Movie reviews 2013

I usually do this on Facebook, but I thought I'd do it here.
Below is my 2013 movies in review

(Warning, possible spoilers):

My Top Ten (Of What I've seen):

1. Gravity - If only for the film making and the INTENSE ending, this movie was one of the best I've seen in a LONG time and I hope it wins a lot of awards.

 

2. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - A very good sequel that was fast paced, action packing, great characters, and a KICK ASS Dragon. It's cliff-hanger ending was well conceived and great for hyping up part 3 next year. I added its poster to this list because I felt it was the best poster released this year!

3. Ender's Game - I LOVED this Sci-Fi movie, and I know a lot of fans of the book hated it. I read the book after I saw the movie and still felt the movie was great. The book was amazing too. Great cast of characters and Harrison Ford can act any role!

4. Star Trek Into Darkness - An excellent sequel, even if it was a rehashing and flipping of Wrath of Khan. Cumberbatch was brilliant as Khan and the action was very fast paced.

5. The Conjuring - One of the most terrifying movies I have seen in a while that handles family possession by spirits well and even offers up some new screams. VERY scary!

6. Man of Steel - A WELL written and filmed reboot of Superman done properly with SUCH a violent ending. Great cast too!

7. World War Z - I read the book and was worried about the movie, but they handled it well and the changes were acceptable.

8. Prisoners - VERY powerful movie in which Hugh Jackman SHOULD get an Oscar nod. So intense and an ending that will leave you shivering.

9. Hunger Games: Catching Fire - I loved book 2, and they seemed to have done movie 2 right. To me, it will be the best of the series and I hesitate to watch Mockingjay Pts 1 & 2.

10. Warm Bodies - A Romeo & Juliet story using zombies? It was very well done and wonderfully written.

The Rest:
The Heat - Oh My God was this a funny movie. Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock make a great team, and Melissa is SO funny!

42 - This Jackie Robinson Biopic was so good, and the performances by all actors involved made me cheer for the heroes and REALLY hate the villains. The racist cat-calling scene was hard to take.

Elysium - A very nice surprise of a science fiction movie that has a great cast, and some great plot ideas that gave a refreshing look to the genre.

White House Down - The more action packed, eye candy, excuse the plot version of the "attack on the White House" movies this year. So fun, that's all I expected it to be.

Evil Dead - I was worried for this remake, but I was blown away on how good it was. The ending itself was outrageous and well worth the whole journey.

Pacific Rim - Such eye candy and action and just outrageous, super fun for the action nuts out there.

Frozen - A very cute rendition of The Ice Princess from Hans Christian Anderson that was fun with some very awesome songs.

Kick Ass 2 - A nice sequel with some great characters, and Jim Carrey's role was very impressive. It lives up to the original.

Olympus has Fallen - The smart one of the "attack on the White House" movies. With Morgan Freeman in one of the main roles, it could barely go wrong. Wasn't perfect, but fun.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 - A very good sequel that really improved on the first one. So much fun. STEVE!

The World's End - The final instalment of the Cornetto Trilogy and it was a nice ending at that. Outlandish and fun, just what I'd expect from these guys.

Riddick - While it went back to the fun that Pitch Dark offered, it still lacked something the others had. BUT this one had nudity, and Vin Diesel kicking ass so I can't complain too much.

Oblivion - A nice mind bender of a Sci-Fi movie with Tom Cruise. Neat twist at the end.

Oz: The Great and Powerful - I really enjoyed this pseudo-prequel to the Wizard of Oz. It was fun, exciting, engaging and well written.

Despicable Me 2 - Not as good as the first, but enhancing the minions in this sequel really bumped it up.

Turbo - This was actually pretty fun with some silly characters in a snail-goes-fast flick.

Thor: The Dark World - I love Thor, and thought the sequel was great. A nice return for Loci and a great ending twist.

The Wolverine - I wasn't sure about this sequel, but once watched, it was very well done with good connections to the story of Wolverine and his journey.

Monsters University - A decent prequel that loses a lot of the sweetness from the first movie, but is still entertaining. The kids loved it and I didn't feel cheated.

This Is the End - Crass, outrageous and VERY funny. Totally out there for story and crassness.

Now You See Me - I allowed myself to be surprised in this mystery magic movie. A wonderful cast and smart plot.

RED 2 - A let down of a sequel, but still fun. Good to see the old timers still can kick ass!

The Hangover Part 3 - A nice improvement from part 2, still as crass, but it nicely completes the circle of the series.

You're Next - Still on the fence with this one. The concept seemed average and cookie cutter for a while, but the ending came out of no where which was a nice surprise, but I was still left wanting more.

Iron Man 3 - I have really gotten to like Tony Stark and the Iron Man Series. This was a nice sequel, but it lacked something for me.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - Better than I expected, but still just simple violent popcorn fun.

The Croods - Duh Duh Duuuuuhhh... Belt was the best part of this movie My kids liked it and I was kept entertained. Very good.

Pain & Gain - Despite taking a deplorable story and making it a pseudo-comedy, it was nicely done. Many of the aspects of the crime these guys committed was so outrageous, it's hard to believe it was a true story.

Jack the Giant Slayer - Fun and well thought out in the finale. Anisha liked it and it kept me interested

Dark Skies - A creepy concept about alien abduction that had its moments, but could have done so much more with it.

A Good Day to Die Hard - One of the lowest in there series, but still fun!

Free Birds - A surprise CGI movie for me this year about time traveling turkeys. I didn't think it would be any good, but it was impressive.

Disney's Planes - While not as good as Cars, it was still pretty interesting and offered some new ideas.

The Worst:
Epic - It wasn't. Decent voice cast, but a let down for a CGI movie.

Insidious: Chapter 2 - I know some people liked this one more than The Conjuring, but I think I was biased from the ending of the first movie that I felt I wouldn't enjoy this one. Sure it had some nice thrills, but I didn't like it that much.

The Purge - BRILLIANT concept, but it lost it's creative edge about half way through it.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation - There was so much wrong with the sequel with MANY plot holes, it made the first one look like a masterpiece.

Escape from Planet Earth - A weak CGI movie for kids. They liked it, but I was not impressed.