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My reaction to hearing about Grown Ups 2 beating Pacific Rim.
​2013 in REVIEW
In many ways 2013 was a generous year for movies as well as a fairly standard one in terms of product (the business side proving a bit more stormy). As per usual we got a lot of good movies and a lot of bad ones but overall 2013 was a good if not particularly memorable year, despite the high pedigree of the movies placed on display.
From Hollywood we got interesting, relatively small blockbusters like Oblivion (a solid if derivative story intelligently told) at the beginning of the year and the endlessly innovative Gravity at the end. Sandwiched in between are the blockbusters and the locally produced movies that dare to go up against them. There are also the independently produced movies from the US and the European releases.
The trouble with 2013 is that, despite high quality block-busters like Pacific Rim, Iron Man 3, Ender's Game, Catching Fire and more uneven quality films like Man of Steel and 47 Ronin I'm afraid that it was not a good year for gambles. Most of the big winners were established brands like Marvel movies, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Monsters University, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, Despicable Me 2 and Catching Fire. Now You See Me did well as it had a relatively small budget but it did not reach the heights of the established brands. Even Pacific Rim, which has a lot of vocal fans, only barely broke even and was surpassed at the opening weekend by Grown Ups 2.
In some ways you could argue that artistically 2013 was not the best year for movies. For one thing Hollywood had to weather the onslaught from its greatest competitor, television. In the 1950s Hollywood's response to TV was basically beat them in spectacle. They could provide wide-screen vistas, Cinerama, 70mm, Technicolor, multi-track sound and sophistication while television could only give black and white, small screen movies (they also had duds like Smell-o-Vision).
But the average TV show has quality equal to most Hollywood thrillers. Shows like House of Cards, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, and made-for-television movies like Gray Gardens, Behind the Candelabra and the more uneven Phil Spector illustrate that television has reasonably matured from mere mindless entertainment into a viable medium. Phil Spector was directed by David Mamet, who wrote the ensemble classic Glengarry Glen Ross and directed the underrated The Spanish Prisoner. Behind the Candelabra was made by Stephen Soderbergh. While Mamet was not popular at the box-office Soderbergh went to television arguably at the top of his game. Television is attracting great artists simply because the opportunities are better.
That said, the US came back strong with Gravity, The Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years a Slave and Blue Jasmine, but Oscar season tends to create these types of movies.
2013 was an interesting year for South African productions as well. The year started with Verraaiers, which is a good contender for the best Afrikaans film of the year. It also had, thanks to crime author Deon Meyer, two attempts to experiment with genre-filmmaking, name Die Laaste Tango and Ballade, though sometimes with mixed results. We also had the obligatory Leon Schuster movie and the usual slew of comedies and juke-box musicals that I admit I did not really pay much attention to but will probably have to. It also looks like the most expensive South African movie ever made, Ananth Singh's Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, will be an economic success though it has not gone on general release yet around the world.
So what does 2014 hold? For South African and European productions things are looking better. But for the US film products? Too early to say but my views on 2015 and 2016 are not very bright. Whether we like it or not our cinematic entertainment world is dominated by Hollywood and the failures of new potential franchises like Ender's Game, City of Bones and the luke-warm response to others may only inspire more remakes, more spin-offs and more re-hashes.
Overall I had a fun time at the movies in 2013. With a lot of the movies I thought they hit the mark to be entertaining and have substance at the same time. Something I felt got lost the last couple of years. You either had a choice between brain dead blockbusters that were all about the visuals, where the film makers treated us like children and expected to grab our attention with bright colours and shallow and recycled stories, much like the strategy behind a Teletubbies episode. Or on the other hand you get art movies that are so much art, that it belongs in a modern arts museum rather than on the big screen, completely disregarding the basics of narrative.
But since the beginning of the year, when most of the Oscar contenders of 2013 were released, I felt that the balance in the force was starting to restore itself. Yes, we still got the complete stinkers, the unnecessary remakes, reboots, sequels, Adam Sandler, (see Johnnie's respond above) and just plain crap, but most of the time I exited the cinema satisfied, entertained and had my thoughts stimulated by the films.
Without going in to too much detail, I am just going to point out some highlights, lowlights and shed some light on films you might have missed in 2013, and also give a quick glance at what I loved and hated in TV land.
My biggest highlight and best time I had at the movies in the past year, maybe even decade, was by far Gravity. Incredible visuals, plain but powerful narrative, Sandra Bullock, best use of 3D in ages and a hauntingly beautiful score makes Gravity one of my all time favourite movies. I know a lot of people found it boring... and that makes me sad... This is what going to the movies is all about for me. When filmmaking and story telling blend together to produce an unforgettable experience that leaves you in marvel at how they did it, and leaves you with a message that you can apply to your life.
Other movie that I loved for the story, visuals and entertainment level (in no particular order):
Iron Man 3 - So much fun and Ben Kingsley was awesome! Loved the twists.
The Heat - Hardest I laughed since The Other Guys. Overall, I think comedies are terrible these days.
Rush - Great story with stunning visuals
Prisoners - Visually beautiful, heart wrenching story, and brilliant acting
Hunger Games: Catching Fire - A film that takes its time to develop the character and it pays off
Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - There's not a lot of love for the new Hobbit movies, but I think Peter Jackson did a fantastic job to adapt the Hobbit into the world he so epically created with Lord of the Rings. Is it as good as the LOTR films? No. But it's still awesome to return to Middle Earth.
The Great Gatsby - Another film that most people hated, and one that I thought was a great to see through the eyes of visually driven artist Baz Luhrman. And it introduced me to the works of F.Scott Fitzgerald.
Oblivion - Another love it or hate it entry. And say what you want about Tom Cruise, he makes damn entertaining movies.
Star Trek: Into Darkness - Love the new Star Trek films. I was never a fan, but thanks to one of my current heroes, JJ Abrams, I was converted. And anything with Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain has to be seen.
World War Z - I'm on a Zombie high, and I thought this slightly different spin on the genre made for a great night at the movies
The Wold's End - The end of the Cornetto trilogy (Shuan of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), and also the most emotional one of the three. Once more a spot on homage to the genre they explore, and these 3 movies are some of the cleverest comedies out there.
Captain Phillips - Had me on the edge of my seat. And I will watch anything with Tom Hanks in it.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - See our review for all my love for this film.
Gems that few saw, but all should give a try:
About Time - Highly recommended. Clever humour, great performances, beautiful story
The Way Way Back - Same reasons as About Time
The Spectacular Now - Mainly for the performances. Effortless and real acting by two up and coming young starts.
The Place Beyond the Pines - Not for all and might be too boring and long for most, but I loved the narrative and the story structure.
Mud - Matthew McConaughey is having a great year, and this was the first display of the change in his acting career.
Disconnect - A study of characters living in the "disconnected" and dangerous world we live in because of the internet. Should be viewed in schools in my opinion.
Disappointments, furious outbursts and time wasters:
Oz the great and powerful - Stupid... It did not work at all for me to bring the land of Oz back to life.
Spring Breakers - I was so mad I wasted 2 hours of my life on this @#$@$.
After Earth - Someone suggested I should give the film another try, so I will somewhere in the future. But I will just make sure I've got enough espresso by my side to keep me awake till the end.
Man of Steel - Would have been awesome if not for all the plot holes making it a mess. But at least it looked good.
The Lone Ranger - Started out good but entered Will E. Coyote territory and then it was all down hill.
Kick-Ass 2 - Seriously? After Kick-Ass 1 this was what they managed to do for a sequel? Waste.
R.I.P.D - Rather watch MIB. Don't be fooled by the inclusion of Jeff Bridges as I was.
Thor: The Dark World - Not bad, just disappointed... Story felt rushed (felt the same way about the first one). But it still has one of the coolest villains in Loki, and Natalie Portman, so at least it made for an entertaining movie.
Best TV - Drama:
Breaking Bad
The Walking Dead
Broadchurch
Downton Abbey
The Black List
Orphan Black
Sherlock
Homeland
Best TV - Comedy:
New Girl
Parks and Rec
Cougar Town (I just discovered this series and I love it)
Community
The Office (Even thought it has reached it end, it will always be included in this list)
Bad TV
Hostages
Under the Dome
Dexter final season
Agents of SHIELD
A lot I haven't seen yet, and I'm sure there are a couple of movies and shows I forgot to mention. If you feel I disgraced myself by omitting, or mentioning, a movie/show you loved or hated, please let us know in the comments section below.