Matt’s 2014 Top 10 (feature)

Posted by Matthew Hoffman on Dec 31, 2014 in Features | 0 comments

(Click any highlighted film title to read the original Black Sheep review.)

Another year gone! Most people track their year using the days of the week. I count how many days left until Friday, when a new batch of films will be released unto the world. 2014 was a great year in cinema. I know I said that last year, and maybe I’ll say it next year but still. In 2014, I watched 440 films. Those 440 films include new films, old films, documentaries, and subsequent viewings of films I’ve already seen. Of the 440 films I watched, 145 were eligible for this list, and that does not include films I watched during 2013 that were not released until 2014. To be eligible, a film had to be released theatrically in North America, or qualify for the 2015 Academy Awards. It is for this reason that two brilliant films that I loved were not included. These films are OLIVE KITTERIDGE and PHOENIX. The former premiered on HBO, so if you have the channel, watch it as soon as possible. PHOENIX is not being released in Canada until mid 2015, but you can expect it to be near the top of my list next year.

And so, without further ado …

10. THE ANIMAL PROJECT

I first watched THE ANIMAL PROJECT during a long day of screenings during TIFF 2013. I liked the film but it wasn’t until a second viewing that I truly came to fully appreciate, and love, this charming little film. Ingrid Veninger’s Toronto-based film provides an honest and heartfelt look at what it is like to be an actor, both on camera, and in one’s daily life. The film played many festivals around the world, but only opened theatrically in one cinema. You probably missed THE ANIMAL PROJECT but trust me when I say that it is a film worth seeking out. (You can also read my interview with Veninger here.)

9. VENUS IN FUR

If you live in Toronto, you did not see VENUS IN FUR on the big screen. Yes, eOne owns the rights, but the company chose to screen the film exclusively in Montreal. This is why on one summer weekend, I planned a trip to Montreal for the soul purpose of seeing this film. Roman Polanski has masterfully adapted David Ives’ award winning play, bringing the action from New York City to a shabby little theatre in Paris. The cat-and-mouse game between Mathieu Amalric and Mrs. Polanski, Emmanuelle Seigner, is loads of fun, and was definitely worth the five-hour drive.

8. THE BABADOOK

Here is another film that I almost missed. THE BABDOOK only played for one night in Toronto, at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, and was then held by eOne for a DVD-only release. I managed to catch this one while on vacation in the US, and was floored. Not only is this Australian film extremely scary, but it is perhaps one of the best horror films to come around in years.

7. LE WEEK-END

LE WEEK-END is another great TIFF13 film that I did not come to love until viewing it a second time. LE WEEK-END follows Lindsay Duncan and Jim Broadbent as an older couple who have returned to Paris for a sort of second honeymoon. The film makes multiple references to the films of Jean-Luc Godard (specifically the dance sequence in BANDE A PART), and on first viewing, I had seen very few Godard films. After seeing a chunk of Godard’s filmography, I revisited the film and noticed LE WEEK-END shows us what some of Godard’s early characters may be like after they’ve settled down and married. This is only one way of viewing the film, and it is enjoyable even without any knowledge of French cinema. If ignoring the all other positive qualities, LE WEEK-END is worth watching for Duncan’s performance alone.

6. NYMPHOMANIAC: DIRECTORS’S CUT VOLUME II

NYMPHOMANIAC. Where to begin? At this point, saying that Lars von Trier’s films are shocking would be an understatement. You thought NYMPHOMANIAC was out there the first time you watched it? Try Lars’ director’s cut. When I watched the theatrical version of NYMPHOMANIAC, I much preferred Volume I to Volume II. The first part seemed to flow more smoothly, and at least saved some shred of subtlety. Upon viewing the two films for the third time, in Lars’ full five-and-a-half-hour uncut version, I saw an entirely different quality in Volume II. Essentially, the simplest way to look at the director’s cut of Volume II is to imagine Lars von Trier, sitting in front of you laughing, while giving you the middle finger. This is Lars von Trier saying “Fuck you” to his audience, and the result is something that is indescribable. I’ll leave you to imagine the film’s five-minute sequence of Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Joe giving herself a home abortion. This scene shows EVERYTHING.

5. NIGHTCRAWLER

This is a film that had major buzz right after the first TIFF press screening. For about two weeks all anyone wanted to talk about was NIGHTCRAWLER, and how amazing Jake Gyllenhaal was in it. What no one seemed to mention was Rene Russo’s performance. That scene where Gyllenhaal’s Lou takes Russo’s Nina out for a “business” dinner is definitely one of the best of the year. While NIGHTCRAWLER won’t end up winning any Oscars, it is a film that we’ll be watching for many years to come.

4. WILD

WILD is a film that really surprised me. Before seeing the film, I had seen the trailer and this looked like the definition of a film I would hate. The trailer featured some inspirational dialogue and showed Reese Witherspoon hiking up mountains and crying. Yuck. I probably wouldn’t even had seen the film, was I not offered free tickets to a screening. I was shocked to see that this wasn’t the standard journey film. WILD features an incredible performance from Witherspoon, an actress who I had lost faith in during the years since WALK THE LINE.

3. FOXCATCHER

Second viewings are obviously important to me, and a second viewing of FOXCATCHER made all the difference. Initially, I was not prepared for Bennett Miller’s slow-burn approach to telling the story of John E. Dupont and the Schultz brothers. It was only upon rewatching the film that I noticed the subtlety in Miller’s direction. FOXCATCHER is much more than its career best performances from Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo (check out our interview with all three gents here). It is a chilling look at an intense relationship, and reminds us that Miller is one of the best directors working today.

2. WHIPLASH

I could go on and on about WHIPLASH. The film sucks you in from the first frame. It pulls you closer and closer, then it shakes you, and when it comes to the end, it throws you back in your seat. If this film doesn’t get you’re blood pumping then I don’t know what will. Excellent performances, excellent dialogue, and excellent drumming. What more could you ask for?

1. UNDER THE SKIN / MOMMY

A tie? At the number one spot? I stared at my computer screen for an hour trying to decide who to give the crown too. I knew that if I said UNDER THE SKIN was my favourite film of the year, I’d want to change my answer as soon as the article was published. The same goes for MOMMY. Both films are from directors who have been making great work from the beginning of their careers. MOMMY’s Xavier Dolan beginning with I KILLED MY MOTHER, and UNDER THE SKIN’s Jonathan Glazer with SEXY BEAST. Their films seemed to get better and better, and finally reached this point where they have probably turned in their career best. It will definitely be a challenge for either director to top these films. UNDER THE SKIN is surely the most hypnotic film I have seen in quite some time. It is perhaps the closest any film has come to “Kubrickian” in years (Sorry, Mr. Nolan). MOMMY, while a bit messy and derivative of Dolan’s debut film, is a powerhouse of emotion. Anne Dorval is a wonder and her talents in this film need to be seen by all. (Check out my interview with Dolan here.)