[Movie Review] 5 best films of 2014

I’m sure to get flamed for this, no matter what movies I pick. I’m pretty sure nobody is going to complain that “Blended” isn’t on the list, and I’m pained that I can’t put “Transformers: Age of Extinction” anywhere near the top 20.

But a good movie is one that evokes strong emotions. A good movie gives you insights into human nature. And ultimately, a good movie is one that makes you a better person. So I’m judging the movies based on a holistic score, rather than its aptitude in any one aspect. “Transformers: Age of Extinction” might be the best sci-fi film (no, it isn’t) but it might not be the best movie on the whole.

So let’s go!

5)Stand By Me Doraemon

If there’s anything that Doraemon taught us, it’s that friendship can occur between the most unlikely of people. A useless boy and a cat robot from the future can become such fast friends that their bond is thicker than blood. If that isn’t friendship, I don’t know what it is.

It was also, surprisingly, a tearjerker that sent the whole cinema sobbing. Ironically, I noticed the men were crying more than the women or the children. I guess it goes to show how much wish fulfilment we had all come to see Doraemon as.

“Stand by Me Doraemon” also brought closure to an entire generation of Doraemon fans. Even if you never watched the cartoon or read the manga (I only really watched the cartoon a few times), you knew the central premise behind Doraemon and his magic pockets. The fact that it showed the origins and ending to Doraemon gave us a whole, complete story to end our childhood memories of it.

4)Interstellar

“Interstellar” was touted as a science-fiction movie, but it was far, far beyond that. It held so much rich meaning, and under it all was a story about a father’s love for his daughter. I mean sure, you could debate endlessly on whether the scientific aspects of it are accurate or not, but that’s not for everyone.

What really resonated was how Cooper’s quest wasn’t to save humanity, but to get back to his daughter and provide a world where she and mankind could continue living on in peace. There were some kooky antagonists along the way, but the film never lost sight of the driving force behind the protagonist’s quest.

“Interstellar” wasn’t the brainteasing engima that some of Christopher Nolan’s previous films were, and thankfully, wasn’t subject to the same amount of pretentious preening from supposed movie connoisseurs, since there were fewer criticisms to be bandied about. It was a good, old-fashioned story about a parent and a child, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

3)Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno

That’s right, “Kyoto Inferno” beat out “The Legend Ends.” That’s how it always is, isn’t it? The sequel is always better than the final movie in the trilogy, even if the payoffs are all in the third movie. In any case, “Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno” was a great movie that was not only a good instalment of a series, but also an excellent standalone film.

We saw Kenshin’s humanity, his desire to save lives, his initial encounters with the villains that he would defeat in the future, all fraught with tension. We saw the story of Shishio, and it gave us the morally ambiguous Meiji era government. There was also no lack of swordfighting action, showing us just why Kenshin was such a feared assassin and warrior of his time.

And his sword broke. His sword broke! If you’re not a fan of swordfighting flicks, well, the breaking of the hero’s signature weapon is always a sign of an impending level up, a marker of the power of the villain, and the herald of newer, sexier weapon. All of this was paid off in “Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends,” but this was the better movie.

2)Lucy

“Lucy” was an exploration into human nature, and also a thought exercise on our innate desire to be omnipotent and omniscient. True, it had that weird anti-climatic ending where Lucy becomes a thumb drive (not Dropbox? not WeTransfer?), but the rest of the film had us eagerly waiting to see what Lucy’s next metamorphosis was.

Behind it all was a scared, vulnerable woman who didn’t know what was happening to her. She was just like us, and despite her transformation into a font of knowledge, there were always cracks that showed us her humanity. This is what made it so endearing – that underneath all that power was a frail person who was just as lost as we were.

Of course, Lucy effectively becomes a deity at the end, ending any possibility of a sequel (but I could be wrong). But then, that’s all humans aspire to be, right? Gods.

1)X-Men: Days of Future Past

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” was about a heartbroken man who had to learn to open his heart to the pain and hurt and love, in order to save the world. It was a global crisis hinging on the personal tragedy of a person. Everyone can identify with being heartbroken, and the agony of getting over the loss of a person you love, and that’s what made this movie so compelling its drama.

Of course, there were super-powered mutants going round frying or freezing things, plus giant robots and time travel. That was just the gravy on top though. It played into our own personal wells of sorrow and grief, and the empathy we felt for our younger selves. If only we could go back and tell our past personas that this too, would pass! And that’s exactly what Professor X did.

And because of that, because of his immense courage and strength in allowing himself to be vulnerable to the very pain because he was so scared of, Professor X saved the world and learnt to love again, giving us the X-Men that we (or rather, that fictional world) need so much.

Agree? Disagree? Let’s have at it!