The Best Movies of 2014

Updated November 18, 2020 38.8k votes 5.1k voters 199.5k views118 items

List RulesOnly movies released in theaters in 2014.

Sure there are the Oscars, Golden Globes, and a number of other award ceremonies that hand out trophies to movies that are voted on as the best of 2014, but we want to know which 2014 movies that fans like you thought were the absolute best. Everyone has their own rankings of the top films of the year, and this is your chance to weigh in on which ones you loved the most.

It's time for you to enter into this hotly contested debate and vote for the best movies of 2014. While it does depend on personal taste, the movies on this list received great reviews, captured the attention of the audience, and earned a place in cinema history. These include films like Interstellar, Boyhood, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Whiplash. For more 2014 movie lists, check out Ranker's lists of the funniest movies of 2014 and the best horror films of 2014.

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Guardians of the Galaxy
Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana
Released: 2014
Directed by: James Gunn
Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2014 American superhero film directed by James Gunn, based on the... more
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Things From 'Guardians of the Galaxy' That Were Cut From The MoviesGuardians of the Galaxy Fan Theories
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Scarlett Johansson, Cobie Smulders
Released: 2014
Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a 2014 American superhero film featuring the Marvel... more
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#74 of 99 The Most Patriotic Movies of All Time#6 of 166 The Best Superhero Movies Ever Made
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American Sniper
Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller
Released: 2014
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
American Sniper is a 2014 American biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and... more
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29 Things Most People Don't Know About 'American Sniper'#1152 of 1,189 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever
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Interstellar
Anne Hathaway, Matthew McConaughey
Released: 2014
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Interstellar is a British-American 2014 science fiction epic film directed by Christopher... more
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#17 of 18 18 Awesome Sci-Fi Movies That Got Away Without Explaining Major Things#249 of 306 The Greatest Movie Themes
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X-Men: Days of Future Past
Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry
Released: 2014
Directed by: Bryan Singer
X-Men: Days of Future Past is a 2014 science fiction action film written by Jane Goldman,... more
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Small But Interesting Details From 'X-Men: Days Of Future Past'#34 of 177 The Greatest Comic Book Movies Of All Time
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Gone Girl
Ben Affleck, Neil Patrick Harris
Released: 2014
Directed by: David Fincher
Gone Girl is a 2014 American psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher and adapted... more
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#12 of 230 The Best Psychological Thrillers of All Time#233 of 369 The Best Movies Based On Books
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Big Hero 6
Jamie Chung, Maya Rudolph
Released: 2014
Directed by: Chris Williams, Don Hall
Big Hero 6 is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated superhero action comedy film produced by... more
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The Lego Movie
Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell
Released: 2014
Directed by: Chris Miller, Chris McKay, Phil Lord
The Lego Movie is a 2014 3D computer-animated adventure comedy film directed by Phil Lord and... more
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#62 of 542 The Best Animated Films Ever#529 of 1,540 The Most Rewatchable Movies
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Edge of Tomorrow
Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt
Released: 2014
Directed by: Doug Liman
Edge of Tomorrow is a 2014 American military science fiction thriller film directed by Doug... more
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#3 of 112 Movies That Need Sequels#2 of 54 The Best Time Loop Movies
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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
James Franco, Gary Oldman
Released: 2014
Directed by: Matt Reeves
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a 2014 American science fiction film directed by Matt Reeves... more
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#69 of 93 The 35+ Greatest Dystopian Action Movies#92 of 164 Live Action Movies With The Best CGI Effects
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Whiplash
J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist
Released: 2014
Directed by: Damien Chazelle
Whiplash is a 2014 American drama film directed by Damien Chazelle. A promising young drummer... more
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#2 of 192 The Best Movies About Music#5 of 75 The Best Blumhouse Productions Movies
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How to Train Your Dragon 2
Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler
Released: 2014
Directed by: Dean DeBlois
How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a 2014 animation action adventure film written and directed by... more
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#116 of 126 The Funniest Movies Starring SNL Cast Members#154 of 190 The Greatest Animal Movies Ever Made
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22 Jump Street
Channing Tatum, Anna Faris
Released: 2014
Directed by: Phil Lord, Chris Miller
22 Jump Street is a 2014 American action comedy film directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller,... more
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#12 of 68 The Best Comedy Movie Sequels#269 of 541 The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies

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Nightcrawler
Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo
Released: 2014
Directed by: Dan Gilroy
Nightcrawler is a 2014 American neo-noir thriller film written and directed by Dan Gilroy in... more
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#9 of 43 Great Movies with a Neon Aesthetic#12 of 30 Great Movies About People Going Through Life Solo
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The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies
Cate Blanchett, Evangeline Lilly
Released: 2014
Directed by: Peter Jackson
The Hobbit: There and Back Again is a 2014 film writted by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter... more
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#227 of 264 Movies That Should Be Made Into Broadway Musicals#22 of 50 The Best Movies With Elves
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John Wick
Keanu Reeves, Willem Dafoe
Released: 2014
Directed by: David Leitch, Chad Stahelski
John Wick is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch.... more
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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson
Released: 2014
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is a 2014 American dystopian science fiction adventure... more
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#202 of 277 The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Cry#49 of 200 The Best Teen Romance Movies
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The Imitation Game
Keira Knightley, Benedict Cumberbatch
Released: 2014
Directed by: Morten Tyldum
The Imitation Game is a 2014 historical thriller film directed by Morten Tyldum, with a... more
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#149 of 221 The Greatest World War II Movies of All Time#198 of 275 The Best Movies Based On True Stories
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The Grand Budapest Hotel
Bill Murray, Jude Law
Released: 2014
Directed by: Wes Anderson
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a 2014 comedy film directed by Wes Anderson. The screenplay by... more
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#85 of 196 The Best Adventure Movies#243 of 1,137 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time
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The Equalizer
Denzel Washington, Chloë Grace Moretz
Released: 2014
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
The Equalizer is a 2014 American neo-noir vigilante action thriller film directed by Antoine... more
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#559 of 665 The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked#32 of 89 The Greatest Movies About CIA Agents & Operatives
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Maleficent
Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning
Released: 2014
Directed by: Robert Stromberg
Maleficent is a 2014 American dark fantasy film directed by Robert Stromberg, loosely inspired... more
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#47 of 109 The Best Disney Live-Action Movies#26 of 65 The Best Adventure Movies for Kids
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Birdman
Emma Stone, Naomi Watts
Released: 2014
Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), commonly referred to as Birdman, is a 2014... more
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#61 of 92 The Very Best Oscar-Winning Movies For Best Picture#110 of 134 The Best Movies You Never Want to Watch Again
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Fury
Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf
Released: 2014
Directed by: David Ayer
Fury is a 2014 American film directed by David Ayer. A grizzled tank commander (Brad Pitt)... more
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#49 of 75 The Best Movies About Historical Battles#10 of 35 The Greatest World War II Dramas

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The Maze Runner
Kaya Scodelario, Dylan O'Brien
Released: 2014
Directed by: Wes Ball
The Maze Runner is a 2014 American science fiction dystopian action thriller film directed by... more
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#129 of 167 The Best Science Fiction Action Movies#16 of 95 The Best Film Adaptations Of Young Adult Novels
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Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
Robin Williams, Ben Stiller
Released: 2014
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb is a 2014 American comedy adventure film directed by... more