2014 SLEEPERS
                                                       Part 4
Here are five more 2014 movies that didn’t get a lot of attention, but you might enjoy. This is probably the last 2014 sleepers article- or not?
Love Is Strange is indeed a strange little film that I actually liked a lot. Warning: If you’re even mildly homophobic, you’re going to hate this. But- love is love and this film delivers it in spades. John Lithgow and Alfred Molina are ancient lovers who have lived in the same Manhattan apartment for many years. After 39 years together they decide to get married, and when one of their employers finds out, the unlucky partner is fired. They no longer have the money to live in their beloved apartment, and so have to separate and live with family members. Their loss is palpable. Everyone involved, including the principles, tries to adjust to a stressful situation, with differing results. 
In 2013 documentarian Laura Poitras receives an email from an anonymous person identified only as Citizenfour. She connects with this person, who turns out to be whistle blower Edward Snowden. He has stolen (borrowed? appropriated? liberated?) thousands of NSA documents which show without question that US government agencies have been snooping on virtually everyone on earth. This includes all Americans and the top officials of several foreign countries. You may recall that German chancellor Angela Merkel was one of many who were not amused. The whole thing is succinctly pictured by Ms. Poitras in this stunning documentary.  
Million Dollar Arm is based on a true story. Jon Hamm, of Mad Men fame, is a sports agent on the edge of fading out completely when he happens to catch an Indian cricket match on TV. He notices that these guys can really throw hard and wonders if they could make it in baseball. Off to India to find out. He runs a huge contest looking for the hardest throwers, offering a million dollar prize.  Two winners are found and sent to America. They have no clue about baseball and their attempts to learn are hilarious. Did any of the boys make it to the big leagues? You’ll have to watch to find out!
Dame Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect, The Queen) is always good and certainly carries the lightweight but entertaining The Hundred-Foot Journey. An Indian family renowned for its restaurant leaves for Europe after a fire. When their van breaks down,
they find themselves in a French village that is home to an elite restaurant. The patriarch decides to buy the building across the street and open an Indian restaurant. A not-so-civil war ensues. After many mishaps and nearly lethal encounters, a gradual peace ensues and the cultural exchange is enchanting.
And finally, a very strange but engaging film entitled The One I Love. Mark Duplassis and Elisabeth Moss play a married couple whose partnership has run out of gas. They consult a counselor (Ted Danson- Yes, the old Cheers bartender) who is supposed to heal broken marriages. He sends them to an exclusive estate to reconnect. They have the place to themselves- or do they? Each discovers that the place seems to include an exact copy of him and her. They decide to return home and confront the counselor. I’m not telling any more!
All of the films in this article are available on DVD and for streaming. All are fine for mature 12 year olds.