2013 Movie Year in Review
In 2013 I made a half-hearted attempt to write about every movie I saw that year, which stalled out after 12 films. A big part of the problem is by the time I wrote the 12th summary of the series I still had another 16 movies to write up, and it seemed like I was adding more every day. I was overwhelmed, and when you throw in my generally weak criticism skills I dropped it.
Later on in the year, I noticed something somewhat odd. As I alluded to in my Oscars non-post, I was losing interest in new movies. As that year went on I still went to a large number of films, but more and more of them were classics revived. I've been considering this for the past few months, and I'm truly not sure if that's a reflection of how many great revivals have been showing in Cleveland recently, or if was a reflection of how relatively uninteresting I found even the new art house stuff that came out. However, I am starting to wonder if I've just seen so many films that it takes something truly interesting to move the dial. After all, part of the appeal of the art-house stuff is that you can see things that don't typically turn up in mainstream theaters, but it's not like all the art-house stuff is original; there are just as many copies, derivative works and movies there as in the cineplex; it's just harder to notice them.
I saw 65 movies in the theater in 2012, my highest total since 2007 when I hit 77. That's while only averaging three films a month in the third quarter, so you can tell I really scaled back at the end of the year. From this ridiculous long list, here are some movies that I feel are worth your time. I've bolded my personal favorites, but they are not otherwise listed in any particular order.
Classics
True Romance - summarized
Harvey - summarized
Lawrence of Arabia - This film is rightfully a legend, with some of the most beautiful cinematography you've yet seen. You really need to see it in a movie theater if at all possible.
The Thief of Bagdad - I saw this on TV when I was a kid, and was eager to see if it was as much fun as I recalled. I'm pleased to report that it's still good fun, with the height of 1924 special effects.
High and Low - Toshiro Mifune is in fine form in Kurosawa's film about an industrialist who has to decide if he is going to pay a bankruptcy inducing ransom when someone mistakenly kidnaps his chauffeur's son instead of his own.
A Night at the Opera - I love the Marx Brothers so much.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Marilyn Monroe ain't bad either. This is a solid movie musical raised to a higher level by the brilliance of Ms. Monroe. Remember, diamonds are a girl's best friend.
Doctor Zhivago - It's not as good as Lawrence of Arabia, but that's about the only knock anyone could have on this film. It's gorgeously shot and engrossing, even at nearly four hours. Plus, the theater had a champagne intermission!
Fargo - I don't know why it took me this long to see the only movie ever filmed near my parent's house in North Dakota, but I finally did and it is brilliant.
Wages of Fear - This is possibly the finest French film I have ever seen. This tale of four men delivering unstable explosives through the mountains is tense every inch of the way.
Bonnie & Clyde - I finally understand why people once thought Warren Beatty was a great actor. In this movie he convinces us that he doesn't want to have sex with Faye Dunaway!
Barry Lyndon - I would list this as my third favorite Kubrick film, after Dr. Strangelove and A Clockwork Orange, although I still need to see a few of the main works.
The Last Waltz - It's not as good as Stop Making Sense, but I couldn't name another concert film that is better.
Documentaries
The Gatekeepers - This documentary interviewed six of the former heads of Shin Bet (Israeli internal intel) on their roles in the Middle East. This is a bit of a Jewish obligation film, so if you aren't Jewish you may not care for it.
United in Anger: A History of Act Up - Rent has one line "Actual reality! Act Up! Fight A.I.D.S!". This documentary lays out Act Up's efforts in the very face of death.
Casting By - Ever wonder how casting directors do their job? This documentary lays out in an entertaining fashion.
New
Iron Man 3 - summarized.
Much Ado About Nothing - I adored this Shakespeare adaptation by Joss Whedon.
Before Midnight The entry in the "Before" trilogy is my favorite movie of 2013. It's the kind of movie that makes you wish that scriptwriters provided all of your dialogue, while still sounding like something people would actually say.
Pacific Rim - Google the trailer. Does the idea of robots fighting monsters appeal to you? Good, you'll like this movie.
Blancanieves - What if someone made a silent black & white film where Snow White was the daughter of an Andalusian bullfighter and ends up being rescued by rodeo clowns? They did, and it's a lot of fun.
Gravity - This movie needs to be seen in 3d on a big screen, so if an Oscar win puts it back there, go see it!
About Time - This romantic comedy is made by the same team that created Love Actually. Ignore the time travel rules set out at the beginning; they change as the needs of the story require. Instead, focus on the dialogue and the sweetness of the love story. Fair warning: I saw this movie with a girl I *really* liked in the heart of "New Relationship Energy", so my view is probably screwed up. Too bad she said was too busy... and if she was telling the truth, maybe she won't be too busy forever.
Frozen - I believe that this is the best Disney movie since The Lion King. It should win Best Animated Picture of 2013.
My Favorites
Harvey
Fargo
Barry Lyndon
Before Midnight
Pacific Rim
About Time
Now that you've had the capsules, here's the full list of 65. Enjoy.
Movies 2013 = 65 = 59 + 6
January - 7
February - 8
March - 4
April - 7 + 6
May - 3
June - 5
July - 9
August - 5
September - 3
October - 2
November - 5
December - 2
The Well-Digger's Daughter - C, Su 1/06
Lincoln - WL, T 1/08
8 1/2 - C, Su 1/13
True Romance - C, Su 1/20
Django - CP, T 1/22
Harvey - CP, Su 1/27
Only Yesterday - C, Su 1/27
The Mercenary - C, F 2/08
Lady in the Lake - C, S 2/09
Chicken with Plums - C, Su 2/10
Whisper of the Heart - C, Su 2/10
My Neighbors the Yamadas - C, Su 2/17
Silver Linings Playbook - CP, M 2/18
A Good Day to Die Hard - RR, S 2/23
The Cat Returns - C, S 2/23
Lawrence of Arabia - CPT, S 3/09
Zero Dark Thirty - CL, Su 3/17
The Thief of Bagdad - CPT, R 3/28
The Gatekeepers - CL, Su 3/31
37th Cleveland International Film Festival - Tower City Cinemas - 6 films
Musicwood - R 4/04
United in Anger: A History of Act Up - R 4/04
Caesar Must Die - S 4/06
The Last Ocean - S 4/06
Casting By - S 4/13
Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp - S 4/13
Samsara - C, F 4/05
High and Low - C, F 4/12
A Night at the Opera - CL, T 4/16
How to Marry a Millionaire - CPT, F 4/26
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - CPT, S 4/27
Doctor Zhivago - CPT, Su 4/28
Fargo - CL, T 4/30
Iron Man 3 (3d) - WL, F 5/03
The Great Gatsby - CPT, W 5/22
Star Trek Into Darkness - RR, M 5/27
M - CPT, Su 6/02
Renoir - CL, Su 6/09
Man of Steel - EGFK, S 6/22
Much Ado About Nothing (2013) - CL, 6/28
Before Midnight - CL, 6/30
World War Z - RR, R 7/04
20 Feet from Stardom - CL, F 7/05
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - CL, S 7/06
Jason & the Argonauts - C, F 7/12
Pacific Rim (3d) - VV, Su 7/14
Blancanieves - C, F 7/19
The American Astronaut - C, M 7/22
Red 2 - RR, R 7/25
The Wolverine - Urbana, S 7/27
Island of Lost Souls - C, F 8/02
Wages of Fear - C, F 8/02
Bonnie & Clyde - PSQ, S 8/03
The Last Waltz - CPT, T 8/06
Morrissey 25: Live - CL, R 8/29
Nashville - CPT, W 9/18
Barry Lyndon - CL, W 9/25
There's No Business Like Show Business - CPT, Su 9/29
Only God Forgives - C, F 10/11
Machete Kills - WL, Su 10/13
Gravity (3d) - CPT, F 11/01
Berberian Sound Studio - C, M 11/11
Cocksucker Blues - C, F 11/15
About Time - VV, F 11/22
Thor: The Dark World - RH, S 11/30
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - ATL Regal, R 12/12
Frozen - RR, S 12/28
Later on in the year, I noticed something somewhat odd. As I alluded to in my Oscars non-post, I was losing interest in new movies. As that year went on I still went to a large number of films, but more and more of them were classics revived. I've been considering this for the past few months, and I'm truly not sure if that's a reflection of how many great revivals have been showing in Cleveland recently, or if was a reflection of how relatively uninteresting I found even the new art house stuff that came out. However, I am starting to wonder if I've just seen so many films that it takes something truly interesting to move the dial. After all, part of the appeal of the art-house stuff is that you can see things that don't typically turn up in mainstream theaters, but it's not like all the art-house stuff is original; there are just as many copies, derivative works and movies there as in the cineplex; it's just harder to notice them.
I saw 65 movies in the theater in 2012, my highest total since 2007 when I hit 77. That's while only averaging three films a month in the third quarter, so you can tell I really scaled back at the end of the year. From this ridiculous long list, here are some movies that I feel are worth your time. I've bolded my personal favorites, but they are not otherwise listed in any particular order.
Classics
True Romance - summarized
Harvey - summarized
Lawrence of Arabia - This film is rightfully a legend, with some of the most beautiful cinematography you've yet seen. You really need to see it in a movie theater if at all possible.
The Thief of Bagdad - I saw this on TV when I was a kid, and was eager to see if it was as much fun as I recalled. I'm pleased to report that it's still good fun, with the height of 1924 special effects.
High and Low - Toshiro Mifune is in fine form in Kurosawa's film about an industrialist who has to decide if he is going to pay a bankruptcy inducing ransom when someone mistakenly kidnaps his chauffeur's son instead of his own.
A Night at the Opera - I love the Marx Brothers so much.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Marilyn Monroe ain't bad either. This is a solid movie musical raised to a higher level by the brilliance of Ms. Monroe. Remember, diamonds are a girl's best friend.
Doctor Zhivago - It's not as good as Lawrence of Arabia, but that's about the only knock anyone could have on this film. It's gorgeously shot and engrossing, even at nearly four hours. Plus, the theater had a champagne intermission!
Fargo - I don't know why it took me this long to see the only movie ever filmed near my parent's house in North Dakota, but I finally did and it is brilliant.
Wages of Fear - This is possibly the finest French film I have ever seen. This tale of four men delivering unstable explosives through the mountains is tense every inch of the way.
Bonnie & Clyde - I finally understand why people once thought Warren Beatty was a great actor. In this movie he convinces us that he doesn't want to have sex with Faye Dunaway!
Barry Lyndon - I would list this as my third favorite Kubrick film, after Dr. Strangelove and A Clockwork Orange, although I still need to see a few of the main works.
The Last Waltz - It's not as good as Stop Making Sense, but I couldn't name another concert film that is better.
Documentaries
The Gatekeepers - This documentary interviewed six of the former heads of Shin Bet (Israeli internal intel) on their roles in the Middle East. This is a bit of a Jewish obligation film, so if you aren't Jewish you may not care for it.
United in Anger: A History of Act Up - Rent has one line "Actual reality! Act Up! Fight A.I.D.S!". This documentary lays out Act Up's efforts in the very face of death.
Casting By - Ever wonder how casting directors do their job? This documentary lays out in an entertaining fashion.
New
Iron Man 3 - summarized.
Much Ado About Nothing - I adored this Shakespeare adaptation by Joss Whedon.
Before Midnight The entry in the "Before" trilogy is my favorite movie of 2013. It's the kind of movie that makes you wish that scriptwriters provided all of your dialogue, while still sounding like something people would actually say.
Pacific Rim - Google the trailer. Does the idea of robots fighting monsters appeal to you? Good, you'll like this movie.
Blancanieves - What if someone made a silent black & white film where Snow White was the daughter of an Andalusian bullfighter and ends up being rescued by rodeo clowns? They did, and it's a lot of fun.
Gravity - This movie needs to be seen in 3d on a big screen, so if an Oscar win puts it back there, go see it!
About Time - This romantic comedy is made by the same team that created Love Actually. Ignore the time travel rules set out at the beginning; they change as the needs of the story require. Instead, focus on the dialogue and the sweetness of the love story. Fair warning: I saw this movie with a girl I *really* liked in the heart of "New Relationship Energy", so my view is probably screwed up. Too bad she said was too busy... and if she was telling the truth, maybe she won't be too busy forever.
Frozen - I believe that this is the best Disney movie since The Lion King. It should win Best Animated Picture of 2013.
My Favorites
Harvey
Fargo
Barry Lyndon
Before Midnight
Pacific Rim
About Time
Now that you've had the capsules, here's the full list of 65. Enjoy.
Movies 2013 = 65 = 59 + 6
January - 7
February - 8
March - 4
April - 7 + 6
May - 3
June - 5
July - 9
August - 5
September - 3
October - 2
November - 5
December - 2
The Well-Digger's Daughter - C, Su 1/06
Lincoln - WL, T 1/08
8 1/2 - C, Su 1/13
True Romance - C, Su 1/20
Django - CP, T 1/22
Harvey - CP, Su 1/27
Only Yesterday - C, Su 1/27
The Mercenary - C, F 2/08
Lady in the Lake - C, S 2/09
Chicken with Plums - C, Su 2/10
Whisper of the Heart - C, Su 2/10
My Neighbors the Yamadas - C, Su 2/17
Silver Linings Playbook - CP, M 2/18
A Good Day to Die Hard - RR, S 2/23
The Cat Returns - C, S 2/23
Lawrence of Arabia - CPT, S 3/09
Zero Dark Thirty - CL, Su 3/17
The Thief of Bagdad - CPT, R 3/28
The Gatekeepers - CL, Su 3/31
37th Cleveland International Film Festival - Tower City Cinemas - 6 films
Musicwood - R 4/04
United in Anger: A History of Act Up - R 4/04
Caesar Must Die - S 4/06
The Last Ocean - S 4/06
Casting By - S 4/13
Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp - S 4/13
Samsara - C, F 4/05
High and Low - C, F 4/12
A Night at the Opera - CL, T 4/16
How to Marry a Millionaire - CPT, F 4/26
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - CPT, S 4/27
Doctor Zhivago - CPT, Su 4/28
Fargo - CL, T 4/30
Iron Man 3 (3d) - WL, F 5/03
The Great Gatsby - CPT, W 5/22
Star Trek Into Darkness - RR, M 5/27
M - CPT, Su 6/02
Renoir - CL, Su 6/09
Man of Steel - EGFK, S 6/22
Much Ado About Nothing (2013) - CL, 6/28
Before Midnight - CL, 6/30
World War Z - RR, R 7/04
20 Feet from Stardom - CL, F 7/05
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - CL, S 7/06
Jason & the Argonauts - C, F 7/12
Pacific Rim (3d) - VV, Su 7/14
Blancanieves - C, F 7/19
The American Astronaut - C, M 7/22
Red 2 - RR, R 7/25
The Wolverine - Urbana, S 7/27
Island of Lost Souls - C, F 8/02
Wages of Fear - C, F 8/02
Bonnie & Clyde - PSQ, S 8/03
The Last Waltz - CPT, T 8/06
Morrissey 25: Live - CL, R 8/29
Nashville - CPT, W 9/18
Barry Lyndon - CL, W 9/25
There's No Business Like Show Business - CPT, Su 9/29
Only God Forgives - C, F 10/11
Machete Kills - WL, Su 10/13
Gravity (3d) - CPT, F 11/01
Berberian Sound Studio - C, M 11/11
Cocksucker Blues - C, F 11/15
About Time - VV, F 11/22
Thor: The Dark World - RH, S 11/30
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - ATL Regal, R 12/12
Frozen - RR, S 12/28