And like most movie reviewers, I take the liberty upon myself to make a top 10 list of the "best" movies of the year. But I don't like using the term "best" movies of the year because many of the movies on this list wouldn't be considered "the best" because they aren't Oscar caliber. And that is because even though I would like to see those in the theater, I end up saving my money to see films I want to see like Iron Man 3 or The Hobbit. So without further ado. Here are my favorite movies of 2013!
As far as blockbusters this year, Man of Steel was either your favorite or least favorite movie of the year. For me, I recognize and understand and agree with all of the many issues fans and critics had with it. That being said, I had a blast with Man of Steel! I really regret not seeing this on the big screen because it was one of the most visually astounding movies I've ever seen. I ended up getting it on Blu-Ray for Christmas and it is definitely worth the extra cash. I am both nervous yet excited for what Zach Snyder and Christopher Nolan have in store for what they can do with both the Man of Steel and The Dark Knight on the big screen.
While Man of Steel was divided by critics and fans, Iron Man 3 was well received by critics but panned by die-hard comic book fanboys. There were times when I too was disappointed but others when I was really having a good time! I ended up putting this above Man of Steel because to me, Iron Man 3 had more of a re-watchability factor to it. Think of it this way, I would rather watch Tony Stark crack sarcastic one-liners than see General Zod scream at Kal in Christopher Nolan's overly depressing universe. Both movies were great but this one has the upper hand for me.
8. World War Z
A movie that was destined to fail from the start ended up earning good reviews and become one of the years top 10 highest grossing films. If only that luck happened to The Lone Ranger or 47 Ronin. This was just a real fun summer movie! I love Brad Pitt and I love zombies. Why wouldn't I like this movie? Sure, the only thing it has in common with the book is the title but oh well! It was fun and I am interested in the sequel.
7. Pacific Rim
Giant robots fought giant aliens. I've made my point.
6. Thor: The Dark World
This was a great superhero sequel. Unlike how Iron Man 2 went bigger but not better, this was bigger but just as good. Thor 2 was a ton of fun. I'm not the biggest fan of the term "escapism" but I think that this was a good example of it. Even if you hated the first Thor but you wanted to go to the movies anyway, you would probably walk out of this knowing that it was a well spent two hours.
I don't know about you, but I didn't expect this to be on here at all. The biggest surprise of the year without a doubt. Great performances, intensity and a wonderful lack of shaky camera made for a terrific sequel. I can say that Catching Fire is The Empire Strikes Back of Hunger Games movies simply because everyone hates the final book Mockingjay for being the most unsatisfying franchise conclusion since The End from A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Of all the comic book/superhero movies that came out this year, The Wolverine was the only one that surpassed my expectations. I loved how different it was from not just the other X-Men films but comic book movies in general. This was also one of the most mature Marvel movies not just due to the story but because Wolverine actually gets blood on his hands. It's taken us five movies to see that. I plan on getting this on Blu-Ray to add to my X-Men collection.
3. Star Trek Into Darkness
At the beginning of the year, Star Trek Into Darkness was my most anticipated movie of the year and it did not disappoint at all. J.J. Abrams 2009 Star Trek was a tough act to follow, but I think that this was just as good if not better! With spectacular visuals, terrific thrills and Benedict Cumberbatch giving his second best villain performance, it's movies like this that sustains my love for the theater.
What can I say about Gravity that everyone else hasn't said about it already? It's an unbelievable movie with perhaps the greatest special effects ever put to screen. Not just a technological achievement but also a landmark in acting and storytelling that you don't need a huge plot to make a movie great. It was an incredible visceral experience that is unparalleled. Like no other.
Yes, I called Gravity a masterpiece so shouldn't that be number one? Well tough this is my list and I can do things that might not make sense to most people because I want to. The Hobbit was the summer blockbuster that blew me away and the movie experience that gave me everything I wanted. Cool action, great characters, and a villain that I would put up there with some of the all time greats. I loved every second of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment