2013 in Film

A surprisingly hilarious yet entertaining dramedy about a woman searching for her son who was adopted. Judi Dench shines as does Alan Partridge (I meant Steve Coogan) with their conversations and expeditions to Ireland and the U.S.

Tough-as-nails, violent, and drawn-back experience showcasing the horrors of slavery. While prone to get very fiery in its political perspective, the film does have strong performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender. This is Roots for the new generation.

A funnier version than The Hangover...but with actors over 55 years old. The joie-de-vivre and tone is light-hearted but nothing really in it that disappointed me. The jokes put some 15-cert. comedies to shame even if a 12A/12-cert.

An insightful and hilarious comedy that is more of a comical critique on male sexuality in their 20s than just another boring rom-com. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's debut film is lively, crude, and has plenty of ideas up its belt.

Pixar's finest film since Toy Story 3 and The Incredibles. A college comedy for the ages that everyone in the family can enjoy. A very well-written script, funny dialogues, realistic emotions for an animated film, and the sounds of screaming from the monsters that could easily startle a 5-year-old.

A mild-mannered, take a trip type of film that doesn't ask for a lot but it's nice to watch. A loner at best exploring across the Northern oceans of Earth and a not-really-marketed-at-children PG-cert. all intrigues me here.

Less tough to bite than 12 Years a Slave, The Butler has an Oscar-worthy performance from Forest Whitaker. The fictionalised account within the framework of American history is not only intriguing but at times funny and depressing all at the same time.

Violent and disturbing crime drama about Richard Kuklinski has an excellent performance from Michael Shannon. While not all too accurate from the real-life criminal, it makes up for it with intriguing juxtaposition of his family life and contract killings.

A visually stunning docudrama that takes into perspective the 'No' vote against Augusto Pinochet's regime. While it has a political motivation (given it was produced by Participant Media), it makes up for it with insightful commentary about the workings of political campaigning and media all of which the more relevant since there was an election last year in America.

A taxing yet intense and well-performed adventure drama where the great Robert Redford is stuck in the Indian Ocean with nothing but to fend for himself and his boating gear.

As confessed, Michael Bay's foray into dark crime comedy wasn't that bad as everyone made it out to be. An excellently filmed opening sequence, rude, anti-social demeanour, and Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise made up for the bad press. More reminiscent to Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino than Mr. Bay really.

A baffling and overlong crime comedy that would've been more easy to digest if 2 hours or less than 3 hours. An entertaining and hilarious opening but nothing more than just an over-the-top, drawn-out comment on vice and avarice.

Very much by-the-numbers but a cold yet well-performed account into the last hours of Oscar Grant.

Like a woodsy History of Violence but with a definitive ending. Nothing to marvel at but a taut and nicely done thriller about a man escaping it from it all. The scenery and grim setting is neat and fitting to Mortensen's persona.