Disappointments of 2014

10 films from 2014 that disappointed me in some way or another. Only Sin City 2 is a bad film, all the others are good or great and still recommended but personally didn't work for me in the way I wanted.

In alphabetical order.

• Frank
  

  I liked Frank but I wanted to like it a lot more, I kept hoping for something special to happen. It nearly does towards the end but it wasn't enough to rescue my disappointment.

  
  


• The Grand Budapest Hotel
  

  It's great that The Grand Budapest Hotel did well, I know people I never imagined even seeing a Wes Anderson film really liking it. Everybody else appears to adore it and it's high in several films of the year list. My expectations were high (Moonrise Kingdom was my favourite film of 2012) but it just left me cold. Hopefully when I watch it again I'll like it a lot more.

  
  


• Ida
  

  No grand expectations here apart from only hearing very good things. It was a film I saw when I was too tired to fully appreciate it, and as I was watching I knew I should be getting more from it but it didn't connect.

  
  


• The Lego Movie
  

  The Lego Movie is very good, you don't need me to tell you that. But whereas everybody else came out of the cinema thinking everything was awesome I left disappointed. With no expectations or reason to think a film about Lego should work I think most people were pleasantly surprised. I, on the other hand, had The Lego Movie as one of my most anticipated films of the year. I'd already been surprised by 21 Jump Street and the Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs films, so I had high hopes for directors Lord and Miller. I'd also played the Lego City Undercover video game and knew how funny the Lego Universe can be (the game features a level with an Austrian building site foreman who manages to work the titles of nearly every Schwarzenegger film into his dialogue). When I watch it again (and I already own the DVD) with lowered expectations I'm sure it will be awesome.

  
  


• Leviathan
  

  This just didn't work for me.

  
  


• Nightcrawler
  

  I liked Nightcrawler but got a shock when I saw people dishing out five star reviews and claiming it was one of the films of the year. The performances are fantastic, delivering wonderful dark dialogue and the film frequently looks great. I found the direction was lacking a lot and manage to make everything look incredibly cliched. Perhaps I was too harsh (another tired viewing) and look forward to giving it another chance sometime in the near future.

  
  


• Nymphomaniac: Vol. II
  

  The first part of Nymphomaniac was really fantastic and interesting which just makes the disappointment of part two all the greater.

  
  


• Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
  

  Incredibly boring and no where near the greatness of the first film.

  
  


• Mr. Turner
  

  Another highly rated film from a director I usually like and a performer who I thought could do no wrong but I couldn't see what any of the fuss was about.

  
  


• Two Days, One Night
  

  I've liked the Dardenne's other films and the critical response to their latest was all positive. I like Marion Cotillard and the story here offered lots of potential but it didn't work for me. It felt like a wasted opportunity which I found repetitive and full of small flaws that added up to a bigger problem.

  
  

December 29, 2014 at 06:03PM

Win Win, 2011 - ★★★½

It may not be as good as The Visitor or The Station Agent but it still has a lot of charm.

December 28, 2014 at 11:26PM

City of Angels, 1998 - ★★

I don't remember a film ever misjudging so many tones as much as City of Angels does. Even if Cage's character turned out to be a serial killer it would have been played far too creepily. You know those remixed trailers where family films are portrayed as horrors, well this entire film is like that.

Terrible overbearing soundtrack as well.

December 28, 2014 at 11:24PM

Zulu, 1964 - ★★★

A problem with many films that are held up as classics is that I've found the fondness for them is often due to nostalgia. This seems especially true for films of a more 'epic' nature and those which are traditionally shown at holidays.

Seeing this for the first time and I didn't really see anything that great. There are good moments and it's great to see so many real extras instead of CG armies. The battle sequences have dated badly and are quite embarrassing, I've seen children playing with sticks appear more authentic. There's also a much bigger problem that the film never gave me any reason to think the British were the "good guys" and it was uncomfortable watching that much slaughter. It always felt like the Zulu side of the story would be much more interesting but I guess that would never happen.

December 28, 2014 at 11:21PM

God Help the Girl, 2014 - ★★★

There was a strong chance that I'd really love this film so I felt like I had to try and fit it in before the year was out. Sadly, whilst there was a lot to admire, the film never quite clicked into place with only a few of the songs hitting the right notes and never quite escaping an amateur feel.

December 28, 2014 at 01:19PM

Next Goal Wins, 2014 - ★★★★

A well made and moving documentary that surprised me by making me care about the results of a football game. The rest of the world has a lot to learn from American Samoa, not just about participating in sport but living life and gender identity.

December 28, 2014 at 01:17PM

Paddington, 2014 - ★★★★½

Paddington is so meticulously crafted that it's difficult to criticise it in anyway. Perhaps the opening Peru based sequence goes on a little too long but once in London the film never puts a foot wrong. Not a moment of the film is wasted with every shot setting something up for later, looking beautiful or just being charming (or all of these things). The attention to detail and production design out does Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel and the visual FX are better than Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes.

An utter joy.

December 28, 2014 at 01:10PM

Serendipity, 2001 - ★★★★

I love this film, thanks to the BBC's annual screening it's become a Christmas tradition. I only wish some of the cheesier moments were done with a little more class so I could confidently claim it was a great film. It isn't a great film but despite it's many flaws it's still one of my favourites and I'm sure I'll come to watch it every year.

December 28, 2014 at 12:18AM

Guys and Dolls, 1955 - ★★½

Mostly unmemorable songs are a big problem for a musical and as a result this was really quite dull.

December 24, 2014 at 04:17PM

It's a Wonderful Life, 1946 - ★★★★★

Attaboy, Clarence.

December 24, 2014 at 10:11AM

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, 2011 - ★★½

A disappointing waste of great talent on a cliched (possibly racist) script.

December 22, 2014 at 11:59PM

Holy Motors, 2012 - ★★★★

I'm still not sure what I saw but I did like it a lot.

December 22, 2014 at 11:36PM

Black Mirror: White Christmas, 2014 - ★★★★

Watched on Saturday December 20, 2014.

December 21, 2014 at 10:03AM

22 Jump Street, 2014 - ★★★

Not as surprisingly good as the original but a much better take on sequels than Muppets Most Wanted. When it does work it works well but as a whole it felt like it was lacking something.

December 21, 2014 at 10:02AM

Leviathan, 2014 - ★★½

Once again I find myself at odds with the majority of critics as I completely failed to see why this was so great. Each frame of the film may be beautifully composed but that is no excuse to linger on every shot for so long. When I checked the time to confirm it must be nearly over I was dismayed to find there was still more than 30 minutes left. Admittedly those 30 minutes are probably the best part of the film where something actually happens but by that time it was too late.

The film also isn't helped by an absolutely awful trailer which gives away at least three of the better moments (2 dramatic and 1 comedic). Those scenes have no impact and part of the ending is clear from the moment it is set up.

The following statement feels unfair because there is obviously some artistic merit to the film even if it was lost on me but I'm going to say it anyway. Leviathan is the arthouse equivalent of Michael Bay's Transformer films with beautiful imagery instead of robots, explosions and lingerie models but overlong, empty and incredibly dull.

December 21, 2014 at 09:59AM

The Past, 2013 - ★★★★

In the first hour of The Past as we are introduced to all the characters it is clear that there are secrets in the titular past. All of this is wonderfully done but it's in the second half when the secrets come out that the film really stands up. There may only be one incident that it causing so much trouble but it's true nature is slowly unravelled a layer at a time in a mesmerising way.

There are many great moments of inaudible dialogue through windows which perhaps add more than if you were able to hear what is been said. All of the performances are amazing. Even though there isn't too much back story, each character feels complete, although not always likeable. In fact my biggest problem was how unlikeable Marie was, it was difficult to sympathise with her but perhaps that was the point.

December 21, 2014 at 09:45AM

Starred Up, 2013 - ★★★½

A really great set of opening sequences set up a well made film but I'm not sure if there's much that hasn't been done before (or perhaps I've just spent too much time in TV prisons this year). There was potential for a great bleak ending but disappointingly things don't head that way so the film just feels good rather than great.

December 20, 2014 at 12:39PM

The Bishop's Wife, 1947 - ★★★½

Lots of magical moments that frequently reminded me more of Mary Poppins than It's A Wonderful Life. It may not make a whole lot of sense but it is unbelievably charming, especially at this time of year. Another Christmas film to go on the "nice" list.

December 15, 2014 at 11:50PM

Interstellar, 2014 - ★★★★

Seeing a 35mm print of Interstellar after seeing it in Imax wasn't a disappointment like I worried it may be. There's still an immense thrill to be had every time the music ramps up to deafening levels. The video message and docking scenes both stand out for different reasons, highlighting how successfully Nolan manages to combine the human(ity) story with science fiction action.

The many flaws (obviousness, science talk, Caine's exposition, timey-wimey-what-now) are perhaps more obvious without the distraction of the awe inspiring Imax sequences but not in a way that really detracts from what else is happening. It felt longer this time but on the plus side I really noticed how great Mackenzie Foy was, which I didn't pick up on originally.

The Imax experience was immense, unlike any other cinema experience I remember and left me no option to award five stars. This regular version is still a very good film but that final star was just out of reach.

December 14, 2014 at 11:21PM

St. Vincent, 2014 - ★★★★

After seeing the middling reviews for St Vincent I thought I may give it a miss but I'm glad I didn't because it was one of the most enjoyable cinema experiences of the year. To be honest the reviews are understandable as there isn't anything new here and everything about the film is completely predictable. The draw here was always going to be Bill Murray and he doesn't disappoint. Everything is done with competence and frequently laugh out loud funny (interestingly different people in my audience laughed loudly at different moments). The sentimental ending shouldn't work but it completely got me and did I mention Bill Murray.

December 07, 2014 at 10:55PM

'71, 2014 - ★★★★

Going into '71 I thought I knew what to expect; a well made film depicting a new British soldier exposed to The Troubles in a way that has been done before. Instead we get a serious version of something like After Hours as Jack O'Connell's soldier gets lost one night and stumbles across the city encountering different groups. The film is always gripping (in what is turning out to be a very edge-of-your-seat year for cinema) and stylishly directed. The frantic camera movements may be off putting to some but the camera almost ends up being a character in the film. The scene outside the pub is one of the best of the year, as the stillness of the camera gives way to action moments before any of the characters have chance to react. My only disappointment is that for a film that manages to be bleak throughout the ending is somewhat conventional in comparison, a darker ending had been earned and would have been a lot more powerful.

December 07, 2014 at 10:45PM

Mr. Turner, 2014 - ★★★

Another highly lauded film with a great central performance where I found myself wondering what all the fuss was about. There are many spectacular and beautiful moments but the film feels more like a collection of sketches than a full blown masterpiece. It's too long (I found that I'd lost interest after 90 minutes even though many of the better moments are in the last hour) and many of the supporting characters such as the Mrs Doyle/Overall housekeeper just feel out of place and are distracting.

As expected Timothy Spall is fantastic but even all his grunting becomes tiresome before the end.

December 03, 2014 at 10:56PM

A Trip to the Moon, 1902 - ★★★★½

Fascinating is so many different ways. The effects are truly special and there is no need to add a "for their time" disclaimer as they are more convincing than the CGI in The Imitation Game (as a recent example from the top of my head).

Shown with a live score by Stems

December 01, 2014 at 10:50PM

The Imitation Game, 2014 - ★★★★

Some excellent performances and a (mostly) superb script are let down by lacklustre direction which resorts to far too many cliches. Still a solid and enjoyable film though.

November 30, 2014 at 11:06AM

Nymphomaniac: Vol. II, 2013 - ★★

After two hours of foreplay the second volume arrives and is a messy anticlimax. It's hard to know if the problems are to do with length; four hours is just too long to maintain interest in what turns out to be a fairly straightforward story. The older Joe's story becomes unpleasant without adding anything (would the film suffer if Jamie Bell's scenes were removed - no offence to the former Billy Elliot). Joe's career path came as a surprise and is quite interesting but the film ends in a way that was predictable from the very start. Disappointing.

November 26, 2014 at 07:42PM