5 Films the Academy Ignored: 2014’s Hidden Gems (Part 1)

As we approach the 87th annual Academy Awards, and as we distance ourselves from 2014 and acclimate to the new year, I thought it would be beneficial to mention five films from 2014 that had no chance of being Interstellars, American Snipers or Birdmen. Not because they are lesser films, but because they sink below the global cinematic surface and are overshadowed by the towering titans.

It is no secret that the Oscars often have a bias toward formulaic, traditional narratives and scene-stealing performances (hence the phrase “Oscar-bait”), but the Academy also tends to overlook films that don’t have large advertising budgets and/or word-of-mouth hype. Rarely do we get the opportunity to champion a nominee that is truly an independent underdog. Some years have their exceptions; a few years back, Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) surprised me as a nominee for Best Picture of 2012. So it happens, but those years seem to be more and more infrequent.

In an attempt to stifle my desire to criticize the Oscars for their blind spots and politics, I will move on to the five films I’ve chosen to share with you. 

The first is a brilliant little Israeli film titled Big Bad Wolves. It’s a horrific, darkly comic thriller about a series of grisly murders involving young, innocent girls, and how those incidents put three determined men at odds with one another: Dror, a religious studies teacher and alleged child murderer; Micki, a cop searching for justice by any means necessary; and Gidi, an ex-military father searching for the missing pieces of his daughter’s body so he can bury her within the boundaries of Israeli law. The film meticulously unfolds details in order to make the viewer wonder who is guilty, and what is justice. Big Bad Wolves also encourages us to look at deeper questions about humanity, such as how human beings deal with remorse, morality and loss.

Writer/director duo Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado have created a compelling revenge picture containing memorable performances, beautiful cinematography and a scene that teaches us a very disturbing way to use a blow torch. At the 2013 Busan International Film Festival, Quentin Tarantino took the opportunity to talk to the filmmakers during the post-show Q&A, saying “not only is this the best film in Busan, this is the best film of the year.” This piqued my interest, not because I necessarily hold Tarantino’s opinion to such high regard, but because the film was also compared to Tarantino’s 1992 classic, Reservoir Dogs (one of my favorites).

In January 2014, the film received a limited U.S. release, during which it (sadly) grossed approximately $33,000. However, I believe this film would appeal to a much, much larger audience. So, is Big Bad Wolves a truly great film? Maybe not. But is it one hell of a ride? Absolutely! A ride I’m willing to take again and again. Big Bad Wolves is available on Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and iTunes.

Next Film >>

For original article, go to The Film Yap.