Best Films of 2013
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- DirectorSteve McQueenStarsChiwetel EjioforMichael Kenneth WilliamsMichael FassbenderIn the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.Probably the best film of 2013...but the only problem was character development other than Solomon. I realize that the book was written from his perspective, however screenwriters should have taken more artistic license.
- DirectorJean-Marc ValléeStarsMatthew McConaugheyJennifer GarnerJared LetoIn 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is diagnosed with the disease.Great story and powerful acting. Definite shoe-in for an Oscar nod!
- DirectorBrian PercivalStarsSophie NélisseGeoffrey RushEmily WatsonWhile subjected to the horrors of World War II Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. In the basement of her home, a Jewish refugee is being protected by her adoptive parents.
- DirectorRufus NorrisStarsCharlie BootyLily JamesTim RothThree suburban English families' lives intertwine with tragic consequences.*Released 2013* Powerful performances in a tense portrayal of innocence vs. unrestrained emotion.
- DirectorRobert RedfordStarsRobert RedfordBrit MarlingStanley TucciAfter a journalist discovers his identity, a former Weather Underground activist goes on the run.April 2013 US release** Exceptional cast and fast paced. Plot thought-provoking, but not strong. Redford directed, so a solid film overall.
- DirectorJeff NicholsStarsMatthew McConaugheyTye SheridanJacob LoflandTwo young boys encounter a fugitive and form a pact to help him evade the vigilantes that are on his trail and to reunite him with his true love.US 2013 release - Suspense was a bit lackluster, but the script and acting were spot on with cinematography and location a big bonus!
- DirectorJoseph KosinskiStarsTom CruiseMorgan FreemanAndrea RiseboroughA veteran assigned to extract Earth's remaining resources begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself.Interesting future sci-fi with a twist at the end.
- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsChris PineZachary QuintoZoe SaldanaAfter the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.Awesome continuation of the Trek world. Keepin' it alive and entertaining.
- DirectorChad HartiganStarsPaul EenhoornDemetrius GrosseTom PlunkettMartin Bonner has just moved to Nevada from the East Coast, leaving behind his two adult children and a life he spent more than two decades building.Great indie film. Character-driven. Simple, yet captivating direction. Ending a bit abrupt.
- DirectorJ.C. ChandorStarsRobert RedfordAfter a collision with a shipping container at sea, a resourceful sailor finds himself, despite all efforts to the contrary, staring his mortality in the face.An emotional film. The will to survive in the face of death. Only a couple of spoken lines, but Redford's performance was exceptional.
- DirectorJames FrancoStarsJames FrancoTim Blake NelsonJim ParrackBased on the classic novel by William Faulkner, first published in 1930, "As I Lay Dying" is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her family's quest to honor her last wish to be buried in the nearby town of Jefferson.Dark Americana storytelling. Acting was exceptional and followed the book well. Franco directed an almost too artistic take on the book.
- DirectorGiuseppe TornatoreStarsGeoffrey RushJim SturgessSylvia HoeksVirgil Oldman, a wealthy art auctioneer, takes the help of a young artificer, Robert, to understand and woo Claire Ibbetson, a young heiress, who hires him to auction off an antique collection.
- DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsTom HanksBarkhad AbdiBarkhad AbdirahmanThe true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.Well done film. Not sure all is factual, but the end result was suspenseful and entertaining.
- DirectorJean-Jacques AnnaudStarsTahar RahimAntonio BanderasMark StrongSet in the 1930s Arab states at the dawn of the oil boom, the story centers on a young Arab prince torn between allegiance to his conservative father and his modern, liberal father-in-law.Not released in US till 2013 on video. Why? A good film that fell through the cracks somehow.
- DirectorNeill BlomkampStarsMatt DamonJodie FosterSharlto CopleyIn the year 2154, the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth. A man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds.If you liked District 9, then you'll probably like this. A dystopian future with social class conflict seeds this plot.
- DirectorScott WalkerStarsNicolas CageVanessa HudgensJohn CusackAn Alaska State Trooper partners with a young woman who escaped the clutches of serial killer Robert Hansen to bring the murderer to justice. Based on actual events.
- DirectorShane BlackStarsRobert Downey Jr.Guy PearceGwyneth PaltrowWhen Tony Stark's world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
- DirectorDavid Gordon GreenStarsNicolas CageTye SheridanGary PoulterAn ex-con, who is the unlikeliest of role models, meets a 15-year-old boy and is faced with the choice of redemption or ruin.
- DirectorAlexander PayneStarsBruce DernWill ForteJune SquibbAn aging, booze-addled father makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim a million-dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize.
- DirectorLouis LeterrierStarsJesse EisenbergCommonMark RuffaloAn FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances, and reward their audiences with the money.Interesting enough, but not a great film. The twists and intrigue along with the cast makes this a keeper.
- DirectorPeter LandesmanStarsZac EfronTom WellingBilly Bob ThorntonA recounting of the chaotic events that occurred at Dallas' Parkland Memorial Hospital on the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.Solid movie. Interesting perspective of that terrible day.
- DirectorJonathan TeplitzkyStarsColin FirthNicole KidmanStellan SkarsgårdA former British Army officer, who was tortured as a prisoner of war at a Japanese labor camp during World War II, discovers that the man responsible for much of his treatment is still alive and sets out to confront him.
- DirectorBen StillerStarsBen StillerKristen WiigJon DalyWhen both he and a colleague are about to lose their job, Walter takes action by embarking on an adventure more extraordinary than anything he ever imagined.
- DirectorRawson Marshall ThurberStarsJason SudeikisJennifer AnistonEmma RobertsA veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.A rare comedy that's actually funny and not stupid. :)
- DirectorMark PhinneyStarsMel RodriguezAshley LaurenJason DugreKen is a man that won't change his ways. Addicted to food, and bad health in general, he is headed on a one way path to an early grave. Despite help from his friends, he does what he wants, until a chance encounter that might just give him the motivation he needs. Fat is a funny, and dramatic look at food addiction. It is an unflinching story based on Mark Phinney's own experiences and writings on the subject.