I know, I know. It's taking me forever to burn through this list. Originally, I thought I'd be able to do it in like a week and a half. I should have known better.
More than anything, I feel sorry for you, Dear Reader. Having to wait like a month for me to get through this list must be agonizing. Don't worry, we're almost there. The wait is nearly over.
Like I said with my last post, the top three movies on my list should really be considered a near-tie for Number One. Sure, there's a slight ranking and separation in my mind at the moment. But, in the long-run, I could see myself considering any of these three movies the best movie of 2013.
Gravity is just an amazing film. It's a brilliant cinematic achievement that will change the way we look at movies and, more specifically, how they are made. It's a game-changer that reminds us why we like going to the movies in the first place.
On the surface, the story is a simple one. It's about one woman's struggle to survive in what is the literally the harshest environment imaginable.
But, it is so much more than that.
This movie is about all of humanity, about our collective existence that is, in and of itself, something of a miracle given the impossibility of life throughout most of the universe. It is wrought with symbolism about life itself and our shared desire for connection. Dr. Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock) is our stand-in, having lost that desire along the way only to regain it in space where such connection would seem impossible.
I could go on and on about this movie. But I won't. As luck would have it, I blogged about this movie a while back. In fact, it was this movie that inspired me to start posting movie reviews again after a long, long hiatus. I won't say that my original post did the movie justice. But, it said enough.
For those of you that haven't seen this movie, you need to go see it now while it's still in theaters. This is not a wait-for-the-DVD movie. It's not a movie you see so much as one you experience...and that experience just won't be the same at home in your living room, I don't care how big your TV is.
What a glorious piece of filmmaking Gravity is. I've seen it three times and, each time, I've loved it more.
We're now getting down to the toughest part of my Top 10 list. When I sat down to compile my list, I had my top three picked out right away. The problem was, I didn't know what order to put them in. Even as I've gone through the process of posting my other entries, I've switched the order of the final three around at least four or five times.
I suppose you can say that I have a three-way tie for first place.
All of the movies in the top three are, in my opinion, masterpieces, among the best movies of the last decade. In the end, when I had to decide what order to put them in, I decided to go with how they each stood up the best upon multiple viewings. That made it only slightly easier.
Ultimately, the order I've put these movies in only reflects my feeling today. I can't say that I'll feel the same way in the future. Of course, that's one of the things I love about movies, how they change and evolve in my mind over time.
Anyway, enough delay. Let's talk about 12 Years a Slave.
As you'll recall, I've already posted a fairly extensive review of this movie on the blog. So, I'm not going to try to recreate that here. But, I do want to post a few quick thoughts.
In my earlier post, I referred to this movie as "a cinematic kick to the balls." I also likened it to "a long, slow beating." After seeing the movie a second time, I think those descriptions are still pretty apt.
I don't think I've ever seen a movie so brutal. And, I'm not just talking about violence and gore, because it's more than that. Don't get me wrong, there movie has its fair share of violent moments. But, the most brutal moments are those wherein we see the mindset that justified slavery in the first place. The movie immerses the audience in this world entirely, making it, I believe the first film to really examine the issue of slavery in such a way.
That is what makes 12 Years a Slave a landmark film.
In the opening scene of Her, the latest film from the brilliant director Spike Jonze (and the first movie he's written), we seen Theodore Twombly (played by Joaquin Phoenix) dictating a letter to his computer. It's a touching letter expressing beautiful thoughts about love and relationships. However, we learn quickly that Theodore isn't writing this letter for himself -- he's not a woman and he's clearly too young to be writing about his 50th wedding anniversary.
No, Theodore's job is to write letters -- deeply personal and meaningful letters -- for other people. He works at a company that provides this service to an apparently broad and diverse clientele. It's in these opening moments that we learn the central question the movie will be asking: How will human beings connect with one another in a future that has us growing ever apart?
This is an ambitious undertaking. And, to be honest, I'm not sure that the movie does it adequate justice. But, even if it falls short of its goals -- and I'm not saying it does -- the movie takes us an wonderful philosophical ride.
Theodore's story takes place in the not-too-distant future, when, among other things, people outsource their most personal interactions. That is what keeps him employed. And, despite his apparent gift for simulating connections for other human beings, Theodore Twombly has a difficult time making and sustaining connections with other human beings. This, we learn, is what ended his marriage to Catherine (played by Rooney Mara). And, it's what keeps him isolated in his lonely apartment night after night.
This all begins to change when he meets someone new. That someone is a new operating system (OS) for his computer and cell phone. After answering a few preliminary questions, Theodore calls his OS into existence and, immediately, she (it?) begins to evolve. Her first order of business: naming herself Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson).
You buy Samantha as a real character right away. As she goes about organizing Theodore's life, she expresses support and empathy all along the way. It's easy to see why he takes comfort in her company, even though she's not there with him physically. After a few weeks a late-night conversations about life and trips around a futuristic Los Angeles where Samantha sees the world through the camera on Theodore's phone, the two begin to fall in love.
I won't go into too much detail beyond the boy-meets-OS premise. Instead, I'll just say that what follows is a meditation on the complexity of all human relationships, how relationships change as people change and how one person's expectations can set another person up for failure. In the movie, these complexities exist -- and are in many cases amplified -- even when one of the "people" in the relationship doesn't have a body.
The movie doesn't prescribe answers to the questions it poses. In a late night conversation with his best friend (played by Amy Adams), Theodore asks, "Am I just in this because I'm not strong enough for a real relationship?" To which she responds, "Is it not a real relationship?" There's never a full and complete answer to that question. All you know is that it feels real to those involved and you see how it impacts them.
Yes, there are distinct elements of classic science fiction in here. There are computers that become self-aware and begin to expand their views and desires beyond their original programming. But, this is all just backdrop for the central love story and the exploration of human nature that the movie is trying to undertake.
It may all sound gimmicky and a little creepy, but that's not the way it plays on screen. Jonze has created a space where these two characters develop without judgment or irony. And, it works -- one hundred percent. You don't feel sorry for Theodore and his relationship with his computer. You don't laugh at their interactions, except in those moments where you actually relate to what they're going through. Instead, you watch this relationship develop with wonder and curiosity, just as you would any other relationship between two movie characters.
It's a testament to great writing and filmmaking. Spike Jonze is the man.
Of course, it helps that he has Joaquin Phoenix playing the lead. With this role, he lets go of his trademark intensity and machismo. What's left is a natural vulnerability that I don't think he's ever displayed before. He's in virtually every shot of the movie. And, his sensitive, sympathetic portrayal of the main character is what drives the movie forward. I won't say that he was robbed of an Oscar nomination...but he, like many other actors last year, gives an awards-worthy performance in this film.
Scarlett Johansson's performance is almost just as extraordinary. Though you never see her, she fully inhabits Samantha, giving her life and dimension that doesn't really seem possible. I don't believe in handing out awards for voice acting. But, if a voice-only performance ever deserved awards consideration, it's this one.
Long story short, this is just a fantastic film. I've seen it twice, and it holds up beautifully. In almost any other year, this film would likely be at the very top of my list. But...2013 wasn't just any year.
I know what you're thinking. A movie like The World's End doesn't belong on a Top 10 list. Top 10 lists are for super-serious Oscar-bait and not for raucous and unruly comedies that can't even decide what genre to be in.
Well...shutup. You're wrong. And, it's a pity that so much of the world thinks like you do, because, if there was any justice in the world, movies like this would win Oscars. The World's End is one of the best comedies in years. It's story and performances are sublimely layered and, yes, pretty darn subtle. The direction is insanely tight -- indeed, for a slapstick comedy about beer and killer robots, there's not an ounce of fat on it. And, the script is easily one of the best of the year.
Put simply, this is a great movie. Damn The Man.
This is the capstone to the heralded Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy brought to us by director Edgar Wright and his co-writer and star Simon Pegg. The previous two films in the trilogy -- Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz -- were wonderful send-ups of genre filmmaking and were both brilliant in their own right. However, with The World's End, Wright and Penn have outdone themselves. This is their best work so far, in my sort-of-humble opinion.
The story begins with an introduction to Gary King (Pegg's character) as he gives a recount of the best night of his life. Sadly, that night took place in high school, when he and his four best friends went on an unsuccessful pub crawl through their hometown. Even sadder, he's telling this story in what is apparently a rehab facility.
For some unknown reason, Gary decides that it's time to try to relive that night, to retry the pub crawl -- referred to affectionately as "The Golden Mile" -- with his old friends in tow. So, he set's off to try to convince his old buddies to come along. Of course, they've all grown up and moved on. And, as you might expect, they don't really have room for Gary and his stunted development in their lives.
Gary's friends are all perfectly cast. Oliver (played by Martin Freeman) is a boring real estate agent always tied to his Bluetooth. Steven (played by Paddy Considine) is a divorced construction foreman constantly reminding everyone that he's dating a 26-year-old personal trainer. Peter (played by Eddie Marsan) is the son of a rich auto dealer who's now in the family business. And, of course, there's Andrew (played by Pegg and Wright's third musketeer, Nick Frost), a lawyer who, for reasons that aren't immediately known, no longer wants anything to do with Gary.
Gary visits each of his friends separately and convinces them to once again attempt to traverse The Golden Mile. And, though they are all reluctant, they eventually agree to come along, each for their own reasons.
Now, you could make a pretty decent movie about five old friends returning to their boring hometown for a pub crawl. You'd have a story about growing up and growing old. Friendships rekindled. Demons confronted. All of that's in there, of course. But, the movie is so much more than that.
Upon their return home, Gary and his friends come to learn that home isn't what it used to be. First of all, their favorite pubs have all been watered down -- "Starbucked" is the term they use -- to the point where they're all the same. And, second, all of the people in town have been replaced by robots of an unknown origin. I don't want to give too much away regarding what we eventually learn about the robots and their intentions. I'll just say that the pubs aren't the only thing they're trying to Starbuck.
So, yes, what started out as a you-can't-go-home-again comedy eventually morphs into a sci-fi action movie. It comes complete with outstanding special effects and beautifully choreographed fight scenes. All of it moves toward a climax that is one of the funniest scenes ever put to film.
For Simon Pegg fans, he's at the top of his game here, both as a comedic actor and an actor actor. It may not seem like it at first, but there's a lot going on underneath the surface with Gary King. As always Pegg and Frost play off of each other perfectly. Seriously, I'd watch these two read the phonebook, so long as they were doing it together.
But, the real star of the movie is the screenplay, which is damn near perfect. They set up every joke and knock down every punchline. The whole thing moves like it's on a clock, never dragging, never obsessing over its own ideas. Like I said, it's one of the best scripts of the year.
What a glorious movie. I've seen it three times already...and I can't wait to see it again.
Over the last few months, I've read a number of reviews and articles about Fruitvale Station. Almost all of them, I think, miss the point.
The movie tells the true story of Oscar Grant (played by Micheal B. Jordan), a young African American man who was senselessly shot and killed by police on New Year's Eve 2009. From that description alone, you're likely to conclude that this is a movie about race -- or, more pointedly, about racism -- in America. That's certainly what a lot of commentators and critics have inferred from the movie, many of them arguing, for example, that the story gained more resonance after the shooting of Trayvon Martin.
But, I don't think that's what this movie is about. At least, it's not what I got from it.
Instead, I believe Fruitvale Station is a movie about the interconnectedness of all people and the value of a single human life. And, while the movie is certainly race-conscious, I don't think the story it's trying to tell is race-centric. I suppose you could say that it's like the movie Crash, but with about 100 times more grace and subtlety.
While Oscar Grant's story is most noteworthy for the circumstances surrounding his death, the movie opts to tell the story of his life. In the end, it is the life he led that made his death such a tragedy. In watching Oscar go through his last day, we learn about the people in his life -- his girlfriend, his daughter, his friends, and, of course, his mother (played by Octavia Spencer) -- and the impact he had on them. We see him interact with perfect strangers, offering assistance and conversation to random people that he meets. And, we see him try to save a dog after its been hit by a car.
Oscar's not a saint. He's done time in prison for selling drugs. And, though it landed him in jail, he considers going back to that life after he loses his job at a grocery store. He's cheated on his girlfriend. He makes promises to his mother that he doesn't deliver on. The movie goes to great lengths to show that Oscar isn't perfect, but that doesn't make him any less deserving of basic human respect and dignity. Moreover, as the movie shows us, it doesn't mean that he can't influence the lives of others for good.
All of this builds toward a climax on a metro station platform and the fateful encounter with the police. But, in my opinion, it's the moment right before that that brings the movie home. Oscar and his friends are trapped on a train with dozens of other people, missing the New Years' Eve celebration. At that moment, people from different races and backgrounds all join together to celebrate the moment, demonstrating one last time how everyone, despite their differences, is connected to everyone else.
Sure, it's a little corny. And, maybe it's overreaching. But, it works.
When Oscar finally does have his run-in the with the police, the movie takes great care not to get inside the mind of the cop who shoots Oscar. We never learn his motivation. In fact, he's barely on screen for more than a few seconds. At first I thought this was a flaw in the story-telling. But, after a while, I realized it was essential. The mindset of the police officer isn't important. That's not the story the movie is telling.
In my view, that is why the Trayvon Martin comparisons are so misleading. Everyone's view of the Trayvon Martin story is determined, in large part, by what they think George Zimmerman's intentions were. In Fruitvale Station, the intentions of the shooter are irrelevant. Oscar Grant's death is a tragedy, not because a policeman may have been racist -- once again, we don't know -- but because of the life he was trying to live and the people he touched.
I don't know, maybe it's me who's wrong. But, that's how I saw it.
The movie works in large part because of the performance of Michael B. Jordan. He is, to put it simply, a force to be reckoned with. Many people saw him on TV shows like "The Wire" and "Friday Night Lights," where he was very good. But, this is all new territory for him. He is in every scene, almost every shot, and he holds your attention every step of the way. It is one of the best performances by an actor in 2013.
The movie was written and directed by Ryan Coogler. This is his first feature. And, while it's a little rough around the edges -- like first movies often are -- the film shows great restraint. He never goes over the top, though it would have been easy to do so. And, rather than overreaching on the overall message, the movie always stays grounded in the reality of Oscar Grant's life. It's a sight to behold.
I loved this movie. It's powerful. It's unique. It's one that you won't soon forget.
I'm doing it again. I know I said I wouldn't, but, what're you gonna do?
We've reached another entry in my Top 10 list that I've already reviewed on the blog. And, we're also getting to the point where the process of counting down movies and writing individual reviews for each entry is taking way too long.
I've got cut corners somewhere.
So, I'm cutting them here, with Number Seven on my list: All is Lost. Instead of writing a brand-new review, refer you back to my original post and hope that you take the time to give it a read, if you haven't already. I will say a few things about this movie here and now, but, I'll keep it brief. Like I said, I'm cutting corners here, people.
All is Lost is an astounding piece of filmmaking, most notably because the degree of difficulty in putting together a movie like this without having it crash and burn. This is a story with one character, no real dialogue, and a barren setting. Yet, every shot and every movement of the camera draws you in and makes you care about the outcome.
It's a testament to the talent of director J.C. Chandor and to the star power of Robert Redford that this movie not only works, but works so incredibly well.
Now, I've read a few pieces trying to interpret the movie. One even said that they thought that All is Lost is a metaphor for the financial crisis. I don't know about all that. I suppose I'd have to see it again to fully grasp what it's trying to say.
But, you don't need any metaphors to enjoy this movie. On its most basic level, it's a visceral, primal story about human survival, one that never ceases to amaze.
The first thing I noticed when I watched Short Term 12, the brilliant piece of indie-film work from director Destin Cretton, was that it is better than its premise. Far better.
Movies like this always tend to devolve into a sort of schmaltzy after-school-specialness that overwhelms the senses and drowns out anything unique or particularly praiseworthy about the rest of the movie. But, this movie doesn't do that, and it's a testament to the filmmaker -- not to mention a wonderful cast -- that it doesn't.
The movie is set in GoldDerby, a short-term care center for at-risk kids. The supervisors of the center -- those spending the most time with the kids -- are a bunch of 20-somethings, really just kids themselves. The lead supervisor is Grace (played by Brie Larson), who's hiding a long-term relationship with her co-worker Mason (John Gallagher Jr.). Grace and Mason aren't doctors our counselors -- we learn that very early on -- they are just there to provide a safe supportive environment for the kids. And, that's what they do, day in and day out.
The story runs on two separate tracks. The first is just a sort of a slice-of-life track , demonstrating what life is like in a facility like this. Cretton apparently worked in one of these places for a few years, and it shows. The scenes inside GoldDerby all feel incredibly authentic, never glossed over, but also never exploited to make it seem disturbing or scary.
These scenes work because of the director's attention to detail. We see them hand out the meds. We watch them play games none of the kids really like. We see the supervisors search rooms for contraband. At every step, the audience if fully immersed in the life of these kids.
This track of the story also works because the kids are never caricatures or stereotypes of what you'd expect of kids in a group home -- they are fully realized characters. Chief among them is Marcus, who writes rap songs to deal with the traumas of his youth and is stressed because he's about to turn 18 and age-out of the home. There's also Jayden, a cutter with attitude that masks deeper problems than what you see on the surface. All of the kids have their moments and, like I said, it all works.
The second track of the story is an exploration of Grace's character. As the story unfolds, we learn about the horrors of her childhood and how they're coming back to haunt her. And, with Jayden's arrival at GoldDerby, she's remind of feelings she's tried to repress. These same feelings keep her from having a full and healthy relationship with Mason, who, we learn, also had a troubled youth.
As I describe this, I'm' fully aware that Short Term 12 sounds like a generic message movie, but it's not. Believe me.
At every point when the movie feels like it's headed down that road, Cretton's direction and story takes the audience elsewhere, somewhere deeper and more meaningful. He's never heavy-handed, never selling out to sentiment or convention. Even in the third act, when characters make some extreme decisions, Cretton never overplays his hand.
It's a masterful piece of filmmaking all the way around. I can't wait to see what he does next.
It helps that he has Brie Larson in the lead role. If you see a lot of movies, you've seen her around...but not like this. This is a truly revelatory performance. It's a low-key, slow-burn endeavor. She's not chewing up any scenery or putting on a show. But, she's aiming straight for your heart, and she hits it dead center.
It's shame that this movie wasn't marketed a little better. If it were, Larson would definitely be in the Oscar conversation.
All in all, this is just a fantastic little film. Indeed, it's the best movie no one saw in 2013.
Okay...so...here's the thing: I'm tired, lazy, and a little busy. But, at the same time, I REALLY want to get through my posts the Top 10 movies of 2013.
As luck would have it, my Number Nine choice, Nebraska, is a movie I've already reviewed here on the blog. My hope was to write an all new post. However, did I mention that I was tired, lazy, and a little busy at the moment?
There's a lot more I could say about this movie that I didn't cover in my original review. For example, I could write some more about what a great director Alexander Payne is. I could say something about how it this movie isn't just a beautiful tribute to small town America, but a larger examination of America as a whole. I could mention that it also wonderfully examines deeper themes, like loss and regret. Most of all, I could talk about how this movie burrowed its way deep into my mind and continued to haunt me for days after I saw it.
Yeah...I could totally go into all of that. But, I'm not going to. Instead, I'm going to give you a link to my earlier review and hope that you give it a read.
Sorry, dear readers. I'll try not to do this with any other entries on my Top 10.
In the opening scene of American Hustle, Irving Rosenfeld (played by Christian Bale) stands in front of a mirror perfecting an epic comb-over with his hair. He's meticulous, taking his time, even gluing in some fake hair for good measure. The scene is hilarious, and it sets the stage perfectly for the rest of the movie.
Irving is a fraud, just like everyone else in this movie.
Irving owns a small chain of dry cleaners, but he makes most of his money through phony art deals and personal loan scams. He's got a wife (played by Jennifer Lawrence) and an adopted son in Long Island, but his heart belongs to his partner in crime Sydney Prosser (played by Amy Adams), another fraud.
Sydney's an Albuquerque transplant who came to New York dreaming remaking herself as a member of high society. After meeting Irving and learning about his business model, she decides to don a fake accent and become Lady Edith Greensley, a British aristocrat with London banking connections, believing (correctly) that such an association would help with the fraudulent loans.
Eventually, they try to scam the wrong guy -- Richie DiMaso (played by Bradley Cooper), an ambitious and delightfully hotheaded FBI agent. Richie catches them in the act, but proposes that they help him catch other scam artists in return for avoiding jail times. The result of their combined efforts is the FBI's Abscam operation, a real-life endeavor that eventually eventually lead to the convictions of seven members of Congress for bribery. The movie, however, is a fiction.
Richie is also fraud. He's an underling at the FBI and he concocts this operation and let's it grow in size and complexity, even going around his superiors to do so, as a means of raising his stature. Like Iriving, he sports a fake hairstyle, putting his hair in curlers every night, which is hilarious, by the way. Eventually, he falls for Sydney, though he doesn't know she's not British or, for that matter, that her name is Sydney. This, of course, is part of Sydney's plan, both to keep Richie close and to punish Irving. And, it works. Richie is sucked in by her life as a scam artist -- the parties, the dance clubs -- even though he's got a plain fiance stashed away at home.
In the end, all three lead characters are scamming each other and the movie is a race to see who will scam who last. The most honest character in the movie is the original target of their operation, Camden, New Jersey Mayor Carmine Polito (played by Jeremy Renner), who, from the outset, takes bribes and offers them to others.
All of this plays out with a rare kinetic intensity, playing fast and loose as the story unfolds. Though the plot is detailed and convoluted, the movie feels a little sloppy at times, which is actually a big part of its charm. This isn't Oceans Eleven or The Sting. No one in the movie is all that smart no one has an over-arching plan. Sure, there are scams and double-crosses, but they are made up as they go along.
This on-the-fly construction is the genius of director David O. Russell, who has really come into his own with his last three movies -- The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, and, now, American Hustle. Don't get me wrong, he was great before that, too. But, with these movies, he's established himself as one of the best mainstream filmmakers around.
As with Russell's previous films, the acting in this movie is superb across the board. Adams and Russell give career-best performances, both worthy of Oscar consideration, though, from the looks of things, they're not likely to get it. Bale is great as always, though, to be honest, it's probably his second best performance of the year, behind Out of the Furnace. Renner is also very good.
However, the most memorable performance in the movie is that of Jennifer Lawrence, playing Irving's needy, passive-aggressive wife who gets just involved enough in the operation to screw things up. She's a firecracker, an absolute scene-stealer. She's destined to receive her third Oscar nomination for this role. And, as I've said before, she's one step closer to world domination.
In the end, the movie drags out a bit too long and the final scam is one you should probably see coming if you've seen movies like this before. But, it never stops being fun and the characters never stop pulling you in. This is what happens when good filmmakers and great actors get together.
Well, it's that time of year again...pretty much my favorite time of year when it comes to the blog. It's time for me to unveil my annual Top 10 list.
I have to say that 2013 was a fantastic year for movies. So, making this list was particularly difficult. In an average year, I'd say that there are two to three great movies released. This year, there were at least eight or nine. And, three bona fide masterpieces came out in 2013, an extreme rarity.
In fact, while I have my Top 10 list all figured out, I'm still not sure what movie will take the top spot. I plan to post individual entries about each movie on my list, like I did in 2011. I should be able to finish it all in about a week or so. Hopefully, by then, I'll have it all figured out.
In any event, this is a different post entirely. This is the post where I talk about the movies I really liked that didn't make the list. Needless to say, there were a lot of those. So, in the interest of brevity, I'm just going to throw out some titles of movies that I think people should see.
I'll start with a list of indie movies that few people saw but that I'd highly recommend:
I know I'm leaving some movies off that list. Oh well.
I'll spare you the list of big-budget studio movies that I'd recommend and go straight to my REAL Honorable Mentions. These are the movies that I just couldn't find room for on my Top 10 list, even though I wanted to include them.
Here they are, in alphabetical order:
Before Midnight
A fitting capstone to Richard Linklater's trilogy exploring modern love and romance. If you've seen Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, you probably took the time to see this one as well. If you haven't seen them, you should. I wasn't fully on board with the first two films -- I enjoyed them, I just didn't go gaga over them like many people did. However, I really liked this last film.
Julie Delpy is absolutely superb in the movie. And, Ethan Hawke continues to carve out an interesting niche for himself. Definitely worth your time.
Captain Phillips
I actually reviewed this movie on the blog. It's a wonderful piece of filmmaking, featuring what may very well be Tom Hanks finest performance to date.
In any almost other year, this would have easily made my Top 10. This year, however, it just misses the cut. It was probably the hardest movie to keep off my list.
Iron Man 3
You should all know by now that I'm a sucker for comic book movies. And, though I had hoped that Man of Steel would take the prize as Super Hero Movie of the Year, it fell short of my lofty expectations. Luckily enough, Marvel injected some new life into its top franchise, most notably by putting director Shane Black. The result was the best big-budget blockbuster of the summer.
You've all seen this movie already, so I won't say any more.
Prisoners
I was very surprised that I liked this movie as much as I did. And, it held up the second time around.
Denis Villeneuve's crime drama was one of the most intense, gripping movie-going experiences I had in 2013. It's also a showcase of some very fine acting. Jake Gyllenhaal turns in what is easily the best performance of his career, playing a tortured cop determined to solve a child kidnapping. Hugh Jackman is also fantastic as the father of one of the kidnapped children.
Prisoners could have easily been just another run-of-the-mill crime thriller. And, I suppose, in many ways, that's what it is. But, it's all in the execution. With these actors, this director, and the brilliant cinematography by the great Roger Deakins, it comes together very, very nicely.
The Wolf of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese movies are like pizza: even when they're bad they're still pretty good. Not that this movie is bad -- it just doesn't reach the same heights as other Martin Scorsese-Leonardo DiCaprio ventures. It's a little too long -- just under three hours -- and, at times, it's a little too self-indulgent and gratuitous.
Still, it's hilarious. And, it has a myriad of great performances in it. DiCaprio is in top form. Jonah Hill is also very, very good. The whole ensemble just does a great job.
There's definitely room for criticism with this film. But, what it does well it does so well that it deserves a lot of praise.
Alright, there we have it. There were a number of other films worth mentioning in 2013. But, I don't want this to go on forever.
Next up -- hopefully in short order -- will be the post about Number 10 on my list.
