Every year French Toast Sunday takes a look at the best of the past film year with a series of top 5 lists. By using a ranked score from our collective lists, we determine the overall highest rated choices. We kick off our love for 2014 with a look at our favorite movie characters of the past year. WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS!
Honorable Mentions
Batman in The Lego Movie / Starlord in Guardians of the Galaxy / Ivan Locke in Locke / Mike Shiner in Birdman / Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes / Rani in Queen / Mason in Snowpiercer / Schmidt & Jenko in 22 Jump Street / Mason in Boyhood / Constantine in Muppets Most Wanted / 1980-Something Spaceman in The LEGO Movie / Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy / Veronica Mars in Veronica Mars / Karos in Stretch / Godzilla in Godzilla / Riggan in Birdman / Galgo in Expendables 3 / Donna in Obvious Child / Lionel Higgins in Dear White People / Young Charles Xavier in X-Men: Days of Future Past
#05 / TARS – Interstellar
Just when you thought you’d seen every possible robot design in the movies, along comes Christopher Nolan with TARS. His introduction is as a static wall, before breaking into a bipedal pendulum, and then going full cartwheel in one of the greatest holy-fuck-I-didn’t-know-he-could-do-that reveals of the year. However, it’s not just TARS’ design that makes him one of the standout moments from Nolan’s underrated sci-fi epic. The robot assistant also adds a much-needed comedic and light tone too frequently absent from the director’s work. He’s a perfect comic foil for the otherwise very serious story at hand. – Jay
[virtual_slide_box id=”15″]#04 / Louis Bloom – Nightcrawler
Lou Bloom is motivated, hard-working, entrepreneurial, practical, resourceful, and articulate. He’s also deranged. He’s not a good person, yet there’s a little part of yourself that delights in Bloom’s success because he’s completely sincere and earnest in his attempts to achieve the American Dream. His path to get there is just a little morally questionable. – Jess
[virtual_slide_box id=”8″]#03 / Amazing Amy Elliott-Dunne – Gone Girl
If you ever wanted to know how twisted the human mind can be look no further than Amy Elliott-Dunne in Gone Girl. Expertly played by Rosamund Pike, Amy takes the idea of “A woman scorned” to new terrifying heights; she’s cold, calculating, and bat sh!t insane. Fellas, beware of the “cool girl”, you could be getting an Amy Dunne. – Marc
[virtual_slide_box id=”17″]#02 / Monsieur Gustave H – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Darling, Monsieur Gustave is many many things; lover, philosopher, wordsmith, and the most legendary concierge you’ll ever have the honor to meet… just don’t question his virility. He’s a jack-of-all-trades who commands your attention whenever he’s on screen and he’s probably the best character Wes Anderson’s ever written. – Nick
[virtual_slide_box id=”16″]#01 / Groot – Guardians of the Galaxy
Groot is the endearing and adorable Tree humanoid from this summer’s huge Blockbuster Guardians Of The Galaxy. The voice acting of Vin Diesel perfectly matches the visual representation of Groot; big and imposing but also warm and kindhearted. Groot is one of our favorite characters this year because he proves that actions speak louder than words (especially if you only know 3 words). – Marc