Best films of 2013

It’s that time of the year again, or at least it was back in January. Ever since I started this blog I have posted an end of the year top 10 list of films of the year. Last year my favorite film was “Cloud Atlas” and the year before that was the final chapter of the “Harry Potter” films. This year my choice of films is interesting to say the least. I have powerful character films, romanticized Disney stories, swelling action thrillers, and romantic comedies. A truly spectacular year for film as there are many films that would have been worthy of the list had there not been so many to choose from. There will be many honorable mentions at the end to showcase what other great films I liked but fell short of my top 10. Bear in mind that I haven’t seen every film that came out so it is likely that a few great films have escaped me.

10 “Dallas Buyers Club” 

I never particularly liked either Mathew McCaunaghey or Jarred Letto, but they do bring their A-game in this movie. It is surely a performance driven piece although the writing does do it a lot of favors. It doesn’t take many risks but it is an entertaining film. Watching the lead character trying to smuggle drugs across the border by pretending to be a man of the church made the film for me. If do watch this film do not expect to listen to a “30 Seconds to Mars” song the same way again.

9 “Elysium”

The follow-up to “District 9” takes many notes from it and shows us that perhaps Neil Blompkamp will not after all be forgotten, he will not be a one hit wonder, and he will not lose control of his creativity after one film. Blompkamp has his own style and from now on I will count on him to deliver films like this that I enjoy. I would like to see him tackle something other than science fiction next time however, perhaps a fantasy, or even a horror film.

8 “Captain Phillips”

Perhaps the most impressive story of the three films on my list that are based on true events, “Captain Phillips” is like 2012’s “Argo” in that they both fall into the unbelievable-but-true category of entertainment. There might not much else than that propelling the film aside from the performances but it is enough to make it to my list and it is a great film without any of the pretentious attempts that other films like it tend to go for.

7 “Star Trek Into Darkness”

It is hard to write about this film because it’s not entirely clear to me what I liked about it. The Addition of Benedict Cumberbatch to the mix playing “John Harrison” was brilliant and brought back the archetype of villains that I have missed from most recent movies. This sure was a fun time at the movies and made me feel as if I had been a Trekkie all my life. It is one of only three Star Trek movies I have ever seen but it is my favorite, and the one that I will be watching many times.

6 “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”

A major improvement over the first installment, this exciting film is the one that surprised me the most. After a good, but not great, first chapter based on a bloody incredible book, I was skeptical about the film based on the second less interesting book. Thankfully everything it could, it did better than its previous film giving me hope for the next two films which are based on the weakest of the three books. We can only hope.

5 “Blue Jasmine”

Props to Woody Allen for discovering the perfect actress to play the great role of Jasmine. Allen’s scripts are always amazing but sometimes it is very hard to connect with them if the cast doesn’t click. If it was possible Allen would always play his characters but he has gotten too old to play the characters he writes and when it comes to women it’s really a toss of a coin. Luckily Cate Blanchet is more than satisfactory in the role. She carries half of the movie’s weight in her eyes and the other half in between her fingers with a drink. Seems fitting that the title of the movie is a literal interpretation of the majority of this film. It is about a woman named Jasmine who has got the blues.

 

4 “Her”

The unconventional romance of this film is not what makes it great, it is what makes it interesting. What elevates this film above “clever rom com” to amazing love story is the beauty that director Spike Jonze injects into the story. He uses colorful sets, unusually bright and warm camera filters for a science fiction movie, poetic music infused with synthesizers that sound like the arias of computers. This is a movie with great style and plenty of eye candy even though Scarlet Johanson is never seen.

3 “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Scorcese, doing what he does best, crafts a fast paced three hour festival of debauchery and id feeding that has so much energy it could power New York for a year. The cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, and briefly Mathew McConaughey, powers through the lightning charged script with the force of a stampede. Is it Scorcese’s best film since “Goodfellas”, or am I just forgetting how good “The Departed” is?

2 “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”

This year Middle Earth gets bumped up a spot and takes the runner up spot. I still consider the Hobbit an unfinished story and therefore cannot exactly comment on the entirety of the production like I can with the Lord of the Rings. All I know is that so far the two installments have done everything I have hoped for and it seems like I will eventually hold it in equal ground with the Lord of the Rings. One more Middle Earth adventure for us to enjoy.

1 “Gravity”

There has never been a film more nail biting than this one. The experience of watching “Gravity” on the big screen in 3D can be likened to being on a rollercoaster that is slowly loosing most of its nuts and bolts and you know that any second the entire thing might collapse. Many times I have wished that I can have the same reaction teenage girls have when watching horror films, squirming in their seats and clenching their fists in anticipation but I just do not get that feeling all too often. To see a film however that does that to me with almost every scene is something unprecedented and I don’t expect it will happen again that soon. Gravity is the best film I have seen all year and is a strong contender for my favorite film of the entire decade so far.

Here are some of the many films that I liked a lot but just not enough to make it to my top 10. In alphabetical order.

"American Hustle"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Ender's Game"

 

 

 

"Kick-Ass 2"

 

 

 

"Only God Forgives"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Pacific Rim"

 

"Saving Mr. Banks"

The Best Films of 2012!

Yeah I know its June, and you have probably already forgotten about 2012 but I haven’t. I have been meaning to reveal the list of my favorite films of the past year but I have been wrestling around with other options first like a podcast, a collab with an online film critic, and other possibilities that never came through. But I guess that is my flaw really, I wait for other people when I should always take initiative and do things myself. After all this blog is the result of me waiting for people to start a film club or something similar then realizing that the only way to get the ball rolling would be to do the damn thing myself.

Last year was a great year for movies. There are so many films that fought to be on my list that my honorable mentions are almost as many as the entries on my list. You will see a wide variety of movies that I deemed worthy, from quirky comedies, to action blockbusters, to philosophical studies of human nature, to violent and offensive racial studies set in the old west. So 6 months too late here are the best films from the last year in order of preference.

10 Moonrise Kingdom

“Moonrise Kingdom” This is the film that surprised everyone by being such a big hit with audiences critics, and the box office while only being a small comedy film with an original script by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola. Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, are some of the talented people to be onscreen and they all give it their best. Go watch this movie if you are in the mood for a very quirky comedy film about a young boy and girl who run off together. You’d be surprised how good it is. 9/10

9 Skyfall

Next off “Skyfall” the James Bond film that gives Sean Connery and Roger Moore a run for their money. Who would have thought after so many years of evolving into action films that a James Bond film would suddenly return back to basics and focus on espionage and strange villains with physical deformities? The ending is possibly the cleverest and most interesting of all the Bond films as it makes you wish there was another Bond film being released next week. 9/10

8 Silver Linings Playbook

Jennifer Lawrence is building up a very impressive career. Two big action blockbuster franchises, two Oscar Nominations, one win, a golden globe, and an ever skyrocketing paycheck that is sure to be over 10 million just for her upcoming “Catching fire” film, and not to mention she is also quite the babe! “Silver Linings Playbook” Is a great film, and it is very impressive that a veteran actor such as Robert De Niro, was bested by Jennifer as she hit the ball out of the park in her role. Who would have thought that the little girl from the Bill Engvall show would grow up to be an Oscar winning actress who pretends to be a widow with “issues”? 10/10

7 Argo

If I didn't know any better I would have thought that “Argo” was made in the 70s. It is so classic in its film making style that you could watch it next to other political thrillers of the 70s and never bat an eyelid. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this film is that it is based on a true story. History has shown me that fiction might be very interesting if done with creativity but some stuff you just can’t make up. It is very unbelievable to witness the events of this movie with the thought that every plot point is inspired by a true moment especially the ones that you would be sure Hollywood had come up with; like the idea to smuggle Americans out of the hands of terrorists by pretending they are a Canadian film crew. Ben Affleck is a mediocre actor but as a director he has had 3 admiral attempts and this one is his best so far, I hope he makes more movies as a director. 10/10

6 Chronicle

This movie I am afraid a lot of people forgot about because of its early release date and because of its found footage format. I loved the concept and I especially enjoyed the presentation. It brings all the good things from the found footage genre and merges it with the more traditional live action format to remove the problems that can occur with found footage. You will know what I mean if you see the movie. “Chronicle was criminally overlooked during awards season because I thought it was a very intriguing take on the superhero genre, and showed a more realistic side of the acquisition of super powers. If superman really existed he probably wouldn't just fly around saving cats from trees, he would joke around moving cars around the parking lot and waiting for the reaction of the confused owners. 10/10

5 The Dark Knight Rises

My favorite film of 2008 was “The Dark Knight” and sure enough the director made another great film to end the saga. Anne Hathaway does great, as does Joseph Gordon Levitt, and Tom Hardy, but really the greatness of this film comes from it being part of the only superhero franchise that succeeded in being something more than just a comic book movie. As I said in my full review of the film I still think “The Dark Knight” is the best of the 3 films but they all are very special. 10/10

4 Prometheus

Not a lot of people liked “Prometheus” but I loved it. It was very frightening, and a worthy prequel to the “Alien” franchise with some great visuals and an interesting story that doesn't answer all the questions on the viewers mind essentially making it the antithesis of “Transformers”. Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender are very good in their roles, but Idris Elba and Charlise Theron do commendable jobs as well. “Prometheus” is proof that a science fiction film can be smart and scary at the same time. 10/10

3 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

You probably already know that I am a huge fan of the “Lord of the Rings” films from reading my reviews but I never reviewed “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”. Truth is I think it is every bit as good as the “Lord of the Rings”. Sure I can’t judge it as a whole because after all it is only the first chapter in a trilogy but I like the way it is going so far. With the best 3D I have ever seen and the very impressive 48 frames per second I cannot wait till the next middle earth installment. 10/10

2 Django Unchained

I have said before that Quentin Tarantino is my favorite director, and that “Pulp Fiction” is my favorite movie, and I have Quentin on my full confidence list, and he did not disappoint with “Django Unchained”. It isn't as good as his previous effort “Inglourious Basterds” which was my favorite film of the previous decade, but I have to love this film for what it is; a classic violent, offensive, and clever Tarantino flick with nothing less than what you would expect from the master. 10/10

1 Cloud Atlas

And my favorite flick of 2012 is one that I would even place at the top of the decade so far. “Cloud Atlas” polarized opinions so good luck watching it. I loved it so much I felt like the film had been made precisely for me. Does reincarnation really exist? It doesn't really matter because this film makes you believe that for 3 hours your soul will move on and become a warrior, a politician, a journalist, or a writer. Tom Hanks proves once again why he is one the best living actors out there. It’s a shame that this film didn't make that much money because this was a real labor of love from the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer and without successes from auteurs like them; we are unlikely to see anything like that anytime soon. 10/10

Here are some of the honorable mentions that I liked but just couldn't be on the list. In alphabetical order:

Killing them Softly

Life of Pi

Looper

Safety Not Guaranteed

The Avengers

The Grey

The Hunger Games

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Woman in Black

Best Movies of 2011!

                Ok I know it is way too late for this but I want to do it anyway. I am making a top 10 list for the movies that came out in 2011. Yes even though it is May I still have last year’s movies fresh in my mind and I love to make lists even though it’s very hard to choose between certain titles. Now I haven’t seen every movie that came out in 2011 but I am pretty sure that the basic structure of the list wouldn’t change that much, especially in the top spots.

So without further delay here are my top 10 movies of 2011:

10 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I really enjoyed this film. David Fincher returned to form after “The Social Network” and brought us something a little more Fight Club-ish. From Rooney Mara’s stellar acting, to Trent Reznor’s punky arrangements, to the fast Oscar-winning editing, to the dark and perfect cinematography, this movie is very entertaining. Sure at times it may seem like it is just another episode of “CSI”, but if every “CSI” episode was this good I wouldn’t want to miss a single episode. 9/10

9 Moneyball

I didn’t always like Brad Pitt as an actor. I guess it was just the nonconformist side of me that thought the only reason he was so popular was because he was good looking, but over the years he grew on me and now I think he is a terrific actor. No surprise here that he turns in a magnificent performance and caries the film perfectly. I don’t care too much for Jonah Hill but he does an alright job I guess. Non baseball fans will love this and baseball fans will love it even more. 9/10

8 Hanna

Saoise Ronan is building up quite an impressive resume giving in another great performance as Hannah. This film is very weird in a way I can’t describe: Is it a drama? Not really. Is it an action film? Not exactly. Is it an adventure film? Nope. Is it a romance film? Not even close. What about a comedy? There are some funny parts but it’s not comedy. The point is I don’t know why I really like but I do. You probably will to so go ahead and watch it! 9/10

7 50/50

This is a film about cancer that makes itself clear it is not “Terms of Endearment” so don’t worry about getting sad or crying. You will laugh a lot thought because it is damn funny. Seth Rogan plays the same character he plays in all of his movies except now he is not so annoying. Bryce Dallas Howard is great as usual in her role and Joseph Gordon Levitt… well Ill just let you watch the movie and decide for yourself. 9/10

6 War Horse

This is Steven Spielberg’s best movie since “Minority Report”. The man just knows how to direct a movie about war. Many criticize it for being manipulative and overly sentimental but hey… that worked for me. John Williams never disappoints and this time he writes a great score that it on the same level as his other masterpieces like “E.T” or “Jurassic Park”. Granted this film is not “Saving Private Ryan” or “Raiders of the Lost Ark” but it is one of Spielberg’s many marvels. 10/10

5 Midnight in Paris

Woody Allen is the director who you either love or you hate. Ok so some of you might just find him average but if someone doesn’t find his witty writing genius, I can’t see them watching one of his films and not get annoyed. I just loved this film to death and it was as lighthearted as any of Woody’s classic films like “Hannah and her Sisters” or “Manhattan”. I have often seen comments on Youtube saying that they are cursed not to have been born back in the 70s or 80s where all the good music came from and I always thought that to be silly. If you also think you were born in the wrong time period just watch this film. 10/10

4 The Help

It’s not often that you see a movie where you can list every cast member and include an annotation next to each name saying “Superb Performance”, but this film is one of those for sure. It really makes you think how much a director, a screenwriter, or a composer has to do to carry a movie if the acting is great. Viola Davis makes for a very tragic maid and deserves all the praise she got, but my favorite has to be Octavia Spencer, who made me laugh/cry the most.  This is the sort of movie that I usually avoid watching being a 20 year old male with ADHD, but the emotion and… yes even thrill I got out of some scenes was action movie caliber. I loved to death. 10/10

3 Warrior

There is something about “Rocky” type films that makes me always like them. You know the type of film I’m talking about; the sports drama where it focuses on the struggles of getting to the ring and fighting to win glory, like “Million Dollar Baby”, “The Fighter”, “The Wrestler”, and now this one. Yes it is very formulaic but hey… if it aint broke don’t fix it right? It follows all the steps those types of movies usually follow, it gets to an emotional conclusion that makes you cheer, and I just thought it was totally awesome. 10/10

2 Hugo

Who would have guessed the director of “Taxi Driver”, “Raging Bull”, “Goodfellas”, and “The Departed” would direct a children’s movie in 3D? No one that’s who. Thank god he did though because, along with “Avatar”, this movie raises the bar for future filmmakers who are just looking to make 3D to get 3X the amount of money. The film reminded me a lot of the first 2 “Harry Potter” movies when they were still innocent little kids’ films. I was in awe at every frame of this movie and I hope that in the future people will look at this film as a time capsule inside a time capsule teaching future filmmakers about how films today are primarily older ones re-imagined. 10/10

1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Part 2

Speaking of “Harry Potter”, the last one of the series was definitely the best movie of 2011. It had everything a film should have, it was as faithful to the book as it should have been, it was perfectly acted, directed, written, and shot, and most importantly entertained my ass all the way through. I am a huge fan of both the book series and the film series, and this is the finale I had been waiting for. I think every series deserves a final chapter like this one but rarely do we come across one. 10/10

     Now as I said it is hard to choose between titles when making lists so for this one, certain movies can switch places and I would be fine with it. Numbers 1 and 2 stay where they are, 3-6 can be swapped around, and 7-10 can also be swapped around.

     Honorable mentions for the following films that would have made it into a top 20 list but just couldn’t make the cut into the top 10, in Alphabetical order:

Carnage