My Top 10 Films of 2014

December is coming to a close, and as is the well-established tradition by now, that means it's time to put together a conclusive list of my Top 10 Films from the year.

2014 has been an absolutely stellar year for movies, with piles upon piles of thrilling, immersive and brilliant films landing on our screens across the year. Picking a personal Top 10 might seem a little redundant underneath the hundreds of other end-of-year lists, but I think it's fun and feels like a nice little way to round out the year.

So, what ten flicks made the cut?

Film Review: Big Hero 6

Big Hero 6 is the latest feature-length animation from Disney, and it sees the Mouse House team-up with Marvel Studios for a comic-book adaptation that will appeal to kids and adults alike. 

Rank the Films: Tolkien's Middle Earth

As any regular reader of this blog will know, lists are pretty darn nifty. I have a profound appreciation for straight-up lists. This is the thinking behind Rank the Films, a regular feature that pulls apart the pros and cons of a series of films, ranking them in order from bad to good.

Across six movies, Peter Jackson has redefined fantasy story-telling through the Middle Earth saga, and this month I'm ranking them from worst to best - starting with 2001's Fellowship of the Ring to the recent finale The Battle of the Five Armies, Jackson's Middle Earth saga is one of the most popular and successful franchises in movie history - but which entry tops my list?

So, without further ado, let's dive straight in - where did your favourite Middle-Earth film come? Read on to find out...

Film Review: The Hobbit - The Battle of the Five Armies

"Will you follow me, one last time?"

Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Lee Pace, Evangeline Lily, Christopher Lee
Runtime: 144 minutes

All good things must come to an end. After six films, over 1200 minutes of runtime and countless dead orcs, Peter Jackson's Middle Earth saga concludes in this final chapter, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. 

Through tying together the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy and its prequel, The Hobbit trilogy, The Battle of the Five Armies is a satisfying, if uneven and disjointed, sendoff for the iconic cinematic saga.

Saddle your warpig, and let the final battle commence...

My Top 5 TV Shows of 2014

It might be an adage so often repeated it's lost all meaning, but right now really is a 'golden age' for TV. When else has there been such a wide-ranging variety of quality shows for viewers to pick and choose from, akin to a delectable buffet where the next engrossing treat is just waiting ti be discovered and gorged upon.

My year has been jam-packed with some amazing TV, so I decided to talk about five shows that stood out for me.

Film Review: St Vincent

St Vincent is a heart-warming tale about Vince, a retired curmudgeon who's life is given new purpose when he meets Oliver, an innocent school kid who lives next door. It stars Bill Murray in the lead role, with Melissa McCarthy and Naomi Watts in supporting roles.

The 2014 Fuzzies Movie Awards

A hastily thrown-together round-up of the good, the bad and the ugly from the last 12 months, with some cheeky little honorary awards thrown in for a bit of fun.

I wanted to write something kind of tongue-in-cheek to go with the best actor/director waffle which usually rounds off the year. Let me know what you think in the comments section below!

Plus, keep your eyes peeled for my Top 10 Films of 2014 post in the next few weeks! (Bonus points for anyone who can correctly guess the Top 3 in the comments of this post!)

Film Review: Locke

Losties despair! This isn't the long-awaited spin-off movie about John Locke, the stoic bald headed nutjob from Lost who regained the use of his legs. I'm sorry you have to hear the bad news from me.

The good news is, it's actually better than that! Instead, Locke a claustrophobic thriller that charts a fateful car ride for building site manager Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy). Buckle up, things are about to get a little tense.