Now for the conclusion of my favorite movies from last year. I'll also put the movies I saw that didn't quite make the list, but are still great. Well, most of them are great. Read on for #7-1, my favorite movie of the year.
#7: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
I'm in the minority of people who actually didn't like the first Hunger Games movie that much. It was okay, and I don't read the books, but this sequel improved everything I didn't like about the first one. The action was exciting and the cast had improved considerably. It's still not the best, but it was better than the first, that is for sure.
#6: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Speaking of things that were better than the first, comes this. And I loved the first Hobbit movie. It was great; this one's incredible. It's exciting and action-packed with a few scenes in the middle and the end absolutely stealing the show. Not to mention the finale of this movie, which makes the wait for There and Back Again a chore. It's going to be a long wait till the next movie, but it will be worth it. That much, Smaug has proven.
#5: Man of Steel
The story was good. But it's the action that keeps me coming back. This is Dragon Ball Z, essentially, if Goku weren't kind enough to take the villains to a remote location where no one was in harm's way. It's exciting and flashy, and what I would expect from a modern-day Superman story. As far as fight scenes go, this is the best movie of 2013 for that. Remember to eat at IHOP, grab a slurpee from 7-Eleven, and some nice new pants at Sears on your way to see Man of Steel, because product placement is a thing here.
#4: Iron Man 3
Arguably the most fun I had at the movies this year. Three of my friends and I made a huge event of this, getting promotional items and seeing the movie in IMAX, and it was worth it. Tony Stark has his most threatening fight yet against a new weapon, Extremis. I knew the movie would be awesome when it started with Eifel 65's "Blue," and man did it deliver. A little more human and a lot more funny than the other Iron Man movies, Iron Man 3 is definitely one of Marvel's best movies. And it's got a crazy twist, too.
#3: American Hustle
You already know what I think about this movie from my original post, but I can't say enough good things about it. It's like having Batman, Hawkeye, Lois Lane, Katniss, and the guy that Bradley Cooper plays in the Hangover all in one movie. And you know what? It's awesome. This story of greed and hustling is sure to reap awards left and right starting with the Golden Globes.
#2: The Great Gatsby
I'm a huge fan of the book, and I liked the movie a lot, regardless of what some people think. I never get tired of watching it when I decide to, and I own the soundtrack, which is equally as good. It's in-your-face, it's frantic, and it's exciting. The cast shines, even the minor roles are played well. Not much else to say. Tobey Maguire is thrown right in the middle of crazy parties for the sake of Gatsby and his love for Daisy, madness ensues.
#1: Star Trek Into Darkness
I don't think any single movie ever has given me the chills more than Star Trek Into Darkness. The original reboot movie was my top movie of 2009, so it's absolutely fitting that the sequel would be so epic as to be my favorite movie of 2013. Maybe it's just me, but everything in this movie gave me chills. The music in the beginning as Bennedict Cumberbatch's plans are formed, the reveal, the fights, everything. The cast is fantastic, just as in the first, and the plot is absolutely crazy. This movie is a Wrath of Khan for the modern day. And I don't even need to have seen that to know it. J.J. Abrams has proven himself a million times over. Star Wars Episode VII is in good hands. See Into Darkness and you'll agree.
Now for the other movies I've seen that haven't made the list. Let's start with honorable mentions.
Saving Mr. Banks - A charming drama that's actually pretty dark for a Disney movie, and definitely touching. Acted well and sure to win some awards this upcoming season.
Kick-Ass 2 - Dumb, silly, vulgar, violent fun for two hours. Nothing more, nothing less.
R.I.P.D. - Not very good of a movie, but Jeff Bridges was hilarious in it, so it's definitely getting an honorable mention, and not a dishonorable one.
World War Z - A fast-paced zombie movie that's just okay. Just watch Walking Dead for a good zombie story, but watch WWZ if you wanna see Bard Pitt fighting crazy, fast, stacking zombies.
The Lone Ranger - Captain Jack Sparrow and the twins with the original idea for Facebook go on an adventure you'd expect from the two of them. Huge set pieces, but a huge flop at theaters, Lone Ranger's just okay for three long hours of mindlessness.
42 - Very awesome biopic here, acted very well, and deserving of all the praise it's gotten. If I added a couple more movies to my top list of the year, this would be on it.
Oz: The Great and Powerful - And this would be on it, too. James Franco plays the wizard himself in this exciting adventure that's way epic, even considering the source material. Just the whole way Raimi did this was great.
Identity Thief - I watched this coming off of Arrested Development, so I was on a Jason Bateman craze for a few months. This is actually pretty funny, draggy in some scenes, but definitely worth a watch at least, for comedy fans.
And some dishonorable mentions, as well. Just didn't like these ones.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters - I wanted to like this, but it was actually pretty boring. It's a shame, because I like the actors who play the titular characters. The movie itself was pretty boring, though.
Spring Breakers - This movie isn't what you think it is. It's a violent, and sometimes scary look into the lives of Disney girls and a few others getting together with thugged-out James Franco and doing awful things like robbing people. All of that sounds exciting and crazy, but the movie is really slow and boring, and tries to be poetic, when it just comes off as flat. Spring break forever? No thanks.
And by far the worst movie of the year: A Haunted House. Never have I wanted $2 and 90 minutes of my time back. This movie sucked, and it's an absolute travesty. I cannot believe that they're making a sequel to this, but they're not going to get another cent from me for this series. Like, even writing this little comment about it is making me wish I had that $2 and 90 minutes back. Even seeing this with a bunch of friends didn't help. Awful.
And finally, here are the movies from last year that I still have a desire to see. I will see these all at some point.
Gravity
Captain Phillips
12 Years a Slave
Ender's Game
Oldboy
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Inside Llewyn Davis
47 Ronin
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Wolf of Wall Street
So there you have it. Movies, movies, movies. Huge year for movies. I hope 2014 is just as exciting in that aspect.
- It's Clear
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