Best Of Quirky Cinema: 2014

The first quarter of the year is usually the time I catch up on all the releases I've missed in the previous year. Call it procrastinating, or just my inability to stay in touch with the present, particularly movie-wise. Anyway, being somewhat underwhelmed by the Oscar picks of the year - with a few notable exceptions - here are some of my favourites that may have fallen under your radar. For anyone who has a penchant for the quirky, the surreal, and the downright absurd.

Under The Skin

Impossible to define, yet impossible to erase from your retina - this is one of those films you have to let wash over you, and you will be taken for one unforgettable ride. Scarlett Johansson gives the kind of performance she excels at: understated albeit resonant, and her ethereal beauty is the perfect fit for her haunting role. A modern take on the mythological Leanan sídhe: the beautiful seductress who tempts men into death. If you enjoy vengeful women, this is the film for you.

Mood Indigo

Michel Gondry is back, with his weirdest masterpiece yet. This time, the man responsible for The Science of Sleep tries his hand at adapting the French magical realist novel L'écume des jours (which translates to The Foam of Days), and does so wonderfully, with a little help from his enviable imagination and the latest revolutionising technology. A fairytale romance which rapidly descends into a nightmare when the woman, played by the endearing Amélie star Audrey Tautou, falls mysteriously ill.

Force Majeure

 

The Swedish equivalent of The Grand Budapest Hotel, but with the dialogue of Boyhood. Östlund proves himself a filmmaker of stature with this stunning cinematic achievement. Taking the premise of witnessing an avalanche during a family skiing trip, the film turns into a wider discussion about man's natural instincts in the face of a catastrophe. The interactions between people are so realistic and believable that at times you'd forget you were watching a film, if not for the larger-than-life cinematography. Moving and profound, this film is truly one-of-a-kind. 

Big Eyes

Whereas some might love Tim Burton for his gothic fairytales, I've always loved the more colourful side to his aesthetic, which for me makes this Burton's best since that other film that also starts with "Big". Thus it's only fitting that he brings back former muse Amy Adams, who is accompanied by the always charming yet sleazy Christoph Waltz. Based on the true story of Walter and Margaret Keane, the blend between the idyllic and the twisted nevertheless gives it a Burtonesque touch. A lovely film about art, love and authenticity. 

Magic in the Moonlight

Ever since Woody Allen has gone European, my love for his motion pictures has expanded. The change from New York to Europe has added a whole new dimension to his cinematic style, and even to some extent his writing. Yet this film still manages to be unmistakably Allenesque, by usage of one of his favourite recurring themes: skepticism of faith, and the unparalleled witty dialogue. Though in essence a simple story, I enjoyed every minute of it. And really, with Emma Stone and Colin Firth in the leading roles, what's not to love?

Frank

This delightful oddity makes for a pleasant surprise in British independent cinema. Despite the familiar themes - struggling artist navigating the world of adulthood, etc. - Frank manages to both be utterly original and capture our Zeitgeist perfectly. A sense of disconnectedness saturates the narrative, one that is unique to our contemporary world in that we are constantly connected through social media but rarely in real life. In essence, this is the unlikely journey of misfits in search of belonging.