2014 The Bad? or “It’s just I haven’t spoken 1950s in quite a while.”

I know I’ve mentioned that I no longer do the Bataan movie death march / try to see every nominated film every year.  I don’t believe I’ve mentioned how much happier I am about it so here it is on the official record.

I heroically managed to avoid Interstellar and when I look at the list of movies from 2014 I get chills just considering the horribleness that I somehow managed to dodge.  Yet I was still exposed to movies that weren’t very good whether by mistakenly going to see something horrible in a theater or succumbing to peer pressure or even just walking around the house while someone else watched The Judge.

There are still some specific questions I have such as:

Did anyone see Nightcrawler?  Because it was fantastic and no one mentions it.  Did I somehow dream it?  Because that means I have a lot of issues relating to local news coverage and Bill Paxton.

Why is Effie in “Hunger Games 3: Seriously, what’s going on with Peeta”?

What outlet is there for my dozens of “Hobbit 3:  Warning Contains No Hobbit” jokes?

There are scars that don’t heal.

I missed a lot of good films this year too and am confused / saddened /enraged that I still haven’t seen Obvious Child among many others and that I didn’t see The Inbetweeners 2 even though I was in frigging London.

The most horrible entertainment calamity I experienced this year was also in London and was having to leave Richard III during the second half so maybe all the bad things in the world aren’t related to movies but entertainment in general.

Movies were again not the greatest this year and other media sometimes held much more interest for me (“U Talking U2 to Me” Podcast – OBSESSED).  In fact I don’t even have a menu planned for Oscar night because I have no horse in the Best Picture race whatsoever.  Perhaps some elaborate cakes for The Grand Budapest Hotel and a lot of assorted alcohol for the rest?  Look at this mangy bunch of 8 and see what you think:

The Theory of Everything – this wasn’t good and the lead performance isn’t good but Felicity Jones is great so please see Like Crazy.  She is also good in The Invisible Woman but that movie is an example of taking a great story and dramatizing everything that is not that interesting from it.  Also see:  Unbroken

Birdman (or the something something of something) – It’s fine.  Edward Norton is great.  The script somehow required 4 people and it does unexpected things in both good and bad ways.  Let’s not get carried away.  IT’S FINE.

Boyhood –Sadly I am still waiting to have the 4 hour window of time that this movie requires.  (I am factoring crying and/or angry texting afterwards.)

The Imitation Game – I love this one but it is extremely up my alley so I can’t decide if it’s great or I just like it.  It has everything I want and it’s very well made but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it unless I knew how you felt about Bletchley Park and Rory Kinnear.

Whiplash – Did not see it.  It looks too intense, there appears to be too much acting and I reject the idea that a drummer is the hero.

American Sniper – No thanks!  I heard this in the next room and that was 1000% more than enough for me.

The Grand Budapest Hotel – I loved this but can’t believe anyone else saw it.  I really think they are faking.  I don’t understand why this is the Wes Anderson movie people embrace but okay!

Selma – Did not see it.  Did not get a screener and I missed the half-day it was in theaters.  I’m not happy or sad about it, just annoyed at this point.