2013 Movie Reviews

All films have a U.S. release date of 2013 and are listed alphabetically with a 1-10 rating. Numbers to star equivalents are listed at the bottom.


2 Guns: 6/10 - The writing is fairly disappointing the whole way through, but Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg are both wonderful, putting the whole mess on their backs and carrying the viewer through for a pretty fun ride.

12 Years a Slave: 6/10 - I was a great fan of director Steve McQueen's "Shame" (2011) and it was clear early on in this film that his definitive style would carryover; however, it was also clear early on that his style would not gel with John Ridley's screenplay. The result was a serious, introspective film about two-dimensional stereotypes portrayed by cameo after cameo of high profile actors. I commend Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o for their powerful performances, but the film never quite captures the emotional climax that it aspires to reach.

The Act of Killing: 6/10 - It's often required to separate a film's technical shortcomings to fully appreciate the grandeur of a message that a director is able to deliver. Filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer captures some absolutely mind-blowing footage as he explores the depths of ignorance and humanity's erratic moral compass.

Adore: 6/10 - If a viewer is able to look past the surface, they'll soon find that they're seeing something far deeper and more complex than they may have expected. It's a powerful, thematic journey of true love between two childhood friends that is explored in a manner that may make one think they've stumbled onto an especially unrealistic soap opera.

All is Lost: 5/10 - I wanted to like this film more than I did. Robert Redford delivers a strong performance and the film is gripping despite virtually no spoken words; however, there's never a call to actually care about Redford's character. He's a man of little emotion going through calculated actions to survive. Without an emotional attachment, the film simply comes and goes...and then it's gone.

American Hustle: 7/10 - David O. Russell rarely impresses me as a filmmaker, but what he trades in technical ability, he often makes up for in style. Even more noteworthy, he has an incredible ability to pull transformative acting performances from his stars, highlighted in "American Hustle" by Amy Adams and Christian Bale.

August: Osage County: 9/10 - This is a deep and complex film that digs into a very flawed family's innermost secrets. John Wells' patient direction and the biting dialogue keep the story flowing. The acting is powerful across the board, highlighted by the effortless Meryl Streep who delivers yet another astounding performance.

Before Midnight: 10/10 - While it's difficult to contrast this trilogy with epics like The Godfather and the original Star Wars, I'm comfortable labeling it the greatest series of all-time. It represents a pinnacle in the romance genre, one that will stand the test of time, expressing how powerful the film medium can be. Director Richard Linklater and actors Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy have contributed to a masterful expression of life and love with this latest installment and it should not disappoint fans of the previous films -- I'm hopeful that this isn't the last we see of Jesse and Celine.

Blackfish: 4/10 - The low rating is not reflective of a positive view on the captivity of orcas, but on Gabriela Cowperthwaite filmmaking. The seemingly random narrative structure, overly bias agenda, and excessive and repetitive interview footage derail the film.

Blue Jasmine: 6/10 - Like most Woody Allen films, there are moments of mastery in "Blue Jasmine," but they're counter-balanced by some stilted dialogue and scenes that just don't strike the right note. Cate Blanchett is marvelous in her role though and absolutely deserving of the many accolades she's been receiving.

Captain Phillips: 7/10 - Once the cringe-inducing and bizarre opening sequence concludes, director Paul Greengrass ("The Bourne Supremacy," 2004; "The Bourne Ultimatum," 2007) settles in to craft a well developed and intense thriller. Tom Hanks suits the lead role well and provides some gripping, emotional moments as the film works toward its pre-determined conclusion.

Dallas Buyers Club: 5/10 - When you populate a film with characters dying from AIDS, it takes a monumental lapse in competency to craft a film as sterile and emotionally devoid as this one. Director Jean-Marc Vallee squanders some very strong performances, highlighted by Matthew McConaughey's visceral portrayal of a very flawed man.

Don Jon: 7/10 - While entirely contrived, it's honest and humorous enough to be considered a success for first time director Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Scarlett Johansson turns in another strong performance in what is certainly her best year as an actress.

Elysium: 4/10 - I was not a fan of Neill Bloomkamp's last endeavor, "District 9" (2009), because it treated its audience like idiots, so I am not surprised to walk away from "Elysium" feeling similar. Even worse perhaps was Bloomkamp's heavy-handed and constant parallel's to modern day America immigration issues.

Enough Said: 7/10 - James Gandolfini delivers a poignant, heartwarming performance in his farewell to cinema. The film explores the complexity of post-marriage relationships, and the difficulty in allowing oneself to be vulnerable again, in a unique and thoughtful way.

Escape Plan: 3/10 - It's unspeakably bad. In fact, I think it would be fair to say that the film contains a collection of the worst developed characters I've seen all year. It's sad to see a Stallone-Schwarzenegger collaborative be so poorly conceived.

Frozen: 1/10 - I can't recall a Disney animated film that I was so disappointed and uninterested in that I was unable to finish watching it. The film is devoid of the humor and light-heartedness that is a staple of Disney classics.

Fruitvale Station: 3/10 - As a documentary, I imagine this could have been very engaging, but as a fluffed-up, first-person narrative it's as flat as can be.

Gangster Squad: 4/10 - "Gangster Squad" will be added to the long list of failed A-lister films throughout history -- great actors showing up to recite poorly written dialogue and follow the lifeless direction of a filmmaker who received an opportunity that he didn't deserve.

A Good Day to Die Hard: 3/10 - A sad day for longtime fans of the beloved John McClane as this is one of the more pathetic films I've seen in awhile.

Gravity: 4/10 - It's an implausible adrenaline rush that races to meet the next plot point and 3D gimmick with no regard for its audience or poorly developed characters. After watching the first ten minutes, I half expected the theater doors to open so that we could all proceed into the next room to ride the film's accompanying roller coaster.

The Great Gatsby: 3/10 - When you take a revered, classic novel and film it as though it's a revered, classic novel, an unavoidable and soul destroying self-importance washes over the film, working to destroy the very heart of what made the original work so powerful. The film is a flop from top-to-bottom, and while I never have high hopes for any Baz Luhrmann film, Leonardo DiCaprio's terribly weak performance made a bad film even more disappointing.

Her: 7/10 - Beautifully directed by Spike Jonze and brilliantly acted by Joaquin Phoenix, the film takes us on a journey of futuristic romance, blurring the lines of human relationships and interaction. At times the story feels like it's taking place in another realm of existence though, and I can't help but wonder what some additional refinement of the script may have yielded.

The Hunt: 7/10 - An objective, heartfelt film that dissects human nature and one of the darkest parts of society. Mads Mikkelsen delivers an award worthy performance.

The Iceman: 6/10 - Michael Shannon is brilliant in a film with a great first act that loses steam fast. Director Ariel Vromen clearly never has a firm grasp on the narrative, which is scattered and unfocused for more than an hour to close out the movie.

Identity Thief: 5/10 - A ridiculous plot and plenty of failed comedic moments (I find myself saying that all too often with modern day comedies...), but the film is salvaged by another pitch-perfect performance from Jason Bateman.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone: 6/10 - It's harmless nonsense with a splattering of enough laugh-out-loud scenes to justify its existence.

The Internship: 4/10 - While harmless enough, the bloated run time and uninspired comedic payoffs really leave something to be desired when it's all over.

Iron Man 3: 4/10 - I haven't been a fan of the entire Iron Man series, so my displeasure with this installment isn't surprising. I was offended by the gross misuse of Sir Ben Kingsley -- what a wasted opportunity for an all-time great villain performance.

Killing Season: 5/10 - Robert DeNiro and John Travolta alternate torturing one another in one of the more ridiculous films I've seen all year. Still, I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

The Last Stand: 5/10 - A valiant effort from director Kim Jee-Woon is enough to save the film from its acting and writing pitfalls. It's also a pleasure to see Arnold back and kicking ass again.

Lovelace: 4/10 - A brave performance from Amanda Seyfried and strong support from an all-star cast don't save the muddled filmmaking.

Man of Steel: 7/10 - The film suffers from a surreal, cold quality that keeps the viewer at a distance and the fact that its plot structure almost perfectly mirrors the recent "Thor" (2011); still though, there are moments throughout this film that are cinematically brilliant. Zack Snyder infuses his style into the film's heart and for the most part, it works.

Monsters University: 8/10 - While the film becomes formulaic in the latter half, it remains funny and entertaining. After Pixar's disastrously bad last two films -- "Cars 2" (2011) and "Brave" (2012) -- Monsters University is a breath of fresh air and goes a long way in restoring my confidence in the fading giant.

Mud: 4/10 - Filmmaker Jeff Nichols follows up the brilliant "Take Shelter" (2011) with a film that has a plot far too flimsy to justify its existence. All of the characters feel fictitious in their actions, thus each scene builds upon accumulating contrivances that carry through to the credits.

Now You See Me: 3/10 - Absurd by design, the film plays out with the sole purposes of manipulating its viewer, changing all the rules of logic and reason as it goes.

Oblivion: 6/10 - A strong script that suffers from very uninspired direction by Joseph Kosinski. Tom Cruise is entertaining as always in a film that has a lot more depth than one may glean from the surface.

Olympus Has Fallen: 4/10 - What could have been a fun, exhilarating action film was weighed down by director Antoine Faqua's heavy-handed insertion of over-the-top patriotism at every turn.

Only God Forgives: 4/10 - In 2007, Quentin Tarantino took a try at grindhouse cinema with incredible success; with "Only God Forgives," it felt as though Andrei Tarkovsky was trying to do the same. While the result should have been incredible, Nicholas Winding Refn's take unfortunately felt incredibly stale and powerless.

Out of the Furnace: 5/10 - An electric performance from Woody Harrelson keeps the film engaging, but the characters that fill the screen are never more than two-dimensional clichés. The story plods along to a conclusion without ever making a lasting impact on the viewer.

Pain & Gain: 5/10 - Director Michael Bay stumbles his way through the film with seemingly no vision or plan. The writing is often misguided and the editing is sloppy. That said, the cast, highlighted by Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson, make the characters their own and clearly have some fun with the project.

Phantom: 3/10 - One of my biggest pet peeves is when a director tasks actors who speak one language to portray characters meant to speak a different language--I find it impossible to suspend my disbelief and be absorbed in a story so far removed from its own reality. Regardless, this is a really terrible film.

Philomena: 8/10 - Director Stephen Frears has crafted a raw, heartbreaking film about a woman torn apart from a life of incredible loss and catholic guilt. The script, written by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, has its bumps along the way, but everything is held together by a poignant and powerful performance from Judi Dench.

The Place Beyond the Pines: 6/10 - The film plays like a mythological parable reimagined with director  Derek Cianfrance ("Blue Valentine," 2010) watching over his creation with a heavy hand. As a result of Cianfrance striving for a good concept rather than a good movie, he's overzealous, allowing the overlong second act to strip away the great momentum created by Ryan Gosling's poised performance at the film's start and leaving the film's resolution muddled and less powerful.

Prisoners: 7/10 - Director Dennis Villeneuve has crafted a tense thriller, anchored by a strong performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. At two-and-a-half hours, the film flies by with never a dull moment.

Redemption: 3/10 - Jason Statham, while always entertaining, finds himself drifting through a movie that is as implausible as it is boring.

Saving Mr. Banks: 7/10 - The film struggles with pacing and editing as the flashback sequences often interrupt the movie's flow, however it is all but entirely saved by wonderful, endearing performances from the entire cast, highlighted by Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks.

The Spectacular Now: 4/10 - A film with good intentions that rests itself on the shoulders of an incredibly unlikable and obnoxious teenage boy--a slight on the character, not the performance by Miles Teller. I understand that the film's purpose is to examine the life of a boy with father issues and the affects those issues may have on his life, I just don't understand why I'm meant to care.

Spring Breakers: 1/10 - I suspect filmmaker Harmony Korine was attempting to provide a moment of introspective reflection for the current teenage generation with the creation of a film as pointless and vapid as them. Mission accomplished.

Stand Up Guys: 3/10 - "They say we die twice: once when the breath leaves our body and once when the last person we know says our name" -- a gem in the rough of 2013's worst script. Though, as I watched Al Pacino deliver that line to Christopher Walken, I couldn't help but think of the two great actors mortality. It's sad to know how far behind them their glory days are if they're reduced to accepting payment for such awful films.

Star Trek Into Darkness: 6/10 - While "Star Trek" (2009) was not a strong film, it did a wonderful job at casting, setting up the potential for strong sequels. 'Into Darkness' doesn't really move the needle as far as I would have hoped, but it is an enjoyable summer blockbuster to consume.

This is the End: 3/10 - Seth Rogen called on all of his friends to create a pile of garbage. I understand the intent of the film, but it's poorly made, terribly acted and rarely funny.

Thor: The Dark World: 4/10 - There are two incredibly important factors to consider when forging a superhero film: the villain and the tone. The Thor sequel suffers badly in both categories by highlighting a miserably boring villain and hamming up every scene with campy, over-the-top one-liners and action sequences.

The Way Way Back: 4/10 - Harmless enough, but it lacks the emotional punch of some other recent coming of age stories, such as "Adventureland" (2009).

We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks: 7/10 - A vital, level-headed documentary on the most unorthodox and absurd espionage story of our time. While the film certainly could have had a tighter runtime, I feel it was more important to be a little bit too long rather than too short.

White House Down: 2/10 - The most absurd film I've ever seen. All things considered -- acting, direction, writing, budget -- I'm comfortable labeling this the worst movie to ever come out of Hollywood.

The Wolf of Wall Street: 8/10 - Three hours of non-stop sex and drugs crafted together with just the right tone -- Martin Scorsese just makes everything look so easy. Leonardo DiCaprio is also in top form, delivering one of his career-best performances. I would also venture to say that this is the funniest movie either star has been involved with.

World War Z: 7/10 - While I'm not a fan of the zombie genre, director Marc Forster finds a great balance in this film, taking the audience from set piece to set piece, with each one seemingly shrinking the film's scope a little smaller to focus on the protagonist Gerry Lane. Brad Pitt carries viewers along, allowing us to witness the zombie apocalypse through his mournful eyes.

Rating Breakdown:
10 = 4 Stars (Masterpiece)
9 = 4 stars
8 = 3 1/2 stars
7 = 3 stars
6 = 2 1/2 stars
5 = 2 stars
4 = 1 1/2 stars
3 = 1 star
2 = 1/2 star
1 = No stars (I was likely unable to finish viewing it)