Anyways, I was thinking earlier this week that here in December there are going to be some awesome hard hitting movies coming out. Movies that I have been waiting all year to see. But before I get into all that I wanted to talk a bit about my top 5ish well lets just say 10 of this year so far. And I'll also talk a little bit about the duds that I've seen this year. So let's get this party started off with a bang.
10.MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
I can't tell you how happy I was to see a modern day retelling of my absolute favorite Shakespeare play. Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker as Benedick & Beatrice are both an absolute revelations. It is beautifully shot in black and white, and the fact that Joss Whedon shot this at his house over like a week long stretch or something ridiculous just makes me so jealous. Jealous of the genius of some of the people out there in the world. Even if you don't like Shakespeare (which makes you kind of an idiot) I promise you will enjoy the shit out of this movie. Much ado about nothing also has one of my favorite all time lines. "I do love nothing in this world as well as you; is not that strange."
9.World War Z
I have to admit that I really was not excited to go see this movie. With all the talks of delays and re-shoots and all that hollywood stuff that normally sinks a movie, my expectations were at an all time low. And to be honest with you I'm so happy that they were, because I was completely blown away. This movie moves at an alarmingly fast pace and they don't fuck around with all the fluff that a lot of movies these days do and thank god. Because of the pace and the movie itself you have to pay attention because the things characters say mean something and they may not be saying much. And lets not even get into one of the most intense 3rd acts of a movie I've seen in some time. Oh yeah and there is always BRAD PITT.
8.DON JON
Now I had to really debate over the next two films on this list and really and truly depending on the day the will switch back and forth. In the end Don Jon landed at 8 today. This movie is an awesome first movie for a guy that I really respect. If there were more movies made to this caliber every year, the movie industry wouldn't be is such big trouble. This movie hit home with me in a big way. I really do feel as though Joseph Gordon-Levitt made a movie especially about me and my generation of men and women in this one. This movie feel so right now in this moment for me and I just love it.
7.ABOUT TIME
Here is the thing. I love Richard Curtis. There I said it and I'm not ashamed to admit it. His movies just always do it for me. Notting Hill, Love Actually, even Pirate Radio I just love them all. And this movie is no exception. I mean really the movie is made for me. Great romantic love story with awkward protagonist(Check). Corny gimmick like time travel(Check). Movie that helps you see the beauty in life(Check). Great father and son storyline(Check). And if that isn't enough to get you there it's got Bill Nighy.
6.THE GREAT GATSBY
What can I really say about this movie? I love the book, and to be honest I love this movie even more. I mean Leonardo DiCaprio is Jay Gatsby, that's it, there is almost nothing more I have to say. Except for the fact that Baz Luhrmann just made that book jump off the page for me in this movie. I wanted to be a part of this lifestyle and go to these amazing parties Gatsby threw. When Leo and Carey Mulligan are on screen together it is pretty freaking electric. I suggest everyone go see it right now, before you even finish this.
5.THE WORLD'S END
If you haven't seen any of the movies of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost, you are a sad sad individual. I mean seriously these guys are some of the best comedy filmmakers in the business right now. And this movie is a perfect example of that. It is the last movie in there self titled Cornetto Trilogy, the other movies are Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Got out and get them all and watch them right away. It will change how you feel about comedy today. And this movie is just perfect for me. A group of friends getting together after years apart of finish a pub crawl they never could. A lot like my friends only we always finished.
4.THE WAY WAY BACK
This movie is at 4 on the list and to tell you the truth it could really be higher. This is such a beautiful story of that feeling that I know everybody has at some point in your life when you are just awkward and you really just don't fit in, until you find that thing or that place where you are completely accepted and everything just seems to change. I got lucky and found baseball that way. Steve Carrol is great playing against type in a very unCarrol performance and Sam Rockwell. I could probably write an entire blog about Rockwell himself. The guy just kills it in this movie. Go see it folks.
3.THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
This top 3 was super hard for me. I mean this movie right here just completely blew me away. I was completely captivated by this movie from the very beginning to the very end. And the score of this movie is absolutely haunting, I love it. The story lines in this movie are so hard and there really isn't a good or bad guy to speak of. Just a story about people in a moment in time in history. I can't tell people enough that they should see this movie. I want it to be the movie people are talking about when it comes out on DVD.
2.12 YEARS A SLAVE
To be honest with you if there is one movie I want people to see this year, it is this one. I ha such a reaction to this film that I really couldn't be around people for like a week after I saw it. The performances in this movie are so moving to me there are times when I just couldn't take my eyes off the screen, even when I wanted to. Steve McQueen does a great job in this movie really hammering in the horrors of slavery without taking away from the movie. And to say that it was beautifully shot would be an understatement. Oscar nominations are definitely forthcoming with this one. And I will be giving this movie to white people I know just to play on there white guilt.
1.BEFORE MIDNIGHT
The movie that tops my list of movies that I've seen this year is none other than Before Midnight. The final movie in Richard Linklater's Before trilogy is just absolutely fantastic. You would think that a movie about two people walking and talking about themselves and there relationship would bog down by the third movie and I say that it is almost the opposite. It might be more exciting than any movie in the series. I have such a thing for Julie Deply and French women because of this movie and this series in general. She is so freaking talented, and Ethan Hawke who I pretty much hate in every other movie he's in I love in this movie. If you love love like I do, then this movie is for you. I ask you all to get the complete series, you won't regret it. If you don't like these movies I'll pay for them, that's how I feel about this movie and the series itself.
So that's my list. I thought it was just going to be five movies but then I got started and I couldn't stop. Of course there are the movies that were not quite up to par this year whcih I will quickly go over, and then finish it all off with the movies that i am most anticipating to end this year.
Brandon's Worst List
5.RUNNER, RUNNER--not Ben Affleck's Fault
4.MACHETE KILLS
3.PACIFIC RIM
2.SPECTACULAR NOW
1.ELYSIUM
Brandon's Most Anticipated List
7.OUT OF THE FURNACE
6.ANCHORMAN 2
5.LONE SURVIOR
4.AMERICAN HUSTLE
3.THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
2.INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
1.THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
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