Imad Siddiqui Presents: The First Annual SQUID Film Rankings

Welcome to the inaugural SQUID (Siddiqui Quality Unquestionably Imad's Decision) Rankings. One individual recognizing excellence in cinema while remaining slightly noncommittal and intensely superficial. The SQUID award is inspired by the quite gross, Humboldt Squid.  The statuette is pure platic and three inches tall, spray-painted neon green and bedazzled with unpolished diamonds to represent the filthy nature of humanity's creative spirit. A representative of the top film is allegedly given the award in an imaginary, untelevised ceremony.

The 2014 calender produced a most expansive selection of films ranging across all genres, from biopics to scifi, from action-comedy to scifi-action-comedy (or Scifactiedy). That may not distinguish a single year from any other, but what was special about 2014 was the alarmingly consistent, impressively high level of movies that it birthed onto our screens. Films of the highest caliber debuted in a year of instant classics and exhilarating thrills. A year that saw a return to originality and a welcomed trend towards strong-willed and well-rounded female characters. A year that has been an absolute pleasure to have sat back and watched.

We begin with a simple ranking, accompanied in parentheses by the respective MVPs of the films. Be advised, this is a list composed out of films seen by me, a humble watcher of movies. I am not a licensed critic (that's a thing right?) or part of any association. Under consideration are films released in the past 12 months, obviously. Reading it means you have read it. If you tell me your filthy opinion of this list in person in the comments below, I will reward you with chocolate.* Also, no, Keanu Reeves did not pay me.

26. Bad Words (The Scream)
Rottantomatoes Score: 65% IMDb: 6.7

25. Godzilla (Bryan Cranston)
Rt: 74% IMDb: 6.6

24. Noah ()
Rt: 77% IMDB: 5.9 

23. The Guest (Dan Stevens)
Rt: 90% IMDB: 6.7

22. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Final Battle)
Rt: 92% IMDB: 8.0

21. The Skeleton Twins (lip sync duet)
Rt: 87% IMDB: 7.0

20. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (Tank takeover)
Rt: 90% IMDB: 7.8

19. X-Men Days of Future Past (Quicksilver)
Rt: 91% IMDB: 8.1

18. Calvary (Two Gleesons)

Rt: 89% IMDb: 7.5
17. The Raid 2 (Final 3 fights)
Rt: 79% IMDB: 8.1

16. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Wizards and Elves vs. Shadows of The Nine)
Rt: 60% IMDb: 7.9

15. Birdman (The beautiful drumming)
Rt: 92% IMDb: 8.7

14. Into the Woods (Agony)
Rt: 72% IMDb: 7.2

13. Gone Girl (NPH's house)
Rt: 88% IMDb: 8.2

12. A Walk Among the Tombstones (Dan Stevens)
Rt: 68% IMDb: 6.6

11. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Knives)
Rt: 89%  IMDb: 7.8

10. Guardians of the Galaxy (Awesome Mix Vol. 1)
Rt: 90% IMDb: 8.3

9. Snowpiercer (Grey)
Rt: 95% IMDb: 7

8. Begin Again (James Cordon)
Rt: 83% IMDb: 7.5

7. 22 Jump Street (The End Credits)
Rt: 84% IMDb: 7.2

6. The Grand Budapest Hotel (The Symmetry)
Rt: 92% IMDb: 8.2

5. Live, Die, Repeat: The Edge of Tomorrow (The Full Metal B****)
Rt: 90% IMDb: 8

4. The Lego Movie (Everything is Awesome)
Rt: 96% IMDb: 7.9

3. The Imitation Game (Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, and Keira Knightley)
Rt: 89% IMDb: 8.3

2. Interstellar (TARS)
Rt: 72% IMDb: 8.9

1. John Wick ("Oh")
Rt: 85% IMDb: 7.7

And now a smattering of specific recognitions.

Performances of Note

-Lead 

Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game
Jake Gyllenhaal - Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton - Birdman

Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl

Keira Knightley - Begin Again

Brandan Gleeson - Calvary

Andy Serkis - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

-Supporting
Keira Knightley - The Imitation Game
James Cordon - Into the Woods
Jillian Bell - 22 Jump Street
Karen Gillian - Guardians of the Galaxy
Jason Clarke - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Toby Kebbell - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Dan Stevens - A Walk Among the Tombstones

Golden Humboldt for Excellence in Ruthlessness 

John Wick. (Hero) John Wick

Lord Business (Villain) Lego Movie

Golden Humboldt for Direction 
Phil Lord and Chris Miller
for The Lego Movie and 22 Jump Street

Best Use of Overhead Shot
Gone Girl - That one scene. 

Crimson Humboldt for Best Kill
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies - Thranduil beheading six orcs. 

The Humboldt for Outstanding Overuse of Slow Motion
X-Men: Days of Future Past - Quicksilver in the Kitchen


Tracking Shots of the Year
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - (Rotating Tank) 
All of Birdman. 

Vertigo Shot of the Year
Need for Speed - (Aaron Paul zoning in) 

Headless Humboldt for Most Violent Film
The Raid 2

The End. Thank you for reading and, hopefully uniformly agreeing with everything you just read.

In the coming days the awards for Actor and Actress of the Year will be presented to the actor and actress who are in multiple roles while also bringing to life exceptional characters throughout the year. To artificially manufacture a sense of prestige, here is recap of the previous years' unannounced honorees:

SQUID Actor of the Year Winners
2013 winner - Benedict Cumberbatch 
12 Years A Slave, Star Trek into Darkness, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, August: Osage County, The Fifth Estate, The Simpsons

2012 winner - Joseph Gordon Levitt
Premium Rush, Looper, Lincoln, The Dark Knight Rises

2011 winner - Michael Fassbender 
Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class, Shame, Haywire, A Dangerous Method

SQUID Actress of the Year
2013 winner - Amy Adams
American Hustle, Man of Steel, Her

2012 winner -  Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence
Hathaway - Les Miserable and The Dark Night Rises
Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook and The Hunger Games

2011 winner - Emily Blunt
Your Sister's Sister, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Adjustment Bureau, Gnomeo and Juliet, The Muppets


*Chocolate must be demanded in person. 

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)

Directed by Shawn Levy (Big Fat Liar)
Written by David Guion and Michael Handelman (Dinner for Schmucks)
Starring:
Ben Stiller (Tropic Thunder)
Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting)
Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris)
Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect)
Rami Malek (Night at the Museum)
Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey)
Steve Coogan (Hamlet 2)
Ricky Gervais (Stardust)
Ben Kingsley (Hugo)

If modest entertainment is your thing, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb will modestly entertain the crap out of you. This light-hearted, muchkin friendly romp is up to par with the previous entries in this impromptu froth bucket of a franchise and has a Rottentomatoes score that is slightly higher. (Both previous entries clocked in at 44% while SOTT sits smugly at 49%.) It really feels like these three movies just kinda happened and nobody knows why. Shawn Levy probably walks in during important executive meetings at the studio, cotton candy sticking out of his mouth, and gets the execs to agree like a kid asking their parent for the largest pack of candy in a grocery store while the parent talks to the clerk about returning their incorrectly flavored ice cream. What's that? You wanted butter pecan? BAM three Night at the Museum flicks.

Going against the threequel is how thoroughly disappointing the titular secret is. I mean, it is intensely disappointing. Like thinking someone had a hideous Tim Duncan style tattoo on their back when in fact they just have a deep affinity for black tank tops. Or like finding out that Bruce Willis wasn't dead the whole time. (Imagine if that had actually been how Sixth Sense ended. So disappointing, yeah but, also more in line with the Shyamalan of today.) The entire plot of Secret of the Tomb could literally have been solved in five minutes and the central problem could have accidentally been fixed at any time. The teenager is obnoxious and unbearable. The villain is hardly enjoyable yet still Dan Stevens so no fault there. Missing was the love interest set up in the previous film but Amy Adams probably was extremely busy making a ton of stuff as usual. The film is, in all its lumpiness and Stillerisms just as good as the rest of the franchise.

Going for it is the action. The fight scenes are kinetic and creative while maintaining that PG air. There's one scene in a painting that is particularly flashy. The casting is also as terrific as ever. All Star, even, and they all deliver. Robin Williams is excellent, as is Rebel Wilson.

The film also earns respect by making some solid call backs to the first two films. It's nothing comprehensive but there is enough sentimentality to deserve a nod of approval. A slight tip o' the cap to days of yore.

Bottom Line: It'll appeal to the National Treasure crowd. It just so happens that I belong to that crowd.

7 out of 10

The Skeleton Twins (2014)

Written and Directed by Craig Johnson
Also written by Mark Heyman 
Starring:
Bill Hader (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs)
Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)
Owen Wilson (Idiocracy)
Boyd Holbrook (...The Host)
Ty Burrell (The Incredible Hulk)

A showcase of imperfect people behaving imperfectly. A story conveying how family can be the cause of all the turmoil in your life yet lift you up when you need it most. Showing that humor and happiness comes from finding your best self and knowing who brings it out. While the revelations can get a bit fatiguing, the pacing allows you to make the best of it.

Thanks in large part to the well spotlit chemistry of Wiig and Hader, The Skeleton Twins is loaded with moments of heartfelt fart-laced, novocaine driven comedy that help you cope with the darkness that lies in all of us, even if there seems to be a bit of excess darkness here. All these complex feelings inspired by this little film shows just how much talent that SNL cast had all at once. The lip-syncing scene is truly the highlight of the movie.

This honest and simple story makes you care about these people who are obviously flawed and dealing with the pressures of two very different lives. One, a wife on the verge of collapse and the her brother, a suicidal failing actor. They've not spoken in ten years which sets up this cathartic intertwining of their crumbling lives.

It's is a good film, not perfect (I couldn't help but roll my eyes during the entire mom scene) but it is, as the unlikely stars have classified it on many occasions, quite a serious one that manages to accomplish much. And the pair do indeed perform admirable. Possibly more than they even understood. although, knowing how talented the duo is, they probably are fully aware of just how incredible they were. It was a chance to show the rest of the world (because, of course, I already could tell) that they are more than simply Stefon and Gilly. They were able to display all these gutting exchanges and heartfelt scenes and hold their own when the story brought the world down upon them.

Craig Johnson's story also allows the two leads to demonstrate their comedic prowess, albeit in a controlled manner, their characters are shown to be good for each other. The moments when Skeleton Twins is soaring are when Hader and Wiig are feeding into each other, when the siblings are made to interact, for better or worse.

Johnson's endearing tale of two estranged siblings expertly covers many vital life lessons we could all learn to use. Showing up when you are most needed. Who needs you? Affairs deserve consequences. The idea that we don't always tell ourselves the truth. That we make the choice that feels good vs. the one we know is right. All heavy concepts and all explored with dignity and care.

The finale is one of the most therapeutic conclusions a film could have. That we can't see our own broken behavior while we are doing it. Sometimes we need someone to stop us.

Bottom Line: Somewhat depressing but in the end, we all need more Hader and Wiig in our lives.

9 out of 10. 

The Imitation Game (2014)

Directed by Morten Tyldum (Headhunters)
Written by Graham Moore 
Starring:
Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock)
Keira Knightly (Bend It Like Beckham)
Mark Strong (Stardust)
Charles Dance (Game of Thrones)
Matthew Goode (Watchmen)
Allen Leech (Primeval)
Rory Kinnear (Skyfall)
Tuppence Middleton (Trance)

BE ADVISED: The following contains intense gushing praise. 

When The Imitation Game is at full power, your emotions belong to this movie. It takes you completely with its Britishness. Holds you by the face, clutches your cheeks and injects a cold, swirling sense of life into the core of your mind. By the end, The film opens your eyes to a truer history and you walk out to a broken world. Not bad for a biopic. Especially noteworthy is how three timelines all tell one vastly necessary story and each feeds into one another to build a masterpiece. 

Like any masterpiece, this film operates as more than just a drama. It's a war movie, its a biography, its a revisiting to the still relevant horrid hatred of homosexuality. Yes, its about all those serious things, but they can be depressing and bitter when not mixed and treated with a little sugar. The humor and confidence boasted by the cast throughout the film is brilliantly handled, and vitally so. We are never unaware of the perils surrounding Alan Turing and his crew of World War II Enigma code breakers but we are given the positivity to emotionally survive the ordeal through sharp wit and renegadian dialogue. The delivery of those lines make me feel cool just thinking about them. For instance, literally every word out of Mark Strong' s Col. Maj. Stewart Menzies will get a woman pregnant. 

The pinnacle scene where they fracture the enigma is gorgeously handled. A burst of realization sparking in Turing's eye performed like nothing else in the universe mattered, a moment of such euphoric eureka that we, as the audience are enthralled beyond all reason. 

Speaking further to all of the above, Tyldum, in his English language directorial debut, maximizes every bit of tension, humor, and love out of his film. There is even a sense of muted style to the camera work. People are often positioned off center, intentionally keeping your eyes active. Tyldum takes the top screenplay of the 2011 blacklist, and former DeCaprio starring vehicle to wonderful heights. Paired with Cumberbatch, Tyldum honors Turing's memory justly. 

Romance is also capably handled as the it never becomes annoying. The movie sweetly portrays friendship and trust. Showing that we can be more by looking towards others. Knowing that we all need help. The major scene between Knightley and Cumberbatch (Lets go a ahead and add his name to the old Portable Turing Machine's dictionary) that lays their relationship out in the open is as good as it gets. The actors, the score, the direction, the momentum of the entire story, it all swirls into a perfect storm powerful enough to engulf every ounce of attention you have. In that moment I had to break away and look around. I had to see the faces in the crown that were gone, completely absorbed by the screen. Prisoners of the moment in a jail so finely constructed only those whoare waiting for the tide to pass over them can escape. Everyone else belongs to that scene. Belongs to the movie. 

Their relationship is also beautifully summed up by the most important adage of the film:

 "Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine."

I think I instantly became a better person the moment after hearing that line. Thankfully it was repeated so that I may more easily remember it. 

Aside from the two leads (albeit one far leadier than the other), this movie benefits from having a supremely talented supporting cast who are allowed to fully flesh out their deeply human roles. Charles Dance is superbly capable and prickly as the Lanniseresque Commander Denniston. Matthew Goode, Allen Leech, and the rest of the code breakers are also immensely effective in their work. Rory Kinnear helps bring meaning to the scenes set in the 50s. Tuppence Middleton also quite nicely maximized her screen time and made her otherwise cliched character be more than it could potentially have been. And lest we forget, the childhood scenes are handled so somberly by Alex Lawther. (Although, I am a bit sad about a lack of Tom Hiddleston who could easily slip in for Matthew Goode. The dream of having him, Cumberbatch, and Strong on screen together must wait. This movie instead joins the ranks of War Horse as another trifecta close call.)

No movie can reach the upper echelon of cinema without a penetrating score. Zimmer's Interstellar set the bar this year and here Alexandre Desplat(Argo) rise to match him. Desplat, who apparently had only three weeks at his disposal, does a philomenal job (Anyone catch that? Philomena...no?) The piano tune is immaculately simple yet profoundly immersive,  Listening to it feels like you're swimming in a field of snow. 

And finally we get to Benedict himself. The absolute, unquestioningly best part of this movie is his performance. He controls the movie from the very first second. His voice....what more can be said. It is a force of nature. A monsoon of deepness that loosens all joints in your body. He is on the list of people that I would like to be yelled at by, right next to Michael Fassbender and Judi Dench. Cumberbatch shows shades of Sherlock here as well with his superb ability to portray characters whose minds are on a different plane of existence. Already the reigning Actor of the Year for 2013, Imitation Game marks him firmly in contention for a repeat win. 

As for the bad stuff...I wish the two adorable elderly ladies to the left of me would've had fewer conversations. God, I love free screening. But seriously, there is severe difficulty in finding any fault here. Scouring the negative reviews of this film leads you to see that the only bad thing is that it is a biopic and some people have watched too many to allow another good biopic to exist. Sadly, I am still in the shallow end of that pool so these eyes have yet to be jaded. Although this did elicit a similar response to watching A Beautiful Mind for the first time, which is yet another positive accolade to bestow on this movie. 

To steal a word from Selina Meyer, this is a robust year for movies. How many times can a film buff allow his top spot to be toppled? We may be looking at the unholy unordered top ten by year's end. You're up Peter Jackson. Good call in having Cumberbatch play two roles in one movie.  

Bottom Line. Stunning performance. Stunning Film. 

10 out of 10. 

Top Five (2014)

Written, Directed by and Starring Chris Rock (Down to Earth)
Also Starring:
Rosario Dawson (Men in Black II)
Gabrielle Union (Bring It On)
JB Smoove (Pooty Tang)
Cedric The Entertainer (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events)
DMX (Romeo Must Die)
Kevin Hart (This Is the End)
Romany Malco (40 Year Old Virgin)
Anders Holm (Workaholics)
NOT Tim Meadows

Despite the absurd mustache Chris Rock is , this is one charming, slightly offensive, romantic film.

While casual swearing in films is often used as a crutch, the dialogue Rock gives his characters is so natural, brash, and creatively abusive of standard politeness that it can't help but be amusing. There are many jabs directed towards Tyler Perry, and Rock, thankfully seems to have gone more in the direction of Judd Apatow. This isn't as racially divisive a film as it's marketing suggests. (Although perhaps that was mostly because at my screening, an unexpected take over by an R&B station may have skewed that sensibility- To the oblivious lady in the yellow jacket and the deep soulful voice of that crazy haired walrus, I would like to say that my life will now have as much Tom Joyner now as it did when he was aired on your station.)

The central theme is quite simple, Top Five takes the realities of fame and gives them a relatable focus. Letting us, those who are not dodging eyes everywhere we go, get a taste of celebrity. The message to take away through all the jokes and all of the semi-autobiographical detail is that we need to strive to make the hard choices but know that sometimes we over think things. That we should do what makes us happy in the simplest way.

The year of originality continues with this quaint, often funny, original film. A small story told with characters that are practically real and filled with humor that reminds you of how funny Chris Rock truly is. He puts out a story that has personal touches and a sense of reality that his recent works with Sandler have lacked. A call back to greater days of Pootie Tang and Down to Earth.

There is some gross stuff here but it's balanced quite nicely with silliness. The comedy comes by way of honesty making it kind of refreshing. We are taken through a trying time with the character, that kind of crisis that we assume all celebrities might be going through at some point. I was particularly reminded of Steve Carell and Dave Chappelle (rhyme not intended but happily accepted). People who fear having to be funny all the time and at such a high level. (Not that Hammy the Bear is top notch entertainment) The film's focus on the imminent wedding and the tidy schedule filled with expected stops and scenarios lend themselves to spontaneous hilarity.

The drawback is when the film decides it wants to be a romantic comedy. There are shifts towards the cliched flirtations but eventually the sentimentality redeems itself though the humor. Another minus is that we, again, are given the illusion of strong women who, in the end, are yet again nothing without a man in their lives. There was such hope for Dawson's stealthy journalist character too before she became an apologetic, love struck fan.

To make up for that folly, Rock knowingly takes control of the way the background characters reacted. People loved Hammy The Bear. People wanted to love Andre Allen. That helps us, as a film audience, be able to side with this guy and buy that he deserves his fame.

Repetition is used throughout this movie and to great effect. Jokes of the moment and common phrases like the titular Top Five, or "rigorous honesty," that lingered throughout either scenes or the whole movie help hold together what could otherwise have been just another outlet for raunchy jokes.

This movie has more cameos shoved in than words in a Gavin DeGraw chorus. And like said chorus, they work so good. DMX was beautiful. I want to marry DMX's cameo. Adam Sandler and Jerry Seinfeld would seem like odd fits (not to mention Whoopi) but they were understated enough to stand out in a way that reminds you that they too are truly funny people and not just overfamous has-beens. That is the real triumph of this film, getting all these people together, some for just seconds, and showing that they are really funny. The homecoming scene, featuring a dose of past and present SNL cast members was a riot.

As a director, Rock employs some fancier than expected storytelling techniques to get this much heart in such short a time frame. Such a fantastic and delightful ending that leaves you in the driver's seat to power home the character's arc while avoiding having to show the obvious rom-com style run back. But seriously, bring back the goatee, Mr. Rock, I can't abide that gross lip garden.

Bottom Line: In the style of Rock's friend Louis C.K., he manages to construct an engaging and occasionally riotous product that doesn't disappoint. It's not transcendent but it is worthwhile.

8 out of 10

22 Jump Street (2014)

Written and Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Lego Movie)

Also written by Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World)

Starring:

Channing Tatum (This is the End)

Jonah Hill (This is the End)

Ice Cube (21 Jump Street)

Amber Stevens (New Girl)

Wyatt Russell (Kurt Russell?)

Jillian Bell (Workaholics)

Dave Franco (Fright Night)

Rob Riggle (21 Jump Street)
Lucus Twins (Tonight Show Stand up set)
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation)
Craig Roberts (Submarine)
Peter Stormare (Constantine)

It took a while to finally watch the whole film and so it sat patiently high on the watchlist for almost a year. But the bridge has finally been crossed and boy howdy was it a raunchy bridge. The level of self awareness approached Spaceballsian levels yet somehow avoided being an all out parody. Much like in the first film, Miller and Lord continued to build on these lovable morons and set them loose in this pre-established world. Lest we forget, this is still the same universe but with a vastly different tone than the show.

Impressive and bold stunt work that, when paired with the highly creative humor, earns the right be called an action comedy nearly equal to Hot Fuzz.

Boundless flowing idiocy from every character and every scene that requires thought and plays to niche interests. So many jokes that its a struggle to recall all of them. This is a movie to own because it will make you funnier as a person.  Also the end credits sequence is an all time great so you'll be wanting to pause it about 43 times.

The cast not only performs well, but the casting choices are themselves meta-jokes that take even more thinking to get. There have never been, and may never be again, this many Ice Cube jokes in one film. And if that jock football player looks familiar, it's because he's a young Kurt Russell. I'm not buying the whole offspring thing. He's a clone.

The story has just the right amount of predictability. It keeps everything fresh even while you know full well that the outcome will be that these two goofballs will win. That's not the point.

And there is a bit of retreading here as well. The first film already had the odd couple dynamic play out and while that may be the hardest thing to sit through again, the destination, and knowing that when they come back together the hilarity will be unmatched is what we all wait for. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Coupled with the abusive use of a higher budget, the turbo-stupidity will make it all worth it.

Bottom Line. The praise is high and the film deserves it. Lord and Miller are on a roll. With so few films left in the year, this is a lock for top ten of the year.

10 out of 10 chickens

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

Directed by Anton Corbijn (Arcade Fire's insane Reflektor Video)
Written by Andrew Bovell
Starring:
Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Twister)
Rachel McAdams (About Time)
Daniel Bruhl (Rush)
Robin Wright (Princess Bride)
Willem Defoe (John Wick)
Grigoriy Dobrygin
Mehdi Dehbi
Homayoun Ershadi
Nina Hoss

Here is a film that is carried by the talents of the actors who deliver on their particular brand of acting. Hoffman was magnificent and enough to keep eyes on the screen. He had plenty of help as well to make up for a rather uninspired plot. McAdams was genuine and avoided getting too mushy throughout. DeFoe plants himself as a potential Actor of the Year after strong roles in the stellar films, John Wick and Grand Budapest Hotel. Wright was steady yet her character and that of her cohorts in the other government organization were fairly unexplored. Daniel Bruhl was criminally underused. And lastly, unknown actor Mehdi Dehbi was exceptional. He held his own on screen with Hoffman and brought to life a rather whole Muslim character.

The story itself, an area that usually allow some leeway if the other elements are up to par, was barely interesting. No real hero. No real ending. No real villain. This film, like a sentient cantaloupe on a jet ski, didn't know what it wanted to be but carried on as though it did. There is constant referance to Chechnya yet barely any explanation or utilization on the actual importance of it. Dobrygin's Essa could have been a great character but all he did was mope about and be told what to do. But somehow, on the backs of those stand out performances spotlit by some confident directing, Corbijn turned in a decent product.

The plot may have had something going for it were it not forcibly removing or ignoring some of the more interesting characters to the background in favor of the typical whitewashed yet hardboiled spy characters. There was no real need or purpose to the romantic tension. It felt forced. That said, the denouement was rather thrilling. Were it preceded by any purposeful character building instead of barely explored faces belonging to standard lead characters in an anti terrorist organization, it may have mattered more.

The inclusion of positive Muslim characters does do it some favors in diluting the deja vu but lest it get too original, there was the standard prominent Muslim with ties to terrorism leading to the central dilemma of the whole movie to be fairly dull. I will give props when props are due, though as salat (prayer) was properly depicted. All in all it was like a less stylized version of the summer filler NBC show Crossing Lines.

The power of that conclusion begs the question of how much more engaging a story this would have been had the ending been the place where the film began telling the story.

6 out of 10.

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Written an Directed by Jim Jarmusch
Starring:
Tom Hiddleston (Thor: The Dark World)
Tilda Swinton (Constantine)
Anton Yelchin (Fright Night)
Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland)
John Hurt (Spaceballs)
Jeffery Wright (Casino Royale)

I had a fever and the only prescription was a butt load of rotating overhead shots. This movie cured that fever. Now I'm ODing on rotating overhead shots and I love it! The record spinning, the blood highs, the camera fading between characters. Gorgeous, slow, rhythmic revolutions, giving off that feeling of immortality? More please.

This movie was supposed to ooze gothic hairstyles and pale-skinned royalty and it certainly delivered on those promises. The hair is flowing all around like Oprah was the costume designer and she handed out glorious long locks to each cast member. Hiddleston gets flowing long locks, and Swinton gets creepy looking long locks, Yelchin gets Veddery
long locks, Wasikowska gets...the same creepy looking long locks as Swinton, John Hurt gets lustrous long locks EVERYBODY GETS LONG LOCKS!  The we have the two leads as pale as they come (aside from Paul Bettany, could they not get him?)

Now that we've established that the hair and casting was as tasty as a sweet blood Popsicle, we can get to the story.

It was abundantly clear that Jarmusch wanted no part of making a horror or action film. He was focused on telling the tale of two, lets call them vampires since the film doesn't, that are indeterminately old and immeasurably in love. On those counts, Jarmusch succeeds. We get a tale that is very much just a few days (and numerous tangled sleeping positions) in the lives of these creatures of the night.

Not having to sit through two characters fall in love was kind of refreshing. Instead, we have the other things that keep annoying us. People getting in between them. Specifically Ava (Wasikowska). She was unbearable. We want to see Adam and Eve be together and chill. (Heck, just let me watch Adam compose music for two hours.) But we don't get that, we have this pseudo story thrust in there involving other characters that are relatively uninteresting.

While the effort to tell a story concerned more with something small while set within a strange world approach is commendable, it wasn't done to perfection like in, say John Wick, where each strange element is allowed to breathe a bit before coming back to focus on the central character.

With Only Lovers Left Alive, the kind of interesting world that is put forth and a character as compelling as Adam that is brought about, why not just explore his psyche and his process while he interacts with the slightly unknown world around him and the apprently present immortal community. The film fails to give enough light to the strangeness that it tells us is out there while alluding too much to it. Its all a bloody tease in the end. All these musicians and scientists are mentioned and all this fancy talk about space and music leads to nothing and after some wasted plot points we are left with some pathetic version of these two very promising characters.

The film breaks the promises it sets up. A standard which was set up by Hot Fuzz. Albeit a comedy but one that showed that when you set something up, be it a joke or a name or a concept, there better be resolution. We get nothing out of all that Tesla Tech, which the characters flat out abandon, we hardly scratch Adam's ability to be a musical and scientific muse, and that wooden bullet is virtually meaning less.

The conclusion is strange but expected. There is nothing wrong with ending a film that gives but a glimpse into two extraordinarily long lives mid-action. And while the decisions leading to it leave you wondering how these two could have lived this long if their apparently final and possibly fatal trip to Tangier is induced by nothing, and carried out in so ill-prepared a manner, you still have to allow these characters to make that mistake.

These story hiccups are, however, only minor when set next to how entrancing the performances were and how cool Hiddleston is. Swinton and Wasikowska are take em or leave em but there is nothing without Hiddleston. Yelchin and Hurt are great as well, bringing their more capable talents to simpler roles than they are used to. Its always nice to see actors who can be leads to supporting work (cough Jude Law and Matt Damon cough)

Back to Hiddleston for a quick wrap up. He is this movie. Everything feeds off of him including that hypnotic music his character composes.

8 out of 10

Birdman (2014)

Written and Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel)

Starring:

Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice)

Emma Stone (Zombieland)

Naomi Watts (I Heart Huckabees)

Edward Norton (Fight Club)

Andrea Riseborough (Oblivion)

Zach Galifianakis (Corky Romano)
Lindsay Duncan (Doctor Who)
Amy Ryan (The Office)
Merritt Weaver (New Girl)

Everything promised by that killer trailer, to the tee. Almost good enough to make up for it not being about Ray Randall (DEEP CUT!). Also, there were some missed opportunities here. No sign of Chris Anderson   (Miami Heat Center) and little to no rap music anywhere (PURRRRR). Some may argue that those are good things but can you really sit there on your stand alone ottoman and say that the synergy brought about by including each of those in this film wouldn't be like some sort of Avatar bringing balance to the world of pop culture? I thought not.

As for what the film did have, let's start with the biggest triumph. One Take Tony missed out on being in this pseudo-one-take beauty.  Everything on screen and all the sounds thumping about fed directly into making it feel like the camera never turned away from the moment. The music (a must for any film to transcend mediocrity) is boundless. Immediately penetrating your consciousness, dictating your levels of attention with exquisite, raw, and lasting drum solos.

The consuming style and tunnel-vision-like trance the visuals vacuum you into with such confidence distract from any flaws with ease. Filmed as though experiencing a dream from a real singular perspective. A continuous flow to every aspect of the film done not to show off but to enthrall. The drums beat intensifies when it needs to and the camera never lets up. There are obvious spots where a cut is taking place but not only are they smooth, they are soothing. Pauses in a ride that isn't over until its over. The camera work is stunning. There's a but of strutting too like when the camera is moving around Keaton's head as he looks in a mirror. There is no camera anywhere in sight. Overly clever but well executed.

Outstanding performances are commonplace here. Its like each A-lister is trying to prove how amazing they really are. To his credit, Zach Galifianakis pulls an Edward Norton. Edward Norton also pulls an Edward Norton. Norton's new found acceptance of supporting roles (which was birthed by his infamous parting with Marvel) is a plus to any movie that can nab him (Grand Budapest, Moonrise Kingdom, Bourne Legacy). At the center is Keaton. It's been a strong year for the guy with him being the best part of two sub-par outings (Need for Speed and Robocop) finally delivering on the promise we all saw in Multiplicity. But seriously, his success was no fluke. He deserves to in films like this. You long for his return to the playing The Dark Knight. What a role, a truly spectacular job by him.

The women, while acted beautifully by all, especially Stone, are not allowed to break out of standard female roles. They are there to be affected by the men, each one in a different way, which is really the only negative the film brings. Where Jessica Chastain in Interstellar and Emily Blunt in Edge of Tomorrow set a standard for all films to uphold, Birdman was lacking.

On the pus side, yet again we have an original story, non sequel, non adaptation. They seem to making a nice return these days.

Bottom Line: With elements of fantasy peppered into a simple story of a comeback attempt, Birdman lays down an ambiguity to the whole world it presents. By the end you can determine who in the audience is a kid at heart and who is a grumpy old fart. 

9 out of 10. This is turning into a magnificent year for films. 

Interstellar (2014)

Review for those who've not seen the film:

If you love Nolan, you get everything you want.  

10 out of 10 - Read no further because I'm about to spill everything. Save yourself, oh intelligent film goer. Go in Blind!

If you have seen the film:

Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by Jonathan and Christopher Nolan
Starring:
Matthew McConaughy (Tropic Thunder)
Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises)
Mackenzie Foy (Apparently Twilight)
Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)
Topher Grace (Predators)
Casey Affleck (Oceans Eleven)
Michael Caine (Batman Begins)
John Lithgow (Rise of the Planet of the Apes)
Ellen Burstyn (The Fountain)
Timothee Chalamet (Royal Pains)
David Oyelowo (Jack Reacher)
Collette Wolfe (Take Me Home Tonight)
David Gyasi (Doctor Who) 
Wes Bentley (Four Feathers)
Josh Stewart (The Dark Knight Rises)
Bill Irwin (MR. NOODLE!)
Elyes Gabel (World War Z)
(Freakin Matt Damon) 

Like standout songs in a concept album, movies, especially action-adventure sci-fi movies, tend to have highly memorable scenes. Interstellar brings one after another. Sequences you can absorb out of context just for the coolness of it all. And this movie is exactly that, hyper cool.  Absolute zero. It believes in itself, and while some may find that off putting, I absolutely love it. Why watch a movie that is unsure of it self?

With Interstellar we have a new SciFi juggernaut. A story of wayward and hopeful souls flying across the universe divide, looking for the future of humanity. A story to sit in the upper echelon of the genre and take a spot next to Moon, Sunshine, and Inception.

For Nolan, like Inception before it, this standalone nonsequel non adaptation brings sequence after sequence of beautiful, mind-shattering practical effects. The clarity with which you can tell that you are watching something that occupied actual space instead of rendered pixels is astonishing, refreshing even. The worth of those aspects alone stands out in this day and age of CGI splurging. As for the running time, I'm firmly in the camp of never having too much of a good thing. 

Here are the scenes ranked in order of Stellarness. 

1. Spin Docking (The score in this scene alone is enough to melt the hair off your entire body.)
2. First Journey through the Wormhole
3. Black-hole Bookshelf
4. New Earth 
5. Drone chase
6. Solid Cloud/Matt Damonland 
7. Space Station Orbiting Earth (I'm getting dizzy just remembering it,)
8. Water World. 

It's a 12 Monkeys situation (among probably every other film that messes with time) where the end is fundamentally tied to the beginning, but unlike 12 Monkeys, it doesn't massacre the story's worth by burying the narrative in doomed time loops. With Interstellar the characters' actions matter and their sacrifices have gains. The pivotal scene reminding me of Looper's aha moment. All while operating in the theoretical realm with a future that's ever so slightly apocalyptic. Let's not forget that there is no sound in space, the fifth dimension is the exact representation of "all time experienced at once." Two details I always wish to enact in films utilizing the time or space travel tropes. To see them executed on screen and so near to how i imagined is a thrill beyond words. 

Then there's the casting. Familiar names and faces popping up not just as dense characters but also unexpected roles. Mackenzie Foy was an exact match to Jessica Chastain. Topher Grace continuing to make amends for his miscast opportunity as Venom being in a enjoyable enough to place along side his other film success, Predators. There's Wes Bentley's ongoing supporting actor career resurgence (Coupled with his importance to Hunger Game Franchise, a welcomed success after the promise he flashed in Four Feathers.) And we have the golden geezers. Lithgow holding his own and Caine doing what he does. 

One most memorable performance is also a special effect, more of a puppet actually. The robots TARS and CASE are unexpected packages of jokes. Not only that but they defy expectations with their abilities and purpose. An R2D2 and C3P0 for a time not too far off. 

We have our standard Hero's Journey set in space, playing with time. In Nolans hands, it flourishes. The story is anchored by the standard white male lead but we can't fault Matthew McConaughy here. Another celestial performance from the best actor in Hollywood. In fact, we're lucky he's in such a far out film like this, bringing credibility, loopiness, and his immense talent to a genre that may not always get the respect it deserves. After him, there is real diversity present in the other characters as well. Not in any extraordinary amount (See: Maze Runner) but it's still nice to get a female character or two that aren't annoying. Chastain is beyond perfect. Even with Hathaway's Brand needlessly in love, it eventually leads to a payoff we may not see but certainly can understand.


Bottom line. Christopher Nolan is the best there is (Aside from Edgar Wright). As far as this year goes, Interstellar now sits atop the rankings edging out John Wick but the year's not done, emotions are still raw and flux. It may come down to this, while John Wick and Edge of Tomorrow thrilled, Interstellar fulfilled. 

To repeat. 10 out of 10

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

Directed by Bryan Singer
Written by Simon Kinberg, Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman
Starring:
Everyone. (Everything)

Five Pluses:

1. Stunning, splashy, mesmerizing effects. The kind we've been longing for since the X2 and continuing the momentum Matthew Vaughn brought forth. 
2. Absolutely brutal at times. Not holding back on the bone crushing consequences drawing on our genuine fear for these character's lives. 
3. The actors are stone cold awesome. Fassbender is Fassbending. McAvoy be McMacking it while the old guard brings the gravitas. 
4. Flat out ignores Origins and swipes clean the damage of The Last Stand while keeping most* of the good.
5. The music. X2's theme back in all it's former glory. 

What was missing: 

1. Ben Foster's Archangel.* Completely and unfortunately MIA.  
2. The signature misty teleportation was nowhere.  
3. More of everything. I wish this was a 5 hour long film. 

Bottom Line:

The good far outweighs the bad and there are some stellar scenes that transcend the bar to the levels of even the X2 opening sequence. (Miss you, Kurt!)

10 out of 10

Nightcrawler (2014)

Written and Directed by Tony Gilroy (Bourne Legacy)
Starring: 
Jake Gyllenhaal (Source Code)
Riz Ahmed (Four Lions)
Rene Russo (Thor)
Bill Paxton (Edge of Tomorrow)

In the mud of Marvel congestion and superhero saturation, it's a risky maneuver to title a film the same name as a well known mutant but alas, here we are. So then the question becomes, how does a movie get over this disadvantage. A 94% tomatometer rating? Absolutely. An sinister, zoned in Jake Gyllenhaal finally showing his true talents? And we're off.

Gyllenhaal comes full force, fresh off another great performance in Enemy (2014), he gives life to a vile creature we never knew we needed to witness. His skeletal frame under sleek, greasy hair and that soulless bugeyed stare are magical. He completely dives into the character of Lou Bloom and it is terrifying. Riz Ahmed brings a strong presence to the screen as well as the tag along to Gyllenhaal's nightcrawling leach. Paxton is again a gratifying screen hog but he basically plays the same character he is in everything recently. You either like him or you don't by this point. This is also Paxton's second consecutive film to be at 90% or higher after Edge of Tomorrow so we can safely conclude that critics love him. Rene Russo does bring a little fire to her shared scenes with Lou Bloom but it all starts with Jake. His performance fuels this whole movie.

The story is as uninteresting as the trailer suggests, unless you're in to all that media nonsense, I mean, who even watches the news these days, probably people who would not enjoy this movie. That's the razor thin line that is walked. That's how good the performances are, that despite the lack of a feel good story, the absence of any true root-forable protagonist, we still feel a corrupted rush of wanting to know what will happen. Gilroy manages to add in a couple of snazy stylized sequences leaving the finished product to be a definite good movie. Not great, but certainly memorable and weirdly worthy of that RT score.

8 out of 10

Snowpiercer (2013/2014)

Director: Joon-ho Bong

Writers: Kelly Masterson and Joon-ho Bong

Starting:

Chris Evans (Cellular)

Jaime Bell (Tintin)

Kang-ho Song 

Luke Pasqualino 

Ewen Bremmer (Jack the Giant Slayer)

Ah-sung Ko

John Hurt (Alien)

Tilda Swinton (Narnia)

Allison Pill (Scott Pilgrim)

Octavia Spencer (The Help)

Ed Harris (Truman Show)

Chris Evans proves his leading man capabilities yet again in Joon-ho Bong's refreshingly strange tube tail. Its The Day After Tomorrow but with balls. The familiar post apocalyptic trope is shaken up and spun out is a new setting allowing for magically kinetic action to be filmed with stellar camera work.

During blistering sequences of intense violence, the camera focuses in on a single motion that leaves you breathless. Luke Pasqualino as the character of Grey was the prominent showcase for Joon-ho's flashy train zooms. All that flair provides the already unique story with visual thrills to match. 

Another atmospheric element brought to the film is the use of color. The plot allows for color to be part of the story. It becomes a character lingering in the background, shifting with every new train car,  a new palette, each one a stark contrast to the bright white snow that surrounds the outside world.  

The ending causes a but of a stir but this is a movie that doesn't play to mainstream sensibilities. It's one of those rare Yes Movies made by people who embrace any and every idea. They display it in a way that defies cliches because of how much the entire team believes in that philosophy of Yes. The destination here felt honest and unyielding. 

Besides, in addition to being a Yes Movie, the Zach Snyder Rule is also in effect. The rule states that all story hiccups can be forgiven if the cinematography, SFX, and stunt are magnificent.

To clarify, I did enjoyed the overall story here. That said, a character or two felt underused, but that's only because the screen time they were given was completely consumed by them and they made a real lasting impression. Luke Pasqualino, as mentioned earlier was phenomenal, as was Jamie Bell's Edgar.  

That compact energy and unflinching action presented here is quite memorable and Snowpiercer holds on strong during its fleshed out runtime. A mature Sci-Fi classic joining the ranks of Moon, Sunshine, Source Code, and Gattaca. 

9 out of 10

Fury (2014)

Written and Directed by David Ayer (Street Kings)
Staring:
Brad Pitt (Fight Club)
Shia LeBeouf (Holes)
Michael Peña (Silver Linings Playbook)
Jon Bernthal (Eastwick)
Logan Lerman (3:10 to Yuma)
Jason Issacs (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)
Xavier Samuel (New Moon)
Scott Eastwood (Clint Eastwood's Facewrinkle)
Alicia Von Rittberg (Debut)

As much as Logan Lerman can't hold a screen, like Noah earlier this year or 3:10 to Yuma a while back, he sure know how to be the whiner in all the right movies. Fury is a depressingly gruesome tale told with unrelenting honesty by David Ayer, whose track record is spotty at best. Street Kings and Harsh Times were a waste of time and talent, but he did helm End of Watch and write Training Day (neither of which I've seen but whose worth can't be denied by ignorance).

Brad Pitt performs as expected, one review had his performance pegged as a toned down version of his Inglorious Basterds character Lt. Aldo Raine, which is not wrong. But the most memorable stints come from Bernthal and LeBeouf (who apparently was so true to character that he didn't shower during the shoot). Notable names in the cast are peppered throughout the film and, like John Wick, no small role is wasted. In the vein of another Jason-Issacs-cameo war film, Black Hawk Down, it would't be surprising if Eastwood or Samuel went the route of a, lets say, Tom Hardy or Orlando Bloom and use this film as a platform to greater fame.

The details of tank warfare Ayer manages to display is a blistering success. It's ground that hasn't truly been spotlit before. "Best job I ever had," the catchphrase repeated by the characters, holds remarkable power in the hands of the performers and the in the context with which it is delivered. Before now, tanks were slow and fearful, but this film gives them a personality. A soul. Although Ayer focus' only on the tank Fury, it wouldn't have hurt the film to give some spotlight to the other crews and not just their versions of Pitt's character.

The story has tangents which take you away from the action and its fault is that it focus' too much on the moral complexity of its characters. It's not that the scenes with the poorly juxtaposed romance is unbearable to watch, in fact, it has it's emotional high points, it's just that it has no real purpose other than adding something that appeases the audience Logan Lerman brought in. That was a poor decision, we already know that he is the POV for the audience, there is no need to soften his character up that much. That said, the ending, which I won't mention, wasn't unwelcome.

All in all, this is a modern day war classic. The gore is gory, The blood is bloody. And death surrounds you the entire time. Each character is morally compromised and there's enough humor that you don't succumb to depression while watching it. Ayer's success here makes his involvement with DC's Suicide Squad all the more interesting.

8 out of 10.

John Wick (2014)

Director: David Leitch and Chad Stahelski (former Keanu stunt double on The Matrix)

Writer: Derek Kolstad

Starring: 

Keanu Reeves (Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey)

Michael Nyqvist (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol)

Lance Reddick (Fringe)

Adrianne Paleki (Supernatural)

Allie Allen (Game of Thrones)

Dean Winters (30 Rock)

John Leguizamo (Mario Brothers)

Bridget Regan (Legend of the Seeker)

Willem Defoe (Spider-Man)

Toby Moore (Legend of the Seeker)

Bridget Moynahan (The Recruit)

Randall Duk Kim (Aka "hey wait a second, is that the Key Maker from the Matrix? Yes it certainly is.")

Take Constantine's style, add in Jack Reacher's fight choreography and mythos, throw in a hint of Thomas Jane's Punisher, and mix in a bit of Gun-kata and you get John Wick.

Keanu proves his lasting power is just as strong as Tom Cruise. He may have very little diversity in his roles, but good golly does he play the part perfectly. In a rare non-sequel, non-adaptation, albeit to some degrees a conventional actioner, the plot of John Wick unexpectedly plunges you deep into a world of assassins and mobsters that spits out one brutal gun fight after another.

First time director Chad Stahelski squeezes every ounce of mayhem and beauty out of each individual shot involving a gun. The motivation of the character himself is handled swiftly and clearly so it doesn't take anything away from what's too come, which is precision violence. The opening is deliberately calm but once the bullets start flying, the real ride commences.

The music thumps throughout setting an appropriate mood. One that's on-edge but confident, like Wick himself. Such a combination of sound and style fuels an exhilaration that builds as the story progresses. 

Another detail they got right was the humor. Characters know each other and they react in a way that tells us something deeper is at play, a history visible through expressions and reactions. Those reactions also catch us off guard to the point that the theatre was downright laughing because each of us got the joke.

The characters felt diverse and whole. Given that there were a healthy amount of characters, the movie's ability to make you care for each one is an achievement. While the main villain, which is only a circumstantial role for this story and whose real role in the world of the film is only hinted at, isn't ruthless, but in this situation he doesn't need to be. The bad guys are helpless and that's the playfulness of the plot. We know who to root for while simultaneously not hating the people who we know don't stand a chance. Then there's also the unresolved history of John Wick himself. For all we know, he may have been the most ruthless villain of all, we just don't see it in the frame of the story. The past that was constructed leaves all these possibilities open and keeps you thinking long after the credits role.

That depth may have been a hindrance for a single film were it not for one key element the movie got right. This is a purpose driven film and that purpose is vengeance. To truly be enjoyed, revenge needs a clear purpose and the vengeance must be satisfyingly delivered. The real triumph of this move, above all its layers, beyond the bloodshed, is the clarity with which we see everything for what it is, the camera work coupled with the tight scope which the story focuses on lets us soak it all in. Yeah there's this whole mythology to explore, but they are telling a specific story in that world.

One last shout out to the blistering cast. So many names and each one delivering a standout performance. No role was wasted. Glad to see Bridget Regan on the screen, too. Many of the best talents from television showing they can hold the big screen and all brought forth by a pristine debut film from Stahelski. 

John Wick is a strong candidate for top film of 2014. Stiff competition from Lego Movie and Edge of Tomorrow still lingers so we just have to see if the adrenaline rush lasts.


10 out of 10

2011: Film Rankings

A fine crop of films this year included these well-received selections that didn't quite reach the upper echelon: 

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Adaptation) 

The Help (Adaptation)

Immortals

Captain America: The First Avenger (Adaptation)

Sucker Punch

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Sequel Adaptation)

Goon

Fast Five (Franchise)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Adaptation)

Moneyball

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Reboot)

The Artist

Thor (Adaptation)

Midnight in Paris

Warhorse 

Bridesmaids

The Muppets (Reboot)

Horrible Bosses

Super 8

And now for the pyramid's tip, the top 11. 

11. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Franchise)

Taking the franchise to new heights. 

10. Drive

A gorgeous blend of colors and talent for a unique, taciturn thrill ride. 

9. Hanna

Brutality meets innocence doused in a finely crafted score by The Chemical Brothers. 

8. Limitless

Stylish, simple, and well acted. 

7. The Adjustment Bureau (Adaptation)

Inventive and freeing in its story and direction. 

6. Hugo (Adaptation)

Profound emotional depth for an era of live action children's film that lacks such well executed stories. 

5. 50/50

Immemsely likable and winning performances all around. A striking balance between sorrow and joy.  

4. Attack the Block

Small scale scifi action delivered that gave the world John Boyega. 

3. Source Code

Duncan Jones does it again. 

2. X-Men: First Class (Prequel)

Stunning casting, uplifting score, presented in a totally immersive style by Matthew Vaughn. 

1. Fright Night (Remake)

With an opening theme that sucks you in and David Tennant and at his best, all the pieces fall beautifully in to place. 

The Dawn of Jason Clarke

Anyone who was lucky enough to watch The Chicago Code's lone season on FOX was witness to the powerful and absorbing debut of Jason Clarke in America. 

Early trailers for the show had him tough guying around, but his no name face labeled him to me as the "guy who looks like a serious Matthew Perry." So much so I thought for at least two days that Perry was going dramatic. 

It wasn't the premise of the show that drew me in. I couldn't care less about Chicago cops, (know that because I did, Chicago PD would have some kind of appeal) and in fact, I find procedurals to be a dreary affair. It also wasn't the stars. Clarke was unheard of. I'm not a lesbian nor was I nearing my 40s so Jennifer Beals hadn't the slightest draw. 

No, the real pull came from a writer. Firefly and Wonderfalls' Tim Minear. When your name features on Firefly, you get a second look. 

(Following this show, there seems to be a trend where unheralded Fox shows are more likely to be hidden gems than shows on other networks.)

Anyway, the show was killer. The full run favored serialized plot over procedural, it was stylized, brutally realistic and filled with quirky characters and a gripping plot. It had some negatives (needless romantic plot twists and an unbearable actor here and there) but they were nothing compared with the positives. You can't overlook a show that kills characters with no mercy in way Game Of Thrones would go on to popularize. And that Billy Corrigan theme song was perfectly moody and intense. 

Back to Clarke. His Jarek Wysocki stole the show from the get go. Tough, cocky, and abrasive yet on the path of justice to clean up his city. It was astonishing and the show, while canceled after a phenomenal season due to lack of audience, spawned someone who is now on the cusp of stardom. 

While he has been finding steady roles since Code, his stand out supporting roles pump energy into ensembles that have benefitted a few key films. 

He roared at terrorists alongside Jessica Chastain in the acclaimed Zero Dark Thirty. 

He popped up in Lawless (as the non Shia Labeouf, non Tom Hardy Bondurant brother) and The Great Gatsby as an angry husband.  

My personal favorite is a film that isn't so fondly perceived. I have a bit of a soft spot for ruthlessness and his turn as the villainous Stenz in the laughably plotted White House Down carried that movie into being rather captivating (while he was on screen at any rate).  

All that brings us to now. Clarke, a stealthy Australian native who masterfully hides his accent, is the human anchor in Dawn of The Planet of The Apes. A seemingly out of nowhere choice if you're not familiar with his trajectory. 

Sure Andy Serkis deserves all the praise for this film but that's a different issue What audiences want is a human lead and Clarke takes over for an über celeb in James Franco. 

While Dawn features capable and powerful turns by Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kirk Acevado, and every mo-capped Ape (hot damn if Toby Kebbell isn't the next Jason Clarke), this film was about Caesar and Malcolm. Serkis and Clarke. A no name duo that everyone should know the names of. 

(Serkis and Kebbell, as I'm doing with Clarke, deserve their own breakdown of praise and prediction.)

Clarke is next portaying another more high profiled saivor of humanity, John Connor, in the upcoming rebootish Terminator film. 

Even if regular moviegoers fail to recognize him, at least Hollywood has given him their much deserved trust.