Joshua Chaplinsky's Favorite Films of 2014

It's that time of year again. When everyone and their mother's nephew's cousin foists their unenlightened opinions on the equally unenlightened masses. Consume, regurgitate, repeat. Why do we do it? You'd be better off asking Why is the sky purple?—because it isn't. I don't think I can articulate an answer, which is why I present to you these ten films. They are their own answer, and that is answer enough for me. Hopefully they will provoke the appropriate question from some of you.

BLIND directed by Eskil Vogt

Norway's Eskil Vogt is a massively talented storyteller. He was the pen behind REPRISE and OSLO, AUGUST 31st (a pair of fabulous films directed by Joachim Trier), and it was only a matter of time before he took a run at the director's chair. With BLIND he proves he is just as skilled behind the camera as he is on the page, immersing us in the world of the sightless, weaving fantasy and reality with the fluidity of a master. Don't take vision for granted—see BLIND.

SPRING directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

It just shouldn't work as well as it does. The whole BEFORE SUNRISE meets monster movie conceit. On paper it sounds ridiculous, but in the hands of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead—the duo behind the criminally under-seen RESOLUTION—this horror romance becomes bigger than the sum of its parts. Experience it with someone you love.

NIGHTCRAWLER directed by Dan Gilroy

Our little Bubble Boy is all grown up and he is WEIRD. But he's a quick study, and calculating as fudge. Like Travis Bickle with ambition. A superb directorial debut from Dan Gilroy, brother of Tony (writer of THE CUTTING EDGE!). The climax of this film is intense. Cheers to Gyllenhaal for continuing to choose oddball roles like this and his double-duty turn in ENEMY.

THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY directed by Peter Strickland

Peter Strickland's followup to the aural delights of BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO is a sumptuous feast for the eyes. Nom nom nom. (Those are my eyes, eating it.) It is sexy without being smutty, finds humor in unexpected places, and boasts one of the most realistic screen relationships I've ever seen, despite the S&M trappings. Also see this with someone you love. You will never complain about compromise again after discovering the "human toilet."

HOUSEBOUND directed by Gerard Johnstone

This was a film I went into knowing next to nothing about. It played during the midnight slot at Fantastic Fest. By that hour, my patience is usually paper thin, old man that I am. But HOUSEBOUND moved these dead bones with its effervescent humor and predictability-denying horror. Loads of gory fun from New Zealand. Somewhere, Peter Jackson is weeping tears of joy for the son he never had. (That's a lie, he has a son. He just doesn't love him. Sorry, Billy.)

GONE GIRL directed by David Fincher

Misanthropic maven David Fincher returns with another adaptation of a bestselling novel about a girl, and this time he gets it right. Not that GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was a failure—and this could be because I haven't read Flynn's novel—but GONE GIRL just flows better. It's long but not overlong, and doesn't have as many unnecessary endings. Plus, it gets bonus points for palatable casting of Ben "Potato Head" Affleck.

DER SAMURAI directed by Till Kleinert

This queer little fantasy (queer in both senses of the word) was one of my most exciting film discoveries of the year. It's about a small-town policeman who must protect the populace from a killer wolf while he wrestles with his sexual identity. Stylishly directed by Till Kleinert and featuring a fearless performance by Pit Bukowski, this is as audacious a debut as they come. To top it off, this was Kleinert's senior thesis film for the German Film and Television Academy. I can't wait to see what he does next.

My Full Review

BIRDMAN directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu

You wanna see Keaton get nuts? Rub another man's rhubarb? Support this film. Don't call it a comeback, Keaton's been here for years. We're the ones who've been missing. This is an acting masterclass (and the direction's not too shabby, either). Looks like Inarritu finally got bored of making the same depressing movie over and over again, and finally gave us something to sink the teeth of our eyes into. Nom.

THE TRIBE directed by Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy

THE TRIBE is a true original. How often does a writer get to say that without hyperbole? NEVER. A film like this has literally NEVER BEEN MADE BEFORE. There is no spoken dialogue. The film is entirely in Ukrainian sign language with no subtitles. And yet, it is completely riveting. The viewer has no problem following the story, or even inferring what is taking place in individual conversations. Plus, the did in the header image looks like my brother. Riveting. Did I say riveting? It's riveting.

EDGE OF TOMORROW directed by Doug Liman

If you had told me at the beginning of the year I was going to put a Tom Cruise actioner on my Best Of list, I would have punched you in the neck of the ass. Lucky for both of us, you didn't, because here we are. THE EDGE OF ALL YOU NEED IS KILL DIE REPEAT is everything a Hollywood blockbuster should be: smart (enough), competently written/directed/acted, and not full of (too many) preposterous leaps in logic. I'd put this up there with LOOPER and SOURCE CODE as Tent-pole done right. Score one for the Cruiser!