Thursday, December 19, 2013

2013 at the Movies: My Top 10 List




I am a film buff, and have been ever since I was a movie theater usher as my high school job in 1977. I see a lot of movies in the theater. More than I should. Plus, I have attended the EbertFest film festival for the last five years.

2013 was an odd movie year for me, though. My Top 10 movie list would be way different than most. And I'm okay with that. This was the year of smaller films, for me. Ebertfest type films. I took my son to Ebertfest 2013 and saw some amazing films. I'll miss that experience.



I skipped a lot of the blockbuster movies. I've just had enough of them in my life. Enough. I can live without Elysium or the Lone Ranger or even Gravity. And you can keep the big action pictures that I took my boys to, like Thor or Man of Steel or World War Z. Too much relentless CGI, made for the video game generation - not for me.

I walked out of a few movies this year. Critically acclaimed movies even - like The Way Way Back. Also Brad Pitt's Killing Them Softly. They did nothing for me. Less than nothing. No point in staying all the way through just because other people liked them. I know what I like.


Having said that, and having reviewed the list of movies released in 2013, here are my favorite 10 of the movies that I actually watched - chronologically:

Warm Bodies

Blancanieves (Silent film, B&W, from Spain. Saw it at EbertFest, met the Director. Loved it!)

Oblivion

Gatsby

Despicable Me 2

Stuck in Love

2 Guns

The Spectacular Now (EbertFest film, star and director at the Q&A)

Don Jon

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Last thoughts:

- There are three 2013 movies that I wish I had seen:

Enough Said

12 Years a Slave

Nebraska

- the Best Plot Twist goes to: Prisoners

- Best movie you will never see is: Escape From Tomorrow

I saw this movie at EbertFest also. It was an indie film, shot covertly on location at Disneyworld, without Disney's permission. Trust me, they would not have given permission. I expected a shaky cam amateur film, and it was way better than that. I thoroughly enjoyed it, dark though it was. I'm guessing it will not be released outside of film festivals.

Who knows what 2014 will bring at the cinema. I'll likely see less movies. By choice.

 
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 20, 2013 at 10:33 PM

    i also avoid the CGI crap and also the remakes. very annoying. i still have to see biancianeves. kicking myself for missing that. also enjoyed "warm bodies." unexpected surprise.

    my reviews for some of these films:

    http://cinekatz.com/the-spectacular-now-less-spectacular-than-it-could-have-been-review/

    http://brainsnorts.com/2013/10/06/gravity-film-review-a/

    http://cinekatz.com/prisoners-2013-w-w-jackman-d-review/

    http://cinekatz.com/escape-from-tomorrow-2013-the-happiest-place-on-earth-review/?fb_source=pubv1

    also, try to see "Mud." very good film, as was "the book thief."

    http://brainsnorts.com/2013/08/13/mud-film-review/

    http://brainsnorts.com/2013/12/03/the-book-thief-fabulous-film-cant-wait-to-read-the-book/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Randy MastersDecember 21, 2013 at 8:28 PM

    I wish you had seen Blancanieves too, Rich. It was the surprise of the Fest for me. Oh well.

    I'm not a fan of Mud. Very stylish, yes. But, didn't do it for me. I may see The Book Thief.

    ReplyDelete

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