The Most Interesting Films of 2013

Well, 2014 is officially here and it's time to take a look back at the year that was 2013. I like to pick my favorites in an unorthodox way, not for the award caliber quality or for production value, but for the overall movie-going experience that each film evoked. Some are action blockbusters, some simply lived up to the hype. Some were a brand new look at film, or an introduction to an endearing character. Maybe there was an unusual amount of suspense or comedy. For whatever reason, these are my favorite films of 2013 in no particular order.

Scariest movie of the year - The Conjuring. I missed this one when it was in theatres, but saw it recently and director James Wan has learned all the tricks of the trade with his Saw and Insidious films. He puts them to good use in what is not just a scream flick, it has solid acting, is based on a true story, and has an overall creepy feel.

Best animated film of the year - Monsters University. I have to be in the right mood for an animated film, but the Monsters Inc/University films are just cute and fun. So are the minions from Despicable Me, but it's the movies without humans that tend to capture my imagination more.

Best documentary of the year - Blackfish. I was blown away by this revealing look at killer whales in captivity. One of my greatest fears is to be eaten by a sea creature (don't laugh) and seeing case studies of Sea World trainers being savagely attacked out of nowhere is a frightening reality check. It's also an educational film for the PETA fans out there.

Best conspiracy-theory documentary of the year - Room 237. The film maker takes his love and obsession of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining to a whole other level by analyzing it forward, backwards, and sideways. It takes the film to depths not even Kubrick was aware, and I am curious what Steven King thinks of it. It's as far-fetched as the Dark Side of the Moon/Wizard of Oz phenomenon. And just as cool.

Best comedy of the year - We're the Millers. In a summer season full of attempts at humor, We're the Millers was the most accurate in terms of hitting the mark. I never got bored, and the story and acting backed up the humor nicely. Sudeikis is great.

Most suspenseful thriller of the year - Prisoners. Nevermind the fact that the cast is excellent, the premise of Prisoners is haunting. Prisoners of all films of the year gave me a satisfied feeling at the end, and I left the theatre with the rare feeling of having been thoroughly immersed in the movie and emotionally entertained from start to finish. It was the film where there was a personal investment in the outcome.

Most pleasantly surprisingly entertaining blockbuster - World War Z. I really liked WWZ. It makes my top 10 films of the year list, and serves as the film that I didn't expect to like as much as I did. The buzz leading up to the release was hit or miss, but the film hit the ground running and never looked back. The film also has a short scene by a man named Michael Jenn who is my "Best 5 minutes or less of screentime performance" award winner. He played the "WHO Vault Zombie" and if you've seen the movie, you have to agree. He's an epic zombie.

Most fun blockbuster experience - Pacific Rim. I was expecting popcorn junk, but I really had a lot of fun watching Pacific Rim. Both times I saw it in the theatre. And both times I saw it at home. Fun from start to finish, what's not to like about giant robots fighting giant aliens? That's right. Nothing.

Least disappointing summer blockbuster - Star Trek: Into Darkness. For the amount of hype and expectation, I have to say that Star Trek was the least disappointing. This is a compliment. Iron Man, Superman, Wolverine, and especially Elysium all left something to be desired, but Star Trek was pretty great. Considering the burden on Abrams' shoulders after the success of the first iteration of the franchise reboot, I was fully expecting a sophomore slump. Now he's moving on to Star Wars, but the Trek legacy will continue. My prediction? Part 3 will suck.

Best film of the year - Captain Phillips. Captain Phillips had it all, and although it's looking more and more like 12 Years a Slave will be the runaway favorite for awards, I stand behind Paul Greengrass' intense piracy situation drama. I also maintain that Tom Hanks has never been better than he was in the final five minutes, and that if he doesn't win Best Actor, it won't be because he was outperformed. Brilliant film. Just don't forget to breathe.

Most beautiful film of the year - Gravity. Gravity will and should win Best Director, cinematography, and a variety of special and visual effects. The most realistic space film ever to grace the silver screen, it is nothing short of a thing of beauty. Gravity was a magical experience, and if they had cut about half of the dialogue (and maybe changed the ending), it might be in the driver's seat for Best Picture.

Best Independent film of the year - The Way Way Back. I loved The Way Way Back. It's another one of Steve Carell's performances that shows his dramatic range, but what makes it such an interesting film is the relationship between 14 year old Duncan (Liam James) and 40 something Owen (Sam Rockwell). Rockwell deserves some recognition for his consistency in his body of work. I think I mentioned this four or five years ago, but he's still one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. I'm just waiting for someone to have the sense to cast him in a ripe role that will get him some awards.

I could go on and on, but this is my 2013 year in review - hope you enjoyed, and I encourage and appreciate your comments and disagreements.