2013 End of the Year Wrap Up - Sounds of Cinema

Top 10 Films of 2013

What follows are Nathan’s picks of the best films of 2013.

1. 12 Years a Slave

Directed by: Steve McQueen

Premise: Based on the true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Set before the Civil War, a free African American is abducted in New York and sold into slavery.

Why It Made the List: Despite the central place that slavery has in American history and in the history of Western civilization itself, the topic has not been dealt with very frequently in mainstream or independent films. 12 Years a Slave portrays that history on screen and does it in a way that acknowledges its horror and inhumanity while also capturing the human element of the people involved on both sides of the lash. When dealing with topics like slavery there is a tendency to oversimplify or ignore the interplay of institutional and personal responsibility but 12 Years a Slave deals with the subject in a sophisticated way. This isn’t just a movie about a bygone era; it is about how participating in a system of exploitation corrupts everyone and everything attached to it and that comes through in the central performances. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s plays Solomon Northup and Ejiofor’s does not give himself over to the kind of theatrics usually found in a historical picture. Instead the filmmakers allow the conflict of hope and despair to play quietly across Ejiofor’s face. In a supporting role, but making nearly as strong of an impression, is actress Lupita Nyong’o as female slave Patsey. Nyong’o plays a character who is pushed to the very limit and her struggle to maintain her humanity makes her scenes some of the most heartbreaking of the picture. 12 Years a Slave also features Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson as a married couple who run a plantation. As malevolent as the characters can be, their evil is palatable; the couple has a human frailty that is distinctly different from most movie villains. This complex portrayal of human suffering perpetuated by individuals and sustained by social and economic systems is a challenge to the way we think about our past but illuminates how we think about the inhumanities of the present. The best pieces of historical filmmaking bring viewers closer to history and 12 Years a Slave allows that connection while finding human dignity in a very dark place.

2. Her

Directed by: Spike Jonze

Premise: Set in the near future, a lonely man (Joaquin Phoenix) installs an artificially intelligent operating system (voice of Scarlett Johansson) into his personal computer network. The relationship between the user and his OS blossoms into a romance.

Why It Made the List: Her weds the science fiction film with a romance, which is an unusual pairing. But that combination allows Her to be a science fiction film in the truest sense. Her is about the impact of technology on the human experience and the whole film is built around that idea. The picture takes place in a future that is recognizable and plausible; its technology is just slightly advanced from the present state and is integrated believably into the lives of the characters. That gives Her a lot of credibility and it drives home the underlying idea of the film; the conceit of this story is not just a fantastic concoction but a slightly exaggerated example of the way technology has shaped our social expectations and interactions. The conceit of the story could be played for laughs but the filmmakers recognize that falling in love with an artificially intelligent operating system is not so absurd of an idea in a culture in which people are so attached to their cellular phones. Like any good love story, Her is about the comfort of companionship but the concept of the movie allows the filmmakers to deconstruct what that means. In the course of the story, the characters experience the euphoria of a new relationship but they also face the uncertainty of whether or not the love they are experiencing is real. In an age of digital relationships, this is a relevant and even subversive question to raise and the filmmakers follow it to a provocative and heartbreaking conclusion.

3. The Square

Directed by: Jehane Noujaim

Premise: A documentary that follows several participants in the Egyptian demonstrations that brought down the rule of Hosni Mubarak and who later campaigned for different visions of Egypt’s future.

Why It Made the List: The year 2013 saw the release of many great documentaries focused on social justice issues such God Loves Uganda, The Act of Killing, and We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks. Of these, The Square stands out because of the excellence of its filmmaking but also because of its complex storytelling. Beginning with the protests against the government of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the film recaps the imagery of Egyptians crowded into Tahrir Square that were widely circulated at that time. But instead of ending with Mubarak’s decision to step down, the filmmakers instead begin there and then track the struggle of the democratic movement to maintain its momentum. As enunciated by several of the people tracked in The Square, Egypt requires a fundamental change, including a restructuring of the government and a new constitution. Conflict arises between the various visions for Egypt’s future and the filmmakers document the gradual breakdown of a united front with several factions jockeying for position. As the situation deteriorates, Egypt is pushed to the threshold of civil war. The footage of Egyptian military forces opening fire on civilians or running them over with armored vehicles are a harrowing challenge to the audience. Stories and images of rebellion are often romanticized in dramatic films. The Square captures the hope for a better future but tempers it with the barbarity of reality. That uncertainty gives the film its lasting impact and makes it not only a document of a particular place and time but also a depiction of a broader struggle for freedom and democracy.

4. Nebraska

Directed by: Alexander Payne

Premise: An elderly man (Bruce Dern) receives a mass mailing sweepstakes scam and insists that that he has won a fortune. In an effort to humor his father, the old man’s son (Will Forte) takes him on a road trip to Lincoln, Nebraska to claim his prize.

Why It Made the List: Alexander Payne is a filmmaker whose stories often take place in middle America and his films sometimes exhibit a derisive regard for the characters. Although Nebraska has cynical and absurd moments, the movie is at its core a sensitive story about the disappointments of life. Nebraska was shot in black and white, which appears grey on the screen, and many shots juxtapose the characters against the flat Midwestern landscape. The combination of the washed out color pallet with the quietly harsh background provides an appropriately bleak setting for the story. This film has a melancholic tone but if Nebraska is defined by anything it is the sense of authenticity. This filmmakers gets at truths that are sometimes unflattering and many of those truths are festering just below the surface of the action. This is most apparent in Bruce Dern’s performance as the prize-obsessed father. This is a character who could be portrayed as stupid or senile but Dern brings a lot of subtly to the role; careful viewers will realize that the old man does not really believe he is a winner but has convinced himself of it because it is all he has to hope for. Nebraska is not an ostentatious film but it is one of those rare pictures that is able to shadow play the difficult and ephemeral qualities of life in a way that makes them palatable. As harsh as it may be at times, Nebraska has a great deal of humanity and it is one of Alexander Payne’s best movies.

5. Gravity

Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón

Premise: A pair of astronauts (Sandra Bullock and George Clooney) become stranded in space when debris destroys their space shuttle.

Why It Made the List: Sometimes a simple story can make for a great movie. This has been true of pictures like Jaws and Lifeboat and like those films Gravity is an example of a relatively simple premise tapped for all of its potential and executed with technical mastery. The result is a very exciting motion picture that combines the intelligence and creativity of an art house picture with the thrills of a studio blockbuster. Gravity is very well shot and assembled and although it is made of different takes and shots the film is so cleverly assembled that the entire picture has a seamless look. The story of Gravity is minimal but that works for this film. In place of plot, the filmmakers use inventive escalation. The astronauts have a very simple goal: to survive in an environment that is incapable of supporting life and in their struggle they face one complication after another. Despite the fast pace and effects oriented nature of the movie, Sandra Bullock gives one of the best performances of her career. Films like this one, in which the lead actor is also the only performer, is the ultimate test of a thespian’s chops and Gravity succeeds largely because Bullock imbues it with humanity. That humanity contrasts with the coldness of the setting and Gravity depicts humanity’s struggle to survive against a portrayal of nature that is simultaneously merciless and awe inspiring. That tension allows the filmmakers to take a simple idea and extrapolate it into an enlightening and thrilling piece of cinema.

6. Stories We Tell

Directed by: Sarah Polley

Premise: Filmmaker Sarah Polley interviews members of her family to discover the truth about her mother, who died when Polley was very young. In the process she uncovers family secrets.

Why It Made the List: Documentary films are uniquely suited to deconstruct life and the cinematic form, and Stories We Tell does both. This is a picture in which a filmmaker delves into her family’s complicated history, interviewing her siblings and several men who were a part of her mother’s life in an attempt to uncover the truth about this woman and her relationships. The film is a narrative kaleidoscope. It does not settle on one version of who her mother was but rather juxtaposes several different opinions as told by various people. This is revealing of the way a single person may take on different identities at different times and in different company. It is eventually revealed that Polley’s mother conducted several affairs over the course of her life and one of them may have resulted in the director’s conception; at this point Stories We Tell is not just about uncovering the personality of a deceased parent. It is also about Sarah Polley’s search for her own identity. But in the search for the truth about her father, Polley and her commentators reflect on the way in which these new discoveries retroactively impact their previous understandings of Polley’s mother and of themselves. And in this way, Stories We Tell critiques the act of storytelling itself. The juxtaposed and sometimes conflicting narratives interrogate the way stories mold our understanding of ourselves and the way our presumptions and prejudices impact the stories we tell and how we tell them. Stories We Tell is a smart and sensitive tale about the impact and the limits of knowing ourselves and each other.

7. The Place Beyond the Pines

Directed by: Derek Cianfrance

Premise: A three-part story. In part one, a stunt motorcyclist (Ryan Gosling) turns to bank robbery to provide for his family. In part two, a rookie cop (Bradley Cooper) discovers a ring of corruption in his police department. In part three, the sons of the motorcyclist (Dane DeHaan) and the police officer (Emory Cohen) encounter each other in high school.

Why It Made the List: There were quite a few films released in 2013 that ran in excess of two hours. In almost all cases, the length was unnecessary but The Place Beyond the Pines was one of the few movies whose considerable length was not only earned but absolutely essential. This ambitious story of crime and punishment spans two generations with a complex narrative that recalls movies like The Godfather Part II. The Place Beyond the Pines interweaves the lives of two families and their fortunes hinge on each other’s successes and failures. In the first part of the narrative a man turns to crime to fulfill his obligations as a father. The second section reverses and complicates the first scenario as a police officer confronts corruption in his department. The final act of The Place Beyond the Pines is a story of wasted youth in which the sons of these two men must cope with their fathers’ legacies. This is the kind of story that is easy to screw up with sentimentality or clumsy plotting, making the extent to which the filmmakers succeed all the more impressive. This film is also a provocative story of choices and consequences. The fathers and sons of this film cope with a world that isn’t fair and the filmmakers challenge the audience to consider the extent to which luck and blind fate determine our outcomes. The Place Beyond the Pines may have been missed by the Hollywood awards circuit but it is one of the best and most ambitious films of 2013.

8. I Declare War

Directed by: Jason Lapeyre and Robert Wilson

Premise: A group of young boys play a militarized version of capture the flag. But as the game goes on things get out of control.

Why It Made the List: War movies are nothing new but there has never been a war movie quite like I Declare War. As established in the opening scene, the kids use toy guns but the filmmakers depict the game as seen through the eyes of their characters and so most of the film has children running around the forest with real weapons. The imagery of children gunning each other down with automatic firearms is disconcerting but the filmmakers have more on their minds than just provocation. I Declare War is a movie that works on multiple levels. It is partly about adolescence and the power of imagination but I Declare War is primarily a dramatization of life in a militarized culture and what that does to people and their relationships. As distressing as the movie can be, it is often admirable how far the filmmakers of I Declare War are willing to go. Movies about childhood don’t usually address the tough realities of growing up. More often, moviemakers concoct fantasies of idealized innocence that reassure adults that their children are somehow more enlightened than their parents. The filmmakers of I Declare War abandon any pretensions to innocence. These young people are sophisticated and corrupt and as their game plays out it presents the characters with ethical and moral problems. That means I Declare War is not a film that can be described as “politically correct” but it does come across as truthful and what the filmmakers have accomplished in I Declare War is exceptional and at times extraordinary.

9. American Hustle

Directed by: David O. Russell

Premise: A conman (Christian Bale) and his partner (Amy Adams) cooperate with an overeager FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) to ensnare politicians and mob bosses in a corruption sting.

Why It Made the List: The last few years have seen capitalism and the American Dream go under great scrutiny as filmmakers deal with the cynicism and disillusionment that have set in since the economic collapse of 2008. A number of pictures released in 2013 continued that exploration, including The Wolf of Wall Street, The Bling Ring , and Pain & Gain. Among the best of these films was American Hustle. Although it has many things going for it, the picture is most distinguished from its competition by its characters. Where a lot of these other movies featured one-dimensional, sociopathic people behaving like idiots, the cast of American Hustle transcend their roles and pop off the screen. American Hustle is led by Christian Bale and Amy Adams as lovers who cooperate on a fraud scheme. Bale is a physically unattractive character but he is paradoxically vulnerable and confident at the same time and that tension makes him always watchable. Conversely, Amy Adams’ character is very attractive but she isn’t a bimbo and her craftiness and underestimated intelligence give her equal weight on screen. The film also stars Jeremy Renner as a New Jersey mayor and Renner’s character is ethically compromised while trying to do right by his community. These complicated characters are placed in a story that is recognizably a heist film but here too the filmmakers transcend the conventions. The narrative structure is much more sophisticated than its genre trappings so that the picture can accommodate themes like reinvention, integrity, and the corruption of the American Dream. The film is able to do all this while being immensely entertaining and often quite funny.

10. Philomena

Directed by: Stephen Frears

Premise: Based on a true story, an elderly Irish woman (Judi Dench) pairs with a journalist (Steve Coogan) to search for the son she was forced to put up for adoption.

Why It Made the List: The premise of Philomena sounds like that of a hokey Lifetime network movie and in lesser hands it might be. But instead the filmmakers have crafted a smart, funny, and insightful movie that manages to deal with weighty subject matter while being thoroughly enjoyable. This is a road trip movie and the filmmakers use the road trip format to their advantage. The story has a lot of heavy emotional baggage, as the characters deal with abuse and loss, but the road trip format allows for comic relief. And yet the comedy does not cheapen the drama. Philomena was written and acted with great care for its characters and it mixes comedy and drama so adeptly that many scenes manage to make the viewer laugh while also acknowledging the sadness underlying the story. Philomena is especially notable for the way it deals with religion. Given the circumstances of the story it would be quite easy for the filmmakers to just make this a cynical hit job on the Catholic Church but the picture is more sophisticated than that. As depicted in the movie, Philomena Lee is a woman who suffered at the hands of religious authorities and institutions but has maintained her faith. That maintenance is not a simple-minded surrender but a struggle and a yearning for grace. This film is at its core a compassionate story of people struggling to overcome histories of abuse and the film’s sweetness, humor, and earnestness making it enjoyable even while it addresses tough issues.

Honorable Mentions

What follows are films that were either runners up to the Top 10 list or other pictures that came out in 2013 that are worth mentioning.

The ABCs of Death – This film was less interesting as a horror picture but it was very interesting as a demo reel of experimental shorts from up and coming filmmakers.

The Act of Killing – A documentary in which Indonesian death squad leaders recreate their crimes against humanity through various film genres.

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – A contemporary western with strong performances by Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, and Ben Foster.

Before Midnight – This follow up to Before Sunrise and Before Sunset was the rare instance of a trilogy ending with its strongest installment.

Behind the Candelabra – A biopic of piano prodigy Liberace and his partner Scott Thorson, played by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, repectively.

Blackfish – This documentary about the treatment of killer whales at SeaWorld was among the most provocative films of the year.

The Bling Ring – Sofia Coppola’s dramatization of robberies committed by celebrity obsessed teenagers was a smart satire of contemporary culture.

Blue Jasmine – Woody Allen’s latest project was his best film since Match Point and it featured a terrific performance by Cate Blanchett.

The Brass Teapot – This quirky fairytale was a fun parable about contemporary life.

The Butler – Lee Daniels’ story of an African American butler working in the White House benefitted from a broad scope and boasted strong performances by Forest Whitaker and David Banner.

Byzantium – This was a refreshingly smart and creative take on the vampire genre.

Captain Phillips – This dramatization of the 2009 hijacking of an American cargo ship by Somalian pirates was a tense and intelligent thriller with great performances by Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi.

Dallas Buyers Club – Based on the true story of a Texan who contracted HIV and subverted the medical establishment to get the drugs he and other needed, Dallas Buyers Club also featured career defining performances by Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey.

Dirty Wars – This documentary about America’s covert military operations has some explosive findings about the War on Terror.

Don Jon – Written, directed by, and starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, this film was an amusing and incisive comedy about modern romance.

Enough Said – This film has the distinction of showcasing one of James Gandolfini’s last roles and it was among the actor’s best performances.

Europa Report – This low budget sci-fi thriller was a smart tale of space exploration.

Evil Dead – One of the best horror films of the year and among the best horror remakes of recent years.

Frozen – The best animated film of 2013 and one of the best pictures to come out of the Walt Disney Animation Studio in several years.

Fruitvale Station – A stunning recreation of the murder of Oscar Grant with an impressive cast including Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, and Octavia Spencer.

The Great Gatsby – Baz Luhrmann’s ambitious adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel had lavish style and a great cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, and Tobey Maguire.

A Hijacking – Remarkably similar to Captain Philips, this Danish film told the story of a cargo ship hijacked by Somalian pirates, but emphasized the negotiations between the shipping company and the bandits.

The Hunt – This Danish film tells the story of a kindergarten teacher who is falsely accused of child abuse. Mads Mikkelsen is terrific in the lead role of this complex film.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – The best blockbuster movie of 2013.

Inside Llewyn Davis – The Coen Brother’s latest project was one of their best, mixing the filmmakers’ wit and offbeat sensibilities while tempering their cynicism.

The Iceman – This biopic about mob enforcer Richard Kuklinski had an impressive performance by Michael Shannon in the title role.

John Dies in the End – This insane film recalled the early horror films of Sam Raimi and David Cronenberg.

Let the Fire Burn – A documentary about the 1985 standoff between MOVE and Philadelphia police.

Lone Survivor – One of the best combat films of recent years.

Lords of Salem – Rob Zombie returned to form with the best horror film of 2013.

Mama – The fad of haunted house movies continued in 2013 and this was by far the best entry in the trend.

Much Ado About Nothing – Joss Whedon’s playful take on William Shakespeare’s play was a lot of fun and had impressive performances.

Mud – Matthew McConaughey was on the poster but the great performances of this film were provided by child actors Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland.

Pain & Gain – Michael Bay’s latest effort was misjudged by a lot of critics who could not get around the director’s reputation.

Parkland – This cinema verite dramatization of the JFK assassination was a startling recreation of one of American history’s most picked over events.

Prisoners – This was a challenging story about how people react when the lives of their loved ones are at stake. The film also featured notable performances by Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, and Paul Dano.

Room 237 – This examination of various theories around Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining was frequently absurd but very entertaining.

Rush – This dramatization of the rivalry between Formula One racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda was an extremely well made sports picture.

Saving Mr. Banks – A dramatization of the troubled working relationship between Walt Disney and author P.L. Travers in the production of Mary Poppins. The film had impressive performances by Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson.

The Spectacular Now – This coming of age story includes impressive performances by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley.

Spring Breakers – Harmony Korine’s latest “youth gone wild” picture was among his best work and featured an off the wall performance by James Franco.

Stoker – This creepy story of murder and madness was among the best thrillers of the year.

To the Wonder – Terrence Malick’s latest picture was among his better efforts in recent years.

The Way Way Back – This film was a fun coming of age story and includes terrific performances by Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell, and Liam James.

We Are What We Are – This remake of the Mexican film of the same name was a cerebral cannibal picture.

We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks – Alex Gibney’s latest documentary was a thorough and much needed explanation of the personalities and issues surrounding the controversial website.

The World’s End – The most fun to be had in a movie theater in 2013.

The Wolf of Wall Street – Martin Scorsese’s latest project was delightfully profane if ultimately shallow and featured a terrific supporting performance by Jonah Hill.

Good Buzz List

These are films that were released in 2013 and have strong word of mouth, and in some cases award nominations, but Nathan was unable to see them in time for the year end summary, usually because they did not open here.

After Tiller – A documentary about the aftermath of the murder of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller.

All is Lost – Robert Redford has earned a lot of acclaim for his performance as a sailor lost at sea.

Blue is the Warmest Color – This film won the top prize at the 2013 Cannes film festival.

The Grandmaster – A biographical tale of Ip Man, the martial arts master who trained Bruce Lee.

Kill Your Darlings – A dramatization of the relationship between Allen Ginsberg, Lucien Carr, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs.

Labor Day – Jason Reitman’s latest project has earned a Golden Globe nomination for Kate Winslet’s performance.

No – This dramatization of the publicity campaign to oppose Augusto Pinochet’s 1988 referendum was nominated for an Oscar for best foreign language film.

Great Performances

This is a list of some of the great performances in 2013, although not all of them were in great movies.

12 Years a Slave – The entire cast of this film is stellar but especially notable are Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, and Lupita Nyong’o.

42 – This biopic of Jackie Robinson featured terrific performances by Chadwick Boseman in the lead role and Harrison Ford as Dodgers manager Branch Rickey.

American Hustle – This ensemble film features great performances by its entire main cast.

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – A contemporary western with strong performances by Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, and Ben Foster.

As Cool As I Am – Not a great movie but Claire Danes and Sarah Bolger elevate the material.

August: Osage County – The film had tremendous performances by Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Before Midnight – Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy continue to be one of the most watchable on screen couples in cinema history.

Behind the Candelabra – This biopic of piano prodigy Liberace and his partner Scott Thorson had strong performances by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon.

Blue Caprice – This dramatization of the 2002 beltway sniper murders included impressive performances by Isaiah Washington and Tequan Richmond.

Blue Jasmine – Woody Allen’s latest project featured a terrific performance by Cate Blanchett.

The Book Thief – This film left something to be desired but the performances of Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, and Emily Watson were impressive.

The Butler – Lee Daniels’ story of an African American butler working in the White House benefitted from a broad scope and boasted strong performances by Forest Whitaker and David Banner.

Dallas Buyers Club – This film featured career defining performances by Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey.

Enough Said – This film has the distinction of showcasing one of James Gandolfini’s last roles and it was among the actor’s best performances.

Frances Ha – Noah Baumbach’s latest effort was a disappointment but Greta Gerwig’s performance was notable.

Fruitvale Station – A stunning recreation of the murder of Oscar Grant with an impressive cast including Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, and Octavia Spencer.

Ginger & Rosa – Elle Fanning and Alice Englert are impressive in this film.

Gravity – Sandra Bullock gives this cold film its humanity.

The Great Gatsby – Baz Luhrmann’s ambitious adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel had a great cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, and Tobey Maguire.

Her – Joaquin Phoenix gives one of the best performances of his career in this film.

The Hunt – This Danish film tells the story of a kindergarten teacher who is falsely accused of child abuse. Mads Mikkelsen is terrific in the lead role of this complex film.

Inside Llewyn Davis – Oscar Issac, John Goodman, and Carey Mulligan are very good in the Coen Brother’s latest film.

The Iceman – This biopic about mob enforcer Richard Kuklinski had an impressive performance by Michael Shannon in the title role.

Mr. Nobody – The movie fell short of its ambitions but Jared Leto and Sarah Polley’s performances stand out.

Much Ado About Nothing – Joss Whedon’s playful take on William Shakespeare’s and had impressive performances with the actors bringing modern inflections to classic dialogue.

Mud – Matthew McConaughey was very good here but the great performances of Mud were provided by child actors Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland.

Nebraska – Bruce Dern, Will Forte, and June Squibb are terrific in one of the best pictures of the year.

Out of the Furnace – The movie was underwhelming but Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, and Woody Harrelson were very good.

Philomena – Judi Dench and Steve Coogan make an enjoyable odd couple.

The Place Beyond the Pines – Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper,Dane DeHaan, and Emory Cohen are very good in this complicated tale of father’s and sons.

Prisoners – The film featured notable performances by Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, and Paul Dano.

Rush – Daniel Brühl and Chris Hemsworth are terrific as Formula One racers Niki Lauda and James Hunt.

Saving Mr. Banks – A dramatization of the troubled working relationship between Walt Disney and author P.L. Travers, played by Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson.

The Spectacular Now – This coming of age story includes impressive performances by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley.

Spring Breakers – Harmony Korine’s latest “youth gone wild” picture featured an off the wall performance by James Franco.

Stoker – Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, and Matthew Goode were very creepy in this story of murder and madness.

The Way Way Back – This film includes terrific performances by Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell, and Liam James.

The World’s End – Simon Pegg was a lot of fun to watch in this film.

The Wolf of Wall Street – A lot of the press about this picture has celebrated Leonardo DiCaprio but the ace performance in this film is provided by Jonah Hill.

Bottom 10 Films of 2013

What follows are the very bottom of the cinematic heap for 2013.

1. A Good Day to Die Hard

Directed by: John Moore

Premise: The fifth film in the Die Hard series. John McClane travels to Russia to visit his son (Jai Courtney) only to discover that the younger McClane is a spy for the CIA. When the mission goes bad, father and son must stop a nuclear arms heist.

Why It Made the List: There are plenty of bad sequels—especially in 2013—but when the original film is a classic the letdown of a bad follow up weighs evermore heavily. The original Die Hard is one of the great action pictures of all time but A Good Day to Die Hard ranks with The Exorcist II, Superman III, and Jaws: The Revenge among the worst sequels of all time. It isn’t just that A Good Day to Die Hard makes no sense or that it looks profoundly ugly or that it is shot and edited so sloppily. What is worst about this film is its overwhelming laziness. The filmmakers of A Good Day to Die Hard display only the most cynical regard for the legacy of their franchise and nothing but spite for the audience. It is the contempt bleeding from every frame of A Good Day to Die Hard that makes this the worst film of the year.

2. A Haunted House / Scary Movie V

Directed by: Michael Tiddes / Malcolm D. Lee

Premise: Both films are a parody of recent horror films, primarily Paranormal Activity.

Why It Made the List: Putting two titles in a single slot on a year-end list is usually cheating but in this case it’s deserved because A Haunted House and Scary Movie V are the same damn movie. Both pictures parody the same source, they share many of the same gags, and there isn’t one laugh between them. Scary Movie V makes cultural reference after reference with no imagination while the filmmakers of A Haunted House resort to racial stereotypes and rape jokes in a vain attempt to be edgy. The parody genre has been in terrible shape for some years but A Haunted House and Scary Movie V are among the genre’s most disgraceful entries.

3. Grown Ups 2

Directed by: Dennis Dugan

Premise: A sequel to the 2010 film. The same group of middle aged men (Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, and David Spade) spend a summer day getting into trouble.

Why It Made the List: The original Grown Ups was one of the worst movies of 2010 but in many respects Grown Ups 2 is worse. Where the first film was at least superficially about a father reconnecting with his family and friends, the sequel is about middle aged men complaining about how their wives and children have ruined their lives. The filmmakers of Grown Ups 2 have managed to take an already bland concept, purge it of any novelty, and fill the void with lazy and mean spirited jokes. This may not be Adam Sandler’s worst movie but it is probably his laziest.

4. Texas Chainsaw 3D

Directed by: John Luessenhop

Premise: A direct sequel to 1974’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. A young woman discovers she is the inheritor of an estate in Texas. Upon arriving she and her friends find an old family secret living in the basement.

Why It Made the List: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has suffered through its share of indignities but Texas Chainsaw 3D is the worst entry in the series and among the worst horror pictures in recent years. The filmmakers play through all of the slasher movie clichés but do none of them well. The story has obvious continuity problems and the special effects are awful. But worst of all this film was made by people who do not understand, and maybe didn’t even see, the original movie. Texas Chainsaw 3D isn’t scary. It is an incompetent and boring mess.

5. The Host

Directed by: Andrew Niccol

Premise: Based on the novel by Stephanie Meyer. An alien race of parasitic creatures has taken over mankind and the surviving humans have gone into hiding. When one of the aliens takes over the body and mind of a young woman (Saoirse Ronan), she simultaneously holds both alien and human consciousness. She escapes to a secret human settlement but the survivors do not trust her.

Why It Made the List: The Host clocks in at just over two hours in length and in those two hours absolutely nothing happens. Saoirse Ronan plays a generic young woman who is possessed by an equally vague alien consciousness and each of her identities falls for a pair of pretty boys who look like interchangeable Gap models. The bulk of The Host consists of Ronan’s character mopes around a cave while other people give her dirty looks. That’s the whole movie. This isn’t a schlocky action picture or a soppy adolescent romance. It’s just insufferably boring.

6. Red 2

Directed by: Dean Parisot

Premise: A sequel to the 2010 film. The group of aged assassins (Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren) go on the run when they are misidentified as terrorists and targeted for assassination by the government.

Why It Made the List: The original Red was a fun piece of popcorn moviemaking and seeing actors like Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker, and John Malkovich involved in car chases and shootouts gave the movie a certain charm but that was only good for one movie and in the sequel the novelty has evaporated. Red 2 is an all-around terrible film with a stupid script, uninteresting characters, and uninspired action. Instead of recalling a James Bond movie, Red 2 most closely resembles a Dan Brown adaptation like The Da Vinci Code.

7. The Counselor

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Premise: A lawyer (Michael Fastbender) gets involved in a onetime drug deal and quickly gets in over his head.

Why It Made the List: The Counselor was directed by Ridley Scott, written by Pulitzer Prize winning author Cormac McCarthy, and features a stellar cast including Michael Fastbender, Javier Bardem, and Brad Pitt. The pedigree of talent involved makes the catastrophic failure of The Counselor ever more exasperating and this is probably the most baffling movie of 2013. This is a picture that goes wrong in nearly every respect, from its script, to its casting, to its tone. To say it is a train wreck is unfair because train wrecks are at least watchable.

8. The Big Wedding

Directed by: Justin Zachham

Premise: A remake of the French film Mon frère se marie. An American family reunites for the marriage of their adopted Columbian son (Ben Barnes). The son has maintained a relationship with his biological family and his birth mother is a strict Catholic who does not believe in divorce, which the adoptive parents are. In an effort to avoid a scene, the son convinces his divorced parents to pretend to be married.

Why It Made the List: How Hollywood executives approved The Big Wedding for production and how it attracted actors the likes of Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Topher Grace, and Amanda Seyfried boggles the mind. This script is so poorly written as to be incoherent. The characters of this movie constantly make stupid and unmotivated decisions and conflicts and desires are introduced and then discarded, sometimes within the same scene. The Big Wedding is a movie made in bad faith and the filmmakers opt for the lowest, dumbest, and laziest road at every opportunity.

9. Passion

Directed by: Brian De Palma

Premise: A rivalry between an advertising executive (Rachel McAdams) and her protégé (Noomi Rapace) escalates into sabotage and murder.

Why It Made the List: Brian De Palma has a spurious reputation as a great director of erotic thrillers from the 1980s like Dressed to Kill and Body Double. The irony is that most of those pictures weren’t very good and in his efforts to reclaim his past glory, De Palma destroys what remains of the façade of his reputation. Passion is an erotic thriller is neither erotic nor thrilling. There is no tension and it often plays like late night Cinemax erotica from the 1990s but with the erotic parts cut out. What’s left is flat, soporific, and stupid.

10. Machete Kills

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Premise: The sequel to the 2010 film. Machete (Danny Trejo) is recruited by the President of the United States to stop a terrorist from bombing Washington D.C.

What It Made the List: The original Machete was a fun and smart action movie that mixed over the top thrills with a political allegory. In Machete Kills, all of the fun and intelligence are gone and the film is an unfocused, directionless mess. It is as if Robert Rodriguez deliberately attempted to validate every dismissive criticism of his work. The movie is just a series of meaningless fights, chases, and shootouts that attempt to disguise the fact that the movie has nothing at its core.

Trends of the Year

Bad Comedies

With a few exceptions (Anchorman 2, The World’s End), the comedies of 2013 were really terrible, with a few managing to be the wost pictures of the year.

Bad Sequels

Sequels are usually inferior to their predecessors but this year’s crop of follow-ups were especially bad.

Hauntings

Haunted house tales continued to be the dominant trend in the horror genre in 2013.

Failed Adaptations of Young Adult Novels

Attempts to fill the void left by the end of the Twilight and Harry Potter franchises were spectacular failures, both commercially and artistically.

The End of the 1980s Hard Body Action Hero?

A lot of action movies starring the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and especially Sylvester Stallone were released in 2013 but mostly to empty auditoriums.

African American Cinema

Film about African American characters and/or made by African American filmmakers made significant inroads into mainstream theaters in 2013.

Recession Cinema

Filmmakers continued to deal with the repercussions and implications of the recession.

Mega Budget Box Office Failures

Several films with huge budgets (over $100 million) became very loud box office failures in 2013.

Social Issue Documentaries

2013 was a very good year for documentaries, with a lot of filmmakers taking on topical social issues.

Movies as Corporate Ads

Several movies of 2013 had problematic relationships with major corporations and played as feature-length product placements.

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