THE YEAR IN MOVIES - 2013
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This was, quite simply, a phenomenal year for movies. Rarely has it
been so hard for me to put together a Best-of-the-Year list, and rarely
has it been so difficult to figure out what would and would not make the
Top 10, let alone the Top 25. In any other year, great movies like ALL
IS LOST and RUSH would have made the Top 10 list, no question. But this
year, the quality level is so high that there were close to 30 movies
that I'd call absolute must-sees. 2007 was probably the last real
landmark year for film. Years from now, I think people will look back at
2013 and put in a similar category - a year that produced great movie
after great movie.
Not only did 2013 have some
incredible films from well-known directors, but it also had a lot of
smaller-scale surprises. On one hand, you had arguably Alfonso Cuaron's
best film yet in GRAVITY, arguably Alexander Payne's best film yet in
NEBRASKA, arguably Spike Jonze's best film yet in HER, Scorsese's best
film in several years with THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, another Coen Bros.
classic in INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, and another great action-comedy from
Edgar Wright in THE WORLD'S END.
On the other hand,
there were any number of films from up-and-coming talent that sort of
blew me away. One of the biggest cinematic highs I had in 2013 was
seeing a double-feature of The World's End followed by YOU'RE NEXT. I
can't wait for more people to discover this absolutely kick-ass horror
film. I love how there's this thriving indie horror movement going on,
led by people like You're Next director Adam Wingard. I love that movies
like this one are putting a new, clever, witty, self-aware spin on
horror, and getting me re-energized about a genre that I've been mostly
indifferent to for a long time. I was similarly thrilled with Lake
Bell's IN A WORLD. What a cool, interesting, hilarious movie. I hope
Lake Bell keeps 'em coming. THE WAY WAY BACK is another one that has me
excited about its writer/director team. I can't wait to see what Jim
Rash and Nate Faxon do next. The list could go on and on ...
One
interesting trend this year was that some of the best Asian directors
made their first American films. The results were surprisingly awesome.
Oldboy director Chan
-wook Park
did STOKER, which was phenomenal. And I Saw The Devil director Kim
Jee-Woon did the Arnold Schwarzenegger action flick THE LAST STAND,
which I loved, and which was severely underrated by critics and
under-seen at theaters.
Speaking
of action movies, the year's best blockbuster was, to me, PACIFIC RIM.
While by no means a perfect film, it was so filled with awe-inspiring
visuals and jaw-dropping imagination that it ultimately was, no
question, my geek-out movie of the year. The fact that it's the
Guillermo Del Toro version of a fetish film kept it from becoming a Star
Wars-sized hit at the box office, but the fact that it serves as a love
letter to giant robots and giant monsters ensures that it will be a
cult classic for all eternity.
Meanwhile,
many movies that I really enjoyed this year either proved very divisive
with critics, or just got unanimously trashed by critics. Perhaps the
year's two biggest lighting rods were MAN OF STEEL and STAR TREK: INTO
DARKNESS. Personally, I get some of the criticisms, but I also think
both films work very well as popcorn flicks and as pop-art. Critics and
internet geeks alike love to pick on Zack Snyder and JJ Abrams, but I
think the fixation on some of their specific directorial tendencies
unfairly overshadows the fact that both of these guys are phenomenal
action directors. I get it: these kinds of movies are easy targets for
nitpicky nerd-rage. Do I wish that Zack Snyder better addressed the
wanton destruction that Superman caused in Metropolis in Man of Steel?
Yes. Do I wish that JJ Abrams and co. concocted a better way to reveal
Khan's true evil than via a Leonard Nimoy spoiler-from-the-future? Yes.
But in both cases, I think what works about these films far, far
outweighs what doesn't. Man of Steel has its flaws, but it was
absolutely cathartic to see this epic, action-packed, sci-fi take on
Superman after the dull and toothless Superman Returns. And stubborn
Star Trek fans seem to have conveniently forgotten how bad the majority
of old Star Trek films really were. Into Darkness had well-drawn
characters, impeccably-choreographed set pieces, and was jam-packed with
fun moments.
That
brings me to the thing that bugged me the most about film in 2013. As
great as the movies themselves were this year, the level of discourse
around movies this year, in my mind, hit an all-time low. People call
Man of Steel the worst thing ever. Seriously, The AV Club names it the
4th worst movie of 2013. Have they *seen* Superman III or IV?! How is a
film with top-to-bottom quality acting, exciting action, and gorgeous
visuals the worst of the year? Have the Into Darkness haters ever seen
the show Enterprise? *That's* how bad it *could* be, folks. I saw a
number of reviews that absolutely buried THE HOBBIT sequel. So it's a
bit too long? Really? Guys, circa 1995 any nerd worth his or her salt
would have absolutely killed for a high-fantasy epic that was anywhere
in the ballpark of the quality of The Hobbit. But you're telling me it's
awful?
The
conversation about movies is sometimes so ridiculous - it kills me.
I've heard people call everything from Gravity to American Hustle
"horrible" in recent weeks. On Facebook, people are posting an inane
open letter from the real-life daughter of Jordan Belfort, whose life is
the basis for the film The Wolf Of Wall Street. The letter misguidedly
denounces all involved in the film for making Belfort out to be a hero,
and people seem to be blindly agreeing with her. And I have to wonder if
the whole world's gone crazy. Should we only be telling stories about
good men from now on? What's more, if you see The Wolf of Wall Street
and don't see that the movie is demonizing and condemning Belfort, you
need to take off the blinders.
In
this climate of sound-byte social media posts and click-baiting
headlines, there's an absolute deluge of knee-jerk reactions,
overreactions, and misguided anger towards films. Online and in real
life, from critics, film-fans, and casual fans alike, there's people
making blanket statements about actors, directors, or genres they
purport to hate, people completely dismissing a movie without
articulating why they disliked it on a non-superficial level (i.e. "too
long" or "too depressing"), and people jumping on a bandwagon of haters
just because it's easy.
I suppose that's what makes it so
fun to do this blog. More and more, I sometimes feel like I'm in the
minority when it comes to advocating for certain movies. I don't set out
to be contrary, but I also don't like being a sheep. I don't mind
trashing a deservedly bad movie, but if I see something like Kick-Ass 2 -
which I loved - I'm going to sing its praises even if I'm the only
one.
There
are, of course, always going to be the obvious masterpieces that are
universally praised. The indisputable great movies that quickly enter
the cannon, and go on to win awards and get taught in film classes. But
what I found so cool in the early days of the internet was finding
like-minded folks who appreciated stuff on the fringes. People who
thought that films like Robocop and Evil Dead belonged on the all-timers
list, who were early champions of guys like Guillermo Del Toro, Peter
Jackson, and Edgar Wright. I think about the way movies get reviewed and
ripped apart now, and wonder if today's cult classics would ever have
amassed their cults if they came out now. Imagine the internet reaction
to Donner's Superman if it came out today. It would have been
eviscerated. And you know what - there are a lot of aspects of beloved
movies that make it easy to pick them apart. But what made them beloved
was that they had magic. And what I ultimately look for in films is
whether or not they have that magic, that spark - whether they have
those "wow" moments that feel like a revelation of some kind. A great
film can be a crazy comedy, a pulpy action flick, an out-there sci-fi
story, or an epic drama. It could be Gravity, or This is the End, or The
Last Stand. The problem is that today, when everything is communicated
in shorthand, when opinions are based on what's trending, articulating a
movie's true quality is too complex of an undertaking. The Lone Ranger
must inevitably suck, because ...
#JohnnyDeppPlaysTooManyWackyCharactersInMakeup. Gravity must be great
because #OMGSandraBullock. And, what's that? Martin Scorsese made a
three hour movie about Wall Street? #Ain'tNobodyGotTimeForThat. That's
three hours I can't check my cell phone!
All I can do is try to fight the
good fight, and try to articulate why, exactly a film does or doesn't
strike a chord with me. At the same time, I don't want to let outside
factors influence my thoughts. Let the movie speak for itself. Let's see
if it does or does not have that magic. Luckily, many movies had it in
spades in 2013.
As always, I'll
mention that though I did see a lot of movies in 2013, I didn't see
everything. Some notable films that I have not yet seen at the time of
this writing include Before Midnight, Saving Mr. Banks, and August:
Osage County.
DANNY'S BEST MOVIES OF 2013:
1.) Gravity
-Gravity
floored me more than any other cinematic experience in 2013. It looked
amazing - this was one of the first films in a long while that
absolutely *had* to be seen in IMAX 3D. But I also think that the
journey that director Alfonso Cuaron takes us on in Gravity is more than
just a roller-coaster ride. He achieves a sort of transcendence that
goes beyond that: the sensory-overload experience of Gravity is also a
powerful reminder of the human spirit. Space travel has always
represented the pinnacle of human achievement, and that to me is what
Gravity is really about - the will and desire to literally reach for the
stars. Sandra Bullock does career-best work here. We are right there
with her for every harrowing moment, and for every moment of triumph.
For me, Gravity is a visual masterpiece, but it's also thematically rich
and poignant. At a time when we as humans often feel powerless against a
world that seems hurtling towards apocalypse, Gravity stands as a
testament to just how much we can accomplish - to the strength of the
human spirit to persist and survive in even the darkest and most
hopeless-seeming of times. Gravity is truly next-level filmmaking that
should be seen and experienced by as many people as possible.
2.) 12 Years a Slave
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Here is a film that is important, Oscar-worthy, and a stark reminder of
the horrors of slavery. But man, this is also a cinematic tour de force
- an utterly captivating, tension-packed narrative filled with
unforgettable moments. What strikes me as so brilliant about Steve
McQueen's film is that it tackles the underlying psychology of slavery
more so than any other film I've seen. The set-up here is unusual - a
smart, highly intelligent African-American man gets kidnapped and forced
into slavery. He is then systematically stripped of everything that
made him a respected, successful man in his previous life. We watch as
he is forced to help perpetuate the lie that enables slavery, and we
watch as that lie is reinforced over and over by slave-owners and
ordinary people alike in some sort of nightmarish mass-delusion. This is
a film packed with astounding performances that make this American
nightmare come to life, and it's a must-see reminder of the lies we tell
ourselves to justify injustice.
3.) Her
- What could have been a gimmicky film in other hands becomes a mind-melting stunner in the hands of Spike Jonze. Joaquin
Phoenix's Theodore - a person, and Scarlett Johansson's Samantha - a
computer operating system, have the on-screen romance of the year: a
strange, funny, emotional, and all-too human courtship that is, also, a
pretty spot-on commentary about the world we live in today. Her is a
digital-age romance, but it's also surprisingly thought-provoking
sci-fi: a near-future parable about the way that our lives are changing -
for good and for bad. Jonze doesn't cast judgement, but he does make us
wonder if we can, or even want to, appreciate the real-live people in
front of us as we once did.
4.) The Wolf of Wall Street
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Perhaps it was the accumulated wisdom of age that allowed director
Martin Scorsese to so brilliantly satirize the greedy excess of
real-life "Wolf of Wall St." Jordan Belfort. But at age 71, Scorsese has
created a film that rockets along with the unbridled rock n' roll
energy of a punk kid looking to give a hearty middle-finger to Belfort
and his money-grubbing cronies. That's why the criticisms and negative
open letters directed at this film are, to me, utterly baffling.
Scorsese isn't glamorizing Belfort's drugged-up lifestyle - instead,
he's telling this man's story and using it as a parable to show the dark
side of the American Dream. We like to tell ourselves that this country
was built on the backs of great men doing great things. But through his
films, through work on movies like Goodfellas, Casino, and now this,
Scorsese - in gripping and darkly hilarious fashion - pointedly reminds
us that there is an ugly truth behind the curtain.
5.) Nebraska
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Alexander Payne's latest is, I think, his best. Nebraska is a darkly
comic, very personal-seeming road trip movie that features some
incredibly memorable performances from Bruce Dern, June Squibb, Will
Forte, Bob Odenkirk, Stacey Keach, and more. This is a classic
father-son tale, a great story about sticking up for one's family, and a
story that finds the heart at the center of it all in a way that I
found to be moving and poignant. I'm not sure that Payne has ever fully
gotten there before, but he hits the bullseye here. As you watch
Nebraska, you'll likely be reminded of some quirk of your own family.
You'll think about the hidden lives people lived, the things they
accomplished, the people they touched. You'll smile and laugh and get
misty-eyed and applaud.
6.) The World's End
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How does Edgar Wright do it? How are movies this cool, this punk-rock,
this level of geeky-awesome also so damn heartfelt and poignant? The
World's End is a more than fitting capper to the thematically-linked
trilogy that started with Shaun of the Dead and continued with Hot Fuzz.
In fact, this may be the best of the three - a film that's at once an
all-too-relatable meditation about how you can't go home again, a
hilarious comedy about old buddies looking to recapture their wild
youth, and oh, right, a crazy-ass sci-fi action flick about invading
alien pod-people. Awesome? You'd better believe it. Wright is so good at
what he does - part of me can't wait to see him get his hands on more
big-budget blockbusters, but part of me just wants him, Pegg, and Frost
to keep making these indie genre-benders forever.
7.) Captain Phillips
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Perhaps the single best piece of acting I saw in a film all year was
Tom Hanks in the final scenes of Captain Phillips. Hanks is so good here
that it gave me chills. I knew he was good - one of the best - but
here, he totally destroys you. Paul Greengrass' true-life thriller is
just that intense, as a whole. So many have tried and failed to imitate
his you-are-there directorial style, but only Greengrass pulls it off
with anywhere near this level of success. Captain Phillips is packed
with white-knuckle intensity, but it's also not afraid to do the
character work to show us who these people are and what makes them tick.
And to its credit, the movie is not afraid to show us the politics and
the social realities behind this situation. It does so smartly,
evenhandedly, and soberly. There's nothing ra-ra about this film.
Instead, it's a movie that operates on a human level, showing us what
drives simple people to do extraordinary things - good, and bad.
8.) This is the End
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Great comedies don't ever get enough credit, but they should. This is
the End is one of the flat-out funniest movies in years, and it deserves
to be lauded for its sheer comedic brilliance. This movie made me laugh
hard and often, and I know I'll be re-watching it, quoting it, and
laughing still for years to come. There's an art to good comedy that
isn't necessarily tied to matching it with world-shaking satire or the
usual things that deem comedy awards-worthy in the eyes of critics. The
key here is great jokes, great writing, and performers who can deliver
those jokes in a way that makes them even funnier than they were on the
page. Danny McBride in this movie? A comedic force of nature.The
apocalypse has never been this funny.
9.) Inside Llewyn Davis
-
Inside Llewyn Davis is many things - a story about the New York folk
music scene in the 60's, a story about an artist's struggle to remain
true to himself, and a metaphysical mind-trip about the way life's great
comedy keeps repeating itself despite our best intentions. More so than
that, this is a Coen Brothers movie, and it's the Coen Brothers
operating at or near their full powers - delivering great dialogue,
haunting images, and - bonus - an array of folk songs that range from
hilarious to moving. Oscar Isaac is winning in the lead role, and the
supporting cast - everyone from John Goodman to Justin Timberlake - is
on top of their game. What I love about the Coens is that they never
give you just a straightforward story. Inside Llewyn Davis is a strange,
funny, layered story brought to you by the best in the biz.
10.) Frances Ha
- What a fantastic film from director Noah Baumbach and star/co-writer
Greta Gerwig. In my original review, I called this Woody Allen for the
millennial generation - and I don't think that's an overstatement. As
Frances navigates post-college New York life, there's a mix of
aimlessness, optimism, and self-doubt that I found all too relatable.
Gerwig has been on the rising-star list for a while now, but to me, this
is the movie that solidifies her as a star. She is a perfect match for
this material, and it is a perfect match for her. Baumbach directs her
with rock n' roll style, and the film as a whole - shot in stunning
black and white - has an energy and pulse that seems like a revelation.
Here is the definitive movie for the generation that was told that
"everyone's a winner," now discovering that that may or may not be the
case.
JUST MISSED THE CUT:
Like
I said, this year was jam-packed with A-grade films that, in any other
year would have made my Top 10. And I really struggled to leave these
next five out.
11.) Stoker
- From the visionary mind that brought us films like Oldboy (the original,
not this year's poorly-received remake) comes this hypnotic,
darkly-gothic coming-of-age tale about a teen girl blossoming into
womanhood. The twist is that Mia Wasikowska's India Stoker has - in
addition to all the usual teen angst and confusion - a growing feeling
that the woman she was meant to be is a violent, vengeful killer. And so
begins a dark descent into the abyss, told in an eye-popping,
gorgeously-shot manner by Chan-wook Park. Wasikowska is amazing here,
and so too are Nicole Kidman as her going-mad mother and Matthew Goode
as her uncle and mentor. If you think your family is messed up, Stoker
shows that you ain't seen nothing yet.
12.) Fruitvale Station
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Talk about a stunner of a debut film - Fruitvale Station instantly puts
writer/director Ryan Coogler on the map. This is another true-life
story about a young man, Oscar Grant, who was tragically shot by Bay
Area cops after a minor scuffle. Michael B. Jordan is one of the year's
breakout stars - he brings multiple dimensions to Oscar, showing him at
his best and at his worst. We see that Oscar was a complex character who
had his flaws, but who also had so much potential that was suddenly cut
short. The film avoids heavy-handed sermonizing. Instead, it simply
tells this story and shows us this man's life in its final days. It
leaves us - powerfully and poignantly - to draw our own conclusions
about how and why this young man's life ended the way it did.
13.) Pacific Rim
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Guillermo Del Toro has had a lot of false starts in recent years. At
one point, he was set to direct The Hobbit, but that fell through.
Later, he was set to tackle his dream project - an adaptation of HP
Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness ... but that too was a
nonstarter. Fans were clamoring for Del Toro to do something, anything.
Why? Because the man has an imagination like no other. He has a
passionate love for cinema - for sci-fi and horror and fantasy, and a
professorial knowledge of movies and literature and art. When Del Toro
is on his game, his movies are cinematic love letters, filled with
awe-inspiring visuals and geek-out moments aplenty. And man, Pacific Rim
is just Guillermo Del Toro unleashed: a kick-ass ode to kaiju and mechs
and monster movies and all things awesome. This is a world that I want
to go back to, to see more of. This was the year's best blockbuster -
brilliantly larger-than-life in all manner of speaking.
14.) Short Term 12
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On the opposite end of the spectrum is Short Term 12, an intensely
personal and small-scale story that nevertheless feels important and
vital and about themes that are big and universal. This is the story of
twenty-somethings who work in a short-term care home for troubled kids.
The workers are often former residents - in some cases, still trying to
get over their own lingering psychological traumas. But here they are -
the gatekeepers, the best and possibly last hope that these kids have to
turn a corner. Brie Larson is absolutely phenomenal in the lead role
here. As one of the counselors at the clinic, we see her struggle to
help these kids, even as their issues hit all too close to home. It's an
incredible performance - raw and vulnerable and real.
15.) Blue Jasmine
-There
were a number of great films this year about American greed, but Woody
Allen's latest was one of the best. Additionally, this is one of the
best Allen films in years - a funny, witty, sharply-pointed satire about
one upper-crust, upper-class woman's fall from grace. Cate Blanchett is
a tour de force in the lead role, playing a woman who married her way
into money - carefully plotting her upward ascent into the 1% - only to
see it all come crashing down. Allen's film is a surprisingly timely
social critique, and it's great to have Allen back in the here and now,
applying his still-sharp observational wit and satirical eye to the
modern day. Filled with great performances (who would have ever thought:
Andrew Dice Clay is fantastic, a total scene-stealer), Blue Jasmine is
something special.
THE NEXT BEST:
16.) Mud
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Another formidable performance from Matthew McConaughey, and another
mesmerizing movie from director Jeff Nichols. Mud is a twisty, pulpy,
neo-Mark Twain-esque yarn about two boys who discover a small river
island, only to learn that an on-the-run fugitive calls it his home. Mud
is a great coming-of-age story that mixes adventure, action, and hard
lessons about life and love with thick southern-gothic atmosphere.
17.) You're Next
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It's hard to talk about why, exactly, You're Next is so badass without
giving too much away. But just know that the movie's marketing, which
made it look like a run-of-the-mill home invasion horror film, was very,
very misleading. And that's a good thing, as this movie turns itself on
its head and completely subverts expectation at every turn. This is one
of the most fun, funniest, craziest, and most unpredictable horror
movies I've ever seen. Get a group of friends together to watch this and
prepare to have a blast.
18.) The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
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Peter Jackson ups the ante from the first Hobbit film, delivering a
sequel that feels more sure, more confident, and better-paced - with
some absolutely phenomenal set-piece action scenes and striking visuals
that are among the best we've yet seen in any of the Lord of the Rings
films. More importantly, Jackson's love for Middle Earth is on full
display - he once again paints a gorgeous picture of this fantasy
universe, bringing all of its creatures and landscapes to stunning life.
Even more importantly, Jackson again captures the heart and soul of
this story, mixing epic moments with more personal tragedy and triumph.
Bilbo and company again inspire and entertain.
19.) Dallas Buyers Club
-
Yes, this was the year of Matthew McConaughey. And while I'm getting
sick of typing his name, I'm now excited every time I see his name pop
up in association with a new film. This guy has just taken his acting to
another level over the last few years, and his work in Dallas Buyers
Club is him at his absolute best. As HIV-suffering Ron Woodruff,
McConaughey is doing Daniel Day Lewis-level stuff - physically
transforming to the point where it's almost uncomfortable to watch him
on screen, and just fully inhabiting this character. Jared Leto is also
amazing here as an outwardly flamboyant, inwardly hurting drag queen.
Moreover, this is a powerful film about the AIDS epidemic of the 80's
and the kind of political and financial roadblocks that prevented people
from getting the care they needed.
20.) American Hustle
-
An electric, energetic film from director David O. Russell, American
Hustle is an over-the-top, go-big-or-go-home look at 70's-era excess.
It's a funny and mesmerizing look at con-men and con-women and the
people who love them. The cast here is so good that they could make
basically anything great: Christian Bale kills it, Amy Adams is
incendiary, Bradley Cooper brings his A-game, Jeremy Renner is
fantastic, and Jennifer Lawrence is a scene-stealer. But this cast,
matched with Russel's knack for staging escalating scenes of manic
energy, help produce one of the year's most entertaining films.
21.) In A World
-
As a fan of the TV comedy Children's Hospital, I've come to appreciate
the sizable comedic acting talent of Lake Bell in recent years. But her
big-screen debut as a writer/director - a smart and silly tale about a
woman trying to be the next iconic movie-trailer voiceover narrator -
made me realize that she just might be a great new voice in comedy. This
film is all Bell, and it's funny as hell. And not just that, but it's a
smart, pointed commentary on gender equality and gender politics. Think
that sounds preachy? Not to worry: you'll be way too busy laughing to
care.
22.) The Way Way Back
-
A funny, heartfelt coming-of-age comedy, The Way Way Back is a
nostalgia-tinged look at an angsty teen who learns to come out of his
shell one fateful summer. Three things I'll say here: a.) Sam Rockwell
is fantastic here, as the man-child owner of a water park who takes said
teen under his wing. b.) Toni Colette is also amazing as the teen's
stressed-out, trying-to-cope mom. c.) If this is the kind of movie that
the writer/director team of Jim Rash and Nate Faxon are capable of
producing, then all I can say is "more, please."
23.) Man of Steel
-
At the end of the day, Man of Steel gave me what I wanted from a
Superman movie. It got my adrenaline pumping with its epic action
scenes, stretched my imagination with its ultra-cool look at Krypton and
Superman's sci-fi origins, and it gave me chills with its inspiring
story of Superman's public introduction to the people of earth. Henry
Cavill proved to be a more-than-worthy Man of Steel, and Amy Adams was
the best big-screen Lois Lane yet - finally, a whip-smart, take-charge
Lois who seemed to exist independently of just being Superman's gal-pal.
Sure, there is room for improvement in the coming mega-sequel, but I
personally am thankful to Zack Snyder for giving us the sort of epic,
action-packed big-screen Superman movie that, until now, I'd yet to see
in my lifetime.
24.) Rush
- Ron Howard's best film in years, Rush is a fantastic sports movie, and
the riveting, true-life story of a rivalry that isn't quite as
simplistic or one-dimensional as you might suspect. Chris Hemsworth does
his best-ever work as rockstar 70's-era Formula One racer James Hunt.
But it's Daniel Bruhl - as rival racer Niki Lauda - who steals the show.
Bruhl's turn as Lauda is one for the record books - making the cold,
calculating Lauda surprisingly sympathetic. The genius of the film is
how it turns Lauda - presumably the villain of the story - into its
ultimate hero.
25.) Zero Charisma
- This indie comedy is a must-watch for anyone who's ever
felt even just a little bit nerdy. It's the story of an old-school geek
who finds his carefully-calibrated man-child existence threatened, when
his D&D-playing friends fall under the spell of a of hipster-cool,
geek-chic dude who seems impossibly stable and social for a guy who
reads comics and blogs about movies. Yep, this one hit slightly close to
home, but it's a credit to the movie's spot-on humor that it works so
well, and never feels pandering.
MORE GREAT FILMS OF 2013:
26.) All Is Lost
-
A harrowing tale of survival at sea, All Is Lost features an amazing
lead performance by the great Robert Redford - made all the more
impressive by the fact that it's largely wordless. Redford's movie-star
charisma makes us think he's got a shot to survive, but his aging body
and egoless acting makes us realize that it won't be easy.
27.) Star Trek: Into Darkness
-
Some couldn't stand this updated take on The Wrath of Khan, but I say
give JJ Abrams his props. The guy brought Star Trek back to life, giving
us another adrenaline-shot of pure pop filmmaking. Filled with some of
the best set-piece action scenes this side of Spielberg, and populated
with a cast of characters that we really care about, Into Darkness was,
to me, one of the most riveting big popcorn movies of the summer.
28.) The Last Stand
-
An ultra-badass, insanely fun neo-Western action flick from South
Korean director Kim Jee-Woon, The Last Stand was a great comeback
vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is a high-energy, surprisingly
funny, insanely entertaining action film.
29.) The Croods
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My favorite animated film of this year, The Croods featured spectacular
animation, a fun story, great voice-acting, and lots of heart. It's yet
another great film from the folks at Dreamworks, who once again this
year produced a film that rivaled the competition's. The best movie
about cavemen ... maybe ever?
TIE: 30.) Spring Breakers
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On the surface, this appears to be a candy-colored exploitation film.
But dig deeper, and you'll find that Spring Breakers is a pitch-black
comedy about misguided youth-gone-wild. On top of that, it has one of
the single greatest monologues ever put on film - a hilarious extended
riff from Jame's Franco's cornrowed drug dealer, Alien. "Look at all mah
$%^&!" indeed.
TIE: 30.) Kick-Ass 2
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I'm not sure why critics were so sour towards this uber-fun, uber-funny
sequel, but I had an absolute blast with it. Chloe Moretz continues to
work wonders as Hit-Girl, and seeing Hit-Girl hit high-school was a
gleefully subversive spectacle - a superhero version of Mean Girls on
acid.
HONORABLE MENTIONS - OTHER HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MOVIES FROM THIS YEAR:
Frozen
The Kings of Summer
Oblivion
The Conjuring
Side Effects
Prisoners
The Spectacular Now
Warm Bodies
The Place Beyond the Pines
Lee Daniel's The Butler
Mama
Thor: The Dark World
Despicable Me 2
Monsters University
Out of the Furnace
Anchorman 2
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
BEST LEAD ACTOR:
1.) Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips
2.) Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club
3.) Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street
4.)
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
5.) Tie: Michael B. Jordan - Fruitvale Station, Bruce Dern - Nebraska, Christian Bale - American Hustle
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
1.) Jared Leto -Dallas Buyers Club
2.) Daniel Bruhl - Rush
3.) Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave
4.) Will Forte - Nebraska
5.) Sam Rockwell - The Way Way Back
BEST LEADING ACTRESS:
1.) Brie Larson - Short Term 12
2.) Scarlett Johansson - Her
3.) Cate Blanchette - Blue Jasmine
4.) Sandra Bullock - Gravity
5.) Tie: Mia Wasikowska - Stoker, Great Gerwig - Frances Ha
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
1.) June Squibb - Nebraska
2.)
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
3.) Amy Adams - American Hustle
4.) Toni Colette - The Way Way Back
5.) Nicole Kidman - Stoker
BEST DIRECTOR:
1.) Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity
2.) Paul Greengrass - Captain Phillips
3.) Steve McQueen - 12 Years a Slave
4.) Martin Scorsese - The Wolf of Wall Street
5.) Tie: Joel and Ethan Coen - Inside Llewyn Davis, Alexander Payne - Nebraska
BEST SCREENPLAY:
1.) The Wolf of Wall Street
2.) Her
3.)12 Years a Slave
4.) Inside Llewyn Davis
5.) Nebraska
6.)This is the End
7.) Frances Ha
8.) Fruitvale Station
9.) The World's End
10.) The Way Way Back
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And that's that, another one for the books - my picks for the best
films of 2013. Look forward to even more great movie adventures in 2014.
