Films of 2013
The Films I've watched in 2013 ordered from best to worst.
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- DirectorSpike JonzeStarsJoaquin PhoenixAmy AdamsScarlett JohanssonIn a near future, a lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system designed to meet his every need.There are almost no words to describe Spike Jonze's extraordinary piece of cinema; it's a reminder of why stories exist. Everything about this film comes together with such perfection and intimate detail to bring the viewers into this world and to open our hearts to the loneliness of our world and the potential that love truly holds. Her is nothing short of a master piece of cinema and a film I will no doubt be talking about for years to come.
- DirectorDestin Daniel CrettonStarsBrie LarsonFrantz TurnerJohn Gallagher Jr.A 20-something supervising staff member of a residential treatment facility navigates the troubled waters of that world alongside her co-worker and longtime boyfriend.Short Term 12 is a marvel that shows us why indie cinema is still essential. It is something to embrace from start to finish as the cast and writer give such genuine reality to the story and open up something so subtle yet heart-changing. All of this is carried on the shoulders of the phenomenal Brie Larson who shows us she is one of the most powerful and heartfelt actresses in the industry.
- DirectorJohn Lee HancockStarsEmma ThompsonTom HanksAnnie Rose BuckleyAuthor P.L. Travers reflects on her childhood after reluctantly meeting with Walt Disney, who seeks to adapt her Mary Poppins books for the big screen.Saving Mr. Banks is an incredibly moving story that we just didn't expect. The scenes in the 60's are humorous and engaging with the realistically mind-blowing Walt Disney played by Tom Hanks. Travers' childhood is so quiet yet triumphant, led by the heart-breaking Colin Farrell and all held up by the woman of the year, the unstoppable Emma Thompson who makes one of the most unlikable characters on screen in 2013, bring us to tears.
- DirectorTerry McDonoughStarsDavid BradleyRoss Gurney-RandallRoger MayAn actor tapped by a succession of hard-man roles and a wannabe producer frustrated by the TV industry's glass ceiling find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday tea-time drama, time travel and monsters.A truly consuming tale about the back story behind one of Britain's longest running show. 'Adventure' stands out a powerful film because it shows all the love that went into the creation of Doctor Who that defeated the odds stacked against it. The story is utterly engulfing, but David Bradley's transformative performance will bring you to tears.
- DirectorAdam McKayStarsWill FerrellChristina ApplegatePaul RuddWith the 1970s behind him, Ron Burgundy, San Diego's former top-rated newsreader, returns to take New York City's first twenty-four-hour news channel by storm.When one of the greatest comedies of the century gets a sequel nine years later, there is a lot of anticipation as to whether it might actually work. But all the humour and style behind the original Anchorman stands as tall as Ron Burgundy's fantastic hair to give us another one of the comedic masterpieces of the century.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsSandra BullockGeorge ClooneyEd HarrisDr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first time on a space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking.It's hard to not be consumed by Gravity, the concept alone strikes fear into our hearts but the way Cuaron has captured it is on another level. It's hard to not be taken back by the beauty of space, yet instead we find ourselves digging clawmarks into our seats right until the very end, where impossible is redefined.
- DirectorBong Joon HoStarsChris EvansJamie BellTilda SwintonIn a future where a failed climate change experiment has killed all life except for the survivors who boarded the Snowpiercer (a train that travels around the globe), a new class system emerges.Snowpiercer is one of those surprising gems that just came out of nowhere from 2013, or to be precise Korea. What seems like it should be a basic idea, actually harks back to Orwell's ideas of totalitarianism. The script is bold, the cast is rough and the direction is aspiring. Snowpiercer stands above the rest as an excellent science fiction film and a political masterpiece.
- DirectorAlexander PayneStarsBruce DernWill ForteJune SquibbAn aging, booze-addled father makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim a million-dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize.At first look Nebraska seems like the movie you go and see with your grandparents at the old-timey cinema; but something about Alexander Payne is a marvel. The film never has any big moments or points of high-tension really, it just dives into the gorgeous world of everyday life and the performances/writing/directing that come out are glorious, Bruce Dern is one of the turns of the year.
- DirectorBaz LuhrmannStarsLeonardo DiCaprioCarey MulliganJoel EdgertonA writer and wall street trader, Nick Carraway, finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his mysterious millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby, amid the riotous parties of the Jazz Age.While there is continual debate over the accuracy of this adaption, Luhrmann's Gatsby comes off a dazzling recreation of Fitzgerald's story. The glamour of the roaring twenties comes alive with incredible tension, design a powerful cast and another fantastic performance from Leonardo Dicaprio.
- DirectorLouis LeterrierStarsJesse EisenbergCommonMark RuffaloAn FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances, and reward their audiences with the money.Now You See Me stands out as rather spectacular as it plays out just like a magic trick, fooling the audience the entire way. What seem like flashy spectacles, reveal themselves to be cleverly woven plot points to pull the ultimate trick on the audience at the end, leaving our jaws on the floor.
- DirectorFrancis LawrenceStarsJennifer LawrenceJosh HutchersonLiam HemsworthKatniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.The Hunger Games series keeps getting better, as Catching Fire becomes just as consuming as the books. Fantastic direction and continual commitment from Jennifer Lawrence and the cast, throw us in the midst of Suzanne Collin's epic world.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsIan McKellenMartin FreemanRichard ArmitageThe dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, their homeland, from the dragon Smaug.Just as successful as the first installation, The Hobbit is a pleasant return to middle earth led triumphantly by it's wondrous cast and held high by Peter Jackson's fantastic direction and headlong dive into bringing back in detail the fantastic world of middle earth.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsOscar IsaacCarey MulliganJohn GoodmanA week in the life of a young singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961.Inside Llewyn Davis keeps the audience in a trance the entire way through. There's something about the repetitiveness, the failure and the tiredness that is communicated beautifully in it's story and then brought to the forefront by the sensational Oscar Isaac that makes this film utterly engulfing.
- DirectorJonathan LevineStarsNicholas HoultTeresa PalmerJohn MalkovichAfter a highly unusual zombie saves a still-living girl from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion events that might transform the entire lifeless world.In the age of Twilight, it's hard to get our head past the sea of gross mythical monster love cliches. But Warm Bodies is funny, heart-warming and somehow completely original. It turns a standard zombie movie into something completely different and is fantastically engaging.
- DirectorSteve McQueenStarsChiwetel EjioforMichael Kenneth WilliamsMichael FassbenderIn the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.12 Years a Slave is the emotional monolith of the year, writer, director and actors come together to provide an incredibly powerful look into slavery like we've never seen before and show us that a hero can overcome all oppression and all obstacles if he has the will to live.
- DirectorChris BuckJennifer LeeStarsKristen BellIdina MenzelJonathan GroffFearless optimist Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.Disney may have finally found a comeback in it's formula, Frozen is a sensation and a return to the renaissance era. It's visually stunning and emotionally powerful with wondrous storytelling; but more so it provides hope that Disney still has many more amazing stories to tell.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJonah HillMargot RobbieBased on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.The Wolf of Wall Street is such an incredibly consuming look into debauchery in one of the world's biggest businesses. The direction and script are enough to keep you hooked into these revolutionary ideas for the entire three hours, but Dicaprio's marvellous performance as Jordan Belfort makes this film stand out as a triumph.
- DirectorKirk DeMiccoChris SandersStarsNicolas CageRyan ReynoldsEmma StoneAfter their cave is destroyed, a caveman family must trek through an unfamiliar fantastical world with the help of an inventive boy.Gorgeous visuals, clever humour, a vibrant original world and a beautiful story make The Croods a solid piece amongst Dreamworks' repertoire. If anything The Croods proves that Dreamworks can stand on it's own against the colossal giant of Walt Disney.
- DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsTom HanksBarkhad AbdiBarkhad AbdirahmanThe true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.Captain Phillips is incredibly directed and absolutely consuming idea, it keeps pushing it's boundaries raising the stakes for Tom Hanks every step of the way to show what true fear and bravery look like.
- DirectorRichard CurtisStarsDomhnall GleesonRachel McAdamsBill NighyAt the age of 21, Tim discovers he can travel in time and change what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend turns out not to be as easy as you might think.Richard Curtis' story is such an interesting exploration and heart warming revelation about love. The film truly plays with time to make the lives of the characters we connect to seamlessly pass by to make us questions we never even considered.
- DirectorDan ScanlonStarsBilly CrystalJohn GoodmanSteve BuscemiA look at the relationship between Mike Wazowski and James P. "Sully" Sullivan during their days at Monsters University, when they weren't necessarily the best of friends.While the film may not be the quality of the original, Monsters University still bears the same love for characters and intrigue in the world to stand up a great prequel for it's predecessor.
- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsChristian BaleAmy AdamsBradley CooperA con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild F.B.I. Agent, Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and the Mafia.David O. Russell's script is certainly interesting but the bravura cast makes American Hustle so fantastic. There is an excellent blend of comedy and drama that leaves us hooked right until the very end.
- DirectorJeff NicholsStarsMatthew McConaugheyTye SheridanJacob LoflandTwo young boys encounter a fugitive and form a pact to help him evade the vigilantes that are on his trail and to reunite him with his true love.McConaughey giving us even more absorbing performances this year, takes away to a small island at the back of a country town and fixates us on the incredibly interesting and unpredictable character of Mud.
- DirectorNoah BaumbachStarsGreta GerwigMickey SumnerAdam DriverA New York woman apprentices for a dance company and throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as the possibility of realizing them dwindles.Frances Ha feels completely fresh and original, it's so rare to see a female-lead comedy done so well. Greta Gerwig gives one of the performances from the year and leaves the audience begging to cast her as the lead in more and more comedies, she is completely consuming.
- DirectorJean-Marc ValléeStarsMatthew McConaugheyJennifer GarnerJared LetoIn 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is diagnosed with the disease.The story is decent on its own, but the film is carried on the shoulders by the incredibly revolutionary Matthew McConaughey and great support from Jared Leto.
- DirectorRawson Marshall ThurberStarsJason SudeikisJennifer AnistonEmma RobertsA veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.We're the Millers may seem like an idea thats been done before, but it is simply done incredibly well and manages to keep the humour fresh through the entire film from a main cast committed to the comedy.
- DirectorShane CarruthStarsAmy SeimetzFrank MosleyShane CarruthA man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives.Shane Carruth's trippy ideas are often hard to connect to, but there is still something very connectable in Upstream Color, and this is communicated well through the delicate use of sight, sound and a great performance from Amy Seimez.
- DirectorJames PonsoldtStarsMiles TellerShailene WoodleyKyle ChandlerA hard-partying high school senior's philosophy on life changes when he meets the not-so-typical "nice girl."There's something real and genuine about the romance experienced between Teller and Woodley in the Spectacular Now, it holds its own as a particularly interesting coming of age story and promise for two up and coming actors.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsHugh JackmanJake GyllenhaalViola DavisWhen Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts.The air of melancholy and fear never truly fades in Prisoners, while there was hope for Jackman and Gyllenhaal to be pushed further, the concept and atmosphere of Prisoners drives the film deep into the viewer right until the very end.
- DirectorNat FaxonJim RashStarsSteve CarellToni ColletteAllison JanneyShy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park.There's something about the Way Way Back that makes you really connect to it. Whether it's the reminder of summer, or connecting with the lovable Sam Rockwell; The Way Way Back turns a basic idea into quite a heart-warming movie.
- DirectorEdgar WrightStarsSimon PeggNick FrostMartin FreemanFive friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from twenty years earlier unwittingly become humanity's only hope for survival.
- DirectorShane BlackStarsRobert Downey Jr.Guy PearceGwyneth PaltrowWhen Tony Stark's world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
- DirectorRyan CooglerStarsMichael B. JordanMelonie DiazOctavia SpencerThe story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.Fruitvale Station is a powerful idea, with some really thought provoking imagery going on, but ultimately the big lead up to the climax we know is coming and are waiting for is not enough to hold up the film considering it is the majority of the screen time.
- DirectorJohn WellsStarsMeryl StreepDermot MulroneyJulia RobertsA look at the lives of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose paths have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Oklahoma house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.It's no surprise to here August: Osage County is based on a play, as the big collective dramatic scenes seem to be pulled straight from the original book, yet the overall story seems unrefined and incomplete. However, it's the acting powerhouse from the whole cast that make August: Osage County watchable.
- DirectorAlan TaylorStarsChris HemsworthNatalie PortmanTom HiddlestonWhen the Dark Elves attempt to plunge the universe into darkness, Thor must embark on a perilous and personal journey that will reunite him with doctor Jane Foster.
- DirectorJeff TremaineStarsJohnny KnoxvilleJackson NicollGregorio86-year-old Irving Zisman takes a trip from Nebraska to North Carolina to take his 8 year-old grandson, Billy, back to his real father.Seeing as it is a Jackass film, you can never expect more than toilet humour from it, but it makes for a great night of laughs and comedians interacting with the unknowing public is always interesting.
- DirectorHarmony KorineStarsVanessa HudgensSelena GomezAshley BensonFour college girls hold up a restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation. While partying, drinking, and taking drugs, they are arrested, only to be bailed out by a drug and arms dealer.Spring Breakers is slightly untied, the imagery and ideas are there, but are repetitive and unclear. The nudity of college girls is excessive, but not entirely purposefully excessive? Regardless the intriguing ideas and great turn from James Franco makes Spring Breakers an interesting film.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsIdris ElbaCharlie HunnamRinko KikuchiAs a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse.Pacific Rim is a good popcorn movie and great pack-a-punch visuals/action. But ultimately the story is plain and the acting is less than plain, but it makes for a good night of explosions and fighting.
- DirectorJoseph Gordon-LevittStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittScarlett JohanssonJulianne MooreA New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.There are some nice performances here from Gordon-Levitt and Johansson, with an intriguing and humorous script; but ultimately Don Jon isn't as interesting or as thought-provoking as it hoped to be.
- DirectorRon HowardStarsDaniel BrühlChris HemsworthOlivia WildeThe merciless 1970s rivalry between Formula One rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda.While the story struggles to hold it's audience the whole way, the performance and gorgeous tone of Rush makes it a decent watch from a genre of film we don't see enough of.
- DirectorPaolo SorrentinoStarsToni ServilloCarlo VerdoneSabrina FerilliJep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.There is an excellent sensuality taken with the film and the melancholy of age. But The Great Beauty is less a story of age and time and more a series of conceptual paintings. It's great imagery, but it's not all that much an interesting film.
- DirectorZack SnyderStarsHenry CavillAmy AdamsMichael ShannonAn alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.The opening of the film showed such promise, with gorgeous visuals to boot. But the script fell flat on it's face as Man of Steel looked to be as thought-provoking and dark as the Dark Knight trilogy but ended up being just another cliche-packed flat superhero script.
- DirectorBen StillerStarsBen StillerKristen WiigJon DalyWhen both he and a colleague are about to lose their job, Walter takes action by embarking on an adventure more extraordinary than anything he ever imagined.There are some incredible visuals in the film, but ultimately 'Secret Life' doesn't really know what kind of film it wants to be, it's not particularly funny, nor is it particularly dramatic and when Ben Stiller simply doesn't care enough for the role the movie doesn't really give much to watch.
- DirectorJoshua Michael SternStarsAshton KutcherDermot MulroneyJosh GadThe story of Steve Jobs' ascension from college dropout into one of the most revered creative entrepreneurs of the 20th century.Ashton Kutcher is definitely engaging in this movie, and shows that there is a lot more potential to him. But Jobs ultimately doesn't enough interest in it's story or really anything else other than its leading man to hold it up.
- DirectorDexter FletcherStarsPaul BranniganGeorge MacKayKevin GuthrieTwo soldiers return home to Edinburgh to resume their romantic and family lives.There are a few powerful showtunes in here and a great performance from Antonia Thomas, but Sunshine on Leith is ultimately just a movie without any climax or complication, it really is just a bunch of scots singing the Proclaimers songs, and they hardly have a repetoire to hold up the musical as it is.
- DirectorBrad FurmanStarsBen AffleckJustin TimberlakeGemma ArtertonWhen a poor college student who cracks an online poker game goes bust, he arranges a face-to-face with the man he thinks cheated him, a sly offshore entrepreneur.Another attempt at an intense thriller from two actors who have tired out the genre. None of the actors were engaging and the story left the imagination wanting much, much more. It was hard to sit through to the end of this film.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsCate BlanchettAlec BaldwinPeter SarsgaardA New York socialite, deeply troubled and in denial, arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister. She looks like a million dollars but isn't bringing money, peace or love.There's no denying Cate Blanchett's commitment and power in this piece, but it's not enough to save Woody Allen's self righteous trash. I felt like I sat through a 2 hour whinge session from a rich socialite as opposed to a story or a movie.
- DirectorStephen FrearsStarsJudi DenchSteve CooganSophie Kennedy ClarkA world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman's search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.Philomena aims to be an emotional vehicle stemmed from childhood tragedy, but ends up a boring self-righteous mess. The characters are utterly unlikable with a story that goes nowhere, leading to a cliche discovery all lead by the extremely irritable and worst person to watch on screen of the year, Steve Coogan.
- DirectorDennis DuganStarsAdam SandlerKevin JamesChris RockAfter moving his family back to his hometown to be with his friends and their kids, Lenny finds out that between old bullies, new bullies, schizo bus drivers, drunk cops on skis, and four hundred costumed party crashers sometimes crazy follows you.