Top 10 Female Performances of 2014

Better late than never! Here are my top 10 performances by women in the films of 2014, going by UK release dates.

10. Aubrey Plaza in Life After Beth

9. Scarlett Johansson in Under the Skin

8. Shailene Woodley in The Fault in Our Stars

7.  Juno Temple in Magic Magic

6.  Julianne Moore in Maps to the Stars

5.  Hilary Swank in The Homesman

4.  Essie Davis in The Babadook

3.  Naomie Harris in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

2.  Lupita N’yongo in 12 Years A Slave

1. Patricia Arquette in Boyhood

Top 10 Best True Stories of 2014

Over the past few years, and since starting this blog, I have realised more and more just how much I love a film based on a true story. I only really cottoned on to this very recently as I noticed that The Impossible was my favourite film of 2013 and Philomena and Captain Phillips also made it into my top 10. Before that, in 2011, 127 Hours was my second favourite film of the year. I even put the 3D re-release of Titanic as my favourite film of 2012. Though Jack and Rose may be figments of James Cameron's imagination, the story of the sinking of the Titanic and the many real historical figures Cameron included in his film are a major reason that Titanic is still one of my favourite all time films. 

So with awards season really starting to heat up with the likes of The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, Unbroken, American Sniper, Selma, Foxcatcher, Mr Turner, Big Eyes, Wild, Get on Up and more vying for attention when the envelopes are opened, I thought I'd take a look back at the true stories that hit screens in 2014.

Judging by my previous love of The Impossible and 127 Hours, it seems I'm a sucker for a tragedy that has an unexpectedly positive ending. 280,000 people may have died in the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 but at least this one complete family survived! Aron Ralston may have been stuck under a rock but at least he made it out relatively 'armless! Too soon? Sorry about that.

So here it is: my top 10 films based on a true story that were released in the UK in 2014. Please click the titles if you would like to peruse my full reviews of the films.

10. Mr Turner 

A fascinating, but flawed study of one of Britain’s most interesting painters. Timothy Spall is spellbinding.

9. Jimmy's Hall

Ken Loach's story of one community in Ireland and its fight against the power, hypocrisy and repression of the Catholic church.

8. Fruitvale Station

Fruitvale Station is a sober document and howling indictment of a cruel, tragic and completely unnecessary act of murder.

7. The Railway Man

Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman star in what eventually becomes a great companion piece to Mandela with its story of imprisonment and forgiveness.

6. Dallas Buyers Club

See it for two staggering transformations and a touching true tale that desrves to be told. While Woodroof is the flawed star of the film, Leto's equally damaged Rayon threatens to steal it away from him. It may not tell the full story, choosing to focus on one frequently unpleasant man instead of many other heroes in the fight against AIDS, but Dallas Buyers Club avoids cliche to become powerful, credible and profoundly affecting.

5. The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is Scorsese's best since Goodfellas. BUT it is also a disgrace. It makes you forget just what a complete shit Belfort really is. It is not angry enough. Belfort gets off easily. He turns on everyone around him, gets away with a tiny prison sentence in a white collar prison and is still not paying nearly enough back to his victims. To have Belfort appear in the film is just another slap in the face for the forgotten victims of the story. Scorsese has made a fun film about a man who deserves nothing but disdain. There is little caution in this 'cautionary' tale. We need to stop paying to listen to Belfort but with a film like this, Scorsese makes that very difficult.

4. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom 

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom will make you angry, make you cry and even occasionally make you laugh. It is admirable in its attempt to offer a depiction of a legend but no film can come close to the impact that Mandela really had in the world. Until somebody makes a 10 part documentary that can really dissect and explore Mandela's life, this film will enlighten those who know little of the man, remind others of his greatness and bring audiences together in their grief, their hope and their joy at having lived through the age of such an inspiring legend.

3. Lone Survivor

Even if you have little sympathy for Americans invading Afghanistan, it is still horrific and heart breaking to see what they go through. To top it all off, the end of the story shows the bravery, selflessness and incredible spirit of some ordinary Afghan villagers who help Marcus when he is the lone survivor. It is an incredible true story; powerfully acted and viscerally directed. I only hope that people will realise who the real heroes of the story are.

2. Pride

I didn't review this film at the time of its release but I absolutely loved it. This is the kind of true story that blows you away. A group of gays and lesbians in 1980s London decide that they will stand side by side with the Welsh miners who they see are being similarly victimized by Thatcher and the media. They form Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) and start raising money for the miners, whether they like it or not. I got to the end of this film (having laughed and cried) and was desperate to see if it was really all true and was astounded by how much of it is. All involved with the making of the film (including the excellent cast) should be incredibly proud!

1. 12 Years A Slave 

12 Years A Slave brings a terrible historical truth to life. It may only be the story of one man but it feels definitive; every frame is a painting that transports you to another time. Through it's cinematography, production and costume design, but most of all the performances of a completely committed cast, 12 Years A Slave depicts the ugliness of slavery with unforgettable imagery. It seems my love of a good tragedy with a vaguely positive ending is still intact.

Which true stories did you love last year and which are you excited to see this year?

More 2014 lists at I Love That Film:

Best Books I Read in 2014

TV in 2014

Top 10 Blockbusters of 2014

Top 10 Music Performances of 2014

Top 10 of 2014 so far (Jan/Feb)

Bit early to be doing this but seeing as I've watched 22 films released in 2014 during January and February, I thought I'd make a note of my top 10 films of the year so far. Click the titles for my full reviews:

10. The Railway Man
9. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom 
8. Out of the Furnace
7. Inside Llewyn Davis
6. Dallas Buyers Club
5. Only Lovers Left Alive
4. The Wolf of Wall Street
3. Lone Survivor 
2. Her
1. 12 Years A Slave

The films that have missed out on being in the top 10 are: Last Vegas, The Book Thief, The Stag, Grudge Match, Magic Magic, That Awkward Moment, Muirhouse, Endless Love, RoboCop, I Declare War, Ride Along and 300: Rise of an Empire.

Has anyone else out there got a top 10 of 2014 so far?

BAFTA 2014 Nominations

BAFTA 2014 nominations are in with Gravity leading the way followed closely by 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle. I've already placed my bets with William Hill for who I think will win even though I have not seen the films I picked. I'm taking the safe option and going with the clear favourites.

I've highlighted those I've seen already and made a note of those I need to see before the ceremony on Feb 16th. The ones I think will win are helpfully written in red. If the film title is underlined, then click it to check out my review. Without further ado, here are the nominees:

BEST FILM
12 Years A Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Philomena

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Gravity
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom
Philomena
Rush
Saving Mr. Banks
The Selfish Giant

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Colin Carberry (Writer), Glenn Patterson (Writer) Good Vibrations
Kelly Marcel (Writer) Saving Mr. Banks
Kieran Evans (Director/Writer) Kelly + Victor
Paul Wright (Director/Writer), Polly Stokes (Producer) For Those in Peril
Scott Graham (Director/Writer) Shell

DIRECTOR
Steve McQueen - 12 Years A Slave
David O. Russell - American Hustle
 Paul Greengrass - Captain Phillips
 Alfonso Cuarón - Gravity
Martin Scorsese - The Wolf Of Wall Street

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell - American Hustle
Woody Allen - Blue Jasmine
Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón - Gravity
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen - Inside Llewyn Davis
Bob Nelson - Nebraska

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
John Ridley - 12 Years A Slave
Richard LaGravenese - Behind The Candelabra
Billy Ray - Captain Phillips
Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope - Philomena
Terence Winter - The Wolf Of Wall Street

LEADING ACTOR
Bruce Dern - Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
Christian Bale - American Hustle
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street
Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips

LEADING ACTRESS
Amy Adams - American Hustle
Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Emma Thompson - Saving Mr. Banks
Judi Dench - Philomena
Sandra Bullock - Gravity

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper - American Hustle 
Daniel Bruhl - Rush
Matt Damon - Behind the Candelabra
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle
Julia Roberts - August: Osage County
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
Oprah Winfrey - The Butler
Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The Act Of Killing
Blue Is The Warmest Colour
The Great Beauty
Metro Manila
Wadjda

DOCUMENTARY
The Act Of Killing
The Armstrong Lie
Blackfish
Tim's Vermeer
We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks

ANIMATED FILM
Despicable Me 2
Frozen
Monsters University

ORIGINAL MUSIC
12 Years A Slave - Hans Zimmer
The Book Thief - John Williams
Captain Phillips - Henry Jackman
Gravity - Steven Price
Saving Mr. Banks - Thomas Newman

CINEMATOGRAPHY
12 Years A Slave - Sean Bobbitt
Captain Phillips - Barry Ackroyd
Gravity - Emmanuel Lubezki
Inside Llewyn Davis - Bruno Delbonnel
Nebraska - Phedon Papamichael

EDITING
12 Years A Slave - Joe Walker
Captain Phillips - Christopher Rouse
Gravity - Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger
Rush - Dan Hanley, Mike Hill
The Wolf Of Wall Street - Thelma Schoonmaker

PRODUCTION DESIGN
12 Years A Slave - Adam Stockhausen, Alice Baker
American Hustle - Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler
Behind The Candelabra - Howard Cummings
Gravity - Andy Nicholson, Rosie Goodwin, Joanne Woodlard
The Great Gatsby - Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn

COSTUME DESIGN
American Hustle - Michael Wilkinson
Behind The Candelabra - Ellen Mirojnick
The Great Gatsby - Catherine Martin
The Invisible Woman - Michael O’Connor
Saving Mr. Banks - Daniel Orlandi

MAKE UP & HAIR
American Hustle - Evelyne Noraz, Lori McCoy-Bell
Behind The Candelabra - Kate Biscoe, Marie Larkin
The Butler - Debra Denson, Beverly Jo Pryor, Candace Neal
The Great Gatsby - Maurizio Silvi, Kerry Warn
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug - Peter Swords King, Richard Taylor, Rick Findlater

SOUND
All Is Lost - Richard Hymns, Steve Boeddeker, Brandon Proctor, Micah Bloomberg, Gillian Arthur
Captain Phillips - Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith, Chris Munro, Oliver Tarney
Gravity - Glenn Freemantle, Skip Lievsay, Christopher Benstead, Niv Adiri, Chris Munro
Inside Llewyn Davis - Peter F. Kurland, Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff 
Rush - Danny Hambrook, Martin Steyer, Stefan Korte, Markus Stemler, Frank Kruse

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
Gravity - Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk, Neil Corbould, Nikki Penny The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug - Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, Eric Reynolds
Iron Man 3 - Bryan Grill, Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Dan Sudick
Pacific Rim - Hal Hickel, John Knoll, Lindy De Quattro, Nigel Sumner
Star Trek Into Darkness - Ben Grossmann, Burt Dalton, Patrick Tubach, Roger Guyett

Rising Star nominee Will Poulter and I

THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
Dane DeHaan
George McKay
Lupita Nyong'o
Will Poulter
Lea Seydoux

What do you think of this year's nominees?

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Review

How can a movie do a whole life justice? It can't. But Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom certainly tries and like a greatest hits CD, will have you smiling at the bits you know and maybe discovering a few more bits you didn't. Distilling the great man's life down into just over two hours is ambitious but also fails to fully capture the majesty of the man.

The book the film is based on is huge and so it should be, covering an incredible life from being a boy in a small African village to becoming the first African president of South Africa by way of 27 years imprisonment for resisting apartheid.

Mandela is perfectly timed to come out this January. While a London premiere was being held as Mandela died, its release in the New Year will give people a chance to truly celebrate the real life legend before getting stuck into Idris Elba's impersonation in Justin Chadwick's well meaning film. The death of Mandela adds to the poignancy of the film and it will no doubt get a boost at the box office and maybe even in awards season after its larger than life subject has passed away at the impressive age of 95.

 Starting with Mandela's days as a lawyer on the side of justice and equality and then moving on to his overtly political struggle as part of the ANC before his imprisonment, Long Walk to Freedom has a huge amount to pack in. It dawdles a little too much over his love life with his first wife and then with Winnie but it is important to see the family man (warts and all) behind the icon. Too much of his early action is skipped over and the film races towards the imprisonment at a momentous pace. Perhaps the balance of love, marriage and political action could have been evened out here before sticking Mandela in a cell and getting to the parts everybody knows. There are plenty of neat touches; the real photos of the Sharpeville massacre that invade the screen, the Malickian moments of Mandela in his village with young love but plenty more come and go too quickly. 

How can you show 27 years imprisonment in a film without it becoming boring? Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom flies high here, cutting back and forth between Nelson and Winnie, illuminating his wife's struggle as much as his own. Naomie Harris is electric as Winnie, giving her heart, soul and passion and making her actions completely identifiable. Elba plays the mellowing prisoner with dignity and poise befitting his subject. Again Mandela's continuing struggle to get more rights in prison is curtailed and cut down to a single win over his captors, The make up and hair might age a bit too rapidly but Elba nails the performance of a man moving into his 70s.

Real footage continues to play a part as the film goes on and it is hard not to hope for more. The protests for Mandela's freedom including the Wembley Stadium concert for Mandela's 70th birthday all highlight the growing anti-apartheid movement and the real footage reminds of the very recent history that makes Mandela's story pack such a punch.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom will make you angry, make you cry and even occasionally make you laugh. It is admirable in its attempt to offer a depiction of a legend but no film can come close to the impact that Mandela really had in the world. Until somebody makes a 10 part documentary that can really dissect and exolore Mandela's life, this film will enlighten those who know little of the man, remind others of his greatness and bring audiences together in their grief, their hope and their joy at having lived through the age of such an inspiring legend.

More reviews from I Love That Film:

Captain Phillips Review

Saving Mr. Banks

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Don Jon

Machete Kills, The Conspiracy, Snitch and more

Ender's Game

Sunshine on Leith

How I Live Now

Filth

The Call

Upcoming screenings: Mandela, Last Vegas, Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I've got three preview screenings lined up over the next couple of weeks. The first is Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the second is Last Vegas and the third is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

The first on Monday is Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. I literally found out I had a ticket to this advance screening moments before I found out that the real life legend had just died. It is going to make the screening a very bittersweet experience. I grew up with my older sisters around me wearing 'Free Nelson Mandela' badges and always hearing about the good he had done  in the world. I'm sure Idris Elba will do a fantastic job in the central role and as I have not read the book, I am very excited to learn more about the man's life. I can guarantee that, particularly in light of this week's events, it is going to get emotional. Let's hope the film can do the man justice. Here is the trailer:



Next up is Last Vegas starring Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro and um Kevin Kline... something tells me Jack Nicholson was busy? Four old buddies, friends since they were kids get together for one last hurrah in Vegas to celebrate the impending marriage of Douglas' character to a girl half his age. Looks like it could be quite funny. Douglas and De Niro are at each others' throats and Freeman's character just looks like he should be repeating the old mantra 'I'm too old for this shit'. Here is the trailer:



The final film I'm seeing next week is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, directed by and starring Ben Stiller. Comparisons to things like Forrest Gump have been thrown around and it certinaly looks epic in scope. Mitty is a day dreaming office worker who sets off on the adventure of a lifetime (or is he just daydreaming?) and looks like he will likely fall in love along the way with Kristen Wiig. I'm definitely intrigued about this one. Looks like it could be a great heart warmer hopefull for the festive period. Here is the trailer:



What do you think? Want to see any of these?

12 Years a Slave leads in current Oscar Odds

It's become a yearly tradition for me to get all excited about the Oscars as it is the one time of year that I allow myself to have a bit of a gamble. I'm already looking at the odds even though the nominations have not been announced yet.

12 Years a Slave appears to be a favourite in all the major categories over at Paddy Power at the moment. I'm wondering if the death of Mandela and the imminent release of Long Walk to Freedom stands a chance of shaking things up a bit in the coming weeks.

The favourites for Best Picture are currently 12 Years a Slave at odds of 1.80, Gravity at 4.50, American Hustle at 5.00, Mandela: Long walk to Freedom at 6.00 and Saving Mr Banks at 13.00.

For Best Director, Steve McQueen (2.25) is just ahead of Alfonso Cuaron (2.75) as the favourite with David O. Russell and Martin Scorsese lagging behind with odds of 5.00 and 11.00 respectively. The Coen Bros come in just behind with odds of 13.00.

The Best Actor race is tied between Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Yrs a Slave) and Robert Redford (All is Lost), both with odds of 2.50 and Idris Elba is just behind for Mandela with odds of 4.00. I wonder if that's going to change with the very sad but well timed death of the legend himself. Surprisingly Matthew McConaughey (5.50) with The Dallas Buyers Club is ahead of Tom Hanks for Captain Phillips (11.00).

Cate Blanchett is the clear favourite for Best Actress with Blue Jasmine at odds of 1.25 while Sandra Bullock is in second place with odds of 4.50. Meanwhile Oprah Winfrey (The Butler) and Lupita Nyong'o (12 Yrs a Slave) are virtually neck and neck in the best supporting actress category. Similarly in the best supporting actor race, Jared Leto (The Dallas Buyers Club) and Michael Fassbender (12 Yrs a Slave) are also very close with odds of 2.37 and 2.25 respectively.

It's too early for me to be placing any bets yet, particularly as I have yet to see frontrunners 12 Years a Slave, Long Walk to Freedom, All is Lost and The Dallas Buyers Club. I'm wondering if the death of Mandela is going to cause more heat to pick up around Long Walk to Freedom and help it to push aside 12 Years a Slave in some categories. Either way, with The Butler, 12 Years a Slave and Mandela all in the running, it is definitely going to be an incredible year for African American actors, actresses, directors and their films.

Would you fancy placing a bet on any of these yet?