2014 was not a good year for movies. I decided at the beginning of the year that at the end of my challenge, I would make a top 5 or top 10 list out of all the films I saw. This is the list, but I'm not sure I'd call it a top 10 since these are the only movies that I actually truly enjoyed. Kind of sad, isn't it? Back when motion pictures were a new concept, there would be one film out a month, so they had to make sure it was a good one. Now, 6 films can come out in one week, and, most of the time, they all suck. I saw close to 50 movies, and I only really liked 10, and out of those ten, I'd probably only buy 3. 3 movies out of 50. That means that Hollywood has spent billions of dollars on at least 47 pieces of trash. And they'll do it again in 2015, I'm sure. I'm so disappointed in the work of the today's filmmakers.
Before I get into my movie list, I would just like to share with you some tips and pointers on movie-going that I've found.
- If you want the best seats, get to the theatre no later than 30 minutes before the showtime. I usually went an hour ahead and had to wait until they were letting people in, but I always got the seat I wanted!!
- Middle is best, but the middle of the 3rd last row is better (in my opinion). It's the Sweet Seat. You're high enough that you can see clearly, but not so high that you can't tilt your head back without getting an awkward view, and not so low that you get a sore neck from having it tilted back the entire time.
- Best seating #2: far top corner. This seat depends on the theatre. If you are in a theater that is sloped rather steep, this is not a great seat. If your theatre is gradually sloped, however, this seat is almost as good as the Sweet Seat.
- Always, always, always, pee before the movie. always. No one wants to leave mid-movie for a pee break, especially when you've paid good money to see it and you can't pause it. Want if you miss the emotional death scene that you never saw coming?! always pee beforehand.
- Popcorn and peanut M&Ms taste really good when eaten together. Try and and tell me I'm wrong (you won't, because I'm not wrong).
- For movie snacks, go to dollarama beforehand and get whatever your tastebuds desire and can fit in your (or your friend's)bag/pockets. This is technically against the theatre's policy, but they never check, and this way you can save money and get a bigger package of your favorite snack and/or drink!
- When choosing a seat, try to sit one seat to the left or right of another person. Most people respect the unspoken rule of personal space and won't sit directly beside a stranger. If you sit in the row above and one seat over from someone, you have a better chance of the seat directly in front of you remaining vacant, which gives you a very nice footrest.
- If you are buying more than one ticket and using a Scene Card, make separate transactions. You get 10 points per transaction, not per ticket...I learned this the hard way...
- That being said, if you go to any place that accepts a Scene Card, bring a friend (or 2 or 3) that don't have a card themselves. You can give your card to your friend(s) when they buy their ticket(s), which will give them a discount, and you more points!! (1000 points gets you a free movie, remember?)
- Last, but not least, bring a sweater and/or jacket. Once you've found your seat, place said clothing onto one of the seats next to you. This creates a barrier and, unless the movie you are seeing is extremely popular and the theatre completely fills up, most people will not sit where your sweater/jacket is placed. I learned this from Olan Rogers.
There are my tips! I hope you find them useful and enjoy your movie-going even more with them in mind! Now, without farther ado, here is my list, in no particular order.
1. Into the Woods
Great plot, great music, great character development, great cinematography.
2. American Hustle
Great cast, phenomenal cinematography, fantastic soundtrack.
3. How To Train Your Dragon 2
Fantastic animation, suspenseful action, great plot twists, great storyline.
4. The Budapest Hotel
Great script, fantastic cinematography, very funny, great narration
5. The Judge
Great plot, great character development, great cinematography, great great, great!
6. A Winter's Tale
Great plot twist, great cinematography, fantastic script, good casting.
7. The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty
Wonderful cinematography, great directing, great soundtrack.
8. The Box Trolls
Great animation, great script, great characters and casting.
9. St. Vincent
Phenomenal character and plot development, good casting, very funny.
10. The Captive
Great storyline, great plot development, good suspense, great casting.
There you have it, your top movies of 2014. Of course, this is just MY personal opinion, and you are welcome to disagree with me (except for American Hustle. That was the best movie of the year, hands down, no discussion). I hope you enjoyed following me on this journey though film as much as I have enjoyed writing about it, and I hope you continue to read my reviews as continue to blog throughout 2015 (this time on new AND old films, I'm making a list). Happy movie-watching in 2015!!
