Best to Worst Films of 2014
by KleePongPictures | created - 02 Dec 2013 | updated - 16 Jul 2018 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
R | 119 min | Comedy, Drama
A washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu | Stars: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough
Votes: 666,687 | Gross: $42.34M
Michael Keaton leads a group of phenomenal performances in Birdman, an impeccably-filmed miracle brought to life by its true star: Alejandro González Iñárritu
2. Locke (2013)
R | 85 min | Drama
Ivan Locke, a dedicated family man and successful construction manager, receives a phone call on the eve of the biggest challenge of his career that sets in motion a series of events that threaten his carefully cultivated existence.
Director: Steven Knight | Stars: Tom Hardy, Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott
Votes: 159,624 | Gross: $1.36M
Gripping, spell-binding, realistic, in-the-moment, and intensely involving, Locke is one of the greatest minimalist films ever, with a powerhouse performance by Tom Hardy
3. Boyhood (I) (2014)
R | 165 min | Drama
The life of Mason, from early childhood to his arrival at college.
Director: Richard Linklater | Stars: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Elijah Smith
Votes: 367,238 | Gross: $25.38M
Honest, carefully paced, and exceptionally written, Boyhood is Richard Linklater's directing talent reaching to epic heights
4. Whiplash (2014)
R | 106 min | Drama, Music
A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.
Director: Damien Chazelle | Stars: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser
Votes: 990,204 | Gross: $13.09M
Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons give explosive performances in the briskly paced and downright intense Whiplash, a thought-provoking exhilarating experience from start to finish
5. Selma (2014)
PG-13 | 128 min | Biography, Drama, History
A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.
Director: Ava DuVernay | Stars: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Wilkinson
Votes: 95,511 | Gross: $52.08M
This film's release cannot be better timed than now. With a powerful lead performance and a narrative that is more inspiring than it is depressing, Selma avoids conventional biopic traits, reminding us that the battle of racism still exists today and that there is much more work to be done
6. A Most Violent Year (2014)
R | 125 min | Action, Crime, Drama
In New York City 1981, an ambitious immigrant fights to protect his business and family during the most dangerous year in the city's history.
Director: J.C. Chandor | Stars: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola
Votes: 77,646 | Gross: $5.74M
Slow and carefully paced but constantly riveting, thanks to a fantastic script and great performances, A Most Violent Year gives extreme commitment to its time period and triumphs as a unique piece of American cinema
7. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The fragile peace between apes and humans is threatened as mistrust and betrayal threaten to plunge both tribes into a war for dominance over the Earth.
Director: Matt Reeves | Stars: Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Andy Serkis, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Votes: 469,561 | Gross: $208.55M
Miraculously put together by Matt Reeves, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is both a technical and a thematic achievement, delivering stunning visual effects, a tensely philosophical story, and deeply rich characters
8. Under the Skin (I) (2013)
R | 108 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A mysterious young woman seduces lonely men in the evening hours in Scotland. However, events lead her to begin a process of self-discovery.
Director: Jonathan Glazer | Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay, Dougie McConnell
Votes: 158,297 | Gross: $2.61M
Creepy yet fascinating, slow yet electrifying, Under The Skin is an amazing feat by Jonathan Glazer and Scarlett Johansson -- one of the most hauntingly hypnotic films since the time of Stanley Kubrick
9. Nightcrawler (2014)
R | 117 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
When Louis Bloom, a con man desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.
Director: Dan Gilroy | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Riz Ahmed
Votes: 604,855 | Gross: $32.38M
Featuring an uncomfortably heart-pounding narrative and a relentless performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler gets under and stays under our skin
10. Snowpiercer (2013)
R | 126 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
In a future where a failed climate change experiment has killed all life except for the survivors who boarded the Snowpiercer (a train that travels around the globe), a new class system emerges.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris
Votes: 389,144 | Gross: $4.56M
Led by the amazing Chris Evans, Snowpiercer starts off sleekly and sharply with a unique dystopian narrative and arresting political themes, and then soon evolves into a disturbingly fascinating study of philosophy, society, and humanity
11. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
PG-13 | 136 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
As Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with a fellow Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Black Widow, to battle a new threat from history: an assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo | Stars: Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford
Votes: 899,467 | Gross: $259.77M
Taking advantage of the contemporary era, and turning its story into a realistically gritty conspiracy plot line that expands the superhero genre, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the best of the Phase Two movies, a pleasant surprise that even non-superhero fans will adore
12. Two Days, One Night (2014)
PG-13 | 95 min | Drama
Liège, Belgium. Sandra is a factory worker who discovers that her workmates have opted for a EUR1,000 bonus in exchange for her dismissal. She has only a weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses in order to keep her job.
Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne | Stars: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salée, Baptiste Sornin
Votes: 50,548 | Gross: $1.44M
Deceptively well shot and profoundly acted by Marion Cotillard, Two Days One Night is a slow-paced simplistic piece with a raw un-dramatic narrative
13. The Lego Movie (2014)
PG | 100 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An ordinary LEGO construction worker, thought to be the prophesied as "special", is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the LEGO universe into eternal stasis.
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller | Stars: Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett
Votes: 388,475 | Gross: $257.76M
Spectacularly funny and endlessly creative, The Lego Movie offers a fast-paced, energetic, and surprisingly touching story with thematic messages that fit its content perfectly like a Lego piece
14. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
R | 99 min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
A writer encounters the owner of an aging high-class hotel, who tells him of his early years serving as a lobby boy in the hotel's glorious years under an exceptional concierge.
Director: Wes Anderson | Stars: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody
Votes: 887,133 | Gross: $59.10M
Decorated with a charismatic cast, led by the phenomenal Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel swims in Wes Anderson's signature style of visual filmmaking, while telling a story that's suspenseful and thoughtful at the right moments
15. The Babadook (2014)
Not Rated | 94 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book titled "Mister Babadook" manifests in their home.
Director: Jennifer Kent | Stars: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall, Hayley McElhinney
Votes: 247,387 | Gross: $0.92M
With a narrative that is more disturbing than it is scary, The Babadook is a bold horror film with incredibly layered themes, guided by a phenomenal lead performance, a brilliant script, and confident directing
16. Foxcatcher (2014)
R | 134 min | Biography, Drama, History
U.S. Olympic wrestling champions and brothers Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz join "Team Foxcatcher", led by eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont, as they train for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, but John's self-destructive behavior threatens to consume them all.
Director: Bennett Miller | Stars: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave
Votes: 149,317 | Gross: $12.10M
Foxcatcher is a tad slow, but it is paced with incredible tension and disturbing psychological content, fueled by not one but three incredible performances
17. Song of the Sea (2014)
PG | 93 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
Ben, a young Irish boy, and his little sister Saoirse, a girl who can turn into a seal, go on an adventure to free the fairies and save the spirit world.
Director: Tomm Moore | Stars: David Rawle, Brendan Gleeson, Lisa Hannigan, Fionnula Flanagan
Votes: 63,135 | Gross: $0.86M
Adorable and overly beautiful in its animation, Song of the Sea brings both a visual experience and an emotional story, improving on Moore's previous entry "Secret of Kells" in every way
18. Enemy (2013)
R | 91 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A man seeks out his exact look-alike after spotting him in a movie.
Director: Denis Villeneuve | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, Isabella Rossellini
Votes: 215,312 | Gross: $1.01M
Brilliantly acted by Jake Gyllenhaal and carefully crafted together by Denis Villeneuve, Enemy constantly messes with your head, gives more questions than answers, and comes off as an ambiguous film that deserves to be rewatched and analyzed again and again
19. The Imitation Game (2014)
PG-13 | 114 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller
During World War II, the English mathematical genius Alan Turing tries to crack the German Enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians while attempting to come to terms with his troubled private life.
Director: Morten Tyldum | Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech
Votes: 825,332 | Gross: $91.13M
Benedict Cumberbatch gives a heartbreaking performance in The Imitation Game, a conventional but handsomely scored and edited film with a great emotional core
20. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
PG | 137 min | Animation, Drama, Family
Kaguya is a beautiful young woman coveted by five nobles. To try to avoid marrying a stranger she doesn't love, she sends her suitors on seemingly impossible tasks. But she will have to face her fate and punishment for her choices.
Director: Isao Takahata | Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, James Marsden
Votes: 54,049 | Gross: $1.51M
The story may be familiar, but The Tale of the Princess Kaguya offers an honest window at lifestyles, happiness, folktales, and Eastern culture
21. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Not Rated | 101 min | Drama, Horror, Romance
In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire.
Director: Ana Lily Amirpour | Stars: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Navabi
Votes: 38,646
Featuring a gorgeously bleak atmosphere and a phenomenal lead performance, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is the slowest, most boring and artistic masterpiece you will ever see
22. Gone Girl (2014)
R | 149 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.
Director: David Fincher | Stars: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry
Votes: 1,067,862 | Gross: $167.77M
Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike might just snatch actor nominations in Gone Girl, a dark twisted tale filmed beautifully but possibly over-glossed by David Fincher
23. Begin Again (II) (2013)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A chance encounter between a down-and-out music business executive, and a young singer songwriter new to Manhattan, turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents.
Director: John Carney | Stars: Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld
Votes: 166,993 | Gross: $16.17M
Begin Again may have a familiar story, but it tackles such a crucial point in the music industry today and is filled with naturalistic acting, dialogue, and charm
24. Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013)
Not Rated | 117 min | Drama
A self-diagnosed nymphomaniac recounts her erotic experiences to the man who saved her after a beating.
Director: Lars von Trier | Stars: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Stacy Martin, Shia LaBeouf
Votes: 131,577 | Gross: $0.79M
Extremely graphic for sure, and yet Nymphomaniac Volume I manages to blend a tale of sexuality with social themes, music, history, and literature all together in an exquisitely crafted journey. Here is a work from Lars von Trier that is worth admiring despite its explicit nature
25. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
PG-13 | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A group of intergalactic criminals must pull together to stop a fanatical warrior with plans to purge the universe.
Director: James Gunn | Stars: Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana
Votes: 1,273,799 | Gross: $333.18M
Just when The Avengers broke new ground for superhero films, Marvel gives us Guardians of the Galaxy, a hilarious witty blast of ultimate satisfaction, proof that Marvel is still at the top of their game
26. Interstellar (2014)
PG-13 | 169 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
When Earth becomes uninhabitable in the future, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, is tasked to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy
Votes: 2,101,711 | Gross: $188.02M
It's slow, bloated, and could have definitely been skimmed down, but Interstellar is also filled with countless factors like acting, story, and directing that prove it is the best work from Chris Nolan to date
27. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
PG-13 | 113 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.
Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson
Votes: 737,307 | Gross: $100.21M
Smartly executed by a knowledgeable director, Edge of Tomorrow provides exhilarating action sequences, engaging performances, and a well-edited narrative that is both funny and gripping in delivery
28. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.
Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy
Votes: 745,424 | Gross: $233.92M
Honoring a franchise that has been around longer than all the famous Marvel names today, Days of Future Past combines terrific action sequences with emotional character development, and stands tall as one of the greatest superhero films
29. Fury (2014)
R | 134 min | Action, Drama, War
A grizzled tank commander makes tough decisions as he and his crew fight their way across Germany in April, 1945.
Director: David Ayer | Stars: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña
Votes: 547,512 | Gross: $85.82M
Treading in familiar territory but executed in a great refreshing way, Fury is a brutal and intense portrayal of tank warfare in WWII
30. 22 Jump Street (2014)
R | 112 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt and Jenko when they go deep undercover at a local college.
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller | Stars: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube, Nick Offerman
Votes: 406,277 | Gross: $191.72M
Using the same clever self-aware style of humor, along with hilarious performances, 22 Jump Street is a big success that is a bit short of its predecessor, if not equivalent
31. Noah (2014)
PG-13 | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Noah is chosen by God to undertake a momentous mission before an apocalyptic flood cleanses the world.
Director: Darren Aronofsky | Stars: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson
Votes: 267,109 | Gross: $101.20M
Noah is an un-preachy visionary tale told by the talented Darren Aronofsky, who provides us fantastic visual effects and surprisingly powerful performances -- a film that both believers and non-believers can take something out of
32. Camp X-Ray (2014)
R | 117 min | Drama, War
A soldier assigned to Guantanamo Bay befriends a man who has been imprisoned there.
Director: Peter Sattler | Stars: Kristen Stewart, Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, Tara Holt
Votes: 42,942 | Gross: $0.01M
Camp X-Ray is a flawed but heartfelt tale gifted by many things: two really good performances, a promising director, a strong story, and subtle political undertones
33. Oculus (2013)
R | 104 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A recently released inmate from a mental asylum learns from his sister that the murders he was convicted of committing were actually orchestrated by a supernatural entity, the Lasser Glass mirror.
Director: Mike Flanagan | Stars: Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff, Rory Cochrane
Votes: 139,777 | Gross: $27.70M
Occasionally well-acted, atmospheric, and artistically haunting, Oculus does take a while to get going, but once it starts, it is the most beautifully disturbing film in years
34. John Wick (2014)
R | 101 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters who killed his dog and stole his car.
Director: Chad Stahelski | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe
Votes: 739,424 | Gross: $43.04M
The well-filmed action sequences and the entertaining world it creates are enough to satisfy the audience, despite its mediocre plot and lack of substance
35. Wild (I) (2014)
R | 115 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
A chronicle of one woman's 1,100-mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent personal tragedy.
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée | Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffmann, Michiel Huisman
Votes: 138,910 | Gross: $37.88M
Reese Witherspoon gives a tremendous performance in Wild, a skillfully edited tale with an emotional payoff that I wish was a bit longer and stronger
36. Mr. Turner (2014)
R | 150 min | Biography, Drama, History
An exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W. Turner's life.
Director: Mike Leigh | Stars: Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey
Votes: 27,182 | Gross: $3.96M
Mr. Turner is an impeccably crafted, emotionally acted, beautifully filmed, yet overlong and arguably aimless work of art
37. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
PG | 102 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
When Hiccup and Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace.
Director: Dean DeBlois | Stars: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson
Votes: 364,179 | Gross: $177.00M
Though not quite as fresh as it's predecessor, How To Train Your Dragon 2 is a fantastic sequel that breathes emotional depth and world-expansion to its universe
38. Big Hero 6 (2014)
PG | 102 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A special bond develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who together team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes.
Directors: Don Hall, Chris Williams | Stars: Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Jamie Chung, T.J. Miller
Votes: 502,436 | Gross: $222.53M
Even when its story is more one-dimensional this time around, Big Hero 6 is great family entertainment that comes with pleasant animation and an irresistible robot
39. American Sniper (2014)
R | 133 min | Action, Biography, Drama
Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.
Director: Clint Eastwood | Stars: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner, Cole Konis
Votes: 529,472 | Gross: $350.13M
Gripping, well-directed, but a bit familiar for its genre, American Sniper tries to make the best out of the war conventions, and all-in-all offers a tense experience
40. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
PG-13 | 126 min | Drama, Romance
Hazel and Gus are teenagers who meet at a cancer support group and fall in love. They both share the same acerbic wit and a love of books, especially "An Imperial Affliction", so they embark on a journey to visit an author in Amsterdam.
Director: Josh Boone | Stars: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern
Votes: 401,255 | Gross: $124.87M
Thanks to an agenda of respecting its subject and maintaining a tone of charm and just enough of heartbreak, The Fault in Our Stars works very well for a story about two cancer-suffering teenagers
41. Godzilla (2014)
PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.
Director: Gareth Edwards | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe
Votes: 441,051 | Gross: $200.68M
Rewarding both die-hard fans and monster cinema fans, this 2014 entry of Godzilla is blessed with gorgeous cinematography, breathtaking effects, and a true sense of atmospheric delivery
42. The Theory of Everything (2014)
PG-13 | 123 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Stephen Hawking gets unprecedented success in the field of physics despite being diagnosed with motor neuron disease at the age of 21. He defeats awful odds as his first wife Jane aids him loyally.
Director: James Marsh | Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Tom Prior, Sophie Perry
Votes: 482,253 | Gross: $35.89M
Despite being a predictable and rather safe drama, The Theory of Everything delivers with two amazing performances, great production design, and wonderful music
43. Still Alice (2014)
PG-13 | 101 min | Drama
A linguistics professor and her family find their bonds tested when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.
Directors: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland | Stars: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth
Votes: 143,524 | Gross: $18.75M
Even when the narrative at a conceptual level is flawed and limited, Still Alice serves an engrossing experience thanks to Moore's, Stewart's, and Baldwin's performance
44. Cheap Thrills (I) (2013)
Not Rated | 88 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A scheming couple put a struggling family man and his old friend through a series of increasingly twisted dares over the course of an evening at a local bar.
Director: E.L. Katz | Stars: Pat Healy, Ethan Embry, Sara Paxton, David Koechner
Votes: 20,456 | Gross: $0.06M
It’s dark, twisted, sexy, and subtle in its commentary. Unlike its title, Cheap Thrills provides intense thrills throughout that are anything but cheap
45. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
PG-13 | 144 min | Adventure, Fantasy
Bilbo and company are forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the Lonely Mountain from falling into the hands of a rising darkness.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett
Votes: 572,027 | Gross: $255.12M
It is shorter and much better paced, but still has flaws and is simply a 2.5 hour long finale. The Battle of the Five Armies is entertaining and a suitable conclusion to the Hobbit trilogy
46. Into the Woods (2014)
PG | 125 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A witch tasks a childless baker and his wife with procuring magical items from classic fairy tales to reverse the curse put on their family tree.
Director: Rob Marshall | Stars: Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, Chris Pine, Emily Blunt
Votes: 148,061 | Gross: $128.00M
Into the Woods does a very interesting spin on famous fairy tales, with good performances and a narrative that is unique to a fault
47. Big Eyes (I) (2014)
PG-13 | 106 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A drama about the awakening of painter Margaret Keane, her phenomenal success in the 1950s, and the subsequent legal difficulties she had with her husband, who claimed credit for her works in the 1960s.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Danny Huston, Krysten Ritter
Votes: 99,132 | Gross: $14.48M
Big Eyes still exposes Tim Burton's weakness as a director, but the performances and time period are enough to keep you invested from beginning to end
48. Grand Piano (2013)
R | 90 min | Drama, Music, Mystery
A pianist with stage fright endures a performance under the eyes of a mysterious sniper, who will shoot and kill him if a wrong note is played.
Director: Eugenio Mira | Stars: Elijah Wood, John Cusack, Kerry Bishé, Tamsin Egerton
Votes: 19,633 | Gross: $0.02M
Elijah Wood holds the film's suspense quite efficiently, and even when the execution is mediocre at a few places, Grand Piano is wonderfully directed and shot, and offers a simplistic minimalist thriller
49. Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013)
Not Rated | 124 min | Drama
The continuation of Joe's sexually dictated life delves into the darker aspects of her adulthood, obsessions and what led to her being in Seligman's care.
Director: Lars von Trier | Stars: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Bell
Votes: 98,209 | Gross: $0.33M
Though Nymphomaniac: Volume II comes off rather short with a disappointing resolution and it pales in comparison to Volume I, this secondary entry is still artistically put together and boldly acted by the cast
50. Non-Stop (2014)
PG-13 | 106 min | Action, Mystery, Thriller
An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages demanding $150 million into an off-shore account, or someone will die every 20 minutes.
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra | Stars: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery
Votes: 276,587 | Gross: $92.17M
Though its plot gets progressively ridiculous, Non-Stop features Liam Neeson in a gripping performance, along with terrifically intense direction
51. Hercules (I) (2014)
PG-13 | 98 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Having endured his legendary twelve labors, Hercules, the Greek demigod, has his life as a sword-for-hire tested when the King of Thrace and his daughter seek his aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord.
Director: Brett Ratner | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes
Votes: 164,417 | Gross: $72.69M
Surprisingly entertaining, Hercules embraces its material with great corniness and cheese. It knows what kind of movie it wants to be, and is great at being it
52. Maleficent (2014)
PG | 97 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A vengeful fairy is driven to curse an infant princess, only to discover that the child could be the one person who can restore peace to their troubled land.
Director: Robert Stromberg | Stars: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Lesley Manville
Votes: 400,377 | Gross: $241.41M
Though everyone besides the magnificent Angelina Jolie is uninteresting, Maleficent gives an interesting spin to the original tale, told in mediocre fashion but decorated with exquisite taste
53. The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)
PG | 122 min | Comedy, Drama
The Kadam family leaves India for France where they open a restaurant directly across the road from Madame Mallory's Michelin-starred eatery.
Director: Lasse Hallström | Stars: Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon
Votes: 87,637 | Gross: $54.24M
It's consisted of two extremely conventional narratives, and it is stuffed and seasoned with a lot of feel-good substance. The Hundred-Foot Journey should have tasted a lot better, but this does suffice
54. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
PG-13 | 142 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
When New York is put under siege by Oscorp, it is up to Spider-Man to save the city he swore to protect as well as his loved ones.
Director: Marc Webb | Stars: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti
Votes: 538,202 | Gross: $202.85M
If you can put the extremely tangled web of a story and the terrible marketing strategy aside, you'll find that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a more dazzling, emotional, and electrifying (no pun intended) ride for our favorite web-slinger
55. Lucy (I) (2014)
R | 89 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A woman, accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.
Director: Luc Besson | Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-sik, Amr Waked
Votes: 534,573 | Gross: $126.66M
Vibrantly filmed and well performed by Scarlett Johansson, Lucy is an attractively stylish film with an extremely good first act, then it sadly drowns itself in a complex universal theme without taking a stance. Those who love the subject that the film talks about will love it, while others will ponder over what kind of message Lucy wants to convey
56. RoboCop (2014)
PG-13 | 117 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy, a loving husband, father and good cop, is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer.
Director: José Padilha | Stars: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish
Votes: 239,695 | Gross: $58.61M
It has enough style and visual candy to hold off as sci-fi entertainment, but this new RoboCop, with less themes, subtext, and characterization, will find trouble standing against the test of time, compared to its original counterpart
57. Penguins of Madagascar (2014)
PG | 92 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private join forces with undercover organization The North Wind to stop the villainous Dr. Octavius Brine from destroying the world as we know it.
Directors: Eric Darnell, Simon J. Smith | Stars: Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon
Votes: 102,232 | Gross: $83.35M
With the exception of some outrageous moments and a few gut-bustingly hilarious celebrity references, Penguins of Madagascar is paced and executed by victims of ADHD, moving so fast and making little coherent sense
58. Ju-on: The Beginning of the End (2014)
Not Rated | 91 min | Horror
A school teacher visits the home of a boy who's been absent from school for a long period of time, unaware of the horrific tragedy which occurred in the boy's household many years ago.
Director: Masayuki Ochiai | Stars: Shô Aoyagi, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Yasuhito Hida, Maki Ishikawa
Votes: 1,716
Despite not having enough original scares, Ju-On: The Beginning of the End provides the most professional and modern look to the series, along with a good lead performance and an interesting change in story
59. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
PG-13 | 105 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Jack Ryan, as a young covert C.I.A. analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack.
Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh
Votes: 138,256 | Gross: $50.58M
Better than other January releases, but it plays its titular character like a superhero. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is fast-paced and occasionally entertaining, but contains a sadly monotone script that offers nothing refreshing to its genre
60. Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
PG-13 | 150 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The defiant leader Moses rises up against Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II, setting six hundred thousand slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver
Votes: 179,280 | Gross: $65.01M
There are epic sequences and good performances here for sure, but they are scattered throughout a narrative that is too long and offers nothing that previous adaptations haven't done before
61. Dracula Untold (2014)
PG-13 | 92 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
As his kingdom is being threatened by the Turks, young prince Vlad Tepes must become a monster feared by his own people in order to obtain the power needed to protect his own family, and the families of his kingdom.
Director: Gary Shore | Stars: Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Art Parkinson
Votes: 207,715 | Gross: $56.28M
Thankfully not the most lifeless entry in the monster fantasy canon, Dracula Untold begins in extremely mediocre territory, then finishes off in an acceptably satisfying climax
62. 300: Rise of an Empire (2014)
R | 102 min | Action, Drama
Greek general Themistocles of Athens leads the naval charge against invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes and Artemisia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.
Director: Noam Murro | Stars: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson
Votes: 316,013 | Gross: $106.58M
Even with an impressively devoted performance by Eva Green, this mildly entertaining entry of 300 plays off more like an elongated video game cutscene
63. A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
R | 116 min | Comedy, Western
As a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his newly found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival.
Director: Seth MacFarlane | Stars: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried
Votes: 198,559 | Gross: $43.14M
The jokes are repulsive yet hilarious, in Seth McFarlane's signature style of humor, and as long as you find them funny, you'll get past the long aimless cliche story and sporadically paced script. A Million Ways to Die in the West rocks back and forth on a tightrope
64. The Signal (2014)
PG-13 | 97 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
On a road trip, Nic and two friends are drawn to an isolated area by a computer genius. When everything suddenly goes dark, Nic regains consciousness - only to find himself in a waking nightmare.
Director: William Eubank | Stars: Brenton Thwaites, Olivia Cooke, Beau Knapp, Laurence Fishburne
Votes: 69,283 | Gross: $0.60M
Skillfully directed but thinly written, along with a twist that doesn't work, The Signal is not bad enough to be remembered but is also not good enough to be recommended
65. Pompeii (I) (2014)
PG-13 | 105 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A slave-turned-gladiator finds himself in a race against time to save his true love, who has been betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts, he must fight to save his beloved as Pompeii crumbles around him.
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson | Stars: Kit Harington, Emily Browning, Kiefer Sutherland, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Votes: 116,676 | Gross: $23.22M
A big majority of the film is stupid, with cliche generic storytelling and bad performances that are scenery-chewing, and you really fail to find something worth caring. That being said, Pompeii gives a pretty satisfying climax with a reasonably big budget
66. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
PG-13 | 165 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
When humanity allies with a bounty hunter in pursuit of Optimus Prime, the Autobots turn to a mechanic and his family for help.
Director: Michael Bay | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz Beckham, Jack Reynor, Stanley Tucci
Votes: 331,707 | Gross: $245.44M
Loud, stupid, ridiculous, and still too goddamn long, Age of Extinction is the guiltiest of all nonsensical pleasures, offering a few sporadic improvements on the rusty franchise of Bay-hem
67. Open Windows (2014)
Not Rated | 100 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
A jilted fan soon finds himself pulled into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse after he accepts the opportunity to spy on his favorite actress via his laptop.
Director: Nacho Vigalondo | Stars: Sasha Grey, Elijah Wood, Neil Maskell, Adam Quintero
Votes: 15,099
Open Windows starts off with an interesting premise and solid tension, then begins to overreach on its gimmick as it gets more ridiculous and illogical
68. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
PG-13 | 101 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
When a kingpin threatens New York City, a group of mutated turtle warriors must emerge from the shadows to protect their home.
Director: Jonathan Liebesman | Stars: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner, Noel Fisher
Votes: 220,035 | Gross: $191.20M
Dull, badly edited, uninteresting, and unintentionally creepy, this reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bears little to no turtle power
69. Exists (2014)
R | 81 min | Horror, Thriller
A group of friends who venture into the remote Texas woods for a party weekend find themselves stalked by Bigfoot.
Director: Eduardo Sánchez | Stars: Samuel Davis, Dora Madison, Roger Edwards, Chris Osborn
Votes: 10,861
Exists does include a few good thrills, a bit of entertainment, and a touch of thought near the end, but you won't care about a single character, and the nighttime scenes are too murky
70. As Above, So Below (2014)
R | 93 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
When a team of explorers venture into the catacombs that lie beneath the streets of Paris, they uncover the dark secret that lies within this city of the dead.
Director: John Erick Dowdle | Stars: Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman, Edwin Hodge, François Civil
Votes: 111,876 | Gross: $21.20M
As Above So Below demonstrates all the pros and cons of a found footage movie; claustrophobic setting, a couple scares, a boring narrative, dumb characters, and irritating camerawork
71. Flight 7500 (2014)
PG-13 | 80 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Flight 7500 departs Los Angeles International Airport bound for Tokyo. As the overnight flight makes its way over the Pacific Ocean during its ten-hour course, the passengers encounter what appears to be a supernatural force in the cabin.
Director: Takashi Shimizu | Stars: Leslie Bibb, Ryan Kwanten, Amy Smart, Jamie Chung
Votes: 17,163
Takashi Shimizu gives up interesting characters, good dialogue, a logical story, and atmospheric dread in exchange for a twist at the end that’s interesting but not enough to save the turbulent film that is 7500
72. I, Frankenstein (2014)
PG-13 | 92 min | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Frankenstein's creature finds himself caught in an all-out, centuries-old war between two immortal clans.
Director: Stuart Beattie | Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Miranda Otto, Virginie Le Brun
Votes: 83,930 | Gross: $19.08M
I, Frankenstein is everything you would expect: Loud fights, bad CGI, an illogical story, and every actor being way too serious
73. Gimme Shelter (2013)
PG-13 | 101 min | Drama
A pregnant teenager flees her abusive mother in search of her father, only to be rejected by her stepmother and forced to survive on the streets until a compassionate stranger offers a hopeful alternative.
Director: Ron Krauss | Stars: Vanessa Hudgens, Rosario Dawson, Brendan Fraser, James Earl Jones
Votes: 9,435 | Gross: $1.36M
Watching Vanessa Hudgens and Brendan Fraser try so hard to be real actors is not enough. When you have manipulative music/emotion sitting on top of an awkward script that only cares about its depressing subject and not other components like pacing or realism, you know that Gimme Shelter is a heavy-handed misfire
74. Annabelle (I) (2014)
R | 99 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A couple begins to experience terrifying supernatural occurrences involving a vintage doll shortly after their home is invaded by satanic cultists.
Director: John R. Leonetti | Stars: Ward Horton, Annabelle Wallis, Alfre Woodard, Tony Amendola
Votes: 175,341 | Gross: $84.27M
With only a couple creative scenes in an otherwise dull and predictable narrative, Annabelle is not only terribly short of The Conjuring, but also terribly short of standard horror filmmaking
75. The Legend of Hercules (2014)
PG-13 | 99 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The origin story of the mythical Greek hero. Betrayed by his stepfather, the King, and exiled and sold into slavery because of a forbidden love, Hercules must use his formidable powers to fight his way back to his rightful kingdom.
Director: Renny Harlin | Stars: Kellan Lutz, Gaia Weiss, Scott Adkins, Roxanne McKee
Votes: 56,216 | Gross: $18.85M
Cheap, laughably bad, and way too self-serious on top of its horrible craft, The Legend of Hercules is not only one of the worst films of 2014 -- it's one of the worst films in the Greek cinematic universe
76. Left Behind (I) (2014)
PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
A small group of survivors is left behind after millions of people suddenly vanish and the world is plunged into chaos and destruction.
Director: Vic Armstrong | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Lea Thompson, Cassi Thomson, Chad Michael Murray
Votes: 42,539 | Gross: $14.00M
The acting is really forced, the music is hilariously distracting, the filmmaking is horribly lazy, the story goes nowhere, and it is filled with countless illogical scenes that will stir anger. Left Behind is one of the most lifeless god-awful movies that somehow was shown in theaters
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