2014 has been an amazing year for film. As it draws to a close, the time has come to make sure you’ve seen the best the year has to offer. This list will help you add some important gems to your must-see list.

 

John Wick

We’re lucky if an action movie this good comes out every decade. If you like the idea of watching Keanu Reeves just plow through bad guys for two hours, then Wick delivers beyond your wildest dreams.

 

Nightcrawler

Jake Gyllenhaal turns in a career-best performance as ambitious sociopath Lou Bloom, a guy who takes the old adage “If it bleeds, it leads” many steps too far. Nightcrawler is equal parts hilarious, scary and thrilling – one of the year’s best.

 

The Guest

Is The Guest an action film? A comedy? Horror? Sci-fi? Ultimately, the film is all and none of these things. However you define it, the film is a total blast, which delivers Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens to the big screen in stunning fashion.

 

The Babadook

The best horror films tend to be about things, and The Babadook -- small as it is -- has a very specific and unique focus regarding how a mother and her son work through serious emotional trauma while being beset by a supernatural force. The film’s restrained approach makes it as special as it is wonderful.

 

Birdman

Love it or hate it (and there are fair arguments for both), Birdman is one of the most talked about films of the year. And for good reason: Michael Keaton and Edward Norton arguably deliver career-best work in a very meta satire that’s equal parts drama and comedy. A movie that, for better or worse, constantly surprises.

 

Beyond the Lights

By power of sheer quality alone, this crowd pleaser went from being the film no one had heard of, to the film no one could stop talking about. It’s hard to argue with word of mouth like that.

 

Obvious Child

This funny but poignant abortion comedy finally elevates Jenny Slate from “That girl who dropped an f-bomb on SNL” to the notable comedic actress she was always meant to be.

 

Boyhood

Filmed over the course of more than a decade, Boyhood rises above mere gimmickry to a place of genuine exploration of its subject and all the rich emotion that goes with it. Plus, Patricia Arquette is back!

 

Why Don’t You Play in Hell?

A funny yet very bloody ode to the power of filmmaking, this Japanese powerhouse leaves nothing on the field as far as excitement and inventiveness goes. It’ll blow you away.

 

Grand Piano

Elijah Wood must flawlessly play one of the hardest pieces of music ever written or sniper John Cusack will shoot him in front of everyone. It’s a perfect thriller setup, which ends up being just as incredible and tense as it sounds.