It was a year for small but sturdy dramas; only two documentaries cracked the Top 15, and only two films could truly be classified as comedies -- though many of the others have profoundly funny moments.
These were the movies I loved this year:
THE TOP 15
1. Frances Ha - I watched it three times, and I was amazed by Greta Gerwig each time and moved by her character's journey as crafted by Noah Baumbach.
2. The Broken Circle Breakdown - This one still gnaws at me; it is expertly assembled and downright heart-wrenching.
3. Nebraska - Funny, honest, touching; a perfect American film.
4. Blue Is the Warmest Color - I called it one of the greatest relationship movies ever; I gave this film, not Scorsese's, my three hours.
5. Mud - Might have been No. 1 if not for losing its momentum in the final reel. But until then, Matthew McConaughey was at his peak and director Jeff Nichols was on the verge of a masterpiece.
6. Enough Said - This one I watched twice, and Nicole Holofcener's air-tight script was graced by two fine actors -- Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late James Gandolfini.
7. Let the Fire Burn - Riveting. An unblinking account of the police bombing of Move members in Philadelphia in 1985.
8. Upstream Color - An obtuse love story, with layers that reveal themselves upon repeated viewing.
9. Short Term 12 - A gem of an indie that shows us how the next generation struggles to connect with each other.
10. Before Midnight - This could go just about anywhere on this list; if it wasn't so self-aware and hadn't spun its wheels in the beginning, it could have been the best in Richard Linklater's memorable trilogy.
11. Bert Stern: Original Madman - A fascinating study of one man's (love) life. This one really hit home.
12. In a World ... - Lake Bell wrote and starred in a thoroughly entertaining story full of quirk and great lines.
13. Museum Hours - Quiet beauty.
14. War Witch - A stirring tale of the horrors of war through one brave girl's eyes.
15. The Selfish Giant - Yet more kids turning in mesmerizing performances, and one of those undeniably bleak British dramas.
JUST MISSED THE LIST
- Much Ado About Nothing - Probably the best director (Joss Whedon) and best ensemble cast of the year.
- Computer Chess - Runner-up for best director; a fascinating period piece.
- The World's End - Exhaustingly hilarious.
- Philomena - Sweet and sorrowful.
- Supporting Characters - A surprisingly funny and clever little movie with solid performances all around.
- The Hunt - Strong acting in a disturbing tale.
- Sightseers - Another offbeat British offering, with a killer ending
- Shadow Dancer - The best thriller of the year.
- Augustine - Two fine actors in an unsettling drama.
- The Look of Love - Winterbottom and Coogan succeed even on an off day.
- Shun Li and the Poet - Yet another powerful relationship movie.
- Something in the Air - France's haunting version of "Not Fade Away."
- Side Effects - I'm still mulling this one over.
TOP DOCS
- Salinger - Not only did they not screw this up, but they nailed what is a difficult profile.
- 20 Feet From Stardom - Pure joy in a movie theater.
- AKA Doc Pomus - Pure bittersweet joy, and a true revelation in the same vein as 2012's "Searching for Sugarman."
- The Square - Urgent filmmaking.
- Blackfish - A technically sharp and effective polemic.
- Koch - More fun with a memorable character.
IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME
(Good films where we just didn't quite click)
- Inside Llewyn Davis
- A Touch of Sin
- Stories We Tell
- The Act of Killing
- An Oversimplification of Her Beauty
- The We and the I
- Fruitvale Station
GUILTY PLEASURES
- The Angels' Share
- Prince Avalanche
- Populaire
- In the House
- A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III
- The Bling Ring
TOP PERFORMANCES
- The Kids: Tye Sheridan in "Mud"; Annika Wedderkopp in "The Hunt"; Conner Chapman in "The Selfish Giant"
- Greta Gerwig in "Frances Ha"
- Jared Leto in "Dallas Buyers Club"
- Sandra Bullock in "Gravity"
- Michael Cera in "Crystal Fairy & The Magic Cactus"
- Adele Exarchopoulos in "Blue Is the Warmest Color"
- Bruce Dern in "Nebraska"
- Soren Malling in "A Hijacking"
THE DUDS
- Blue Jasmine: The worst of the worst: I don't know if I've ever squirmed that much during a feature film.
- Passion
- Hannah Arendt
- Drinking Buddies
- Renoir
- Elysium
- Like Someone in Love
COMING ATTRACTIONS
(Wish I'd seen these)
- The Past
- Mother of George
- You Will Be My Son
- Molly's Theory of Relativity
- Beyond the Hills
- All Is Lost
Stay tuned for reports on those last six titles once I catch up with them -- and plenty more -- as we forge ahead into February . . .
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