A list seen this year in San Francisco, London, New York, Sydney, and occasionally, VOD and mid-air.

Initial tweet-reactions to the “5 star” films included. Note to self: read a thesaurus.

In alphabetical order, by star rating…

20,000 Days on Earth
The mind of Nick Cave brought to us in spectacular, hybrid fashion. Haven’t enjoyed a film as much this year!

Boyhood
“Straight up, nothing fancy” Hawke’s character says at one point. It’s true. It’s also a near-perfect, natural time capsule of moments growing up.

Citizenfour
A most essential and terrifyingly timely film that needs to be seen. Snowden, Greenwald and Poitras are heroes.

Finding Vivian Maier
I’m filled with sadness that Ms. Maier didn’t get to see how the world has embraced her work. A lost talent and complex personality packaged up to be narratively and emotionally as strong as anything this year.

Foxcatcher
An unforgiving tragedy helmed by a master storyteller in Bennett Miller. Tatum and Carell are unrecognisably good.

Ida
Frame after frame of black & white beauty that’s soft, still and restrained. I marvel at Pawlikowski’s confidence and vision.

Interstellar
Unparalleled as pure spectacle and wonder. Nolan’s ambition overshadows any faults. McConaughey’s acting, the sound design, and editing made it even richer as a cinematic experience on second viewing.

Hoyte van Hoytema must have watched 2001 many a time! Even Zimmer’s score had some welcome unfamiliarity to it.

Life Itself
A touching tribute to a great man and all he loved. Thank you, Steve James. And thank YOU, Roger. The entire theatre laughed and cried in unison. Two thumbs up.

Nightcrawler
Maniacal, desperate, living the American Dream by way of network television. Gyllenhaal continues his incredible run. The city of L.A., score, humour and editing all stand out.

Only Lovers Left Alive
Simply oozes style and wickedness. The soundtrack will have no equal this year. An instant all-time favourite.

The Double
Offbeat brilliance from Richard Ayoade. Jesse Eisenberg better get an Oscar nom. A fantastic double act.

The Square
There won’t be a braver, more important film this year.

Two Days, One Night
Marion Cotillard gives *the* performance of the year. Completely transformative. A masterwork in realism.

Under the Skin
Singular, seductive, striking sci-fi. Wow to the score, cinematography and Johansson’s all-consuming presence.

Whiplash
Phenomenal! J.K. Simmons is terrifying. Miles Teller’s energy and intensity is out of this world. What a star! The only thing to do at the end is stay sunken in your seat and clap. That rhythm is playing in my head and I can’t stop it.

12 O’Clock Boys

Birdman

Calvary

Chef

Edge of Tomorrow

Enemy

Force Majeure

Gone Girl

Jodorowsky’s Dune

Like Father, Like Son

Mr. Turner

Obvious Child

Starred Up

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Selfish Giant

The Wind Rises

A Coffee in Berlin

A Touch of Sin

August: Osage County

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Coherence

Frank

Fury

It Felt Like Love

Locke

Lone Survivor

Predestination

Skeleton Twins

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her/Him

The Fault In Our Stars

The LEGO Movie

The Lunchbox

The Rover

The Theory of Everything

Tim’s Vermeer

Venus in Fur

Wild

22 Jump Street

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

A Most Wanted Man

Begin Again

Blue Ruin

Godzilla

Guardians of the Galaxy

How To Train Your Dragon 2

John Wick

Palo Alto

The Guest

The Immigrant

The Invisible Woman

The Raid 2

The Way He Looks

What if

7 Boxes

A Summer’s Tale

Bad Neighbours

Joe

Labor Day

Magic in the Moonlight

Nymphomaniac: Vol I

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Stranger by the Lake

The Interview

The One I Love

The Signal

The Two Faces of January

Transformers: Age of Extinction

X-Men: Days of Future Past

In Secret

Nymphomaniac: Vol 2

Snowpiercer

The Dance of Reality

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

Big Hero 6

Cold in July

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Noah

Rosewater

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The German Doctor

Child’s Pose