The Badger Herald picks the best films of 2014

1. Obvious Child

I have seen “Obvious Child” labeled as a generic indie dramedy or sensationalized by buzzword plot points. Both of these attempts to summarize this poignant and complex film is an insult to one of the best works of the year. It follows an aspiring stand-up comedian Donna Stern, played by infamous “Saturday Night Live” alum Jenny Slate, as she struggles with break-ups, employment, 20-something self-discovery and of course, bathroom humor. An unexpected pregnancy and abortion procedure comes amid these tribulations.

Perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of this film is that the abortion does not spur political debate or moral war within Slate herself. In reality, it is not a main fixture of the film at all; the abortion is merely a vehicle for conveying larger themes, many of which involve the plight of a Millennial navigating adulthood in New York City. Slate and her on-screen friends (Gabe Liedman’s Joey and Grace Chapman’s Nellie) create a genuine narrative carried by moving dialogue. Unlike polarizing personalities and storylines concocted by other Millennial poster children like Lena Dunham, “Obvious Child” is grounded in realistic characters facing relatable scenarios.

With Paul Simon’s song looping throughout, incredibly funny writing nailed by Slate, and a rogue David Cross (“Dead Boss”), “Obvious Child” is the film to see. ~ Audrey Piehl

2. Boyhood

In his 20 plus years working in American cinema, Richard Linklater (“Before Midnight”) has never been committed to a single story or genre to tell it with. Jumping from stoner comedy, to animated feature, to industrial polemic, to true crime story, Linkater had done it all.

However, Boyhood may end up being Linklater’s masterpiece, breaking free from plot or genre to tell the story of a young boy’s life from six to 18. Linklater smartly shot the film in real time, getting a little bit of footage for the film every year for 12 years. In giving the film 12 years of attention, Linklater was able to put in 12 years’ worth of detail, letting every character that floats through Mason Jr.’s life feel as rich and as complex as he is. By placing the focus squarely on the day-to-day conversations between Mason Jr. and those around him and letting what little plot the film has unfold in the periphery, every character, however small, can develop naturally. Characters in Linklater’s work spend their whole lives seeking transcendence in love, in drugs, in baseball. Something that gives them just enough purpose to get by. In “Boyhood,” they might have finally found it. ~Vincent Mollica

3. Gone Girl

With some of the best acting of the year and one hell of a story, “Gone Girl” is a maze of suspense and sophisticated allure, pulling us in with its sensuous cinematography and haunting characters. Rosamund Pike (“Hector and the Search for Happiness”) and Ben Affleck (“Runner Runner”), who play Nick and Amy Dunne, respectively, give us a dark portrait of a seemingly perfect marriage. In a plot with little room or mind for protagonists, each actor puts on a new face of evil. The profound and complex character arcs leave little to be desired in the absurd and continually surprising sequence of events. Director David Fincher (“House of Cards”) creates a dark and eerie backdrop for the plot’s constant unnerving twists and turns. There are innumerable and infinite things that “Gone Girl” does so right: the adaptation from book to screen, the choice of actors, the art direction. The only supposed “flaw” is the ending, which is so flipping miserable that it’ll stick to you for days. ~Lexy Brodt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esGn-xKFZdU

4. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Having seen almost every Wes Anderson movie, I have come to expect certain elements of his work to remain consistent. Either Bill Murray (“Dumb and Dumber To”), Jason Schwartzman (“Big Eyes”) or Luke Wilson (“Ride”) will play an integral role in the plot; I will never fully understand how I feel about the protagonist and his visual style will move me to want to create art. However, there are some characteristics that change, and recently he has strengthened his ability to make me feel true, raw emotion.

Back in the “Bottle Rocket” days, if you told me I would be moved to tears by a Wes Anderson movie I would have guffawed in the most pretentious indie manner. But in all honesty, both “Moonrise Kingdom” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” made me cry. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a frame story that starts with the story of a man writing a novel about a struggling old hotel and its current owner. It details the owner’s experience as a lobby boy under the guidance of M. Gustave H., an eccentric and clever manager who screws old ladies for their money.

The plot thickens with an alleged murder, a robbery and a harrowing prison escape. But the story ends with a reminder of Anderson’s biggest strength: his ability to communicate strong emotional relationships. Although the relationship between the Lobby Boy and M. Gustave was strong and endearing, the love between the lobby Boy and the local baker girl grew to be a palpable force and, in the end, that brought me to tears. ~Selena Handler