My Movies: 2013
by DougInNC | created - 11 Apr 2013 | updated - 20 Dec 2013 | PublicWatched in 2013 (partial)
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1. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
PG-13 | 94 min | Comedy
In the 1970s, an anchorman's stint as San Diego's top-rated newsreader is challenged when an ambitious newswoman becomes his co-anchor.
Director: Adam McKay | Stars: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd
Votes: 378,240 | Gross: $85.29M
Drunken writers?
2. Purple Violets (2007)
103 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Patti Petalson (Blair) struggles with the pressure of becoming the next important American writer.
Director: Edward Burns | Stars: Annette Arnold, Max Baker, Selma Blair, James Biberi
Votes: 3,463
I seem to like movies about writers, including this one. Two college couples drift apart, find each other again in their 30s, struggle to reunite and still to thine own selves be true. This movie was touching, realistic, and well acted by most.
3. Argo (2012)
R | 120 min | Biography, Drama, History
Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.
Director: Ben Affleck | Stars: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin
Votes: 638,714 | Gross: $136.03M
Thriller from the history that touched my generation.
4. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
R | 122 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Director: David O. Russell | Stars: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver
Votes: 742,181 | Gross: $132.09M
Not Jennifer Lawrence's best or even 2nd best, but she must have come of age for this one to get her Academy Award for Best Actress. The supporting cast was better than she.
5. Les Misérables (2012)
PG-13 | 158 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.
Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried
Votes: 345,797 | Gross: $148.81M
I didn't have a problem with the singing from less than epic vocalists, and it still is a good story.
6. Coco Before Chanel (2009)
PG-13 | 105 min | Biography, Drama
The story of Coco Chanel's rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world.
Director: Anne Fontaine | Stars: Audrey Tautou, Benoît Poelvoorde, Alessandro Nivola, Marie Gillain
Votes: 42,081 | Gross: $6.11M
Audrey Tautou is now my second favority Audrey. Tiny like Hepburn and seems to be a more serious actress. Strange that this movie told some of the same parts of her life as the movie "Coco Chanel" but told them differently. I liked this one better - the actor and the story.
7. What's Your Number? (2011)
R | 106 min | Comedy, Romance
A woman looks back at the past nineteen men she's had relationships with in her life and wonders if one of them might be her one true love.
Director: Mark Mylod | Stars: Anna Faris, Chris Evans, Ari Graynor, Blythe Danner
Votes: 87,318 | Gross: $14.01M
Witty. A chick flick for guys more than gals?
8. Midnight in Paris (2011)
PG-13 | 94 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.
Director: Woody Allen | Stars: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Kurt Fuller
Votes: 449,552 | Gross: $56.82M
Strange casting of Wilson in this role. I wonder how many better choices turned down Woody Allen. Despite the weak cast, the story was engaging.
9. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
In an alternate Victorian Age world, a group of famous contemporary fantasy, science fiction, and adventure characters team up on a secret mission.
Director: Stephen Norrington | Stars: Sean Connery, Stuart Townsend, Peta Wilson, Jason Flemyng
Votes: 183,841 | Gross: $66.47M
Ridiculous casting of a very aging Sean Connery in the lead role. Something there for the CGI-loving, fantasy-adoring, not-connected-to-reality crowd ... but not much for me. Still, the story held together throughout, so I'll give it credit for only that.
10. Parental Guidance (2012)
PG | 105 min | Comedy, Family
Artie and Diane Decker agree to look after their three grandchildren when their type-A helicopter parents need to go out of town for work. Problems arise when their 21st-century behavior collides with Artie and Diane's old-school methods.
Director: Andy Fickman | Stars: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott
Votes: 26,775 | Gross: $77.27M
Decent family humor made decently.
11. 5 Days of War (2011)
R | 113 min | Action, Drama, War
A drama set centered around the war between Russia and Georgia, and focused on an American journalist, his cameraman, and a Georgian native who become caught in the crossfire.
Director: Renny Harlin | Stars: Rupert Friend, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Richard Coyle, Heather Graham
Votes: 14,295 | Gross: $0.02M
Gripping, though quite contrived that the heroes defy all odds to stay alive.
12. Friends with Benefits (2011)
R | 109 min | Comedy, Romance
A young man and woman decide to take their friendship to the next level without becoming a couple, but soon discover that adding sex only leads to complications.
Director: Will Gluck | Stars: Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman
Votes: 394,177 | Gross: $55.80M
The story line was just too narrow, and the acting was only fair. There were some good lines, so kudos to the writers at least.
13. Being Julia (2004)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Set in 1930s London, this movie involves stage actors and actresses and their experiences with love and revenge.
Director: István Szabó | Stars: Annette Bening, Michael Gambon, Maury Chaykin, Jeremy Irons
Votes: 12,927 | Gross: $7.74M
A wonderful old-time film made in the new millennium. The writer, director, and actors play out a good story, but keep you guessing on a few things, and that makes it fun.
14. This Means War (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
C.I.A. operatives wage an epic battle on each other when they discover they are dating the same woman.
Director: McG | Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Til Schweiger
Votes: 194,164 | Gross: $54.76M
Paced well and amusing throughout.
15. The River Murders (2011)
R | 92 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
While investigating a series of murders, a homicide detective becomes the prime suspect when the FBI uncovers his close personal ties to all the victims.
Director: Rich Cowan | Stars: Ray Liotta, Gisele Fraga, Michael Rodrick, Sarah Ann Schultz
Votes: 5,151
Whodunit theme, twisting and turning, tried and true, done and gone. It's not a horrible movie, nor is there anything compelling in the presentation, acting, or story line.
16. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Music
Two drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.
Director: Stephan Elliott | Stars: Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, Terence Stamp, Rebel Penfold-Russell
Votes: 54,916 | Gross: $11.22M
Silliness, though colorful. Australia has so much better to offer.
17. Joe Bonamassa: An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House (2013)
Music
Directors: Philippe Klose, Marcus Bird | Stars: Joe Bonamassa, Gerry O'Connor, Mats Webster, Arlan Schierbaum
Votes: 39
Hear the lyrics, enjoy the instrumentation, and wish you had even more good looks at the spectacular venue that is the VOH.
18. The Last Waltz (1978)
PG | 117 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robbie Robertson, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Van Morrison
Votes: 20,103 | Gross: $0.32M
The Band shows their range, and serves up some Joni Mitchell for a rare and wonderful pleasure.
19. The Big Year (2011)
PG | 100 min | Comedy
Two bird enthusiasts try to defeat the cocky, cutthroat world record holder in a year-long bird-spotting competition.
Director: David Frankel | Stars: Owen Wilson, Jack Black, Steve Martin, John Cleese
Votes: 47,933 | Gross: $7.20M
It keeps moving, and Owen Wilson is cast in a role I can almost believe he should play.
20. A Few Good Men (1992)
R | 138 min | Drama, Thriller
Military lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee defends Marines accused of murder. They contend they were acting under orders.
Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon
Votes: 286,985 | Gross: $141.34M
It is perhaps a classic. Good acting by the youngsters when they were still establishing their persona. The Nicholson act is probably over-rated, but he provides the great knife edge of sharpness; who gets cut?
21. Something Borrowed (2011)
PG-13 | 112 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Friendships are tested and secrets come to the surface when terminally single Rachel falls for Dex, her best friend Darcy's fiancé.
Director: Luke Greenfield | Stars: Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, Colin Egglesfield, John Krasinski
Votes: 65,216 | Gross: $39.05M
Love isn't a straight line! A good movie to discover a new-for-me actress in Ginnifer Goodwin, revisit some others that you know, and one or two you think you know, but from where?
22. Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
PG-13 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.
Director: Malik Bendjelloul | Stars: Rodriguez, Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, Dennis Coffey, Mike Theodore
Votes: 72,849 | Gross: $3.97M
The Great American story you never knew, and it took South Africa to find it. The American Dream is to start poor, find success, and grow rich. The American Ideal is to start modestly, create your self-defined measure of success, be who you are, be appreciated for who you are, and share what you can. This isn't quite the American Ideal, but that's because we missed it while it was happening.
23. Friday Night Lights (2004)
PG-13 | 118 min | Action, Drama, Sport
Based on H.G. Bissinger's book, which profiled the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas and their heroic high school football team, The Permian High Panthers.
Director: Peter Berg | Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Jay Hernandez, Derek Luke, Lucas Black
Votes: 66,797 | Gross: $61.26M
Classic American tale ... sadly. Not much to see here.
24. In Bruges (2008)
R | 107 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
After a job gone wrong, hitman Ray and his partner await orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be.
Director: Martin McDonagh | Stars: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ciarán Hinds, Elizabeth Berrington
Votes: 461,075 | Gross: $7.76M
Gleeson is the man! He was even better in The Guard, but this guy takes control of roles films when he is featured. Well done mix of comedy and story.
25. The Woman in the Fifth (2011)
R | 84 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A college lecturer flees to Paris after a scandal costs him his job. In the City of Light, he meets a widow who might be involved in a series of murders.
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas, Joanna Kulig, Samir Guesmi
Votes: 7,091 | Gross: $0.11M
Dreams, mysteries, and many things unexpected. I saw it, but I'm not sure what really happened.
26. Only You (1994)
PG | 109 min | Comedy, Romance
As a teen, Faith was told that her destiny is a man named Damon Bradley. Years later - Faith is about to marry another man - a Damon Bradley calls to wish them all the best. Faith blows off the wedding and follows Damon to Italy.
Director: Norman Jewison | Stars: Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., Bonnie Hunt, Joaquim de Almeida
Votes: 25,620 | Gross: $20.04M
Silly can be entertaining. The actors played their roles well, even if the role was asked to be much too over-the-top, Kate Hudson.
27. You've Got Mail (1998)
PG | 119 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Book superstore magnate Joe Fox and independent book shop owner Kathleen Kelly fall in love in the anonymity of the Internet, both blissfully unaware that he's trying to put her out of business.
Director: Nora Ephron | Stars: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Parker Posey
Votes: 229,414 | Gross: $115.82M
By the time I caught this movie, the setting was retro. NYC was NYC, but dial-up Internet was eye-catching. It ended way to abruptly.
28. 88 Minutes (2007)
R | 108 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
On the day that a serial killer that he helped put away is supposed to be executed, a noted forensic psychologist and college professor receives a call informing him that he has 88 minutes left to live.
Director: Jon Avnet | Stars: Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Ben McKenzie, Leelee Sobieski
Votes: 78,290 | Gross: $16.93M
Except for Amy Brenneman, there were a lot of weak portrayals in this movie. I'll have to pin that on Director Jon Avnet, because the quickly-moving story line provided a great deal of content to develop. Hollywood has to produce dramas that are better than 1-hour television series, and this one was not. Ah, I hit the mark without realizing where it was: Director Avnet has spent most of his time producing television series, per his videography on imdb.com. At least his effort in Black Swan is a film of better worth than 88.
29. Date Night (2010)
PG-13 | 88 min | Comedy, Crime, Romance
In New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.
Director: Shawn Levy | Stars: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson
Votes: 172,071 | Gross: $98.71M
One of those not-as-bad-as-expected evening relaxers. Let's not confuse this with a good movie, but it was better than some where the actors try to take their comedian personna and impale you with it for a two hour movie. This flick took that risk, and the potential for cataclysm was significant, with the two lead actors monopolizing the screen. Yet, it developed a story line rather than just a series of gags, it spread the comedy across scenes and themes, and improved as it went along.
30. The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom (2011)
39 min | Documentary, Short
Survivors in the areas hardest hit by Japan's recent tsunami find the courage to revive and rebuild as cherry blossom season begins.
Director: Lucy Walker
Votes: 358
By opening with epic real footage of the 2011 tsumani that crippled a section of coastal Japan, the hook was set. One was compelled to stay glued for the duration to see how people could deal with such a calamity. The disaster was heartbreaking, and that came through easily enough. It was a challenge to human triumph and failure. And it brought a re-appreciation for the simplest things in life - - the scenes of the cherry blossoms, so pure and without evil. Very poignant movie.
31. Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013)
PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead, until now.
Director: Morgan Neville | Stars: Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill
Votes: 13,944 | Gross: $4.95M
Terrific documentary showing what we already knew: that backup singers are extremely talented, enjoyable, and likely more level-headed than the figure out front. Fun to identify faces that you've seen in the background and will see again in concert while quite incognito.
32. In Time (2011)
PG-13 | 109 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
In a future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Will Salas is accused of murder and on the run with a hostage.
Director: Andrew Niccol | Stars: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde
Votes: 445,674 | Gross: $37.52M
High marks for original story line and also for using clever lines that (somehow) did not come across as predictable: Getting the "upper hand," "thank you for your time," "Got a minute." It was well enough done that I would consider seeing a second Justin Timberlake film. Too much beating-the-clock-by-seconds, though. While the chase scenes and chase themes were somewhat original, they were still Hollywood chase scenes, which are boringly repetitious.
33. Hyde Park on Hudson (2012)
R | 94 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
The story of the love affair between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret "Daisy" Suckley, centered around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of the United Kingdom visited upstate New York.
Director: Roger Michell | Stars: Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Williams, Samuel West
Votes: 12,360 | Gross: $6.37M
I hope it was just the Bill Murray portrayal that made FDR seem wacky. Was this movie made to declare that it's likely all U.S. Presidents were lying womanizers? I suspect the idea was to tell the story that gave this movie a base: a woman who lived a somewhat secret life in the company of the President. Unfortunately, barely 20 percent of the movie stayed true to the story, and so much else was filler. Categorize this one as superficial entertainment, not historical drama.
34. Life of Pi (2012)
PG | 127 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.
Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Adil Hussain, Tabu
Votes: 666,300 | Gross: $124.99M
High points for creativity and diversity. Low points for seeming to drag out the story just a bit too long. I became numb to the "will he" or "won't he" survival aspect after a while. The island scene was perhaps the most rediculous. But then, it was all a metaphor, was it not?
35. The Iron Lady (2011)
PG-13 | 105 min | Biography, Drama
An elderly Margaret Thatcher talks to the imagined presence of her recently deceased husband as she struggles to come to terms with his death while scenes from her past life, from girlhood to British prime minister, intervene.
Director: Phyllida Lloyd | Stars: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Susan Brown
Votes: 113,568 | Gross: $30.02M
Excellent historical drama presentation and superb-as-always Meryl Streep performance. A movie where "it's all about me" was the appropriate way to present her rise to prominance, glory, and legacy.
36. Brake (I) (2012)
R | 92 min | Thriller
A Secret Service agent is held captive in the trunk of a car and endures mental and physical torture as terrorists attempt to extract information for their plot against the President of the United States.
Director: Gabe Torres | Stars: Stephen Dorff, Chyler Leigh, JR Bourne, Tom Berenger
Votes: 12,059
Brake? Most appropriate title would be "Twist and Turn." A limited cast and a limited set - - basically the trunk of a car or the back-end of some other sort of vehicle. Give it some marks for creativity of production and pretty good acting. Those positives are offset by a limited, somewhat predictable yet somewhat absurd story line.
37. Killing Kennedy (2013 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 87 min | Biography, Drama, History
Based on Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard's best seller comes this shocking thriller starring Rob Lowe and Ginnifer Goodwin. As John F. Kennedy (Lowe) rises to become U.S. president, a ... See full summary »
Director: Nelson McCormick | Stars: Rob Lowe, Will Rothhaar, Jack Noseworthy, Casey Siemaszko
Votes: 3,731
Better than the book by the same name on which is was based. Well, "that was easy!" Skipping the salacious parts of the story was a good choice for the movie, sticking more closely to the point of the title. The movie had action, which the book lacked. Ginnifer Goodwin is quite good, which was expected after seeing her steal scenes in "Ramona and Beezus."
38. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
R | 87 min | Documentary, Comedy, Crime
Following the style of some of the world's most prolific street artists, an amateur filmmaker makes a foray into the art world.
Director: Banksy | Stars: Banksy, Mr. Brainwash, Space Invader, Debora Guetta
Votes: 68,785 | Gross: $3.29M
Smile, you're going to enjoy this. No, maybe it's just me. Sometimes I like the quirky nature of (certain) people, and this movie profiles an oddball that doesn't know the meaning of "can't" or the meaning of ... well ... much at all! Still he makes something of his life in the most unusual way, as a hobby first then a vocation. As a plus, this flick is a good basic primer on the world of graffiti, er, "street art."
39. The Baytown Outlaws (2012)
R | 98 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
When three redneck brothers agree to help a woman save her godson from an abusive stepfather, they become targets on the run from an odd cast of characters.
Director: Barry Battles | Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Eva Longoria, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Clayne Crawford
Votes: 15,988
Thankfully this didn't last long. Nice for a few people to get a payday, but not much here. Move along, move along.
40. Lured (1947)
Approved | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
British police are after a serial killer who lures his female victims through newspaper personal ads and sends cryptic poem clues to the cops.
Director: Douglas Sirk | Stars: George Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn, Boris Karloff
Votes: 4,799
What fun to see Lucy in a serious role!
41. Chaplin (1992)
PG-13 | 143 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
An elderly Charlie Chaplin discusses his autobiography with his editor, recounting his amazing journey from his poverty-stricken childhood to world-wide success after the ingenious invention of the Little Tramp.
Director: Richard Attenborough | Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Geraldine Chaplin, Paul Rhys, John Thaw
Votes: 62,168 | Gross: $9.49M
A challenging portrayal for Robert Downey Jr., but I think he pulls it off. Chaplin is a legend, so playing him in his life story would seem to be a foreboding assignment, but this is pretty well acted. It was great to see clips of the old films, and then to have those re-enacted in this show.
42. The Butler (I) (2013)
PG-13 | 132 min | Biography, Drama
As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.
Director: Lee Daniels | Stars: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda
Votes: 119,698 | Gross: $116.63M
Sound storytelling is enough to offset the slow pace. They could have done a better job capturing the dawning of the age of Aquarius and other periods of the film, but I admit that was difficult for Hollywood in something that spans such a great length.
43. The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012)
R | 130 min | Drama, Thriller
A young Pakistani man chasing corporate success on Wall Street finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family's homeland.
Director: Mira Nair | Stars: Riz Ahmed, Liev Schreiber, Kiefer Sutherland, Kate Hudson
Votes: 14,577 | Gross: $0.52M
While slow-moving, this story draws you into many worlds and your thoughts on them. It's a bit of history and a lot of personal exploration. I was surprised (and pleased) that the big "name" actors didn't get the top billing, as Riz Ahmed commands the screen from start to finish.
44. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Drama
Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.
Director: Stephen Chbosky | Stars: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd
Votes: 547,442 | Gross: $17.74M
Quite good, even if not the landmark, blockbuster movie that some viewers pronounce it to be. The mix of quirky, serious, poignant, and heartful scenes is exceptional. Wonderfully written and well-acted characters. I could watch this one again.
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