William's Cinematic Awards of 2013

Farewell, 2013, I hardly liked ye.

Seriously. Get out of here. It’s over, and we’re hoping for a more fruitful year at the movies than the last.

Okay, so that is a little harsh. Still, 2013 was a year of grave disappointment, general boredom, and towards the end, some solid-to-excellent films. Since I hardly saw ten films worth writing home about, as The Grand in Lafayette didn’t show much in the way of higher brow films, I’m left with no option but to give an award to everything I saw in 2013. Yes, everything, because they all deserve at least a little bit of recognition. What follows is a largely train-of-thought commentary of 2013 at the movies. Enjoy.

So, let the games commence!

Star Trek Into Darkness -- Worst Use of the Star Trek Franchise

From Tribbles to Wrath of Khan quotes, this cinematic meh storm featured mountains of CGI renderings, one or two good performances, a mountain of poorly shoehorned in efforts to develop characters, and a string of action sequences that stopped being fun, intense, and interesting just in time for the first hour and a half to peter out. Seriously, I can’t believe the rate in which this movie ran out of steam. It wasn’t too bad, and even had a few moments of genuine excitement and world building before it crashed and burned on its desire to force the characters to take back seat to increasingly over the top action bits. I’d even let slide the fact that Abrams Trek has abandoned the tone and commentary of the classic TV show, but this movie just isn’t that great.

Man of Steel – The Imitation Christopher Nolan Award for Worst Film I saw in 2013

I’m trying to look for a way to keep this short…hmm…I think soulless and tedious would take care of it. Between another way-to-long series of action scenes, and having not the first quality scene of character development in the entire run time, Man of Steel is about as far as you could get from having a good movie, in any regard while still telling a cohesive, dramatic story. I could go on, but I’ll just save my breath and point you to Superman: Earth One, which tells a similar version of what Satan’s Filmmaker, Zack Snyder, has delivered with Man of Steel. However, what you will find in Earth One is a likeable cast of characters, great art, a believable conflict, and most importantly, an actual emotional attachment to what is happening in the story.

World War Z -- Largest Collection of Set Pieces

Some of the people reading this are decrying my taste in films because I have ranted and raved about CGI at the movies. Well, I think that practical effects are better. And that’s okay, because sometimes, I can get a good laugh out of how ridiculous something is when I’m watching it, as I did with World War Z, a film where Brad Pitt gets rushed by zombies in an increasingly elaborate collection of giant setpieces. The story is flaccid, the performances merely average, but my God, how can you not have fun watching zombies rushing a stone wall to devour a city full of people?

Iron Man 3 -- Best Comic Book Movie

Once again, I will be drawing some fire towards my skull, as most comic book fans hate this film purely because of how the Mandarin was handled. Sure, whitewashing comic book villains is terrible, but I like what was attempted with Iron Man 3. I tend to like my super hero flicks to have some humanity to them. And, let’s face it, Robert Downey Jr. is just fun to watch playing himself in a metal costume. I’ll also admit that this film gets bonus points on the ground that you get to see where I graduated high school in the second act.

Pacific Rim -- Best Adaptation

Some of you might be scratching your head, and wondering what I am talking about. Well, this is where you should go out and watch the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, and then watch Pacific Rim again. See all of the parallels? Giant monsters coming from the ocean to battle people mentally linked to giant mechs? Yeah, that’s almost where it ends, but it’s enough for me to call it an adaptation. And what a fun flick, right? It’s the best giant monster flick this world has had in years, and it looks great to boot.

The Wolverine -- Best Almost Great Movie

The Wolverine had a great deal of promise in its script. An immortal man becomes mortal, and has to adapt. Well, that’d be good and fine if the third act hadn’t happened, and it was a more down-to-earth film as a result. I even like the action bits that lead up to that part of the film. However, when it comes down to it, the human story gets dumbed to death in the last twenty minutes, and what could have been the first legitimately good X-Men film to feature Wolverine becomes a merely average flick that deserved better.

White House Down -- Best Dumb Action Movie

There are good action movies, with well written villains and heroes that you can stand behind. Then there are films like White House Down, which are dumb, one dimensional, and so pumped full of ‘Merica that you’ll be vomiting red white and blue popcorn when you leave the cinema. However, White House Down was an absolute blast loaded with stupidly unrealistic setpieces that you can’t help but enjoy. I was told later that it has almost the same plot as Olympus Has Fallen. I haven’t seen Straight Faced White House Down, but it already has a better cast because it lacks the mediocre Channing Tatum in the lead.

A Good Day to Die Hard -- Worst Use of Bruce Willis

I can’t say enough how much this movie angers me. I love the Die Hard films. Yes, even the fourth one. Something about them just works for me, and even though they aren’t great movies in the historical sense, they are a lot of fun, and John McClane is a character that is easy to get behind. It’s just a shame that Bruce Willis phoned his performance into a poorly shot, horribly edited, mess of a film. If there is a Die Hard six, I hope that they give the script another look, and get a better director, because this movie sucked.

Jurassic Park 3D -- Best Movie I'd Seen Before

I’m cheating. Jurassic Park went back into the theaters with a 3D conversion that only looked okay, and I loved every second of this classic flick. I don’t have to sit here and tell you why Jurassic Park is one of the best movies of the nineties. You’ve seen it. You know. If you haven’t seen it, then you are missing out on two hours of fun from a time where dinosaurs were as prevalent as zombies are now. And dinosaurs are so much better than zombies.

This is the End -- Biggest Surprise

My fiancé and I were just dying to go to the theater. We didn’t care about anything that was playing this week, and we were waiting for something that was coming out the next week. Still, this movie called This Is the End was scoring high with the critics, so we just went. I can’t say enough how thankful that I am to see this brilliant comedy from Seth Rogen, who I was once so tired of that I wanted his career to end. I knew that I was going to enjoy this flick as someone asked Rogen, who played himself in the film, why he always played the same character in all of his movies. Yes. It’s that kind of comedy. See it.

The Conjuring – Strongest Theatrical Urine Smell

Most horror films have little effect on me. In fact, I can only think of one movie that really creeps me out, and that’s The Haunting. Not the Catherine Zeta Jones one. That one is scary for different reasons. The Conjuring summons classic 70’s haunted house scares and a quieter approach where other contemporary horror films would throw things in your face. It’s one of my favorite films from last year, and worth every cent that my ticket cost to see it.

RED 2 -- Best Use of Bruce Willis

While lacking the same touch that made Red so entertaining, RED 2 is still a decent action film about old spies fighting a modern threat. The script seemed a bit too all over the place to keep it moving steadily, but the acting was still top-notch, and set pieces were still a lot of fun to watch. Not as good as the first, still, because John Malkovich didn’t pull a gun out of a stuffed pig and proceed to shoot a rocket propelled grenade in mid-flight.

Elysium -- Biggest Disappointment

I thought that District 9 was among some of the better sci-fi in recent years. It’s well thought out script and tight performances lent to a socially conscious story which was too on the nose for its own good and made for a good time at the movies. However, Elysium is too on the nose, has the same average –to-mediocre cinematography, and one of the worst finales I’ve seen from a film of this kind. I’ll let you watch to judge for yourself, but nothing about Elysium struck me the same way that District 9 did. It could have been better with more work on the script, and a tripod for the camera.

The World's End -- Best Movie I'd Anticipated for Years

Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg’s Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy has been in my favorite comedy and action films since I first saw Shaun of the Dead. The trilogy is capped off in surprising ways, with some of the best performances from the lot of the films. Sure, Hot Fuzz is a better written film in almost every regard, but Simon Pegg surprised me with his performance, seeing as I’m used to him always playing a likeable lead. It’s a sight to behold for sure.

Riddick -- Best CGI Animal Sidekick

There isn’t much to say about Riddick that wasn’t said about Pitch Black. That’s because they are almost the same movie. However, what the writers thought was missing from Pitch Black was a friendly CGI monster that Riddick raises from the first act forward. The wordless bits of Riddick were among my favorites, because there wasn’t any generic tough guy bravado, or Katie Sackhoff being Katie Sackhoff in there. It was just two characters interacting, and we didn’t need the voice over to tell us what was going on…even if it was still there.

Prisoners -- Best Movie with an Awful Trailer

In the lead up to Prisoners hitting the big screen, I was certain that I didn’t need to see the film, and that the trailer said everything. It was a horrible trailer. I can’t think of many other trailers that were that bland and boring, and completely throwing the film out of my To See list. Then the reviews hit, and curiosity struck. We went to see it, and found a decent thriller instead of the blandest thriller ever written.

Gravity -- The "Get Sandra Bullock an Academy Award" Award for BEST MOVIE OF 2013

I knew that I was in for quite the experience with Gravity, as Children of Men was a fantastic beast in its own right. I gave Alfonso Cuaron another ninety minutes of my life expecting an exciting film, and I got exactly that. However, any concern that I had that Sandra Bullock was going to kill the film for me was wiped away, and I walked out of the theater having more respect for her as an actor than I knew was possible. Her performance in this film far outweighs most of the work I’ve seen on the silver screen this year, and while that isn’t saying a lot, she had a long road to walk to get to where I hold her performance now. If you haven’t seen Gravity, get to the theater while it is still playing.

Escape Plan -- The "Better Than it Should Have Been" Award for Best GeriAction Film of 2013

For my money, action movies died when The Bourne Identity came out, and everyone started attaching their cameras to three wheeled shopping carts driven by infants. With Red, its sequels, and a growing pile of Expendables films pouring out of the woodworks, it’s nice to see the genre seeing something of a renaissance. This probably has to do with the fact that these films are being shot like they would have been in the eighties; full contact action, and this little thing called a master shot. Also, I can’t help but note that they bring out actors whose most famous work is from thirty years ago. Two heroes of the eighties are escaping from prison and firing off one-liners that you’ll repeat for days after if you have a soul at all. It’s a great deal of fun, even if it isn’t that smart. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for anything resembling a good heist flick.

Ender's Game -- The Honesty Award for Morose Tone in a Genre Film

When I finished reading Ender’s Game in the year prior to the movie’s release, I was almost certain that they’d be forced to tone down the ending. Given the dire nature of that little plot twist, I figured that the studio would find it to be too dark, and dial it back so that teens and kids wouldn’t be scarred for life of whatever excuse they’d break out to attack this film with. However, it’s intact, and better for it. Asa Butterfield nails his delivery, Harrison Ford is adequately grumpy, and Ben Kingsley is a tiny bit underutilized, I think. Gavin Hood even gains some good cinematic karma after making the atrocious X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Thor: The Dark World -- Most Drastic Improvement in a Sequel

I liked Thor. It was a decent superhero movie. However, it lacked a sense of direction, because it was trying to be two different movies. Well, the balance attempted in Thor was struck in The Dark World, a fun, exciting bit of Marvel comic book action that sees the return of the Thor and Loki in a war that stretches between the real world and Asgard. I still think that Natalie Portman’s character needs to be tuned up a bit. She’s too talented of an actress to just play the damsel in distress.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire -- Greatest Shaky Cam Reduction in a Sequel

The Hunger Games was a contender for best improvement in a sequel, but instead, it wins the award for putting the camera on a tripod. While the previous film was decent, and well deserving of attention just for giving teenage girls a better role model to look up to than that monster who dated vampires and werewolves in Twilight, Catching Fire makes legitimate statements about cult of personality, manipulation of the public via media, amongst a few others, and is actually among my favorite films of 2013. Or it just may be that I think that Jennifer Lawrence is probably the best up and coming actress in a decade.

The Book Thief -- Prettiest Depiction of Absolute Horror

This film set in World War II Germany doesn’t know what kind of movie it wants to be, but it does have a great eye from which to view its tale. While the idea of Death screwing with the emotions of a Russian girl living in a German village isn’t entirely terrible, the idea of trying to make this movie lighthearted in between devastating scenes of brutality, or, you know, that whole Nazi Germany thing, just comes across strangely, and doesn’t do the film any favors. The performances are only average, and the script is merely okay. It’s not a bad movie by any means, but it’s not something I ever need to see again.

Out of the Furnace -- Weakest Woody Harrelson Performance in a 2013 Film

While Woody Harrelson excels as playing himself in Catching Fire, Out of the Furnace has him being himself as a backwoods hustler, and he’s never really given any chance to stand out amongst stellar performances from both Christian Bale and Zoe Saldana. Out of the Furnace delivers an exceptional tale of redemption, and does so amidst attractive cinematography, and pretty solid score. Still, I would have liked more from Woody Harrelson.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug -- Best Sequel with a Largely Unnecessary Character

The Hobbit: The Journey Bezzzzzzzzzzzz was a largely boring affair. I felt like the hour long scene of cartoonish dwarves eating dinner and jacking up a hobbit hovel was time wasted. Given the fact that the book is only around three hundred pages, stretching into three movies never seemed like an attractive idea. Thankfully, The Desolation of Smaug revives the flavor of The Lord of the Rings, and does so with great splendor. It’s got the brilliant set piece action parts, character drama, great foes and dark pasts. It’s everything that the first film should have been, but wasn’t. However, why did we need Orlando Bloom to come back and look like he needed to drop a loaf in every shot? Yes, I used a poop joke, haha. Seriously, why did he look so anal retentive in every scene where something he didn’t like happened? It doesn’t lend to his character becoming light hearted and the like in The Lord of the Rings. Otherwise, it’s a great flick. I didn’t even hate Cumberbatch in this!

American Hustle -- Best Combover

When your movie starts with that hazy yellow visual tone of an early seventies film and a guy starts piecing together a ridiculous hairdo over male pattern baldness, you know you are in for a very special film. It’s an odd choice, and it lends itself to the very fluid, spineless narrative, which just happens to tell a fascinating story that almost completely falls into the background behind brilliant performances, and memorable characters. It’s a great ride from top to bottom. Christian Bale turns in another great performance, and, once again, Jennifer Lawrence shows why everyone loves her. We’re still calling our microwave a science oven…

Special:

Django Unchained -- Best Movie of 2012 that I saw theatrically in 2013

Django Unchained was the first film I saw in 2013 because travelling home for the holidays in 2012 made it difficult to get out to the theater at the end of that year. Still, I love this movie. It’s among my favorite work from Tarantino, and I can now forgive Jamie Foxx for putting me to sleep with Ray. Instantly quotable, and a hell of a lot of fun, Django has gone through two more bouts with white people since the film came out on blu-ray, and I’m sure those won’t be the last.

And so ends 2013, a year that I spent more time at the theater than in any year previous. I hope that you enjoyed the awards. I still have some 2013 movies that I need to see, so don't spit on my grave over the fact that I didn't have an award for Her, because I haven't gotten a chance to see that yet. 

Oh, you wanted something a bit more traditional?

...

Well, that's no fun. 

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Best: 

5. Pacific Rim

4. American Hustle

3. The Conjuring

2. Enders Game

1. Gravity

Worst. 

5. Star Trek Into Darkness

4. The Book Thief

3. Elysium

2. A Good Day to Die Hard

1. Man of Steel

See you in 2014.

Joe's Top Ten Films of 2013

by Joe Moss

Much the same as my counterpart Cinephile, Trevor, already stated, it was surely a difficult time narrowing the outstanding films from this year to a TOP TEN list. He and I heckled back and forth over the past month regarding numerous films that spoke to each of us on different levels. You will see some of the same titles, but indubitably, our lists are unique and rarely mirror each other. I live in a more rural area than he, so his access to a few of the more independent and/or lower budget films affords him greater variety from the more main-stream films I can access. I hope that you have enjoyed our first year of Cinema Bytes, and I hope you will stay tuned for many years to come. Without further ado, here is my list of the ten BEST films from 2013, in descending sequence:

10. The Spectacular Now

Sutter and Aimee on their first date.

This coming of age drama entails an age-old lesson that is embedded into all of our psyche at an early age--"don't judge a book by it's cover." The films follows the teenage dalliances of Sutter (Miles Teller), the quintessential "popular high school" guy who ultimately falls for the rather well-put-together "nobody," Aimee (Shailene Woodley). What ensues throughout the film is a whirl-wind of teenage emotion as each is forced to grow up into the world around them, rather than simply live for the "now." The film reminds everyone what it is like to truly fall in love for the first time, but told from a young-man's perspective rather than a females. It is funny, pathetic, sarcastic, and raw...otherwise, Spectacular!

9. The Place Beyond the Pines

Emotional overload from the actors in Place Beyond the Pines

The decade of Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling would not be complete without this emotionally charged conflict-drama. With the emotional intensity of a runaway train, we watch the suspense build in the story of a boy (Dane DeHaan) who lost his unknown father (Ryan Gosling) early in life become much like his dad in all aspects. He gets pulled into the fold of the "new kid in town," AJ (Emory Cohen), who is the local police commissioner's son (Bradley Cooper). Told in inter-twining tales (with many flashback sequences), we learn from this film that the world is a really small, and that each action of our lives affects another person--even if in a small seemingly innocuous way. This was the first 4-star review I published this year, and has stuck with me ever since. The ending is Perfect!

8. Her

Theodore waits for a life changing moment.

Spike Jonze is bound to be one of the most unique and visionary (if not the most unique) filmmaker of the last 20 years. From "Being John Malkovich" to a decidedly very-children's like "Where the WIld Things Are," Jonze has once again taken film to new depth. "Her" is the story about Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) who is lost in love. Not lost in the traditional sense of love, rather a man who is emotionally UN-able to connect with his former girlfriend, Catherine (Rooney Mara) and even seems slightly disconnected from his friends. His life takes a turn for the better when he purchases a new artificially intelligent operating system for his home computer network, named Samantha (Scarlett Johannson). Through his time with Samantha, Theodore quickly learns to appreciate life; learn about love; and embrace himself as never before. This is assuredly one of the greatest original screenplays of the last decade...and definitely my choice for the 86th Annual Academy Award winner for Best Original Screenplay. Jonze pushes the boundaries of love and relationships into unknown waters and does so with aplomb.

7. The Kings of Summer

Joe, Patrick, and Biaggio jump-starting their adventure.

In my opinion, the best coming of age drama that I have seen since "Stand by Me." Joe (Nick Robinson) and Patrick (Gabriel Basso)  are life-long best friends who have decided that enough is enough. At the age of 16, they are tired of their parents ruining their lives. They are sick of being belittled, and micromanaged in every activity. As summer descends upon them, they take matters into their own hands and run-away to live in the woods outside of town. They build a massive home from scraps gathered from around town and become Kings of their domain. Along the adventure, they take Biaggio (Moises Arias) into their fold--as he adds a much needed comedy element to keep the mood balanced. However, after about a week, things begin to head south as friendships are tested by love, family drama, and the unspoken rules of brotherhood. We are shown how friendships are a fluid organism. That to remain unaltered (not losing emotional volume), there is a delicate balance that must be achieved though mutual respect and understanding. The care-free effort of this film, and the easy way with which the young actors play their roles speaks volumes of maturity. I can understand easily why this was an "Official Selection of The Sundance  Film Festival 2013."

6. 12 Years a Slave

Solomon Northrup's (Ejiofor) enslaved talents at work.

While many people may consider this a tired-old tale of Civil War era proportions, Steve McQueen and company made this film leap from the pages of the book of the same name (written over 150 years ago) in one very prolific adapted screenplay (John Ridley). Solomon Nothrup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is an accomplished musician known across New England. For a very generous sum, is asked to join a traveling group in performances throughout the South--basically told that his abilities will lift the entire troupe to the next level. However, just as far south as Washington, D.C., Northrup runs afoul of trickery and is taken into slavery. He finds himself purchased by a kindly slave owner, Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), at first sale; only to be traded at a later time to one of the most sadistic slave owners, Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender). Epps lustful eye and his ardent cruelty is not solely directed at Northrup, but at a young female slave, Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o) as well--who's performance is absolutely spellbinding. This harrowing tale of a free black-man sold into slavery is one that will evoke deep emotions and pure sympathy for Nothrup's struggles. Chiwetel gives the performance of his varied career. Magnificent!!

5. Before Midnight

Celine and Jesse in the throws of a sarcastic argument.

Before Sunrise (1995)...Before Sunset (2004)....and now, Before Midnight. Written and directed by Richard Linklater (with help from Julie and Ethan on the screenplay for last two films). I was supremely enchanted by this third installment of the artful, and intimate, love story between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy). I have grown with both of them over the years, and it is almost as a visit to a long-lost friend every nine years when the films are released yet again. For 109 minutes, I am able to catch up with my friends in the latest installment of their lives, their struggles and their dreams for the future. I can glimpse the joie de vivre that they entail and then, all too short...I am having to wish them au revoir until we meet again. This is one of my most favorite trilogies, and my choice for best adapted screenplay this year. I can only hope to see them again in nine years hence.

4. Short Term 12

Group meeting with the whole gang at Short Term 12.

Soulful, gut-wrenching, and intensely powerful. This story involves the evolution of Grace (Brie Larson) as she struggles to live with her life choices, the mistakes of her past, and the unknown future. She works at a facility for teenagers in-between foster homes and/or adoption. She is not a counselor, she is not a teacher, she is just supposed to help monitor their behavior and make them happy for their stay. She and her boyfriend, Mason (John Gallagher, Jr.) met here while working, and their relationship has slowly changed from friends, to lovers--but there is a small piece missing. Grace, for all her patience with the wards of Short Term 12, cannot seem to find it within herself to open up about her own inhibitions and her own demons. That is, until she is forced to face them head-on with the addition of a new ward to the facility, Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever). This screenplay (Destin Cretton) is nothing short of magical. I cannot wait to see many more films from this young writer/director.

3. Blue Jasmine

Jasmine (Blanchett)  contemplates her fate.

What more can I say other than this is Woody Allen at his best! Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) has run into some money troubles as her philandering and crooked husband Hal (Alec Baldwin) has been indicted for multiple counts of fraud by the SEC. In order to escape the entire situation (and because she is 100% broke), Jasmine, packs her Luis Vuitton and moves to San Francisco to live with her estranged sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins). What ensues is a magical performance from Cate Blanchett that will surely have her grasping the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Her depth of emotions range within this 98 minute film is breathtaking and surreal. Were the category for Original Screenplay not so crowded, I would suggest this as a surefire win...alas it faces tough competition from "Her" and "American Hustle."

2. The Wolf of Wall Street

Jordan Belfort celebrating his life of excess.

As I stated in my original review of this film last month, I have never been a huge fan of either Leo DiCaprio or Martin Scorsese. But with "The Wolf Of Wall Street," my opinion has shifted. This was the role of a lifetime for Leo DiCaprio as he truly BECAME Jordan Belfort on screen. This film was adapted from Jordan Belfort's book by Terence Winter, and it is electrifying on all senses. To steal from myself,  "the 180 minute run time [of the film] flies by as though on a cocaine high with a Quaalude kicker." I loved every minute and was riveted to the screen. There is so much recreational drug-use and sexual debauchery flashed across the screen that the movie may even have deserved an NC-17 rating. But this truly shows that Marty is not afraid to show the Excessive 80's as they truly existed for the Ultra-Elite Wall Street tycoons. Not only was DiCaprio outstanding, support from Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie completed the all-star cast that propelled this film into the heights of film legend. While "Wolf" could have easily topped my list for #1 film of the year, it has to run second to what I felt was the most prolific film-making I have seen in a very long time (since perhaps I first fell in love with "Star Wars" in the 70's).

1. Gravity

Ryan Stone (Bullock) is propelled into space as the shuttle disintegrates behind her. 

 Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a medical engineer who was tasked by N.A.S.A. to fix a probe (that she designed) on one of the satellites in constant orbit around Earth. During the mission, an accident occurs that destroys the mission and jeopardizes all of their lives. Commander Kowalski (George Clooney) is on his final mission before retirement and is tasked with trying to get both of them back to earth as quickly as possible--before life support systems and all mode of transport are obliterated. This film was so outstanding, it has been at the top of my list of films for 2013 since Opening Weekend in October. Alfonso Cuarón has directed (and co-written) a masterpiece of modern film  that showcased the acting chops of those lucky enough to have been involved. Breathtaking scenery, a mesmerizing "at-the-edge-of-your-seat" screenplay and perfect editing (sound and film) suspended the belief of all in the audience. The film was shot and designed for 3D viewing, and the IMAX presentation did not disappoint. After the movie, I was speechless for a few moments...the entire time thinking nothing but a resounding "WOW!" This film showcases what green-screen and computer age-movie making should be about--ELEVATING the acting abilities of those on screen out of the thermosphere into PROLIFIC status. This film has already been racking up accolades for Cuarón and many nominations for Bullock. I view it as one of the front-runners to earn a unique place in Academy Award history as the FIRST space film to win Best Picture of the Year. Regardless if I am wrong, it will remain my choice for such.

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My Individual Awards are as follows: (not Academy Award Predictions, but my personal choices)

Best Picture of the Year - Gravity
Best Director - Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Jared Leto (Dallas Buyer's Club)
Best Original Screenplay - Spike Jonze (Her)
Best Adapted Screenplay - Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy (Before Midnight)

Honorable Mentions: (films that I struggled to include on my list that "almost" made it)

11. The Way Way Back
12. Nebraska**
       I was never able to see this film, so did not include it on my list of 10 becuase that would have been false. But from every review I read and every trailer and interview I saw, I know that when I am FINALLY able to get my hands on a copy, I will love this film...and it may very well make my DECADE list.

This year was one of those years that reminds me WHY I love the movies and the Academy Awards. I can only hope that next year does not fall flat. Bring it on!!!

Trevor's Top Ten Films of 2013

by Trevor Kirkendall

I think the last time I had this much difficulty putting together a Top Ten List was probably about ten years ago. Seriously, how great of a year was 2013? Sure, there were plenty of bad movies that we don't even want to mention again, but that's the case every year. This year especially, there were so many great films that if I was to write out a Best Twenty List, I would still have a hard time narrowing down the final films to include. But alas, this is a Best Ten List so I will only mention ten movies. There were so many great technological advances in film this year, and it also seemed like the studios took an active interest in returning to the basics of designing a great story. There were so many great scripts turned into great movies this year. Some big name movies will probably be missing from my list. It's not that I didn't like them; it's just there was an abundance of greatness this year, especially from the studios. Here are my picks for the ten best films of 2013, followed by my individual awards.

10. Upstream Color

Shane Carruth comforts Amy Seimetz in UPSTREAM COLOR

Shane Carruth’s sophomore feature is a visually stunning and sonically engaging story of a man and a woman brought together through bizarre circumstances. The story is designed to confuse the audience just like its characters. One part romance, one part science fiction, “Upstream Color” is reminiscent of the early films of David Lynch. To a degree, it even looks a little like some of the more recent work of Terrence Malick but with much less whispered voice over narration. It contains some of the best uses of sound I've ever heard in a low budget independent film. Amy Seimetz puts on a powerful performance as Kris, a woman struggling to make sense of the strange circumstances that caused her to lose valuable parts of her memory. The film is cerebral and almost dream-like in its presentation. It’s masterfully done.

9. The Wolf of Wall Street

Leonardo DiCaprio in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Leonardo DiCaprio puts on one of his best performances to date in one of Martin Scorsese’s best films to date. It’s no “Goodfellas” and it’s no “Mean Streets” but the chaotic nature of “The Wolf of Wall Street” fits perfectly into Scorsese’s already illustrious career. The film does not glorify the overindulgent lifestyle of its main characters, but rather illustrates the dark world that surrounds an unlimited supply of wealth. Money changes people, sometimes for the worse which is what is being displayed here. This film is all about excess, from the mammoth three-hour run time to the fierce performance by DiCaprio. We’ll be talking about this film for years to come.

8. Mud

Tye Sheridan and Matthew McConaughy in MUD

While Matthew McConaughey has received endless recognition for his role in “Dallas Buyers Club” (and rightfully so), it was “Mud” that got my attention. This was the first of many coming-of-age stories I saw this year, and until “Mud” I thought the genre was overdone and washed up. But there were so many great stories this year that tackled the coming-of-age subject, and “Mud” was one of the best. While McConaughey is great, the movie really belongs to the young star Tye Sheridan. Writer-director Jeff Nichols is proving himself to be one of the best up-and-comers in the business following 2011’s “Take Shelter”. And with “Mud”, Nichols has once again turned out one of the year’s finest films.

7. Gravity

Sanda Bullock holds on for dear life in GRAVITY

What’s left to say about “Gravity” that hasn’t already been said? Alfonso Cuarón’s epic space thriller was far and away the most visually stunning film of the year. It could even make a case for most visually stunning film ever, but let’s not start that debate. Cuarón has single handily revolutionized the way audiences will want to see their movies. The cinematography and visual effects are years ahead of anything else currently in production. Once other filmmakers figure it out, we could be looking at the dawn of a new age of cinema. Sandra Bullock’s task in this film was challenging but she turns in the best performance of her career. “Gravity” is just a marvel of technical achievement. The screenplay may be a little bland, but this film is all about its visuals and propelling the future of big budget filmmaking.

6. 12 Years a Slave

Michael Fassbender and Chiwetel Ejiofor in one of the most
powerful scenes in 12 YEARS A SLAVE

There have been a handful of movies made about slavery in the United States, but none quite like this. “12 Years a Slave” is a powerful film about the horrors of slavery. The film is based on an actual account from Solomon Northup, a black man born free but kidnapped and sold into slavery for 12 long and grueling years. Director Steve McQueen holds nothing back by showing all the atrocities this man had to endure. The screenplay from John Ridley is one of the best adaptations of a book I’ve ever seen. It’s filled with many contrasting types of emotions, all portrayed on screen with such proficiency by McQueen. Chiwetel Ejiofor, as Northup, is absolutely sensational. And his costars, Michael Fassbender and newcomer Lupita Nyong’o, turn in two of the year’s absolute best performances. This is truly a great film, one that will be shown to make sure the memories of this dark time are never forgotten.

5. The Spectacular Now

Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley in the spectacular film
THE SPECTACULAR NOW

Yet another coming-of-age film from 2013, “The Spectacular Now” is a small but emotionally rich movie that follows one of the most popular kids in high school and his attraction to someone not so popular. Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley play two of the most realistic characters I’ve ever seen on film. Director James Ponsoldt has such a keen eye for the depths of human emotion found within this wonderful screenplay (from Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber). The dialogue is subtle and never becomes monotonous or boring. Teller and Woodley are revelations and are definitely the rising stars of tomorrow. Every single frame of this film is beautiful and deserves to be seen by all. 

4. Nebraska

Will Forte, Bruce Dern and Stacy Keach in NEBRASKA

Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska” is about as damn near perfect of any movie you’ll see in this year or any year. Bruce Dern’s portrayal of an aging alcoholic is the best and most perfect performance of any actor or actress this year. SNL alum Will Forte is perfectly cast has his estranged son. June Squibb’s performance steals the scene whenever she’s on camera. Screenwriter Bob Nelson has taken us into the lives of people in middle America as opposed to New York or Los Angeles, the cities which dominate so many of the contemporary movies these days. The film is shot in perfect black-and-white which helps paint the Nebraska landscape in a much different light than other settings we usually see. And director Payne couldn’t have handled this simple story with any more care. This is a film about the relationships we share with our families and there’s no one else in Hollywood today who is better equipped to handle that subject matter than Payne. This is about as close to perfection as you’ll see. 

3. Blue is the Warmest Color

Adele Exarchopolous and Lea Seydoux were mesmerizing in
BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR

No other film in 2013 gripped me quite like Abdellatif Kechiche’s French masterpiece “Blue is the Warmest Color”. The story follows a young teenage girl, Adele, over the course of several years. The highlight of the film is the relationship she shares with a blue haired art student, Emma, who is a few years older than her. We are a fly on the wall as we observe their relationship from the start to the bitter end. We see just how their lives affect one another. We easily empathize with every emotional high and low they experience in their romantic relationship. Both stars, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux, are electrifying in their roles but it’s Exarchopoulos who turns in one of the most memorable performances I have ever seen. A lot of controversy surrounds this film, but throw all that aside. There wasn’t much better in 2013 than “Blue is the Warmest Color”.

2. Her

Joaquin Phoenix in his spellbinding role in HER

In a year full of rich storytelling, Spike Jonze's "Her" might have been the richest. Joaquin Phoenix stars as a lonely man who forms a extremely strong and ultimately romantic relationship with the voice of his new smart operating system. The computer is voiced by Scarlett Johansson who is so spectacular in her delivery, you almost forget she's never on camera. Jonze's love story may be a bit unorthodox, but everything about the relationship Phoenix has with his "girlfriend" is completely organic. Jonze handles the human (and computer) emotions brilliantly while concurrently painting a bleak picture about our future. Technology controls every aspect of his futuristic world that people don't know how to make new connections. There's so much subtext here that it would take another calendar year just to sort it all out. Suffice to say, this is a brilliantly executed love story full of heart and - most importantly - originality.

1. Short Term 12

Brie Larson and Kaitlyn Dever in the best film of 2013,
SHORT TERM 12

The best picture of 2013 is Destin Cretton's "Short Term 12", a small film very few had the opportunity to see. Brie Larson plays Grace, the supervisor of a state run institution for at risk teens. We meet her at a time in her life when she's romantically involved with her co-worker Mason (John Gallagher, Jr.), whose child she's carrying. Of course, she doesn't tell this to Mason because she's not certain motherhood is right for her. She's also trying to welcome in a new resident, Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever) who has been bounced around from institution to institution for several years. There are no words to describe the ferocity of Larson's performance. She holds a strong exterior, but inside she's completely broken and damaged. She wears all the emotions of this character on her sleeves. Never before have I seen such an emotionally powerful acting from someone of her age. No other actress this year comes close to touching Larson in this performance. Dever is also sensational in her role. Larson owns this film, but Dever holds her own against her co-star. Writer-director Cretton's screenplay is short but packs an enormous emotional punch. "Short Term 12" is a mesmerizing motion picture, completely unmatched by anything else in one of the best year's at the cinema I can remember. I was completely zeroed in on this film from the moment it began and couldn't divert my attention for a second. This is a beautiful and subtle masterpiece, and is my pick for best picture of the year.

_______________________________________________________________________________

My Individual Awards: (personal choices, not Oscar predictions)

Best Picture of the Year: Short Term 12

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Brie Larson (Short Term 12)
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)

Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze (Her)

Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)


We can only hope that 2014 will be half as great as 2013. This year definitely has a very tough act to follow. Sure, we may be seeing a surge in the number of sequels, remakes and reboots coming out of Hollywood, but those are such a small percentage of what we actually see! The good movies are out there, folks. You might just have to look a little harder to find them. I'm very excited to see how the technical achievements of the films of 2013 and how a seemingly new found appreciation for the art of story within the studios will affect the movies of 2014 and beyond. You can continue to save me a seat in the dead center of the theaters.

Review: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

by Trevor Kirkendall

★★½

“Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” is a reboot of the famous Tom Clancy character who has already appeared on the silver screen four other times. While I generally balk at the idea of reboots because they demonstrate a complete lack of originality or willingness to take a risk from the Hollywood studios, this is one I was actually kind of interested in seeing. The result? It’s quite enjoyable despite it’s boring script.

Since this is an origin story, “Shadow Recruit” opens with Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) back in college working on his PhD in England in 2001. He watches the horror of the 9/11 terror attacks unfold and decides to abandon his studies and join the Marines. Sometime later, Lieutenant Ryan is serving in Afghanistan when a helicopter he’s in is hit with a missile. He survives, but spends a great deal of time learning to walk again at Walter Reed. He’s being helped by a medical student, Cathy Muller (Keira Knightley). Ryan likes her, but she won’t date a patient; famous last words during a typical meet-cute like this.

Keeping a close eye on Ryan’s recovery is CIA operative Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner). He’s read Ryan’s college essays and thinks he’s smart enough to assist the CIA in counter terrorist measures. He asks Ryan to return to school and complete his PhD, after which time they’ll covertly place him into a Wall Street firm where he will monitor foreign accounts to see who is funding terrorist cells.  This brings us to the present, ten years later. Ryan works for a firm in New York. He lives with Cathy, who is now a doctor. They’re engaged to be married but she’s not ready to commit (since when is it the woman who isn’t ready to commit in movies?). And since they’re not married, Ryan can’t tell her he secretly works for the CIA.

One day, Ryan notices an abnormality with some holdings from a Russian firm they oversee. The firm is run by Viktor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh). His suspicions are correct because it turns out Viktor hates America and wants to destroy it by selling off trillions of dollars in holdings which would plunge the United States into a second Great Depression. This would be timed perfectly to follow a massive terror strike on the US by a Russian sleeper cell. Ryan raises his concern with the CIA who tells him to go to Moscow himself for an audit. Once he gets there, things get ugly. Cherevin’s company suspects his reason for coming to Moscow rather than doing this over the phone and takes all the necessary measures to eliminate the threat they think Ryan poses.

The Jack Ryan character is certainly an interesting one and Tom Clancy left behind a wealth of material for Hollywood to draw on, but “Shadow Recruit” comes from none of those stories. Instead, writers Adam Cozad and David Koepp take the characteristics Clancy gave Ryan in the novels, updated it for 2014 and created a brand new story line. They’ve also given Ryan a little bit of the Jason Bourne DNA by making him more of an action hero instead of a pencil pusher.

We’ve seen the character already in four other movies, all based on Clancy novels: “The Hunt for Red October” in 1990 with Alec Baldwin as Ryan, “Patriot Games” in 1992 and “Clear and Present Danger” in 1994 with Harrison Ford, and “The Sum of All Fears” in 2002 with Ben Affleck taking over the role. I personally think Baldwin played it best and “Red October” is the best of all the Ryan films, including “Shadow Recruit”. In each of these films, Ryan isn’t an action hero. He’s just an analyst dropped into difficult situations. That all changes here.

And it’s not necessarily a bad thing either. The story is a bit thick and a maybe a little too complex. Focusing the primary conflict on economics isn’t exactly the easiest way to win over your audience. The story tries to make the stakes incredibly high for Ryan and the CIA, but half the audience might be lost in the processes. It’s not until about halfway through the second act when things start to pick up. Once they do, the whole economic destruction premise is tossed out the window in favor of high octane action sequences and other suspenseful moments.

Director Branagh is a competent action director, already evident from his work on “Thor”. He doesn’t really improve on anything with “Shadow Recruit” but he does maintain his consistency as a big budget studio director. These types of films are obviously slightly more involved than the Shakespeare adaptations we’re used to seeing from him. Even the best directors out there show their inexperience with filming big action sequences for the first time (see Christopher Nolan’s hand-to-hand combat scenes in “Batman Begins” and compare them to “The Dark Knight” – vast improvements). Branagh shows no learning curve.

He’s also solid on the other side of the camera too. Again, this is no surprise. The man is a natural talent. I had no concerns about him as an actor in this film. I did have reservations about Chris Pine though. I was worried he might play this role similar to that of James Tiberius Kirk, but he does not. He’s an acceptable action star, although I would have never guessed that a few years ago when he was doing things like “Just My Luck” and “Blind Dating”. He’s comfortable here, but he’s not given much to work with in the way of actual dramatic acting. If sequels follow, I wonder if they’ll continue to make Ryan a Bourne-like action hero, or if they’ll play into his back story and relationships more the way the early films and (presumably) the novels show.

There’s nothing groundbreaking being done in “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit”. It’s just a relatively enjoyable action film with a mediocre screenplay. That’s pretty typical of just about every action film we’re given each year. The screening I saw for this film was on an IMAX screen which added very little to movie. Knowing that, this is probably very doable on your own TV; you won’t miss much seeing it on a smaller screen. Furthermore, I’m not sure audiences are going to leave this film clamoring for any kind of follow up. If they give us one, I’m sure it’ll be enjoyable, but I’m not going to be hoping for one. And I’m sure I’m not going to be alone with that thought either.