The Best Movies of 2014
40. Frank
The TF Verdict: Lenny Abrahamsons off-piste comedy lifts the mask of an outsider-pop savant. Michael Fassbender nails every note alongside Domhnall Gleeson in a riff on music and mental illness plays to its own key.
39. Citizenfour
The TF Verdict: Laura Poitras eye-opening doc on whistleblower Edward Snowden locks you in a hideaway with Snowden, just as his inside info breaks to alert the public that Big Brother is watching.
38. '71
The TF Verdict: A lone squaddie separated from his unit runs for his life in 1970s Belfast. The action sees Jack OConnell excel in a nail-biting thriller with a foot chase to rival Point Breaks.
37. Lucy
The TF Verdict: A super-drug boosts Scarlett Johanssons skills in Luc Bessons sci-fi brain scrambler, full of set-pieces, pulp metaphysics and superhero origin riffs. From down-at-heel victim to super-smart ass-kicker, Johansson owns every giddy moment.
36. Mr. Turner
The TF Verdict: Mike Leigh paints a rich picture of Romantic artist J.M.W. Turner, played to perfection by Timothy Spall. One great British artist pays tribute to another in a lengthy but rewarding homage that boasts a titanic turn at its centre. Rarely has watching paint dry been so fascinating.
35. The Maze Runner
The TF Verdict: James Dashners novel about an entrapped teenager is Lord Of The Flies-meets-Lost. This this lean sci-fi thriller is hoisted above YA fatigue with Dylan OBriens energised lead, with help from three essential ingredients: mazes, running, and monsters.
34. Oculus
The TF Verdict: On reflection, only The Babadook beat Mike Flanagans time-hopping chiller in spooky dread. The creepy supernatural horror stars ex-Doctor Who companion Karen Gillan as a young woman investigating the possibility that an old mirror is responsible her family's misfortune. Mirror, mirror on the wall, why do you want to kill us all?
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33. Two Days, One Night
The TF Verdict: The Dardennes capture the panic, sadness and desperation of the recession that sets off Marion Cotillard on a quest: she must persuade her co-workers to give up their bonuses to save her job. A small drama with great import.
32. The Wind Rises
The TF Verdict: Hayao Miyazaki tells the life and love of Japans foremost aircraft engineer Jiro Horikoshi in a deeply personal biopic which forms a fitting swansong for Studio Ghiblis guru.
31. The Guest
The TF Verdict: A war veteran cosies his way into a familys life and, of course, the shit hits the fan. Adam Wingard and Simon Barretts high-grade B-pic smarts, as Dan Stevens terminates Downton Abbeys shadow with muscular ease.
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