THIRTY-NINE (OR MORE) FAVORITE FILMS (AND NOT) OF 2014

THIRTY-NINE OR MORE FAVORITE FILMS (AND NOT) OF 2014 LATE 2013 RELEASES THAT I ONLY SAW THIS YEAR BUT ARE REALLY QUITE SOMETHING: THE PAST THE GREAT BEAUTY

BEST BACKDROP BUT MOST UNIMAGINATIVE SELF-NEGATING RESOLUTION: MALEFICENT/GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY/THE DROP

BEST PREMISE BUT MOST UNIMAGINATIVE SELF-NEGATING RESOLUTION: LUCY

FILM ATTEMPTING TO BE AN ACTION FILM WITH A BRAIN WHICH WRECKS ITSELF WITH 40 MINUTES TOO MUCH OF UNFOLLOWABLE SCENES OF INSANE DESTRUCTION: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

FILM THAT BROKE MY HEART BY BEING SO BORING I LEFT HALFWAY THROUGH DESPITE BEING DIRECTED BY CLINT EASTWOOD: JERSEY BOYS (Though it's not as bad as LEFT BEHIND)

FILM I'M NERVOUS ABOUT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A REIFICATION OF THE MYTH OF REDEMPTIVE VIOLENCE DESPITE BEING DIRECTED BY CLINT EASTWOOD: AMERICAN SNIPER

FILMS I HAVEN'T SEEN YET BECAUSE THE HOBBIT/THE HUNGER GAMES HAVE COLONIZED TWO THIRDS OF THE LOCAL SCREENS SO IT SOMETIMES TAKES FOREVER FOR DECENT STUFF TO GET TO WHERE I LIVE OR THE DECENT STUFF HAS TO LEAVE EARLY TO MAKE ROOM FOR MORE HOBBITS: INHERENT VICE TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT SELMA THE IMITATION GAME WILD TOP FIVE MR TURNER ROSEWATER

BIGGEST GENUINE WASTE OF TIME AND TALENT: JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT

SADDEST LESS THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS COULDA BEEN A CONTENDER BUT SOMETHING INEFFABLE WENT WRONG: MONUMENTS MEN/TRANSCENDENCE/THE JUDGE/THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING/EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS

SURPRISINGLY OK: ROBOCOP

FUN AND SWEET BUT NOT SURE WHAT ALL THE FUSS WAS ABOUT: CHEF

SURPRISINGLY PRETTY GREAT: GODZILLA

MOST EXCITING RE-RELEASE: SORCERER (seen at the magnificent and marvelously slightly ruined Cinefamily, with sound that was almost threatening)

FILM THAT I LOVED WHEN I SAW IT ON A SCREENER BUT REALLY NEED TO WATCH IN A CINEMA TO BE SURE: A MOST VIOLENT YEAR

TOP FORTY 40: THE OVERNIGHTERS 39: THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY 38: NIGHT MOVES 37: UNDER THE SKIN (and yes I did enjoy Muppets Most Wanted more) 36: MUPPETS MOST WANTED 35: ENEMY 34: JODOROWSKY'S DUNE 33: THE WIND RISES 32: OMAR 31: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON 30:ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE 29: BAD WORDS 28: THE DOG 27: MOOD INDIGO 26: BIG HERO SIX 25: LAND HO! 24: GONE GIRL 23: SNOWPIERCER 22: A MOST WANTED MAN 21: NOAH

TOP 20 COMING SOON - but if you want to see great movies and talk about them in person, why not come to Movies and Meaning next May! www.moviesandmeaning.com for info and tickets...