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Hooked On A Feeling: Matt Donato’s Top 20 Films Of 2014

They say the way into a man's heart is through his stomach, and while there's nothing more soothing than a home-cooked meal and a crisp, hoppy IPA, I challenge that there's another way into a man's heart - nay, soul - and that's through his eyes. Food unlocks pleasures attained by few other experiences, but movies can pack an even weightier punch when dealing with raw emotions, self-reflection, and fantastical worlds beyond our wildest imagination. Movies are but keys unlocking cerebral dimensions that speak louder than words, which is exemplified by the best of the best once each cinematic year comes to a close.

5) Selma

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Towards the end of every cinematic year there’s always one film that flies under the radar, coming out of nowhere once awards season recognition starts being debated, and in 2014, that movie was Selma.

Retelling the momentous events led by Martin Luther King Jr., challenging President Lyndon B. Johnson and the black right to vote by marching through a pro-segregation Alabama state, filmmaker Ava DuVernay ensures that Selma is an emotional powerhouse triumphant enough to capture King’s legacy. Her direction is unflinching and revealing when exposing the civil rights struggles that took place, but DuVernay’s trump card is David Oyelowo’s performance as MLK Jr. – a performance that deserves the Best Actor award hands down. Every speech is perfectly annunciated and somberly prolific, where Oyelowo becomes unrecognizable while portraying the God-loving preacher who fought until the day he died.

I dare you to find yourself not choking up during Oyelowo’s weightiest proclamations, but it’s a sweet reminder of how far we’ve come since such hateful, abhorrent times.

4) The LEGO Movie

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If you’re like me, you’ve been starting each day with Tegan and Sara’s “Everything Is Awesome” (featuring The Lonely Island) since seeing The LEGO Movie, because anyone who isn’t made instantly happy by the infectious theme doesn’t have a soul.

Creators Phil Lord and Chris Miller didn’t just make the next great animated children’s movie, but they found a way to make adults feel like empowered youngsters gazing into a world full of wonder, limitless creativity, and a freeing sense of belonging. Featuring crisp, slick visuals that recreate lego blocks to perfection and a colorful universe that’s constantly changing, The LEGO Movie keeps both kiddies and adults grinning the entire time with a slew of hilarious jokes and cameos, coming together in an impressively even-minded script which should be recognized when the academy announces the award for Best Animated Feature.

Everything is awesome about The LEGO Movie – especially the feeling of invincibility that comes along with unjaded curiosity and an imaginative lust for life. Who knew such small toys could teach the world that every one of us is special in our own way?

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