The One I Love – “Well, I’m not an aardvark”
The One I Love, Charlie McDowell’s small-scale dramedy about a couple (Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss) who discover an unusual phenomenon while on a weekend retreat to rekindle their dying marriage, is one of the most thought-provoking, honest, and downright weird films of the year. The premise rivals some of the best Twilight Zone episodes, and the performances are top-notch, but Justin Lader’s smart script is the true star of the film.
Things come to a head in the third act, as Duplass and Moss’ characters literally come face to face with the better versions of themselves. Where most films would find ways to scientifically explain what’s happening, The One I Love cleverly avoids this and instead faces the existential questions with a funny dialogue, in which Duplass’ doppelganger tries telling a metaphor about an aardvark in a dark room. After what is absolutely a thought-provoking, on-the-nose comparison that cleverly sums up the film’s larger psychological implications, Duplass’ character, unmoved and unimpressed, says, simply, “Well, I’m not an aardvark.”
In a film filled with brutal and thought-provoking honesty, that dismissive line delivery is incredibly simple, but memorable all the same, and without a doubt one of the best movie moments that 2014 had to offer.
– James Garcia
Guardians of the Galaxy – We Are Groot
Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the best movies of 2014 for a number of reasons, but one that stands out is that it strikes a beautiful balance between high-octane action and unexpectedly emotional character development. Never is this balance more clear to see that in one of the blockbuster’s last scenes, when talking tree-being Groot sacrifices himself to protect the rest of the Guardians as the spaceship they’re on crashes into the planet Xandar.
Marvel has done a lot of plainly wonderful things in the six years since 2008’s Iron Man kick-started the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but they have never given us a scene with the emotional wallop of this one. It’s beautifully directed by James Gunn, the voice work of Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon is spot-on, and the visuals add to the sense of wonder and beauty that is Groot’s sacrifice for the sake of the team.
Guardians of the Galaxy is a giant, fun blockbuster, and Groot is a talking tree, but even given that, I dare you not to tear up.
– Isaac Feldberg