We’ve hit the new year. Suffice to say, 2014 was a big year for film. I thought 2013 would be hard to beat, but nothing makes me happier than to know that incredible films are still being created and seen around the world to this day.

TOP TEN OF 2014 (in alphabetical order):

• BIRDMAN
• BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR
• BOYHOOD
• HER
• HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
• INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
• LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
• SNOWPIERCER
• THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA
• WHIPLASH

IF TOP 15’s WERE A THING:

• FORCE MAJEURE
• THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
• THE GREAT BEAUTY
• NEBRASKA
• NIGHTCRAWLER

What are the links between the films chosen in the Top 15, if there are any? We have a few coming-of-age films (Boyhood, Blue, Kaguya, Whiplash); stories about family (Boyhood, Like Father, Dragon, Force Majeure, Nebraska); ego (Birdman, Llewyn Davis, Force Majeure, Great Beauty, Nightcrawler); and love (all of them).

Here’s a syllogism to represent my findings:

They’ll use this in film schools one day.