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Post by Webber3000 on Dec 27, 2013 23:11:04 GMT -5
Here's two things I love: 1. Lists; 2. Movies.
So I thought I'd create a topic in which we could post our top movies of 2013. You can make it a top 3, 5, 10, 20, 256, up to as many movies as you've watched this year, in order or out of order, who cares. Just curious to see what you guys think.
I would post mine, but I have three more movies I'd like to see from 2013.
List on!
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Post by mr. excellent on Jan 4, 2014 5:19:03 GMT -5
This is tough because I only get to the major blockbusters every year, and skip many movies that are probably worth watching. Those are usually reserved for vacation times 6 months to a year (or 6 years) down the road.
Top 3 movies that disappointed me this year:
1. Ender's Game 2. Iron Man 3 3. Pacific Rim
I'm not saying these movies were bad, or that I didn't enjoy them. I'm just saying I was hoping for something different than what was advertised, and would have preferred a different outcome. Guillermo Del Toro emphasized the scale of his monsters (both mechanical and bio-engineered) by pointing the camera upward, zooming in close, and using heavy atmospheric effects. It was effective, but my favorite action scene was shot during the day at a distance, but lasted only a minute or two. From what I hear, the WB's next monster film will be taking a very different approach with the camera and action. Thumbs up to that.
Iron Man 3 could have been better in a few areas. Many have torn the story and twist to pieces already, so I'll just leave it at that.
Ender's Game was received well enough I suppose. I just wish the movie hadn't tried to shoe horn in so many themes at the end of the film that had been intentionally glossed over throughout. Focus on less things, and put more detail and care into the things you do keep.
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Post by Webber3000 on Feb 3, 2014 18:33:26 GMT -5
Alright, so here's my very subjective list of hardly comparable films that I have seen that came out in 2013 (ranked from best to worst in my opinion). I will append a very brief review to each pick of mine to justify its position on the list, doing my best not to include any spoilers. Also, since I chose to watch all the movies on the list except for Saving Mr. Banks, The Place Beyond the Pines, and Oz the Great and Powerful, having a good idea of what I was getting myself into, I thoroughly enjoyed almost every entry on the list, even the ones near the bottom. I'd recommend every single one of them except maybe the bottom three. Without further ado, here goes: - Rush
AHHHH!! I had little expectations going into this movie, but it is one hell of a ride! It is the most exciting flick I have watched since X-Men: First Class. I was on the edge of my seat during the whole thing... It had my heart pumping at 500bpm at least; I think I might have died. Regardless, the movie is absolutely fantastic! It had me rooting for both the protagonists, made me question which way to live is best, who is right and who is wrong. It made me share their stress before the races. The movie is so enjoyable... Hell, even while I was watching it, I was thinking to myself "Damn, this movie is freaking amazing!" For the following three weeks or so, I couldn't stop thinking about how awesome the experience was. You don't have to like Formula 1 racing or motor racing in general to absolutely love Rush. The performances, aided by the brilliant score and very engaging pacing make this film, in my opinion, the best of 2013.
- Star Trek Into Darkness
I often hear that the first J.J. Abrams Star Trek is for everyone and that its sequel is for die-hard Star Trek fans. I'll tell you what, I never got into old Star Trek films. Not that I tried, but I'm just saying, I don't qualify as a true Star Trek fan. Despite all of this, I freaking loved Into Darkness, even more so than the last one. It takes fewer risks, but what's not to love? It has great conflict, plot and character development. What more can you ask? Oh right! Great aesthetics, solid acting, a badass villain, and a sexy lady... This movie has it all! It is exhilarating at times and very emotional at others. It's very hard for me to think of major flaws any in Star Trek Into Darkness. It is a very well rounded film, which makes it my favourite summer flick of 2013!
- 12 Years a Slave
What to say about 12 Years a Slave? It is very, and I do mean very difficult to watch. It's very raw and very real about an atrocious time period. 12 Years a Slave doesn't half ass it: it explicitly depicts the horror that was slavery. But besides the brilliant, sometimes chilling performances by the entire cast, I would say that what sells the movie the most is its direction and cinematography. It is a love letter to the medium. Every single shot is charged with meaning, every camera angle is very well thought-out. Even someone like me, who is definitely not a film connoisseur, can be moved and touched by such attention to detail. The turning point of this film is the heaviest movie moment I have experienced this year. I believe 12 Years a Slave is a must for anyone who enjoys cinema... But go in knowing that you will not enjoy it in a very conventional sense.
- The Wolf of Wall Street
Leo has the shoulders of a giant. Talk about carrying a film! Jordan Belfort's characterisation is the one I enjoyed the most this year. Leonardo DiCaprio incarnates his silver tongue and his obsession for money flawlessly. The cinematography of The Wolf of Wall Street is also very interesting. It often seamlessly breaks the fourth wall, quickly providing a burst of information in a rather lively manner. The overall extravagance of everything going on is hilarious, I found myself laughing out loud multiple times during the screening. The abundant nudity and cursing superbly illustrates how crazy and abnormal the world surrounding Belfort truly is. The Wolf of Wall Street is sometimes meta, criticizing what is has seemed to praise a few minutes prior or vice versa. While I found this interesting, it didn't push my thoughts about its themes in a specific direction; it can be a conversation starter, but it didn't affect my opinion on money and morals much, yet it remains relevant, showing the "other side" of the overmediatized financial frauds and scams. The predominant weakness of The Wolf of Wall Street, however, is because it's three hours long! It's definitely a lot of fun, but by the 140 minute mark, it starts to feel lengthy. I'm not saying it lacks in content, but there's definitely a few scenes that could have been cut out without impacting the plot or having large repercussions on character development. If you can get over the duration, then you're in for one hell of a show, full of laughs, drugs, and tits.
- American Hustle
Twists and turns, fun and games. Much like Silver Linings Playbook but to a lesser extent, American Hustle is a very enjoyable film with amazing actors, whether it be the performance the protagonists or that of the supporting characters. David O. Russell really knows how to work with his people. The chemistry between the characters feels genuine, making the dialogue one of if not the best of 2013 in my opinion. The humour is good for the most part with some great jokes and some very mediocre ones. The pacing can feel slow at times, but it usually saves itself right before it actually gets boring. Finally, the ending of the movie is very climactic; it left me with a good taste in my mouth.
- Saving Mr. Banks
As I said in my intro, I wasn't planning on watching this film, but someone dragged me along, and boy am I glad that happened! Saving Mr. Banks is one of the few movies that nearly made me cry in recent memory (okay, I might have shed a tear or two... don't judge!). Emma Thompson, an actress who was unknown to me before this movie, kills it! Some scenes don't even have music playing in the background and still managed to pull my heartstrings, that's how good of an actress she is. Her character could have been really annoying if it were not for her amazing performance. Everything is written to toy with the watcher's emotions, and it most certainly works, but it also brings me to the main negative of the film: it feels very aggressive in that it sometimes seem to exaggerate emotional clichés screaming "THIS SCENE IS EMOTIONAL! CRY NOW!" There's definitely way more cheesy out there, and I'm not saying that it doesn't work, just that it feels a little forced sometimes. No matter, for someone who loves movies about fatherhood such as myself, this movie is a must. Like I said in the other thread, I'd definitely recommend Saving Mr. Banks to most of everyone who isn't offended by cute father-daughter relationships!
- Gravity
Space! That's the setting of Gravity. I feel it is very relevant nowadays, we get very few films that portray how scary space truly is. If one of us were to go to space, they wouldn't have their big Enterprise that can fight other ships in the endless vacuum, they'd only have themselves with seemingly little to no protection. The pinnacle of modern technology is still too primitive to tackle the vastness of outer space. Yet, we still have brave men and women who put their lives at risk and break free from the Earth's atmosphere, it is simply uncanny. And what if it goes wrong? Simply put, they're screwed... But not in this film, Sandra Bullock's character has the will and courage, despite seemingly nothing to fight for, to survive. She is alone, going from abandoned place to abandoned place trying to stay alive. The movie really promotes perseverance despite solitude, hope despite adversity. It is the story of an underdog, a single person against, literally, everything. It really had me rooting for her! Gravity is the most beautiful movie of the year, visually and in sound design. I know it's a little late to say it, but it is an experience that everyone should live in IMAX 3D, I would say; it is as immersive as a movie can get. Gravity's plot is, for all intents and purposes, very thin. It doesn't matter much, since it isn't a focus, but if you're the kind that gets bored when there isn't much of a storyline to follow, then Gravity is hard to recommend. It was a problem for few people with whom I've watched it.
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
This movie is a journey! It may not be nearly as good as any of the Lord of the Rings films, but it still made me feel like I was a part of the trip, in the meadows of Middle-earth. As always, the shots are breathtaking and the music very moody. I reckon the source material is more targeted towards children than the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it definitely shows in the film. Nonetheless, it makes for very funny, epic and memorable action sequences. The scene with the floating barrels is one of the funnest I have witnessed this year. Certainly, there are many "Whaaat, are you kidding me?" moments, but unlike the first Hobbit, it remains coherent in tone. The CGI is fantastic; Smaug, for instance, looks amazing, it's every kid's dream come true, the most badass CG dragon ever! But there are some scenes near the end of the film in which the lighting shifts from dark to light abruptly. Maybe it's just me, but I was blinded a couple times by that quick change, so I think it's worth noting. The issue with the Desolation of Smaug, however, is how inconclusive it is. I know, it's cutting the story in the middle, but it leaves every subplot I can think of on a cliffhanger. It just ends up feeling like a very long trailer for the third and final instalment of the franchise. I suppose their tricks work on me, now I'm pretty excited for There and Back Again (way to contradict myself!) Take my money Peter Jackson!
- Man of Steel
Henry Cavill is Superman. He is imposing, yet reassuring. Despite the inconsistencies in the tone of the film, it remains very good. The buildup to the climax is compelling, I really, really wanted Kal-el to blow a punch, but he remained calm. Kind of like a rollercoaster, it slowly goes up, higher and higher, getting more and more exciting as it gets close to the top, and ends up with a very steep descent, a very Supermanesque final battle! It might have overcompensated for the very forgettable Superman Returns' lack of punches, but it sure made the ride very enjoyable. Not a very original comparison, I know, but I think it works in this context. I would say the film missed a very good opportunity to conclude Superman's characterisation in the second act of the final battle, but instead went the apparent hentai route... Okay, not exactly, but come on... The tentacle was really unnecessary! But all in all, Man of Steel is a very good Superman film most certainly adding to and improving the summer lineup.
- The Wolverine
Like Thor (2011) and Spider-Man (2002), the Wolverine generally follows a very well defined superhero formula, and it sure plays in its favour. The Wolverine is no origin story, is set in a rather exotic country and has a very intriguing premise, yet, to me, it feels like the most conventional superhero movie that came out this year. What I love so much about this movie is that the stakes don't feel as high as those of superhero movies of late. Except for the very final battle, every single action sequence of the Wolverine is incredibly stylish. The thousand arrows in the Wolverine's back or the Samuraiesque duel in the Ninja House (they don't call me Mr. Technical Terms for nothing (nobody calls me that)) are very well shot, with surreal lighting and epic Hugh Jackman stares. Gotta love them Hugh Jackman stares. On top of all that, Wolverine's love interest is one of the sexiest Asian women I've ever seen on the big screen... That's just me being superficial, anyway... I will remember the Wolverine as one of the more solid standalone, down-to-earth superhero films. Not to say that the stakes aren't high at all, there are some pretty crazy events that take place, just that they feel graspable.
- Frozen
So I guess after releasing Wreck It Ralph, the people at Disney wanted to please their other big demographic: little girls. I don't have much to say about Frozen besides the fact that it's very reminiscent of Tangled, but I like to think it's the better movie of the two. The music is much better and more memorable, the animation is as gorgeous (the snow and ice look amazing!), the humour is as decent, and the message about love and trust is more on point. Nonetheless, a few scenes really don't hit as hard as they were intended to. Namely, the montage in the beginning showing the death of Elsa and Anna's parents feels much like an anticlimactic version of Up's famous introduction. Additionally, the movie is very formulaic; most of it has been done a thousand times over making it cheesy at times and predictable, thus also feeling a little too safe. All things considered, it remains a good and polished family film that anyone can enjoy.
- Monsters Univeristy
Good news everyone: Pixar still gets it! After Cars 2 and Brave, I was worried that Pixar would stop producing quality films again. But they proved me wrong with Monsters University. Although its caliber is no where near that of their best masterpieces, it still rocks. The first two thirds or so of the film don't impress too much. They feel like a setting that has been done a million times, just with monsters. It's a nice twist and I'm certainly guilty of laughing at many of their gags, but it's nothing special. Anyhow, the movie truly shines in its last act. It shows that it has heart; I truly felt for the animated creatures. It is not only a good time for children, but also for adults, like Pixar films used to and hopefully will continue to be.
- Pacific Rim
This is the one movie that knows what it is: over-the-top giant robots fighting giant monsters. And it doesn't stop half-way, boy does it go all the way. I mean, thinking of scenes like the rocket punch, the battleship as a baseball bat, or the convenient built-in giant shiny sword would be ridiculous in any other context, but in Pacific Rim, it works. The characterisation of all protagonists and antagonists is weak, but the movie has a strong leading female character, which is, to me, unheard of in this genre; it doesn't matter too much, but I think it's a nice, refreshing, and welcome change from the trite damsel in distress scenario. But I do feel that because of it being so focused on the action, Pacific Rim winds up being rather shallow. I got out of the theatre thinking that it was badass, but not much else. It doesn't leave much of an impression besides its premise.
- The Place Beyond the Pines
Similarly to 12 Years a Slave, the Place Beyond the Pines is a movie that feels pretty real, albeit exaggerated, illustrating more modern issues. It really gives a good feel about (sometimes unlikely but still) plausible cause-consequence chains. The Place Beyond the Pines captures the greyness of this world, suggesting that nothing is black or white, everything is somewhere in the middle. It is rather originally divided into three acts, and each one of them brings a new perspective on the whole issue. If I were to define the movie in a single word, the word would be: interesting. It tries many things, succeeds in some places and falls flat in others. I wouldn't call it avant-garde or anything of the kind, but it is ambitious and worth a watch.
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Catching Fire is the epitome of cautiousness. While this is not necessarily a negative, it plays absolutely everything safe. It stays faithful to the book and doesn't take any risks with regards to cinematography, which, on the one hand, makes it consistent with the first movie, but on the other, makes it feel dull and not fresh at times. On the bright side, the source material is quite solid, exploring the consequences of Katniss Everdeen's rebellious acts on a larger scale than the first Hunger Games film, while remaining entertaining. But despite being fun and thought-provoking, Catching Fire fails to be memorable. It's the last movie I watched from the bunch, and I have more vivid memories of many of the other movies on this list.
- Thor: The Dark World
When I mentioned movies whose stakes are too damn high in my Wolverine short review, The Dark World was one of them (along with almost every other Marvel Studios production). The scope of things is so grand that it fails to be engaging. Loki's characterisation is great, the character is very round, evolving in a funny and sometimes a little touching way. But he is the only character that stands out. Jane Foster's friends feel like cardboard clichés, their stories seem to exist solely for the cheesy jokes that come with stereotypes associated with their subcultures. The villain is barely developed at all, his motives are so hackneyed that I nearly forgot him while I was watching the very film, until the final battle. I neither felt for him nor did I share Thor's anger against him. Don't get me wrong, I love our world and all 7 or however many other universes there are, but it just felt big for the sake of being big. I like the movie, but next to the first Thor, it is very two-dimensional. Sure, it didn't feel like a prequel to Avengers 2, but that doesn't make it any better. It is very average.
- Iron Man 3
This film is the antithesis of Pacific Rim. It is schizophrenic: It has no idea what it's going for, so it tries absolutely everything. In the most epic, most climactic scenes, it still finds a way to ruin the mood with a silly joke. It has so little focus to the point that I completely forgot what it is about. A month ago, a friend asked me what Iron Man 3 was about, and I couldn't remember anything about the Mandarin and company whatsoever for a few seconds. The Whiplash came to mind before the Mandarin, and he is also very forgettable. Goes to say how much I liked the third Iron Man. I don't mind the freedoms they took with the source material, but they didn't lead anywhere. They opened so many doors, they could explore the inception of fear, the power of the media, or even the creation of terrorist superstars, but instead, they just stopped at the starting point. Iron Man 3 just yields cool action scenes ruined by flimsy humour. The movie is inconsistent, cheesy, and forgettable.
- Elysium
Elysium: The Biggest Disappointment of the Year. An intriguing premise, a great director, and Matt Damon, what could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, everything. Elysium is one of the dullest sci-fi movies I have seen in the past few years. It presents a very real problem, the growing gap between the rich and the poor as well as the effects of that disparity on both sides, with a brilliant visual metaphor, but concludes with absolute crap. The whole film is rather boring: for each tense and powerful scene (usually one with Sharlto Copley), there are ten that build up to nothing. The action is too flashy and the shaky cam tries too hard to make things more suspenseful. The violence for shock value doesn't deliver much of a message and just comes off as a gratuitous showing off of CGI effects. Elysium could have been so much more... It's a shame it turned out like it did.
- Oz the Great and Powerful
The black and white intro is pretty cool and the CGI monkey makes a few funny jokes... Other than that, Oz the Great and Powerful is subpar. The CGI, the romance, the music, the plot... Everything is weak and hard to swallow, so to speak. I like James Franco as much as the next guy, but this movie doesn't deliver at all. It's not horrible, but don't think I would even recommend it to a child, which makes it, in my opinion, the worst movie of 2013.
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Post by mr. excellent on Feb 8, 2014 17:14:56 GMT -5
Gravity provided me one of the best cinematic experiences I’ve ever had. It’s a movie that demands to be seen on the big screen. I felt that more with it than I have with any other movie. The Desolation of Smaug was alright, but the Lord of the Rings movies were once praised for their ground breaking special effects. I watch these new movies and there are beautiful landscapes mixed in with CGI things that have no need to be CGI’d. Not to be a CGI nazi, but when you can use the real deal, why not do it? Take Gandalf’s magic for instance. There’s no need to use CGI there when he’s perfectly capable of generating those things magical forces in real life himself. I’m sure that if they paid Sir Ian a piece off the back end of the profit (we’re talking fiscal jargon, mind out of the gutter fellas) I’m sure he’d use his powers “for real”. Just sayin.
Man of Steel turned out to be my favorite superhero movie this year. It’s probably my favorite superhero movie since Watchmen. However, I appreciated the Wolverine for what it was going for. Part of the reason why I enjoy Arrow so much is because you get to know what that character’s life is like on a day to day basis. You get to know them. Most super hero movies are going so big that that stuff gets glossed over. I wish that the studios were brave enough to do more like that.
Catching Fire was probably my favorite non-superhero big budget blockbuster of the year. The source material is strong, but the film took time to paint a better picture of what’s happening behind the scenes politically than the book actually did. I will say that the movie wasn’t quite as interesting to me once Katniss entered the games. Sort of backwards, maybe I’m just getting old.
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Post by Webber3000 on Feb 9, 2014 0:16:20 GMT -5
Not to be a CGI nazi, but when you can use the real deal, why not do it? Take Gandalf’s magic for instance. There’s no need to use CGI there when he’s perfectly capable of generating those things magical forces in real life himself. I’m sure that if they paid Sir Ian a piece off the back end of the profit (we’re talking fiscal jargon, mind out of the gutter fellas) I’m sure he’d use his powers “for real”. Just sayin. Oh Excellent, you so silly. But otherwise I agree, especially on what you said about Catching Fire. The most interesting parts to me were the ones in the former half of the movie.
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