Hello Fellow Film Fan & AroVideo member,

2014 proved to be a particularly strong year for films released to DVD/Blu-Ray, so we thought we’d remind you all of the year that’s been with a Top 50, comprised from staff choices as well as customer feedback.

Even limiting to 50 titles was a challenge, and great to see no less than five Kiwi films made the list! Of course, we have a particular skew on what is "best", with works of art trumping "entertainment", but we always appreciate a yarn well told no matter what the genre or budget. Feel free to add to your wishlist, which can be accessed by logging in to our website.

AROVIDEO TOP 50 DVDS RELEASED IN 2014:

1. Gravity Essential, ground-breakingly cinematic space odyssey

2. Locke Impeccable, brilliant high-wire act starring a man, a car and a cellphone

3. Under the Skin Psycho-sexual sci-fi masterpiece!

4. The Grand Budapest Hotel Dir. Wes Anderson’s singular and visionary comedy

5. Only Lovers Left Alive Jim Jarmusch’s elegant and mirthful vampire tale

6. Philomena First-rate comedy-drama that cuts through all audiences

7. Wolf of Wall Street Scorsese’s devilish and dynamic black comedy

8. The Dark Horse Outstanding, inspirational Kiwi drama

9. Nebraska Another modern classic from the dir. of SIDEWAYS

10. Housebound Sensational local horror-comedy!

11. What We Do in the Shadows Vunderbar Vellington vampire comedy

12. Ida Masterfully austere Polish drama

13. The Galapagos Affair Astonishing story of island paradise lost in 1930s

14. Gloria Glorious mid-life romance from Chile

15. The Wind Rises Miyazaki’s crowning glory/swanson

16. 12 Years a Slave Devastating winner of the Best Picture Oscar

17. Enough Said Charming mid-life rom-com with James Gandolfini

18. Blue Jasmine A-grade Woody Allen comedy-drama w/ Cate Blanchett

19. Blue is the Warmest Colour Palm D’or-winning, explicit romance

20. Antarctica: A Year on Ice Awe-inspiring New Zealand doco

21. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Bracing, intelligent sci-fi actioner

22. Stoker Super-stylish psychodrama w/ Nicole Kidman

23. 20,000 Days on Earth Innovative Nick Cave music doco

24. Calvary Celebrated Irish clerical thriller

25. The Act of Killing Unforgettably grim human rights doco

26. Frank Endearing indie music comedy from Ireland

27. Cheap Thrills Deliciously squeamish black comedy

28. 20 Feet From Stardom Gorgeous portrait of pop music’s unsung heroes

29. The Babadook Excellent Australian spook story

30. Gardening With Soul Local hit doco not just for Catholic tastes!

31. Rush Exciting motor-racing rivalry biopic

32. Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Super silliness from supremo Steve Coogan

33. The Selfish Giant Oscar Wilde’s parable set in a bleak Yorkshire scrapyard

34. What Richard Did Powerful teenage drama from Ireland

35. The Lego Movie Clever and fun post-modern animation

36. Detachment Hard-hitting tale of US high-school dysfunction

37. Wadjda Humanist triumph from Saudi Arabia

38. Much Ado About Nothing Delicious Shakespeare retelling set in LA

39. Guardians of the Galaxy Satirical super-hero fun

40. Dallas Buyers Club AIDS drama feat. two Oscar-winning performances

41. Captain Phillips Gritty hijacking thriller

42. Ernest & Celestine Exquisite French animation

43. The Past Exquisite drama from the dir. of A SEPARATION

44. All is Lost Less-is-more maritime marvel

45. Tracks Beautifully immersive outback trek drama

46. August: Osage County Adaptation of multi award-winning play

47. What’s in a Name Exemplary French dinner-party comedy

48. Stories We Tell Unique and compelling autobiography

49. Cold in July Superior slice of Texas pulp fiction

50. Wrong Absurdist gem from the dir. of cult classic, RUBBER!

And here’s another 50 that made the not-so-short list for the Best of 2014 ~

In Drama: Her, Inside Llewyn Davis, Greetings From Tim Buckley, Belle, The Normal Heart, Starred Up, Blue Ruin, Charlie’s Country, The Turning, 52 Tuesdays. In Comedy: The Trip to Italy, Chef, Don Jon, In a World. In Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Snowpiercer, Upstream Color, Lucy, Edge of Tomorrow, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, X-Men: Days of Future Past. In Foreign language: Sister, Hannah Arendt, A Touch of Sin, The Raid 2, The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, Inch’Allah, Blancanieves, Like Father, Like Son, Omar, Venus in Fur, The Rocket, Stranger by the Lake, Policeman, The Great Beauty. In Documentary: The Spirit of ’45, Cutie and the Boxer, The Source Family, Electric Boogaloo: The Story of Cannon Films, 12 O’Clock Boys. In Music: Muscle Shoals, Mistaken for Strangers, A Band Called Death, Skeptics - Sheen of Gold. In Children’s film: How to Train Your Dragon 2, Frozen, Belle and Sebastian. In NZ: Mr. Pip, The Pa Boys, The Red House, Fantail. In TV Series: Rectify, Fargo, True Detective, Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, Vikings, Orphan Black, Utopia, Happy Valley, Broadchurch, The Village, and continuing/concluding installments of The Bridge, Borgen, Downton Abbey, Justified, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Sherlock, and Homeland. Whew!  

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STAFF PICKS 2014

As usual, we’ve also published our personal favourites for the year in Staff Picks 2014, so have a browse and please feel free to add your own star-rating and review/comment to any film when logged in to your My-Aro account.

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