2013 Year End Post

I just realized that this is the last weekend of 2013.  I'm going to move past how distressingly fast this year went by, and focus on the movies.  Initially, I was worried I hadn't seen enough but I've actually watched nearly 300 films, thirty-three of which were new in theaters this year.  It was harder than I thought it would be to narrow it down to just ten. 

The last cut was rough, so I'm going to include them as Honorable Mentions.  These two were so close but just got edged out:  Monsters University and R.I.P.D.  They were both funny, but didn't have that extra oomph.

10.  (tie) Pacific Rim and The Lone Ranger - I know, this is totally cheating, but I really kept going back and forth between them.  They each had their problems and didn't really connect with the public at large, but I think they're both worthwhile films.

9. Kick-Ass 2 - It suffers a bit from sequel-itis but Chloe Moretz is too awesome to ignore.

8. The World's End - I think this ending chapter had more depth than I was initially expecting and I believe that it will only grow on me more with repeat viewings.

7. Despicable Me 2 - Again, this showed much more emotional range than its predecessor.

6. Thor:  the Dark World - Loki.  Loki, Loki, Loki.  The end.

5.  The Hunger Games:  Catching Fire - This movie made me excited to see the third chapter of a Young Adult series.  That's impressive.

4. The Hobbit:  The Desolation of Smaug - Maybe it's just because this is the one I saw most recently, but I really liked this film.  It has stuck with me, despite having too many characters and a lot of frenetic editing.  I feel anticipatory for the third film.  Plus, I'm hoping for more Lee Pace.

3. Iron Man 3 - Robert Downey, Jr. was made to play Tony Stark.  I get that he's starting to feel a little run-down by the physicality but he was still able to translate that feeling into the character.  Tony Stark has been through a lot and he is tired.  This is a strong finish, just in case they never go back for a fourth solo outing.

2. The Conjuring - This was the best horror film of the year.  Hands (clapping) down.

1. Frozen - Granted, there are still three days before 2014 where I could see a movie that surpasses this one but, for now, far and away my favorite film of the year.  It has been so long since a Disney movie has blown me away.  Everything about it was just so good.  The animation, the humor, the music, everything.