Which Movies in 2013 Were Super Awesome?

Me and the Fonz give these movies thumbs up.

     Every year the Oscar Nominations come out and every year I let out a big laugh before the frustration begins.  The Academy focuses so heavily on dramas with big name casts that many great movies get overlooked.  Genre films and horror movies especially are relegated to "guilty pleasures" and animated films are excluded from their live action brethren for reasons that seem dumb to me.  The bottom line is that there are better movies out there than just the 10 or so the Academy chooses to acknowledge.  My list this year includes 3 2013 nominees and other movies you may not expect or haven't seen at all.  And if you haven't seen these gems, get to it! Netflix, Vudu, Redbox, Apple...there is no shortage of ways to watch the best of 2013:

#10 (TIE...I know, I'm cheating already but cut me some slack)

Room 237

     This little seen documentary requires a little bit of homework.  Namely, you have to watch Stanley Kubrick's The Shining first before you delve into this doc which covers the intricate and somewhat insane theories about the meanings behind the film.  If I told you that one person thinks Kubrick was protesting Native American atrocities and another thinks there are secret meanings in the color of the carpet, you'd think I was crazy.  The beauty of the film is that it takes you deep into the rabbit hole and you actually start to believe that some of these can be true.  It's crazy how not crazy it all becomes.  This smart and detailed dissection of the film may sound boring but I promise you it's worth your time.  It will make you appreciate the source material more and is an entertaining film on to itself.

Philomena

    One of the 3 times the Academy got it right this year was in honoring this well done drama starring Judi Dench. It tells the true life story of Philomena, a young girl whose son is taken away from her while under the care of nuns.  Years later she agrees to track him down with the help of a recently sacked (British for fired) journalist Martin Sixsmith.  Their journey doesn't take the expected uplifting route and delves into a chapter of Irish history I didn't even know existed.  Judi Dench is magnificent and disappears into the role of the humble Philomena and Steve Coogan as Sixsmith brings a welcomed sense of dry humor and, when the time calls for it, passion that the audience needs.  The movie is touching but not sappy, emotional without being melodramatic. 

#9  The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete

     I would wager that not many people caught this terrific little film which stars 2 unknown child actors and has a plot that is about as far away from sensational as possible.  This film is a coming of age drama that tells the story of Mister & Pete, sons of different drug addicted parents who have to survive by themselves in the inner city when they are left without supervision.  Mister is angry and arrogant but also determined and smart.  He wants to be an actor and performs monologues from Fargo to practice.  Pete is a meek and good hearted soul who displays a sense of optimism that doesn't match his life circumstances.  The "inevitable defeat" comes in the sad truth that no matter how good these kids are, they will most likely succumb to the same life of violence and drugs that their parents did.  But they don't go down without a fight and you are left rooting for the duo even with the fatalistic title.  I won't spoil the ending but let's just say it was fitting and, again, not sensational.  It felt like real life which is a high compliment to pay any movie.

#8  The Way Way Back

     To love this movie is to relate to the protagonist, a shy 14 year old kid named Duncan who is forced to go on vacation with his mother and her overbearing boyfriend.  The fact that I do says a lot about me but I think anyone will enjoy this well written drama about a good kid coming into his own during one memorable summer.  The film is filled with great performances include Liam James as Duncan, Sam Rockwell as Owen, Duncan's mentor and Steve Carell play against type as the jerk boyfriend.  You will root for Duncan all the way through and celebrate when he finally comes out of his shell.  This is a quieter movie but a lovely one that everyone should see.

#7  V/H/S 2

     And now for something completely different....I love horror movies.  I also will readily admit that most horror movies are garbage.  It's rare when a film comes out I can whole heartedly recommend but V/H/S 2 is one of them.  Whether you like it or not depends on whether you like horror movies.  If you're open minded to horror, give this a chance.  This superior sequel to the original has a killer premise: two people break into a creepy "abandoned" home where a tv and a stack of vhs stapes lay; one by one they begin watching them.  Each vhs tape tells a different story which allows many directors to contribute their scary visions.  These little short films range from creepy to nightmarish and I say that lovingly. The direction in every one is imaginative and original, telling stories that will stick with you.  Don't watch this with the lights off and don't' watch it right before bed because it freaked me out and I'm conditioned for these.  Seriously, go watch this now. It's on Netflix so it literally costs nothing if you have that service already.

#6  Monsters University

     Pixar is getting a lot of bad press lately which is new for them. Up until 3 years ago they couldn't miss. Every one of their films was a classic.  Then Cars 2 happened and it was downhill from there.  That film was a lazy sequel which added nothing new to the story and felt like a cash grab.  It was followed by the original film Brave which was a bizarre subpar entry.  When I heard they were making a sequel to 2001's Monsters Inc I thought for sure they were dipping into an empty well.  But Monsters University is a prequel and therein lies the genius.  By going back to the origin tale of Mike and Sully, Pixar allows themselves to forget the events of the original and tell a brand new story.  This time Mike is the focus.  We follow him from a young monster who wants  nothing more than to grow up and become a professional "scarer," to a studious college student enrolled in the titular Monsters University.  Enter Sully, a legacy who is naturally talented but lazy.  They don't like each other at first but through a series of events they have to work together and become the best friends we know from the original.  Every great pixar movie has a theme and this one is particularly apt and not one we often see, especially in animated movies.  The big lesson here is about accepting your limitations and growing up to realize you may not be able to reach your dreams.  That goes against years of Disney programming where "dream big, work hard, you will achieve it" has been the ongoing message.  I won't spoil the ending but it's not as depressing as you may think and I respect Monsters University for having something to say, especially something people may find uncomfortable.  This is better than the first movie and I hope to see more Monsters adventures in the future.

#5  Despicable Me 2

     Despicable Me 2 takes a different route than Monsters University.  It doesn't focus on character development and big ideas but just on providing belly laughs.  Done incorrectly that can come off cheap and forgettable but this superior sequel wins you over with its likeable characters and impressive hit ratio of jokes to laughs.  The story has the formally evil, now domesticated, Gru drafted back into service to track down a dangerous bad guy.  In tow he has his 3 adorable adopted girls  who want to find him a new wife and themselves a new mommy.  If that sounds sugary sweet don't worry.  The film has smart (and dumb) laughs and sentimentality is kept at a distance in favor of physical comedy by the ever popular minions.  I found myself laughing throughout the entire film and count this as one of the highlights of my movie going year.

#4  Gravity

     Gravity is a tale of survival set in space that uses state of the art technology.  As directed by Alfonso Cuaron, the technology never overtakes the film in a "look what I can do" Phantom Menace sort of way, but is used to perfect effect, amping up the tension and helping the audience suspend disbelief.  There is also a very nicely written back story about Sandra Bullock's daughter that gives the film its heart.  The result is a movie that could have felt cold but ends being one of the most emotionally rewarding AND technologically mesmerizing films of the year

#3  Star Trek Into Darkness

     I have a love/hate relationship with JJ Abrams.  While he has been involved in fine projects (Lost, Alias), his direction always leaves me wanting.  You can blame his indulgences (lens flares, setting the camera very far away from the action) but I'm going to blame his eagerness to please.  JJ wants to do such a good job he doesn't take any risks and therefore never does a great job.  I don't see the passion that directors like the aforementioned Alfonso Cuaron clearly have or Abrams' hero, Steven Spielberg.  During my first viewing of Star Trek Into Darkness my analysis was much the same:  good, but damnit not great.  I went to see it again just to see if I missed something and I did.  For starters this sequel to the 2009 reboot/alternative time line flick has a lot more to say than I originally gave it credit for.  I went into detail in my review this past summer but let's just say the themes of a government heading into moral darkness as a response to acts of terrorism resonates today.  Then there's the direction:  it's better all around.  The action sequences are excitingly staged and fun.  The pace is quick, the movie never getting bogged down with the plot which is, admittedly, convoluted.  But the most important part is I felt something.  In previous Abrams efforts I  left the theatre thinking "that was cool." this time I left thinking "that was emotionally satisfying."  This is Abrams' first truly great film and I'm excited to see what he does now that he's made that leap as a filmmaker.  

#2   Pacific Rim

      No other film in my top 10 list made me feel like more of a child than Pacific Rim.  I don't mean I felt condescended to or that I didn't understand what was going on.  That honor still goes to Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.  Rather, I was left in awe of what was going on in front of me.  This film has a killer premise:  giant beasts called Kaijus emerge from a "rift" in space/time out of the Ocean and attack earth.  In order to fight monsters we build monsters of our own in the form of giant machines.  So this is basically monsters vs. robots. If that doesn't sound super awesome to you then this isn't your kind of movie but for my inner 10 year old self, and my outer 30 year old self, it was A-freaking-Mazing.  These giant monsters are scary and the special effects are so good that I got chills looking at them.  The fight sequences with the robots will blow you away with its ingenuity and sheer size.  When a robot picks up an oil tanker and uses it like a bat to smash over a monster's head...what's not to love?  The plot is about what you expect but it does have some character development (okay most of it is kinda dumb and cartoonish but this is cartoon come to life so I'm okay with that) and you do end up caring about the people fighting.  Pacific Rim doesn't have much to say and isn't especially deep but it is entertaining.  It's the best action film of the year and one of the best movies.  I so want to go watch it again right now.

 

And the #1 Movie of 2013....

                  The Wolf of Wall Street

     When I'm 71 years old like Martin Scorsese, I hope to have half as much of his creative energy.  This guy is old enough to collect Social Security and has a shelf full of Oscars but instead of lying back on a hammock and resting on his laurels, he brings to screen another masterpiece.  The Wolf of Wall Street tells the story of Jordan Belfort, a born salesman whose natural skills and narcissism lend themselves to the business of selling stocks.  He doesn't just excel at it he redefines it, by perfecting every cutthroat and shady tactic known to sales. He's a wolf in the land of sheep but what he's after is money.  The entire story is morally reprehensible and no one I know left the theatre thinking Jordan was a hero but, refreshingly, Scorsese stays away from judgments.  He shoots the movie using the same hit-the-floor running frenetic energy Jordan had in real life choosing to show everything as is without stopping to explain why it was bad.  Yes what Jordan does is scumbaggy and ridiculous but it's also ridiculously entertaining and Scorsese doesn't shy away from that.  Everyone in this film gives it their all including Leonardo DiCaprio in the best performance of his career.  He too doesn't waste time trying to make Jordan likeable but shows him as he was warts, coke, and all.  The result is that the audience doesn't feel preached to which lets us enjoy the story Scorsese and company tell.  You won't like what Jordon does but you won't be able to stop watching it either.  Brilliant work and may you live another 71 years Mr. Scorsese.