For our money, then, it's Edge of Tomorrow (which has since been rebranded as "Live Die Repeat" for reasons unknown - and unnecessary - to us) that stands out as the best and most downright entertaining sci-fi movie of 2014, a relentlessly fun and surprisingly emotional futuristic take on Groundhog Day, which has Tom Cruise playing against his usual type as a coward whose destiny is to save mankind from aliens. If the premise is similar to that of 2011's Source Code, with the same scenario playing out over and over again, watching Cruise's transformation from weakling to certified badass is undeniably addictive, even when the plot switches from mostly comical to serious in its final hour. What could have been a second-rate imitation ultimately ends up as a non-pretentious riot; it's a huge shame that it didn't gross a whole lot more. Like this article? Agree or disagree with our choices? Which movies would you have taken out or included instead? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
