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Star Trek Into Darkness
Granted, Star Trek Into Darkness is constantly, and probably fairly, branded an incoherent space trip with a significant lack of plot, character and sense. But it's a great time at the cinema, a pure popcorn flick in the way The Avengers succeeded last year (and Batman failed...). Also, Hollywood woke up and noticed more British talent in Benedict Cumberbatch and, as many expected, he stole the show. JJ Abrams is a good director, lens flare aside, so I'm glad he's making this his final Trek film before moving onto another beloved franchise. Here's for 2015...
Captain Phillips
The comeback for Tom Hanks? Not that he really needed it. But, Larry Crowne...
Captain Phillips, based on a real-life story surrounding piracy of the Somalian coast, is a kinetic thriller, directed by Paul Greengrass, anchored by one hell of a leading performance from Hanks. It's practically a lock-in for Best Actor, as most Hanks performances should be. Again, the movie's relentless and, despite its run-time, it's good times.
Pacific Rim
Again, we're following on from Star Trek, Pacific Rim was pure spectacle, but thanks to the name associated with it, Del Toro, it was well-crafted spectacle. I enjoyed it for what it was and, after Pan's Labyrinth, I have a lot of time for Del Toro. I'm sure there's a mass of homage and cultural references that flew right by me, but it's a monster movie done well. Robots too...
Saving Mr Banks
This is a Disney production about Walt Disney - an element of sugar-coating is to be expected and it's what we get. Throwing that aside, we also have a very competent, heart-warming/heart-breaking movie about a two-week period before the ever-loved Mary Poppins was released as a movie. It's amusing, well-paced and amicable - it's not the truth, as has been highlighted in a number of media outlets over the past few weeks, but it's as much truth as an audience needs.
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
I was a sucker for the first so the mere fact that the sequel was a hell of a great deal better made it inevitable the movie would make its way onto my list. I love that word - 'popcorn flick' - and the movie lives up to its reputation in every way. Once again, Martin Freeman proves he was impeccably cast as Bilbo and, though most of it focuses on the dwarves, he certainly gets his time to shine, particularly in the key scene towards the end with Smaug - another good year for Cumberbatch.
World War Z
This film makes the list merely because of the surprise factor that it was actually a darn good movie. I was scared, freaked out, on tenterhooks, on the edge of my seat, all of the above. It was rapid and frenzied and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Brad Pitt gives a good performance though, once again, it's something of a popcorn flick, moving from one set-piece to another. It's not high-art, but, on account of my limited cinematic viewings this year, it makes the cut.
Gravity
Gravity is a movie that is expected to be on most lists, a glorious example of spectacle film-making. It's not particularly substantial nor does it fall under Michael Bay's 'style-over-substance' category. It's remarkably beautiful and a lock for Best Cinematography during the awards season. In terms of performances, Sandra Bullock acts out her inner-Tom Hanks, left alone for much of the time despite George Clooney's sporadic space-ramblings. Is it the best movie of the year? Probably.
The Butler
Interesting trivia about The Butler, it was written by the cat who played Jonathan in Buffy The Vampire Slayer. That's not quite enough to push a mass audience towards the movie, that mainly deals with the struggle for civil rights in a torn nation, but it's an entertaining movie which flows freely from era to era, never settling for too long. And I appreciate that.
The Place Beyond The Pines
The narrative is certainly an odd one here, and I wasn't quite expecting it. I won't ruin it for those who haven't seen it but it may push both ends of the spectrum. Some may turn off after the opening hour whilst others may stray a bit further. It's ambitious, a flaw to some, but spells out an interesting story on legacy and the sins of our fathers, I don't know, something like that, but it's always intriguing to see a movie that includes a series of events that act as ramifications of previous events. Act and react.
Prisoners
This was a movie that came in from somewhere else, something really unexpected. You look at the cast and you automatically expect something special but it didn't get a triumphant release and, for many, it was a hidden gem. It's a subtle, minimalist story that plays on tension rather than thrills and energetic set-pieces.
