Mitchell's Movie Year Review

Mitchell's Movie year in review:

My top movies of 2013 by genre (I may have been creative with some of these categories)

Warning – Contains spoilers.

Disaster

1. World War Z

Having not read the book I had no expectations other than hoping it did something a little bit different to all the other zombie movies of recent memory. On that front it delivered and actually had a lot of decent set pieces, which seemed to be a criticism levelled at it. However, I could have done without the flashbacks as Brad Pitt remembered all the moments that the zombies showed a weakness…

2. The Impossible

I wasn’t expecting much from this movie so was pleasantly surprised. I’d have preferred if his whole family hadn’t survived but you can’t have everything.

Western

1. Django Unchained

Yes, a little overlong but a strong story with the usual strong set of characters and dialogue you’d expect from a Tarantino flick.

2. The Lone Ranger

I didn’t think this was as bad as many made out. Maybe that was because I watched it in two halves over two days but maybe it was because it wasn’t as bad as many made out! It was surprisingly grown-up, which wasn’t how it was marketed and even though it went on a bit it moved a fair pace and had some decent set-pieces

Thriller

1. Prisoners

Not perfect by any means but a great turn from all involved particularly from Dano and Jackman. Good original concept but with a subtext around the war on terror that’s a bit in your face.

2. Side Effects

Not as intelligent as I thought it’d be with a twist that’s maybe a bit far-fetched but a satisfying movie all things considered.

Drama

1. Gravity

Not much I can say about this that hasn’t already been said. Visually stunning above all else but a great performance from Bullock who carries the movie. My only criticism of it is that there are too many occasions where something runs out just at the wrong time (Clooney’s thrusters, oxygen and the fire extinguisher spring to mind).

2. The Place Beyond the Pines

Would have been one of my favourite films of the year if it hadn’t been for the last third. That was the weakest, which was a shame as that was where the payoff was. The first and second ‘stories’ were fantastic.

Sci-Fi

1. Elysium

Possibly my favourite film of the year. For me this had everything: a great aesthetic, solid performances, fantastic set-pieces and lots of imagination. Perhaps the sub-text was a bit heavy handed but it’s a sci-fi so you expect it.

2. Oblivion

This shared a lot of the same themes as my favourite sci-fi movie of the last few years, Moon. Oblivion wasn’t as moving as that film but it was probably this year’s second best looking movie. This film was full of intrigue that kept you guessing until at least the big reveal towards the last third of it’s run-time.

Action

1. Iron Man 3

Okay, I didn’t like the ending but what an upgrade on the second movie! This did what the second missed out on and that was to put the focus back on Tony Stark and have a villain that you actually believed could do some damage.

2. Pacific Rim

A movie about giant robots. Who’d have thought this would come second in the action category? I’m not sure how this worked but it did. The part where Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia goes into the mind of a Kaiju was ridiculous but the rest of the film was more original than you’d expect.

Comedy

1. This is The End

There are periods where this slows down but generally the jokes come thick and fast with each actor not afraid to play on their public persona. Full of great lines that could lead it to becoming a cult classic in years to come this movie showed the similarly themed, The World’s End how you make a funny, end of the world film.

2. Alpa Papa

This almost made it to number one but doesn’t as I’m not sure it’s as rewatchable as This is The End. Again the jokes come thick and fast but it’s the fact the film-makers are more than aware of their limitations, and in play with them, that make this great.

Biopic

1. Pain and Gain

Only one movie that I’m putting in this category because I think I only saw one. Pain and Gain was a pleasant surprise that had just the right tone throughout. Representing the American Dream in the much the same way as American Psycho I think this was mis-sold as an laugh out loud comedy when it was muh darker than that.

Horror

1. The Evil Dead

To put this at the top of my list shows what a disappointing year it was for the horror genre. Having said that, this was a decent re-boot that played it dead straight. The effects team did a great job and it was never obvious what was going to happen next. In light of The Cabin in the Woods it was good feat to create a movie that didn’t make me want to reference it at every turn.

2. The Conjuring

Despite what the film-makers said this obviously wasn’t based on a true story (or the couple it was based on were complete frauds) so it loses points for that. Like this years Mama there was a good concept in there that didn’t quite pay-off.

Movie about exactly the same thing

1. White House Down and Olympus Has Fallen

I’m not sure which one I liked more as they’ve sort of blended into the same movie in my head. I remember a limo chase through the White House gardens, Channing Tatum talking to a squirrel, the North Koreans and Harvey Dent.

Worst Movies/ Biggest disappointments

Worst Movie of the Year

1. 21 and Over

How on earth did this movie get made? Admittedly I only saw two thirds – it was so bad I had to turn it off. I had no interest in what was going to happen because I’ve already seen The Hangover so it was telegraphed from the start. 21 and Over was basically the love-child of American Pie and The Hangover, if that love-child had its under-developed brain smashed in.

2. Movie 43

What is it with 2013 comedies with numbers in the title? This was just kept off the top spot by the humour-vacuum, 21 and Over but it’s equally as bad. The only reason it’s at number two is because I watched the whole thing and I think I may have laughed once.

3. RIPD

This is what happens if you take Men in Black and take away everything that made it good. I suppose the special effects weren’t bad but that’s as far as I’ll take the compliments. Everything else about this movie was appalling but maybe Ryan Reynolds was sick of people saying that Blade Trinity was the worst movie that he ever made?

Disappointment of the Year

1. The World’s End

Not a terrible movie by any stretch of the imagination and there are some genuinely funny moments. However, it was far too self-indulgent and lacked the heart of the other two movies in the cornetto trilogy.

2. Star Trek Into Darkness

Again, not a terrible movie but it didn’t live up to the promise of the first movie. Character motivations were sketchy and there were too many moments that seemed to have been put in there to satisfy fan-boys and worse, because they couldn’t think of a more satisfying way of resolving or propelling the story (miracle blood, blowing up hundreds of people to save one).

3. Gangster Squad

A big let-down because of the cast it had at its disposal and the source material. All style over substance and the style wasn’t even that good.

Honourable mention

Anchorman 2 – Just missing out on the comedy category. I really enjoyed it but I like to judge a comedy on second viewing.

And there you have it. Not a stellar year for movies but I've got some big expectations for 2014 (especially Wolf of Wall Street and 12 Years a Slave) although I've just seen American Hustle and feel that might end in the 'disappointing' category.