Best Films of 2013

Well, it's that time of year again. 2013 is drawing to a close and I'm now obligated to formulate a list of my top ten films of the year. Some years this is a pretty simple task (see 2012 list), but that is not the case here. Just like last year there are some pretty major releases that I haven't caught up on that would most likely make this list (Saving Mr. Banks, Nebraska, Twelve Years a Slave, etc.). The following top ten list is only from films I've seen, so sorry if one of those isn't mentioned. Over the past twelve months I have seen over thirty films released since last January, very few of which were against my will and most of which (about twenty-two) I ended up liking to varying degrees. With that in mind, I'm going to start out with some films that I enjoyed but didn't quite make it into my top 10.

** Honorable Mentions**

The World's End

The funniest movie of the year has to at least get a mention. With some of the best British comedic talent available, this film capped off the cornetto trilogy (Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) in terrifically clever fashion. Though it can be a bit crude at times, The World's End does a great job riffing on popular sci-fi elements while also telling a surprisingly nuanced story about the characters' reactions to maturity and adulthood. It's not for the faint of heart, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed this film and it certainly will reward repeat viewings.

Oz the Great and Powerful

A pleasant surprise coming in the usually disappointing month of March, Oz the Great and Powerful did a good job of setting up another adventure in the land we all know so well. Sam Raimi's focus on the internal conflict of the title character really brings this crowd-pleasing blockbuster to a slightly higher level.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

While shooting a little below its potential, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty uses independent-film creativity to great effect with the aid of a budget rarely afforded such creations. Its message is pure (if not a little too straight-forward) and the likable performance of Ben Stiller makes this film about self-discovery worth the journey.

The Wolverine

Quite an increase in quality after X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Hugh Jackman and company are able to redeem the clawed X-Men with The Wolverine. Taking the invincible character and finding a way to make him vulnerable, this story brings a more tactile approach to the fantastical premise than its disappointing predecessor. It may be my bias for the setting, but The Wolverine is one of the year's best superhero films.

Pacific Rim

I can't tell you how tempted I was to put this one in my top ten. Taking a fairly original premise and giving it the ultimate blockbuster treatment, Guillermo del Toro creates an immersive and adrenaline-fueled world in Pacific Rim. I feel bad for all the people who weren't able to see this film on an IMAX screen. Some may say the story isn't great, but this is one time where the magnificent visuals are all that matters.




Top Ten Films of 2013


#10   Mud

This is a film that kind of snuck up on me. Were it not for Matthew McConaughey's involvement in Christopher Nolan's next film, I might not have seen this in theaters. Mud is a personal story much more about love than most people would think. McConaughey gives a stellar performance and the cinematography captures the scenery in remarkable fashion. I had to put this one on my list for the performances, the characters and the care the director put into each frame of this film.


#9   42

I'm a sucker for baseball films (Moneyball, The Natural, etc.), and I've always liked hearing about Jackie Robinson. Add to that Harrison Ford's involvement, and you can bet I was there opening weekend for 42. Thankfully, this film does justice to the man by honoring his enormous contribution to the civil rights movement as well as for the game of baseball. It's very moving to see these real-life events about an American hero, and I appreciate the respectful way he was depicted by Chadwick Boseman.


#8   Thor: The Dark World

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first Thor film, I was pleased to see that Marvel was stepping further into its "Phase 2" in a good direction. Playing heavily to the strengths of its cast, this film balances humor, action, and suspense in equal measure, even daring to take some risks unprecedented in the Marvel cinematic universe. It's a vast improvement over the previous Marvel entry, and I can only hope that this year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier can keep the momentum going for Marvel (spoiler alert: it will).


#7   Rush

I caught up to this one pretty late, so much so that I haven't even had time to write a formal review. Rush is a film about race car drivers, but it has much deeper messages being expressed. The antagonistic relationship between the two rivals is perfectly played by Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl, and the unfolding of their respective stories are fascinating to see. It is an R-rated film, but purely for throw-away moments that add nothing to the plot. It's really a good film, and if you're averse to R-ratings then this film would be a fairly easy one to clearplay.


#6 (tied)  The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

While I really enjoyed the first film in the Hobbit series, I knew the second one was going to raise the stakes. Indeed, The Desolation of Smaug is an edge-of-your-seat kind of movie with spectacular action sequences and some of the best visual effects ever put on the big screen. With the tension rising and terrible danger imminent, Bilbo and his friends must face the titular dragon without the help of Gandalf. Benedict Cumberbatch absolutely kills it as Smaug, whose voice and facial expressions will send chills down your spine. I seriously cannot wait for next year's grand finale, There and Back Again.

#6 (tied)   Captain Phillips 

Perhaps the most intense movie I have ever seen (though another film on this list competes for that prize), Captain Phillips is a gripping experience. Based on the well-publicized true story, the film puts you as much in the moment as possible. Paul Greengrass (director of the Bourne Supremacy and the Bourne Ultimatum) has a knack for capturing realism and pulse-pounding suspense. The main performance by Tom Hanks is worthy of all the acclaim it will receive in the coming months. Fair warning, however, once this movie kicks off (about ten minutes into its two and a half hour running time) it never hits the breaks until credits roll.

#5   Star Trek Into Darkness

Though it isn't necessarily the best film of the year, Star Trek Into Darkness was perhaps the most entertaining. Building character development from the first film, it takes the crew of the Enterprise to a dark place indeed as they face off against the wonderfully frightening John Harrison. The visuals are remarkable and the performances are all top-notch, particularly Benedict Cumberbatch as Harrison. I consider this to be not only an incredibly fun movie, but the best Star Trek film to date. Though the series will definitely miss director JJ Abrams, I can't wait to see the film he's doing next.


#4   Frozen

As I mentioned in my review, this movie completely caught me off guard. The trailers don't do this film justice, and the characters, visuals, and (most of all) the music make this one of the better Disney outings in years.  It takes a very thoughtful approach and subverts audience expectations for these kinds of stories in the climax. Easily the best family film of the year and a must-see for fans of Disney animation at its best. While the story isn't necessarily groundbreaking as a whole, it's the overwhelming feeling of this movie that totally charmed me when I finally got around to seeing it.

#3   The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

There's something extremely satisfying about a film franchise that goes to great lengths to reward its audience. Adding an enormous amount to its budget, the latest film in The Hunger Games series has not only outstripped its predecessor in every way, but its also an improvement over its source material. The performances are all terrific, and Jennifer Lawrence is emerging as one of the best actors in the business. I'm encouraged to know that Francis Lawrence will return to direct the next two films in the series, which based on his work here, is only a good thing for Mockingjay fans.

#2   Man of Steel

This may be the most controversial choice on my entire list. Despite the strong box office receipts, Man of Steel has polarized the viewing population. You can read my full review for my complete thoughts, but suffice it to say that I remain a strong supporter of this film. Its visuals are some of the best I've ever seen, the score is phenomenal, and the story is inspirational while introducing new (and oddly relevant) ideas into the Superman mythos. I really considered putting this film at the number one spot, and will watch it again and again. That it will be completely ignored by the Academy for its technical achievements is a crime, but I unabashedly say that Man of Steel is one of the best films of the year and the best Superman film to date.

#1   Gravity

While my previous selection might elicit some backlash, this may be the safest choice on my entire top ten list. One of the best reviewed films of the year, it's tempting to demote it a few spots just to buck the trend. However, having seen this film in glorious IMAX 3D, I cannot deny the technical wizardry at work in this soon-to-be Oscar winning film. Gravity gives audiences the closest experience they will ever have to be in space, and Sandra Bullock's performance sells every second of it. The story itself is a rather simple one, but I couldn't help but connect with the fight for survival even while questioning whether it was even worth the effort. It's a tremendous achievement and I won't blame any Academy members for selecting Gravity.

Agree with my top ten list? Let me know in the comments which movies were your favorite from last year!



**Bonus Round**

Top Ten Scores of 2013

Anybody who knows me well could tell you that I really enjoy movie sores. I think they can be incredibly inspiring as well as entertaining. While this is just as subjective as any of my reviews or lists, here are my ten favorite scores for 2013 (I'll let the music do the talking).


#10   Thor: The Dark World - Brian Tyler

#9   The Book Thief - John Williams

#8   Saving Mr. Banks - Thomas Newman

#7   Captain Phillips - Henry Jackman

#6   Rush - Hans Zimmer

#5   Oblivion - M83

#4   Pacific Rim - Ramin Djawadi

#3   Star Trek Into Darkness - Michael Giacchino

#2   Gravity - Steven Price

#1   Man of Steel - Hans Zimmer

2013 Star-Ratings

Warm Bodies  -------------------------------------------------------------------->

Safe Haven   --------------------------------------------------------------------->

Snitch   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Jack the Giant Slayer   --------------------------------------------------------> 

Oz the Great and Powerful    ------------------------------------------------>

The Croods   -------------------------------------------------------------------->

42  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Oblivion   ------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Iron Man 3   ---------------------------------------------------------------------->

Mud   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------>

The Great Gatsby  ------------------------------------------------------------->

Star Trek Into Darkness  ----------------------------------------------------->

After Earth  ---------------------------------------------------------------------->

Now You See Me  ------------------------------------------------------------->

Man of Steel   ------------------------------------------------------------------->

Monsters University   ---------------------------------------------------------->

World War Z     ------------------------------------------------------------------>

Despicable Me 2   -------------------------------------------------------------->

The Lone Ranger   ------------------------------------------------------------->

Pacific Rim     -------------------------------------------------------------------->

The Wolverine ------------------------------------------------------------------->

Blue Jasmine  -------------------------------------------------------------------->

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters  ------------------------------------------->

About Time   ---------------------------------------------------------------------->

Rush   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------>

Gravity    --------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Captain Phillips   ----------------------------------------------------------------->

12 Years a Slave   --------------------------------------------------------------->

Thor: The Dark World   --------------------------------------------------------->

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire   --------------------------------------->

Nebraska   ----------------------------------------------------------------------->

Delivery Man   ------------------------------------------------------------------->

Frozen   --------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Saving Mr. Banks   ------------------------------------------------------------->

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug   ----------------------------------->

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues   ------------------------------------>

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty   --------------------------------------------->

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

There are certain actors I really respond to and movies that I anticipate because of their involvement. However, for some reason Ben Stiller has never really been one of those actors for me. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed some movies of his and one of my favorite comedies is probably Zoolander. I just don't tend to mark a Ben Stiller movie on my calendar as one that I really need to (or even want to, for that matter) end up seeing. Having said that, the trailer for this film instantly grabbed me when I first saw it a few months ago. It was due more to the visual style and the fantastic song by Of Monsters and Men that drew my attention than Stiller, but I knew this was one I was going to see in the theater.

Walter Mitty is a middle-aged dreamer and not the most adventurous type. Working as a negative analyst for the soon to be web-based Life magazine, Walter is entrusted with a very important negative, a picture taken by legendary photojournalist Sean O'Connell. When the crucial negative #25 (which will serve as the cover of Life's final issue) is missing from the rest of the reel, however, Walter is encouraged by his coworker and crush Cheryl Melhoff to go on a journey to retrieve this lost photo. With his job on the line in the wake of the company's new direction, Walter decides to embrace life as he embarks on a globe-trotting adventure.

Self-discovery seems to be a big theme in Walter Mitty, and I wonder if this is the new direction Ben Stiller is hoping to take in his future films. Sort of a melding of independent creativity with big-budget spectacle, this film does a pretty good job of portraying and connecting the relationship between Watler's job, his family, his imagination and his newfound reality throughout his journey. On one hand, it's a solid juggling act Stiller does to balance all of these aspects while ensuring the themes are all served in the narrative. Part of where this film loses me, however, is its tendency to indulge in Walter's in-the-moment experiences that never quite translate the character's feelings to the audience. While the story strands and conceptual structure of the film work well, it doesn't really tell us anything that profound about Walter.

Thankfully the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, which allows me to forgive a lot of my complaints about its lack of emotional resonance. Stiller has great comedic instincts, and the subtleties of his performance and his engaging awkwardness often help the movie work much better than it probably should. He and Kristin Wiig do a great job of creating a believable chemistry between their characters while not taking the comedy or even the drama too far.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty ended up being more or less what I expected. It was an artistic story about making your dreams a reality by stepping out of your comfort zone, and I think pretty much anybody can relate to that. Even though I wasn't particularly moved by Walter's arc as a whole, there are a few moments of poignancy (mostly involving Sean Penn's character) that definitely made the journey worth it. This movie is pretty funny, the characters are likable and the story is probably the best that Ben Stiller has ever directed. I give The Secret Life of Walter Mitty three stars.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY is rated PG for some crude comments, language and action violence

Anchorman 2

As I mentioned in my feature for this film, the original Anchorman was one of the most influential and quotable comedies of the last decade. It cemented Will Ferrell as a comedy king and greatly increased the exposure of supporting stars like Steve Carell. It's a double-edged sword coming back to such a beloved film. The popularity of the project will surely make the sequel profitable, but expectations might be difficult to live up to as well. With that in mind, I tried to temper my expectations going into this film and merely hoped for an entertaining diversion.

Ron Burgundy seems to have it all. He and his wife Veronica are a high-profile news anchor team, poised to fill an impending vacancy in the prime-time slot. When it becomes clear that the studio is only interested in Veronica, however, Ron goes into a downward spiral which culminates in his leaving his family. Constantly inebriated and suffering an existential crisis, Ron hits rock-bottom in the locker room of San Diego's Sea World where he's relegated to introducing the dolphin show. Thankfully, someone offers Ron a chance at redemption with a spot at the Global News Network, which introduces the world to the first ever 24-hour news service. With no other options and a hefty advance payment, Ron must reunite his news team to restore his reputation and make history yet again as the legend continues.

Again, this plot summary only covers the first 10-15 minutes of the film, so rest assured no spoilers have been revealed. You might not expect a comedy film like this to have "spoilers" per se, but indeed there are many moments in this film that work so much better if the audience doesn't see what's coming. One thing I should probably state right off the bat is that this movie is freaking hilarious! Fans of the first film will not be disappointed with this sequel as far as the humor is concerned, which is pretty much all that matters in films like this. The jokes are almost non-stop, and thankfully they're (mostly) a lot more inventive and clever than what we've seen in the trailers.

Having said that, I find that Ferrell has a tendency to over-do certain jokes and push the crudeness envelope to a slightly uncomfortable level. Anchorman 2 is no exception, and there are definitely moments where this film goes to crazy town. As funny as I feel this movie is, I don't think it's meant for all to enjoy equally. People over the age of 40 might not enjoy the style of humor as it's far more catered to the 20's and 30's crowd. That being said, they may understand some of the social commentary from the time period this movie is set, where that could just go over the heads of younger viewers.

It's surprisingly difficult to critique comedies, as to a certain extent they are the most subjective kinds of movies. Either you laugh at a joke or you don't, there's not really anything to judge beyond that. However, there are general story-telling nits I could pick in this film. Some of the subplots are completely arbitrary and seem thrown in without any intention beyond setting up gags. It also tends to lean a little too heavily on the reputation of its predecessor, relying on in-jokes and call-backs as opposed to creating new material.

Even with those criticisms thrown in, this is still a ridiculously fun time at the theater. It may be a little crude for some, but for fans of the original Anchorman, this film is pretty much all you could have asked for in a sequel. There are tons of hilarious cameos, clever exchanges and one-liners to the point that it will take multiple viewings to even process all of the humor intricately woven into this 2 hour comedy. It's not a perfect film by any means, but it's exactly what I expected and mostly what I hoped for. Time will tell how this sequel compares with the legacy of the original. I recommend Anchorman 2 and give it a very strong three stars.

ANCHORMAN 2 is rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, drug use, language and comic violence

Coming Soon: Anchorman 2!

Release Date: December 20, 2013
Rating: PG-13

Directed by: Adam McKay

Written by: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay

Starring: Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Christina Applegate

Running time: 119 minutes

With the 70's behind him, San Diego's top-rated anchorman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Also back for more are Ron's co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fontana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won't make it easy to stay classy while taking the nation's first 24-hour news channel by storm.

One of the most memorable and quotable comedies of the twenty-first century is finally getting the long-awaiting sequel we've all been hoping for since 2004! For years the cast of Anchorman have teased a possible reunion, with even a couple of false starts keeping the expectations of fans at the breaking point. After eight years, some might think the novelty would have worn off, but clearly fans of the original are clamoring for the sequel's release later this week.

This film, like the original "Legend of Ron Burgundy", stars a comedic tour-de force of Will Ferrell, Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner. While the last film marked a break-out performance from cast members like Carell, the stars have only increased in fame and demand since 2004 (surely one of the contributing factors to the delay of the film's release). When asked about what made them want to return to this sequel when they virtually had their pick of roles, Paul Rudd said, "For me, mainly it was like working with these guys again who I love... it was such a blast doing the first one that... I would jump at the chance to come back and beat a dead horse."

Carell responded in a similar fashion. "I think we all felt exactly the same way. We all just wanted to do it for the sake of doing it, and I think we all would have done it in a vacuum. Even if there was no camera, we would have come back and done it, because it's so much fun." Clearly this is a sentiment shared by fans, as Carell can hardly go anywhere without lines from his Anchorman character, Brick, being shouted at him. "I love lamp," he said simply, when asked which line was quoted to him most. Even when doing public shoots for things like The Office, Carell is still besieged by rabid fans of his work in the first Anchorman film.

Koechner, Rudd, Ferrell, and Carrell (from left to right)

With all of the hype and build-up for this sequel, it's easy to assume that all of the stars are merely coasting on the good will of the first film. It seems fairly common-place for comedies to not only bring nothing new to the table, but to commit the cardinal sin of showing the funniest scenes (and often the only funny scenes) in the trailer. While this film's trailer does boast some hilarious moments, Carell assures us that there are plenty of great scenes in store. "There's so much more," he said. "You know, you look at the trailer and you think, wow... they put everything in that they could and that's the entire movie. But there's so much more than is in the trailer, and funnier. So, I'm kind of psyched about the whole thing."

Fans who may be tentative about the film need look no further than the entire creative team's return as well as a cavalcade of new faces and talents (not to mention almost twice the production budget of the first film). With tickets pre-selling in droves and hungry fans desperate for more from Ron Burgundy and company, it's safe to say that Anchorman 2 is shaping up to be the comedy hit of the year. Anchorman 2 is being released nationwide on December 20th. Empty seats may be hard to come by, so be sure to get your tickets now!

*For more information about this film, please visit the official Anchorman 2 web site.

For the full interview with Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, click here!

<-- (Don't forget to click a theatre link to find showtimes of Anchorman 2 in a theater near you!)