Geek of Oz

Well, it’s been a damn fine year for cinema, with standout films in almost every genre. Since the internet is in dire need of another top 10 list, I humbly present my best films of 2014.  As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this year’s cinema. Feel free to tell me your favourite films for the year in the comments below or come over to our Facebook page to shoot the breeze. Bring on 2015. - Stu Honourable mentions

2014 has been such a phenomenal year for cinema that my list of top 5 films has blown out to a top 10; there were just too many staggeringly good films this season. I strongly urge you to track down these films if you haven’t seen them. 1. Her directed by Spike Jones 2. Inside Llewyn Davis directed by the Coen Brothers 3. The Grand Budapest Hotel directed by Wes Anderson 4. The Wolf of Wall Street directed by Martin Scorsese 5. My Sweet Pepper Land directed by Hiner Saleem 6. The Raid 2 directed by Gareth Evans 7. Under the Skin directed by Jonathan Glazer 8. Only Lovers Left Alive directed by Jim Jarmusch 9. Captain America: The Winter Soldier directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo 10. Nebraska directed by Alexander Payne What's the best film you've seen this year? - Stu

I dedicate (some would argue waste) countless hours watching films in search of moments when the art form genuinely moves me. Scanning for films which surpass mere entertainment or even escapism, in hope of witnessing something which feels significant. My Sweet Pepper Land the latest film by Hiner Saleem sits comfortably in this category. I feel it’s only fair to warn you that this may very well descend quite rapidly into an all-out-love-fest, such was the experience I had watching it, so i’ll try to maintain some level of composure, but no promises … The film is set in a post Saddam Hussein Kurdistan, which  is struggling to define itself despite newfound independence. Baran (Korkmaz Arslan) is a restless war hero, who in search of a new challenge, agrees to be the sheriff of an undesirable remote rural village. Enroute to his new posting he meets Govend (Golshifteh Farahani) the village school teacher, Govend is dedicated to her work, despite immense pressure from her fa...