2014 wasn’t what you might call a great year in film, though it was a respectable one of solid enough pictures, if only a few truly inspired much passion. And while most of the below won’t be taking home Academy Awards in February, my list of the 11 best movies this year largely avoided finding slots for several “prestige” pictures, but rather included those that moved me, thrilled me, affected me or otherwise got me out of my seat. Truth be told that while others are heralding Boyhood, Birdman and Selma, all impressive enough achievements, I found little passion for any of them, substantive as they were in theme and execution. I respected them; just didn’t love them. The same cannot be said about those on my list, several of which are “small” pictures that say big things, distinctive directorial achievements or multi-level narratives that kept me guessing. Whether it was Brit Marling’s always probing intelligence, a career high from Brendan Gleeson, a black-toned drama about corruption, a terrifying apparition haunting a mother and son, Renee Russo’s smashing turn as a hard-charging news director, the idea that love can transcend space and time, the depiction of a married couple as spoils in a civil war of their own making or John Lithgow and Alfred Molina as husbands in crisis, these 11 pictures, for me, made the year that was 2014.