It was a strong year for movies in 2014 (check out this list to find out why).
As always though, purchase there were a few geniune clunkers along the way and this year, stuff some of the worst movies of the year (That Awkward Moment and This is Where I Leave you, buy to name a few) featured some of the best casts of the year.
Miles Teller, one of the few people who starred in two of the year’s worst, ironically also starred in Whiplash, one of the year’s best. Some strong actors– like Teller– sometimes choose the wrong projects and end up with a few duds along the way. Here’s hoping that Teller and a few of the other actors on this list choose some of their projects more wisely in 2015.
With that in mind, here’s my list of the 10 worst movies of 2014.
10.) Ouija: A lame attempt at a horror film, Ouija tells the story of a group of friends who make the same mistake (playing Ouija) again and again after one of them mysteriously dies after warning her friend about the game. The characters in this were so forgettable that I didn’t remember any of their names seconds after leaving the theater. I did remember something though. This movie was awful.
9.) Ride Along: Despite being labelled a “comedy,” Ride Along is one of the creepiest movies of 2014. The plot focuses on a young man (Kevin Hart, aiming for laughs when there aren’t any) who wants to marry his long-time girlfriend (Tika Sumpter). Unfortunately, her controlling brother stands in the way. Ice Cube plays the over-the-top sibling who breaks his his sister’s house, wanders into her bedroom announced and proves to be one of the creepiest siblings of the year. He’s more psychotic than funny, which is a problem for a movie aiming for laughs. Check out my full review here.
8.) This is Where I Leave You: This comedy features one of the best ensemble casts of the year. It stars two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda along with Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Rose Bryne, Connie Britton and Corey Stoll. A dream cast, right? Unfortunately though, any attempt at thoughtful comedy here is overwhelmed by jokes about breast implants and a potty-training kid who seemingly injects himself into every other scene. Check out my full review here.
7.) The Other Woman: A gross comedy, The Other Woman focuses on three women who are seeing the same man. One is the man’s wife and two are his mistresses. The trio team up to get revenge in this superficial comedy that underwhelms its audience with lame dialogue, cliched revenge tactics and characters that are as one-dimensional as they come.Check out my full review here.
6.) The November Man: Pierce Brosnan was one of the best actors to play James Bond on the big screen. The 2014 movie The November Man looked, on the surface, like it could be a great return to action for the actor. It wasn’t. Instead, this cinematic clunker was lazy and ugly in its grotesque depiction of violence and in its disgusting dialogue (which features a sick discussion about rape). Click here for my full review.
5.) Transformers: Age of Extinction: With Shia LaBeouf out of the picture, the fourth Transformers film had the opportunity to restart this once-promising franchise. The filmmakers made a great decision in casting the charismatic Mark Wahlberg as their lead. That, unfortunately, was their only good decision because even though many of the characters and the transformers were new here, the action and script felt very tired and bland. Check out my full review here.
4.) Two Night Stand: In Two Night Stand, Miles Teller and Analeigh Tipton star as a couple who are forced to spend some time together after a one-night stand. After they sleep together, the bickering couple awaken to find a massive blizzard outside and are stuck in one small apartment. Neither romantic or comedic, this limp feature never really offers anything interesting or unique to its easily forgettable premise. Check out my full review here.
3.) Sabotage: Director David Ayer delivered a rare misstep with Sabotage, a loud and obnoxious action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. In movies like Fury (2014) and End of Watch (2012), Ayers delivered exciting dramas that focused on tight-knit crews. Sabotage offers another such crew but this team– led by Schwarzenegger– is unlikeable, menacing and undeniably disgusting. Check out my full review here.
2.) Tammy: The 4th of July weekend used to be known as one of the best weekends to launch a summer blockbuster. Both Independence Day and Men in Black opened on that weekend in years past. In 2014, viewers weren’t so lucky. Tammy, starring Melissa McCarthy and directed by her husband Ben Falcone, was a horrendous comedy that attempted to create a strong showcase for McCarthy. Instead, it showed that McCarthy’s brand of physical humor, without a strong script to back it up, isn’t enough to make a movie funny. Check out my full review here.
1.) That Awkward Moment: Zac Efron, Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller are all tremendous young talents. Efron was hilarious in movies like Neighbors and 17 Again. Jordan proved his worth on the show Friday Night Lights and later in movies like Chronicle and Fruitvale Station. Teller, amongst other things, starred in Whiplash— one of the best movies of 2014. Why, then, is That Awkward Moment so horrendous? It’s possibly because the script wastes all of their talents and creates both cringe-worthy situations and characters. That Awkward Moment could’ve been very funny but instead, it’s frustrating, ugly and easily the worst movie of the year. Check out my full review here.