• Trey
  • Trey
  • A Grizzled Old Dick With Stories To Tell
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 1,756
  • User Karma: 720

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Actually, Gravity is exactly NOT the kind of film that wins Best Picture.  It doesn't say the movie business is awesome, it doesn't say being mean to other people is bad ummkayy, it's not a musical or historical epic, and none of the characters has a physical handicap to overcome.

The last genre movie (by which I mean fantasy/sci-fi/thriller) to win Best Picture was Return of the King ten years ago, the last before that was Silence of the Lambs, the one before that was... nothing.

Those other movies won because they were that goddam good.   Gravity has a good shot at doing the same, but if so it'll be despite the kind of movie it is, not because of it.

EDIT:  So yes, Doc Sub called it.  12 Years a Slave is a more likely winner because it is Important And Meaningful.

EDIT again: Rough early prediction, Gravity will take VFX and other technical awards, Cuaron might get Best Director and Sandy might even win Actress.  But Best Picture... I wouldn't say it's a lock.  On the other hand, the new 10-nominee Best Picture category allows votes to get split farther and upsets to happen more easily.

Trey's Website

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: Farmington, CT
  • Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 2,451
  • User Karma: 317

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Honestly, the only thing that might drive people away from 12 Years is how grim it is. It's basically a refutation of the whole "movies about awful historical events that make you feel good about yourself for watching them" thing that the Academy loves so much. It's a pretty cold film with some shockingly grotesque violence.

Gravity, on the other hand, has a very uplifting, hopeful ending. I still think that 12 Years will take it, and it's well deserved. But both films have elements that the Academy loves and elements that the Academy doesn't.

Gravity will take VFX, both sound awards, Editing, Cinematography, and maybe Score and Director. 12 Years will take Picture and Actor. No matter what happens, Gravity is going to come out the winner in terms of the number of trophies it takes home.

Kinda early to guess, though. Nominations aren't announced until January, and some dark horse candidates could come out of nowhere and become favorites to win.

"The Doctor is Submarining through our brains." --Teague

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • bullet3
  • bullet3
  • I Know Regular Expressions
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-06-23
  • Posts: 1,350
  • User Karma: 204

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

As you've all said, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a repeat of last year, where there's a best director/best picture split. Life of Pi got best director and a bunch of the technicals, and best picture went to Argo (which won very little else). Barring some serious bullshit, I see Cuaron finally getting his best director oscar this year. 12 Years a Slave takes Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as all the acting awards (with Bullock maybe getting Best Actress).

But we'll have to wait and see, I think Wolf of Wall Street could shake things up from what I've heard of it.

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: Annapolis, MD
  • Registered: 2010-07-08
  • Posts: 483
  • User Karma: 93

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Doctor Submarine wrote:

Gravity will take VFX, both sound awards, Editing, Cinematography, and maybe Score and Director. 12 Years will take Picture and Actor. No matter what happens, Gravity is going to come out the winner in terms of the number of trophies it takes home.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IAJvofXkSiI/TUcI24uO1uI/AAAAAAAAA9k/lKQ_VV1kYt4/s1600/images.jpeg
♫ HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND ♫

Ewing's Website

Thumbs up +1 Thumbs down

  • From: Farmington, CT
  • Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 2,451
  • User Karma: 317

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Ewing wrote:
Doctor Submarine wrote:

Gravity will take VFX, both sound awards, Editing, Cinematography, and maybe Score and Director. 12 Years will take Picture and Actor. No matter what happens, Gravity is going to come out the winner in terms of the number of trophies it takes home.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IAJvofXkSiI/TUcI24uO1uI/AAAAAAAAA9k/lKQ_VV1kYt4/s1600/images.jpeg
♫ HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND ♫

He just needs to hop on a more Academy-friendly project and knock it out of the park. The only reason he hasn't won is because his opponents have been big Oscar contenders.

"The Doctor is Submarining through our brains." --Teague

Thumbs up Thumbs down

56 Reply by Rob

  • Rob
  • Rob
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Chicago
  • Registered: 2013-03-18
  • Posts: 482
  • User Karma: 85

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

12 YEARS winning Best Picture would be fine by me, since it's the best picture I saw this year.

Trey: I'm sure you're right. I'm awful at handicapping the BP Oscar. But in a weird way, I do think GRAVITY does say the movie business is awesome--the same way TITANIC and RETURN OF THE KING did, by being an undeniable example of cutting-edge moviemaking/"movie magic." None of the characters in GRAVITY are disabled, granted, unless we count the Clooney character's clear case of sex addiction. GRAVITY is an irregular candidate, don't get me wrong, but I think it's spectacle-y enough and mushy enough to be in the running. (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and THE DEPARTED seem like the only BP winners since 2000 that are fairly mush-free.) Actually the biggest reason I think GRAVITY will win is that I'm scared that 12 YEARS A SLAVE, which was my favorite film of the year, might be the Big Snub on Oscar night. Every year my favorite film of the nominees always gets snubbed. It never fails. We're going on 5 years in a row now...

@caravaggiorob

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • Trey
  • Trey
  • A Grizzled Old Dick With Stories To Tell
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 1,756
  • User Karma: 720

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

I meant movies that are about the movie business being awesome - Argo, The Artist, and Hugo being the most recent examples.  All nominees for BP, two of them winners.   

"Remember that time Hollywood rescued those hostages?"
"That was nice, have a Best Picture Oscar!"

Gravity's handicap is that it's a genre picture- no matter how well-executed or successful, genre pictures are seldom "classy" enough to overcome that stigma.    The last Best Picture nominee with a spaceship in it was Apollo 13, almost twenty years ago.

However, the flip side of the argument is that Gravity IS classy enough to overcome the genre handicap.  You're right that other than setting, it's pretty solid Oscar bait.  It's the same movie as All Is Lost - another likely nominee - just with the unfortunate stank of sci-fi.    Which, let's face it, is usually not the sort of movie that should win Best Picture.

Trey's Website

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • Trey
  • Trey
  • A Grizzled Old Dick With Stories To Tell
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 1,756
  • User Karma: 720

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Quick update: Inside Llewyn Davis is a fun little piece of work - with a good shot at a cinematography nomination and maybe a few others - but not amazing enough to change my Top Five.

Trey's Website

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: Gardena, California
  • Registered: 2009-11-26
  • Posts: 1,598
  • User Karma: 484

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

I think GRAVITY is a lock for a nomination but will be the dark horse if it wins. My money based solely on buzz would be on 12 YEARS.

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: Annapolis, MD
  • Registered: 2010-07-08
  • Posts: 483
  • User Karma: 93

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Guys... what if they give it to The Butler?

Ewing's Website

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • Trey
  • Trey
  • A Grizzled Old Dick With Stories To Tell
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 1,756
  • User Karma: 720

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

That's also possible.  It'll probably get a few acting nominations as well, especially Oprah for Supporting Actress, which she deserves.

Trey's Website

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: Van Dieman's Land
  • Registered: 2011-06-02
  • Posts: 1,357
  • User Karma: 233

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Philomena was getting some Oscar buzz too for its 'important social issue'. Catholic academy members may not vote for it though.

not long to go now...

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • Trey
  • Trey
  • A Grizzled Old Dick With Stories To Tell
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 1,756
  • User Karma: 720

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Not sure if the "Catholic branch" of the Academy is a significant voting bloc or not... smile

Philomena is mostly buzzing for an Actress nom for Judi Dench, which seems likely.   

BTW, the SAG nominations were announced today and they're a decent indicator of what the Oscar trends will be, so have a look if you're interested.   

No real surprises there that I can see - though I am bummed to see Redford skipped over for Best Actor and Tatiana Maslany not get a nod for Actress in a Drama.

Trey's Website

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • Registered: 2010-05-21
  • Posts: 149
  • User Karma: 6

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Well, I had a baby in January so I missed tons this year.  It was a good year to miss, though... I think top movie for me this year was:

1. AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS.
2. GRAVITY

That's it.  What the hell else am I gonna put on this list?  MAN OF STEEL?

Here's all the stuff I've missed, though.  I have high hopes for a lot of these...

DON JON
BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
KILL YOUR DARLINGS
THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER AND PETE
12 YEARS A SLAVE
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
OUT OF THE FURNACE
PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

Thumbs up Thumbs down

65 Reply by BBQ

  • BBQ
  • BBQ
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-10-03
  • Posts: 137
  • User Karma: 19

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

1. Gravity
2. Upstream Color
3. The World's End

Saw a handful of other movies that were ok, but nothing that stood out enough to count it as a "top" movie in my book. These include: The Conjuring, Thor 2, RED 2, Into Darkness.

Bonus, a pair of flicks I felt were "meh" and don't really like, but also don't actively disdain: Iron Man 3, The Wolverine.

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2013-01-29
  • Posts: 747
  • User Karma: 183

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

For me...

#1 The Crow
#2 Gravity
#3 Europa Report (provisos included)
#4 Van Helsing (just bought the DVD - wow, WOW - A definite switch your brain off movie)
#5 I don't have a fifth... well one I could place in a TOP 5 list were I could look at myself in the morning

The difficult second album Regan

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • oTom
  • oTom
  • Charms Professor
  • Offline
  • From: Chicago
  • Registered: 2011-08-28
  • Posts: 436
  • User Karma: 69

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

This is the Fast & Furious franchise's Return of the King year, you guys. All the awards.

Thumbs up +2 Thumbs down

  • Trey
  • Trey
  • A Grizzled Old Dick With Stories To Tell
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 1,756
  • User Karma: 720

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Aaaaand can now cross American Hustle off my "to see" list.  Had high hopes but it just didn't do much for me, other than further solidify my belief that Jennifer Lawrence is awesome in everything always.

Sadly, my favorite part was that all the production company logos at the beginning were done in various '70's styles.

Trey's Website

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: Annapolis, MD
  • Registered: 2010-07-08
  • Posts: 483
  • User Karma: 93

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

I saw Prisoners last night. It's the most engaging thriller I've seen since Se7en. The performances are stellar and while Gyllenhaal is getting most of the awards hype, I honestly think Jackman was better as the unhinged father. Paul Dano was also tremendous as the main suspect character. And as always, Roger Deakins shows why he's the best cinematographer on the planet. That guy is so good at his job it's almost fucking unfair.

Ewing's Website

Thumbs up +1 Thumbs down

  • Eddie
  • Laser Fists
  • Offline
  • From: Van Nuys, CA
  • Registered: 2009-11-23
  • Posts: 1,657
  • User Karma: 455

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

I think it was Jackman's best performance to date.

Eddie Doty

Thumbs up +2 Thumbs down

  • From: Van Dieman's Land
  • Registered: 2011-06-02
  • Posts: 1,357
  • User Karma: 233

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Eddie wrote:

I think it was Jackman's best performance to date.

Have you seen him in The Fountain? It's less flamboyant a performance but equally outstanding acting.

not long to go now...

Thumbs up Thumbs down

72 Reply by BBQ

  • BBQ
  • BBQ
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-10-03
  • Posts: 137
  • User Karma: 19

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Eddie wrote:

I think it was Jackman's best performance to date.

Have you seen The Fountain?

I haven't seen Prisoners, but that's currently my "best Jackman performance" leader.

[EDIT] Ok, avatar...that's hilarious.

Last edited by BBQ (2013-12-19 20:16:17)

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: Sweden
  • Registered: 2012-06-07
  • Posts: 313
  • User Karma: 45

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Looking at my IMDb ratings, my top 5 were:

1. Prisoners
2. Gravity
3. Only God Forgives
4. The Wolverine
5. Trance


Those were pretty much the only ones that made it to 7 or above for me. Some days free ahead and lots of movies to catch up on so it may change.

EDIT: Sometimes I think IMDb is randomly forgetting ratings. I'd probably tie Trance with Side Effects which I also enjoyed as a solid piece of storytelling.

EDIT 2: Yeah, so... Prisoners is fucking great. Fincher meets some recent Asian thriller sensibilities.

Last edited by TechNoir (2013-12-20 22:53:12)

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • From: Farmington, CT
  • Registered: 2010-05-08
  • Posts: 2,451
  • User Karma: 317

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Ewing wrote:

I saw Prisoners last night. It's the most engaging thriller I've seen since Se7en. The performances are stellar and while Gyllenhaal is getting most of the awards hype, I honestly think Jackman was better as the unhinged father. Paul Dano was also tremendous as the main suspect character. And as always, Roger Deakins shows why he's the best cinematographer on the planet. That guy is so good at his job it's almost fucking unfair.

Just finished Prisoners myself and, yeah, it's pretty damn good. Everyone in the movie is giving a tour de force performance. It raises some intriguing moral questions, but never for the sake of "WHAT WOULD YOU DO"-style exploitation.

I really appreciated how little time the movie spent on the details of the case. Presented in another way, this film could have been a really pulpy murder mystery. Actually, the fact that the case was so complex ended up working against the movie in parts. Reveals and answers are flying fast and furious in that last 45 minutes or so. But that's not really what the movie was about, so they kind of muddle the narrative. Still, the movie's focus on ethics sets it apart from most other modern thrillers. Not sure if it'll fit on my list, but man did it surprise me.

"The Doctor is Submarining through our brains." --Teague

Thumbs up Thumbs down

  • Eddie
  • Laser Fists
  • Offline
  • From: Van Nuys, CA
  • Registered: 2009-11-23
  • Posts: 1,657
  • User Karma: 455

Re: What were your TOP 5 MOVIES of 2013?

Kind of a preview for 2014, and a future Intermission episode, but I've reading some Black List scripts this year, and holy SHIT was I impressed with HOLLAND, MICHIGAN.  Don't want to say much more than that for obvious reasons, but that is a solid read.

Eddie Doty

Thumbs up Thumbs down