The 10 Best Movies of 2014

What a year for movies this has been, especially for geekcentric films!! There were so many quality horror and sci-fi movies that got released, from the low budget to big studio films. Marvel continues to produce some of the finest genre films out there, as two of their best movies make this list and rank among the finest superhero films, ever. As a horror and comic-book fan, I found a couple of movies to obsesses over, in particular the ones that made this list. But, in the end, you will see that the best film of the year, isn't a genre film, but... well just read on.

10. All Cheerleaders Die- This sexy, gory, fun, and funny horror comedy has everything I want in a movie and more. Lucky McKee, this time teaming up with co-writer and co-director Chris Siverston, strikes gold again. For more of my thoughts on it, here is my review of it: http://themastergio.blogspot.com/2014/09/all-cheerleaders-die.html







9. Return to 'Nuke Em High Vol. 1- The next flick on my list is also a horror-comedy. And, it is even gorier and funnier than the aforementioned one. In fact, it is Troma's finest movie in a long time and, to me, the best comedy of the year. Of course, I dislike most comedies, but you get my drift. Here is my full review of this one: http://themastergio.blogspot.com/2014/01/return-to-nuke-em-high-volume-1-2013.html






8. The Babadook- The single scariest film of the year is this chilling and, actually quite moving, horror flick from Australia. It's that countries best release, IMHO, in ages. Featuring flawless performances from its two leads Essie Davis and little Noah Wiseman, it really manages to make you run a gauntlet of emotions, not unlike their characters. Writer/ director Jennifer Kent builds tension slowly but steadily, all the while never leaving the heart of it. Some have complained about the ending, but if you go into this looking for a monster movie, I suggest you go else. Instead prepare for the most nerve shredding psychological horror movie in recent memory.



7. Veronica Mars: The Movie- The first non-horror movie on this list is this excellent continuation of one of my favorite TV shows of all time. Here is proof that fandom can get a movie made. What started as pipedream, grew into maniac fan support (Lord knows, I tweeted for it to be made many a times), and eventually, a successful Kick Starter campaign which ended up funding the movie. It is a pure delight for fellow fans of the intelligent and sometimes underrated TV show. I was having massive marshmallow-gasms through out the whole the movie. As, with the show, the writing is fun and smart and the acting is great. The gorgeous Kristen Bell is just so awesome in this role, that it just reminded me why I used to have the biggest crush on her. And, this movie just brought back my obsession with the show. I don't know if non-fans of the series will love it as much, but they should still find it to be a solid, well acted, and excellently written mystery/ thriller.

6. Captain America: The Winter Solider- Leave it to Marvel to improve on the solid first film and make a sequel that may well be the one of the best, if not the best (it's hard to choose between this one and The Dark Knight) superhero sequel, ever made. The movie plays like a jacked up spy thriller, with ass kicking and thrilling action scenes galore. In the Winter Solider, we also have Marvel's best villain in a movie, since Loki. The script has a few moments of predictability (mostly doing with the survival of a certain character), but such flaws are out weighed by it's stronger suits like the dissolving of S.H.I.E.L.D. Shit, it even succeeded in making Falcon be cool and a total badass!  



5. Starry Eyes- Like the first movie on this list, this is another tag team horror flick, though this one is played nerve shredding and serious. But, let us not mince any further words here, this is the year's best horror film, a bloody, smart, and wholly captivating movie of pure intensity. My full review is here: http://themastergio.blogspot.com/2014/12/starry-eyes-2014-review.html







4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes- This another sequel that totally tops it's original. While, the first film, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, is a solid sci-fi movie, this takes that one and just tramples it. It gives us one of the finest and smartest science fiction sequels ever. The flawless FX mix perfectly with an intelligent and thought provoking script, one that in ways most big budget, studio genre films can't even dream of being. Andy Serkis and Toby Kebbell, both give amazing performances as the two opposing apes.





3. The Raid 2- This might just be the year of the superior sequel. But, this movie had the hardest movie to beat in its original. The first movie was one of the best martial arts movies, ever made. A brutal ass kicker if ever there was one. And, when I saw how long this one was, I became concerned with how much fun it would be. But, in the end my concerns were utterly destroyed. Here is a movie that despite its length, just works. The plot is enthralling and sucks you in, and the action scenes are jaw dropping and utterly brutal. Some of the most vicious gore of the year is featured here, far surpassing many a horror film. By the time it was over my adrenaline was on overdrive. No doubt about, this is the badass motherfucker of the year!


2. Guardians of the Galaxy- Who would have thought the second best movie of the year, and the second best Marvel (or any other superhero) movie ever would be based on D level superheroes. A fun script, lively acting, and wonderfully imaginative film making gave us one of the best sci-fi movies in many a moon. In some ways, this is a modern day Star Wars coupled with a superhero movie. So fucking good is it that it makes a fuckin racoon with a machine gun and living tree creature, with limited vocabulary, the best heroic characters in any movie released this year. Think about that for a minute! From the opening scene to the final scene featuring one of the oddest Marvel heroes, this fucker was the very definition of spectacularly made fun. And, it was one movie that I didn't think anyone could top until I saw...

1. Gone Girl- My fucking God, what a fucking movie!!! David Fincher's second best movie (Seven remains his masterpiece) is a jaw droppng ingeniously twisted mystery/ thriller. It has what is without a shadow of a doubt the script of the year, as Gillian Flynn adopts her own novel of the same name. It never fails to shock and surprise, yet totally hold your attention. The acting from everyone is perfect, in fact, Ben Affleck gives his best performance ever. But, in the end, it's the beautiful Rosamund Pike who is just the very definition of amazing. She is actress of the year, here, kiddies. Who would have thought that one of the most beautiful Bond girls, who was in the worst Bond film, ever (Die Another Day) had it in her to bring it to this level of perfection? I have since become obsessed with this film. I can't stop thinking about it. But, to say anything more would ruin it. All, I can say is see this: if you have not seen this fucker, see it as soon as you can. And, heed my words, this is true cinematic perfection.