Matty's Top Ten Films of 2014

1. Under the Skin - As the year has gone on, the mysterious allure of Jonathan Glazer's sci-fi, arthouse curiouso looms larger and larger. I simply cannot shake this film from my memory. Every time I have thought of this year in cinema, an image from this film has lept into my mind. 
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel - Anderson continues to prove he can develop upon his signature aesthetic. This film is a blast. It is as meticulously crafted as any of his films but somehow feels breezier than anything else he has done. 
3. Snowpiecer - This film is so gonzo and so into itself that even the most ridiculous parts of it worked for me. I loved this sci-fi allegory on class and inequality. 
4. Jodorosky's Dune - A celebration of madness and creativity. The film works as an introduction to Jodorosky, a tale of the greatest unfilmed film, and as a wonderful historical precursor for the brilliance of Ridley Scott's Alien. 
5. Blue Ruin - This film is the Coen Brothers film of the year. While not directed by them, it shares the same DNA as many of their great films. Darkly funny and tragic in every frame, Blue Ruin is the thriller of the year. 
6. The Babadook - Simply the best horror film of the year. The way in which this film creates its own lore and then reveals something so real and human behind it all is simply magnificent. I cannot sing the praises of this one more.
7. Guardians of the Galaxy - The best blockbuster in ages and a true sign that the best blockbusters are directed by people with creative voices. James Gunn infuses every element of this film with his off-kilter enthusiasm and creates a Marvel film unlike any other.
8. The Edge of Tomorrow - Another great blockbuster and solid sci-fi film. This is a rare example in which both the male and female leads are completely equal in an action film.
9. We Are The Best - A film of pure, youthful joy. We follow three young girls who start a punk band despite their lack of knowing how to play.
10. The Lego Movie - The best animated film of the year. Full of so many sight gags, pop culture references and general wit that it could have supplied three comedies with jokes.

Honorable Mentions: Boyhood, Starred Up, The Guest, Nightcrawler, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Gone Girl, and Interstellar.