At one point, most of the following films were sitting in my top 10 only to be pushed out by later films or by second viewings of other films that shuffled them down. That said, these are the very best of the rest of the movies that didn’t make the cut.
A found footage sci-fi flick about man’s first interstellar trip to the moons of Jupiter. It paid great respect to the science side of sci-fi by using footage from the International Space Station and space walks as reference for filming. The found footage aspect is never obtrusive and it tells a very compelling story with interesting characters.
Unapologetic and bittersweet, the film focuses on a young man who discovers he can travel through time at will. He uses his gift as I imagine most young men would and manages to secure the woman of his dreams after numerous missteps. The film is at its best when focusing on the lead’s relationship with his father.
This is a very clever “semi-true” ensemble comedy/drama, focusing on a colorful cast of characters involved in the Abscam operation in the late 70s, that never takes itself too seriously. Stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence & Jeremy Renner are clearly having fun playing dress-up for director David O. Russell.
A Thanksgiving Day kidnapping of two young girls triggers a series of events that leaves two families devastated and a dogged police detective facing ultimate evil. Hugh Jackman & Jake Gyllenhaal deliver award worthy performances as respectively the father forced to grave task and the detective determined to crack the case in this dark, moody film.
If you wanna see what other films I really liked this past year check out the previous installments of The Rest of the Best.
I’ll be unleashing my final and official Top 10 of the year in the next few days. And after that, I’ll be diving into 2014 and beyond.
That Dog Will Hunt! 