Over time, we’ve seen great years in film. A few that come to mind are 1986 with Hoosiers, Top Gun, and Blue Velvet. 1999 with Eyes Wide Shut, Fight Club, Office Space, and American Beauty. And even 2007 with Zodiac, There Will Be Blood, No Country For Old Men, and Juno. While there are unreal years, rarely do we get into the nitty gritty regarding the best months of films being released. In my eyes, I think that October of 2014 is the best month of film releases.
Now I could definitely be co-opted by my love for multiple films released this month, but it was a great month in film. I comprehend that others could say other months are better, but when you look at eight of the films that hit the big screen in this 31 day span, it’s quite amazing.
Friday October 3rd
Gone Girl (David Fincher)
For Fincher fans, Gone Girl symbolized the end of an unreal run for the director who I think has been the best of the past two decades. Between 2007-2014, Fincher directed five films. It includes Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and Gone Girl. A lot of Finchers films are centric to male characters, but he went back-to-back with great female characters in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Gone Girl. The difference is that in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Rooney Mara isn’t a villain. Rosamund Pike’s character Amy Dunne is sinister. I ranked her as my nineteenth favorite villain in film history. She’s great.
The whole plot of Gone Girl is interesting because the entire time you’re watching, you know that Affleck’s character Nick Dunne is innocent, but there’s a little worm in the back of your head telling you, “maybe he killed his wife.” When you see that Amy writes an entire diary spanning over multiple years in a few days that’s packed with lies about Nicks treatment of her, you’re left befuddled. What an awesome way to start the month.
Friday October 10th
Whiplash (Damien Chazelle)
Again, could I be absorbed by my love for certain movies on this list and that’s why I’m calling it the best release month in history? Yes. But Whiplash is an outstanding movie. A true masterpiece. This was Damien Chazelle’s directorial debut and he executed a tight film with what I think has little to no flaws. The character arc of Andrew Neiman was magnificent. He goes from being a wide eyed musician with hopes and dreams that are smooshed by the tyrant, Terrence Fletcher. (If you scroll further down my list of villains you’ll see I actually have Fletcher in the top five). Simmons is terrifying in this role and so intense that you see him break multiple musicians in the hour and thirty minute span.
When it comes to the plot, I have no real interest in jazz. But somehow, Damien Chazelle makes me care about the topic. The whole time I’m thinking, “he needs to pick up the tempo” or I’m googling, “What’s the difference between rushing and dragging on the drums?” The final performance is great because you experience a wave of emotions. You’re depressed that Fletcher fucked Neiman over. Then, you’re emboldened by Neiman returning to the stage. Then, you’re happy when Fletcher catches onto what Neiman is doing. God, the ending is so perfect.
Friday October 17th
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Alejandro González Iñárritu)
While I don’t overly love Birdman and think that it shouldn’t have won Best Picture, it is a good movie. The dialogue in it is some of the best of the 2010s decade and maybe the best of 2014. Michael Keaton gives a brilliant performance and the biggest reason I think that the film thrived is due to its originality. Prior to Birdman, audiences had never really been exposed to a movie about film and theater where an actor or actresses past character follows them. Some have labeled Birdman as a “genius” film which feels like a stretch, but there are many flashes of brilliance.
The Book of Life (Jorge R. Gutierrez)
In the 2010s, we say great animated films that spanned from kids flicks to adult level pictures. How To Train Your Dragon, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse swallowed The Book of Life, but Jorge R. Gutierrez’s musical fantasy comedy was marvelous. Having one of the most creative directors in Hollywood, Guillermo del Toro produce was definitely helpful and you could see his very clear flare that was attached to the film. It worked great. The vibrant colors incorporated with Day of the Dead was visually stimulating and makes for a fun rewatch. Big Hero 6 came out a month later, but I think The Book of Life is the best animated movie of the year.
Fury (David Ayer)
I’ve found that war films can be a difficult genre to master, but David Ayer did a great job with Fury. The packed cast with Lerman, Pitt, Bernthal, LaBeouf, and Pena only made me feel more invested in this solid war flick. While all five of those actors are stars in their own way, they all played a significant role in making this film so desirable. In my rewatches of it, I think my favorite scene is when they share the bottle of brandy with one another. I love scenes like that. It shows how worn down these soldiers are and all they want to do is have a moment to relax.
I’d be remised if I didn’t mention Brad Pitts haircut. The slick back look with shaved sides inspired many young men to get the same cut. The only issue with those who got the cut was that they didn’t look like Brad Pitt. It’s since become a mocked cut that very few have the ability to pull off.
Men, Women, & Children (Jason Reitman)
I really feel like Men, Women, & Children is a forgotten gem in this month. Especially when you consider the films that came out the same day. It went head to head with Fury, The Book of Life, and Birdman. That’s tough competition. But Men, Women, & Children is a good flick. It shows the effects that technology and the internet have on society whether it is adults or children; or as the title says Men, Women, & Children. I found Adam Sandler’s performance to be riveting along with Ansel Elgort. This isn’t a blow your doors off film, but it further solidifies October of 2014 as a great release month.
Friday October 24th
John Wick (Chad Stahelski)
The John Wick franchise has taught us one thing. NEVER mess with someone’s dog. I love the action film franchise, but that’s how this all started. And on October 24th of 2014, we watched it begin. Seeing the scene where Iosef tries to buy Wick’s car builds initial suspense. His intimidation tactics and Wick pushing back make it build further. Iosef and his goons then do the unthinkable. They break into Wick’s home, kill his dog, and steal his car. The best scene in the movie is when Iosef is in the chop-shop looking to get the cars VIN number changed and Aurelio realizes who owns the car. That is when the chaos really ensues.
The importance of this movie’s release is massive. It puts the whole John Wick series in motion and I appreciate that. Keanu Reeves is somewhat like Harrison Ford on a smaller level. He’s in two of the biggest franchises of the past three decades with The Matrix films and the John Wick franchise. That’s a wild run. He has really solidified himself as a true action star that draws people to theaters.
Friday October 31st
Nightcrawler (Dan Gillroy)
To end the month, we got a certified BANGER. Nightcrawler created one of the best characters of the 2010s with Jake Gyllenhaal playing Lou Bloom. He has a vibe of quirkiness that’s transitioned into nervous energy and a hint of danger. Lou Bloom is an awesome character. He becomes obsessed with being the best “nightcrawler” in the city and goes as far as killing other nightcrawler’s and setting his partner up to be murdered. This was a perfect release for Halloween in the modern era because it’s not a horror film. It’s a deeply layered, psychological thriller that builds up a lot of suspense in many unsuspecting moments.
While I think Zodiac is Gyllenhaal’s best movie, his best performance is in Nightcrawler. He actually goes outside the box and plays a character not actors many would want to. It’s reminiscent of DiCaprio as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained or Bale as Pat Bateman in American Psycho. These characters are monsters and could kill an actors career. Gyllenhaal nailed this and Riz Ahmed was fantastic as his sidekick.
