Best Movies of 2013

It is finally here! My list of the best movies of 2013. A few things about this list: I do not watch every movie that comes out. I make a list at the beginning of the year of movies I would like to see, and depending on trailers I see, or if I happen across a movie that looks interesting, I watch those. The list is also dependent on my personal tastes in movies. While I try to explain my reasons for why these movies are on the list, hopefully it will be clear why some are higher or lower in the list. This list is also by no means saying your likes or dislikes are invalid, or that this list is definitive. The real purpose of this list is to give anyone the opportunity to see what may be the best films of the year so they can see them if they have not yet seen them.

Honorable Mentions

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition
The first entry on the list is the first hobbit film, with an honorable mention. I am including this as an honorable mention because the extended edition came out in 2013, and it was far better than the theatrical version. It was so much better that I am only going to see the extended editions for the remainder of the trilogy. I have little doubt that The Desolation of Smaug EE will make it for the best films of 2014.

The extended edition fixes many of the problems of editing and pacing from the theatrical version. There are subplots included which makes the character's actions more believable and understanding. If you were disappointed with the theatrical version, or if you thought the film was simply "okay," you owe it to yourself to see the extended edition.

Her
The best part of this film was Scarlett Johansson's voice which did an amazing job of making a character likeable, complex, and interesting when it was only her voice. The film also brings up the question of relationships, and how computer intelligence would act in that position.

14. 47 Ronin
This list is also unusual as it lists the top 14 films of the year. Number 14 goes to 47 Ronin with its themes of honor and justice. It has elements of mysticism which puts it apart from a simple period piece in feudal Japan. The film could have been better with the majority of the speaking in Japanese with select scenes in English, but the it was good nonetheless.

13. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Number 13 goes to the Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The film shows how not living life to the fullest can leave you feeling unfulfilled no matter your position in a company, or your personal life. The product placement in the film including Life magazine cheapened the movie, but the balance of humor and themes makes for an enjoyable film.

12. Gravity
Many would probably put this film higher in the list, but a lot of the metaphors the filmmakers were obviously trying to convey did not translate for me. Still, the sound design alone for the film was enough to make the list. Audio cues are important to alert you to danger. With no sounds of explosions or destruction, it catches you unaware. Much of the film gives you a sense of sensory deprivation. The visual effects gives the sense of the vastness of space, and leaves you on edge.

11. Elysium
Elysium is number 11 on the list with its great action, social commentary, and hopefully alert the audience to the idea of class warfare from a very small elite against the rest of the population. It is always the second film in the list with an atypical ending.

10. Don Jon
Making number 10 on the list is Don Jon, Joseph Gordon Levitt's directorial debut. When I first saw the trailer for the film, I thought it would be a funny romantic comedy. Instead it was a much deeper film about addiction, loss, and love. The acting, the characters, and the story are great. Joseph Gordon Levitt's character could have easily been a completely unlikeable character, but he did a wonderful job at making him complex.

9. The East
Number 9 goes to The East, a film a stumbled upon, and glad I did. It is the second film I have seen with Brit Marling, and it delves into the loyalty a person can have for other people, their job, or the moral truth. The acting in the film is top notch. Each scene is wonderfully shot. The film deals with a lot of inner struggles, and finding justice in a world that is swallowed with injustice.

8. Hunger Games Catching Fire
Number 8 goes to the top domestic grossing film in 2013 with the Hunger Games Catching Fire. Much of the book is internalized with Katniss' PTSD after the first Hunger Games, and the Jennifer Lawrence did a great job of portraying that experience. The only real failing of the film was Philip Seymour Hoffman who did nothing for the surprise twist at the end. A lot of the other elements of the game was left out which made some of the revelations feel forced. Some of the most important aspects of the Mockingjay itself was left out of the first film, so the reasons for the use of the Jabberjay in the games made less sense.

7. About Time
About Time makes the seventh spot with a heartwarming and funny movie about living life without regrets, and the importance of family, flaws and all. The acting the film is great, and it was the last film Richard Griffths starred in before his passing. A lot of the interactions and humor between the characters feel genuine and not at all forced. Too often characters can laugh at something another character said, and when it was not funny, the scene does not work. The film has a great message, great acting, and very likeable characters.

6. Man of Tai Chi
The second movie to make the list with Keanu Reeves, and the second film of someone's directorial debut. This time it is Keanu Reeves' first film to direct, and while many see this as an action film, it is a far deeper film. The ending really makes you think about what Tiger did, why he did it, and what that means for him. There have been a few movies this year that have had a deeper message than I originally anticipated. There was one scene that was odd with Keanu Reeves, but overall, the film was superb. The fight scenes were not about the fighting but about character growth, and that is something you rarely see in an action film.

5. The World's End
The final film of the Three Flavors Trilogy makes the number 5 spot. Each film uses a lot of the same actors, but each film has characters that are different from each other. This makes for unique characters and does not feel like the same actor playing the same role. The action was great in the film, though the stylize fighting was unusual for the characters. Beyond that, it was a great film, with funny moments, and a sort of atypical ending ala Cabin in the Woods.

4. The Wolverine
The only superhero movie to make the list is The Wolverine at number 4. The extended cut has more to offer and a Wolverine that feels more real than the other X-Men films. The Wolverine felt more like what 47 Ronin could have been with a mix of languages. This film also features one of the actors who was in 47 Ronin, Hiroyuki Sanada, who did a wonderful job in both films. The Wolverine has pushed the idea in a direction that proves superhero movies can be a subgenre to genres that everyone knows and loves.

3. Croods
The top three films are all very different. The third spot goes to a family movie, The Croods. While Pixar has been failing with Cars and Planes movies, the Croods excels with a great story, excellent voice acting, and wonderful writing. Not only is this the best kids and family movie, it is also the best comedy as I was laughing so hard throughout the film. This film is also emotional, and makes you care about the characters and the struggles they go through. This was another film that surprised me as I was not at all interested in seeing it.

2. 12 Years a Slave
It may have won the Best Picture Oscar, but 12 Years a Slave comes in the runner up spot in my list. The only real problem I had with the film was that it did not portray the passage of time very well over the course of the film. The acting in the film was superb, most especially Michael Fassbender. It is one thing to make a bad guy bad, but to make someone as bad as his character was and still make you as an audience member to understand where that character is coming from puts him above the rest. The story itself is heart-wrenching with scenes that are uncomfortable to watch, yet need to be seen.

1. Prisoners
The final spot goes to Prisoners, a story about what a parent will do to ensure the safe return of their child. The acting by everyone is great. Many of the movies on this list have the same actors. This one happens to have Paul Dano from 12 Years a Slave, and Hugh Jackman from The Wolverine. I do not know what that says about the films I like, but Paul Dano has a way of melting into his role. Everything about this film was amazing, and being a mystery-thriller, it is unlike any of the other films in the list.

That is it for my list of the Best 14 Movies of 2013. Check back soon for my list of Worst Movies of 2013, where I relive the missteps Hollywood made in the past year.