Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Year-End Round-Up: Movie Highlights of 2013

At one point in time, I used to make a goal to see at least 40 theatre movies a year, but those times have come and gone. I now make a more realistic goal of seeing 10 to 12 movies a year because, let's face it, it is getting more and more expensive to go to the movies - between ticket and parking costs - and the continual barrage of cell phones that people simply cannot, and in many case,s will not turn off for a few hours to enjoy a movie. It is simply not worth going anymore. Am I right or am I right?



Anyway, I took in a few free screenings this year - sadly, none of which are worth commenting on - I hit up a couple of summer blockbusters, namely MAN OF STEEL and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS and I saw some fun flicks like MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, AUSTENLAND and FROZEN. In addition, I got to see the independent film THE BOOK THIEF, which I high recommend by the way, and enjoyed the action flicks THOR: THE DARK WORLD, THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE and THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES. Out of the dozen movies I saw this year I have to say MAN OF STEEL was, by far, my favorite.




But my opinion on what was available in the movie theatres throughout 2013 is only of real value to me, so let's take a look at the films that ranked as the top 25 movies of the year according to the good folks over at Box Office Mojo.



Please note that the following list only covers through the December 21-December 22 box office weekend, as the final two weeks of December, obviously, won't be fully tallied until the very beginning of January.



Here's the list:



1. IRON MAN 3 - 409 million

2. THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE - 372 million

3. DESPICABLE ME 2 - 368 million

4. MAN OF STEEL - 291 million

5. MONSTERS UNIVERSITY - 269 million

6. GRAVITY - 254 million

7. FAST & FURIOUS 6 - 239 million

8. OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL - 235 million

9. STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS - 229 million

10. WORLD WAR Z - 202 million

11. THOR: THE DARK WORLD - 201 million

12. FROZEN - 192 million

13. THE CROODS - 187 million

14. THE HEAT - 160 million

15. WE'RE THE MILLERS - 150 million

16. THE GREAT GATSBY - 145 million

17. THE CONJURING - 137 million

18. IDENTITY THIEF - 135 million

19. GROWN UPS 2 - 134 million

20. THE WOLVERINE - 133 million

21. THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG - 128 million

22. G.I. JOE: RETALIATION - 123 million

23. NOW YOU SEE ME - 118 million

24. LEE DANIEL'S THE BUTLER - 116 million

25. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 - 115 million



Meanwhile, I compiled a list of the movies that were either a disappointment at the box office or simply had horrible-looking trailers (they appear in alphabetical order):



21 AND OVER

A HAUNTED HOUSE

ADMISSION

ANCHORMAN 2

BAD GRANDPA

DARK SKIES

DELIVERY MAN

EVIL DEAD

GIRL MOST LIKELY

GROWN UPS 2

HANSEL & GRETEL

IDENTITY THIEF

INSIDIOUS CHAPTER 2

MACHETE KILLS

MAMA

MOVIE 43

PACIFIC RIM

PARADISE

SMURFS 2

SPRING BREAKERS

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D

THE CONJURING

THE BIG WEDDING

THE HANGOVER PART III

THE HEAT

THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE

THE INTERNSHIP

THE LAST EXORCISM, PART II

THE PURGE

THE TO DO LIST

THIS IS THE END

WE'RE THE MILLERS



But, if you don't agree with my list of worst films, how about what TIME MAGAZINE had to say were the top 10 worst films of 2013.



Here is their list:



1. GROWN UPS 2

2. SALINGER

3. THE HOST

4. AFTER EARTH

5. R.I.P.D.

6. ONLY GOD FORGIVES

7. THE BIG WEDDING

8. THE COUNSELOR

9. OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

10. THE HANGOVER III



What movies did you most enjoy seeing this year? Which movies were disappointments to you? Please share your thoughts and comments.



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