The Oscar nominations were announced yesterday,
but you needn’t look at them to know what the greatest cinematic
accomplishments of 2014 were (as if the Academy would tell you, anyway). Listed
below are my Top 10 films of the year, ranked in general order of preference,
with runners-up and honorable mentions.
A quick note on the year before we get down to
it: like any other year, 2014 had plenty to offer in the way of diverse,
compelling, thought-provoking, and artistically and culturally prodigious
cinema. If it seems to somewhat pale in comparison to 2013, at least for me,
that’s because there were fewer films I unabashedly loved, and decidedly none I
would deem masterpieces. In other words, there was no Inside Llewyn Davis.
I awarded only one film all year the full four stars, although a few others
came close. But in the absence of undeniable knockout punches, there was a
lot to like.
TOP 10 after the jump!
