Subculture’s Dave Griffiths takes a look at the top ten movies of 2013 for Entertainment Scene 360. You can check out the Entertainment Scene 360 article here.
Entertainment news and reviews
Subculture’s Dave Griffiths takes a look at the top ten movies of 2013 for Entertainment Scene 360. You can check out the Entertainment Scene 360 article here.
Well the sun has set on another year in cinema land. Films came, films went. Some exceeded expectations, others went away quickly never to be watched again. But if you are looking for the cream of the crop in 2013, then these are this writer’s favorite ten films.
“Django Unchained” – This is a borderline film for most people’s Top Ten lists this year. In some countries it opened in 2012, in other countries it opened in January 2013, so let’s call it a 2013 film. “Django Unchained” was director/screenwriter Quentin Tarantino at his absolute best. The script sizzled with great one liners and brilliant characterization and while the film did lapse a little (incidentally at about the time that Tarantino himself appeared on the screen), the film did more than enough to be one of this year’s best films. As if the script wasn’t enough to win you over, you then have some marvellous performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson that make this film a must see.
“The Way Way Back” – Every now and then a coming-of-age film comes along that reminds you just how good this genre can be when it is done the right way. Directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash certainly go the formula right when they put together “The Way Way Back.” The film saw Steve Carell play one of the best against-type roles of all time as he played the emotional abusive father of Duncan (Liam James) while Sam Rockwell put in one of the finest performances of his career as he played the fun-loving owner of a water theme park. If you didn’t get to see “The Way Way Back” when it hit cinemas make sure you check it out when it reaches shelves on DVD.
“Mud” – There was a time when actor Matthew McConaughey was considered a joke. He acted in poorly written romantic comedies that used him more for his looks rather than acting ability. As a result people started to believe that McConaughey was a poor actor, but he turned that around with some great performances in “Bernie” and “Magic Mike.” 2013 saw McConaughey deliver another powerful performance in “Mud,” a small-time drama in which he plays an escaped convict using an island as a hideaway who uses two local boys Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) to help him escape. Director, Jeff Nichols, manages to make this drama an intense thriller by drawing the audience in and making them wonder exactly what Mud is hiding or willing to do in his escape.
“Rust And Bone” – When people talk about some of the acting performances of 2013, it is surprising how many people seem to skip right over Marion Cotillard’s performance in French film “Rust And Bone.” In what is at times a harrowing film Cotillard plays Stephanie, a young woman who loses her legs in an accident involving a killer whale at the marine park at which she works. In an extraordinary piece of screenwriting, Stephanie’s life is completely turned upside down when she meets Alain (Matthias Schoenaerts), an out-of-luck guy who loves to get involved in backyard fights. “Rust And Bone” may have been a gritty drama, but it is also one of the most intense romances to have surfaced in 2013, making it one of the most underrated films of the year.
“Prisoners” – One of the biggest surprises of this year has been the fact that when all the talk of Oscar nominations has been circulating, the film “Prisoners” hasn’t been getting more love. To be blunt “Prisoners” is one of the best crime thrillers to have surfaced since “Silence Of The Lambs.” Director, Denis Villeneuve makes this an intense thriller that sees Australian Hugh Jackman play Keller Dover a father who is pushed to the absolute extreme when his daughter goes missing along with her friend. Out-acting Jackman, just, is Jake Gyllenhaal who plays one of the most intriguing script cops of all time in Detective Loki. This is one crime thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.
“Flight” – With “Flight,” cinema goers walked into the cinema expecting to see another disaster film. Denzel Washington would play a pilot who had to save a plane load of people as something went wrong … it would be a simple film right? Director, Robert Zameckis surprised everyone by delivering a film that opened with pilot, Whip Whitaker (Washington) snorting cocaine and drinking before boarding a flight. The film then became a well-written thriller after the plane crashes and the investigation tries to work out whether Whip is a hero or a villain. Sensational writing and a great performance by Washington makes for one hell of a film.
“The Paperboy” – One of the other big surprises of 2013 was the film “The Paperboy.” Zac Efron doesn’t normally spell one of the films of the year but this time the young actor really delivered. Efron plays Jack Jansen, a young boy that works at his father’s local newspaper who teams up with his older brother Ward (Matthew McConaughey) who is a journalist working on a racial murder case. Director, Lee Daniels, gets the absolute best out of his cast. Efron and McConaughey are sensational and are well supported by Nicole Kidman and John Cusack, who both act against type remarkably well.
“Broken” – Just when it looked like it was going to be a lean year for British films along came “Broken.” Directed by Rufus Norris “Broken” was a nasty little film that showed British society at its absolute worst. Told through the eyes of a young girl named Skunk (Eloise Laurence), “Broken” tells the story of the violent events that occur at the end of what should be quite English street. From a man who accused of being a sexual monster, to a broken marriage that is affecting some young children and a father who simply cannot cope any more, this is a film where the audience is left wondering who (if anyone) is going to be left emotionally okay (or even alive) by the final credits. “Broken” is British drama at its best.
“What Maisie Knew” – Another surprisingly good film for 2013. On the surface “What Maisie Knew” looked like it would be a film that should be on the Hallmark channel. Instead it became a gritty drama told through the eyes of a young girl named Maisie (Onata Aprile). This young girl becomes the victim of a bitter custody battle between her washed up rock star mother, Susanna (Julianne Moore), and her proud art-dealing Dad, Beale (Steve Coogan). The film had the power to emotionally affect anybody watching it as it soon becomes painfully plain that neither parents want the girl; they just don’t want their ex-partner to have her. “What Maisie Knew” delivers one of the most emotional scripts of the year.
“The Railway Man” – Rounding out the top ten is a late contender with the Australian/British co-production “The Railway Man.” Over the years a lot of filmmakers have told the story of how men cope when they return from war. Few, however, have focused on a story where a victim returns and faces the man who tortured them. Based on a hit novel, “The Railway Man” centers around Eric Lomax (Colin Firth), a man whose war demons come to the surface after he has married Patricia Wallace (Nicole Kidman). As the ghosts who have haunted him since he was a POW forced to work on the Thai Burma Railway come to the fore, Patricia inspires him to return to the scene of the crime, unaware that it will result in a tense standoff with Nagase (Hiroyuki Sanada). The scenes of the two men confronting each other made for some of the best cinematic moments of 2013.
It would be neglectful not to also mention the following films when talking about the best films of 2013. Also worth a look is “Thanks For Sharing” (with a surprisingly good performance by Pink), “Lygon Street: Si Parla Italiano,” “West Memphis Three,” “Trance,” “A Place Beyond The Pines,” “Performance (A Late Quartet),” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Compliance,” “The Impossible,” “Warm Bodies” and “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints.”
Now that 2013 is out of the way, it is time to wait and see what new gems film lovers can uncover in 2014. Bring it on!
The boys from ‘The Good The Bad The Ugly Film Show’ take a look at the best films performances when an actor has gone against type.
And the winners are:
BEST PICTURE
Winner: Argo
Other Nominees: Beasts Of The Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life Of Pi, Lincoln, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty
BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)
Other Nominees: Marion Cotillard (Rust & Bone), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Emmaunelle Riva (Amour), Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts Of The Southern Wild), Naomi Watts (The Impossible)
BEST ACTOR
Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)
Other Nominees: Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook), John Hawkes (The Sessions), Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables), Joaquin Phoenix (The Master), Denzel Washington (Flight)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)
Other Nominees: Alan Arkin (Agro), Javier Bardem (Skyfall), Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook), Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln), Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)
Other Nominees: Amy Adams (The Master), Judi Dench (Skyfall), Ann Dowd (Compliance), Sally Field (Lincoln), Helen Hunt (The Sessions)
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Winner: Silver Linings Playbook
Other Nominees: Argo, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Les Miserables, Lincoln, Moonrise Kingdom
BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Ben Affleck (Argo)
Other Nominees: Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty), Tom Hooper (Les Miserables), Ang Lee (LIfe Of Pi), David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook), Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Other Nominees: John Gatins (Flight), Rian Johnson (Looper), Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master), Wes Anderson/Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom), Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: Tony Kushner (Lincoln)
Other Nominees: Chris Terrio (Argo), David Magee (Life Of Pi), Stephen Chbosky (The Perks Of Being A Wallflower), David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Winner: Wreck-It Ralph
Other Nominees: Brave, Frankenweenie, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, ParaNorman, Rise Of The Guardians
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Winner: Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts Of The Southern Wild)
Other Nominees: Elle Fanning (Ginger & Rosa), Kara Hayward (Moonrise Kingdom), Tom Holland (The Impossible), Logan Lerman (The Perks Of Being A Wallflower), Suraj Sharma (Life Of Pi)
BEST ACTION MOVIE
Winner: Skyfall
Other Nominees: The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper
BEST ACTOR IN A ACTION MOVIE:
Winner: Daniel Craig (Skyfall)
Other Nominees: Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Rises), Robert Downey Jnr. (The Avengers), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper), Jake Gyllenhaal (End Of Watch)
BEST ACTRESS IN A ACTION MOVIE
Winner: Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games)
Other Nominees: Emily Blunt (Looper), Gina Carano (Haywire), Judi Dench (Skyfall), Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises)
BEST COMEDY MOVE
Winner: Silver Linings Playbook
Other Nominees: Bernie, Ted, This Is 40, 21 Jump Street
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Winner: Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook)
Other Nominees: Jack Black (Bernie), Paul Rudd (This Is 40), Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street), Mark Wahlberg (Ted)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Winner: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Other Nominees: Mila Kunis (Ted), Shirley MacLaine (Bernie), Leslie Mann (This IS 40), Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect)
BEST SCI-FI/HORROR FILM
Winner: Looper
Other Nominees: The Cabin In The Woods, Prometheus
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Winner: Amour
Other Nominees: Intouchables, En kongelig affaere, Rust And Bone
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEAUTRE
Winner: Searching For Sugar Man
Other Nominees: Bully, The Central Park Five, The Imposter, The Queen Of Versailles, West Of Memphis
BEST SONG
Winner: ‘Skyfall’ – Adele/Paul Epworth (Skyfall)
Other Nominees: ‘For You’ – Monty Powell/Keith Urban (Act Of Valor), ‘Learn Me Right’ – Mumford & Sons (Brave), ‘Suddenly’ – Claude-Michel Schonberg/Alain Boubil/Herbert Kretzmer (Les Miserables), ‘Still Alive’ – Paul Williams (Paul Williams Still Alive)
BEST SCORE
Winner: John Williams (Lincoln)
Other Nominees: Alexandre Desplat (Brave), Mychael Danna (Life Of Pi), Jonny Greenwood (The Master), Alexandre Desplat (Moonrise Kingdom)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Claudio Miranda (Life Of Pi)
Other Nominees: Danny Cohen (Les Miserables), Janusz Kaminski (Lincoln), Mihai Malaimare Jr. (The Master), Roger Deakins (Skyfall)
BEST ART DIRECTION
Winner: Sarah Greenwood/Katie Spencer (Anna Karenina)
Other Nominees: Dan Hennah/Ra Vincent/Simon Bright (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Eve Stewart/Anna Lynch-Robinson (Les Miserables), David Gropman/Anna Pinnock (Life Of Pi), Rick Carter/Jim Erickson (Lincoln)
BEST EDITING
Winner: William Goldenberg/Dylan Tichenor (Zero Dark Thirty)
Other Nominees: William Goldenberg (Argo), Melanie Oliver/Chris Dickens (Les Miserables), Tim Squyres (Life Of Pi), Michael Kahn (Lincoln)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Winner: Jacqueline Durran (Anna Karenina)
Other Nominees: Kym Barrett/Pierre-Yves Gayraud (Cloud Atlas), Bob Buck/Ann Maskrey/Richard Taylor (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Paco Delgado (Les Miserables), Joanna Johnston (Lincoln)
BEST MAKEUP
Winner: Cloud Atlas
Other Nominees: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Les Miserables, Lincoln
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Winner: Life Of Pi
Other Nominees: The Avengers, Cloud Atlas, The Dark Knight Rises, Teh Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
And the nominees are:
Best Motion Picture, Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Misérables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Richard Gere, Arbitrage
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Jack Black, Bernie
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables
Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Bill Murray, Hyde Park on the Hudson
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Emily Blunt, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith, Quartet
Meryl Streep, Hope Springs
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams, The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Best Director
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty
Tony Kushner, Lincoln
David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Quentin Taratino, Django Unchained
Chris Terrio, Argo
Best Foreign-Language Film
Amour (Austria)
A Royal Affair (Denmark)
The Intouchables (France
Kon-Tiki (Norway)
Rust and Bone (France)
Best Animated Feature Film
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph
Best Original Song, Motion Picture
“For You,” Act of Valor, Monty Powell & Keith Urban
“Not Running Anymore,” Stand Up Guys, Jon Bon Jovi
“Safe and Sound,” The Hunger Games, Taylor Swift. John Paul White, Joy Williams & T Bone Burnett
“Skyfall,” Skyfall, Adele & Paul Epworth
“Suddenly,” Les Misérables, Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil
Best Original Score, Motion Picture
Mychael Danna, Life of Pi
Alexandre Desplat, Argo
Dario Marianelli, Anna Karenina
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, Reinhold Heil, Cloud Atlas
John Williams, Lincoln
Best TV Movie or Miniseries
Game Change
The Girl
Hatfields & McCoys
The Hour
Political Animals
Best TV Series, Drama
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Homeland
The Newsroom
Best TV Series, Comedy
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash
Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Best Actor, TV Series Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis C.K., Louie
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama
Connie Britton, Nashville
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Marguiles, The Good Wife
Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Toby Jones, The Girl
Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Sienna Miller, The Girl
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals
Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed Harris, Game Change
Danny Huston, Magic City
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie
Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Cecile B. DeMille Award
Jodie Foster
5 STARS
4.5 STARS
LES MISERABLES
SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD
4 STARS
SIGHTSEERS
MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER
3.5 STARS
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
QUARTET
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
3 STARS
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2
2.5 STARS
2 STARS
1.5 STARS
1 STAR
FUN SIZE
Summary:In the tiny town of Carthage, Texas, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede is one of the town?s most beloved residents. Bernie befriends Marjorie Nugent, a sour and affluent older widow. Soon Bernie and Marjorie become inseparable and Marjorie becomes very dependent on Bernie, stifling his extroverted personality. Bernie is forced to quit his job and philanthropic activities in the community, leaving him deflated. Then things suddenly get better for Bernie and he seems his old generous self, while Marjorie is mysteriously absent. When Marjorie is discovered to have been dead for months Bernie Tiede is charged with murder, to the great surprise of the local community. From the director of SCHOOL OF ROCK and DAZED AND CONFUSED comes a hilarious and intelligent film based on real life events that astonished the people of Carthage and made them band together in support of their small-town hero . Starring Jack Black (TROPIC THUNDER), Shirley MacLaine (TERMS OF ENDEARMENT) and Matthew McConaughey (THE LINCOLN LAWYER) BERNIE is the story of everyone’s favourite killer and how he almost got away with murder.
Year: 2012
Australian Cinema Release Date: 16th August, 2012
Australian DVD Release Date: 26th December, 2012
Country: United States
Director: Richard Linklater
Screenwriter: Skip Hollandsworth, Richard Linklater
Cast: Jack Black (Bernie Tiede), David Blackwell (Mel), Brady Coleman (Scrappy Holmes), Rick Dial (Don Leggett), Larry Jack Dotson (Rev. Woodward), Julie Erikson (Mrs. Estes), Valerie Frazee (Robin), Raquel Gavia (Esmerelda), Mathew Greer (Carl), Grant James (Mr. Estes), Richard Jones (Professor Fleming), Tommy G. Kendrick (Larry Brumley), Gabriel Luna (Kevin), Shirley MacLaine (Marjorie Nugent), Merrilee McCommas (Molly), Matthew McConaughey (Danny Buck), Suzi McLaughlin (Mrs. Pebworth), Richard Robichlaux (Lloyd Hornbuckle), Brandon Smith (Sheriff Huckabee), Joe Stevens (Lewie), Charlie M. Stewart (Dwayne Jnr.), J.D. Young (Dwayne Nugent)
Runtime: 95 mins
Classification:M
Dave Griffiths’s ‘Bernie’ Review:
Let’s be honest Jack Black (The Muppets, The Big Year) has turned out some real turds over the years but his new film Bernie certainly isn’t one of them, in fact that this could well be the best film that Black has ever had released.
Black plays Bernie Tiede a God-fearing, well-loved funeral director that the entire township of Carthage, Texas is in awe of. There simply isn’t one person in the town who would ever say anything bad about Bernie.
Then Bernie officiates at the funeral of Marjorie Nugent’s (Shirley MacLaine – Valentine’s Day, Anne Of Green Gables: A New Beginning) husband and being his usual self decides to help out Marjorie in the weeks after the funeral. The two form a strong friendship, much to the surprise of the town’s people who consider Marjorie one of the biggest bitches to ever grace the planet.
And while it would be criminal to give away what happens next, let’s just say that soon District Attorney Danny Buck (Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike, Mud) is soon involved.
You have to hand it to screenwriter/director, Richard Linklater (Me And Orson Welles, A Scanner Darkly) with Bernie he has delivered one of the finest comedies to ever come out of America. Linklater makes the brave decision of using grabs from real residents of Carthage who knew both Bernie and Marjorie and whether or not their responses were scripted may never be known but they are some of the funniest answers you have ever heard… Texan humor at its absolute best.
The saddest thing about Bernie is that any synopsis you read or trailer you watch gives away the films big twist, something you would think that really annoyed Linklater seeing his script so carefully sets up what happens that it comes as a complete surprise for the audience. So if you’re planning on going and seeing Bernie it is recommended that you be very careful what you read.
Linklater is also blessed with an extremely talented cast. Jack Black absolutely shines as Bernie, and delivers one of the best character-driven performances that you are ever likely to see. He is well supported by Shirley MacLaine who as usual is terrific, but even she is overshadowed by Matthew McConaughey who is brilliant as Danny Buck… and once again we are reminded that when given the right script McConaughey can really deliver.
Bernie is the kind of film that has the potential to have you laughing until you cry. A brilliant comedy.
Other Subculture Media Reviews of Bernie: http://www.helium.com/items/2354411-movie-reviews-benie-2011.
Rating: 5/5 Stars