"I am a hat. You are a shoe."- MY FAVOURITE HEROES AND VILLAINS OF 2014

   HEROES

    
           I have never made a Favourite Heroes list before but because of, well, my number 1 spot, I had decided very early in 2014 to make this list. The only problem was that I usually always prefer villains to heroes and I thought I wouldn't get enough characters to make a list out of. However, I was wrong and in fact, I had to leave out quite a few in my heroes list. There's just something about the kind of characters of 2014 films with their different types of heroism that is genuinely inspiring. 

10.

Father James in Calvary

He is the good priest who has to pay the price for a bad, bad world. James' heroism comes through not only because nearly everyone else around him is fucked up in their own way but also due to the fact that he too has a dark side within him and he has to come to terms with that. The name of the film alludes to Jesus Christ's sacrifice for the sins of the human race and Father James, in a much smaller yet significant way, also does that.

9.

LGSM and the Miners in Pride

Pride is the kind of movie that fills one with infinite hope because we see that there *are* really good, solid people in this world no matter from however small a place they come from. Both the LGSM and the miners fight for their right to be heard and accepted and their mutual love, respect and support for each other wins at the end. Also the fact that all of this actually happened makes it even better.

8.

Emmett in The Lego Movie

The Lego Movie, among many things, is a very clever deconstruction of the "chosen one" trope and so of course the "Special" had to be here. The Special is basically the most ordinary person one can find but the film shows how even someone as apparently unimaginative and unremarkable as Emmett can become the hero of the story and become special once he believes in himself.

7.

Rita Vratasky aka Full Metal Bitch in Edge of Tomorrow

She's a total fucking badass who outshines Tom Cruise in his own action movie. Need I say more?

6.

John Wick in John Wick

Oh he's just soooo cool! I love a good revenge flick, especially those with the Russian mafia and world class assassins. Also, as scared as I am of dogs, taking out a whole bunch of scary guys in retaliation for killing his puppy, all while wearing a well-tailored suit is like the height of chivalry and badassery.

5.

Rani in Queen

Queen is the story of an Indian woman's emancipation and how traveling opens up not just her world but her mind too. On purely realistic levels, Rani is the most inspirational person on this list for me because I get where she was coming from and I love where she and the film goes in her journey of self-discovery. I mean, the scene where she saves her bag from the thief was the moment she becomes this person for me because I never expected that but that is exactly what makes it so liberating and awesome.

4.

The Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy

These bunch of a-holes, consisting of a hot thief, a green assassin, a crazy muscle guy, a talking raccoon and a walking tree save the whole galaxy through the power of their camaraderie. As rude and sarcastic as they are, the fact their friendship saves the day is all kinds of adorable and heartwarming.

3.

Hiccup and Toothless in How to Train Your Dragon 2

While the first film was about the formation of this unlikely partnership, the second one shows the true heroes both Hiccup and Toothless are. They become the alphas of their own packs through their inherent goodness and courage and trust in one another.

2.

Sandra Bya in Two Days, One Night

I can't tell you how much Sandra's small victory meant to me when I watched the movie. It reminded me of something I had done myself a while back which mostly only pertained to me but it was something that changed my life. Compared to some of the other characters in this list, what Sandra does seems absurd and insignificant but there is a true heroism in it. I love stories about everyday heroes and Sandra, who does the frankly daunting task of convincing her fellow workers to give up their bonus for her job while she's battling depression, is definitely one such person.

1.

Steve Rogers in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Curtis in Snowpiercer

I saw Winter Soldier and Snowpiercer within a short while of each other and I knew then that no other character last year can beat both these Chris Evans' roles. And no, I couldn't choose between the two. Both of them are different but very powerful heroes in their own way. Steve is like the best person ever and he has to face the corrupt world he has woken up to and figure out how to still stick with his ideals in it. Curtis, on the other hand, is a man with a dark past and he reminds me of a Greek hero because he is so brave and so tragic. 

VILLAINS

          And now we come to the villains. We've got some pretty memorable ones in 2014, proving yet again why it's such a brilliant film year (I'm just going to keep harping on about this, soz).

10.

Mercedes in 22 Jump Street

Life lesson: college girls can be evil masterminds. Plus, it was hilarious that even she couldn't escape the awkwardness of that age.

9.

Kim Jong-un in The Interview

Do I really have to explain this one? Props to Randall Park for having the balls to play this role. I liked that as funny and pathetic as he was, there were proper moments of despotic madness there.

8.

Koba in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Rise of the Planet of the Apes set up the stage for the horrifying-looking Koba and he fully delivered in Dawn. Through him, we see how destructive greed, anger and jealousy are, in humans or in apes. He is manipulative and powerful and shows what a true tyrant can do.

7.

Michel in Stranger by the Lake

On one hand, he is a cold-blooded killer, and on the other, he's a sex god who looks glorious naked (he *just* missed out in my Sexiest Characters list that I'm going to post tomorrow). I'm as conflicted as poor Franck :(

6.

Louis Bloom in Nightcrawler

Like the coyote from which Jake Gyllenhaal drew inspiration for this role, Bloom is a brutal scavenger. He's also hilarious. The only reason he's not higher on the list is because I feel that in the movie, the society is as bad a villain as Bloom since we not only let people like him exist but also prosper.

5.

Minister Mason in Snowpiercer

The worst kind of bureaucrat, Tilda Swinton based this role on "a complete smash cut of all the monstrous, maniacal, political clowns." Of course, she *is* funny but she is also a symbol of oppression and intolerance.

4.

The Babadook in The Babadook

Speaking of symbols, the Babadook stands as much for the parental anxiety and guilt about sometimes hating your child as it does for all the unseen things that go bump in the night. Plus, I am never going to unhear its frightening voice.

3.

David in The Guest

I'm still not over what a total psycho he turned out to be. Like Emmett earlier, he completely upends our ideas about him. We seem to be okay with him hurting the "bad" guys but once we see his utter indifference towards killing however many people, we are shocked. The hot hero turns out to be the brainwashed villain and it's perfectly awesome.

2.

Terence Fletcher in Whiplash

In many ways, he's the scariest character on this list simply because people like him definitely exist. Yes, he has a philosophy behind his methods and whether you agree with it or not, there's no denying that he's terrifying motherfucker. I would never ever ever want to cross paths with someone like him.

1.

Amy Dunne in Gone Girl

It almost looks like she's praying in this picture but she's actually holding a boxcutter with which she is going to murder someone moments later. BOOM! THAT'S WHY SHE'S NUMBER 1, BITCHES!

Amy Dunne is a cinematic villain for the ages. She's gorgeous, psychotic, proud, bitchy, manipulative, deliberate and she gets what she wants, whether it is getting her cheating husband framed for her own murder or the adoration of all the silly people who play into her hands. She defies, gloriously I might add, all the societal expectations put on her gender and she makes them turn on their heads for her own benefit. I lurrrve, loave, luff her!

     Who were your top heroes and villains of last year?

See also:

My Favourite Shots of 2014

My Favourite Scenes of 2014

WE CAN BE HEROES JUST FOR ONE DAY

The Oxford dictionary definitions of a hero are - “1) a person, typically a man, who is admired for their courage or outstanding achievements- a person of superhuman qualities. 2) the chief male character in a book, play, or film.”

Now three weeks ago I had a completely brilliant weekend, filled with heroes! However, I was too lazy or busy to write a post on it. Until now… *insert loud triumphant classical music*

They are:

1)      About A Boy- this follows the second definition more or less. I thought this was Hugh Grant’s best performance. He generally plays the charming elusive bachelor, but he perfected that image in this film. In addition, it is Nicholas Hoult’s first film…and he is sooo adorable. He is the other hero in the story. Hugh’s and Nicholas’s onscreen chemistry makes this story of a lonely man and a lonely boy and their relationship an absolute pleasure to watch. Hugh’s character Will thinks of himself as an island, until he meets Nicholas’s character Marcus. Marcus, with his suicidal hippie mum, played superbly by Toni Collette, finds in Will the missing father figure he needs in his life. With hilarious incidents that follow- like Will’s and Marcus’s crushes, a profane hip-hop CD, and Roberta Flack’s Killing Me Softly, their relationship deepens as each of our heroes find happiness and contentment in their lives. Their co-narration too is quite funny and enjoyable. They are both heroes in each other’s eyes and hence I consider this to be a hero flick. This is a classic example of sheer British comedy brilliance and I would recommend it to anyone with a sense of humour or a Hugh Grant/Nicholas Hoult lover. (I happen to be all of them)

2)      The Shawshank Redemption- First! This film has the highest ratings in IMDB. Why? Because it is one of the best films ever made, and one of the best I have ever seen. It tells the amazing story of a man, Andrew "Andy" Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, who is sent to Shawshank prison for the alleged murder of his cheating wife and her lover. There he meets Morgan Freeman’s character Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding along with other inmates. He also meets the diabolical and bigoted Warden Samuel Norton, played by Bob Gunton, who believed in two things: discipline and the Bible. Andy is no ordinary inmate, as Red, who is also the narrator, understands first hand. He was an educated banker and because of his persuasiveness and accounting abilities, he is able to rise in the prison. He does all kinds of things in the prison and Red, who is his right-hand man and also the supplier of all things needed inside the prison helps him always. Andy spends nearly two decades in the Shawshank prison after which he does something that no one expects and gets brilliantly away with it. I really don’t want to tell what happens in this film, as it HAS to be watched. It is based on a book by Stephen King but I can’t imagine it being any better than the film. Tim Robbins’ acting is so awe-inspiring. He is one of the best heroes ever portrayed in the silver screen. He is brilliant and idealistic and such a complete leader and role model. He makes one want to be like him, or be friends with him. Morgan Freeman is a good sidekick too. I get such happiness out of films like these because they are masterpieces. They teach and inspire and give us hope and make life brilliant. MUST WATCH!

3)      Ironman 2- Again First definition but especially focussing on the ‘a person of superhuman qualities’ part. Ironman is not only a hero, but a superhero and a brilliantly funny, careless, reckless and narcissistic one at that. But it works. Why? Because Robert Downey Jr. is Ironman. Robert Downey Jr. is the coolest actor to ever walk on this planet. Ironman would be nothing without him. And the world would be nothing without Ironman. It is the best action super hero movie franchise that has ever come out. I love Batman etc. but the level of Awesome that exudes from every shot…I do not have words. Plus the remaining cast- Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and John Favreau is GENIUS!!! The action, the dialogues, the effects, the Ironman suits and drones makes this film an action gem and I don’t want to give the synopsis because everyone must have watched it already. If one hasn’t, he or she must because it is THE CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE! Blogs cannot describe it.

4)      One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest- it is sort of both the definitions, except the fact that he is absolutely mental. And if any actor can play a mental hero, it is the seraphic master of acting Jack Nicholson. If you don’t believe this description, just watch the one-minute long shot in the film which just focuses on his face. Emotions and expressions ooze out of every little square millimetre of his face. It’s breathtaking to watch. And the film is just so good. It is about a man Randle P. Murphy who is sent to a mental institution after numerous criminal offences to be examined. There he meets all the other inmates, especially Chief who was the narrator in the book. Also, he meets his adversary, the chief nurse Ratched, played by Louise Fletcher. He is loud and different and clever, she is calm and tyrannical and clever too. He wants to make other inmates feel good about themselves, while she undermines and controls everyone with perfected subtlety, except Murphy sees through it. Their clash of wits and trying to suppress each other’s authoritative influence is what the film is mostly about- with all the insanity around it. It has an excellent ending. I love the fact on how the hero and the villain have the characteristics of each other- McMurphy is a rebellious criminal and Ratched is an excellent nurse. The film is among the only three films to have won the Big Five at the Oscars- Best Film, Best Director for Milos Forman, Best Actor for Nicholson, Best Actress for Fletcher and Best Screenplay for Laurence Hauben, Bo Goldman. Again a Must Watch!

So with this my hero weekend ended. I also watched Schindler’s List a day later. I think I’ll write a review about it sometime later. The reason why I did not include it in this list is that even though Oskar Schindler is a hero, a real-life one no less and Liam Neeson is spectacular, I was in love with Ralph Fiennes in this film. And he played the evil, apathetic, cruel, murderous Nazi Amon Goth- not a hero, but a complete villain. But his performance, which is considered to be one of the best ever, just like Nicholson’s, was so chillingly good that I cannot help but hero-worship him. And also Ralph Fiennes’ face was made to be seen in black and white, it is just that gorgeous! This too is a must watch film.

HEROES FTW!!!