imperfection is perfection
Sporadic film reviews by a wanna-be filmmaker
My personal ‘Best Picture’ of 2014
I have never liked the Oscars. I didn’t pay much attention but I do know Birdman received a lot of praise, and it was mostly well deserved. But of all the movies made last year, and there was a stack of great ones (many I am yet to see), there were only three that had me going back for more, back for more, willing to pay for another cinema ticket to see the same movie yet again. Those three movies were The Grand Budapest Hotel, which I saw three times at the cinemas and four times since on blu-ray. The second is Whiplash, a natural movie for me to enjoy over and over as I am a drummer myself, and when I watch Whiplash, I see myself in Miles Teller’s performance. The third is Inherent Vice; and my repeat visits have not been due to the insanely (and intentionally) convoluted plot, but because Phoenix and Brolin, along with the rest of the cast, costume design and direction, send us hurling straight into that tail-end of the 60’s, the end of Peace and Love. I guess I also see a little of myself in Doc’s character too.
I thought about some sort of top so-and-so list, but I started this blog proper in July last year. So rather than making a belated list after the insanely staggered releases of Awards Season films, I have decided to pick one. Forget the lists, I’d struggle to make a top 30 there are so many films I would want to list, and they would almost solely be from the second half of last year! So to challenge myself I am deciding on one film. This is my personal Best Picture nomination, bugger the academy I say!!
Aaaand so, without further ado, the Winner is….
I feel this got lost in the Awards Season BS, as it was released mid-year and while I think it was nominated, it never stood a chance. Three times in three weeks is how much liked this film. And that was before it was released on DVD. Multi-faceted in so many ways, with some wonderful acting, a unique and hilarious sense of humour and intensely detailed, eccentric characters that are forever memorable, no matter the size of their role. Willem Dafoe was by far my favourite:
The film is also such an adventure, one that is so varied it includes murder, missing wills, chase scenes on snow, a prison escape, a pointless shootout within a hotel, and at the centre of it all Ralph Fiennes at his best, forming a truly amusing relationship with his new lobby boy. I laughed at this movie far more than any comedy this year… with the exception of Dead Snow 2 and What We Do In The Shadows.
This varied comic approach is what made the film for me, amongst everything else that was going on, and there was a lot (especially in under 100 minutes!). The long and hilarious adventure unfolds; further, and further, and further, getting more ridiculous as it goes. Each scene felt crazier than the last – I couldn’t stop laughing even when I knew what was coming! I feel like I have just gotten off a wild, hilarious roller-coaster that is filled with endless comic genius each time I watch it. Perhaps my favourite bit of humour, though there was truly a countless amount of it, was the call made to the Society of Secret Keys; or more accurately, the location of the phone booth they make the call from.
The insanely surreal, fictional setting here make the comic elements of the film even better. In that regard it reminded me a little of ‘The Vampire Killers’, but a helluva lot funnier and much more varied in its story and its humour. This is truly one the most complete films I have ever seen. Even the OST is great, Alexandre Desplat showing his sense of humour; the quirky soundtrack here matches every step of the film and overshadows his other work of the year by eons. Everything else he has done sounds like simple, basic classical scores. Add to this blissful music some incredible art direction, The Grand Budapest Hotel represented for me the best looking traditional film of the year, with picture perfect photography and backdrops that give the film a very unique look and feel. In my humble opinion then, the perfect movie, varied in all the right ways, covering more ground in under 100 minutes than many films cover in over two hours.
Everything about this film is truly unique. Perhaps it was because I was an Anderson newbie, but I have watched several of his films since and while I liked them all, none of them successfully blended so many different ingredients like this one does. I cannot find a single fault within this movie, so it therefore wins the coveted and entirely useless prize of Best Picture from an epileptic moondancer. I bet the cast couldn’t be more proud… if they knew who I was
16 Comments on “My personal ‘Best Picture’ of 2014”
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imperfection is perfection 
Agree wholeheartedly with WHIPLASH and GRAND BUDAPEST but was not a fan of INHERENT VICE at – messy sloppy stoner-noir 🙂
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you know that is actually a pretty efficient and accurate summary of Inherent Vice! I just happened to love it haha 😉
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**at all
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So far, I’ve only seen Grand Budapest. I wasn’t thrilled with it like I am Anderson’s other stuff. I’m going to revisit it, though. Hopefully soon.
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It certainly stuffs a LOT into under a hundred minute runtime thats for sure. It certainly was worth revisiting for me!! 😉
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Fantastic post man, I liked but couldn’t love TGPH. I can’t exactly explain why. It is indeed one of the most Wes Anderson-y movies Wes Anderson has ever made but I think my favorite (for now) is Moonrise Kingdom, a film that has taken its unfair shots from critics. But I think to agree on what is his “Best” effort is so fun. He is such a unique filmmaker. One of my favorites.
“I bet the cast couldn’t be more proud… if they knew who I was” — ain’t that the truth!? Lol
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Hehe, ’tis the truth!
I love Moonrise Kingdom too, and I reeeally liked the Steve Zissou movie. I can see why they’d say TGBH is the most ‘Wes’ movie after going back through his past stuff. Its like the best of the best, and he is so unique!
Though, I must get my mits on the Royal Tenenbuams (sp?), people keep telling me that is great
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I think you’ll dig Tenenbaums man. That actually might be Anderson’s top film. That one is just incredible. For Gene Hackman’s presence alone (he’s one of my favorites).
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I have heard about Hackman’s performance, to the point where he threatened people on set. Dunno what is true and what isn’t but I read Wes actually sought protection from Gene…… which is wierd.
Okay now I have to buy the damned movie already!!!
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I am pretty much the biggest Wes Anderson fan ever, and LOVED this movie (still not my favourite though). I really liked Whiplash as well, and was more surprised by it. I expect to love Wes Anderson and have never been disappointed. Whiplash I expected to have a great performance by JK Simmons and htat’s about it, BUT it was wonderful. I was on the edge of my seat. Teller was equally good. Inherent Vice I was less enthusiastic about. I didn’t dislike it, but nor could I get fully behind it. Maybe I needed to be high to watch it.
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Haha! It perhaps could help to be high, though for me PTA films are ones I always need to see more than once. Plus I am a massive Hunter s Thompson fan and the film reminded me so much of his writing. The book does too.
And yeah, Wes Anderson is amazing! I have loved every film of his I have watched so far.
Thanks for reading mate! 🙂
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Boy I still need to see Inherent Vice and Whiplash but Grand Budapest made my top 10 list from last year!
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😀 cool. I thought it would get lost in the awards season shuffle but I’m glad people still remember it. Such a great film, so funny, such a fun adventure, and SO MUCH happens in around 100 minutes!! Makes me wonder why hollywood films seem to be getting longer and longer… this is efficient film at its best IMO!!
But yeah, you really gotta catch the other two. Whiplash is worth it just for the finale. And Inherent Vice is PTA, so…. yeah, you gotta catch that Ruth!! I look forward to your thoughts! 🙂
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I didn’t really like budapest hotel, wes is really starting to freak me out. But t is true many peoples favorite films are never the ones chosen for best picture. I think it’s more of an industry schmooze fest than an actual merit based awards .
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Totally agree with you about the awards, this was kind of a half-serious post to write about the grand budapest hotel.
I have read some Wes fans really not digging TBGH. I can’t really comment as it was the first movie of his I had ever seen, so my perspective is totally different.
Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
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