Obviously. Given how the last month’s been going, you could probably throw down pretty good odds that sight unseen, any new top ten list will include "Boyhood," and likely in first place. And so it goes with Film Comment, who have unveiled their list of the year’s finest films.
All the usual suspects are here, but let’s point out some surprises. The Cannes buzz title "Stranger By The Lake" comes in at number six, and James Gray‘s "The Immigrant" rounds out the top ten with some more late season love for his controlled period film. In the category of "Films Without Distribution," we didn’t realize Abel Ferrara‘s "Pasolini" needed a home, so we hope someone gets on that quickly. Same goes for John McNaughton’s fucking bonkers "The Harvest" starring Michael Shannon and Samantha Morton (our review) and Tudor Cristian Jurgiu‘s excellent "The Japanese Dog" (our review).
Check out Film Comment’s lists below.
RELEASED 2014
1. Boyhood Richard Linklater, U.S.
2. Goodbye to Language Jean-Luc Godard, France
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson, U.S.
4. Ida Pawel Pawlikowski, Poland
5. Under the Skin Jonathan Glazer, U.K.
6. Stranger by the Lake Alain Guiraudie, France
7. CITIZENFOUR Laura Poitras, U.S.
8. Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance Alejandro G. Iñárritu, U.S.
9. Inherent Vice Paul Thomas Anderson, U.S.
10. The Immigrant James Gray, U.S.
Rankings #11 – #20
11. Two Days, One Night Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, Belgium
12. Only Lovers Left Alive Jim Jarmusch, U.S./Germany
13. Mr. Turner Mike Leigh, U.K.
14. Force Majeure Ruben Östlund, Sweden
15. Norte, The End of History Lav Diaz, Philippines
16. Whiplash Damien Chazelle, U.S.
17. Stray Dogs Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan
18. National Gallery Frederick Wiseman, U.S.
19. Manakamana Stephanie Spray & Pacho Velez, U.S.
20. Snowpiercer Bong Joon-ho, South Korea
FILMS WITHOUT DISTRIBUTION 2014
1. The Wonders Alice Rohrwacher, Italy
2. Hill of Freedom Hong Sang-soo, South Korea
3. Pasolini Abel Ferrara, U.S.
4. The Iron Ministry J.P. Sniadecki, U.S.
5. From What Is Before Lav Diaz, Philippines
6. Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait Ossama Mohammed & Wiam Bedirxan, Syria/France
7. Approaching the Elephant* Amanda Wilder, U.S.
8. The Kindergarten Teacher Nadav Lapid, Israel
9. Stray Dog Debra Granik, U.S.
10. Socialism Peter von Bagh, Finland
Rankings
11. The Harvest John McNaughton, U.S.
12. Journey to the West Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan/France
13. Young Bodies Heal Quickly Andrew T. Betzer, U.S.
14. We Come as Friends Hubert Sauper, Austria
15. The Japanese Dog Tudor Cristian Jurgiu, Romania
16. History of Fear Benjamín Naishtat, Argentina
17. For the Plasma Bingham Bryant & Kyle Molzan, U.S.
18. August Winds Gabriel Mascaro, Brazil
19. A Girl at My Door July Jung, South Korea
20. Fort Buchanan Benjamin Crotty, France