Saving Mr. Banks
rating: *****
review: An astonishing look behind the curtain of the creative process twice over as Tom Hanks in of his later great roles, Walt Disney himself, convinces P.L. Travers to let him adapt Mary Poppins. Colin Farrell has perhaps his best supporting role as Travers Goff, whom Disney figures out, eventually, is the key to understanding the author’s story.
Man of Steel
rating: *****
review: Zack Snyder begins his epic vision of Superman (and later, the whole Justice League), taking as mythic, and human, an approach to superheroes as cinema has yet achieved.
Star Trek Into Darkness
rating: *****
review: A bold reimagining of the second Star Trek movie, with Benedict Cumberbatch and his marvelous voice in perhaps its perfect showcase.
The Lone Ranger
rating: *****
review: You can already see how little I care about popular opinion. This is an Americana masterpiece. Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean) reunite in their single best film together.
About Time
rating: *****
review: Just when you’re absolutely sure I’m crazy, there’s this miracle, Rachel McAdams in her second time travel classic (The Time Traveler’s Wife) along with Domhnall Gleason, Bill Nighy, and director Richard Curtis.
Frozen
rating: *****
review: When I did my original 2013 rankings I had a considerably more dim view of it, but that was before my niece helped me watch it...a million times. And it was worth it. It’s a classic.
Gravity
rating: *****
review: This was kind of the year Hollywood transitioned from what it had been to what it’s been since, which left a year of unexpected wonders that straddled both, and perhaps none embody that more than this one, a one-star (Sandra Bullock, cashing in the last of her popular credentials at the time) showcase from a director, Alfonso Cuarón, at the height of his powers.
Oz the Great and Powerful
rating: ****
review: Probably the purest cinematic expression of Oz on film to date. It’s also James Franco’s perfect starring vehicle.
Prisoners
rating: ****
review: I came very late to this party, having only later discovered the genius of Denis Villeneuve, but having done so it was then even easier to appreciate how great his Hollywood debut is.
The Way, Way Back
rating: ****
review: Nat Faxon and Jim Rash somehow still don’t get the credit they’ve earned. This is perhaps their lowest key movie, but it’s as good as anything they’ve done.
The Counselor
rating: ****
review: There was a period where Cormac McCarthy was Hollywood’s new favorite author, but inexplicably that ended the minute he created an original screenplay. I’ve got enough experience with his books that I can say, this movie has more clarity of purpose in its brutality than can sometimes be seen in his work. And a truly all star cast.
Dead Man Down
rating: ****
review: Colin Farrell subdued, with the Hollywood debuts of the original Swedish Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star (Noomi Rapace) and director, plus Terrence Howard in a typically killer supporting role.
Fast & Furious 6
rating: ****
review: I admit to sometimes having a hard time remembering what happens in which one of these starting in about the fifth one (debut of Dwayne Johnson, for those keeping score). This one is the dramatic return of Michelle Rodriguez, and so is probably as important as anything in building the family legacy of the series.
Her
rating: ****
review: Spike Jonze directs this not-as-far-fetched-as-it-seemed movie as Joaquin Phoenix officially cleanses himself of the bizarre documentary experiment of I’m Still Here.
Mud
rating: ****
review: Jeff Nichols emerges as one of the best new directors of the modern era while getting to crow about helping recast Matthew McConaughey as a mythic southerner.
Pain and Gain
rating: ****
review: I’ve only just seen this one, another key element in the mainstreaming of Dwayne Johnson, with a highly underrated supporting turn from Tony Shalhoub.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
rating: ****
review: The last great Ben Stiller vehicle is perhaps also the last great old Hollywood movie.
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
rating: ****
review: The other big directing find of the year is David Lowery, sort of the second coming of Terrence Malick but with the instant artistic flourish of the Tree of Life Malick.
After Earth
rating: ****
review: M. Night Shyamalan officially ended this phase of his career by giving the spotlight to Will Smith’s kid, who will never have Will Smith’s charisma. But in this story, that didn’t really matter. Like a lot of Shyamalan’s work, pointlessly dismissed.
World War Z
rating: ****
review: Brad Pitt stars in the unexpectedly successful adaptation of the book originally presented without narrative.
Nebraska
rating: ****
review: In a different era, this Alexander Payne effort would’ve catapulted Will Forte to big success.
American Hustle
rating: ****
review: This is just David O. Russell shamelessly showing off how much clout he’d developed. Worth it!
Blue Jasmine
rating: ****
review: I honestly have no idea if this Woody Allen film has any other merit, but it’s another great Cate Blanchard performance. I have absolutely no idea why she’s not treasured far, far more.
The Great Gatsby
rating: ****
review: The Pretty Good Gatsby adaptation.
R.I.P.D.
rating: ***
review: Honestly I love this one. The only reason I’m rating it so low is that I just haven’t gotten around to watching it again. A highly underrated cult classic.
The Wolverine
rating: ***
review: Almost, but not quite Logan.
Epic
rating: ***
review: Never did get to find out my niece’s opinion on this one. I’m a Colin Farrell completist. I watched it. I enjoyed it.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
rating: ***
review: About as good as can be expected. Another step in Adam McKay’s later development as a dramatic director, considering its base satire of cable news.
12 Years a Slave
rating: ***
review: Obviously worth watching and considering but perhaps too obvious when it might have been bold.
Captain Phillips
rating: ***
review: The point doesn’t even come until a fleeting moment in the end when Tom Hanks gets a quiet showcase as the Everyman caught in events bigger than him. Hanks later attempted to duplicate this in Sully and his better 2013 movie with A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, just trying to be relevant again. I think he finally nailed it with News of the World.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
rating: ***
review: Such is my disappointment with the acclaim afforded to a previous trilogy (the first of which I love, the other two...) that I think this one’s better but it doesn’t seem to be reflected in my rankings. To be revisited at some later point, perhaps.
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
rating: ***
review: Two movies in 2013, both in supporting roles for Jim Carrey. Unthinkable at the height of his career. Steve Carell is the nominal lead, already sliding down his high. The two previously traded off with Bruce Almighty/Evan Almighty.
A Good Day to Die Hard
rating: ***
review: To date the final in a consistently enjoyable series.
Thor: The Dark World
rating: ***
review: Often considered at or near the bottom of the MCU films, some of it’s quite good.
The World’s End
rating: **
review: The last of three to date Pegg/Frost/Wright collaborations is the one I find least satisfying, at least, perhaps, until a rewatch.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
rating: **
review: These films weren’t terrible. Could have been better. This one at least unabashedly has Dwayne Johnson carry it.
Despicable Me 2
rating: **
review: The first one’s a classic. I saw this one about five years back on a loop. Still couldn’t tell you much of what it accomplishes.
Jack the Giant Slayer
rating: **
review: I’ve watched this one twice now. It’s worth at least that much. Maybe the third time’s the charm.
Kick-Ass 2
rating: **
review: Like a lot of the things derived from the mind of Mark Millar, desperate for cult status. And like a lot of it, falls short. But has Jim Carrey!
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
rating: **
review: Jeremy Renner probably still regrets cashing in for this. But it’s probably still as close to a Hawkeye movie as there’ll ever be.
Iron Man 3
rating: **
review: The twist with the villain is fine. The rest of it is a self-indulgent waste of time.
Riddick
rating: **
review: After Chronicles of Riddick failed to stick, someone thought it was a good idea to return to the feel of Pitch Black. They were wrong.
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
rating: *
review: My sister’s a big fan of the books. She doesn’t like the movies at all. I liked the first movie. This one’s an insult.
Don Jon
rating: *
review: Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s desperate lob.
