My Top 25 of 2013
by DunnDeeDaGreat | created - 22 Dec 2013 | updated - 31 Dec 2013 | PublicThese are the best 25 movies that I saw in the theater in 2013. While I didn't get a chance to see everything in the theater that I wanted to before 31 Dec (Saving Mr. Banks, Walter Mitty, Nebraska and Her), I did see around 99 other movies. Some movies on my list are Oscar Worthy some either had an impact on my life and finally some were just plain fun.
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1. The Best Man Holiday (2013)
R | 123 min | Comedy, Drama
When college friends reunite after 15 years over the Christmas holidays, they discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries and romances to be reignited.
Director: Malcolm D. Lee | Stars: Monica Calhoun, Morris Chestnut, Melissa De Sousa, Taye Diggs
Votes: 16,858 | Gross: $70.53M
Watching this sequel to the 99 classic, I was truly touched on all human issues the film deals with that I have experienced in the last fourteen years. This film won't win any Oscars but then it wasn't made to.
2. Fruitvale Station (2013)
R | 85 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.
Director: Ryan Coogler | Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand
Votes: 85,900 | Gross: $16.10M
Michael B Jordan gives easily one of the top three performances of the year with his portyal of Oscar Grant. While he may not win the Oscar, his performance will make him a star.
3. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
R | 134 min | Biography, Drama, History
In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.
Director: Steve McQueen | Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt
Votes: 741,410 | Gross: $56.67M
One of the most important films of the last ten years.
4. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
R | 180 min | Biography, Comedy, Crime
Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey
Votes: 1,583,735 | Gross: $116.90M
Leo gives the performance of his carrer with this one. He's easily the best actor of his generation.
5. Gravity (2013)
PG-13 | 91 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Dr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first time on a space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking.
Director: Alfonso Cuarón | Stars: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Orto Ignatiussen
Votes: 863,325 | Gross: $274.09M
The most visually stunning movie of the year and the best use of IMAX since Avatar. I do feel that anyone could have pulled of Bullock's role, it's the directon by Cuaron and visual effects that earned this one a spot on the list.
6. Lone Survivor (2013)
R | 121 min | Action, Biography, Drama
Marcus Luttrell and his team set out on a mission to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shah, in late June 2005. Marcus and his team are left to fight for their lives in one of the most valiant efforts of modern warfare.
Director: Peter Berg | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster
Votes: 306,750 | Gross: $125.10M
As a vet this one really hit for me. The best war themed movie since Black Hawk Down.
7. Furious 6 (2013)
PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
Hobbs has Dominic and Brian reassemble their crew to take down a team of mercenaries: Dominic unexpectedly gets sidetracked with facing his presumed deceased girlfriend, Letty.
Director: Justin Lin | Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez
Votes: 416,963 | Gross: $238.68M
Six movies in and tweleve years into the trilogy these movies just keeping better.
8. The Butler (I) (2013)
PG-13 | 132 min | Biography, Drama
As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.
Director: Lee Daniels | Stars: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda
Votes: 119,747 | Gross: $116.63M
A proper return to form in acting Oprah and another great performance by Forrest.
9. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
PG-13 | 141 min | Biography, Drama, History
A chronicle of Nelson Mandela's life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
Director: Justin Chadwick | Stars: Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Terry Pheto, Robert Hobbs
Votes: 29,199 | Gross: $8.32M
Mandela was an iconic figure and while a mini series may have been a better way to tell this man's storty, this was still an amazing performance from Idris Elba.
10. Prisoners (2013)
R | 153 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts.
Director: Denis Villeneuve | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo
Votes: 809,779 | Gross: $61.00M
A thought provking film about just how far parents will go to protect their kids.
11. 42 (2013)
PG-13 | 128 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
In 1947, Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era when he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and faces considerable racism in the process.
Director: Brian Helgeland | Stars: Chadwick Boseman, T.R. Knight, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie
Votes: 102,743 | Gross: $95.00M
Long over due biopic of Amercia's past time greatest legends.
12. Frozen (I) (2013)
PG | 102 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Fearless optimist Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.
Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee | Stars: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad
Votes: 663,910 | Gross: $400.74M
Who knew Disney could get back to the magic of their classic?
13. American Hustle (2013)
R | 138 min | Crime, Drama
A con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild F.B.I. Agent, Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and the Mafia.
Director: David O. Russell | Stars: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence
Votes: 500,378 | Gross: $150.12M
Not Russell's best, but feature some of the best acting from an ensemble all year.
14. Captain Phillips (2013)
PG-13 | 134 min | Action, Biography, Crime
The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.
Director: Paul Greengrass | Stars: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Catherine Keener
Votes: 492,753 | Gross: $107.10M
Tom Hanks could do this role in his sleep, but it's the performance of the pirates and the direction by Paul Greengrass that make it work.
15. World War Z (2013)
PG-13 | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Horror
Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself.
Director: Marc Forster | Stars: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale
Votes: 719,593 | Gross: $202.36M
Not big on Zombies, but this was a very smart well made zombie flick
16. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
PG-13 | 161 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott
Votes: 705,399 | Gross: $258.37M
Wasn't too big on the first one, but with a good story and one of the best action sequecnes of this year, this was a lot of fun.
17. Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.
Director: J.J. Abrams | Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch
Votes: 497,113 | Gross: $228.78M
Tons of fun and one of the best sequels of the summer
18. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
PG-13 | 146 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.
Director: Francis Lawrence | Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Votes: 721,408 | Gross: $424.67M
Didn't read the books but I'm looking very forward to the sequel.
19. Man of Steel (2013)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane
Votes: 811,981 | Gross: $291.05M
Coming from a non Superman fan, this was nowhere near as bad as the critics made it out to be. Michael Shannon was a great villian!
20. This Is the End (2013)
R | 107 min | Comedy, Fantasy
Six Los Angeles celebrities are stuck in James Franco's house after a series of devastating events just destroyed the city. Inside, the group not only have to face the apocalypse, but themselves.
Directors: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen | Stars: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel
Votes: 435,000 | Gross: $101.47M
Funniest movie I saw this year
21. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013)
R | 108 min | Drama
A coming-of-age story about two inner city boys who are left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities.
Director: George Tillman Jr. | Stars: Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jordin Sparks, Jeffrey Wright
Votes: 5,734 | Gross: $0.49M
An amazing film wth a star making performance by Skylan Brooks., that sadly didn't find an auidence.
22. The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
R | 140 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Two men and their sons must deal with the unforeseen consequences of their actions.
Director: Derek Cianfrance | Stars: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Craig Van Hook
Votes: 290,426 | Gross: $21.38M
Gosling and Cooper's Performance made this a winner. While I understand the need for the fate of Gosling's character, had he been more in the film and not adversited as a lead then maybe it would be higher on the list.
23. Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
R | 119 min | Action, Thriller
Secret Service agent Mike Banning finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack and works with national security to rescue the President from his kidnappers.
Director: Antoine Fuqua | Stars: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett
Votes: 292,412 | Gross: $98.93M
Ass kicking action action at it's best. The film was meant to entertain and it did just that.
24. Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain (2013)
R | 75 min | Documentary, Comedy
Filmed at a sold-out performance at Madison Square Garden, comedian Kevin Hart delivers material from his 2012 "Let Me Explain" concert tour.
Directors: Leslie Small, Tim Story | Stars: Kevin Hart, Harry Ratchford, Will 'Spank' Horton, Joey Wells
Votes: 9,377 | Gross: $32.24M
My favorite comics star continues to rise
25. The Conjuring (2013)
R | 112 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.
Director: James Wan | Stars: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor
Votes: 554,978 | Gross: $137.40M
A well made horror flim, that was also smart.
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