9. Her – Spike Jonze’s love story Her might be the only Oscar nominee this year that I did not enjoy in some way. While well-intentioned, Her feels like a first draft. Joaquin Phoenix is drab and dull, with Scarlett Johansson ironically providing the voice of the only “alive” character in the film. In what’s supposed to be a “feel good” movie, Her ends up feeling too bizarre and takes an odd experimental approach. Despite the film’s beautiful cinematography, Her winds up being a mess of good ideas.
8. 12 Years a Slave – That’s right. The current front runner ends up at the back of the pack. Steve McQueen’s gripping slave drama is a beautiful portrait of a dark time in our nation’s history. While Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender both pack a punch, the rest of the cast feels less involved. While 12 Years a Slave might be a great period piece, it is extremely emotionally distant. While McQueen wants you to feel something when you watch this film, he isn’t quite sure what that is, and the result is a mixed bag of emotions that never really takes off.
7. Captain Phillips – Tom Hanks is a powerhouse in the real life tale of the ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates. The biggest Oscar snub this year comes from Hanks, who commands the film with the urgency it requires. A 2 hour suspense trip, Captain Phillips is great filmmaking. Barkhad Abdi also is chilling as the pirate leader. Greengrass nails the film intense action and great cinematography. Everyone talks about the last 15 minutes of the film as some of Hanks’s best work, but the entire film represents Hanks at his best.
6. Dallas Buyers Club – Dallas Buyers Club did not interest me at all at first. Matthew McConaughey has not picked the best roles in the past, but I could not have been more wrong. McConaughey now enters the league of distinguished actors with Buyers Club. The AIDS drama manages to be both educational and entertaining. With other great performances form Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner (surprisingly snubbed), Dallas Buyers Club deserves to be seen.
5. The Wolf of Wall Street – Martin Scorsese’s 3-hour party will leave you exhausted – in a good way of course. The true life tale of Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street is one of the wildest films you’ll see all year. It’s hilarious, grotesque, and entertaining. Headed by the brilliant Leonardo DiCaprio and a great supporting cast, The Wolf of Wall Street is definitely not for everyone, but for everyone else it’s a wild ride that is worth the admission.
4. Philomena – The film I was holding out ended up being one of my favorites of 2013. Stephen Frears’s Philomena expertly blends bits of humor with a dark and emotional journey. What I love about Philomena is that it isn’t afraid of an unhappy ending. As Philomena and journalist Martin Sixsmith interact on this journey to find her long lost son, you’ll see one of the most interesting relationships unravel on screen. A beautiful score and an array of twists keep Philomena from being the snooze-fest it could have been, as it is well worth seeing.
3. American Hustle – David O. Russell’s ode to cinema has received much flack for lacking substance, but American Hustle is anything but. A cast that I’m still speechless by, a well-crafted story with plenty of twists and turns, and a brilliant sense of style help catapult Hustle to the front of the race. Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence are flawless in the film, that will be remembered for taking risks that ultimately pay off. Hustle is of the most entertaining movies I’ve ever seen, one that is only possible through the medium of film.
2. Nebraska – Alexander Payne is one of my favorite directors, and while Nebraska might not be his flashiest film, it’s still an incredible film worth seeing. Bruce Dern and Will Forte have a brilliant dynamic as father and son, as son David goes with his father Woody to collect a winning prize that he believes he has won. The film is also bitingly funny, in a dark sort of way. June Squibb steals the show as the crass mother Kate, and as you meet the host of wild family members, you begin to feel a little better about your own.
1. Gravity – I still believe Gravity will be remembered for changing cinema, and for that reason it deserves Best Picture. Technological achievements aside, Gravity tells an emotional tale that will tear your heart apart and keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s one of the best sci-fi films I’ve ever seen, and one of the best dramas told on screen. Sandra Bullock holds her own as astronaut Ryan Stone, who is lost in space after a tragic accident. George Clooney also stops by, but Bullock commands the film. Her best performance to date, Gravity has been criticized for being too simplistic for its own good. I’m not exactly sure what those critics were expecting, but I’m glad that Gravity doesn’t feel the need to be overcomplicated or overlong, like other sci-fi movies of late. Clocking in at 90 minutes, it’s a perfect running time for the perfect film, one that will change cinema forever.
Re:Spawn 