Established in the 1950’s by André Bazin, Joseph-Marie Lo Duca, and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, France’s Cahiers du cinéma has long been a bastion for quality film criticism. Year after year their rundown of the top films usually ignites a response and we doubt 2014 will be any different.
They’ve now released their list for this year, which includes a few films that won’t get a U.S. release until next year (Li’l Quinquin, Mommy, Maps to the Stars). Near the top of the list is Jean-Luc Godard‘s essential 3D feature along with the Scarlett Johansson-led Under the Skin, Hayao Miyazaki‘s masterpiece swan song, Lars von Trier‘s erotic epic Nymphomaniac, and more.
Following Sight & Sound’s top 20 of 2014, check out the full list below (thanks to Jordan Cronk) and see trailers and reviews where available.
1. Li’l Quinquin (Bruno Dumont)
2. Goodbye to Language (Jean-Luc Godard)
3. Under the Skin (Jonathan Glazer)
4. Maps to the Stars (David Cronenberg)
5. The Wind Rises (Hayao Miyazaki)
6. Nymphomaniac (Lars von Trier)
7. Mommy (Xavier Dolan)
8. Love is Strange (Ira Sachs)
9. Le Paradis (Alain Cavalier)
10. Our Sunhi (Hong Sang-soo)