2. Interstellar

Whether or not this film is Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus has, of course, become the great end-of-2014 debate. The sheer polarizing effect of the work itself marks it as one of the most influential pieces to emerge from the popular director. That aside, this movie is all we’ve come to expect from Nolan, and whether or not you enjoyed his latest work, you have to admit, it was pretty damn entertaining. The hype around it was huge and well-deserved, as Nolan delivers on its intimidating promise with aplomb; he gives us a film of intense scope and humanity that inexorably pulls in space fanatics and casual viewers alike. The effects are fantastic, the science admirably faithful and the performances are superb (the McConaissance is going strong) — it’s a modern film that reminds us of the days of classic cinema, when unrelenting optimism won the day and science made heroes.

– Rachel Huang, Senior Staff Writer