2014 in Film: A Year in Review

2013 was a tough year to follow in the world of cinema. The number of truly great films was far higher than usual, and there was only a handful of films to be released that I would label as complete garbage. While 2014 fell short of the overall quality of 2013, it was more than able to hold its own. The top 10 or so films were every bit as good as last year's and the great films were much more spread out (my top 10 films were released in 7 different months) than usual. Where 2014 fell short of the past couple years is with the relatively large number of disappointments. About 25-30% of the films I saw in 2014 managed  to fall at least somewhat short of my expectations, which is notably higher than the usual rate. Below is the complete list of films I saw in 2014, ranked from worst to best; as well as my early personal Oscar picks, selections for the year's best performances, biggest surprises/letdowns, etc. It should be noted that this list is tentative, and could change dramatically once I see all the films I have an interest in (those films are listed directly below this list) seeing from 2014. Hope you enjoy and feel free to leave your picks for the best/worst films of 2014 and/or any feedback on this list in the comment section below! 

81.Under the Skin (0/5)

80.The Rover (1/5)

79.Tusk (1/5)

78.Godzilla (1.5/5)

77.Transcendence (1.5/5)

76.Transformers: Age of Extinction (1.5/5)

75.This is Where I Leave You (1.5/5)

74.Filth (2/5)

73.Oculus (2/5)

72.Interstellar (2/5)

71.Cuban Fury (2.5/5)

70.Sex Tape (2.5/5)

69.When the Game Stands Tall (2.5/5)

68.They Came Together (2.5/5)

67.Fury (3/5)

66.The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (3/5)

65.Fading Gigolo (3/5)

64.Tammy (3/5)

63.About Last Night (3/5)

62.I, Frankenstein (3/5)

61.The Monuments Men (3/5)

60.Muppets Most Wanted (3/5)

59.Begin Again (3/5)

58.Blended (3/5)

57.Ride Along (3/5)

56.The Giver (3/5)

55.The One I Love (3/5)

54.The Equalizer (3/5)
53.Cold in July (3.5/5)

52.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (3.5/5)

51.Blue Ruin (3.5/5)

50.Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (3.5/5)

49.Deliver Us from Evil (3.5/5)

48.Adult World (3.5/5)

47.That Awkward Moment (3.5/5)

46.The Expendables 3 (3.5/5)

45.The Gambler (3.5/5)

44.Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (3.5/5)

43.Maleficent (3.5/5)

42.The Purge: Anarchy (3.5/5)

41.Snowpiercer (3.5/5)

40.3 Days to Kill (3.5/5)

39.Captain America: The Winter Solider (3.5/5)

38.Robocop (3.5/5)

37.Million Dollar Arm (3.5/5)

36.St. Vincent (3.5/5)

35.Hercules (3.5/5)

34.Chef (3.5/5)

33.Divergent (3.5/5)

32.Obvious Child (3.5/5)

31.The Fault in Our Stars (3.5/5)

30.Let's Be Cops (4/5)

29.Brick Mansions (4/5)

28.A Million Ways to Die in the West (4/5)

27.Need for Speed (4/5)

26.Life Itself (4/5)

25.The Lego Movie (4/5)

24.Birdman (4/5)

23.Edge of Tomorrow (4/5)

22.300: Rise of an Empire (4/5)
21.Bad Words (4/5)

20.Get on Up (4/5)

19.Sabotage (4/5)

18.Non-Stop (4/5)

17.The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part I (4/5)

16.Dom Hemingway (4/5)

15.Neighbors (4/5)

14.Noah (4/5)

13.John Wick (4/5)

12.The Interview (4/5)

11.The Skeleton Twins (4/5)

10.X-Men: Days of Future Past (4.5/5)

9.Guardians of the Galaxy (4.5/5)

8.The Raid 2 (4.5/5)
7.Draft Day (4.5/5)

6.Top Five (4.5/5)

5.Nightcrawler (4.5/5)

4.Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (4.5/5)

3.22 Jump Street (4.5/5)

2.Whiplash (4.5/5)

1.Gone Girl (4.5/5)

Still Need to See:
Enemy
Joe
Locke
The Protector 2
Boyhood
Lucy
Magic in the Moonlight
A Most Wanted Man
Calvary
The November Man
Life of Crime
Starred Up
The Drop
The Maze Runner
The Guest
A Walk Among the Tombstones
Jimi: All is By My Side
Pride
Annabelle
Men, Women & Children
Kill the Messenger
The Judge
Dear White People
Laggies
Force Majeure
White Bird in a Blizzard
Horns
Big Hero 6
Rosewater
Foxcatcher
Dumb and Dumber To
The Homesman
Horrible Bosses 2
The Imitation Game
The Babadook
Wild
Exodus: Gods and Kings
Unbroken
Big Eyes
Selma
American Sniper
A Most Violent Year

If I were to cast a ballot for the Oscars today, here's what it would look like:
Best Picture: Gone Girl
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress: Emma Stone, Birdman 
Best Director: Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Best Original Screenplay: Chris Rock, Top Five
Best Adapted Screenplay: Gillan Flynn, Gone Girl
Best Cinematography: Birdman
Best Score: Gone Girl
Best Visual Effects: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Biggest Surprises
1. Top Five
2. The Skeleton Twins
3. Dom Hemingway
4. Let's Be Cops
5. Divergent

Biggest Disappointments
1. Interstellar
2. Godzilla
3. Fury
4. The Expendables 3
5. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Most Underrated
1. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
2. Dom Hemingway
3. Sabotage
4. Get on Up
5. Hercules

Most Overrated
1. Fury
2. Interstellar
3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
4. Captain America: The Winter Solider
5. The Equalizer

Top 10 Performances of the Year
1. Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
2. Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
3. J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
4. Chadwick Boseman, Get on Up
5. Emma Stone, Birdman
6. Michael Keaton, Birdman
7. Eva Green, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
8. Bill Hader, The Skeleton Twins
9. Jude Law, Dom Hemingway
10. Chris Rock, Top Five

Top 10 Breakout Performances of the Year:
1.Bill Hader, The Skeleton Twins
2.Kristen Wiig, The Skeleton Twins
3.Jenny Slate, Obvious Child
4. Nelsan Ellis, Get on Up
5. Tyler Perry, Gone Girl
6. Zac Efron, Neigbors
7. Jeden Lieberher, St. Vincent
8. Ansel Elgort, The Fault in Our Stars
9. Emjay Anthony, Chef
10. Randall Park, The Interview 

Top 10 Best Ensemble Casts
1. Gone Girl
2. Top Five
3. Birdman
4. Whiplash
5. The Skeleton Twins
6. 22 Jump Street
7. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
8. Get on Up
9. Nightcrawler
10. Guardians of the Galaxy