By Sean Tuohy
Sadly, I missed a lot of movies this year. There were so many great films that I wanted to see and so many truly awful movies I wish I hadn't seen.
Despite all that, here are my top five films of 2014:
“Birdman”
I left the theater smiling ear to ear. This film was truly amazing and did not miss a beat. The juggernaut performances were moving, the writing was crisp, and it felt like the film was shot in long take. It’s easily one of the best written films of the year. It deserves all the praise it has received, plus much more.
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
I am not a huge fan of comic movies because I was a movie fan long before I was a comic fan. I love watching movies, but lately the theaters bombard moviegoers with nearly identical films featuring men and women in tights. Expect for “Guardians of the Galaxy.” This flick brought fun back to the movie world. It was funny, action-packed, had a good storyline, and produced a wonderful world to visit. It felt more like a true action/sci-fi movie than a comic book movie. James Gunn (“Slither” and “Dawn of the Dead”) crushed it.
“The Imitation Game”
A British movie about World War II? Boring. Oh wait, you have a fantastic performer in a bittersweet? I’m back in! Benedict Cumberbatch hits a homerun in this true-life movie about Britain breaking the Nazi’s Enigma code. The film follows genius Alan Turing (who designed one of the first computers and was punished later in life for being gay) and his code breaking team. It’s a truly well-made movie audiences should love.
“Chef”
This was the small movie with a big punch. Funny, charming, sweet, and heartfelt, this film follows an artist/chef embarking on a new path in life.
“Tusk”
Wow, this movie is…well…it’s dark, but wildly original. Only Kevin Smith (badass writer, host of “Smodcast,” director of “Clerks,” “Mallrats,” and “Chasing Amy”) could bring you a tale as twisted and funny as this. “Tusk” follows a young man held by a madmen who slowly transforms him into a walrus. You’ve never seen a scene like the last 10 minutes of this movie, and you never will again.