Best Movies of 2014: Mockingjay, The Fault in Our Stars, Nightcrawler & More!

By Ma. Elena Espejo| Dec 26, 2014

This year has showcased a lot of good films in the blockbuster scene. Whether it's about romance, drama, or the always prominent action movies, film buffs were not disappointed. Scroll below and check out six of the best movies which came out this year.

'Nightcrawler'

This Jake Gyllenhall starrer features Louis Bloom, a socially awkward freelance videographer who delved into the profession after he learned that local televisions pay good money for videos containing grisly violence and bloody crime scenes. Armed with a police scanner, a cheap video camera, and his high ambitions, Bloom ventures and thrives into the nighttime streets to capture ruthless images and earn money.

According to E! Online, the film "exposes the dark side of the TV news business, in an exaggerated way."

'Boyhood'

"Boyhood" chronicles the life of Texan boy Mason, who is living with his sister and her divorced and twice remarried mother. What's so special about this film is that viewers would get to see Mason, portrayed by Eltar Coltrane, grow up over the course of 12 years before their very eyes, transforming from a "cute, bright-eyed kid, to an awkward pre-teen, to an emo-like teenager to a young adult who's ready to conquer the world," E! Online reports.

Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette, who portrays Coltrane's parents, can also be seen aging in the film; as well as his sister, Lorelei, portrayed by the daughter of the movie's director, Richard Linklater.

"Given the amount of time needed to shoot this movie, to ensure the cast was available all at once, can only be described as a true labor of love," the news outlet notes.

'Birdman'

"Birdman's" plot revolved around Michael Keaton's Riggan Thomson, an aging actor who played a superhero in a film struggling to come to terms with the fact that he's now out of the spotlight. He ventures to the world of Broadway, where he acted, wrote scripts, and directed a revival of Raymond Carver's 1981 short story "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love," E! Online reports.

Things started going awry when theater actor Mike Shiner, played by Edward Norton, "threatens the whole production and Thomson's hopes for a career comeback," the news outlet adds.

'Ida'

The Guardian describes this film as an "eerily beautiful road." This outstanding black-and white drama from director Pawel Pawlikowski revolved around Agata Trzebuchowska's Anna, a mysterious 17-year-old novitiate in a secluded convent.

According to The Guardian, Anna has the "impassivity and inscrutability of youth," whose life has been in a constant state due to her simple life in the convent. Viewers will see the character "react, or try to conceal her reaction, to an onslaught of momentous events."

"Ida" possesses a compelling narrative, and could qualify as one of Pawlikowski's masterpiece. "The performances are superb and the sense of location and period miraculous," the news outlet notes.

'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1'

The first part of the final installment based on Suzanne Collins' YA trilogy continues the story of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who continues to attempt saving a nation in revolt and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Following the events of "Catching Fire," Katniss is taking refuge in District 13, where the revolt against the Capitol is starting to get stirred.

Entertainment Weekly reports that "Mockingjay: Part 1" managed to get interesting as it nears climax, but it leaves viewers hungry for more action which the franchise's first two films succeeded on. The Telegraph writes that the movie is "intense, stylish, topical, well-acted," but it could definitely do more to satisfy the audience.

'The Fault In Our Stars'

Love at first sight was what transpired between cancer patients Hazel and Gus, portrayed by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, respectively. The two's courtship was adorable and would definitely make viewers feel what young love is supposed to feel like - uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time. E! Online says that the film is "predictable, there are twists, and each one will either melt or break your heart."

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