2014 has been a busy, busy year at Flickchart. Yes, you read the headline correctly – over the course of the year, more than 20,000 Flickcharters have ranked movies over 20 million times to help determine the greatest films of the year. That’s over 50,000 movie rankings a day. The results are a mix of critical darlings, cineplex blockbusters, and perhaps a few surprises!
Remember – this is the result of each and every Flickcharter’s rankings aggregated together to form the combined chart of the highest ranked, best movies of 2014.
Out of 981 total movies released in 2014, as of today, here are your current picks for the Top 20 of 2014:
#20 – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Peter Jackson is a master storyteller by now, and this film’s mixture of extravagant spectacle and delicate quiet moments is a testament to his skill of translating story into pure cinematic magic. The visuals, the music, the story, the grandeur, and the cast all clash together on the slopes of Erebor to an astounding result. As a defining end chapter to an epic series of films in the Tolkien universe, it’s been a long journey. We’ve been there and back again, and we’re grateful for ever step of the way. – Clint Rizzo
*****
#19 – Whiplash
With Damien Chazelle’s first film, the understated and quiet Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, he showed the beauty of great jazz. In his follow-up Whiplash, Chazelle shows the literal blood, sweat and tears that comes from trying to be truly great at something. Whiplash is filled with fury, rage and perfection that comes from J.K. Simmons’ Fletcher, a teacher who can destroy his students for the sake of art, explain himself, and have you understand his awful ways. Simmons gives one of the year’s best performances, yet Miles Teller as the determined pupil Andrew holds his own – trying to be as great as the musicians that inspired him. Whiplash is one of the most tense, infuriating and breathtaking films of the year that will make you want to learn a musical instrument while simultaneously making you want to never touch an instrument in your life. – Ross Bonaime
*****
#18 – Fury
In the hands of a less capable director, Fury might have been just another entry into a long line of World War II films. Admittedly, Fury brings little new to the table that hasn’t been done already. Yet everything it does, it does with a great amount of style. Director David Ayer has become famous for bringing gritty stories full of character to life, and Fury is no exception. Featuring strong performances by Logan Lerman, Brad Pitt, and the rest of its ensemble cast, Fury tells the story of a tank crew in the final days of World War II. Anchored in a strong degree of realism, the film pulls no punches in depicting the ravages of war. There is gore aplenty, yet never gratuitous – as it only serves to highlight the dangers the soldiers constantly dealt with. The audience comes to know each member of the crew well, and this investment in the characters pays off throughout the film – especially in a dinner scene near the midpoint of the film that showcases how a good director and actors can make or break any script or story. Fury likely won’t be remembered in years to come, but its perfection of character suggests it probably should be. – Connor Adamson
*****
#17 – Godzilla
Fans have been waiting years for a blockbuster Godzilla movie that meets their expectations, and 2014 finally brought one. The movie’s slow beginning effectively builds the tension throughout the story, and the climactic battle at the end is completely worth the wait. All of the monsters are impressively huge – whether it’s the creepy MUTOs or Godzilla himself defending humanity. Thanks to the great effects and cinematography, the film makes it incredibly easy to feel the terror of indescribable creatures callously destroying your town, and as far as this reviewer is concerned, that’s everything a monster movie needs to do. – Hannah Keefer
*****
#16 – Big Hero 6
Big Hero 6 brings to mind another animated sci-fi film about a misunderstood child connecting with a robot: 1999’s The Iron Giant. Like that movie, Big Hero 6 perfectly blends charming comedy about a robot deciphering the human world along with touching emotional moments as the two leads bond. Big Hero 6, however, tosses a mystery and a series of fun action adventure sequences into the mix, with creative characters and gadgets that make it tremendously entertaining. It may not be officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s easily the best kids’ superhero movie since The Incredibles. – Hannah Keefer
*****
#15 – 22 Jump Street
Do you think sequels are just overblown versions of the original with the same movie rehashed? So does 22 Jump Street. Jenko and Schmidt are back to bust up another drug ring, but this time – they’re doing it at college. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill share a great chemistry, and both are able to show off their comedic chops. This movie deconstructs the Hollywood sequel and refuses to take itself seriously. It’s a very meta experience, and knows full well what it is. This is definitely one of the few sequels that is equal to or even better than the original. – Ryan Hope
*****
#14 – How to Train Your Dragon 2
Sequels are often inferior to their originals due to a lack of ideas or creative spark – often only made to exploit past success and make more money for Hollywood. 2014 has in many ways broken the mold when it comes to remakes and sequels, and How to Train Your Dragon 2 is no exception. Based on the series of British children novels, the film opens five years after the original film depicting a changed Viking society now at peace with dragons. Weighty themes of family, success, duty, community, are all dealt with beautifully. The charismatic awkwardness of Hiccup and his companion dragon Toothless prove wonderful protagonists for the film’s intended child audience, yet still manage to prove wholly relatable to all ages. – Connor Adamson
*****
#13 – The Raid 2: Berandal
Ever since the short and sweet The Raid: Redemption came onto the scene in 2011, action fanatics everywhere have anxiously been waiting for the sequel. Now, Welsh film director Gareth Evans has returned and given us another martial arts bonanza to salivate over. The Raid 2: Berandal is a huge step up from its predecessor in almost every department. The film has a grand and epic scale with phenomenal set pieces that add depth to the astounding fight sequences. The movie also revolves around a very engrossing gangster/crime story that is heavily influenced by films such as The Godfather and The Departed. So follow Rama into his journey through the Indonesian criminal underworld with this installment in The Raid series. It’s bone-crunchingly awesome, and leaves you clawing at the screen – begging for more arm snapping… not that there’s a shortage of it. – Conner Wood
*****
#12 – Birdman
Who knew how much we missed Michael Keaton? But Alejandro G. Inarritu’s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is more than just a meta consideration of a much-deserved comeback for Keaton, or the year’s most pretentious full title. It’s also the year’s most technically audacious film. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki follows up last year’s Oscar for Gravity with perhaps an even greater feat of wizardry as his camera weaves and bobs through the back corridors of a Broadway theater without the appearance of a single cut in the whole film. It’s not only a fly on the wall, it’s a fly traveling through the air as it looks in on the lives of half a dozen actors and other showbiz types who are all seeking some kind of personal redemption. Birdman is also one of the easiest films of the year for its audience to relate to. – Derek Armstrong
*****
#11 – Nightcrawler
This dark film offers a thrilling ride into the mind of a sociopath that has no social boundaries. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a stunning performance as a man who films the dark, seedy underbelly of the city. He freelances as a videographer that films the most gruesome accidents that happen in the city. Nightcrawler is an homage to films of the past with the loner character that will stop at nothing to get what they want. There is no low that he won’t sink to in order to get the perfect shot. It’s certainly guaranteed to make you feel dirty after rooting for such a charming sociopath. – Ryan Hope
*****
#10 – The Lego Movie
When The Lego Movie was first announced, I rolled my eyes and assumed it would just another one in the long line of uninspired, unnecessary adaptations. Thankfully, the film turned out to be one of the most creative and entertaining movies of 2014 – an amazing wild ride with a surprising amount of depth in its story. LEGO is all about creativity, and the movie brilliantly taps into that, using the hero’s quest as a way to celebrate and encourage limitless imagination. The jokes are clever, the voice acting is perfect, the music is infectious, and the film’s heart is in the right place. It’s a delightful throwback to the enthusiastic, silly play of childhood, and it’s hard not to get caught up in the fun, no matter what age you are. – Hannah Keefer
*****
#9 – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
With a depth, darkness and excellent characters unlike any we’ve seen in previous Apes films, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes might very well be the best film in the almost 50-year history of the franchise. Dawn gives us four separate characters, each with their own ideals and perspectives, some heroes, some villains, and presents them in a way where each character’s motivations and actions make complete sense. Director Matt Reeves takes some beautiful chances here as well, telling the first fifteen minutes in almost complete silence and some incredible single-shot takes during the height of action. The reboot of the Apes films originally seemed like it could very well be a bad idea, but with our second excellent film in a row, Apes is back and better than it’s ever been before. – Ross Bonaime
*****
#8 – Edge of Tomorrow
The torturous trip through the marketing gauntlet for this Doug Liman film, which had its title changed both before and AFTER its release, was a real injustice to one of the best and most original action movies of the past couple years. Perhaps the people trying to figure out whether it was called All You Need Is Kill or Live.Die.Repeat or its true title – Edge of Tomorrow - at least brought some extra eyeballs to the film that also had a prominent nickname: Groundhog Troopers. It does indeed re-package elements of Groundhog Day and Starship Troopers to make an immensely satisfying (and often very funny) story of a cowardly military general (Tom Cruise) discovering his dormant courage under the tutelage of a kick-ass soldier (Emily Blunt). The action is top notch, the pretzel logic is supremely pretzel-y, and Cruise has fun with the idea that a large segment of his audience might relish seeing him killed repeatedly. – Derek Armstrong
*****
#7 – Boyhood
Known for the Before series that spanned almost two decades, Richard Linklater increased the scale with Boyhood. Managing to keep a cast together for twelve years, he recorded the challenges faced by Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and his family in piecemeal. From divorce to identity creation, no movie before connected events so eloquently to personal growth. Designed, as the film was, to be adapted, Linklater incorporated the life experiences of the major actors and events such as the Iraq War, the Harry Potter book series and the 2008 presidential election along the way. Accumulating into a beautiful film, Boyhood will become a classic for its unique production and presentation of the subtly of change and the human condition. – Wyatt Thurston
*****
#6 – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson continues his distinct directing of dialogue and character movement with The Grand Budapest Hotel. Set in mainly in the 1930s, the film uses bold colors, old movie special effects, and different screen proportions to enhance the timeline. Combined with slapstick humor, profuse profanity, and quirky characters lead by the superb performance by Ralph Fiennes, the comedy is natural and genuine. Boasting an all-star supporting cast including Edward Norton, Adrien Brody and Willem Dafoe with cameos from Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law and Bill Murray, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a cute, fun movie that that moves quickly, and is heartwarming without taking itself too seriously. – Wyatt Thurston
*****
#5 – X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men: Days of Future Past is the culmination of seven films featuring Marvel’s mutants dominating cinemas, and it is an appropriately epic outing. Seamlessly bringing together the two X-Men casts (the original group, led by Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, and the younger crew from X-Men: First Class), this trippy, time-hopping tale weaves a fun alternate history of the mutant struggle for equality framed by apocalyptic scenes of a future in which the X-Men have been hunted nearly to extinction. 14 years after he kick-started the modern comic book movie craze with the original X-Men, director Bryan Singer is still bringing his A-game. Need proof? Check out the Quicksilver scene – easily one of the most inventive action sequences of the past decade of comic movie mania. – Nigel Druitt
*****
#4 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014 will go down primarily as the year that Marvel finally nailed what their long-term plans for their Cinematic Universe can accomplish. Both of their offerings slayed it this year – at the box office and creatively. What is so special about Captain America: The Winter Soldier, though, is that it proves just how versatile Marvel’s characters can be, as it exists in an almost completely different genre from its predecessor, The First Avenger. Throwing their ultimate Boy Scout – as personified by Chris Evans – into a murky political thriller, backed by the super-shady Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), was a stroke of genius. Behind the camera, the Russo brothers deftly mix a cocktail of suspense, hard-hitting action, and light humor that make The Winter Soldier not just a great comic book movie, but a top-notch action thriller as well. – Nigel Druitt
*****
#3 – Gone Girl
David Fincher is well known for his dark, grimy character dramas, and Gone Girl certainly retains his iconic style. The entire story is told with a sense of wry irony that originates from the author of the book the film is based on. Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) returns home on the day of his anniversary to find his wife missing. Suspicion is raised as to who is responsible for her disappearance and/or murder – with Nick as the prime suspect. What follows is a creative use of perspective and narrative to keep the audience guessing. These type of films tend to lose their narrative push once the mystery is unveiled, but the story really takes off once the truth is revealed. There are strong performances from the entire cast – especially that of Golden Globe-nominated Rosamund Pike, and a surprising turn from Tyler Perry. Fans of Fincher can rejoice that the director hasn’t lost his touch, and general audiences will find a very well-made thriller that stands as one of the top films of 2014. – Connor Adamson
*****
#2 – Interstellar
Interstellar has already been called Christopher Nolan’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and while aficionados of Kubrick’s mind-bending masterpiece may cry foul, it’s undoubtedly true that Interstellar is exactly the kind of 2001 Nolan would make, and in some ways it’s better for it. While Interstellar never quite reaches the cerebral heights of more esoteric sci-fi, it remains firmly grounded in the human needs and emotions that make reaching for the stars worthwhile. Nolan has always exhibited clockwork precision in his work – especially in the time-relative world of Inception – and that metaphor becomes reality in Interstellar, which definitely feels like the culmination of Nolan’s filmmaking up to this point. – Jandy Hardesty
*****
#1 – Guardians of the Galaxy
Even those who haven’t really gotten into the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far are likely to enjoy Guardians of the Galaxy. A good chunk of that is due to the infectious charm of leading man Chris Pratt, but there are plenty of other things to love. The likable and entertaining cast, the lighthearted sense of humor throughout the film, the fun, adventurous action sequences, and the moments of unexpected sincerity all come together seamlessly to solidify as the best movie of the year. – Hannah Keefer
*****
So – what do you think of how the year ended up? Were there any of your favorites missing? Do you think this is all wrong and needs to be completely rearranged? Rank all the 2014 movies! Make your voice heard and change it! Don’t forget that you can also further filter the chart to get the best of 2014 combined with your favorite actors, directors, genres, and franchises. You have the power to refine the charts and decide which films should represent the best cinema has to offer from 2014.
This post is only accurate up to the minute this post was published, so if you’re coming to this post after the fact and want to see how things have shaken up, you can always check the daily stats at http://www.flickchart.com/charts/2014.
Just to let you know, we’ve been furiously working behind the scenes on a whole new iteration of Flickchart. A sequel, of sorts. We’re not quite ready to reveal behind the curtain on it just yet, but know we’re striving towards a completely revamped, new-and-improved-in-every-way Flickchart in 2015. Stay tuned!
Want to see where the rest of the year’s best films ended up? You can also check out:
The Top 50 Movies of 2014
The Top 100 Movies of 2014
The Best Action Films of 2014
The Best Comedy Films of 2014
The Best Horror Films of 2014
The Best Sci-Fi Films of 2014
The Best Drama Films of 2014
The Best Animated Films of 2014