Top Ten of 2013

Hey dudes, here's another one of my top ten lists that's 3 months late. Actually, this one is a little later than usual. As my own personal rule, I try to make my list before the Oscars take place since it usually takes me that long to get caught up not just on the nominated films, but also ones that I just plain missed. Hell, I still haven't seen quite a few, like Short Term 12 or All is Lost. I plan on it, but you know, whatever.

2013 was kind of a ridiculously good year for movies which meant that making this list was more than a little difficult. I mean, we had Prisoners, Spring Breakers ( LOOK AT MY SHIT!), Mud, The Last Stand, Iron Man 3, Drinking Buddies, Prince Avalanche, Rush, Captain Phillips, Riddick, Before Midnight, The Place Beyond The Pines, Pacific Rim and The Way, Way Back. Shit man, and those are just a few of the good ones.

Before getting into the top then though, I would like to talk about a few that missed the list, but only just.

First up, The Wolverine. Let's be real, this movie fucking rules. Jackman is as committed and ripped as ever, with a storyline based on one of the mutants' most beloved tales from the comics. Director James Mangold gleefully shows off Logan in full berserker rage mode numerous times in The Wolverine, something that was only ever hinted at or shown once a film. Also, the director's cut is something of a rarity these days, an alternate cut of the film that actually improves on the theatrical version. It's only about 10 or so minutes longer, but we get an extended blood bath of a fight between Logan and some ninjas as well as the Wolverine saying 'fuck' a few more times. Seriously though, Mangold made a really solid Wolverine flick filled with great action and probably the best performance Jackman has given as the regenerating mutant. If this turns out to be the final solo film for him, it will certainly be one that left us wanting more.

Next up is 12 Years A Slave, one of the most brutal, haunting and honest depictions of slavery in America that's ever been put on film. Pretty much everything about this movie is great, and I'm genuinely glad it won Best Picture at the Oscars. If anything, I'm a little disappointed Paul Dano didn't get a little more love. Everyone who was nominated and/or won absolutely deserved their accolades, but Dano is a master of all things despicable, and he really made my skin crawl, more so even than Michael Fassbender's character. No matter though, the film is great and will long be remembered as a great piece of work.

Ok, so this one hurt. I really wanted this one in the top ten. Pain & Gain is the kind of movie that's basically made specifically for me. First off, it's directed by Michael Bay. Second, it stars Dwayne The Rock Johnson, no quotations required. Typically, I wouldn't need much else, but my man Bay decided to throw in Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie, Tony Shalhoub, Ed Harris and a so unbelievable but it's true storyline that I really didn't have a choice but to love it. In fact, this review sums up my feelings pretty well.

Ok, the moment most of you don't care about. Here are my ten favorite movies from 2013.

10. This Is The End- Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the writers and star of Superbad and Pinapple Express, make their directing debut with one of the most insane, star studded, and smartest comedies of the year. Basically, a bunch of famous people gather at James Franco's house for a party, and the end of days begins. Everyone is the movie plays themselves, or at least a version of themselves, a fact that was unfortunately lost on a lot of people I know who didn't like the movie, but they were stupid so who cares. Rogen and Goldberg display great confidence as comedy directors, but their strength lies in their writing abilities. This Is The End really swings for the fences and goes to some genuinely weird places, but thanks to a lot of great jokes and a recurring theme of friendship that has popped up in just about all of their scripts, the film proves to be their best collaboration yet, and I can't wait to see that else they have up their sleeve.

9. Inside Llewyn Davis- Ah, the Coens. This is actually the only movie on the list that I haven't seen more than once. However, the Coens' ode to giving up on your dream has stayed with me nevertheless. Honestly, I need to see the film again before I can even think about doing a write up that will do the movie justice, but I couldn't ignore the effect the film had on me. Once again, the Coens' have cast the movie perfectly, with Oscar Isaac leading the way with an already criminally underrated performance as Llewyn Davis. If you haven't already, see this immediately.

8. The World's End- Oh hey, that other comedy about the end of the world. Edgar Wright re-teams with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost to finish their Cornetto Trilogy and the result is the trio's most accomplished work to date. Look, Shaun of the Dead is pretty much perfect, but I think in time The World's End will prove to be the best of the three. Like This Is The End, all three cornetto films had a strong friendship theme running through them, but none more so than The World's End. As per usual with Wright's films, it took me a second viewing to discover just how touching and rich with character detail The World's End is. Now, here's to a year plus wait to the inevitable awesomeness that is Ant-Man.

7. You're Next- You guys, this is a great fucking horror movie. I saw it in a huge theater with maybe 4 other people in attendance and it was still one of my favorite movie-going experiences of 2013. Granted, no else in the theater seemed to like it as much as I did, but fuck them. I know a lot of people who thought the hype train kind of killed this movie, and I think I can see why. The movie doesn't really bring anything new to the table. In fact, it's a pretty standard home invasion movie in terms of plot. However, the film delivers with its extremely dry sense of humor and a group of talented actors that make the characters more than just the next victim. Not to mention this flick features one of the most badass female characters in recent memory. Get over the hype and enjoy You're Next for what it is: one of the most fun slasher flicks in a long, long time.

6. Man of Steel- I fucking love this movie. I've said it since the first viewing, and somewhere in between I kind of had second thoughts. I never gave up on loving it, but I was very aware of the films faults. I still don't think it reaches the heights of even Batman Begins, but I think the film gets a lot right. Also, I'm just glad we got to see Superman on screen again. I know some would argue otherwise, saying that Superman never really saves anyone here, given that that's what he's known for. I can't argue that their wrong. I mean, he saves the world and all, but the great thing about Superman is that when he's not fighting supervillains, he's saving cat's from trees. No job is too small for Superman. That's just who he is, and I love him for it. I think Zack Snyder knows that, too. He just wanted to show us how that man learns that no job is too small. I could be completely wrong too, but it would make for great sequel fodder to show the Man of Steel learning from all the damage he caused during his fight with Zod. Will that happen? I have no idea, but I loved Henry Cavill's take on the character and I loved seeing a more alien version of Krypton. My favorite on screen iteration will always be Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie from 1978 with Christopher Reeve and I have a whole lot of love for Superman Returns too. Still, I love Man of Steel and even if the sequel screws it all up, and it might, I'll still have this action packed take on the iconic character to enjoy.

5. Her- Ugh, I still have a hard time putting into words just how much I loved this movie. It's basically a great exercise in learning from the love you lost and using that to move forward. The film itself isn't that simple, but that's the beauty of it. Look, just watch this movie. It's a Spike Jonze movie about a guy who falls in love with his operating system. Come on.

4. Gravity- I love it when big, expensive movies get it right. And I don't just mean be entertaining either. It doesn't hurt to have a genuine master behind the camera like Alfonso Cuaron, not to mention a huge bag of charisma and acting talent filled with George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Gravity was a movie that's meant to be seen on the big screen, but somehow still works on the small one. I can't verify it, but I'm sure being stranded in space might be fucking terrifying, and Cuaron realizes that fear brilliantly.

3. Fast & Furious 6- How has this franchise become so amazing? Oh yea, Justin Lin and his amazing eye for all things ridiculous and action related. Lin's love of this series bleeds through on every frame, and I'm going to have a hard time accepting anyone else at the helm. Not only has he raised the stakes in term of action with each entry, but he's insisted on maintaining a continuity with story and characters and its theme of family above all else that I can't help but find myself rooting for these guys every time.

2. About Time- This movie has officially replaced The Notebook and 13 Going on 30 as my favorite romantic anything. Don't fret, I still love The Notebook, and I'll probably revisit it most when I'm an emotional wreck for any reason, but About Time is one of the sweetest, most sincere movies I've ever seen. No other film from 2013 gave me such an emotional reaction. It's so rare to have a romantic comedy that depicts a normal couple that has typical problems that they deal with and resolve with actual communication and patience. It's just a minor plot point that the male lead just so happens to able to travel through time. It's a great set up, really, and the film actually becomes more of a father-son bonding flick than a straight romantic comedy, and I really can't recommend it enough. Does that make me a hopeless romantic? No. But watch it anyway.

1. The Wolf of Wall Street- What a fucking insane movie. The drugs, the sex, the depravity. I loved it all. Scorsese kind of outdid himself here. Time will tell just how high this will rank among his filmography, but for now it's at least a close second for my personal favorite DiCaprio/Scorsese collaboration behind The Aviator. So much has already been said about this movie that I can't really add much, other than it's an absolute must. DiCaprio gives a performance that goes from straight dramatic to downright physical comedy gold. Also, Jonah Hill masturbates publicly. Hilarious, profane, and it features Matthew McConaughey in a year that was full of Matthew McConaughey. In short, The Wolf of Wall Street was my favorite movie of 2013.

So there it is. Feel free to judge, as I hope you all will.


I'm seeing some movies for Cary Citizen this month, but I'm also seeing Need For Speed for myself, so I'll come back here and say things about that movie.

Until then, suck it.