n
n
n
n
n
nComments: This one made it to my best of 2013 list becausenquite frankly it made me laugh hard, I mean, to me biblical prophecies is thenstuff of fantasies, so to see a film that so blatantly makes fun of all thatn“judgment day” bullcrap just pushed my funny buttons to the max! It was alsongreat to see so many comedians together in one film; I mean we get Jonah Hill,nSeth Rogen, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson which in my book makes this one a “super-comedy”.nTo top things off it has a slew of cameos that covers everything from MichaelnCera to freaking Rihana. Simply hilarious!
n
n
n
nQuote: “Your mama’s pussy was the canvas; your dad’s dicknwas the paintbrush. Boom! You’re the art.” n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nThe Lords of Salem (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Rob Zombie has always shown promise to me as anhorror director, it’s not that his previous films are bad (far from it) it’snjust that they always felt short of greatness. Still, I have to admit, the guynhas amassed an impressive list of films under his resume, you could do worsenthan The Devils Rejects (2005) or Halloween (2007), which to me are solidnhorror films. We can now add The Lords of Salem, which to me is one of Zombie’snbest to date. Like many of his cinematic outings, this Rob Zombie film paysnhomage to his horror heroes, while still infusing the film with his own rocknand roll flavor. The Lords of Salem takes Rosemary’s Baby (1968), The Sentineln(1977) and Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922) puts them all in a blendernand hits puree! On top of that, the visuals and the colors make it look like anRob Zombie film filtered through the lens of Dario Argento and Ken Russell. Likenmost of Zombie’s films, The Lords of Salem isn’t perfect, but it is a colorfulnblend of satanic worship and rock and roll, a homage to horror films of old andnquite possibly Rob Zombies best film to date; warts and all.
n
nQuote: “Satan! Come to us! We are ready!”
n
n
n
nQuote: “Satan! Come to us! We are ready!”
n
n
n
nCarrie (2013)
n
n
nComments: I was a bit hesitant to watch this version ofnCarrie because it’s a remake of one of the greatest horror films ever, so ofncourse, I was worried it would be another shitty remake. Well, I’m happy toninform that it isn’t a shitty remake, in fact, it’s an excellent one! I lovednthis freaking movie! This version of Carrie is actually a bit stronger than itsnpredecessor in many ways; it made more of an impact on me. Was it better thannthe original? I don’t know, I guess I’ll reserve my final judgment on thatnmatter sometime down the road, but as of now all I can say is I really dug thisnversion of Carrie. Why? Well, for one they explored the whole religious anglenmore extensively. The character of Margaret White as played by a terrifyingnJulian Moore explores the dangers of religious fanatism. Carries mother is isnway crazier on this version of the film, she’s not just a religious fanatic, she’sna bonafide nut job! A character whose mind’s been twisted and destroyed bynreligion. She demonizes sex, so when Carrie begins to date, well, she makesnCarries life a living hell. The film also explores the dangers of bullying anperson and how it can drive the bullied person to extreme and violent ends. Anotherngreat thing the film has is that it benefits from modern special effects to upnthe ante on the whole telekinetic angle. Carrie’s powers on this one are reallynawesome! Finally, Chloe Grace Moretz really nailed the part and made me feelnsympathy for Carrie, she was perfect for the role. If you hate remakes, let menemphasize that this is one of the good ones!
n
n
nQuote: “The other kids, the think I’m weird. But I don’tnwanna be, I wanna be normal. I have to try and be a whole person, before it’sntoo late.”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nFast & Furious 6 (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Fast and the Furious is a franchise that hasnslowly but surely grown on me. I wasn’t expecting to end up loving thesenmovies, but then again, they have evolved into a whole other thing. I mean,nthese movies started out being about street racing and have ended up turningninto these huge bombastic action films! By now the characters are practicallynsuper heroes! This particular entry goes so over the top with its actionnsequences that we end up seeing a car jumping out of an exploding air plane! Wengot car chases with tanks! And if that isn’t enough you get The Rock kickingnall sorts of ass! Point is, if you feel like watching a bunch of over the topnaction delivered with decent visual effects than this is the movie for you.nOnly downside is when Vin Diesel talks, everything else, freaking sweet!
n
n
n
nQuote: “Somebody do something! I got a tank on my ass!”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nBad Grandpa (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: You know how Jackass movies are ultra gross?nI’ve seen all of them all and I find them highly amusing, but damn, some of thenstuff you see on those movies is just a little too gross for my taste, still,nlike a John Waters movie I’ve subjected myself to the Jackass films because Inlike to test my limits. So anyhow, I went into Bad Grandpa expecting somethingnlike this, instead I got a movie with an actual story. Now let me explain, thisnfilm follows that basic prank style thing where you set up a prank and play thenprank out to an unsuspecting victim and film the whole thing, but the brilliantnpart is that the pranks flow within the context of an actual story about anGrandfather trying to take his grandson to his real dad. It’s a road trip movienbetween grandfather and grandson. The pranks are truly funny, and the storynactually kind of endearing. Don’t worry, you still get you’re gross Jackassnhumor, but it doesn’t overpower the film. This was the funniest film of thenyear no doubt.
n
n
n
nQuote: “What’s your stripper stage name?”
n
n
n
n
n
nTo the Wonder (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: I’m a huge fan of Terrence Malick films; Inremember giving The Tree of Life (2011) a glowing review. Malick’s latest, Tonthe Wonder, is similar to The Tree of Life in many ways. It focuses a lot innthe beauty of life and the wonders of the world, I see To the Wonder as an ode tonthe beauty of nature and the world that we live in. I love how Malick focusesnon these beautiful locations, places that exist in the world that you and Inhave probably never seen because we live in a concrete jungle. Rest assured, onnthis film you are going to see nature at its most amazing and visuallyndazzling. But in another interesting twist, Malick also finds beauty in regularnthings; it’s as if Malick knowing that real life is more amazing than any specialneffect decides to capture it all with his cameras. But amidst all that visualnsplendor, Malick also explores relationships. To the Wonder is really all aboutna couple, we meet them from those first moments when they are obsessed and verynmuch in love with each other, to those moments when the relationship has diedndown and the love is fading away. On top of all that, through the character ofna priest, Malick explores religious themes, like doubting the existence of god.nA beautiful film, out of the whole year, it’s one of the most beautifullynphotographed. This is a film that depends on visuals rather than dialog, and itngets very existential, but if you are feeling like something that reminds younabout the beauty of the world and the bitter sweetness of relationships, thennthis is the movie for you.
n
n
n
nQuote: “Life’s a dream, in a dream you can’t make mistakes,nIn a dream you can be whatever you want”
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nRush (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Rush is based on the real life story of James Huntnand Niki Lauda, two of the best Formula 1 racers in history. Now if you knownthis story then you know that it was James Hunt who was the people’s favorite;na cocky, self assured racer who would do anything to be number one, oh and thengirls loved him too. On the other side of the tale we have Niki Lauda who wasnless flashy, less pompous, yet equallyndetermined to win the race. And even though we see Chris Hemsworth facenplastered all over the movies poster, to me this movie was really all about thenNiki Lauda’s story. In fact, it is actor Daniel Bruhl (playing Lauda) who turnsnin the most compelling of the performances in the film; you go in feeling like younare going to see James Hunts story then you realize this film is really allnabout Lauda. Bruhls performance was so good that it garnered him an academynaward nomination. Veteran director Ron Howard delivers a compelling film,nbrilliantly shot, that will make you want to battle through whatever you havento in order to get what you want.
n
n
n
nQuote: “A wise man can learn more from his enemies, than anfool from his friends”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nThe Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: This one was the surprise of the year for me; I guess I’d gotten so used to Stiller appearing in all those Night atnthe Museum movies, that I forgot he could deliver something with true heart andndepth to it. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the story of a dreamer, a bluencollar worker who suddenly decides to do something with his life, to take on annadventure. The fun part of the film is how we get to see Walter Mitty’s dreams,nwe see the worlds and fantasies that he escapes to, but even better is how evennwhen he isn’t dreaming the movie is still interesting. Here Ben Stiller directsnone of the best films in his directorial career which includes excellent filmsnlike Reality Bites (1994), The Cable Guy (1996) and Tropic Thunder (2008). Thisnis a film that proves to us that Ben Stiller is just as good and funny in frontnof the cameras as he is behind them. Anhighlight of 2013, don’t under estimate it. n
n
n
n
nQuote: “To see the world, things dangerous to come to, tonsee behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is thenpurpose of life.”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nThe Conjuring (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: James Wan broke into the cinematic landscape withnthe trend setting, mother of all torture porn films; Saw (2004), and If you asknme, he’s just getting started. The Conjuring is the ultimate expression of Wan’snhorror directing abilities, it’s a near perfect supernatural horror film. Trulynspooky, truly horrifying and I don’t even believe in the supernatural! Thisnfilm was a throwback to the 70’s in many ways; some of the shots, even thentypography used for the title sequence screams 70’s. What Wan and crew didnbrilliantly here is take advantage of the real life story behind Ed andnLorraine Warren; a couple that’s lived out their lives “battling” thensupernatural. If you ask me, the Warren’s and their crusade against demons isntotal bullshit, but Wan and crew take advantage of the mystique around theirnstory, because Wan knows that just like a Quija board, putting these two realnlife “paranormal investigators” as the main characters of the story will makenthe audience crap in their pants even before they enter the theater. This movienis a real spook fest, even more so if you are a superstitious person or anbeliever of the supernatural. For the rest of us…it’s still spooky as hell!nHighly recommend it, the best horror film of the year! No doubts about it!
n
n
n
nQuote: “We’ve been called ghost hunters, paranormalnresearchers, wackos..”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nOnly God Forgives (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Depending who you ask, you either loved or hatednNicolas Winding Refn’s Drive (2011). I’m one of the ones who loved it; I dug hownquiet it was and how violent it suddenly got; I loved the visual style of thenfilm and the cool demeanor of its main character. And I truly dug thatnsoundtrack! So of course I was looking forward to Only God Forgives; was it allnI was expecting? Yes, and then some! Visually, as most of Refn’s movies, thisnone is an eye full. Refn really took his time in making this one a joy tonbehold; the colors are hypnotizing on this one. The story can sometimes getnsurreal and kind of out there, but that’s to be expected in a film that’sndedicated to Alejandro Jodorowsky. Essentially, this is a film that calls it’snvillain Satan and the “good guy” is God…and the big deal is that eventuallynthey will both face off, God vs. the Devil. Who will win? Can a man go upnagainst god and kill him? Interesting conundrum eh? And one that lends itselfnto some trippy visuals no doubt, but honestly, though Refn dedicated this filmnto the genius of director Alejandro Jodorowsky, I feel this film owes a wholenlot more to David Lynch. I guess that can mean either a good thing or a badnthing to some of you out there. Me, I love Lynch and Only God Forgives feltnlike a Lynch film, only more violent.; a film that no doubt should be watchednon more than one occasion.
n
n
n
nQuote: “An entertainer? And how many cocks can you entertainnwith that cute little cum-dumpster of yours?”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nIron Man 3 (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Cool thingnabout Iron Man 3 is that Shane Black wrote and directed it. Now for those ofnyou not in the know, Shane Black is the guy who wrote and created the LethalnWeapon movies, which is an awesome thing on its own right. He also wrote twonbleak, acidic yet fun as hell action films from the 90’s: The Last Boy Scoutn(1991) and The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), both extremely underrated if you asknme. But bottom line with Shane Black is that he knows how to write charactersnthat are beaten by life and have grown bitter, and he brings that bleakness andnimperfection to the character of Tony Stark who in this film is trying to dealnwith the fact that he damn nearly died while rescuing the world in The Avengersn(2012). Shane strips Tony Stark of what makes him super and leaves us with anfilm that truly explores who Tony Stark is, the man behind the suit. All thisnaccompanied with some truly exhilarating action sequences! What’s not to like?!nWell, some people didn’t feel the villain of the film, The Mandarin, wasnaccurately portrayed, that’s about the only quarrel that some people had withnIron Man 3; I guess you can’t please everybody!
n
n
n
nQuote: “You can take away my suits, you can take away mynhome, but there’s one thing you can never take away from me, I am Iron Man!”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nThe Bling Ring (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: It seems that 2013 was the year of films based onnreal life stories. The Bling Ring is Sofia Coppola’s take on the story aboutnthese teenagers from L.A. who took it upon themselves to break into the housesnof celebrities whenever they were not home, to steal their expensive crap. Thenwhole story feels like a commentary on celebrity obsessed society, but it’s alsona story about these kids who are brought up in a consumerist society and well,nhow can I put it? “You breed crows and they’ll eat your eyes out” is what theynsay in my country. These are the little monsters that a materialistic societyncreates. Little brats who think they gotta have the latest fur coat or the mostnexpensive Dolce Gabbana bullshit. It’s an interesting story, it reminded me of then‘Uroboros’ a snake eating its own tail; these are empty bratty kids, feedingnoff empty bratty celebrities like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan; you kind ofnget to hate these silly teens who’s happiness is based on material things. Mynhats down to Sofia Coppola for putting a magnifying glass on that, society needsnto look in the mirror and realize how stupid it is to care so much about thensuperficial. Also: great soundtrack on this movie; as is to be expected from anSofia Coppola movie.
n
n
n
nQuote: “We’re in L.A., don’t be such a little bitch!”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nSpring Breakers (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: HarmonynKorine is not a director who is known for making commercial films, in fact, henis the complete opposite, he’s as ’artsy-fartsy’ as they come. Ever seen Gummon(1997) or Mr. Lonely (2007)? Both movies are about as detached from a commercialnblockbuster as a film could possibly be. Which is why Spring Breakers surprisednme; the film is a strange breed that mixes a commercial aesthetic with thenartsy fartsiness we’ve come to expect from Korine’s films. What’s commercialnabout it? Well, it’s got four girls running around in their bathing suits fornpractically the whole movie! Its color palette is extremely colorful (neonnplays a huge part in the visuals) and it starts out with one big out of controlnspring break party! Same as Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring (2013), Korine’snSpring Breakers is all about a hedonistic generation, a generation looking fornthe easy way to pleasure ville; all these kids care about is pleasure and fun,nall the time! They want to live an eternal summer vacation and they want itnnow! Apart from being visually awesome by mixing documentary style filmmaking withna hallucinogenic color palette, the film has an outstanding performance fromnJames Franco who plays a drug dealer known as ‘Alien’. I’m kind of disappointednto see his performance overlooked by the Academy. Spring Breakers is yetnanother film this year that focuses on the negative side of greed and thenquintessential “American Dream”. This one comes highly recommended by me, Inthink most people overlooked this one because it looks like one of those stupidnparty movies with teenagers getting drunk and doing stupid things, and whilenthe film does have a bit of that, it goes way further with its themes; don’tnunderestimate this one!
n
n
n
nQuote: “I’m as bad as they is. It’s just in our blood ya’llnand I love it. This is my dream. I made it come true, this is the fuckingnAmerican Dream.”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nBlue Jasmine (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Woody Allen brings us a tale about a woman whonused to be rich because her husband was rich, but what happens when her husbandnis caught by the F.B.I. for illegal activities? She is left with absolutelynNOTHING that’s what happens! Now she must learn to cope with the fact that shenis no longer a wealthy house wife. Kate Blanchett delivers one of the mostnpowerful performances of the year, without a doubt, a heavy contender for BestnActress. It’s amazing to see this character struggling to accept the fact thatnshe is no longer high class, especially when she has to go live with hernsister, who is so very, very middle class. The film explores a female characternthat never bothered to make anything of herself, she simply depended on spendingnher husband’s money; when he leaves her, she is nothing. She then has to learnnto start from the ground up and reinvent herself in order to survive. CannJasmine learn to accept the fact that she is now for all intents and purposesnpoor?
n
n
n
nQuote: “Anxiety, nightmares and a nervous breakdown, there’snonly so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets andnstart screaming.”
n
n
n
n
n
nFruitvale Station (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Wow, this one gets a spot on my top films of 2013nbecause it really moved me. And again, 2013 was the year of movies based onnreal life events and well, damn, this one is really sad. It’s the story of a blackn22 year old man named Oscar Grant, who is trying his best to change his life.nHe sells his last bit of weed; he wants to be a better father, a better son andnbetter boyfriend. Basically, he realizes the kind of life he was leading wasntaking him down a dark path and so he’s taking the necessary steps in order to improvenhis life, for him and his family. But things are not that easy and well, racialntension makes things go sour for Oscar. This was a truly moving film for menbecause if there’s one thing I hate in this world is racial hatred and bigotry,nespecially when it comes from ignorant police men, those who are supposedly swornnto protect the citizens and uphold the law. I love it when films showcase thenugly side of humanity because they function as a mirror, let’s not be this waynpeople! This film is a great example of how racial tensions still exist in our society,nsadly. A must watch for those of you who enjoy films with a social conscience.nIncredibly, this movie was completely ignored by the Academy…perhaps there’snsome racial bigotry there as well?
n
n
n
n
nQuote: “I’m good, I’m good, I’m gonna be good”
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nThe Wolverine (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: The Wolverine was a pleasant surprise, and a filmnI didn’t expect much from; I felt this way primarily because of how awful X-MennOrigins: Wolverine (2009) was. In order for me to completely forget that awfulnmess, this new Wolverine movie had to reach orgasmic levels of coolness, andnwell, I gotta say director James Mangold completely delivered the goods! Inmean, this is only the most popular character in the whole X-men roster, howncome they never give the series a decent director? Somebody who can really,ntruly give fan boys what they want to see? So my hats down to James Mangold fornachieving this! Finally, a good Wolverine movie! I recently re-watched it onnhome video and I confirmed it, this movie kicks ass. It feels like an importantnstory in the life of this character, important things happen to Logan on thisnone! This isn’t just another run of the mill Wolverine movie, nope, on this onenthe very nature of Wolverine is put in peril. And we also get ninjas! How coolnis that!? If you skipped this one thinking it sucks, you’re wrong, give it ango! You won’t be disappointed.
n
n
n
nQuote: “I’ll tell you what you twisted mutant bitch, whyndon’t you open these bracelets and we’ll see who’s made of what?”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nElysium (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: I’m a huge fan of Neill Blomkamp’s Disctrict 9 (2009)nbecause while it is a kick ass science fiction film with robots and spaceshipsnand aliens, at the same time it comments on social issues, like racism andnclassism which as it turns out are also themes that are played out in hisnnewest film, Elysium. You see this is a story of a working class hero named Maxnwho because of a mistake while working in a factory ends up having only a fewndays left to live. In order to survive, he must travel to a huge spaceship thatnhovers close to earth called Elysium; you see; only the rich and powerful arenable to live in this state of the art spaceship, the rest of humanity lives inna the hell hole known as earth. One of the benefits of living in Elysium isnthat they have these machines that can cure any decease, even death, so ofncourse, Max has to get up there if he wants to live. The film aims its guns atnclassist issues, but also at medical attention and how poor people get lessnmedical benefits simply because they can’t pay the high prices of medicalninsurance; which is a sad state of affairs. On top of all that, the film is annamazing sci-fi spectacle with amazing special effects and thrilling actionnsequences. Once again Neill Blomkamp delivers a sci-fi film with conscience andnentertainment in mind.
n
n
n
nQuote: “Earth’s wealthiest inhabitants fled the planet tonpreserve their way of life”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nStar Trek into Darkness (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Leave it to J.J. Abrahams to make Star Trek sexy!nSo yeah, that’s what caught everybody’s attention when these new Star Trek moviesncame out; but honestly, what’s best about them is that they are more actionnpacked than ever. Weirdest part is how all these new actors can impersonate thenold characters to perfection. I mean, Chris Pine channels William Shatner’snKirk almost like he was possessed! Same goes for Zachary Quinto’s rendition ofnMr. Spock, so even though these are younger actors playing old characters, you’llnstill feel like you’re seeing the Kirk, Spock and Doc that you knew. Thisnparticular adventure has elements that were taken from the old Star Trek movies,nmainly Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn (1982), so this sequel plays out like anremake of that film. But don’t worry, it’s not a play by play remake, actuallynthis film offers many original elements and action pieces to entertain andntitillate the most hardcore Star Trek fans. Even non Trekkies will love thesenmovies! Ever wanted to see the Enterprise roam the ocean floor? Ever wanted tonknow what it feels like to be inside of the Enterprise as it tumbles out ofncontrol through space? Look no further! It all happens on this movie, and asndirected by J. J. Abrahams (who is currently hard at work on Star Wars EpisodenVII) it all transpires in the most thrilling and exciting way possible! This isnin my opinion one of the best Star Trek movies ever made.
n
n
n
nQuote: “The enemy of my enemy, is my friend”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nMan of Steel (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: There was a lot of uncertainty in the air aboutnthis Superman movie. Same as The Wolverine, this superman film had to kick allnsorts of ass in order to erase the boring ass memory of Superman Returnsn(2006). I’m not throwing hatred on Bryan Singer because the guy is a decentndirector, but Superman Returns just didn’t do it for me. It needed a littlenextra bang for my buck; which is probably the reason why Man of Steel has sonmuch action and destruction in it. Zack Snyder wanted to make sure that you,nthe fans got what you came to see: Superman kicking ass. And we get tons ofnthat! Good thing about this Superman movie is that we get a decent story alongnwith the action and the destruction, that’s right my friends, Snyder fillednthis movie with enough destruction to overcompensate for what was missing innSuperman Returns. But whatever, that’s what I wanted. I wanted buildingsntoppling over and super villains that are actually a threat! The effects arenawesome, the cast is beyond superb! Michael Shannon as General Zod? Who’s thencasting director? I gotta buy him or her a drink! Henry Cavill as Superman is pitchnperfect and Amy Adams as Louis? Just beautiful! I can’t help and wonder what Batmannvs. Superman will be like! The possibilities boggle the mind!
n
n
n
nQuote: “You just have to decide what kind of man you want tongrow up to be, Clark. Whoever that man is, he’s going to change the world”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nPacific Rim (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Without a doubt, the biggest special effectsnspectacle of the year! Guillermo del Toro was slated to direct The Hobbitnfilms, but I guess the studio really wanted Peter Jackson for the job, so afternhaving spent two years of his life in pre-production for The Hobbit and thennbeing let go, Del Toro went on and did this bombastic and completelynentertaining film about giant robots fighting giant monsters! Del Toro had beenndying to make a huge summer blockbuster and well, here we have it, his firstnofficial blockbuster! What’s cool about Pacific Rim is that it is essentially anGodzilla movie, without Godzilla. I mean we have giant robots fighting giantnmonsters while ripping the city to shreds! The special effects are trulynamazing and the way the film looks is simply candy to the eyes. While the ideasnpresented in Pacific Rim aren’t entirely original concepts, what the film doesndo is deliver these concepts in the best way they have ever been portrayed onnfilm. Up to now, no one has made a better film about giant robots better thannthis one, so in that sense, Pacific Rim is a novelty. Can’t wait for thensequel, and I hope Del Toro directs again! The only thing left to wonder is ifnthe new Godzilla (2014) film directed by Gareth Edwards will be better?
n
n
n
nQuote: “There are things you can’t fight, acts of god. Younsee a hurricane coming; you get out of the way. But when you are in a Jaeger,nyou can finally fight the hurricane, and you can win!”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nGravity (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Before I’d seen The Wolf of Wall Street, it wasnAlfonso Cuaron’s Gravity which had the spot of ‘Movie of the Year’, but sorrynCuaron, Scorsese beat you to the punch. Still, Gravity is a pretty amazingnmovie, especially on a technical level. I’m pretty sure that in terms ofnspecial effects, and perhaps even direction, it will be Gravity who takes homenall the awards. Seeing the previews I kept asking myself how Cuaron would keepnthe film interesting, especially when we consider that the film takes placenentirely in space and that it’s Sandra Bullock who carries the whole film. Inpersonally don’t love Bullock as an actress, but here she does a great job. Butnlet’s be real, the real stars of this film are the visual effects. For example,nCuaron directed the film in such a way that it feels like one whole continuousnshot, with the camera free floating around the characters all the time. I love films about space because as anynTrekkie fan will attest, it truly is the final frontier, the undiscoveredncountry. Space holds so much mystery tonit that a film that explores that great infinity out there in a realisticnfashion can be both frightening and awe inspiring. Gravity is both.
n
n
n
nQuote: “The way I see it, there’s only two possiblenoutcomes. Either I make it down there in one piece and I have one hell of anstory to tell, or I burn up in the next ten minutes. Either way, whichever way,nno harm no foul!”
n
n
n
n
n
n
nThe Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
n
n
n
nComments: Back in 2011, Scorsese made a magical film aboutnfilms called Hugo (2011), a film I quickly gave the movie of the year spot to.nI loved that freaking movie, and well, here we are, 2013 and leave it up to goodnold Martin Scorsese to deliver the movie of the year yet again! That’s rightnladies and gents; The Wolf of Wall Street is the film of the year for me, why?nWell, for starters it felt like a bucket of cold water was poured down my back,nlike a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. This movie is cinematicncocaine! It goes fast and it never lets you go! Sure the main characters arenall despicable scoundrels who don’t pay taxes and do every kind of drug knownnto man, but boy, they sure know how to have a rambunctious good time! Yes, thisnis a rags to riches story, but it is also a story about greed taking you downnthe road to perdition. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers an amazing performance alongnwith Jonah Hill. Now I’ve always thought that DiCaprio is one of the bestnactors of his generation and once again he delivers the goods here playingnJordan Belfort, but it was Jonah Hill who really won me over with this movie. Inhope they both win an Oscar for their respective performances, it’s a toughnyear to want the best actor award because Matthew McConaughey is really aimingnhis guns to win it with his performance in Dallas Buyers Club (2013), but we’llnsee. I’d love for the Academy to finally give DiCaprio an Oscar, its longnoverdue wouldn’t you agree? If younhaven’t seen it yet, go see it, it’s an unforgettable crazy, drug infused ride!nAnd it is also hilariously funny, which is why the film is categorized as ancomedy. This movie is a hard ‘R’ so expect lot’s of nudity and profanity; trustnme, you’ll feel like your mind was raped by Scorsese and I mean that in a goodnway!
n
n
n
nQuote: “Let me tell you something, there’s no nobility innpoverty. I’ve been a poor man and I’ve been a rich man, and I choose rich everynfucking time!”
n
n
n
n
n