With multiplexes playing the usual dreck coming out after December (Mortdecai? You serious?), and the only films worth seeing right now being the Oscar hopefuls we haven’t seen yet, it’s going to take some time before some truly interesting new movies come out. So why not spend this time watching some films from last year that were slept on? As we mentioned previously on the site, there were over 1,000 films released in 2014, and with a large number like that some films are bound to slip through the cracks.

That’s why some of us decided to profile those films that got too small of a release, made too little at the box office, or didn’t end up getting much love on year-end lists. These are the good, the great, the little-seen and overlooked films of 2014. And luckily for you, a lot of these picks are available right now. So why not spend this weekend catching up with some of last year’s hidden gems? You certainly won’t go wrong checking any one of these out, and you might end up singing their praises along with us. Read on to see our picks, and let us know in the comments what films you thought were overlooked from last year.

Actress

Interview with director Robert Greene and star Brandy Burre

When Brandy Burre got pregnant while working on HBO’s The Wire, she made a dramatic change in her life. Putting her acting career on hold, Burre embraced the role of a stay-at-home mom, raising her two children while her partner played the role of breadwinner. Director Robert Greene started filming Burre as she tried to start acting again, showing the difficult process while exploring some fascinating themes on subjectivity in our own lives as well as documentary filmmaking. Things eventually take an unexpected turn once some information about Burre comes to light partway through, but the universality of Greene’s themes wind up playing directly into the film’s “twist.” By putting an actress front and centre, Greene puts viewers in a state of constant awareness about the validity and authenticity of what’s on-screen. And through watching the ups and downs of Burre’s personal and professional life, it’s easy to recognize how all of us play some sort of role in our lives at one point or another. Actress is a documentary about the roles we choose to play, the roles we have to play, and the struggles that come with trying to get the roles we want to play. [C.J.]

Availability: In limited theatrical release from Cinema Guild. Expect a DVD and/or Blu-Ray release later this year.

Bird People

Review

An American man and a French woman, both staying at the same hotel. He’s there on business, while she works at the hotel as a maid. Both people go through a transformative experience and must deal with the consequences. Revealing any more about Bird People would ruin the surprise. Pascale Ferran’s diptych is by far one of the most balls-out original films of 2014, and a total delight to watch unfold. It’s hard to describe without revealing too much, but few films gave me as much pleasure last year as watching Bird People open up in ways I never could have expected. The sudden shift from small-scale to large-scale, from low-key to something more like a dream, and seeing how both parts connect thematically is nothing but sublime. My recommendation: Watch Bird People with as little knowledge as possible about what to expect, and enjoy the ride. [C.J.]

Availability: IFC will release Bird People on DVD on January 13th. The film should also be available on VOD.

Cheap Thrills

Review
Interview with director E.L. Katz and star Ethan Embry

After a husband and father (Pat Healy, terrific) gets laid off, an unexpected reunion with an old friend (Ethan Embry) leads to a tantalizing opportunity once they bump into an arrogant rich man (David Koechner). He offers the two down on their luck friends a chance to earn up to $250,000. All they have to do is participate in a series of bizarre, grotesque challenges for Koechner’s own entertainment. Director E.L. Katz starts Cheap Thrills off as a sort of funny crossover between Saw and Jackass before gradually turning the film into something as vicious as Funny Games. At the heart of the film is one hell of a nasty message about class differences, one that makes Cheap Thrills feel like a modern-day update of the ’70s exploitation films not afraid to put politics front and centre. Katz’s film certainly has scorn for its rich villains, but in watching the two lower class protagonists degrade themselves to fight over cash (what essentially amounts to scraps for Koechner’s character) it’s impossible to not sit there and wonder why they’re even playing by this guy’s rules in the first place. Cheap Thrills is an angry film, one that puts viewers through a wide range of emotions before knocking them out with a stunner of a final shot. [C.J.]

Availability: Available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and streaming on Amazon Prime.

Cold in July

Review

Jim Mickle has shown a lot of potential in the past, but hasn’t been able to get past a certain barrier with his films that really make me sit up and applaud. Things changed in 2014 when he released his gritty pulp noir thriller Cold in July. I remember hearing about it and being more ambivalent towards it than anything. Then a friend texted me: “Cold in July. Now this is a fucking movie.” I got a chance to finally see it, and as White Lion’s “Wait” played over the end credits, I had to pick my jaw up from the floor. Mickle’s film is drenched in blood, mood, atmosphere and style. If 1980’s John Carpenter made a revenge thriller in the vein of Rolling Thunder, this would be it. Assisted with a synth score straight out of the ’80s, and led by one of the best lead performances of the year (Michael C. Hall), Mickle’s film swerves from left to right, going from one dastardly deed to another. That’s what makes the film so good; you never know where it’s going until the final 30 minutes. And when you arrive at the gore soaked finale, you’ll be struggling to remember how our hero even got into this mess in the first place. [Blake]

Availability: Available now on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD.

The Den

When my girlfriend and I peruse the selection on Netflix, I usually just let her pick something as I can get too picky. She chose The Den, and as I clicked on the icon to start it, I couldn’t have rolled my eyes any harder at the horrendous cover art (bad cover art usually equals bad movie). Boy was I wrong. Running at a lean 75 minutes, The Den is a very strong entry into the found footage genre. A young woman decides to experiment with a new website allowing users to talk to one another in rapid succession (exactly like Chatroulette). She stumbles upon a user that looks to have been murdered on camera and decides to investigate. The deeper she goes into this grotesque rabbit hole, the more dangerous her every turn becomes. The Den expertly builds tension with each subsequent scene, and the way the film shows the walls of one’s privacy slowly crumbling around them is chilling. The film also has a lot of its scares during the day in sunlight, which is something I really admire, and it all builds to one of the most intense endings 2014 had to offer (I remember turning to my girlfriend at one point during the finale and saying “Oh my god.”) While The Den isn’t a game changer by any means, it’s one of the best found footage movies in years. [Blake]

Availability: Currently available on DVD and streaming on Netflix Instant.

Grand Piano

Review

Grand Piano is nothing more than plain, absurd fun. Its premise is like a laughable remake of Phone Booth or Speed (after telling a friend of mine the premise, he said that a more appropriate title for this would be “Tempo.”) The film takes place during a pianist’s (Elijah Wood, continuing a string of great work in genre films) comeback performance after coming out of retirement. Before he starts the concert, he’s given a message from a man hiding in the building. Apparently a psychopath has a gun aimed at the poor pianist, and if he plays one false note he’ll get shot in front of everyone. It turns out there’s a reason why Wood’s character can’t play one false note, and it’s the definition of ridiculous. But so is all of Grand Piano, which knows how to take its silliness seriously. Director Eugenio Mira goes full Brian De Palma here, and screenwriter Damien Chazelle (yes, that Damien Chazelle) continually ups the absurdity without slowing down the film’s lean pacing (seriously, between this and Whiplash, Chazelle has mastered how to write a film without any fat whatsoever). This is the perfect kind of film to watch when you just want to sit back, turn your brain off and have a good time. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently on DVD, Blu-Ray and streaming on Netflix Instant.

Housebound

Housebound introduces a simple yet kind of ingenious twist to the standard haunted house movie: What if you couldn’t leave a house you know is haunted? That’s the case for Kylie (Morgana O’Reilly), a young criminal sentenced to house arrest at her childhood home. Kylie’s talkative, overfriendly mom (Rima Te Wiata) drives her nuts with claims of hearing ghosts, but soon Kylie starts noticing strange things backing up her mom’s claims. Writer/director Gerard Johnstone deliberately plays into narrative conventions at first before cleverly revealing he has plenty of tricks up his sleeve: the officer assigned to look over Kylie responds to her claims of paranormal with excitement instead of skepticism (turns out he’s an amateur ghost hunter), and Kylie soon learns her mom might be hiding dark secrets about the home’s past. To reveal any more of Housebound’s curveballs would ruin the fun of watching the narrative frequently reboot itself into a completely different film. Those twists end up turning the film into a case of too many spinning plates, but Johnstone makes up for it by masterfully switching between tones with complete ease. Housebound is wicked fun, and one of the few horror/comedy hybrids that excels in handling both genres. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently available on VOD and iTunes, and you can purchase the DVD or Blu-Ray for the film exclusively from Amazon.

It Felt Like Love

Review

One of the most fearless movies of the year, It Felt Like Love centers around Lila, a young teenager starting to experience her sexuality. Where most coming-of-age dramas wear a hopeful badge of honor, as sex is something that may be initially awkward but ultimately rewarding, Lila’s path feels dangerous and dirty. Lila fixates on an older teen with a reputation of sleeping around. He’s the type of bad boy usually idolized in this type of story, but he has a rough edge here. He mostly ignores Lila, but as she grows more confident and promiscuous, his response is cruelly realistic. That’s what makes It Felt Like Love so transfixing – using our expectations of the genre, looking upon a coming-of-age as some sort of fairy tale (that’s how Lila sees it herself), when it is actually realistic in the worst way possible. Debut filmmaker Eliza Hittman tells the story with an appreciable amount of grace, however, keeping the film from beating down its viewer as it does to its main character. Gina Piersanti, in her first acting role, shows a desperation and sadness well beyond her age. [Aaron]

Availability: Currently out on DVD, streaming on Netflix, and available to rent/buy on iTunes.

Life of Riley

Alain Resnais, one of the greatest directors of our time, passed away in early 2014 at the age of 91, mere weeks after unveiling his latest film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The fact that Life of Riley won an award at Berlin dedicated to opening new perspectives on film showed that, even at 91, Resnais continued to excite and innovate. Adapted from Alan Ayckbourn’s play, the film opens with three couples learning their mutual friend Riley has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, giving him a few months to live. They invite him to join their theatre group, but soon the complicated histories between Riley and the three wives begin to emerge, causing tensions to rise between all three couples. Resnais fully embraces the artificiality of theatre in his adaptation, using sound stages with painted backgrounds and hand drawings for establishing shots among several other distinctive visual styles throughout. Resnais makes it all work, and with the help of his amazing cast (Sabine Azéma, his wife and longtime collaborator, is especially great), Life of Riley is always light on its feet, even when dealing with such somber material. Resnais’ final film, an unintended swan song, also happens to be one of 2014’s liveliest movies. [C.J.]

Availability: Still in a (very) limited theatrical release by Kino Lorber. A Blu-Ray and DVD will be released on March 10th.

Los Angeles Plays Itself

I’m going to do a bit of cheating here. Los Angeles Plays Itself originally came out in 2003, but 2014 saw a  proper release of the film with remastered video and audio. Before 2014, you could only see Thom Andersen’s incredible video essay through crappy online copies or a rare screening. Now the film is available for all to purchase and watch, and if you have any interest in Los Angeles it’s absolutely essential viewing. Andersen opens the film with an idea: if people can appreciate documentaries for their fictional qualities, why can’t the opposite be true? So he does exactly that, using countless features taking place (or shot) in Los Angeles to show the development of the city, as well as how decisions on and off the screen impact each other (one of my favourite parts: when Andersen explains how the city’s modernist architecture was devalued by having the movies always associate the look with antagonists). Andersen’s incredible, in-depth research and personal touches elevate the film into more than just an academic piece, and it’s so involving the nearly 3 hour runtime flies by. In fact, by the end you’ll wish it kept going. [C.J.]

Availability: Available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD, and currently available to stream on Netflix Instant.

Lucky Them

In last year’s feature on overlooked films, I put Megan Griffiths’ underseen thriller Eden on the list. Now, one year later, I’m putting yet another film by Griffiths on this list. Why is it that her films seem to attract little attention? Lucky Them is a really solid work, a grade above a lot of romantic comedies because of its cast, screenplay and themes. Toni Collette plays Ellie, a music journalist ordered by her boss to cover the disappearance of her ex-boyfriend, a legendary musician who vanished over a decade ago. Ellie teams up with an eccentric aspiring filmmaker (Thomas Haden Church) to travel across the country and find out what happened to her ex. Collette and Church have great chemistry, and both actors do a terrific job making their characters feel like fully realized people despite their eccentric qualities. Griffiths also does a great job sustaining a low-key, breezy tone to her film, one that makes it effortless to invest in Ellie’s quest to confront her past. Lucky Them is far from extraordinary, but so what? I wish more movies could be as consistently charming as this. [C.J.]

Availability: Out now on DVD and available to rent or buy on iTunes.

Open Windows

I’m going to take a bit of a defensive stance here, since Open Windows got a thrashing from critics when it came out (its average rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 33%). One of the main criticisms lobbied against Nacho Vigalondo’s film was its stupidity, dumb plot twists piled on top of each other, technology that made no sense, and an intriguing gimmick that eventually gets tossed off. But give Open Windows a break. Do you honestly think a movie that casts Sasha Grey as an A-list actress not willing to do nude scenes doesn’t know what it’s doing? Open Windows is as fun as it is silly, a visually inventive little thriller taking place entirely on someone’s computer screen. Vigalondo throws some clunky messaging about the dangers of technology in there, but he’s far more impressive when he prefers showing over telling. One of the film’s gimmicks is a piece of software (seriously, the programs in this movie make the “Zoom, enhance” stuff on CSI look 100% real) that renders people and locations into abstract, polygonal shapes made up of multiple camera angles. It’s a strange sight to behold, and a pretty fascinating way of showing how modern technology distorts the way we see things. The originality in something like that alone makes it easy to forgive any shortcomings Open Windows might have. [C.J.]

Availability: Available to rent or buy on iTunes.

The Overnighters

Review
Interview with director Jesse Moss

When I caught The Overnighters at Hot Docs last March, I felt it was going to make waves when it finally got released. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way; it’s in the running for a Best Documentary nomination at the Oscars, but despite critical praise The Overnighters hasn’t taken off with audiences. It’s a huge shame too, since The Overnighters feels like the kind of documentary people will look back on and revere years from now. It’s a remarkable look at the town of Williston, ND, one of the only towns in America that found itself booming during the country’s recent economic hardships. Jay Reinke, the town’s Lutheran minister, allows people arriving in town looking for work to sleep in his church, and his commitment to helping out those in need of shelter triggers a disastrous chain of events. It’s incredible filmmaking, and my pick for the best documentary of 2014. Run to catch this one if it’s playing near you; calling The Overnighters unforgettable feels like an understatement. [C.J.]

Availability: Drafthouse Films currently have the film rolling out in a limited release across the US. No word on home video/VOD availability yet, but you can arrange a screening in your town through here.

Pride

Review
Interview with screenwriter Stephen Beresford and Jonathan Blake

As I’ve gotten older, I’m become more and more cynical about movies that seem like blatant crowd pleasers – I can see right through those middlebrow films taking on fairly obvious and safe political stances, playing them off as something progressive. Matthew Warchus’s Pride fits this description, and yet it somehow hit just the right spot for me. The mid-80s true-life story of a group of young gay and lesbian activists raising money for a small community of striking miners is incredibly sweet, big-hearted and funny. It hits many of the well-trodden gay and lesbian cinematic tropes, but the relationship between the two groups gives a new perspective on the issues, with a bit of fish-out-of-water humor that feels refreshing. Pride also scores one of the year’s best ensembles, with great performances from veterans Imelda Staunton, Paddy Considine and Bill Nighy, along with relative newcomers Ben Schnetzer and Faye Marsay. And if that’s not enough, what other film features an extended dance sequence with Dominic West and disco? Despite being one of the most successful indies in its native UK (it beat out Mr. Turner, Calvary and The Imitation Game, all films with a much higher profile, for the British Independent Film Award), and a decent theatrical release, I don’t feel Pride got much love stateside. Outside of a rather surprising Golden Globe nomination in the Best Musical or Comedy category, I haven’t seen the film get much mention with critics as one of the year’s best. Pride certainly deserves more attention from us yanks. [Aaron]

Availability: Out on Blu-ray/DVD and available to rent/buy on iTunes.

A Spell to Ward off the Darkness

Review

A film I saw very early in 2014 that still feels like I only saw it yesterday, A Spell to Ward off the Darkness follows a quiet, unnamed man (Robert A.A. Lowe) as he tries out three completely different lifestyles: living on an Estonian commune, living alone in a Finnish forest, and fronting a black metal band in Norway. Directors Ben Rivers and Ben Russell come from a background that includes experimental filmmaking and ethnography, and through their film’s structure put a heavy emphasis on how location defines a person, as well as throwing in plenty of existential and philosophical themes. Their approach is completely absorbing, but it’s in the film’s final third that Rivers & Russell let out a loud, transcendent howl as they observe Lowe perform a concert with his band. Not many people had the chance to catch A Spell to Ward off the Darkness last year, but in my eyes it’s one of the year’s biggest cinematic achievements. It’s a truly unique and transfixing experience through-and-through. [C.J.]

Availability: Still in limited theatrical release at the moment, and currently streaming on Fandor. Readers across the pond (or people with region free capabilities) can purchase a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack in the UK.

Stop the Pounding Heart

Since 2011, Italian filmmaker Roberto Minervini has made three films taking place in Texas, using nonprofessional actors and seamlessly merging documentary with fiction. Stop the Pounding Heart is the final film in this trilogy (note: the films aren’t linked narratively, so you don’t have to see the other two first), and quite possibly the best one out of the lot. Minervini follows Sara, a 14-year-old living with her Christian family on a goat farm. Her family is extremely devout, with her mother home schooling Sara and her siblings with teachings from the Bible. Sara starts hanging out with Colby, a young bull rider, and soon goes into a crisis of faith over whether or not she should follow her desires or the role God intends for her. It’s hard to find a moment in here that feels forced or set-up; Minervini appears to create a fictional narrative from his documentary footage, and it’s fascinating to see how well his methods evoke Sara’s inner struggles with such potency. Minervini never shows an ounce of judgment towards his subjects’ lifestyle either, and by doing so he opens the film up to explore fascinating issues delving well below the surface. [C.J.]

Availability: Big World Pictures are currently showing the film in limited release across the US. No word yet on when the film will be available on home video.

Vic + Flo Saw A Bear

Review

Released early in 2014, Denis Cote’s Vic + Flo Saw a Bear is quite a beguiling film. It’s quirky, but Cote’s approach is so precise (yet off-kilter at the same time) it’s on a completely different planet than the sort of indie comedy you’d expect. It’s like a thriller that doesn’t realize what it is until much later. The title characters are lovers from prison. At the beginning, Vic goes to stay at a dying relative’s after she’s out of jail on parole. Flo eventually joins her, and the two try to start a life together in rural Quebec. For a time, Cote hits a really funny groove with his film as his characters’ uncompromising attitude clashes with everyone they encounter (including Vic’s parole officer). Eventually things take an unexpected turn, although it’s easy to go along with the film’s abrupt shift in tone. Vic + Flo is the best kind of unexpected movie, one where it’s impossible to guess what will happen from one minute to the next. And in case you’re wondering: they don’t see a bear. You’ll have to watch the film to take a guess at the title’s meaning. [C.J.]

Availability: Available now on DVD, Netflix Instant, iTunes and other VOD services.

Watchers of the Sky

Review

Raphael Lemkin dedicated his entire life to stopping genocide from ever occurring again (he actually invented the word “genocide” as part of his quest to make it a recognizable crime), but his efforts were barely noticed. He died penniless, with less than a dozen people showing up to his funeral. Edet Belzberg’s documentary aims to give Lemkin the treatment he deserves by focusing on several people around the world still continuing his fight today. What her documentary shows is a beautiful portrait of the human condition, of people continually fighting against the current to make the future a better place. Lemkin, as well as the different subjects Belzberg profiles, know they’ll face impossible odds. They know they’ll go to their grave without seeing their dreams and goals realized, and with little appreciation from others for what they’ve done. But they know their actions will make it easier for the next generation to continue the fight, and that their own needs are trumped by the scale of their battle. There’s nothing more awe-inspiring than seeing that level of selflessness on display. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently in a limited theatrical release.

White Bird in a Blizzard

Review

Not many people liked Gregg Araki’s latest film (including some of us on this very site), but count me as a fan of White Bird in a Blizzard. Taking place in the ’80s, White Bird focuses on the coming of age of Kat (Shailene Woodley), a bored suburban teenager with little else to do besides sleep with the cute boy across the street. One day her mom (Eva Green, in full-out Virginia Woolf mode) disappears, and from there the film turns into a sort of lazy mystery. Yes, Kat wants to find out what happened to her mom, but she’s also busy trying to figure out herself as she transitions from high school to college. Araki shoots the film with a unique, melancholy tone, underscored by gorgeous cinematography and a killer soundtrack (no matter what your opinion of Araki is, his music taste is impeccable). And it should be mentioned that this is by far Woodley’s best work to date, showing that she’s the real deal within her group of young, up and coming actors. In my eyes, this is Araki’s best film since Mysterious Skin. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently on VOD, and will get a DVD & Blu-Ray release on January 20th.

Zero Motivation

2014 saw a lot of great new talent emerging behind the camera, including Israeli writer/director Talya Lavie. Zero Motivation, her debut feature, focuses on young female soldiers counting the days until their mandatory conscription finishes. Close friends Zohar and Daffi can’t stand their boring office work, but soon a strange series of events leads to a falling out between the two. Lavie structures her film in a way similar to her characters’ feelings of frustration and boredom. She’ll switch focus at times, suddenly following a different character on the base, or even introduce some surreal elements into the mix. It all comes together to make a confidently pleasant experience, one that’s surprisingly funny and likable. The film’s episodic structure (split into three parts), and emphasis on character over narrative make Zero Motivation feel like an extended pilot for a TV sitcom about soldiers dealing with their humdrum day-to-day lives. And I won’t lie: if it actually was a TV show, I’d probably tune in every week. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently in a limited theatrical release.

Now that we’re officially at the halfway mark of the year, we put our heads together here at Way Too Indie to come up with our favorite films of 2014 so far. Our list contains a variety of films ranging from festival darlings, indie dramas, horror movies, and even a couple of (really good) mainstream movies. We decided to only include films that had a North American release date between January 1st through June 30th to keep things consistent. Considering our list for the front-half of the year looks this solid, we’re eagerly waiting to see what the rest of year brings. In the meantime, here are the best films of 2014…so far.

Way Too Indie’s Best Films of 2014 (So Far)

#15 – The Immigrant

James Gray is quickly becoming one of the most shamefully unsung directors of American cinema today. He started off remarkably well in 1994, when his debut Little Odessa won the Silver Bear at Venice. Fast forward 20 years, and he’s only managed to complete four more features, mostly because his films haven’t been getting the critical and box-office love needed to stay prolific. The pattern continues with his latest, The Immigrant – which premiered at Cannes last year, and bless the French festival for realizing Gray’s talent because since his debut, every single one of his features unveiled there. If you’ve seen the first part of our Best Of 2014 (So Far) Hangouts session, you’ll hear me showering all kinds of praise on this beautiful, gentle, unique, and softly stirring picture about a woman’s unwavering love for her sister, a man’s wavering love for this woman, and the rock-solid strength of faith. Detractors like to call it out on its melodrama but I think Gray manages, thanks in large part to the orchestration of the mise-en-scene and cinematography which glide us back into its 1920s New York setting, to put the mellow in the real drama of the story. Marion Cotillard, Gray-regular Joaquin Phoenix, and Jeremy Renner deliver outstanding performances, and lovers of visual storytelling will be rightly gawking at the last shot of the film for some time. It’s still my favorite of the year. Don’t listen to the hushed-up welcome The Immigrant received once it finally got released this year, and go melt into it on the big screen as soon as you can. [Nik]
Watch Trailer

#14 – Oculus

I’ll be the first to admit that a horror film centered around a haunted mirror sounds ridiculous. While Mike Flanagan’s Oculus contains a simple premise—an antique mirror that possesses people to commit murder—the film is surprisingly smart. The film begins by having two siblings recall their past with wildly different interpretations, forcing the audience to pick a side. Then with fancy editing techniques, Oculus seamlessly blends flashbacks into the present, making it impossible to tell what’s real and what the mirror is manipulating. Like The Conjuring before it, Oculus demonstrates how unsettling suspense that sticks with you is far superior to temporary jump scares. [Dustin]
Oculus Review | Watch Trailer

#13 – A Spell To Ward off the Darkness

The symbol separating each of the three acts in A Spell to Ward off the Darkness is an equilateral triangle, an image that would appropriately sum up the film’s structure. As a mute, unnamed man (Robert A.A. Lowe) spends a third of the film trying out a specific lifestyle (living on an Estonian commune, living in isolation in Finland, performing with a black metal band in Norway) before promptly moving on to the next, directors Ben Rivers & Ben Russell craft a cinematic powerhouse about an existential quest for belonging. The sublime camerawork, from a hypnotic opening shot to a gorgeous long take watching the man fish, comes to a head in the film’s final third. As the man embraces primal fury through his playing with the metal band, the film’s themes come together in a spiritual, near-transcendental way. It’s sublime filmmaking, plain and simple. [CJ]
A Spell To Ward off the Darkness Review | Watch Trailer

#12 – Locke

On a late night highway drive into London, Tom Hardy navigates a series of phone calls that unravel his life in close to real time, despite his never leaving the confines of a BMW X5. If that idea doesn’t intrinsically sound compelling, there is little in Locke that will convince you otherwise; however, the subtle-yet-bold execution from writer-director Steven Knight (writer of Dirty Pretty Things & Eastern Promises) makes the film stand out even amongst one-man thrillers. In the lead role, Hardy delivers a strong performance that doesn’t require overt physicality. Despite its limiting setting, Locke remains compelling through carefully constructed dialogs and engaging until its ending. [Zachary]
Locke Review | Watch Trailer

#11 – Chef

Food porn it is, but one-dimensional it’s not. Jon Favreau’s winning, heartfelt dramedy Chef follows a creatively plateaued executive chef (Favreau) as he travels cross-country with his son and best friend (John Leguizamo) in the food truck of his dreams to rediscover his passion for food. From watching Favreau chomp on a crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside grilled cheese, to seeing him in ecstasy as he savors a smoky, tender morsel of Texas barbecue, the film will make you want to sprint out of the theater and straight to the closest eatery, guaranteed. The film’s got soul, too, as it tells a touching father-son tale that’ll make even the hardest of hearts a little sniffly. (Or maybe it’s the onions…) The cast of A-players, including Sofia Vergara, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey Jr., and Scarlett Johansson, are well-suited in their roles and each have good chemistry with Favreau. Post-movie dinner plans are a must! [Bernard]
Chef Review | Watch Trailer

#10 – Cold in July

Jim Mickle has been stunning audiences for a few years now with his run of successful indie horror films, but this sopping wet with sweat, moody and atmospheric 1980’s set Texan thriller is his best yet. When a decent man (Michael C. Hall) accidentally kills an intruder in his home, it brings the intruder’s father to town to even the score. When Hall does some digging into his own shooting he finds out that he may or may not be able to trust the cops that investigated the crime. From there Cold in July unspools into gritty grind house delight as loads of blood is spilled in a spectacular shootout. [Blake]
Cold in July Review | Watch Trailer

#9 – Blue Ruin

This Southern thriller is a mixture of revenge, brutal violence and unpredictability. A mysterious man, who happens to be horrible as an assassin, goes after a family of hicks who in some capacity (we never find out why) wronged his own. What makes Blue Ruin so good is that it never insults the audience’s intelligence and has a clear direction it wants to go in. It also has a lead character who chooses to carry out acts of violent vengeance and at times isn’t completely up to the task. Making a revenge film with a lead character that is very sloppy is a breath of fresh air. The lesson of the film? Revenge is never simple and it’s never clean. [Blake]
Blue Ruin Review | Watch Trailer

#8 – The Double

Two Jesse Eisenbergs: one painfully nebbish, the other unflappably confident. Many actors have pulled off portraying their own doppleganger but in The Double, Eisenberg’s dual roles exist in a beautifully detailed retro-futuristic environment reminiscent of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. The 2nd feature from actor/filmmaker Richard Ayoade retains the quirky sense of humor that defined his teenage love comedy Submarine, but the tone is considerably more mature in The Double with darker jokes and deeper philosophical themes. Ayoade’s movie moves at a brisk pace, bouncing between comedy, drama, romance and thriller in an unpredictable manner until its shocking ending. Although The Double contains significant, notable influences from others filmmakers, the amalgam of ideas portrayed in this movie becomes the unique vision of Ayoade. [Zachary]
The Double Review | Watch Trailer

#7 – Stranger by the Lake

Set entirely on a beach where gay men rendezvous for brief sexual encounters, Stranger by the Lake is among the year’s best and most unusual thrillers. When Franck witnesses a man being drowned in the lake by his lover, he is pulled between fear and seduction, unsure whether to go to the police or get even closer to the mysterious killer. Still, Stranger by the Lake is much more than a run-of-the-mill murder thriller — though those elements are extraordinarily tuned. Dealing with many issues surrounding homosexuality, including inclusion, community and being “the other”, the film also becomes among the most probing films in a rapidly growing gay cinema. You can come for the exploration of these issues and then stay for the explicit sex scenes. All of this tension (sexual and otherwise) leads to a dynamite conclusion that will have you on the edge of your seat. [Aaron]
Stranger by the Lake Review | Watch Trailer

#6 – Snowpiercer

Summer is normally the breeding ground when studios launch their latest franchise/sequel blockbuster to the masses. At first glance, Snowpiercer seems to hit all the check marks for a standard popcorn movie: huge budget ($40 million), all-star cast (Chris Evans, Ed Harris, Tilda Swinton), and a graphic novel adaptation that promises action. But Snowpiercer remarkably satisfies both the arthouse and mainstream crowds with a high-concept plotline stuffed with stunning visuals and marvelous action sequences.

This single location blockbuster is set in the near feature where a chemical reaction creates a new ice age, survived only by a small group of people aboard a sophisticated train that travels around the world on an endless loop. A class system divides the train’s society, causing the lower class to revolt against the billionaire industrialist at the helm. The film’s pacing perfectly balances thoughtful backstories with action-packed mayhem. The Weinstein Company’s decision to make Snowpiercer a limited release is a shame, this is a rare science-fiction film that everyone should see. [Dustin]
Snowpiercer Review | Watch Trailer

#5 – Only Lovers Left Alive

Yes, Only Lovers Left Alive is one of the best vampire films in ages, but calling it a “vampire movie” would be selling it short. Jarmusch is more fascinated by immortality and human creativity. Vampire couple Adam & Eve (Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton, both fantastic), while madly in love with each other, differ on their view of humans. Adam’s cynicism toward “zombies” consistently goes up against Eve’s optimism (when Adam says he feels like the sand is at the bottom of the hourglass, she tells him to turn it over), but Jarmusch clearly takes Eve’s side on the debate. Only Lovers Left Alive is a celebration of artistic triumphs, with piles of literary and musical references only Jarmusch is able to pull off without any sense of pomposity. These characters have lived for centuries, and it becomes clear that, for them, their only true friends are the various forms of art they surround themselves with. Through this Jarmusch paints a different view of eternal life; humans may not live forever, but their art and legacy will never die. [CJ]
Only Lovers Left Alive Review | Watch Trailer

#4 – Under The Skin

If there is a more alluring and visually striking film than Under the Skin to come out this year, I want to see it immediately (and then probably disagree). Jonathan Glazer’s nine-year return to feature filmmaking is a strange mix of science fiction and horror, though it doesn’t really try hard to be either. Instead, it simplifies everything (almost radical for modern sci-fi), taking out most of a conventional plot for mood and visual poetry. The film never gives us any direct explanation of who our alien protagonist is and why she is on her mission, but these answers probably aren’t that important. Scarlett Johansson’s unnamed visitor, who roams through the misty Scottish cities looking to trap men to steal their essence, is both otherworldly and human, frightening and sympathetic. Even though there isn’t a lot of plot for her to deliver, it is one of the most challenging performances of the year so far and one of her best. Add in one of the most interesting productions ever, an unforgettable score, and a repeated haunting scene featuring total blackness, and Under the Skin is creeping in on special distinction. [Aaron]

Under The Skin Review | Watch Trailer

#3 – Nymphomaniac (Vol 1+2)

Lars Von Trier, you lunatic. Much has been said about Von Trier’s latest opus, starting with its various lengths, versions, and parts. The bottom line on that is that the original 5 and a half hour uncut full version has yet to see a theatrical light of day anywhere, the film was split into two volumes for easier distribution, and both volumes were censored and cut down into two 2-hour-long parts. An uncut Vol.1 premiered at the Berlinale, and an uncut Vol.2 will premiere at TIFF later this year, but consider this entry as the full, censored & stripped-down version of Nymphomaniac that’s seen public release. There should be colossal quotations marks around stripped down, of course, since even a censored and cut Von Trier manages to protrude, probe, and puncture all kinds of safety nets to make – in my opinion – the greatest film in 2014 released so far. What makes Nymphomaniac one of Von Trier’s greatest accomplishments and something of a crowning achievement for his career thus far, is that the film manages to be his funniest, most entertaining, deeply felt, super-intellectual, and most vulnerable to date. Through the character of Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), Von Trier gets to criticize humanity’s hypocritical ethics and morals, and through Seligman (Stellan Skarsgaard) he gets to make the most wonderful digressions about the art of fly-fishing and Edgar Allan Poe, among other things. Nymphomaniac is also a film about storytelling, individual freedom, identity, sanctity of faith, and sex. Lots and lots of sex. It’s something of a miracle, then, that it’s one of the most tasteful and thought-provoking films of the past few years. [Nik]
Nymphomaniac Review | Watch Trailer

#2 – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Never has Wes Anderson worked with such precision, elegance, and style as he does in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Brimming with delectable fancies, the tale of hotel concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and his misadventures with his loyal lobby boy Zero (newcomer Tony Revolori) is one of Anderson’s best, transforming from murder mystery to heist film seamlessly all while telling a charming story of friendship throughout. Fiennes gives one of the deftest performances of his career, bringing M. Gustave to life while upholding the character’s rigid formality. The period setting of the remote, 1930s European resort plays to Anderson’s strengths, fitting his colorful visual style like a glove and making the film a wonder to behold. It’s hard to think of a moviemaker more technically sound, and The Grand Budapest Hotel is quite possibly the finest demonstration of his skills. [Bernard]
The Grand Budapest Hotel Review | Watch Trailer

#1 – The LEGO Movie

If you’ve seen The Lego Movie, you probably aren’t judging us right now quite so harshly as our indie-devoted followers are, because you are in on it. We know guys, we know. Our #1 of the year so far is an animated so-called children’s movie starring a toy brand. Which just proves great movies can come out of anywhere.

Directing-writing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have written a script that jumps the adult-child barrier possibly better than any family film ever has. Employing major voice talent throughout, the film features the voice of Chris Pratt as Emmet, a construction worker Lego who wholeheartedly embraces the Lego drone lifestyle, being the best version of the limited self he can be. When he finds a strange red block that attaches itself to him in a construction zone one day, badass chick Wildstyle (voiced in sultry tones by Elizabeth Banks) declares him the prophesied ‘Special’, the Lego hero who will save them all from Lord Business (Will Ferrell, of course) and encourage creativity in the Lego world. Emmet accepts the title, hoping to get in with Wildstyle, and the two, along with Batman (Will Arnett), Unikitty (Alison Brie), Spaceman Benny (Charlie Day), and the Gandalf/God-like Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), embark on an epic journey to save the people of their world. The film is sharply hilarious and perfectly poignant. Opting for a refreshing think for yourself message and positing that being oneself is better than hoping for ‘specialness’, The Lego Movie throws the usual themes of uniquely qualified heroes down the drain. Adding to the impressive story and non-stop laughs is a film that looks truly innovative. Bright and colorful, the film looks like a stop-animated film made from real Lego materials, the details are simply astounding.

When a film gets all the elements right, it doesn’t matter if it was made for 4-year-olds or 40-year-olds, it’s just damn good. [Ananda]
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We’re already halfway through 2014, so that means it’s time to take a look back over the last 6 months and see what’s stood out. As a preview for our staff list of the 15 best films of 2014 so far, a few of us will be pairing up and going through our top five films of the year.

In our third and finally installment of our special “Best of 2014” so far Hangout series, Blake and I talk about our Top 5 films of the year. We ended up agreeing with most of each other’s picks, but had a fair amount of differences of opinion on each other’s top picks. We also reveal our honorable mentions and films we look forward to later in the year. Watch the Hangout below to see it all play out.

Also, be sure to watch the other sessions: Part 1 with CJ and Nik and Part 2 with Bernard and Ananda.

Dustin’s Top 5

#1  Nymphomaniac (Volume I & Volume II)

#2  Snowpiercer (review)

#3  The LEGO Movie

#4  Young & Beautiful (review)

#5  Like Father, Like Son (review)

Blake’s Top 5

#1  Cold in July (review)

#2  Blue Ruin (review)

#3  Edge of Tomorrow

#4  The LEGO Movie

#5  Snowpiercer (review)

Hangout Timestamps

0:00 – 1:34 – Intro
1:35 – 9:15 – Honorable Mentions
9:16 – 10:59 – Blake’s #5
11:00 – 16:00 – Dustin’s #5
16:01 – 21:28 – Blake’s #4
21:29 – 28:20 – Dustin’s #4
28:21 – 36:50 – Blake’s #3
36:51 – 40:35 – Dustin’s #3
40:36 – 45:16 – Blake’s #2
45:17 – 48:30 – Dustin’s #2
48:31 – 57:10 – Blake’s #1
57:11 – 105:00 – Dustin’s #1
105:01 – 108:20 – Looking ahead
108:21 – 109:27 – Outro

In Jim Mickle’s chameleonic noir thriller Cold in July, an adaptation of the cult novel by Joe R. Lansdale, Michael C. Hall takes perhaps the most drastic departure in his career, playing Richard Dane, a timid, unremarkable picture frame store owner who accidentally shoots a burglar in his small-town Texas home in the film’s wonderfully edited, punchy opening. The gutless Richard, shaken by the consequences of his twitchy trigger finger, is soon plunged head-first into a world of old-school cowboy badasses and gunfights when Russel, (a gruff Sam Shepard) the father of the slain home invader, seeks revenge on Richard and his family. The strength of Mickle’s film is that, once you feel like you know exactly where it’s going, it takes an unexpected turn and becomes almost a new kind of film entirely. The film’s weakness is that the varied forms it inhabits feel largely derivative, not elevated enough to free themselves from the norm.

At first, Richard and his wife (Vinessa Shaw) and son are terrorized by Russel, with the creepy ex-con picking up where his son left off, invading the Dane home, more as an act of intimidation than stealing. Mickle is gifted at squeezing every bit of intensity and terror out of classic stalker scenes, and these early sequences are truly gripping. He relishes in playing with genre conventions, mining the work of Romero most notably, though less so than his Zombie thriller, Stake Land. Pulpy ’70s flicks inform Cold in July‘s style throughout, with grisly flashes of violence punctuating Mickle’s methodical approach to action. (An exception is the film’s climax, a nighttime shootout that falls apart quickly and finishes of the film with an ugly thud.)

Hall, wearing a gloriously ’80s mullet, is fantastic as Richard, a meek man forced to become a tough-guy overnight. Helping him along on his road to becoming a true badass is Don Johnson, playing a karate-kicking private eye who gives the film a welcome dose of bravado. The relationship between Richard and Russel goes to unexpected places I won’t spoil here, but I will say that Hall and Shepard have a quiet chemistry that stretches them both as actors. Shaw, however, is regrettably invisible, adding little to the emotional core of the story, despite her character’s positioning in the plot being ripe for powerful scenes of heartache and fear. Those scenes never come.

Richard’s arc is fascinating on paper; he’s faced with the responsibility of being an alpha male for the sake of protecting his family. In that gunshot flash that opens the movie, he sends himself down a path he’d never had the desire to go down, and yet, he must man up or perish. What sullies the emotional impact of his story are the later acts, whose blood-splattering violence is so arresting and dizzying you forget the subtle details of what brought our hero there in the first place. Everything devolves into midnight movie craziness, and while it doesn’t erase how involving the first two thirds of the film are, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. There’s a powerful theme of fatherly duty swimming around in the buckets of blood, but it in the end it all but drowns.

Cold in July trailer