THE IMITATION GAME - Movie Review

 Title: The Imitation Game
Running Time: 114 min
Director: Morten Tyldum
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Mark Strong, Charles Dance, Matthew Beard, Allen Leech

Review:
Biopics about brilliant scientists seem to be populare at the moment, because shortly after "The Theory of Everything" another hot Oscar-contender about one of history's greatest minds hit theaters. Our leading man is Benedict Cumberbatch, who has already captivated audiences portaying the fictional genius Sherlock Holmes and had his own shot at portraying Hawking in the BBC movie of the same name. This time however, he takes on the role of Alan Turing, the key player in breaking the 'unbreakable' German cypher in World War II and a pioneer in computer science.
"The Imitation Game" tries to capture this man's incredible life and manages to give us a vastly interesting look at his brilliance, as well as the person behind it. Yet, as a film, it doesn't quite know what kind of a story it wants to tell: Its style and embetted real-life footage make it feel like a war movie, its flashbacks are typically for a biographical drama, and at the end its purpose seems to be portraying the horrible consequences of a society's homophobia. Neither of these approaches is far-fetched or poorly executed, but the way they are mixed and cut together here makes the movie lack a main focus. Further, the film has been accused of taking too many creative changes to the story as well as historical inaccuracy, which is always very unfortunate.
Still, the movie is very enjoyable to watch especially because of the great performances by the cast. Cumberbatch brings a hint of Sherlock into his character, but shows very early on that his excellent acting chops have much more emotional range to offer. Keira Knightley is in suprisingly good form as well, and both of these actors' Oscar-nominations feel justified. With the likes of Mark Strong and Matthew Goode in terrific supporting roles, the film manages to get a considerable emotional impact.
In the end, I can't quite tell if it was the movie or just the story of Alan Turing itself that kept me invested, but I was invested nonetheless. There are probably better ways to put this man's life into film, but this is still an appreciable attempt.

For Fans of:
Sherlock (2010 - TV Series)
The Fifth Estate (2013)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Click Here To Watch Trailer!

And check out my friend's review over at B.A.'s Screentest for a second opinion!

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING - Movie Review

Title: The Theory of Everything
Running Time: 123 min
Director: James Marsh
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox, David Thewlis, Harry Lloyd, Maxine Peake

Review:
Stephen Hawking is a man that pretty much everyone has heard of at least once. But how about Eddie Redmayne? Probably not. Not yet at least. The young actor seems to have a big career ahead of him however, getting big praise for his performance in this Hawking biography including a "Best Actor" nomination for this year's upcoming Academy Awards. He is even considered the front-runner in this category. But is he really that good?
He most definitely is. Eddie Redmayne single-handedly elevates "The Theory of Everything" from a good biopic to an exceptional one. You never see the actor as he completely disappears into his role. So much so, that even the real Stephen Hawking gave him the ultimate accolade by saying: "At times I thought he was me!"
The movie starts in Hawking's late years at the Cambridge University, where he meets Jane, his wife-to-be. Accordingly, the film's beginning feels more like a love story, and in general, the whole film focusses on Hawking's personal life and his battle with ALS, rather than his theories. Yes, his genius is basically given, and the man is portrayed as being great not only for his brilliance, but for his willpower, personality and optimism. As a result, Stephen Hawking becomes even more fascinating, but other characters like his wife Jane Hawking get their time to impress us as well. She is portrayed by a terrific Felicity Jones, who herself is nominated for an Oscar. The two actors give the film its great emotional impact, and manage to make the couples struggle feel very real to the audience. Redmayne's awe-inspiring ability to completely transform himself in regards of posture, voice and facial expressions is simply perfect, and you tend to forget that the actor does not actually suffer from the Lou-Gehring-disease. The only bummer is that the make-up department doesn't quite manage to let the rest of the cast age as realisticly, which startles you a bit, but as you are so invested in the story, you actually don't really mind.
All in all, "The Theory of Everything" is a fantastic biographical drama that is worth seeing solely for Redmayne's performance. A great film that makes one of the most interesting men in the world even more interesting.

For Fans Of:
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Walk The Line (2005)

Click Here To Watch Trailer!

And check out my friend's review over at B.A.'s Screentest for a second opinion!

OSCARS 2015 - Nominations & Reaction

 Hello there puny humans,
yesterday the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences revealed their nominees for this year's Oscars. Admittedly, I didn't get to see alot of the films they nominated yet, but I think I've been spending enough time enjoying movie news to at least know most of them. As usual there were some well deserved recognitions and some huge disappointments too. But without further ado, I want to present to you the different categories and candidates (of course with some commentary on my part): 



Makeup and Hairstyling
Foxcatcher 
The Grand Budapest Hotel 
Guardians of the Galaxy

Comment: Guardians had some very cool make-up, but it was still pretty Star Trek-ish. Foxcatcher on the other hand gave us something we haven't seen before: An ugly Channing Tatum!

Production Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into The Woods
Mr. Turner

Comment: Period-pieces like Mr. Turner almost get an instant nomination in this category. However I think that this one ist between The Grand Budapest Hotel and Into The Woods. The latter looked very cool in the trailer and the former just stands out through cleverness and attention for details. 

Best Score
Alexandre Desplat, (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Alexandre Desplat, (The Imitation Game)
Hans Zimmer, (Interstellar)
Gary Yershon, (Mr. Turner)
Jóhann Jóhannsson, (The Theory Of Everything)

Comment: Well, statisticly, Alexandre Desplat has the biggest chance to take this one home. But it's nice to see Hans Zimmer up there for his amazing organ sound on Interstellar. 

Best Original Song 
"Everything Is Awesome" from The Lego Movie
"Glory" from Selma
"Grateful" from Beyond The Lights
"I'm Not Gonna Miss You" from Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me
"Lost Stars" from Begin Again

Comment: The Lego Movie, yay! A fun nomination. Also seeing "Lost Stars" from Begin Again getting some attention makes me very happy. The movie itself was alright, but Adam Levine's version of the main song really stuck with me and I listened to it over and over again. But a very important nomination is missing: Billy Boyd's "The Last Goodbye" from The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies truely arose strong emotions in millions of Middle-earth and cinema fans, and was a far superior song to the pop-tune "Grateful"! A real shame! Personally, I think the Award just might go to Glen Campbell, as it is said to be the last release of the musician suffering from Alzheimer's disease.  

Animated Feature
Big Hero 6
Boxtrolls
How To Train Your Dragon 2
Song Of The Sea
The Tale Of Princess Kaguya

Comment: No Lego Movie?! That's really too bad. Interesting too see a less traditional animated feature like Song Of The Sea on the list. And it's always nice to have a Japanese film like The Tale Of Princess Kaguya in the mix. 

Film Editing
American Sniper
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Whiplash

Comment: Not too sure about this one as I haven't seen all the flicks on there. The Grand Budapest had some very great editing, but it was typically Wes Anderson and nothing ground-breaking, so maybe this one goes to a film that got snubbed somewhere else. 

Best Cinematography
Birdman, (Emmanuel Lubezki)
The Grand Budapest Hotel, (Robert Yeoman)
Ida, (Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski)
Mr. Turner, (Dick Pope)
Unbroken, (Roger Deakins)

Comment: I really am missing Interstellar and Nightcrawler on this list. Both beautiful films that achieved a lot of story-telling and created an amazing atmosphere just through their camera work. Might not matter however, because Birdman is a hot candidate with its the-whole-film-looks-like-a-single-shot style. 

Visual Effects
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
Guardians Of The Galaxy
Interstellar
X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Comment: It can almost be considered a cinematic tragedy that two visually breath-taking films like Interstellar and Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes have to compete against each other. Both of these movies had better effects than a lot of the winners of past years, but if I had to put my money on it, I'd give the award to Interstellar. Simply because a scientific paper was released based on its animation of a black hole. 

Adapted Screenplay
American Sniper
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

Comment:  Here we go. I haven't seen any of these films yet. But maybe the Academy gives it to Inherent Vice, as it is the only big nomination it got. I'm really not sure though. 

Original Screenplay
Boyhood
Birdman
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler

Comment: A tough one! But I think if we focused on the "originality" then The Grand Budapest Hotel needs to take this one home. It is such a complex but yet simple story, with awesome characters and hilariously clever ideas. Birdman, however, is praised for its philosophical undertones, and Nightcrawler had some great social commentary. We'll see... 

Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, (Boyhood)
Laura Dern, (Wild)
Emma Stone, (Birdman)
Meryl Streep, (Into The Woods)
Keira Knightley, (The Imitation Game)

Comment: Well, I guess no one is surprised to find Meryl Streep's name on the list. In her thirty-seven year career, the legendary actress has been nominated 19 times for an Academy Award of which she won three. She holds the record of most-Oscar-nominated actress of all time, as well as the record for most Golden Globe Awards with 8 wins out of an unbelievable 29 nominations. She's always a good pick, but a woman who's missing here in my opinion is Carrie Coon, who played a small but very memorable part in Gone Girl. Actresses have been nominated for much less. 

Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, (The Judge)
Ethan Hawke, (Boyhood)
Edward Norton, (Birdman)
Mark Ruffalo, (Foxcatcher)
JK Simmons, (Whiplash)

Comment: The Judge really tried hard to be an Oscar-contender, but best supporting actor is its only nomination. A derserved one nonetheless, but JK Simmons' performance in Whiplash has gotten a lot of love from critics and he is defineítely the frontrunner in this race. The hopes of seeing Andy Serkis up there were always utopian. No big surprise he didn't get a spot. 

Best Actress
Marion Cotillard, (Two Days, One Night)
Felicity Jones, (The Theory Of Everything)
Julianne Moore, (Still Alice)
Rosamund Pike, (Gone Girl)
Reese Witherspoon, (Wild)

Comment: I really hope this one goes to Rosamund Pike, who did an exceptional job portraying "Amazing Amy" in the riveting thriller Gone Girl. Her competition is not to be underestimated however: Felicity Jones gave a strong performance in The Theory of Everything, Cotillard and Witherspoon have both won before, and Julianne Moore is with five nomination not quite Streep-Level, but definitively an Oscar-darling. 

Best Actor
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory Of Everything

Comment: In the last couple of years it was always pretty clear which actor would take home the gold, so it is refreshing to see that the race is a bit more open this time. Keaton and Redmayne both received a Best Actor Golden Globe this year (remember the Globes distinguish between "Drama" and "Comedy or Musical"), but the other gentlemen on this list all gave fantastic performances too. Yet there is an actor who showed incredible acting talent this year and most certainly should be on this list: Jake Gyllenhaal. I'm extremely disappointed that he got snubbed and it was a real WTF?!-moment when I saw he did. A feeling that I had quite often with the Academy in the past and it always makes me lose faith in their judgement a little more.

Best Director
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, (Birdman)
Richard Linklater, (Boyhood)
Bennett Miller, (Foxcatcher)
Wes Anderson, (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Morten Tyldum, (The Imitation Game)

Comment: Somehow the Academy must not like Christopher Nolan. Despite the fact that he is the only director ever to have six of his films in IMDB's list of top 100 movies of all time, he has so far never been nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Director. So once again Interstellar is left out, but I have to admit that the contenders presented are all very strong as well. Boyhood might be somewhat of a frontrunner, but The Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman are very close behind.

Best Picture
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory Of Everything
Whiplash

Comment: Now this is the point where I am straight-up angry. All the other categories have only five nomination slots and so when I don't find my personal favorite on there but the rest of the picks is good, I can at least tell myself that it must have been a close or tough call. But in 2010, the Best Picture category was extended to ten films per year. So to see only eigh films on this list and none of my Top 3 films of 2014 is almost an insult to me. Irrespective of wether they could possibly win or not, films like Interstellar and Nightcrawler most definitely deserve the respect of a nomination for their artistic value and ambition alone. A big let down and something that makes me less excited for the upcoming event.

So these are my thoughts on the nominations for the 87th Academy Awards. Obviously, I left out a few categories that didn't really need commenting, except maybe for Interstellar being up for Best Sound Mixing eventhough people complained about the dialogue being overshadowed by the loud noises of the spacecraft. A point of critique that I don't share, and apparently neither does the Academy. You will find the full list of Nominees over here. Despite a few significant poor choices, I am still looking forward to Hollywood's biggest event on February 22nd. Especially because Neil Patrick Harris is hosting. What did you think of the nominations? Feel free to comment below!

Your Cinemartian

TOP 10 ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2015

 Hello there puny humans,
although 2014 was an amazing year for movie geeks, it is pretty likely that in 2015 your head will explode, due to all the awesomeness coming our way. We have a mind-blowing set of blockbusters that'll be released and with this list I want to tell you what films to look out for. It was incredibly tough, and so firstly, I have two honorable mentions to make: James Bond 007 - Spectre and Ant-Man. Both films are probably going to be great, the first one coming hot of Skyfall and the second one being yet another Marvel Studios movie. I was truly surprised they didn't make the cut, but apparently there are ten films I am more excited for this year:

10. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 5

Tom Cruise is a controversial guy, but when it comes to making movies he has never made a film that you could truly consider "bad". Mission:Impossible - Ghost Protocol was tons of fun and showed me how much I love the franchise. While the Bond movies had to distance themselves from the funny gadgets to be able to be taken serious again, the M:I films have always managed to keep their "creative" technology in the mix without going full on silly. With the writer of Edge of Tomorrow and The Usual Suspects in the director's chair, I have very high hopes for this new installment.

9. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2
In my review of Mockingjay Part 1 I basically said that the film was a little underwhelming, nonetheless, that is also pretty much the reason why I am very excited for Part 2. Having read the books, I know that all the action they held back in the first half of this finale will be filling the time of the resultingly much more epic second film. So far, I really liked the series as a whole and I am looking forward to its big conclusion. All the people who missed the games in the last movie will be served the deadliest game of the franchise yet: the revolutionary war! 

8. THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Quentin Tarantino with another revenge themed western? Well, count me in! Landing (very fittingly) on my number eight spot is the project that almost hadn't been made. After an early draft of the script was leaked, a slightly pissed-off Tarantino declared it would now never be put into film. Maybe someone convinced him or the script was just too good to resist, but the film starring the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Channing Tatum will be coming to the big screen after all. The title and poster are already bad-ass, and I trust Tarantino to entertain me once more with this flick!

 7. EX MACHINA

 I was already working on this list, when suddenly this film came to my mind. While it hasn't gotten a lot of media attention, I was super pumped for it after rewatching its trailer. Written and directed by the guy who conceived the screenplays of films like the fan favourites 28 Days Later and Dredd, as well as one of my favourite sci-fi films, Sunshine, I am pretty sure it'll amaze me. Oscar Isaac, Domnhall Gleeson (both of which are also staring in Star Wars Episode VII) and Alicia Vikander in the role of an artificial intelligence are basically the only people in the cast. As a fan of that sort of story telling and the sci-fi genre in general, this film simply had to make the list.

6. WHIPLASH

This movie wasn't really on my radar until it came out in the U.S. in early October. Critics of all kinds praised this film for its intensity and the performances of its actors Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. I already got what they were talking about just by looking at the trailer: Although fictional, this story of a talented young drummer who is tormented by his mentor who wants to "realize his full potential" feels extremely real. Now landing in tons of Top 10 lists of 2014, I just couldn't keep it out of mine, and I really can't wait untill its finally released over here. 

5. BIRDMAN

Just like Whiplash, this film has already been released in the States and gained nothing but positive reviews since then. Starring Michael Keaton (who was literally a childhood hero to me in the form of Batman) in a self-ironic role, and edited in a way that it looks like it is one single shot, this film roused my interest both artisticly and in regard of its content. If you can believe the hype, it is a movie full of great performances, fascinating imagery and almost philosophical themes. Award winning and definetly worth being in my top five. I have been so very excited ever since its first trailer.

4. STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Alright, alright, keep calm and put down your torches and pitchforks. Yes, Star Wars Episode VII "only" gets the number four spot, but don't think that I am not super excited for it! I'm just a little cautious, because I feel like it is not a guaranteed hit, but trust me, I will be more than happy if it is. With the rights with Disney and J. J. Abrahams at the helm, I have to admit there is a good chance we will get an amazing new entry for the world-wide pop culture phenomenon that is Star Wars. New lightsabers, epic space battles and characters to get to know. Sounds awesome. I will not fail to watch this on the big screen! 

3. JURASSIC WORLD

It seems like dinosaurs haven't found their way into film and television since the 90's, but are they able to make a comeback? I'm certain they are, and that the film to give them their well deserved return to glory will be Jurassic World. As a kid, the original Jurassic Park film was one of the first times that I experienced real movie magic. Years later, the first footage of this new film mixed that nostalgia with my love for monster movies. To me, it had the perfect balance of old and new elements, and its tagline "The park is open" gave me goosebumps. With Chris Pratt as the lead, whom I've enjoyed watching even prior to his recent success, I am eagerly anticipating this films release.

2. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

 I didn't have this film on my radar at all until its trailer dropped at the end of the year. And what a trailer it was! A fascinating color palette, amazing costume design, astonishing action sequences and breath-taking visuals accompanied by music of Giuseppe Verdi. Mad Max: Fury Road seems like the perfect combination of art and entertainment. George Miller, who directed the original trilogy staring Mel Gibson (which I had never watched, but now it is at the top of my to-do-list) is back, with talents like Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult among the cast. I was totally taken by storm, and so I have an extremely good feeling about this one!

...

1. AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is my personal Holy Grail of Blockbusters and I have watched and loved every single thing they put out there so far, including short-films and television shows. Sure, I enjoyed some more than others, but I'm still a total fanboy, and so the second film in which all of these superheroes team up is my most anticipated one of 2015! I've been wishing to see this movie ever since the end credits of 2012's The Avengers started roling, and I have watched its first official trailer a gazillion times by now. Bringing back our favourite heroes and introducing some new ones, plus a bad-ass villain and Iron Man's famous "Hulkbuster" armor, this movie is going to be a blast for sure! I wouldn't miss it for the world!

So these are the ten films you should definitively look out for this year! It is a great time for cinema, and aside from my top pics presented here, I am sure there are many other good movies coming out as well. Hopefully, I could pass my excitement on to you, and now all that's left for me to say is: Enjoy a ridiculously entertaining 2015!

Your Cinemartian

TOP 10 FILMS OF 2014

 Hello there puny humans,
and a happy new year! 2014 was a great year for cinema and as I already did with my podcast, I now want to look back at the films I've watched. So after lesser thoughts than I expected, I was able to make up my personal Top 10 List! Note that it is based on German release dates, so I simply couldn't include films like Whiplash or Birdman (but you just might find them on my "Top 10 Anticipated Films of 2015" list). It should also be mentioned that (unfortunately) I don't have the time to watch every movie ever made, so if you're missing one of your favourites, it might be because I didn't have the pleasure of seeing it yet. But now without further ado, I present to you the ten films that I enjoyed the most:

10. DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

Number ten on the list is the picture that cemented Matthew McConaughey's position as a serious and incredibly talented actor. The story of AIDS patient Ron Woodroof, who works around the system to help other infected people get the medication they need, touches you on many levels. Not only does it deal with issues like a profit-grasping pharmaceutical industry or a whole societies homophobia, but it is an interesting character study at the same time. The Oscar-winning performances of McConaughey and Jared Leto make this film stand out even more, and give this film an overwhelming emotional power. 

9. HER

Cute, clever and oddly realistic, this science fiction romantic comedy-drama (or however you wanna label it) is ahead of its time. Looking at the scenario of operating systems getting so advanced, that you could actually fall in love with them, Spike Jonze's vision of our future doesn't seem so distant at all. A lot of film-makers have used artificial intelligence in the past, but mainly for thrillers or action-films, and so with Her we get a very different angle on the topic. It will make you question your definitions of love, personality, and partnership, and it no doubt deserved its Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

8. DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Apes on horsebacks with machine-guns! Is there anything more I need to tell you? Well, yes there is. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a cinematic spectacle, and uses the best technology the visual effects industry has to offer, and yet it is more than just eye-candy. Next to the actors managing the difficult task of acting exactly like real apes, this film stunns you with a story about revolution, war, conflict, racism, and the clash of cultures. A very relevant film, that shows that the Planet of the Apes-franchise is far from being worn out. Read my review here! 


7. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

My number seven is a film whose protagonists are just as bold as Marvel Studios is for putting them on screen. The comic-book stories that hardly anyone had read, suddenly took audience's hearts by storm when its characters flew into our theaters, with spaceships, lazer guns and a ton of cool one-liners. Chris Pratt turned into a movie star over night, and Rocket and Groot into popculture phenomenons. Cheeky, funny, action-packed, and highly quotable, this space adventure with a Tarantino-esque Soundtrack was pure entertainment, and shouldn't be missed by any Marvel or Sci-Fi fan. Click here to read my review!

6. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

My previous pick was a film that showed Marvel's funny side, and ranked right above it in my list is the one that was probably the most serious within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before this film, Captain America had been heavily overlooked, both in The Avengers and even his own stand-alone film, but in April he redeemed himself with a bang. Being more of a political action thriller than a comic-book film, this movie gave the MCU a whole new level of credibility. Good writing mixed with some greatly constructed action scences made this film stay fresh in my mind ever since I first reviewed it. 

5. EDGE OF TOMORROW

Now we are entering the top five, and kicking them off is one of the biggest surprises that year: Edge of Tomorrow (or Live.Die.Repeat. as it was renamed for its DVD release). This gritty sci-fi action piece took a well-known concept and completely made it its own. With its magnificent visuals, clever humor, awesome action and great characters, this movie stands out through an amazing overall atmosphere. In addition it features Tom Cruise playing a coward probably for the very first time, and Emily Blunt as one of the most bad-ass female protagonists since Ellen Ripley of the Alien-franchise. I praised it in my initial review and still stand by that opinion at the end of a great cinematic year.

4. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

I only caught this film on an additional screening after it had already stopped playing in theaters, and I am so very glad that I did. Wes Anderson has managed to excell himself with this British-German co-produced comedy drama. His unique style of directing gives this film an unmeasurable amount of charm, and the writing is sheer brilliance. With the perfect delivery of this all-star cast (including but not limited to Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Edward Norton and Jeff Goldblum) and the kind of humor you'll laugh out loud about even after the third time you've watched it, make this movie an unforgettable heart-warming ride! Hopefully, it'll score at this year's Academy Awards. 

3. NIGHTCRAWLER

Number three on the list is Dan Gilroy's fantastic directorial debut, with which he created what I'd like to call a modern day Taxi Driver. Through excellent camera work and an exceeding Jake Gyllenhaal (who gives the best performance of his career so far) he tells the story of the stout sociopath Lou Bloom, and scene by scene uncovers the perversion of our main character, as well as today's media. A dark and unsettling crime thriller, that'll almost make you want to take a shower after watching it, and a film whose direction you could probably study in film school. Read my review to find out more. 

2. GONE GIRL

It was a tough call between second and third place, but Gone Girl comes out on top because of its multidimensionality. Thrilling and intense from start to finish, this film has so many things to offer: interesting characters, media criticism, the exploration of the construct of partnership, spine-chilling scenes and even a little bit of humor, all wrapped around a compelling mystery. Further, this movie stays unpredictable for all of its diverting two and a half hours, and the outstanding performances of the entire cast make this film more than worthy of your time. David Fincher's skill and Gillian Flynn's novel are a match made in heaven, although what their characters go through is anything but! Click here to read my review.

 ...  

1. INTERSTELLAR

Roll your eyes and call me a fanboy, but Interstellar was my favourite film of 2014. This intergalactic story simply left me in awe, and generated such an interest for its content that it had me doing tons of research and watch many documentaries even weeks after first seeing it. It is superb if a movie can amaze you like that, and even the second time I watched it in theaters, it didn't lose any of its impact for me. A beautifully complex film with the perfect ballance of science and fiction, the most stunning visuals of the decade and an incredible family relationship at its emotional core: Christopher Nolan has left me speechless once more. Truth be told, it isn't a flawless film, but (as already stated in my review) it was a perfect movie going experience to me. I will buy the specialest DVD edition of this film that I will get my hands on, and I can only recommend this movie to everyone out there. 

By the way, an article called "INTERSTELLAR - Between Science and Fiction" is in the works as well, so make sure to stay tuned for that.

So, that was my personal Top 10 list for 2014. What were your favorite films? Where do you agree or disagree with me? Feel free to comment below, and get ready for an awesome 2015. I don't even wanna know how hard it'll be to do next year's list...

Your Cinemartian

OUTSIDE HOLLYWOOD EP.8 - Review of the Year

 Hello there puny humans,
the year 2014 is over and of course my buddy from B.A.'s Screentest and I had to talk about that. What were our favorite performances? Our favorite scenes? Our favorite films? Hear us review the year and its best moments:

In the second part we discuss the "Sony incident", The Hobbit, Fury and of course, as always, we give you quick overview over the upcoming movies and recommend some older films that you might not know yet:

So I hope you'll enjoy this and have as much fun reminiscing about the year as we had.

Your Cinemartian