It's the end of the year and time to review the best and worst films of 2013. I didn't get to see as much as I had hoped to, nor did I have a lot of time to write many reviews, but I got a pretty good glimpse of the year and have seen enough to make a fair list. 2013 was a horrible year for films, generally speaking. Hopefully next year will be better. However, there were a few that were memorable and will stick with me for some time.
Best Movies of 2013
My favorite film of the year was The Wolf of Wall Street. It was almost an instant 5 out of 5 for me. I didn't read a whole lot about it before I saw it and I went in with no expectations. I didn't know what to expect. The Wolf of Wall Street is packed with hard partying, bad choices, and lots and lots of money, all of which catch up to Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Scorsese has done his fair share of bio films, and this one certainly doesn't disappoint. I wouldn't say this film is better than The Departed, but it is certainly more fun and DiCaprio's performance steals the show.
The Place Beyond the Pines was another favorite of mine. This film has resonated with me since I saw it in theaters in March. It's a film that hits hard on the theme of choices and consequences, and how they affect others. Some of the best things about this film include the cinematography and the realism of the portrayals of the characters. Ryan Gosling gives his best performance since Drive, although I wish he had been in more of the film. This movie is oddly structured, which is another complaint I have about it. It seems to get weaker as it progresses, but it is still a solid crime drama that is well worth a watch.
I was really excited to see Don Jon, but was ultimately disappointed upon the first viewing. However, after watching it a second time, I was able to accept the film for what it was and really dive into the message behind the film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is great in this film as writer, director, and star. The film is bold in style and content, including screening ACTUAL porn footage, which is something I've never seen before in a feature film.
I laughed my ass off when I watched This is the End for the first time. Not only is it a hilarious apocalyptic film, but it also presents some serious themes toward the climax of the film. I loved every character in this film and there was great chemistry between the leads. I can easily say this is the best comedy of the year, and definitely Seth Rogen's funniest movie since Pineapple Express.
I went with my parents to see The Kings of Summer at the Esquire theater. I was a bit reluctant because independent films can be weird and saturated with stylistic cues, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It was funny, touching, and memorable. I enjoyed this because it plays out as a fantasy about kids living on their own, which everyone has had. Things go south eventually, but it sure is fun to watch and to see some new stars be born.
Yes, it is overrated, but Gravity had some fantastic technical achievements. The sound and visuals were stunning. Alfonso Cuaron is known for his unique visuals, and Gravity doesn't disappoint in that aspect. I just thought this film was overrated. Children of Men was better, in my opinion.
Worst Movies of 2013
The worst movie of the year has to be Gangster Squad. With such a talented cast, I can't help but scratch my head and wonder how this movie was so bad. Not even the cast could make this watchable, and I ended up leaving the theater just before the halfway mark.
The Great Gatsby was awful as well. I am a huge Leonardo DiCaprio fan. I will watch just about anything he's in, but The Great Gatsby is just painful to watch. Literally. I have no idea why Baz Luhrmann is so insistent on making so many jump cuts in so few seconds. It hurts my eyes to watch his movies and I couldn't sit through this one. Also, when Jay Z music is playing as non-diegetic sound in the film, I can't help but shake my head and mentally put this on the shit list for movies this year.
Olympus Has Fallen was weak. I interpreted it as a wannabe Die Hard that tried to be funny but wasn't. Gerard Butler is okay, but the heavy CGI and unimpressive action sequences kept this from being a good film. I never saw White House Down, but having two White House attack films within four months is also tiring. This was just a prime example of a bad action film for explosion junkies.
Sadly, Only God Forgives was a humongous disappointment. I had high hopes for the dark crime drama directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, the mastermind behind Drive. It was visually captivating, but the poorly written dialogue and sloppy script made this a difficult watch. I am still looking forward to Refn's next work, though, whatever it may be.
Oz the Great and Powerful was not great nor powerful (yes, critics used that same line, lame…). I had no expectations going in, but it was just a disappointing film all around. The first few scenes were done well, but as it went on, it seemed to get away from itself, especially in the climax. James Franco helped make the film more watchable, but it is ultimately one of the weaker films of 2013.
As I said before, 2013 has been a bad year for films. There were a few strong films and even one gem, but compared to years past, this year is a dud. My hope is The Wolf of Wall Street will win an Oscar or two, hopefully from Leonardo DiCaprio's wild and energetic performance. That would be historic. I haven't seen 12 Years a Slave, Captain Phillips, or Nebraska, and I am watching The World's End as I post this. But this is just my year end list and I intend on watching those films before the Oscars roll around. I will likely update this list, but this is what I have for now.
