Year End Report - Timing Issues

You have probably noticed that there are a lot of critics top 10 lists being released right now – and they will continue for a few more weeks anyway. If you have been reading me for a while, you know that I go overboard with year-end coverage – doing a top 10 list, plus 20 runners-up, top 10 lists for each of the four acting categories, a top 10 Ensemble list, a top 5 animated films list, a top 10 for documentaries, my own personal Oscar ballot, a list of the most disappointing films and a list of the 10 worst films. Again, if you read me regularly you know that I normally do this in mid-January – but I feel the need to let everyone know by the end of the year that it is coming. The reason why it is later than most is simple – I need to see the year end glut of movies, in particular the ones that are not releasing themselves outside of New York and LA until January. I have already seen some of the year end movies, and will have reviews up of Foxcatcher, The Interview, Into the Woods, Inherent Vice, Mr. Turner, The Imitation and Big Eyes shortly – and I will get to Unbroken and The Gambler by next week as well.

In terms of the “major” films left to see there are Selma (Jan. 9), Winter Sleep (Jan.9), American Sniper (Jan.16), Still Alice (Jan.16), Cake (Jan.23), Leviathan (Jan.23) and A Most Violent Year (Jan.30) and The Babadook (who the hell knows, everyone in America can see it, but no one can or will tell me when its coming out in any format in Canada). I would love to see all of these before I do the year end features, but I don’t know if I will be able to. Those dates are the best ones I have, but if they are Toronto only releases, I don’t know if I can see them. I am planning a Toronto trip the week of the 23^rd – where Winter Sleep and Leviathan will be my top priority. I assume the dates for the other ones will be wider releases – they are holding back until they get Oscar nominations to use that as a marketing tool – no point staying limited after the nominations. Taking this extra time will also allow me more time to catch up on some of the smaller films I missed this year – and continue hoping that they release The Babadook.

Bottom line, yes, I am working on my year end report. And yes, it will be as much overkill as ever. But no, I don’t know when it will be released. Until then, if you want to get a brief preview head here: http://letterboxd.com/davevanh/list/best-films-of-2014/ . This has the top 30 films of 2014 that I have seen – ranked – that I will update as I see more, or decide to move things around a little (nothing is ever set in stone with me).

Until then, I will continue to try and catch up on more movies from 2014 - and perhaps even some 2015 releases.