My Top 10 Films of 2013

   It's the most wonderful time of the year and it certainly has been one hell of a year for film buffs. Men of Steel and Iron, Shire folk and teens fighting to the death all make big returns for their franchises although not all were big improvements. This is MY personal list of my favorite films of 2013 so you may or may not agree with me. I still have two films on my "Must Watch" list before the end of the year, American Hustle and The Wolf of Wall Street, so those could quite possibly end up taking a spot. Completely spoiler free!

10. The Place Beyond The Pines

   I ended up watching this movie on a whim and I was absolutely surprised by it. Having no knowledge of it whatsoever, I was just hoping for another film with Ryan Gosling being bad-ass as usual but there was so much more to it than that. I was not expecting it to be an intricately woven crime drama with a focus on the passing of family legacies and generations. 

9. Man of Steel

   I admit I'm a Marvel fan through and through but I would LOVE to finally see a Justice League film done right and Man of Steel is hopefully a step in the right direction. Finally we get to see Superman unleash his powers and kick some major ass, albeit in a slightly over the top way but whatever. Sure the story took a more background focus behind all the action but when it was there, it delivered; in both being respectful to the lore and true to the iconic character.

8. Star Trek Into Darkness

   It may have been trashed to bits by hardcore Trekkies, (I'm sorry is that considered offensive now?), but as a casual fan this was a lot of fun. Hilarious, visually arousing and overall a very enjoyable time. Yeah it was kind of corny at certain parts and some scenes were obviously nothing more than pure fan-service, ahem Alice Eve in lingerie, but I'm not complaining.

7. Iron Man 3

   I have such a love-hate relationship with this third installment of a beloved superhero franchise. It was a BIG improvement over Iron Man 2 and I loved the emphasis it had on Tony himself as opposed to his armoured alter ego but they just had to ruin Iron Man's most important villain and barely touched upon the Extremis storyline, which is arguably one of the characters most important comics arcs.

6. Warm Bodies

   I'm a sucker for rom-coms and I'm also a sucker for anything zombie related so this was perfect. Unlike Twilight, where the plotline of falling in love with an undead creature tries to be way too serious, Warm Bodies does so in a delightfully lighthearted and tongue in cheek manner. Accompanied with a killer soundtrack, great performances and humorous plays on romantic cliches, it's heartbreaking to see that this didn't nearly get enough recognition as it should have.

5. Screwed

   Screwed is a low budget, indie film that is both a raunchy sex comedy and a depressing John Hughes-esque story at the same time. I didn't know what to expect watching this as it could turn from hilarious to heartwrenching to just plain what-the-fuck in a matter of minutes. Either way I've seen it multiple times now and is definitely going on my list of "Films That Make Me Hate Myself."

4. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

   While I enjoyed the books, I wasn't as into it as everyone else seemed to be, probably one of the only franchises I haven't spent hours reading into it's lore. Though I did like the movie adaptations a lot more and Catching Fire was a great step up from the first film; out were the annoying shaky cam sequences, the new characters were perfectly cast and of course Jennifer Lawrence.

3. Thor: The Dark World

   Finally a proper science-fiction fantasy Thor film! With my slight disappointment in Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel, this was THE superhero movie I ended up seeing multiple times in the theatre. Less Earth, more Asgard and the Nine Realms. More emphasis on The Warriors Three and Lady Sif. More Loki and more of Thor's powers. Lastly a completely unexpected cameo half way through the film, had me in absolute tears of fanboyism.

2. Evil Dead

   Of all the bad remakes in recent years, Evil Dead was one of the good ones. It really was just a perfectly done, respectful homage to the 1981 original. Sure the iconic Ash Williams is not in this but the new character Mia is so damn creepy, she could easily give the new Carrie a run for her money. The original dark humor is also gone but the gore effects certainly make up for it.

1. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

   I love the Lord of The Rings Trilogy with all my heart so when I walked into the theatre last December for An Unexpected Journey in what I hoped to be a great return to Middle-Earth, I was slightly sad and disappointed to have left unsatisfied. However where the first part of The Hobbit Trilogy meandered along, The Desolation of Smaug had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. Everything was greatly improved; the pacing was better, the action sequences were watchable and the effects were spectacular. More of the dwarves got a spotlight, new characters, Bard the Bowman and Thranduil were introduced fantasically and even though Legolas and Tauriel were not in the original novel, they were both equally and purposely kick-ass. (Plus Evangeline Lilly as a redheaded she-elf...oh good lord.)  But the highlight of the film is easily Smaug. Seriously there are not enough movie dragons and holy crap they outdid themselves with him. Visually the most largest, terrifying and intricately detailed dragon in recent years, topped off with an amazing vocal performance by Benedict Cumberbatch whose posh, British, baritone voice works perfectly in what could arguably be THE movie villain of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

The World's End
Pacific Rim
Gravity
Side Effects
World War Z
The Wolverine
Elysium
Don Jon

So there you have it, my 10 personal favorite films of 2013. What would you put on yours?

Film Review: Pacific Rim

     Fun, loud and overall just a good time is what can be said for Writer and Director Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim; in what is a great way to reintroduce modern audiences to the world of giant mechas and giant monsters all the while making viewers feel like a kid playing with their childhood  toys.

   In the near distant future, Humanity has been fighting in a long war against giant monsters, or Kaijus as they are called in the film, that have emerged from a portal in the Pacific Ocean. To combat these strange beings, Humanity and every nation has put aside their differences and created the Jaeger Program, essentially giant mechas. Each Jaeger is around three-hundred feet tall and is controlled by two pilots whose minds are neurally linked, sharing eachothers memories, in order to maintain and share the mental strain that originally overwhelmed single pilots. Initially the program is successful, turning the tide of the war into Humanity's favor until the Kaijus have begun to adapt to fighting, with the mechas becoming less effective, slowly being destroyed one by one and eventually having the entire program terminated. The main character, Raleigh Becket, is a former Jaeger pilot who is still traumatized by the death of his brother and co-pilot, is called out of retirement by Commander Stacker Pentecost to pilot his old mecha, Gipsy Danger, now one of the four remaining Jaegers, in an attempt to have one last stand to end the war.

   Written and directed by legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, Pacific Rim is essentially a love letter to the lore of massive creatures and machines battling it out on our planet as well as teaching viewers that it is possible to put aside all petty differences in order to unite against a common threat for the sake of our existence. It's loud and over the top but still manages not to take itself too seriously with just the right amount of humor and fun thrown amongst the chaos on screen. Any person who has played with robotic and monstrous toys in their childhood can easily have themselves a good time during this film .

   The two main characters Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori, portrayed by Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi, are both played respectively well but its the characters themselves; their somewhat uninteresting back stories and forced awkward romance is what is unfortunately hindering them from being memorable characters. Idris Elba who plays the role of Stacker Pentecost, is exceptionally awesome and badass as the Commander of the Jaeger Program, appearing calm and well spoken during harsh times but can be fearful and broken from what he has been through. Ron Perlman who is a frequent collaborator with del Toro, plays a smaller, more humorous role as Hannibal Chau; a black market dealer who specializes in dealing Kaiju organs.

   Pacific Rim is what Godzilla should have been as well as showing the recent Transformers films how to properly do a giant robot film without trying to be too full of itself. Those looking for something deeper should look elsewhere, obviously, but for those who just want a good, loud, fun time at the cinema should look no further.

Film Review: This is the End

   With this year currently bombarded with epic space adventures and men of steel and iron, comes a very original, very vulgar comedy from the twisted minds of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg called This is the End. Absurdly stupid but yet wildly entertaining that is sure to leave the audience holding on to their sides from laughter.

   This is the End begins with Jay Baruchel arriving in Los Angeles to visit an old friend and fellow actor Seth Rogen. The two later attend a house warming party hosted by James Franco where there are plenty of drugs, sex and alcohol to go around. Having not gotten used to the "Hollywood Lifestyle",  Jay briefly leaves the party to buy cigarettes with Seth when a massive earthquake hits and giant sinkholes appearing in the ground. Retreating back to James' house, the host and guests do not believe their story until they evacuate outside and see the world in turmoil. Another sinkhole appears right near where everyone is standing and proceeds to consume several guests, prompting Jay, James and Seth to take refuge back in the house along with fellow actors Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride. The group must now learn to get along with eachother, survive the apocalypse and learn the true meaning of friendship as the end of days slowly approaches around them.

   Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, This is the End is a comedy, a disaster film and a satire all in one; a satire on celebrities, the lives they lead and their interactions with eachother. The situations the group gets put through almost seems like little skits that are blended together which isn't a surprise considering they are all comedians. The humor is so absurd and at times very over the top and out there but yet still manages to appropriately fit with the over all story. If that is not enough, the mere interactions and dialogues between the characters is more than enough to keep the audience laughing.

   Playing fictional versions of themselves, the main cast, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill and Danny McBride all work so well with eachother; poking fun at eachothers careers and acting abilities. Initially parodies of their real life counterparts: Franco is the arrogant, narcissistic douchebag that only cares for himself, Rogen and Baruchel are the two friends who have slowly grown apart, Robinson acts as the voice of reason between the group, Hill who is a bit too nice to everyone and McBride who is the reckless foil and outcast of the group. During the party scenes the audience will notice a few more celebrities who have their own little comedic moments including Rihanna, Michael Cera, Kevin Hart, Jason Segel, Mindy Kaling, David Krumholtz, Aziz Ansari and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. One guest in particular is the beautiful Emma Watson, who's film version is so unlike herself that it comes as a pleasant surprise to see Emma in comedic role.

   This is the End is a pretty simple film to understand; A group of famous actors and comedians struggle to survive the apocalypse, and that is why it works so well. The dialogue and interactions between the characters is what easily makes the film enjoyable and yes it does tend to get a little ridiculous near the end but what can one expect from a comedy film? It's fun, it's loud and definitely has no shortage of laughs in what is one of the most absurdly entertaining, original comedies of the last few years.

Game Review: The Last of Us

  With all the hype currently surrounding the Next-Generation of Video Gaming, Naughty Dog and Sony Computer Entertainment has managed to not only provide one of the last great games to end this current generation but also happens to be one of the most important games of all time.

     Twenty years after a global outbreak of a cordyceps-like fungal infection, the world has become dark, bleak place. Civilization, or what is left of it, has settled in military run quarantine zones all around the world, complete with curfews and most people having to live off of militarized rations. For a man named Joel doing whatever it takes to survive means smuggling items including drugs and firearms on the black market and sometimes outside the quarantined areas. Following a deal gone wrong, Joel and his partner Tess come across a resistance group named "The Fireflies" whose leader wants them to smuggle a fourteen year-old girl named Ellie across the country in exchange weapons. Ellie turns out to be much more than just a teenage girl and Joel and Tess find this out the hard way as they are hunted by the military as well as having to deal with hostile survivors and more terrifyingly, the infected.

   The gameplay is set in the third-person perspective with players in control of Joel. However unlike Naughty Dog's flagship series  Uncharted where players are constantly engaged in firefights, The Last of Us is mainly based around stealth and avoiding conflict. Joel and Ellie are almost always outnumbered and with little resources, it'd be best for players to use their heads, be patient and save their equipment  for other, more difficult conflicts in which having the right weapon or tool would be the one crucial item for surviving. There are three main enemy types: hostile survivors, the military and the infected; the humans are less predictable in movement but are much easier to kill however the infected's movement is easily predictable but much harder to kill as some infected types are only killed by certain weapons and will result in an instant player death if it comes too close. During the quieter moments of exploration, scavenging for items is key. Ammunition is scarce and players will need as much as they can find, finding certain tools and parts can upgrade Joel's arsenal as well as crafting items such as med kits and molotov cocktails.

   The game is very dark, gritty and bleak but that's how it should be. Within the first ten minutes, the game and its story is already toying with the players emotions. Joel is established as a very different character than Uncharted's Nathan Drake; he has seen things, he has known life before the infection but most importantly he does whatever it takes to survive. Ellie is a precocious teenage girl who has no  knowledge of life and society before the outbreak, therefore she has grown up in a harsh environment and has learned to fend for herself, notably she can be just as fast and effective with her switchblade as she can with her feisty mouth. The relationship between the two characters of course starts off rocky but eventually grows into a father-daughter relationship which is easily the center of the game's emotional core.

   The Last of Us is a perfect blend of visuals, gameplay and emotional masterpiece storytelling; taking such inspirations from Children of Men, I am Legend and 28 Days Later but yet unique in its own right. Naughty Dog Studios has gained a reputation for making great titles but this game is arguably their best game yet as well as being not only one of the most important games in recent years but also a perfect send off for the new upcoming gaming generation.

 

Film Review: Man of Steel

     The Last Son of Krypton returns in his most solid incarnation yet that is easily THE Superman film fans have been waiting for; With breathtaking visuals, amazing fight sequences and great performances but however suffers from a weak, shallow story.

   The film begins with the birth of natural born Kal-El just upon the destruction of Krypton; his father, Jor-El, illegally obtains historical records of the planet and sends them off with his newborn son to Earth hoping he will one day be the savior for all humanity. Thirty-three years later Kal-El, now called Clark, is slowly discovering who he really is and why he was sent to Earth after many years of hiding his identity and abilities under the protection and love of his adopted parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent in Smallville, Kansas.

   Directed by Zack Snyder and written and produced by Christopher Nolan , it should be no surprise that Man of Steel is one of the most high profile, heavily anticipated films of the year. After the light-hearted borefest that was Superman Returns, this new take on the character is noticeable more darker than all the previous films, maybe even being a bit too serious at times. However this is easily the most action packed Superman filmed yet; with the character finally being able to let loose, show off his mighty abilities and actually throw more than enough punches which sadly have severely been lacking in other films. While nothing beats John Williams' iconic musical score from the original 1978 film, Hans Zimmer provides a rousing, heroically fitting soundtrack that goes hand in hand with the amazing visual effects. It should be noted that there isn't much humor throughout the movie and when there is, it seems a bit forced which can also be said for it's romantic scenes. The film also deeply explores the mythology of Krypton and how Kryptonians have been artificially bred with Kal-El being the first natural born child in centuries.

   Michael Shannon steals the show as General Zod, the former Military Commander of Krypton; portraying an insane, intimidating man driven by his determination to protect his homeworld and his people at any cost. The ridiculously cute Amy Adams finally portrays a Lois Lane that can not only hold her own in dire situations but also is the smart, feisty journalist she should be and not the comic-relief, damsel in distress. Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner each play both Clark's biological and adopted fathers in somewhat small roles but yet are very important to Clark and the decisions he makes on who he wants to be. Newcomer Henry Cavill dons the  iconic cape and red boots of Superman and does so to great effect, giving off a bold, heroic vibe that is almost perfect for the character; however his Clark Kent persona is almost a bit too serious.

   With The Dark Knight Trilogy done, it's time for DC Entertainment to focus on its other flagship character and what should be their way to catch up with Marvel Studios. Man of Steel is almost perfect in doing so; It is the Superman film fans have been waiting for and while it heavily explores the mythos of the character and it origins, it overall takes itself way too seriously; however Man of Steel is still very fun and action-packed and hopefully can finally pave the way for a Justice League film.

Film Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

     The much anticipated sequel to J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot/reimagining, Star Trek Into Darkness is one of the most exhilarating, visually appealing science fiction films of the past few years that gives fans, both new and old, an adventure worthy of the final frontier...

   Within less than a year of the events of the first film, the crew of the USS Enterprise finds themselves on a hunt for a rogue Starfleet Commander named "John Harrison" who has declared a one man war against Starfleet. However this particular mission can be quite fatal to certain members such as Captain James T. Kirk who is hellbent on revenge, pursues Harrison and makes it a personal matter that tests his ability as a Captain and could ultimately cost him the lives of his fellow crew. First Officer Spock also makes this a personal conflict on whether to use logic as his half-vulcan heritage is used to or to trust his heart and gut feelings as his half-human side would. The adventure will ultimately define the relationship of the two characters as well as show them what it means to be a family and not just as members of the same starship.

   Set within the same alternate reality that was established in the first film, therefore does not affect the original Primary Universe of The Original Series, the film offers fresh but yet familiar takes on characters and events that have been created many years ago.  Abrams takes no time getting straight into the action that runs non-stop throughout the entire film with plenty of amazing set pieces, orbital battles, fistfights, shootouts and much more that is sure to leave viewers on the edge of their seats. The more dramatic scenes hit hard, as expected from a J.J. Abrams film, possibly even making a few viewers shed a tear as well as providing many, many laughs mostly from the creative, witty dialogue that occurs between characters. Compared to the first film, which was naturally an origin story, the story is focused to be more personal as opposed to being more bigger and flashier which lots of franchise sequels tend to do. Trekkies or even just geeky fans in general can expect no shortage of iconic lines being spoken as well as several references to the fates of some characters that have occurred in the original timeline, even showing the Klingons for the first time in this reboot franchise.

   Benedict Cumberbatch steals the show as the films antagonist; "John Harrison", who portrays the character with such awe and malice that it comes as surprise when viewers start feeling some sympathy toward him in a few scenes all the while topped off with a deep, soft spoken yet haunting drawl that makes the villain very easy to listen to. The gorgeous Alice Eve plays the role of Dr. Carol Marcus, a Starfleet Officer trained in the field of applied physics and advanced weaponry who has a big part to the overall plot and as some fans should know, has an important relationship with the Captain. RoboCop himself, Peter Weller plays the role of Admiral Alexander Marcus, Carol's father. The returning cast is at their best yet with some characters having bigger roles such as Communications Officer Uhura, played by Zoe Saldana, finally kicking some ass. Zachary Quinto is again a near perfect portrayal of First Officer Spock originally made famous by Leonard Nimoy.

   Hardcore fans of The Original Series seemed to be divided on J.J. Abrams take on the franchise set in an Alternate Reality but for casual movie goers, Star Trek Into Darkness is a non-stop rollercoaster ride of an epic space adventure, complete with amazing action sequences, witty banter and visuals equally appealing as Alice Eve. It was a nice return to the world of James Tiberius Kick and the command deck of the Starship Enterprise that is not only one of the biggest blockbusters of 2013 but also one of the best Science Fiction films of the last few years. While the main cast has said they would appear for at least one more film but with Abrams taking another big franchise under his belt by directing Episode VII of Star Wars, it may be awhile until we see a third installment and where this franchise "boldly goes" next...

Film Review: Iron Man 3

     A year after the groundbreaking, spectacle that was Marvel's The Avengers, fans once again return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the world of Tony Stark where the eagerly anticipated Iron Man 3 provides many laughs and awesome action sequences that unfortunately falls short while not quite living up to
the hype it was given.

     Set some time after the events of The Avengers, Tony Stark finds himself suffering from a sort of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-like anxiety due to the extra-terrestrial invasion of New York City. Because of this, Tony has spent a considerable amount of time creating many different types of suits and also enhancing his armors abilities which ultimately is creating a love-triangle of sorts between Tony, his armor and his girlfriend and current CEO of Stark Industries, Pepper Potts. Global tensions are also on the rise due to an emerging experimental tissue regenerative and ability enhancing virus known as Extremis, a series of unexplained bombings and the appearance of a terrorist  who calls himself "The Mandarin". After a close friend of his falls victim to one of the bombings, Tony proceeds to go on a personal vendetta against The Mandarin all the while asking himself: "Does the Suit make the Man? Or does the Man make the Suit?"

     After Jon Favreau's departure as director of the first two installments, Shane Black was hired to screen-write and direct the third film which would reunite him and actor Robert Downey Jr. after working together on the 2005 dark comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Those familiar with Black's work can expect his usual plot devices such as a kidnapping of one of the characters and the film being set around the Christmas holiday come into play. While a new director at the helm of a much beloved franchise is expected to make a few changes, Iron Man 3 is significantly different compared to it predecessors; both in its visuals and sense of tone as well as starting and ending the film with a narrative voice-over from Stark and not opening the film with an AC/DC soundtrack. But as can expect from a Marvel film, there are plenty of laughs, both subtle and not so subtle nods to comic lore and incredible set pieces that will have the audience cheering for a now much adorned superhero.

     Robert Downey Jr. reprises the role of Tony Stark for his fifth appearance and with no surprise stealing the show with the usual wit, smart-ass, lovable jerk attitude that has become so synonymous with the character. Guy Pearce provides a fresh, deceptively cunning, love to hate villain that could quite easily be considered the best live-action Iron Man antagonist to date. Those who have wanted to see more of the two most important figures in Tony's life are in for a treat; Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes played by Don Cheadle  is finally given a more significant role that is not only essential to the plot but also to put his best friend Tony in his place and the beautiful Gwyneth Paltrow reprises her role of Pepper Potts for the fourth time with this appearance definitely giving the character a much more important role to the overall story as well as finally breaking the stereotypical damsel in distress cliche. The biggest issue in an otherwise fantastic cast is the inclusion of Sir Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin; was nothing more than a waste of a talented and big name actor offering little screen time with the big reveal and revelation of the characters true nature will surely anger and disappoint hard core comic book fans.

     The first film and everything it delivered was the start of an incredible cinematic journey that eventually led to one of the most ambitious films of all time as well as setting the standard for all superhero movies to come, it's sequel was panned by critics and fans alike due to it's messy plot that was all over the place and two dimensional villains and now Iron Man 3 was immensely hyped up to be the first, big follow up to Marvel's The Avengers but sadly didn't quite deliver as it promised to. The first film to begin Marvel Studios' "Phase Two" plans for their Cinematic Universe, did nothing to show fans what to expect in upcoming movies. It had great acting, great character development and great action set pieces but Iron Man 3 simply did not deliver in what it hoped to be.