Now we move into the top 10, where things start getting real…
10 – THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY
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Hossein Amini, the writer of Drive and The Wings of the Dove, made his directorial debut in style with this stunning adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel, but even more impressive is its ability to stay with you long after you see it.
The direction is incredibly relaxed but at the same time very engaging; nothing feels like filler, and all of the character interaction feels very natural and relatable. Casting Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac to play the central three roles was a stroke of genius, as each of them bring several additional layers to their complicated characters and work well with the psychological torture and paranoia that Highsmith originally contributed.
Amini embraces the limited hour-and-a-half running time, and uses it to tell a simple but never dull story that’s as easy to follow as it is likable. In short, it’s the Best Directorial Debut of the Year and we’re more than anxious to see what project Amini shall take on next…
Definitely the most “out-there” material in Marvel’s cinematic toybox, this was always going to be a difficult but important product to sell – but not only did the gamble pay off wondrously, but audiences accepted it with open arms. And this is a film with a talking raccoon, for crying out loud!
James Gunn, previously best known for comedy-horror Slither and superhero satire Super, directs and co-writes this bonkers but endlessly enjoyable sci-fi outing with the excitement of a ten-year-old and the surprisingly warm heart of any sci-fi geek. Newly-certified movie star Chris Pratt is Star-Lord, one of the many instantly iconic characters in the main ensemble that range from Vin Diesel’s lovable Groot, aforementioned racoon named Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Zoe Saldana’s green-skinned assassin Gamora and – perhaps most surprising of all – Dave Bautista’s muscular Drax, who turned out to be more than just forearm veins with a brilliant character trait of being metaphor-illiterate, inspiringly winning over fans on the autistic spectrum.
It’s a joyful entry into the Marvel movie canon, and sets itself to be the Best Dumb Blockbuster of the Year. Groot is reported to be celebrating with the words “I am Groot”…
8 – GONE GIRL
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