This year flew by as swiftly as a pop-up facial tissue leaves its box before another is pulled. In that interim, I’ve seen an array of films, good and bad, but certainly not all of them. Listed below is a selection of ten of the best the year had to offer, in no particular order, except perhaps the first one. That deserves to be in the Number One spot. –JM
- American Hustle
Polyester flim-flam at its finest.
- 12 Years a Slave
Ferociously fierce and first-hand.
- Dallas Buyers Club
No prescription necessary.
- August: OsageCounty
Mommy Dearest à la Streep.
- The Book Thief
Literacy trumps Luftwaffe.
- Captain Phillips
Don’t mess with the Maersk!
- Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
From prisoner to president in one lifetime.
- Philomena
Blood is thicker than doctrine.
- Fruitvale Station
The whole world WAS watching.
- Nebraska
One man’s worth in deeds, not dollars.
Plus, JM’s SF/Fantasy Shout-Out
Whether we left the world or just messed it up, the future looks fascinating through these “forward” films:
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
A brilliant brew of bravery and rebellion.
- Her
REAL online dating, relying ONLY on the lines. “Is that an OS in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”
- Ender’s Game
And a little child shall lead them – to annihilation.
- The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug
Fire and water and Dwarves, oh, my! The Hobbit is habit forming.
- Star Trek Into Darkness
Mission accomplished – again.
A note about Gravity: Great visuals, weak protagonist. See it to feast your eyes, but certainly NOT your mind.
