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.