Film '14

After I’d breakfasted the brer and kids (MsP having headed away North), I turned my mind to the day. Hearts v Livi … could I get a ticket?* Still available! By the time the posse had texted back, the last of the tickets had gone. Bah. My fault, but at least that freed me up. So it was off to see Kon Tiki (2012) at the Filmhouse. Whoever is in charge of documentary films programming there is owed a drink. Like all boys of a certain age, I knew all about Thor Heyerdahl’s mad voyage. Jeesus, watching the film makes you realise just how crazy and dangerous it was. I definitely don’t want to go sailing places with big sharks.
So, that got me thinking about The Pensioner’s top 10 films of the year, having seen 39 of ‘em. Here they are! With some comments. The more pretentious, the better!

1. Boyhood. Well, what can I say, an extraordinary film which was quite beyond anything else. Aye! What ambition! What realisation. Bravo! 
2. Nightcrawler. Jake Gyllenhaal! Lou Bloom is one of the greatest movie creations since well, I dunno - Frank Booth ?
3. Inside Llewyn Davis. Loved this - gentle, downbeat, and beautifully crafted.
4. Leviathan. Epic. And enough to put anyone off drinking for life. Well, neat vodka, anyway. And so much more.   
5. What We Do in the Shadows. MrP’s unexpected hit. Hilarious and brilliant. 
6= Under the Skin, slotted in. OK makes it my top eleven. One of the most almost unwatchably intense episodes in any film (if that makes sense) with Adam Pearson.
6= 12 Years a Slave. I’d almost forgotten about this. Cumberbatch’s finest moment.
7. The Grand Budapest Hotel. One of Welshmaid’s favourites (joking!). Hugely inventive.  
8. ’71. Yeah. Great performance from Jack O'Connell as Gary Hook. The sister was very sniffy about it as her army hub said it wasn’t realistic. P’shaw.
9. Mr Turner. A long visual treat.   
10. Pride. A fine film capturing the times. Touching and funny and yeah yeah serious too.
 
So, after all that, I did meet up with Frankee boy, whose greying napper is just poking up above the stained glass. And then it was time for home. 

*As this momentous season unfolds, I’m afraid I’m going to have to record it somewhere. Here! Fifteen points clear thanks to the Hibees who are looking a bit ominously purposeful, however.