6) Nightcrawler
Jake Gyllenhaal is an A-list Hollywood star, but in recent years, the actor has veered away from big blockbusters in favour of smaller yet more interesting fare. Gyllenhaal’s lead performance in Nightcrawler stands out as one of his strongest roles to date, yet, despite some strong awards buzz, he didn’t receive a Best Actor Nomination at the Oscars.
Shame on you Academy. Shame on you.
As a former thief who shoots footage of crime in Los Angeles, Gyllenhaal’s character is one of the darkest and most disturbing creations seen on film in recent memory, with many critics comparing his performance to some of Robert De Niro’s work. It’s impossible to know exactly what goes through the mind of an actor preparing for a role, but we’re pretty sure that Gyllenhaal was channeling the Taxi Driver era, rather than the awkward De Niro from Meet The Fockers or the cross dressing pirate from Stardust.
Now that the idea’s out there though, wouldn’t that be kind of awesome?!
5) Locke
It’s a sad fact that there are a large number of cinema-goers out there who dismiss movies that think outside of the box.
To discuss the plot of Locke in depth robs the film of its power, but for audiences searching for something a little different, Tom Hardy’s one man show is a career-defining performance that deserved a far wider audience than it received. Fortunately, the claustrophobic tone of Locke works even better on the small screen, so there’s no excuse now for people to not seek it out.
Maybe Locke would become more popular if Hardy re-dubbed the film using his Bane voice. Just a thought.
4) Pride
Since the international success of films like Billy Elliott and The Full Monty in the 1990’s, British cinema has largely strayed away from the niche genre that revolves around the struggles of the working class. It’s a shame, too, as Pride recently proved that this uniquely British outlook still deserves a voice, one that can entertain and educate in equal measure.
Based on a true story, Pride follows a group of LGBT activists who strove to help families affected by the Welsh miners’ strike in 1984. Whether the Welsh setting didn’t translate well outside of the Valleys or whether the LGBT focus put off mainstream audiences, Pride failed to set the box office alight, despite an overwhelmingly positive critical reception.
Either way, a ratings controversy in the US certainly didn’t help matters, which is unfortunate as Pride is one of the funniest and most heartwarming films that was released in 2014, filling the hole left behind in the absence of more crowd-pleasing British cinema.