Plan B's Year in Review (2014)

Like I said, a movie where Liam Neeson kicks ass and takes names is usually worth watching alone. And while the first minute or so of A Walk Among the Tombstones might remind you of the action-packed Taken or something similar starring Neeson that involves explosions, chases, and bullets blaring, this film couldn't be any more farther than that. A Walk Among the Tombstones is a thought-provoking, surprisingly philosophical, and at times emotionally powerful film, especially in one scene where Neeson's character realizes the existentialism of his life following a shootout in the streets. It's not the best movie in the world, but this is worth watching, and to be honest it's ultimately unlike anything I've seen him in. Just don't expect it to put you on the edge of your seat.

David Fincher is one of my favorite filmmakers working today. He has brought us Se7en, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And now, his most recent film, Gone Girl, is just as brilliant - of course, it doesn't reach the heights of The Social Network. Starring en Affleck and Rosamund Pike - who deserves her nomination here - this film chronicles the search of a man's missing wife and the frenzy that occurs when it's suspected that he may not be as innocent as it seems. Great cinematography as always, solid acting, and an unnerving but fantastic musical score.

Formulaic in every aspect, Dracula Untold is cliched, lazy, and lacking in depth. For what it does in the storytelling department, it takes away from other - and better - movies. The acting's honestly not the worst, but it also wasn't the best. But what's really at the rotten core of Dracula Untold? It practically has nothing to do with the true origins of the character of Dracula as found in Bram Stoker's work, and is instead comic book artistry.

To be totally honest, I wasn't expecting much going into this movie. Director David Ayer had just delivered audiences Sabotage, a film panned by critics and moviegoers. But having seen End of Watch, and liking it - though it certainly had its flaws - I was still optimistic. Let me start out by saying that Fury also has its number of flaws, which usually stick out like a sore thumb, chief among them the lack in character development apart from Brad Pitt's and Logan Lerman's characters. Performance-wise, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena, and Jon Bernthal rarely surprise, with all the fine acting delivered through Brad Pitt and especially Lerman. The writing also wasn't the best, but what does it for me is the haunting, frenzied, and engaging finale.

Adapted from the Marvel heroes by the same name, Big Hero 6 tells the story of Baymax and Hiro Hamada, who make up two in a six-member superhero team. It's undeniably funny, action-packed, and visually exciting. It's one of the best films to come out of Disney in 2014. It kind of resembles The Iron Giant without the politics. You should totally check out Big Hero 6 if you haven't already.

I like to see St. Vincent as a sort of comeback for Bill Murray, even though that's not really the case. I see it this way because, for one reason or another, it feels like Murray in classic form. Playing the bizarre, eccentric, mean, and careless characters he's been known to play. This isn't Murray from Moonrise Kingdom or The Grand Budapest Hotel. It's Bill Murray in a leading role, which is something we really don't see far too often. Anyways, St. Vincent is thoughtful, emotional, and at times extremely funny. Naomi Watts deserved some nominations this awards season for her role.

I know people who absolutely love this movie and consider it one of the greatest films ever made. I did thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly, enjoy this entertaining, thought-provoking, ambitious film from the genius Christopher Nolan. Interstellar, for me, was more than just a sci-fi adventure. I found it to be a character-driven drama, specifically chronicling Matthew McConaughey's personal obstacles. It's not my favorite Nolan film - The Dark Knight is my favorite - but it's certainly breathtaking in some aspects, and the references to 2001: A Space Odyssey are spot on, especially how Nolan is able to incorporate them into the story without "stealing" anything.

I want to see Fury; I didn't care much for End of Watch, but just finished Sabotage and liked it a lot.

I also want to see Walk Among the Tombstones and especially Gone Girl.

Coming from someone who has read American Sniper, the movie left out a lot of questionable things Kyle said, especially regarding Jesse Ventura. Kyle lied about an incident that supposedly took place with Ventura, in which Kyle claimed Ventura said the Navy SEALs "deserve to lose a few." When Ventura sued, it was pretty much confirmed that the entire thing never happened, and he said some other ridiculous things, like when he described shooting two guys at a gas station when there is no evidence - and actually indications that it never happened - to support this. And he made up a fantastical story about being hired by Blackwater to snipe armed looters at the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina. Eastwood said he doesn't even believe his claims. Kyle also never came into contact with the Olympic sniper in Iraq known only as "Mustafa" or the Butcher of Fallujah, who was captured a month after he left the Navy. That was added in for dramatic effect. And I didn't support the Iraq War, but there's no doubt in my mind that Chris Kyle was a hero for what he did there by protecting the troops he was with. Because of him, men went home alive. He felt he had a calling and he went overseas, and he without a doubt loved America and everything about it which honestly makes him an undisputed patriot and inspiration to many. Bradley Cooper was fantastic in this movie. Clint Eastwood's directing was solid as well. All in all, great movie that focused more on Kyle's service and some aspects of his personal life, and even though it didn't address the things I wished it had in some parts, American Sniper was great.

Into the Woods isn't the best movie in the world, but it's not the worst either. Meryl Streep is brilliant as always, but linking the highlights of this film merely to her performance would be blasphemy. Emily Blunt, James Corden, Chris Pine, Johnny Depp, and Daniel Huttlestone give excellent performances as well. Didn't care much for Anna Kendrick. While the film is usually a hit or miss in most parts for me, the acting is what really drives this movie. That and the musical score, production design, and costume design.

The Interview. Possibly the most controversial film of 2014, Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen directed this violent, sporadic, and funny mess. And it's largely Seth Rogen that makes the film work - both in front of and behind the camera. On the downside, James Franco just really didn't do it for me here. In fact, I found Franco acting-wise to be unlikable, which really surprised me because I think he is a great actor, minus his bizarre performance in Child of God. The Interview's final 20 minutes or so really kick the film into a "good" status and out of the "bad," and while the movie overall barely works, it's worth checking out because of the controversy, Rogen's usual antics, and a surreal portrayal of Kim Jong-un.

A new all-time favorite. Unbelievably disturbing, dark, creepy, and even thought-provoking, The Babadook isn't your average horror film - if that's what you want to call it. Personally, I see this as a drama, one that pushes the boundaries of its genre to new heights, if you can believe it. This movie follows a mother who lost her husband in a car accident, now living as a widow with her child. One day, she finds a book named Mister Babadook in the child's room, and when she begins to read it to him as a bedtime story, becomes concerned when the content of the story turns gruesome. Attempting to get rid it never seems to work. And then, the titular character of the book begins to haunt her and her child at night. The movie pulls the Jaws affect. But the Babadook isn't just a monster. It represents grief, struggle, and most importantly, acceptance.

Whiplash is, without a doubt, the most intense movie I have ever seen. When the credits rolled, I sat stunned in silence, and then a huge smile swept across my face. What an experience. Miles Teller and J. K. Simmons are equally compelling, the editing is absolutely perfect, and the ending ranks as one of the top five in history in my opinion. Whiplash is a masterpiece, and it's one of the greatest movies I have ever seen, plain and simple. You know from the drum build-up in the opening of the film that you're in for one wild ride. If you haven't seen Whiplash yet, I strongly encourage you to do so.

This movie will make you cry. End of story. Well, it will at least make you tear up for sure. Unless there's something wrong with you. The Normal Heart tells the mostly true story of a gay activist attempting to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS during the early 1980s. Starring Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, and Julia Roberts, The Normal Heart's simple story is a powerful one. Mark Ruffalo is magnificent in this. You need to watch it right away if you haven't already.

I'm surprised I liked this movie as much as I did. While the trailer looked somewhat exciting, I wasn't sure whether or not Tracers could pull it off. But it did. I'm a fan of Taylor Lautner - at the time of writing, my avatar is a picture of him - though to be perfectly honest he hasn't picked the greatest movies to star in. I thought the first and third Twilight movies were decent, but they certainly weren't the best whatsoever. And Abduction was just awful. Just plain awful. But Tracers, on the other hand, was a surprise. Poor cinematography though. But I must say, the set pieces, especially the chase sequences, are masterfully done. They're intense, fast-paced, and engaging. Interestingly enough, I found Tracers to be somewhat beautiful. I know that sounds kind of ridiculous for a movie such as this, but there's some bizarre sense of awareness this film puts off, especially with New York City hovering in the background. I don't know, maybe if you watch the film, you'll understand what I'm talking about. I had problems with the acting from anyone other than Lautner, mainly because I feel like they were all miscast, and as a result gave off-kilter performances. The writing wasn't the best, and the ending could also use a little work, but being what it is, it certainly gets the message across. Anyways, I hope Taylor Lautner does similar work in the future. And I, surprisingly, recommend Tracers.

There's probably not a more thought-provoking film, other than Boyhood, to come out of 2014 than A Most Wanted Man. I must admit that this film lacks intensity. To put it simply, this film tells the story of a Chechen Muslim who illegally crosses into Germany. The German and US intelligence agencies in Hamburg become interested in him. This film is a deliberate puzzle, as the audience slowly puts the pieces together alongside the characters. Is the immigrant merely a tortured soul looking for refuge, or a cold-blooded, hardened terrorist waiting to strike? Philip Seymour Hoffman is brilliant in his role. Like I said, A Most Wanted Man is rarely intense. But it is intelligent and it's realistic. In the post-9/11 world, the message this film delivers is highly relevant today. It examines personal freedom, the surveillance state, and a society plagued with fear.

I didn't have high hopes for this film. I mean, Cameron Dallas, of all people, starring in a generic movie about a high school kid's quest to erase the bad grades on his report card? The plot alone tipped the scale. So did Expelled pass? Nope. But, much to my surprise, it actually came close. Unlike, say, the sequel to Mean Girls, Expelled doesn't try to be something it's not, or live up to anything. In fact, some of the characters in the story actually catapult the movie from being laughably bad to manageable, which in all honesty, is unheard of for something like this. I'd skip this one, but if you do end up watching it, just remember that it's not the end of the world as it's a step better than similar formulaic outings. And yes, the movie is actually a whole lot better than the trailer makes it out to be.

Ugh. What a disappointment. Don't get me wrong - The Hobbit: The Battle of the Fives Armies is a good movie, a reasonably solid adaptation, and by all means fitting for closure. But Peter Jackson barely pulled it off. I've been revisiting the Middle-earth films here recently. I purchased the extended editions of all five films currently available on Blu-ray, and starting with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, I concluded my two-week-long marathon with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Fives Armies. This movie felt ridiculously rushed. That's the main problem I had with it. In fact, that's really the only major one. As previously mentioned, I watched the extended editions of all the films, and I must say that the longer versions are far much better than the theatrical films. So I am hoping that the extended edition of this film will be a hundred times better. With the theatrical version coming to Blu-ray next month, I'll have to wait probably until November for a longer edition of this film to be released, which really sucks. But in the end, this was still a pretty good movie, but disappointing in its pacing which sticks out like a sore thumb perhaps more than any other film could when it comes to a Lord of the Rings movie.