The Big Picture: MovieBob's Best of 2013
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I haven't seen Pain & Gain, I actually consciously avoided it, so that was my shock entry for this list. But Pacific Rim!? Hell fucking yeah! I literally went all emoticon :O when that one popped-out! Most people don't get it, some think they're over it, but as a piece of action geek filmmaking, it's pure joy. I'm gonna watch it again!
Ok true, it is simply personal preference, however he did organize them in such way. Instead Jim in the first episode detailed that it was not ordained in any particular order ( and repeated it in the next episodes ). It is kind of pointless anyway, since he himself recognizes it's probably not the best yet still put it there, it's already a bit of a troll from him.Strain42 said:
However just for the sake of discussion, I find it a bit pointless to advocate that, because its not mine you cant complain. after all I am not a mass communicator. If I had that position I'd be more inclined to search for more "objective" reasoning behind my preferences. And a more coherent, less wanton predilection. Of course he is "free" and we are all equally "free" to do whatever we want.
So why are we even discussing...I forgot.
My list of 2013.. I don't know. Maybe "before midnight". Rather simple, but very effective.
WHAT?! PACIFIC RIM?! MOVIE OF THE YEAR?!
I've lost ALL faith in you Bob. I can understand fanboyism placing it in at least a good position...but movie of the year? I cant take anything you say seriously anymore. How can a movie with such cringe be movie of the year? Badass robots is NOT ENOUGH! It was pretty awesome when Superman fought for the first time in Man of Steel as well and that was still a fucking awful movie.
Honestly. I dont know what to say. I am disappointed.
I've lost ALL faith in you Bob. I can understand fanboyism placing it in at least a good position...but movie of the year? I cant take anything you say seriously anymore. How can a movie with such cringe be movie of the year? Badass robots is NOT ENOUGH! It was pretty awesome when Superman fought for the first time in Man of Steel as well and that was still a fucking awful movie.
Honestly. I dont know what to say. I am disappointed.
Moviebob, we need to talk.
I like you; I trust you as a critic; I'm not one of those people who watches you primarily to hate on everything you say or do. But you are wrong about Pacific Rim.
I urge you, I beg you to go back and watch it with less clouded eyes. As you say in your baggage episode any number of things can cloud a critics vision with regard to this film, in this case you imply in other episodes that a lot of large blockbusters (Man of Steel; star trek into darkness) were duds this year, and I worry pacific Rim looks better by comparison. You also freely admit that you wanted to like it because it was doing something new.
But seriously rewatch it. Rewatch the tired comic-relief-scientist cliches. Rewatch the deus-ex-machina filled fight sequences(oh we have a sword). Rewatch the tired romances. The convoluted hard to follow fight scenes.
I couldn't believe my eyes when the showing of this I went to was in X-wide; Maybe Scope or iMax versions are available, but for fight scenes designed to have this epic sense of scale I found myself bored and unable to tell what was going on.
Not to mention the strange problems with the logistics of this future world; which makes it inherently harder to care about it. "Oh the Kaigu attack but we still had the time money and resources to put together super-hologram computer systems whilst also building giant mecha's and the ridiculous brain technology they work on." Or the entire world forgetting that a seawall is a REALLY REALLY dumb idea.
The monsters are all indistinguishable, we're told they are different 'levels' but are never given any context for this. At one point one of them pulls an EMP out of it's butt which is then immediately forgotten about.
But what I hate most about this film is how humanity win; I don't want to route for the guys who magically manage to drop a nuke behind their opponents and scamper away; that is not an epic victory. That is a sly backstabbing victory that just feels awkward and wrong. Now don't get me wrong some underhand tactics are all very interesting but that doesn't feel like the ending to a massive blockbuster. I would rather have had an awkward sequel hook in which the main plot was just setting up a return of the Jaigas over the seawall, than this drab idea for an ending.
Okay rant over. I'm not asking you to change your list as it's only your opinion at one time, but please go back and rewatch this film on another day to see if it hold up. I personally don't think it will.
Thanks for taking the time to read this,
k
I like you; I trust you as a critic; I'm not one of those people who watches you primarily to hate on everything you say or do. But you are wrong about Pacific Rim.
I urge you, I beg you to go back and watch it with less clouded eyes. As you say in your baggage episode any number of things can cloud a critics vision with regard to this film, in this case you imply in other episodes that a lot of large blockbusters (Man of Steel; star trek into darkness) were duds this year, and I worry pacific Rim looks better by comparison. You also freely admit that you wanted to like it because it was doing something new.
But seriously rewatch it. Rewatch the tired comic-relief-scientist cliches. Rewatch the deus-ex-machina filled fight sequences(oh we have a sword). Rewatch the tired romances. The convoluted hard to follow fight scenes.
I couldn't believe my eyes when the showing of this I went to was in X-wide; Maybe Scope or iMax versions are available, but for fight scenes designed to have this epic sense of scale I found myself bored and unable to tell what was going on.
Not to mention the strange problems with the logistics of this future world; which makes it inherently harder to care about it. "Oh the Kaigu attack but we still had the time money and resources to put together super-hologram computer systems whilst also building giant mecha's and the ridiculous brain technology they work on." Or the entire world forgetting that a seawall is a REALLY REALLY dumb idea.
The monsters are all indistinguishable, we're told they are different 'levels' but are never given any context for this. At one point one of them pulls an EMP out of it's butt which is then immediately forgotten about.
But what I hate most about this film is how humanity win; I don't want to route for the guys who magically manage to drop a nuke behind their opponents and scamper away; that is not an epic victory. That is a sly backstabbing victory that just feels awkward and wrong. Now don't get me wrong some underhand tactics are all very interesting but that doesn't feel like the ending to a massive blockbuster. I would rather have had an awkward sequel hook in which the main plot was just setting up a return of the Jaigas over the seawall, than this drab idea for an ending.
Okay rant over. I'm not asking you to change your list as it's only your opinion at one time, but please go back and rewatch this film on another day to see if it hold up. I personally don't think it will.
Thanks for taking the time to read this,
k
I'm not a critic and I loved it. It has a dreamy atmosphere, dark tones with critiques on culture, and some great acting. It LOOKS like a movie about criminals, but it's something else entirely. It's truly great.Gxas said:
That said, I can see how people would dislike it, as it is very vague, dreamy, and symbolic all the way through. I feel that subtlety is something lost on the audience of today, and this movie is subtle as hell. It's ending is open to interpretation, which bugs so many people.(I have no clue why, when does life give you definites.) I recommend watching it regardless to see if you like it.
....I'm waiting on the punchline for him marking Pacific Rim as number one.
Seriously? Gravity was let down by its characterisation but Pacific Rim gets through unscathed? Did we see the same film?
I actually agreed with Bob's number one last year, but that film was The Avengers and that film is more than mindless comic book violence, it has good characters and interactions and context to the cathartic comic book violence. I don't see how Pacific Rim is the same.
Edit:
Seriously? Gravity was let down by its characterisation but Pacific Rim gets through unscathed? Did we see the same film?
I actually agreed with Bob's number one last year, but that film was The Avengers and that film is more than mindless comic book violence, it has good characters and interactions and context to the cathartic comic book violence. I don't see how Pacific Rim is the same.
Edit:
Ninja'd me, but only because I took too long.kumquatlich said:
Lol! Pacific Rim is the best movie? Sure, giant robot and kaiju is impressive but the plot holes of that movie and the pacing feels like I'm watching Tranformers 2 and 3.
Seriously, *SPOILERS* Why the hell the giant robot didn't use the sword earlier and use that useless ship instead? Oh, and the whole thing can be much easier if they use projectile weapon instead of using their complicated fist, but nope, use fist is much more "badass" I guess. Even the final climax feels like The Independence Day when I expecting a monstrous kaiju badass fight.
Here I was confusing with the hate of people with The Hobbit, Desolation of Smaug.
Seriously, *SPOILERS* Why the hell the giant robot didn't use the sword earlier and use that useless ship instead? Oh, and the whole thing can be much easier if they use projectile weapon instead of using their complicated fist, but nope, use fist is much more "badass" I guess. Even the final climax feels like The Independence Day when I expecting a monstrous kaiju badass fight.
Here I was confusing with the hate of people with The Hobbit, Desolation of Smaug.
I thought Pacific Rim was terrible. Sure the 2nd big monster fight in the city is great stuff. But one good scene doesn't make up for horrible acting, and an even more horrible script. The writing is so bad in that movie, its often cringe worthy. That and the finally wasn't really good at all for an action set piece.
Pain and Gain is cool if you like GTA (for the satire at least) or something, you are shown a terrible story (as in bad morals) about terrible people but its from their perspective so it will try to convince you that they are right (the movie knows it and unless you are weak of mind you will never be rooting for them even if it seems like the movie wants you to, it doesnt).TheMemoman said:
For that alone it does create a somewhat original take on a somewhat familiar story (even if the story is based on real events that even manage to be more twisted then the ones on the movie). A lot of people felt that the movie was offensive as it portrayed the criminals as "good" but of the entire movie there really is only one good guy and the movie knows it by shitting all over the criminals ideals and making fun of how retarded excuses of space they were.
Its actually a movie that will make you think about how you feel in regards to what you just saw.
Well okay, it's Bob's list and he said to prepare for surprises and that it was merely his opinion now, but he still gives Spring Breakers way way WAY too much credit. Once you know to expect a subversive commentary on the spring break phenomenon, you realize that the movie has nothing else going for it. It's a 90-minute music video with some nice performances, but it blows its load 15 minutes in and Lonely Island did everything it did in 2 and a half minutes, but a lot funnier, more exciting and wittier.
I mean how boring is the film when not even a threesome in a pool can get me excited?
As for other entries,
- Pacific Rim is far from a movie of the year candidate for me, but I'll let Bob's nerd fanboyism run rampant on this one.
- Was surprised to see Only God Forgives on the runners-up considering the kicking it's received from critics and audiences alike.
- I'll maybe have to see Pain & Gain just to figure out what the hell Bob considers to be so good about it. Mark Kermode rated it one of the worst films of the year.
As for other entries,
- Pacific Rim is far from a movie of the year candidate for me, but I'll let Bob's nerd fanboyism run rampant on this one.
- Was surprised to see Only God Forgives on the runners-up considering the kicking it's received from critics and audiences alike.
- I'll maybe have to see Pain & Gain just to figure out what the hell Bob considers to be so good about it. Mark Kermode rated it one of the worst films of the year.
I haven't heard of most of the movies within your list. I plan to see the Hobbit and Anchorman 2 at some point over my break, but were some of these foreign or "indie" films?
I doubt that most of these movies are as terrible as everyone says. They might not be the best movies, but they sure are not the worst movies. No living being will ever be able to make a movie worse than Coleman Francis could.
I doubt that most of these movies are as terrible as everyone says. They might not be the best movies, but they sure are not the worst movies. No living being will ever be able to make a movie worse than Coleman Francis could.
This reminded me to finally watch Spring Breakers. Turned out to be kinda bullshit. Oh well.
Was also surprised to see Pacific Rim as high as #1.
Was also surprised to see Pacific Rim as high as #1.
About 95% of the time I know exactly if I'll like a movie based on Bob's reviews. Recently found that it's not always the case with Elysium but hey, 95% is pretty good. Guessed 6 movies on this list right and even though I had little hope it would be in there, I'm thrilled Blue is the Warmest Color made it! Beautiful story and some of the best acting I've ever seen. Together with Gravity and Spring Breakers that's my top 3 I think.
You know I really enjoyed the movie, even bought the 3D version after seeing it in the theater, but I've got to agree with you. It's a pretty much a by the numbers script.Zhukov said:
Hero screws up and loses someone they care about in the process. Hero then drops out of life and pretty much drifts till he/she gets recruited to save the day. Hero is shakey at first but regains former form through either the faith in him by a dieing mentor or the faith in him from a reluctant love interest, maybe even both. Hero uses hard one information gained by a side character's sacrifice to dig down deep and overcome self doubts due to previous failure. Hero wins the day and the love of the love interest. Fade to black as we see hero and love interest share an intimate moment.
Yup, that's by the numbers in my book. It did do what it did well, but it was pretty cliched in the process. It should of been more of a middle of the pack movie. Maybe Bob is a secret Sons of Anarchy fan.
I knew more of the runner up movies than I did of the actual top ten, as well as saw more of those movies. Most of Bob's top ten were movies that I have no desire to see. They are not my type.
The exceptions were Frozen (go see this now, people. Why have you not seen it yet? MOVE IT!) and Pacific Rim.
The exceptions were Frozen (go see this now, people. Why have you not seen it yet? MOVE IT!) and Pacific Rim.
