The Best of 2013...Part Four...The Best Movies of the Year!

Happy New Year!

But before we get too far into it, let's take a look back at the best of what I saw and reviewed around these here parts.

Ready?

Set...

Go!


First, let's give some Honorable Mentions.

These movies are good. 
Really. Good.

However, they aren't "Great", and I put great in quotes to say that one viewing was probably enough.

These are the Schindler's Lists...Saving Private Ryan...etc. etc... the big epic dramas that one viewing was enough.  Powerful viewing, enjoyed it a lot, but can't see myself wanting to sit down and watch it again.

Through no fault of their own, sometimes that's just how movies are. 

First-

Django Unchained -



I officially no longer hate Quentin Tarantino films.  This movie was amazing on many levels.  Hilarious. Heartbreaking. Disgusting.  Sometimes at the same time.  It's a powerful movie that is definitely worth a viewing if you have not seen it.

Argo -




Why I no longer give Ben Affleck any grief on anything.  He's really a good actor, and his tenure behind the camera has helped him hone his craft in front of it.  It's a gripping drama, and well worth a viewing.


Now, on to the ones that I want to sit down and watch again.

And again.

;)


These are 10 of the Best Movies I Watched in 2013:


 Here Comes the Boom-




Every list should have some "What the heck?!?" candidates.  My entire list could qualify in many critic circles.  However, that's okay.  I like what I like, and I'm fine with that.  Leading off the list is a comedy that shouldn't work with Kevin James a high school teacher who goes into Mixed Martial Arts to make some money to help his school.  Again, there's a heart in this film that you're not expecting when you go into it, and it sneaks up and grabs you.  You leave the movie feeling good, and that's a wonderful way to feel after any movie.

Dredd-

The best comic book adaptation of the year that you may have missed.  Gone is Sylvester Stallone.  Insert Karl Urban, a great actor who, again, if memory serves, never has one minute of screen time without his helmet on.  That's impressive, and note-worthy in Hollywood where actors insist that their mug be shown as much as possible.  Urban owns the screen as Dredd, and I would love to see a sequel with him donning the helmet once again.

Pitch Perfect -

 Yep, I admit it.  This movie was hilarious, and I just watched it again recently, and I still found it incredibly funny.  The songs are well done.  The dialogue is crackling.  There's very little that I don't like about this movie.  Except that my wife doesn't enjoy it as much as I do.  But I get that a lot. ;)

Iron Man 3-

A Marvel movie in the Top 10?  This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who knows me.  We cap off the Iron Man trilogy with a Christmas present that wraps up Robert Downey Jr's tenure as Tony Stark in his own films...at least for now.  Things go out with a bang, as the many armors of Iron Man are put to rest.  This is both a good and bad thing.  I understand that the point of this movie was to show that Tony Stark IS Iron Man, whether he is in the suit or not in the suit.  A little forced and clichéd throughout, but overall, I enjoyed it.  Yes, including the Mandarin. :)

42 -

A baseball movie?  I don't even like baseball! Except when it is well done in movie form.  This is one of those instances.  However, it is so good, it couldn't just get an honorable mention, it deserves to be put into rotation with Field of Dreams and other cinematic masterpieces that celebrate America's pastime.  Also, an important look at how America used to be, and how far we've come (and how far we've yet to go) as a people.

Rise of the Guardians -

How about that, Rise of the Guardians wound up cracking the final list after all.  So you've had 3 opportunities to hear that this was the best animated movie of the year.  Hopefully you've managed to believe me on at least one of those occasions and have watched it for yourself.  You're in for a visual treat.

Fast and Furiou 6 -

What a bittersweet moment this is.  Losing Paul Walker puts this franchise into a tailspin.  I have some ideas on how they should proceed with # 7 to write him out of the storyline and allow the franchise to grow and evolve with this loss.  Back to # 6 though, and this was a great romp that built on the incredible Fast Five and took it to the next level.  Setting up # 7 with the closing moments of this film just built on how great this franchise has become.  The change in directors was going to be something different, and now that the entire tone is going to shift, it will be interesting to see what Vin Diesel and company have in store for us.

Now You See Me -

I love a good heist film.  At its center, that's exactly what this film about magicians truly was: a heist film.  It was very well done and I enjoyed every twist and turn that the movie took us on.  Even the predictable plot twists were enjoyable, aided by a remarkable all-star cast that didn't doom the movie to failure.  The inevitable sequel is coming, and it's got some big shoes to fill, but I'm certainly looking forward to them trying.

Life of Pi -

You could stop and say that this was the most beautiful movie that has been shot in years, and that could be enough.  When you factor in the story that goes along with it, that's the icing on a great cake.  Some people may not like the message that the film delivers, but it's a message that people haven't liked for a long, long time.  I liked it, and the movie has gotten better with repeated viewings.

Thor: The Dark World -

The best movie of the year, and it happens to be a Marvel film.  My bias must be showing. :)  That's okay, this movie was an amazing triumph for the franchise.  It's the sequel that is superior to the original, which bodes well for the future of Marvel films.  Iron Man was unable to pull that off.  Whether there will be a third Thor movie or not, the franchise at least goes out on a high note, but hopefully  it's not done yet.  And if the studio is taking notice, they will realize that what the fans want is more Loki. 

Possibly even a Loki movie?

Yes please!


So that concludes 2013 in movies.

I'll be back tomorrow to begin tackling the 300 + movies that will add up to the best and worst, and everything in between for 2014.

As always, thanks for reading!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas..."Lethal Weapon"

I'm too old for this...

The Story:

Veteran cop Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is nearing retirement.  He finds himself saddled with a new partner, a burn-out, possibly suicidal maniac, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson).  The two are pulled into a suicide which leads them back to an old Army buddy of Roger's.  The question then becomes, who is going to kill the cops first, the bad guys, or each other?

Come on, how much of a plot synopsis do you want me to give to Lethal Weapon?

It's over 25 years old and is a classic in its own rights.

If the film didn't define it, it at the very least redefined the entire Buddy Cop action flick.

Want to take film-making 101 for making that kind of movie, look no further.

First, get two polar opposites that bicker and squabble with each other, but come to depend and work well with each other by the end of the film.

Literally put them on death's door or as much of a physical wringer as you can muster, and you'll see what they are made of on the inside as well as how tough they are on the outside.

This was Shane Black's first feature movie that he wrote, and he knocked it out of the park on his first try.  He's kept the Christmas feeling over the rest of the movies he's worked on, most recently with Iron Man 3.

Aside from pairing Glover and Gibson together, they also put them opposite Gary Busey who is simply unleashed on the screen as possibly the most psychotic villain to plague 80s cops.  If Die Hard had the suave Hans Gruber to counteract the everyman John McClane, Lethal Weapon offered up Mr. Joshua as the psychopath who could channel Riggs inner rage, and give in to it.

You have to believe that the villains can beat the hero, and literally our heroes limp across the finish line when it's all over.

Tying this all together is Richard Donner.  If push comes to shove, I will say that he is, for overall body of work, my favorite director of all time.  His movies are nearly always entertaining and in a way, timeless.  While this movie is made in the 80s, it could just as easily be now, or earlier.  That's just how Donner works, and his movies age really well.

Plus, much like Die Hard, it's got a Christmas theme, so it's a way to get some adrenaline during the holidays pumped into your system.  Normally I try and squeeze these into holiday viewing when I'm wrapping gifts for the kids.  Now that they've figured out how great Die Hard is, I wonder when they'll come waiting to see this one?!

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I love 'em, I own 'em!

Holiday Blockbuster Weekend Concludes: "Iron Man 3"

Not a hoax...not a dream...

This is the review after seeing the movie again at home, even though there is a perfectly suitable review for Iron Man 3 back when it was in theaters:

http://talesfromthequeue.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-tin-man-has-heartiron-man-3.html

Now, on to today's update!



I am Iron Man.

The Story:

Tony Stark (Robery Downey Jr.) returns to end the trilogy of Iron Man films.  This time, he faces the loss of everything he holds dear, including Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and his sanity as he still recovers from the events of New York.  The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is apparently sending suicide bombers around the globe to punish the American people.  Happy (Jon Favreau) gets caught in the cross-hairs, and sets Tony on a path of revenge.  All of these events conspire in a cyclical tale that flashes back over a decade when Tony ran into Aldich Killian (Guy Pearce) for the first time.  That chance encounter comes back to haunt him at the worst possible time:

Christmas.

Written (partially) and directed by Shane Black, of course it's Christmas!  That's his schtick.  See the Lethal Weapon franchise for further proof.  And that franchise alone will get Shane Black a pass with me on most of what he does for the rest of his career.

That said, Iron Man 3 doesn't need a pass, it's actually that good.

Is it as good as the first one?  Debatable.  It's newer...shinier...
Is it better than the 2nd one?  No question.

I had a blast watching it.  For the critics, many of whom live under my roof, who found holes in the film... well, there are holes everywhere, in every film.

They just didn't bother me so much.

: )

It has been a fun run watching Robert Downey Jr. inhabit the role of Tony Stark to the point where he IS Iron Man, pure and simple.  Someday these Marvel franchises will require rebooting, and while most roles will be easily changed out (see the Hulk...), I do not envy the person that has to pick up where Downey will leave off.

So for now, I'll forget that will happen, and simply soak in the fun and good times that Marvel is giving me with these movies.

Trust me, 10 year old me NEVER thought this day would come, so all in all, this guy is pretty darn happy.

Oh, and the whole outcry about the Mandarin?  Brilliant.  Thought it was absolutely perfect.  Remember kids, these aren't exactly based on the comics, they just contain the same characters.

Plus, these are light years more fun than anything DC is giving us to enjoy.

And finally, do stick around for the end credits, it caps off the movie perfectly.

: )

Final Grade: A (upgraded from A- in the theatrical run)

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Even though a few in my house moaned about some of the plot holes, I'm hoping it's under the tree this Christmas! :)

The Tin Man Has A Heart..."Iron Man 3"

Phase Two Begins...

The Story:

Ever since New York, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has been feeling a bit... off.  Still tinkering with his suits, he is up to version # 42 when the movie begins.  This causes a bit of unease with Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) but when you're in love with a genius, there's a price to be paid.  Unfortunately, a terrorist known only as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is attacking around the globe, and when one of his attacks injures Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), things get personal.  Tony seeks revenge, but even he may be no match for the greatest threat he's ever suited up against.

I'm not going to lie, I loved Part 3.

: )

And the # 1 complaint of the movie going public/critics seems to be The Mandarin and his fate in the movie.

This guy?  No problems at all with what unfolded.  I thought it was a stroke of genius to be honest. 

Stepping on board as director is Shane Black, in only his second outing behind the camera (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang), but he reteams with Robert Downey Jr., and he is the man who wrote Lethal Weapon, so the franchise isn't going to slip too much.

No, in fact, it rebounds from the disappointment of the 2nd film which gave us perhaps too much Iron Man (men) and in fact, let's Tony Stark spend much of the film sans armor.

This provides Iron Man 3 with its greatest strength, and that owes also to Marvel, Stan Lee, and all who followed in his footsteps in making Marvel the better comic universe to grow up reading:

The movie is about Tony Stark.  Tony Stark IS Iron Man.  You put any other guy in the suit, and while you can call him Iron Man, he's not.  He's an imitation.  Which is why Rhodey (Don Cheadle) became War Machine/Iron Patriot.

The human character is what made the heroes in Marvel lore stand out for me (and many other readers).  Take them out of the suit, and the replacement versions just never clicked after that.  Yet when you see the end of the Batman trilogy, it seems like they feel that if anyone jumps in the suit, they become Batman.

Meh.

So, there you have it, a review that hopefully gives nothing away on this opening weekend, but instead serves as a soapbox as to why I love Marvel heroes, and am thrilled to be seeing them brought to life on the big screen.  Changed as needed from the comics to make as much sense as possible, but never leaving out the heart that made the characters so endearing in the first place.

Go see the # 1 movie in America.  If you liked either of the first 2 installments, you won't regret your decision.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd go again in a heartbeat, but I already got to see the film with my sweetheart. : )  So for now... maybe I'll just go pre-order the Blu Ray on Amazon.