WORST FILM OF THE YEAR
(SO FAR):
A
GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD
Wow, this was a straight-up insult to a once great
franchise and it’s very sad that a generic action film has to be a part of the
Die Hard franchise. None of the things that made this series great are present
in this film; the villains are horrible, John McClane is no longer the
‘everyman’ that he was in the past, and worst of all there’s absolutely no
tension. John and his son Jack (no chemistry between them, by the way) are
pretty much superheroes that go through so much and yet come out with barely
any scratches. Actually, ‘A Good Day to Die Hard’ does have two of the biggest
villains in franchise history; director John Moore and writer Skip Woods, who
are responsible for this piece of s***. There are plans for a sixth Die Hard
film, but if you ask me, they should just end the series now; just to prevent
any further embarrassments.
SOME OTHER FORGETTABLE
FILMS:
I’m not saying these films are the worst of the
year, but they’re not films I’ve remembered fondly of since seeing them.
G.I.
JOE RETALIATION
My opinion of this film has changed quite a bit
since I saw it and since I posted my review of it. I’ll admit I don’t think I
was able to give my full thoughts on the film at the time because this was one
of the worst theater experiences I ever had (there were people behind me who
did not shut up throughout the entire film. Heck, I can do a whole post on how
annoying things like that have been over the last few months). Still, looking
back, this is a film I won’t be remembering down the road. Sure, in a way,
‘Retaliation’ is a better-made film compared to its predecessor but I actually
have to admit that, recently, I’ve come to like ‘Rise of Cobra’. It’s a fun
little popcorn flick that is entertaining when not taken seriously. As for
‘Retaliation’, I’m not as big on it. It’s not as ridiculously over-the-top but
that does not excuse some weak writing and character development. Also, this
film has some of the B.S. marketing in recent years due to the whole
controversy surrounding supposed reshoots to give more screen time to Channing
Tatum. Guess what? They didn’t change a damn thing.
GANGSTER
SQUAD
‘Gangster
Squad’ was the first film I saw this year; a film that was pushed back from a
2012 release because the filmmakers had to do reshoots because of a scene where
gangsters shoot up a movie theater in the wake of the Aurora shootings. As for
the film itself, it’s okay. It’s a fun little gangster popcorn flick but the
major thing that holds this film back from being good is the writing (and I
also like to point this out… the writer of this film was hired to pen ‘Justice
League’). Character development is there, but only for the two main characters
in the film (played by Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling). As for the rest of the
cast, including Anthony Mackie, Emma Stone, and Robert Patrick, they’re really not
given anything to do. I don’t really want to say anything more about ‘Justice
League’ but unless they decide to go for a different writer, I’d be a little
worried if I were you, DC fans.
PAIN AND GAIN
Okay, I’m rather surprised that this film ended up
in this category because it’s a Michael Bay film and until now, all of his
films (good and bad) are always memorable. For the record, like with every Bay
film, this film is entertaining but as a film that’s based off of a true,
ridiculous, and rather horrific story, the route that Bay takes with this film
is an odd one. This is intended to be a comedy and for the first half of the
film, which revolves around the main characters kidnapping a rich/spoiled
businessman, the film does succeed at doing that. But then the second half of
the film starts to change things up, where the ‘protagonists’ (and I use that
term loosely because these are murderers we’re talking about here) end up
killing two people. This scenario is just too dark for a ‘comedy’, so as a
whole, the film is quite uneven. The cast is pretty good (the standout being
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) but if you haven’t seen the film yet, I warn you…
this film may not be for everyone.
NOTABLE RECOMMENDATIONS:
Here are a few films that I do recommend…
42
The true-life story of Jackie Robinson, the first
African-American baseball player to break the color barrier, is represented
pretty well in this film, which can serve as a great introduction to Robinson’s
accomplishments. Admittedly though, the film is kind of romanticized. The film
is a bit too clean and the struggles that Robinson went through in his first
year with the Brooklyn Dodgers weren’t really fully looked into, like the death
threats that he received (that’s just mentioned once). But that does not mean
that this is a bad film. The acting is solid, especially from newcomer Chadwick
Boseman as Robinson, and it’s an entertaining and well-made film even though it
could have been a bit more edgy.
WARM
BODIES
At first, I wasn’t really that interested in this
film because it looked like a zombie version of ‘Twilight’. But once the film
started getting good reviews, I decided to give it a chance and thankfully, the
movie actually was good because while the story does look like the zombie
‘Twilight’, this is far better written than ‘Twilight’ with much more likable
leads. I also have to give kudos to Nicholas Hoult, who does a fantastic job as
the male lead ‘R’, who is both charming and likable. Hoult is quickly becoming
one of my favorite actors thanks to not just this movie, but another film as
well that also came out this year. That other film…
JACK
THE GIANT SLAYER
While the box office may say otherwise, I’d say
Nicholas Hoult is having quite a year so far. The reason I mention the box
office is because right now ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ has been the ‘John Carter’
of the year, having performed poorly at the box office against a rather huge
budget. It’s unfortunate because the movie is a fun adventure flick even with a
fairly formulaic story. Hoult once again is fantastic in the lead role of Jack,
displaying the same charming and likable personality we saw in ‘Warm Bodies’. A
solid supporting cast, including Ewan McGregor and Stanley Tucci, also help the
film. So, in the end, this is a fun film even if it may have flopped at the box
office.
OBLIVION
In the film industry, we see so many sequels,
reboots, and remakes all the time that it’s quite refreshing when an original
film like this comes out. Director Joseph Kosinski does a fantastic job at
setting up a post-apocalyptic universe and the story keeps your interest
throughout along with the interesting characters. Also, like with Kosinski’s
last film, the music here (done by M83) is terrific and it’s one of the best
scores of the year so far. However, the writing falls apart at the end of the
film; it doesn’t really tie up all of the film’s loose ends. Still, as a whole,
Oblivion is a rock-solid science fiction film and another solid outing from
Kosinski (along with 2010’s ‘Tron: Legacy’). I believe this won’t be the last
we hear from this director.
NOW
YOU SEE ME
As I said in my review of this film, I get the idea
that magicians aren’t really as popular as they were back in the 90’s or
earlier than that. I myself have always been of a fan of magic which could be
as to why I did really like this film. It’s an entertaining thriller with a top
notch cast. But aside from that, the movie actually manages to surprise you,
which is quite rare in this modern age where the internet can reveal everything
about a movie. Even if you aren’t really a fan of magic, this is a film I do
recommend.
MONSTERS
UNIVERSITY
After back-to-back misfires with ‘Cars 2’ and
‘Brave’, Pixar finally gets back on track with this prequel to Monsters Inc., a
film that’s recently become one of my personal favorites from Pixar. It’s a
charming and creative look as to how Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan AKA
Sulley met while at college after initially being rivals. It’s more appealing
to the kids but I’m sure that adults will find it entertaining as well. It’s
still not one of Pixar’s best, but after two less than stellar films, it’s good
to see the company getting back on track.
THIS
IS THE END
Who
knew a movie about the end of the world would be so funny, in a good way? That’s
exactly what ‘This is the End’ does, thanks in part due to its main cast; each
actor/actress playing a fictionalized version of themselves. The six main leads
(Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny
McBride) work off each other very well, which leads to some very funny, but
also really bizarre, moments. It’s easily the best comedy of the year so far.
FAST
AND FURIOUS 6
It’s amazing how far the ‘Fast and Furious’ series
has come since its beginnings in the early 2000’s. The series has gotten better
and better ever since Justin Lin took over as director of the franchise and
that’s once again evident with the sixth film. At this point, the filmmakers
are aware of how silly this franchise can be and they just roll with it. This
film doesn’t try to be something it isn’t. It’s a fun and exciting action film
that does defy logic and physics any chance it gets. But still, this is another
great entry in a series that has gotten better over the years. Dare I say this
is actually the best one yet? Plus, while sadly Justin Lin will not return for
the 7th film, the post-credits scene of this film sets it up pretty
darn well.
And
now, here are my…
TOP 5 OF THE YEAR (SO
FAR)
5. IRON MAN 3
‘Iron Man 3’ is another great comic book film from
Marvel, especially as the first post-Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic
Universe. For one thing, this film proves that even after a film like ‘The
Avengers’, a solo superhero film can still work. ‘Iron Man 3’ is a quite
different take on a superhero film, as evident from the creative choices that
director/co-writer Shane Black makes in this film, especially a big twist
regarding the supposed main villain. As controversial as it is, it worked
enough in the story even if it’s quite a drastic change from the comics. Robert
Downey Jr. gives what is arguably his best performance as Tony Stark yet in
another great outing from Marvel.
4. STAR TREK INTO
DARKNESS
I had listed this film as my most anticipated film
of the year, so did it live up to my expectations? Well, for the most part, it
did not disappoint. Sure, it’s not as good as the previous Star Trek film, which
is mostly because there are some elements of the film that aren’t really
developed as much as others. Also, while the film also features a terrific
performance from Benedict Cumberbatch as the main villain, the reveal that he is
one of Star Trek’s most iconic villains, Khan, raises an important question; is
this film trying to be the modern version of ‘Wrath of Khan’, because there are
many similarities between this film and what is easily the best Star Trek film
to date. Still, aside from that, the way Khan is used in the film is a pretty
good change from what we saw before, the relationship between Kirk and Spock is
a definite highlight of the film, and Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are both
fantastic in the roles once again. Even with a third act that is admittedly a
bit rushed, ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ is a rock-solid follow-up to the 2009
reboot.
3. MAN OF STEEL
It may not have been my most anticipated film of the
year, but this film had the most going for it, as it’s the film that might set
up a ‘DC Cinematic Universe’. I’m pleased to say that ‘Man of Steel’ was quite
good and is easily the best Superman film since the first two Christopher Reeve
films. It is quite a different take on Superman, but it works very well and you
can thank director Zack Snyder for that. Sure, Christopher Nolan might be
producing the film, but this is clearly Snyder’s film. Nolan’s influence is
more in the writing, which is excellent because it’s the first Superman film to
really focus on the character of Superman himself and how he struggles to live
amongst us humans when he is an alien from another world. This is actually more
the story of Clark Kent, but don’t worry Superman is still just as important. Casting
is also superb; Henry Cavill is great as Superman, and both Russell Crowe and
Kevin Costner are excellent as Superman’s two fathers and you can see the
influence that both have on him. This is pretty much the ‘Batman Begins’ of the
Superman franchise and yes, I’m eagerly awaiting not just a sequel, but a Zack
Snyder directed sequel. Yes, I doubted him at first after ‘Sucker Punch’ but
kudos to the guy for making a great Superman film.
2. THE GREAT GATSBY
Director Baz Luhrmann’s take on F. Scott
Fitzgerald’s classic novel of the same name is easily the most exciting
adaptation of the story, thanks in part to Luhrmann’s trademark visual style
and very unique soundtrack, which mixes jazz with modern rap and believe it or
not, this actually works really well. However, even amidst the visuals, the
major themes of the story are still there, including the idea of excess and the
decline of the American Dream. The cast is also brilliant, including Leonardo
DiCaprio in another Oscar-worthy performance as Jay Gatsby, Tobey Maguire as
the narrator Nick Carraway, and Carey Mulligan as Gatsby’s old lover Daisy. The
writing is fantastic and Luhrmann’s visuals are not distracting to the point
that the story and characters aren’t important anymore. It’s a damn fine film,
‘Old Sport’.
1. OZ THE GREAT AND
POWERFUL
It’s hard for a
prequel to actually be good, especially when considering that this film is a
prequel to one of the most beloved films of all time, 1939’s ‘Wizard of Oz’. I
really didn’t go into this film with high expectations but I surprisingly ended
up liking this film more than I thought I would. For one thing, it doesn’t
suffer from ‘prequelitis’, and the references made towards ‘The Wizard of Oz’
are well-done and are not crammed in there just to be there. Obviously, the
visuals are fantastic and this is also one of the few films that I actually
recommend seeing in 3-D, as it is well-used here and not distracting. But the
writing is also pretty good along with the acting (especially from Rachel Weisz
and Michelle Williams as the witches Evanora and Glinda, respectively). There
is one notable exception in the cast, but that’s more during the second half of
the film when that person’s character goes through a change. This is one of the
best fantasy films I have seen in a long time and while it may not be as good
as the original Wizard of Oz (but come on, that’s a tough act to follow),
director Sam Raimi’s take on Oz is certainly the best Oz film since the
original classic. Right now, it is my favorite film of 2013 so far.
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