinger, my first cinematic love from 2002, but I actually loved the sequel to 2012's inexplicable reboot. Like LOVED. Hits me right in the gut with every viewing.
Jamie Foxx ramps up the campiness a little too hard, but he's a really entertaining baddie when he's feeling blue. In the spirit of completely rebooting the franchise two years earlier, Sony decided to use Green Goblin yet again despite one of the most elaborate rogue galleries. Dane Dehaan's portrayal and design didn't have many fans, but it had one in me.
In an effort to shake up the usual superhero score, Hans Zimmer jumps from Batman to Spider-Man and teams up with Junkie XL, artist Pharrell and others to put together one of my absolute favorite movie soundtracks. That certain death scene is one of the best constructed fatalities in cinematic history.
4. John Wick; A+
From the stunt masters behind The Matrix (A), a passion project with Keanu Reeves ended up becoming a cult classic and one of the best action movies in recent memory. John Wick is sexy, stylish and ruthless. You will be hard-pressed to find better hand-to-hand combat (although number one on this list does a damn fine job) and what the film's creators appropriately call "Gun Fu" is hard to take your eyes off of.
I understand Reeves has some detractors, but my emotional, probably romantic connection with every character he plays...from Neo, to Shane Falco to Mr. Wick... is undeniable.
5. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes; A+
The most underrated movie trilogy in many years -not with critics but with fans and box office receipts- the modern Planet of the Apes trilogy is damn near perfect. Dawn captures the middle of the journey leading up to the events in the 1968 classic. In between Caesar's creation and the war for humanity...and the planet of the apes...we have an attempt for peace.
The movie is all about the man, er, ape in charge. That is Caesar. Matt Reeves takes the helm from Rupert Wyatt and builds on everything he laid as groundwork. Historically breathtaking CGI and motion capture work, especially from star Andy Serkis, makes you feel like an ape yourself and creates one of the most admirable and powerful protagonists in film history.
6. Boyhood; A+
The thing about movies is that you ditch reality, suspend your disbelief and invest in something that usually couldn’t happen in the real world. However, with Boyhood, director Richard Linklater really did spend years filming the developing life of a young boy. All of the problems a young kid has becoming a man are on genuine display in a literal coming-of-age film.
7. Nightcrawler; A+
Jake Gyllenhaal puts this movie on his back and plays a video journalist with huge aspirations and an insatiable desire for perfection. It's chilling, it's thrilling and it's very real. The movie never lets go, either. Up until the credits roll, you have no idea what to expect.
8. Big Hero 6; A+
With the live-action superhero genre now king, Marvel has all but discontinued their animated superhero films. However, Big Hero 6 is a little different. It's not a superhero movie, per se. It isn't about Spider-Man or Captain America. But it is about Marvel characters.
With Marvel now under the Disney umbrella, Disney was bound to take comic book characters and create an animated movie. Indeed that is what they did with Big Hero 6.
The film is smart, using a genuine base knowledge of science and inventions, and has the usual Disney heart at the center of it while avoiding being overly touchy or campy. All the characters are lovable and the slick action and recreated cityscape of "San Fransokyo" is impressive.
9. What We Do in the Shadows; A+
Taika Waititi’s self-mockumentary about the life of a vampire is absolutely one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. There’s something about the New Zealand charm, and the total anarchy in this script, that makes for non-stop laughs. An excellent supporting cast, as well.
Tom Cruise action movies are usually popcorn fun at their peak. Edge of Tomorrow, with the great tagline "Live, Die, Repeat," is filled with awesome action but also a coherent, incredible story that utilizes the creativity of the plot really well. Plus, Emily Blunt. And really cool aliens. And the end of the world is always fascinating.
11. Nowitzki: The Perfect Shot; A+
Not just one of the greatest athletes, but people. Ever. That dude. Dirk.
11. Nowitzki: The Perfect Shot; A+
Not just one of the greatest athletes, but people. Ever. That dude. Dirk.
12. Non-Stop; A+
Why is Liam Neeson such a badass? I seriously can't get enough of the Irish bastard. I didn't see the twist coming and am not the most fearless of planes. All that and a genuine thriller combine to give me, and hopefully you, one hell of a movie. Another thing, everywhere you turn here is a dramatic plot twist and an incredible actor.
13. X-Men: Days of Future Past; A+
X-Men films have been hit or miss. And the hits, in 2000 and 2002 (both A's), were good for me. Not great. I think a big misstep for Fox was poor casting of many of the X-Men team members. Like Cyclops, or Rogue, or Mystique, or Nightcrawler, or Archangel, just to name a few.
Only one X-Men film has earned an A+ grade - this one. Logan in 2017 and First Class were close. The latter rebooted things in 2011, cleaning the slate thanks to director Matthew Vaughn and the new duo of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as Professor X and Magneto, respectively. However, Fox wanted to revisit the Patrick Stewart-Ian McKellen pair, but also wanted to feature the new group, and wanted Hugh Jackman's Wolverine to be at the center of it.
A daring endeavor, and they brought back Bryan Singer, who spurned them in 2006 to direct Superman Returns, to do it. High aspirations were rewarded, and Days of Future Past is far and away the best X-Men movie for me. Unfortunately, it didn't last when Apocalypse fell flat in 2016. At least there's Deadpool.
14. The Grand Budapest Hotel; A+
Wes Anderson’s films smell a little to me like one of my favorite directors, Edgar Wright. Quirky, unafraid to be ridiculous, and a whole lot of fun. Before he was a surprise choice as Flash Thompson, Tony Revolori flourished alongside the seasoned, witty mustache veteran Ralph Fiennes. Whenever I see a concierge now, I just assume they have a miraculous story.
15. Begin Again; A+
Musically motivated director John Carney (Sing Street, A+ in 2016) puts one of my primary cinematic beliefs front and center in Begin Again. That theory? The right music in the right movie makes for a truly great film. That, and excellent leads —Kiera Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, and oh crap Adam Levine!— result in a feel-good time with awesome original tunes.
16. A Walk Among the Tombstones; A+
Liam Neesons. I can understand why people run these all together as Taken sequels, I guess (2014 featured the third and final of those). But each is different, save for that man kicking some ass. Sometimes twice a year. Detective Dante Culpepper reporting for duty.
17, The Interview; A+
The hotly controversial James Franco-Seth Rogen film about Kim Jong-Un that infamously initiated the Sony e-mail hack and subsequent leak and Spider-Man fallout (hello MCU!). Franco is over-the-top stupid but it works. The film is as over-the-top as it gets, taken to another notch by Randall Park’s fantastic portrayal of the North Korean Katy Perry lover.
18. Son of Batman; A+
The beginning of a trio of animated DC movies following Batman and his bastard child Damien, the origin point is strong and while one might be a tad annoyed with the youthful tendencies of the new Robin, you appreciate the effort to build into Batman lore and Jason O’Mara is a good Bruce Wayne/Batman.
19. Birdman; A+
One of those movies where you have to appreciate and really love the actor behind the main character. Here that happens to be Michael Keaton, caught in-between playing Batman and the Vulture, as well as the ruthless antagonizing of the Hulk Edward Norton and the skimpy Gwen Stacy.
They say history has a way of repeating itself. In the case of the world and its checkered past, we just keep making mistake after mistake. The War in Iraq is just one of the latest. Glorified since the first battle was fought, Clint Eastwood’s 2014 film goes into the mind, life and human consequences of a soldier. Sure, Chris Kyle’s (Bradley Cooper) story isn’t that accurate, but it’s a movie. And a damn good one.
21. Whiplash; A+
The air kind of comes out of the proverbial balloon at the end, with some happenings that are far-fetched in a movie that otherwise deals with grounded events. J.K. Simmons is so relentless in this and I hope to never be at the brunt of such unconditional hatred.
22. Snowpiercer; A
A South Korean film brought over to the states starring personal favorites Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton and Octavia Spencer among others, Snowpiercer is a smaller scoped look at what would happen after the end of the world. It all takes place on the titular train and the movie progresses train car by train car with outlandish results. Although if the world were to end, who’s to say how we would react?
23. Selma; A
The unbelievable story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unbelievable as in “how did racism exist? How does it still? How did slavery?” The history of humans —and especially Americans— is tragic and disappointing. The fact that the color of one’s skin is a reason for being different will always perplex me. Like Selma’s A+ grade, a cast that has stars like Cuba Gooding Jr., Oprah Winfrey and Dylan Baker in minor roles is reflective of the film’s impressive depth.
24. Chef; A
Jon Favreau took a quick respite from the blockbuster super hero and animated adventures to direct Chef. It’s got a small, focused scope, and though Favreau brings along some of his big name friends (Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson), this one is all about the aspiring chef and his relationship with his son.
25. Kill the Messenger; A
Like a character in the movie who tells Jeremy Renner’s real-life character Gary Webb, “some stories are too true to tell.” A nice summary of history if you need one. Based on San Jose Mercury scribe Webb’s true story about the illegal cocaine transactions in Central America by the CIA…what am I saying? It didn’t happen! Smh they got to me.
26. Draft Day; A
Sports movies, like Disney animated movies, flirt closely with being too sappy and taking you out of the experience. However, Draft Day, starring the undefeated Kevin Costner as general manager of the ill-fated Cleveland Browns, is so accurate to the real-life Browns that any sports fan will appreciate it.
The movie came out just before the actual NFL Draft, and the Browns seemed to be having themselves a miraculous "Draft Day" indeed, directly shadowing the movie. It was quite the experience until they picked Johnny Manziel.
27. The Equalizer; A
Watch Denzel Washington kick ass when he's not reading in a coffee shop and molding the mind of Hit-Girl? I’m in. Would be an A+ if it wasn’t 20-30 minutes too long.
28. The Judge; A
Maybe I am way too big of a Robert Downey Jr. fan. Maybe I saw my own, recently passed grandfather in Robert Duvall's elder character. Whatever it is, this movie moved me pretty hard. Enough for me to forgive its weirdly ambitious multitude of subplots.
29. The Babadook; A
Scary movies don’t often have the best plots. In fact, it’s crazy how few even bother to go anything beyond a few characters and a pandora’s box of jump scares. (Which is definitely not how you use that expression.) The Babadook may not satisfy the plot aspect, but it is genuinely terrifying and you don’t find that often these days anymore. It isn’t done through cheap scares, but real ones accompanied by a non-stop musical score that has you biting your nails for the film’s entire second and third acts.
30. Oculus; A
Another scary movie I really liked. On top of being scary, trippy and not pulling any punches, the movie did what all movies strive to do: connect you to the cast. Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites are fantastic and I am fearful for the brother and sister's safety from the moment I meet them. (Such a cool title, too.)
31. The Purge: Anarchy; A
2014 seemed to please me a lot more than most. The Purge movies are more popular in conversation than actually getting people to theaters. Jumping from the focused experience of Ethan Hawke's family in the first Purge (A in 2013), now we hit the streets and follow as Frank Grillo's character and a band of others try to get through the killing-sanctioned night. I enjoyed it immensely, and find Grillo an exceptional actor. Of the three Purge movies (with a fourth on the way), this is my favorite.
32. The Imitation Game; A
Benedict Cumberbatch has a weird face. It’s oddly compelling while I’m aware that it’s beautifully unique. As all humans should be. I love that incredibly talented man. He’s wonderful as Alan Turing and the true story behind this movie is worth retelling.
33. 22 Jump Street; A
Almost The Flash writers and Solo directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who also helmed The Lego Movie, deliver a hilarious follow-up to their breakout hit 21 Jump Street. Just like its predecessor, it’s a humorous, self-aware mix of laughs and silly action, highlighted by the star performances of Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, also introducing me to the Lucas brothers. It’s as close to breaking the fourth wall as you can get without knocking it over, constantly poking its own self for potential #sequel-itis. Best credits ever?
34. Interstellar; A
Christopher Nolan's IMAX-gasm is visually stunning, as expected. After fronting Leo DiCaprio for Inception, he gets an inspiring performance from another A-lister, Matthew McConaughey, and I'd be remiss not to shoutout Topher Grace. Nolan once again cements himself as one of the greatest directors ever with a beautiful, smart, narrative beast of a film.
35. Clown; A
Before Spiderman and even before the brilliant Cop Car (A+ in 2015), Director Jon Watts already showed two things in Clown: He can write good characters, and he hates kids.
36. Noah; A
I admittedly don’t know diddly squat about the Bible. It’s nothing personal. So if Noah took a bunch of creative liberties telling the story of that dude, his ark and his anti-humanitarian vision…I wouldn’t really know. In any case, Russell Crowe plays the part to (perceived) perfection and it boils down to a truly interesting tale of humanity.
37. The Lego Movie; A-
The dynamic duo of Phil Lord-Chris Miller were quite busy in 2014 (Jump Street sequel as well just above). It's obviously catered to kids, but incredible voice acting and countless cameos and references make it a thrill ride for fans of all ages. It doesn't hurt that it is genuinely funny, and the star acting duo of Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks is a winning combo.
38. Batman: Assault on Arkham; A-
Unnecessarily prefaced with the “Batman” subtitle, Assault on Arkham is a Suicide Squad movie with Batman in it. The Joker is also in it and the movie takes place in the Arkham video game continuity. Because of that inclusion, the voices of Kevin Conroy and Troy Baker are a welcome sound, but a cliffhanger ending that bends logic and story takes a little bit away from a good, fun animated movie.
39. Gone Girl; A-
A MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK! A MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK! A MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK! A MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK! A MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK!. #FreeBenAffleck
40. Annabelle; A-
Crazy enough, I prefer this 2014 Annabelle, which was shunned by critics, to the "certified fresh" Annabelle: Creation in 2017 (B+) . I thought the 2014 version was scarier and made better use of that damn terrifying doll. Not that the 2017 edition didn't, because I still like that movie a lot, but the 2014 film legitimately terrified by soul.
41. Deliver Us from Evil; B+
After Sinister (A+ in 2012) and before Doctor Strange (A+ in 2016), Scott Derrickson made Deliver Us from Evil. It wasn’t well-received but has some impressive cinematography combined with visual effects, plus an extremely well-lead cast by Eric Bana and Edgar Ramirez.
42. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1; B+
The Hunger Games novels are some of my very favorite literature and I've loved the movie series and its commitment to staying dark. Mockingjay was split into two parts, which is obviously a cash grab and it didn't need to be two parts, but Suzanne Collins' novels just have so much to work with.
Nevertheless, some of the fat could have easily have been trimmed (Primmed? No, that's terrible) but like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was split in two (B+ and A+), you can't begrudge the studio's financial priorities when the films are still good.
Nevertheless, some of the fat could have easily have been trimmed (Primmed? No, that's terrible) but like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was split in two (B+ and A+), you can't begrudge the studio's financial priorities when the films are still good.
43. Godzilla (2014); B+
Gareth Edwards, before (mostly) helming Rogue One, took on the biggest and baddest monster of them all. In fact, 2014's Godzilla launched Warner Bros.' "Monsterverse." (2017's Kong: Skull Island (A+) is the better of the two so far for me.)
The movie certainly builds up the appearance of its star and makes you wait to see the famous monster. When he does arrive, it is indeed something special. Unfortunately, the character beats leading up to what we all came for...are not what we came for.
44. As Above, So Below; B+
The end blew my mind. It also blew my friend's mind. And if he didn't see it coming, I have faith you won't, either. He's a smart guy.
45. The Theory of Everything; B+
Benefitting from Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything is a heartbreaking look into the life of Stephen Hawking and the crushing inevitability of the brilliant man's disease.
46. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones; B+
The found footage darling fights on with a semi-sequel-prequel-Zenon the Zequel. Another ending that elevates a good film to very good in my eyes. For a movie many dismissed due to the fatigue on the franchise, it’s my favorite of the series.
47. Justice League: War; B
Another entry in the DC animated universe, Justice League: War doesn’t quite make the most of its star members teaming up, but does give us a rewarding glimpse into DC’s Thanos Darkseid…who Thanos is based off of.
48. Robocop (2014); B
Before reboots dominated Hollywood and were hated for merely existing, Robocop snuck in there in 2014. Truthfully, it isn't very memorable and doesn't separate itself from the classic original, but is certifiable entertainment.
49. Sex Ed; B
When the sun eventually burns out, or aliens come, or whatever causes our collective demise, there will probably still be a debate on whether sex education should be taught in schools. Sex Ed tackles these complicated themes very honestly, and the result is mostly intelligent despite some uninteresting sub plots.
50. The Rover; B
If you called The Rover boring, you'd be right. If director David Michôd's 2010 Animal Kingdom (A+) was relentless, this dystopian film is on the opposite end. With that said, performances from Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson, and Scoot McNairy make this slow-burn pretty lit.
51. Tusk; B
Holy legitimate ****! This is one of the most haunting movies I’ve ever seen. (Justin Long is underappreciated and Unsupervised on FX was even more so.)
52. Transcendence; B-
Christopher Nolan's longtime cinematographer Wally Pfister ascends into the director's chair in Transcendence. There are a countless number of ideas at play here and despite Pfister's visual command, the film starring Johnny Depp looks and sounds good, but doesn't touch its Nolan-esque ambitions.
53. Unbroken; B-
Angelina Jolie's cinematic adaptation of the world famous novel is certainly grand. It takes its time to tell Louie Zamperini's story in all its slightly exaggerated glory and star Jack O'Connell keeps the movie from getting too caught up in its own pace with an exuberant performance.
Angelina Jolie's cinematic adaptation of the world famous novel is certainly grand. It takes its time to tell Louie Zamperini's story in all its slightly exaggerated glory and star Jack O'Connell keeps the movie from getting too caught up in its own pace with an exuberant performance.
54. Million Dollar Arm; B-
It’s a shame Disney felt the need to Jon Hamm-fist a love story into a movie about the true story of Indian baseball players Dinesh Patel and Rinku Singh. Everything about those two and their trainer/friend/life coach/spiritual leader Amit (played with winning charm by Pitobash Tirpathy) is great. Everything else drags the movie way down.
55. Get On Up; B-
Like 2013's Nelson Mandela biopic, Get on Up just doesn't have enough time to cover all the desired beats. Many moments of James Brown's life are very lightly touched on and glossed over. The film is also told out of order and flashbacks come in at all different times with misleading title cards. It's disjointed but you can't miss the performance from Chadwick Boseman.
Like 2013's Nelson Mandela biopic, Get on Up just doesn't have enough time to cover all the desired beats. Many moments of James Brown's life are very lightly touched on and glossed over. The film is also told out of order and flashbacks come in at all different times with misleading title cards. It's disjointed but you can't miss the performance from Chadwick Boseman.
56. Lucy; B-
Luc Besson was extremely ambitious with Lucy. Starring Scarlett Johansson, a drug deal gone wrong ends up giving her superpowers and sends her on a killing spree. Or something. It gets crazy. But I remember having enough fun.
57. A Million Ways to Die in the West; C+
Seth MacFarlane's unprecedented success on the small screen has struggled to translate to the big screen and his ode to "The Western" parody wasn't as successful as his Ted films. The jokes are often on point and there are some hilarious moments, but the story is (perhaps intentionally) cookie cutter.Has nothing to do with the everyone's favorite one-eyed director and is dark as the day is long. An exceptional cast (Brad Pitt, Michael Peña and the underrated youngster Logan Lerman — where did he go?) and while it’s not as good as David Ayer’s previous film, End of Watch (A- in 2012), it looks like a masterpiece in comparison to Suicide Squad (D- in 2016).
59. Exodus: Gods and Kings; C+
Exodus is solid entertainment, if not that coherent. Plus, this film is the very definition of whitewashing. The historical events take place in Egypt, yet the cast is full of White A-listers like Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, and Ben Mendelsohn. All of them perform brilliantly, but the movie should have had more realistic representation.
60. The Gambler; C+
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (A+) director Rupert Wyatt doesn’t have the same winning hand here. The Gambler isn't groundbreaking cinema, but Mark Wahlberg is always a good gamble.
61. Divergent; C+
With Hunger Games coming to a close and Harry Potter years finished, the young adult novel movie genre was clinging to life. Then Divergent came along... and killed it for good.
62. No No: A Dockumentary; C
Dock Ellis's story is ripe for movie presentation, but the dialogue-heavy "Dock"-umentary about the man who threw a no-hitter on LSD isn't as interesting as it ought to be.
63. Neighbors; C
Wasn't crazy about Neighbors, but did chuckle here and there. Much prefer director Nicholas Stoller’s previous two entries Forgetting Sarah Marshall (A+ and its “sequel” Get Him to the Greek (A+).
64. Pawn Sacrifice; C
It shocks me to realize that the game of chess actually captivated the attention (span) of the world, but that's exactly what happened in 1972. (Remember: no cell phones) I had no interest in the subject matter, but I'm always interested in a Tobey Maguire performance. He doesn't disappoint, turning a boring movie about chess into an insightful movie about mental illness.
65. No Good Deed; C
Idris Elba, Taraji Henson and enough suspense to justify a matinee ticket.
After You’re Next (A+) the year before, director Adam Wingard flipped that rousing success into The Guest. It successfully builds suspense with good performances, all building up to a crescendo that…kind of stinks. With a madly underwhelming end. Had a chance to do something really cool here.
67. Horrible Bosses 2; C-
A lot of dumb laughs, but enough good ones to justify a grade that isn't too horrible. Chris Pine is fun as a goof baddie.
68. Into the Woods; C-
Had to watch it for a school project and it was alright! Two birds!
69. Predestination; C-
Ethan Hawke is one of my very favorite leading men, but even with a neat premise, Predestination spends a lot of time without having a destination. An alarming amount of the movie is spent on a flashback backstory.
When telling a true story, a lot of times the movie can move a little slow. A little stagnant. That’s an understatement with Foxcatcher, although I’d be remiss not to point out great performances from Channing Tatum, Steve Carrell and Mark Ruffalo.
71. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For; C-
I sort of liked the first Sin City and coming from Frank Miller, it's certainly unique. "Sort of liked" usually doesn't mean I see a sequel, but I was a bum in 2014 and saw a lot of bad movies. (2018 edit: this trend continues post-bum.)
72. Animals; D+
A great performance from actually recovered drug addict David Dastmalchian isn't enough to make the movie very compelling.
A great performance from actually recovered drug addict David Dastmalchian isn't enough to make the movie very compelling.
"I don't remember the movie but watch it for the music." - Mama Feltman.
74. Tarzan (2014); D+
Why is a story that’s already been told over and over being narrated so heavily? Obviously this animated endeavor went for an extended angle, and while the CGI pixelation reminds me fondly of the short-lived MTV Spider-Man show, it’s a shallow effort.
75. Before We Go; D
I watched Chris Evans’ directorial debut because, well, do I really need to spell it out for you. I-L-O-V-E-T-H-A-T-H-U-M-A-N! There. You happy? Before We Go has one strength and that’s Evans and co-star Alice Eve. Unfortunately that’s it.
76. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; D
It's unfortunate that the filmmakers had no idea what kind of movie they wanted to make. The imbalance between camp and cartoon, grit and realism and a bizarre array of tone dooms the live-action heroes in a half shell.
Commercially, things actually went okay, and a sequel in 2016 was green-lit. That one was a little better, but a third TMNT is highly unlikely.
77. Ouija; D-
Bad scary movie, though the "sequel" in 2016 fared much better. I actually like this one better, and don't like either.
78. Under the Skin; D-
Is it so terrible that I wanted to see Scarlett Johansson in this? The movie is pretty weird, though.
79. Faults; F
2019's The Art of Self-Defense (B), added with my built-in intrigue of a film tackling mental illness, brought me to Faults. I quickly soured with an unlikable main character and an aimless plot.
80. Transformers: Age of Extinction; F
I made multiple bathroom trips just to escape this movie. I struggle to figure out how so many people in a room can decide to produce something like this.
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