Movies 2014 – Ranked

The Films of 2014.

Box Office Mojo lists 691 films in theatrical release for 2014. For some reason, and with great hubris, the movie critics of The New York Times claim to have reviewed over 950 films this year — a little over two and a half a day–and over 250 movies more than were actually released.

We have not seen as many, though we expect to bring the eventual final number close to eighty or ninety. At this time we have only seen seventy six films, some in theatrical release, some on that smaller screen in the family room. It does include six of the ten top grossing films of the year (missing out:  The Hobbit, Transformers Age of Extinction, X-Men Days of Future Past, and Big Hero 6), but also includes some art fair, with a box office rank in the 400’s out of the 691, taking in a little under $40K (the lowest box office for the year was $398 – three hundred and ninety eight with zero cents).

Despite having a little more movies in theatrical release (691 to 687), box office in 2014 ($10.20B / avg.: $14.8K) was lower than 2013 ($10.95B / avg: $15.9K) by 7.3%, that result from a combination of average lower ticket price (less 3D releases) and less ticket sales (5.96 % less). The latter perhaps a reflection of the fact that, generally, 2013 had better movies overall than 2014.

The Rankings

As in previous years (2011, 2012, 2013), we divide the categories into five, listed by number of films in that category: Drama, Comedy, Action, Animated and Horror. This year the total list includes one documentary, Life Itself, an outstanding work, and ranked in our scale at number nine.  As in the past, films with an asterisk (*) are included in our Library of Scripts, (some may be still available directly in our 2014 screenplay page) and if there is comment on A Film Look, a link to such comment is indicated.

 Click here for NOMINATIONS AND AWARDS PILE UP FOR 2014

 Drama – Top Five out of Thirty Films

Genre Rank Rank Title Score Grade Box Office BO Rank
1 1 Wild * 10 A+  $  35,119,405 83
2 3 Whiplash* 10 A  $  7,600,000 138
3 4 Nightcrawler* – comment 10 A  $ 32,317,069 87
4 5 Boyhood * comment 10 A  $ 24,906,392 102
5 6 The Imitation Game * 10 A  $  62,781,636 51

Comedy – Top Five out of Eighteen Films

Genre Rank Rank Title Score Grade Box Office BO Rank
1 2 Birdman * – comment 10 A  $ 31,721,998 88
2 8 Top Five – comment 9 A-  $ 25,283,263 100
3 10 Big Eyes * 7 B+  $ 14,109,855 121
4 20 Grand Budapest Hotel * 7 B+  $ 59,076,019 55
5 22 St. Vincent * 7 B+  $  42,911,965 73

Action – Top Five out of Eighteen Films

Genre Rank Rank Title Score Grade Box Office BO Rank
1 12 Interstellar * 8 B+  $186,465,500 16
2 13 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 8 B+  $208,545,589 11
3 16 Guardians of the Galaxy 8 B+  $333,176,600 2
4 18 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 8 B+  $334,577,672 1
5 26 Edge of Tomorrow * 8 B+  $100,206,256 29

Animated

Genre Rank Rank Title Score Grade Box Office BO Rank
1 17 The LEGO Movie 8 B+  $257,760,692 4
2 27 Rio 2 8 B+  $131,538,435 22
3 44 Train Your Dragon 2 * 7 B  $177,002,924 17
4 45 Mr. Peabody & Sherman 7 B  $111,506,430 27

Horror

Genre Rank Rank Title Score Grade Box Office BO Rank
1 28 The Babadook 7 B+  $      608,103 216
2 50 Under the Skin * 6 B  $   2,614,251 170
3 72 Vampire Academy 2 C-  $   7,791,979 136

 The Full List

Rank Genre Title Score Grade Box Office BO Rank
1 Drama Wild *
10 A+ $  35,808,191 83
2 Comedy Birdman * – comment
10 A $  33,517,926 88
3 Drama Whiplash * 10 A $    8,650,000 138
4 Drama Nightcrawler * – comment
10 A $  32,370,104 87
5 Drama Boyhood * – comment
10 A $  25,048,817 102
6 Drama The Imitation Game *
10 A $  68,853,208 51
7 Drama Foxcatcher *
10 A $  11,451,000 126
8 Comedy Top Five –  comment
9 A- $  25,283,263 100
9 Documentary Life Itself 9 A- $      810,454 222
10 Comedy Big Eyes *
8 B+ $  14,109,855 121
11 Drama Gone Girl *
8 B+ $167,628,577 18
12 Action Interstellar *
8 B+ $186,465,500 16
13 Action Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 8 B+ $208,545,589 11
14 Drama The Theory of Everything *
8 B+ $  29,600,445 94
15 Drama Unbroken *
8 B+ $113,094,425 26
16 Action Guardians of the Galaxy 8 B+ $333,176,600 2
17 Animated The LEGO Movie 8 B+ $257,760,692 4
18 Action The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 8 B+ $335,218,921 1
19 Drama Begin Again 8 B+ $  16,170,632 114
20 Comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel *
8 B+ $  59,076,019 55
21 Drama Selma 8 B+ $  40,907,928 78
22 Comedy St. Vincent *
8 B+ $  42,911,965 73
23 Drama Chef *
8 B+ $  31,424,003 89
24 Drama Get On Up *
8 B+ $  30,703,100 90
25 Drama Locke *
8 B+ $    1,375,769 196
26 Action Edge of Tomorrow *
8 B+ $100,206,256 33
27 Animated Rio 2 8 B+ $131,538,435 22
28 Horror The Babadook 8 B+ $      608,103 216
29 Drama Ida 8 B+ $    3,702,612 137
30 Drama Cake *
8 B+ $    1,703,631 (2015)
31 Action Captain America: The Winter Soldier 8 B+ $259,766,572 3
32 Drama Into the Woods *
8 B+ $122,446,032 25
33 Drama The Drop 8 B+ $  10,724,389 128
34 Drama The Immigrant 8 B+ $    2,025,328 185
35 Comedy Obvious Child 8 B+ $    3,123,963 162
36 Comedy Bad Words 8 B+ $    7,779,614 137
37 Drama The Fault in our Stars *
7 B $124,872,350 24
38 Drama Child of God – comment
7 B $        39,324 451
39 Action Divergent 7 B $150,947,895 19
40 Drama Belle *
7 B $  10,726,630 127
41 Action Maleficent *
7 B $241,410,378 7
42 Comedy The Interview 7 B $    6,105,175 141
43 Action Lucy 7 B $126,663,600 23
44 Animated Train Your Dragon 2 *
7 B $177,002,924 17
45 Animated Mr. Peabody & Sherman 7 B $111,506,430 27
46 Drama A Most Wanted Man 7 B $  17,237,855 113
47 Action Fury (2014) 6 B- $  84,705,660 37
48 Action Non-Stop *
6 B- $  92,168,600 34
49 Action Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit 6 B- $  50,577,412 64
50 Horror Under the Skin *
6 B- $    2,614,251 170
51 Comedy The One I Love 6 B- $      513,447 248
52 Action 3 Days to Kill 6 B- $  30,697,999 91
53 Action Godzilla
6 B- $200,676,069 13
54 Action Amazing Spider-Man 2 6 B- $202,853,933 12
55 Comedy Neighbors 6 B- $150,157,400 20
56 Drama Enemy 6 B- $    1,008,726 213
57 Comedy The Trip to Italy 6 B- $    2,873,758 163
58 Action American Sniper * comment
6 B- $253,320,791 10
59 Comedy 22 Jump Street 6 B- $191,719,337 14
60 Drama Transcendence 6 B- $23,022,309 105
61 Action Snowpiercer *
6 B- $    4,563,650 146
62 Drama Only Lovers Left Alive 6 B- $    1,879,534 186
63 Drama The Skeleton Twins 6 B- $    5,284,309 144
64 Drama Winter’s Tale 6 B- $  12,600,231 122
65 Drama God’s Pocket 4 C $      166,457 331
66 Comedy And So It Goes 4 C $15,160,801 117
67 Comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West *
4 C $ 43,139,300 75
68 Comedy About Last Night
4 C $  48,637,684 67
69 Action Noah 4 C $101,200,044 32
70 Comedy Hateship Loveship 3 C- $        51,610 426
71 Comedy Anchorman 2 (R- Extended Cut) 3 C- $    2,184,339 181
72 Horror Vampire Academy 3 C- $    7,791,979 136
73 Comedy The Other Woman
3 C- $  83,911,193 41
74 Comedy Sex Tape 5 C+ $  38,543,473 81
75 Drama Walk of Shame 2 D $        59,209 405
76 Comedy Blended 2 D $  46,294,610 71

 

 

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