My Favorite Movies 2013

In addition to posting my top rated movies (see list here http://myreviewsbyjane.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-top-rated-movies-2013.html ) I have decided to also put out my favorite movies of the year.  Although half of them are also on my top rates these are the ones that I loved the most and have found myself really looking forward to watching, re watching, and owning myself.  Some of these are not the best movies of the year but they are the ones that I really recommend seeing and consist of a better picture of the movies that I really tend to like, or surprises that I wasn't expected. The key to these movies making my favorite list is that they surprised me with how much I liked them or they actually held up the excitement I had going into them.

My favorite movies are the year are listed here.  I once again did a top twelve list because I wanted to, and when I originally went through my list of movies and tagged the ones I really enjoyed this year there were nineteen and pruning those seven was very difficulty for me.

1. Now You See Me (4-)

My favorite movie of the year is Now You See Me.  There were many things that came together that really got me, the first being that it touched on my childhood joy of magic and , it pulled in some intrigue and went with the whole what are they trying to show you and what is each character really doing.  It also has some of my favorite actors of the moment and the great chemistry between them.

2. Frozen (3+)

Frozen was one of the movies that stood out to me and while witching it, I was thinking how much I liked it and was looking forward to listening to the soundtrack, and watching it again to see all the little things that I didn't notice during the first viewing.  This one I just really liked watching and think it will become one of my staple and favorite animated movies.

3. Don Jon (3+)

Don Jon was the movie that I was looking the most forward to seeing this year and I was very excited that it held up to everything I heard about it.  I had been waiting to see it, since my little sister spent a day as a background person and then hearing all the accolades it got throughout the movie festivals.  I thought that it was an interesting look at this young man, not to mention I really like Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

4. Warm Bodies (3)

Warm Bodies was one of the surprises for me this year.  I went to see it not really knowing what to expect and ended up really loving it and enjoying the use of music throughout the movie.  This is one that I have watched many times since it came out on DVD and it is the one that is currently on my phone and that I start to watch when I am stuck somewhere or bored.

5. Monster's University (3)

   I Like many of my generation was very excited for the release of Monster's University as I was a huge fan of Monsters University (2013).  I even had a remote control Mike Wazowski in my dorm room that I had fun running up and down the dorm room hallways. This one was good and I liked seeing the development of the realtionships of the main characters, although the ending wasn't what I would have liked.

6. Jack: The Giant Slayer (3)

Jack the Giant Slayer is the movie that grew on me throughout the year.  I tend to like this kind of campy fair tale style movie and I was bummed earlier in the year with Hansel & Gretel Which Hunter, so I liked that this one went for a better overall feel of movie that fit together.  When it came out on DVD I watched it again and found that it was one that I like having on while doing housework or cooking, where I can wonder in and out of the story.  Not to mention Nicolas Holt is one of the actors of the year for me.

7. Saving Mr. Banks (4-)

This movie was absolutely fantastic and I enjoyed watching all the the interactions between the characters and the look into Ms. Travers as she struggled to let Walt Disney make Marry Poppins. The cast came together and played off of each other and it has the nostalgic factor of a childhood of watching Mary Poppins.  I came out of the movie wanting to go and watch Mary Poppins.

8. Star Trek: Into Darkness (3+)

I loved the 2009 reboot of Star Trek and have been waiting to watch the sequel since then.  This movie met my expectations and had the joys of the first movie, such as character dynamics and quipy dialogue.  It also had the man of the year in it with Benedict Cumberbatch.

9. The Way Way Back (3+)

 This was a movie that I went in not sure what to expect and ended up really liking the look at this young mans journey at a point in his life.  Where he and his mom are struggling with their relationships, as well as the boys relationship with his mothers ass of a boyfriend.  Sam Rockwell was fantastic and a scene stealer in this movie.

10. Captain Phillips ( 3-)

Tom Hanks bring out another great showing in Captain Phillips.  This movie was interesting and had amazing acting in it.  It is one that I would recommend that everyone see, as it has a strong plot, great acting, and an overall great drama.

11. The World's End (3-)

I am a huge Simon Pegg movie and have been waiting for the third installment of the Cornetto Trillegy since I saw the first trailer for this movie.  It is a bunch on nonsense and has quite a few problems, but it is fun and embraces all of the tomfoolery that happens.

12. Pain & Gain (3)

Pain & Gain was the movie that I saw this year that surprised me the most in how much I liked it and laughed throughout.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to see this movie but my friends wanted to and I wasn't opposed, as I watched it I had a lot of fun and laughed really hard at times.  Because it is based on a true story the plot kept going and didn't have the holes that many movies like this have.  This is one of the best true dark comedies that I have seen in a long time.

My Top Rated Movies: 2013

With it being the end of the year, I have decided that I wanted to put together some top movie list.  I ended up seeing seventy six new 2013 releases this year (not counting the four 2012 releases I saw in January) and this is a huge jump from last year.  Even with watching this many movies that came out this year, there are still many that I wanted to see but didn't have a  chance to, and I am hoping that I will get a chance to watch some of them as they come out on DVD or whenever I have a chance.  If I missed any that were your top rated, let me know, I love to get steered in a specific direction when going back and watching movie I watched.

Here is my top rated movies of the year (I also did a list of my favorite movies of the year which you can check out here http://myreviewsbyjane.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-favorite-movies-2013.html ).  I did the top dozen instead of ten because I felt like it.  I recommend seeing everyone one of these movies, especially the top five as they were all wonderfully done with great stories and well acted.

1. Quartet (4)
2. Lee Daniel's The Butler (4)
3. Saving Mr. Banks (4-)
4. Now You See Me (4-)
5. The Way Way Back (3+)
6. Don Jon (3+)
7. Frozen (3+)
8. Star Trek: Into Darkness (3+)
9. The Book Thief (3)
10. Monster's University (3)
11. American Hustle (3)
12. Side Effects (3)

Dallas Buyers Club (2013): Review

Today I saw Dallas Buyers Club and it is a movie the definitely has earned the nominations that it is getting.  It was an interesting story of a man who was diagnosed with HIV and AIDS in the mid nineteen eighties and his desire to get drugs to manage his symptoms, provide these medications for others, and come against the FDA and the providers of medication study to try and stop the HIV virus.  Going into this movie I didn't really understand why it was called Dallas Buyers Club but in watching the movie I discovered that a Buyers Club was an organization were people payed a fee to get a membership at which points they were provided with medications, this was an attempted loophole around getting in trouble for selling unauthorized drugs.  I also didn't realize until I watched the movie that it is a story about a real man, Ron Woodroof.
In Dallas Buyers Club, Ron Woodroof, played by Matthew McConaughey, a homophobic, drug using bull rider discovers that he is HIV+ and has AIDS.  He struggles with accepting his illness and how he is unable to get medication to treat it.  He manages to initially bribe to get medication AZT.  After finding a doctor in Mexico that helps him and teaches him about using supplements and unauthorized medications, he seeks to start bringing in these medications into the US and then start selling them to other people who suffer from HIV with an unlikely cross dressing business partner Rayon, played by Jared Leto, who helps him bridge the gap between him and the gay population who need these medications.  Ron's main struggle is against the FDA who doesn't like that Ron is in business and is against the use of AZT and Dr. Eve Saks, an uncertain doctor who just wants to help people played by Jennifer Garner.
Matthew McConaughey was fantastic as Ron and he acted extremely well, he defiantly deserves the nominations that he has thus far received for this role and he is able to carry the movie, as he is the main focus of the entire thing. You can see his progression throughout the movie and how he struggles to redefine his life and live with his illness without easily accepting his upcoming death, especially since he is only originally given 30 days to live after he is diagnosed. The supporting cast is good but no one can really compete with McConaughey and he is the focus when he is on screen.  This even includes the flamboyant portrayal of Rayon.
The feel of the movie was gritty but it goes with the feel of the overall movie and the mid nineteen eighties setting. This movie was interesting to watch, and although I am glad that I saw it, it isn't a movie that I plan on watching over and over again like I tend to do with movies.  It is worth watching, but the material matter, profanity, and homophobia expressed in this movie, means that it is for the older viewer.  I recomend seeing it but people who struggle with any of the things I just identified would not like the movie.

My Rating: 3-

47 Ronin (20313): Review

I have been looking forward to the new Keanu Reeves movie 47 Ronin but I wasn't sure what to expect or if it was any good and I am happy to say that it was a good movie that I enjoyed watching.  It is a Samurai honor movie with a Japanese film feel but overall the movie was in English so it inst only for the die hard fan. This movie is for people who like action movies that are not all explosions and gun fights because this movie is at a slower pace and the action sequences are more Medieval in types of fighting.
47 Ronin is a movie that starts Keanu Reeves as Kai, a boy who escaped the evil of the Forrest as a young man but was treated as an outsider by the local Samurai because his father was an Englishman and that he is believed to have demon in him.  He is taken in by the Lord Asano, played by Min Tanaka, and befriends his daughter Mika, played by Ko Shibasaki.  When rival Lord Kira, played by Tadanobu Asano, arrives to stay with Lord Asano and have their Samurai compete, Kira causes the death of Asano with the help of his witch, played by Rinko Kikuchi.  After the death of this Master the now Ronin (Samurai who no longer have a master) lead by Oishi, played by Hiroyuki Sanada, proclaim they will avenge their fallen master.  A year later, Oishi seeks the help of Kai and the scattered Ronin's help to save princess Mika from being forced to marry Lord Kira and succeed in avenging their fallen master and demonstrate the honor of their Samurai vows.
All in all the plot of this movie is very simple and the story line pretty obvious how this movie was put together and paced was done really well.  I saw this movie in 3D but I do not think it was at all necessary (I only saw it in 3D was I saw it late at night and there were no more 2D showing of it).  The 3D added some dimension to the landscapes, which were gorgeous to look at, and it did the use of 3D that I love the most which is snow fall, but overall it was unnecessary and didn't really add to the overall experience.  I really liked how they used CG in this movie as it fit in with everything that was going on and worked seamlessly.  The only thing that I found distracting was the use of the witch's hair but that wasn't the CG but the concept itself.  I saw why they did it, as they had the tentacle things on the witch when she was in dragon form, but i still think it was weird.
The overall acting of the movie was high in the emoting but as there wasn't too much brooding it worked.  Also with the slower pace of the overall movie and the sweeping scenes, everything worked together. I liked the casting of the movie, but with Keanu Reeves in a leading role people who don't like Keanu Reeves will probably continue to complain about him, I liked his chemistry with the other characters and I think everyone fit the aspects of their characters.
Like I said, I enjoyed this movie and I would defiantly go see it again, when movies have really beatify cinematography and use of CG mixed in with everything, I love to go back and pay more attention to the background when I am not so focused on the story and what is going to happen next.

My Rating: 2+

Battle of the Movies: Christmas Day

This Christmas day there are four big new releases and it will be interesting to see which one wins out against the others for Christmas week viewing.  I am a bit torn about which one I want to see first as I am interested in seeing all four of these movies.  Who else is excited to see these movies?

47 Ronin

I don't know much about this movie but it seems to be very much a Samari themed action flick.  It has been a while since I have seen Keanu Reeves in a movie and am hopping that he can pull on his leading action star abilities and that it is fun to watch  Basically it seems like it about a group of 47 Ronin Warriors whose master has been killed and they go on a mission to avenge his death. This is the movie that my brother wants to see first.

Grudge Match

This is the comedy action movie option that is coming out and this is the option for those who want something a little more light hearted to watch for Christmas. It brings together Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro as over the hill former boxers who were formal rivals who have never identified who was the champion of the two.  They are given a chance to get some money and prove for all who is the ultimate champ.  It has been really pushing the humor aspect of the movie in it promotional material.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a story about a man who has been living a boring life but who gets swept away in his imagination.  He then is trust into a situation where he goes and experiences adventure while seeking down a missing photo negative.  I have seen a few interviews with Ben Stiller about this movie and am hoping that the movie has the feel of the trailers, but sometimes these movies don't really give you a true scene of where the movie will go.

Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is the new Leonardo DiCaprio movie where he once again plays an egotistical ass.  In this one he works on wall street with Jonah Hill and they may or may not be running an above the bar ship.  This looks to follow the rise and fall of these characters as they try to be masters of their kingdoms.



The movies coming out this Christmas all seem to be focused on the adult audience and none of them seem like family fare.  I am interested in seeing all four of them but they all have a different feel to them, so which one I see first will depend on my mood weather I am more interested in a comedy (Grudge Match), a character drama comedy (Secret Life of Walter Mitty) a warrior action movie (47 Ronin) or a OTT suspense black comedy/drama (Wolf of Wall Street).
What is everyone planning to see and which one is going to be the winner in my book?

Saving Mr. Banks (2013): Review

I have been looking forward to seeing the movie Saving Mr. Banks since I first saw the preview and I am happy to say that I absolutely loved this movie.  It is definitely one of my favorites for this year and I recommend that you go see it.  It is a family film but I feel like it is more for adults as it really touches on the nostalgic feelings for those you grew up watching Mary Poppins growing up.
Saving Mr. Banks is a movie that focuses on the the making of the movie Mary Poppins (1964) and the struggle that Disney went through to get right to make the movie.  Walt Disney has been planning on making this movie and had people working on the screenplay and songs before he had convinced that author of the book series P.L. Travers to let him make the movie.  This movie is focused on Mrs. P.L. Travers, played by Emma Thomsan and the emotional journey she went through to approve the making of her books into a movie and how she was particular and shut down to the idea of Disney making a mockery of her books.  This movie is a combination of two stories and weaves in and out between the two.  The main story being that of Mrs. Travers and the Disney company's headbutting over the movie version of Mary Poppins and that of the early childhood of Mrs. Travers as Ginty, played by Annie Rose Buckley, in rural Australia with her family. This early childhood focuses her relationship with her father Travers Goff, played by Colin Farrell, who has an alcohol problem and struggles in his job as a bank manager.  Although I liked the story of little Ginty and her family, I really connected with Mrs. Travers and how she was desperate to hold true to her vision of Mary Poppins but having to come to terms with allowing it to be made into a movie.  While at Disney Studies she works with Sherman brothers, played by B.J. Novack and Jason Schwartsman, and Don DaGradi, played by Bradley Whitfield.  She also has an interesting relationship develop with her car driver, played by Paul Giamatti.
I really loved this movie and it definitely showcases what an amazing actress Emma Thomson. Although Mrs. Travers is quite haughty, I find myself caring about her and wanting to see her journey of resolving herself to letting her beloved book become a movie by Walt Disney, played by Tom Hanks, and because I know what the movie actually becomes it is interesting to see how the struggles came and how she resisted a lot of what was coming but then how she was won over by the Sherman brothers songs.  Although there were two different feels to the different storylines of the book Emma is able to get you to see how she might have been reflecting on her early life as she is going through her current journey. Basically I think Emma Thomson was this movie and because of her and the great support she has by the other cast, it was fantastic.  The interactions between all the main characters was great, but I really appreciated the scenes between Thomson and Gianatti, her car driver.
The was just enough of Mary Poppins songs spread through and even though I don't know how true the actual story of this movie is I really liked how the songs were put in the movie and how they were the scores to the emotions of the movie.

I think that this movie is one of the best of the year but it is definitely a family film but not one that is necessary for younger kids.  The movie focuses on a beloved movie of many peoples childhoods but all the characters are adults, I don't know if there is enough to keep kids interested. That being said it was a fantastic film and I look forward to seeing it on DVD and hoping that it has good special features to tell me more about the real life story.

My rating: 4-

American Hustle (2013): Review

This weekend I went to see a movie that I was looking forward to seeing because it seemed like it was different from the more recent movies that have come out lately (set in the late 1970s) and had actors that I usually enjoy.  I quite enjoyed this film and although it is not that original in general plot, the production value was good, everything came together in a way that worked (casting, actors, cinematography, sets, music), and it was different from the other movies that have come out lately and therefore kept my interest. There were moments that dragged on and I don't think that it needed to be quite so long but overall I had a good impression of this movie and am glad I saw it.  My brother was underwhelmed by it and my father didn't like it at all, but I think it is worth a watch.
American Hustle stars Christian Bale as Irving Rosenfeld, a con man who has been taking money from desperate people, with the promise of trying to get them approved for a bigger loan.  He meets Sydney, played by Amy Adams, and falls in love with her.  He brings her into his conning business as faux Englishwoman Edith and they grow the business.  In an attempt to bust them FBI Agent Richie DiMaso, played by Bradley Cooper, is only able to get Edith.  Irving is then blackmailed to work with Richie to try and get four other bust in order to let Edith off the hook.  In doing so he is forced to try and catch local Mayor and community helper Carmine Polito, played by Jeremy Renner.  As this movie progresses, Irving gets pulled future into a scheme that he doesn't want to be in and has to find a way to get out of, while under the thumb of glory hungry Richie, who now wants to go after congressmen and mobsters to get the big bust.  Also in the movie are Irving's wife Rosalyn, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who's relationship with Irving is tenuous, and Richie's boss at the FBI Stoddard Prosser, played by Louis C.K., who Richie is always at odds with because his boss doesn't think that this whole scheme is a good idea.  Can Irving find a way to con the FBI and find a way to save himself and Sydney?
I enjoyed this movie and thought that it was a refresher for my movie pallet.  It included many of the elements I like in a movie but also had a different approach then the other films that I have watched lately.  I would put it into the category of suspense drama, as it is focused on the characters, acting, and situations between them, as well as the suspense of having the audience wonder if the pieces will all come together for Irving or Richie, and is more subtle in leading the audience through what is happening, instead of the audience knowing everything that is going on before it happens.  I tend to get frustrated with movies that push the suspense attitude in a movie, that the audience knows for sure what is going to happen at the end of the movie, it just irks me,  this movie does not do this and even though it was a longer movie it kept my interest throughout and wanted to see how it would all resolve. 
The casting and acting in this movie was superb and even those scenes that didn't really add to the story and were more focused on just the interactions between the characters I enjoyed and except for a short bit toward the beginning of the movie (where Irving and Sydney meet) and the very ending, I was focused on the story and ready to see what was happening.  These moments that I mention that were a bit slower were the added pieces to give information about the overall movie but had a different feel as they were not really a part of the story's suspense.  Christian Bale was fantastic in this movie and for the majority of it he blended into the character and I didn't see his Christian Bale-isms that I can sometimes find distracting.  Amy Adams had great chemistry with Bale and Cooper and in one of the scenes even Lawrence.  Bradley Cooper did pretty well with keeping up with all the outstanding acting in this movie but at times you could see him trying to act, while the other characters looked more effortless in their portrayals. The cameo of mob boss Victor Tellegio, by Robert DeNiro was added fun to this movie. 
The production value of this movie was fantastic, the overall feel of the movie was spot on, the costuming had me thinking, how does Amy Adams not fall out of some of those outfits, but they look absolutely fantastic. The seventies music was weaved in to add to the overall experience.

I really enjoyed this movie and think it is the award nominations it received, but do not think that it is the best movie of the year and that it is an award winner, but as I said it kept me interested through, was solid acting, and isn't what every other suspense/drama movies are doing.  That being said, my father thought it wasn't worth the money to see it, and my brother was more ambivalent, but then again they are more judgmental of movies and the inconsistencies of movies and consistency of reality within the movie.

My Rating: 3