Top 5 movies of 2013 - My list is arguable and that's fine with me.

Can you believe 2013 is pretty much over?  I feel like it just started and I was eagerly awaiting new movies such as Catching Fire, Fast 6, Iron Man 3, and Despicable Me 2.  I've seen all of those and many more.  It was tough trying to decide which were my top favorites because there were actually some really good movies out this year.  Most on my list won't be on yours like Iron Man 3, and we could argue all day why or why not, but this is my blog and these are my opinions.  Let's get into it:

5.  Star Trek Into Darkness - This movie is on the list for being my favorite sci-fi movie this year.  As I stated in my review,  "It's very hard to do a prequel, let alone a sequel to a prequel...".  As a self-proclaimed trekkie, I enjoyed how they tied the old with the new and kept it fresh and entertaining.  Check out my thoughts on the prequel sequel, or is it sequel prequel?  Star Trek Into Darkenss review

4.  Fast and Furious 6 - The movie with the most man candy should definitely make the list.  I don't know how this franchise keeps getting better especially after a few bust in the middle, but Fast 6 might be the best of the bunch.  After the sudden passing of Paul Walker, I wonder how many more they can make.  Fast 7 is set to be finished and released in 2015, but for now read my review and go check out the film if you haven't already.  Fast and Furious 6 review

3.  Best Man Holiday - After waiting 14 years to make a sequel to The Best Man, they had better gotten it right, and they did.  This was the most moving movie of the year.  I told you to bring a box of kleenex with you, but I hope you also brought your funny bone because BMH brought the laughs too.  It was great to see what some of our favorite character were doing and how they have evolved with time.  This is such a great movie to watch throughout the whole year, and you can read my review throughout the entire year as well.  The Best Man Holiday review

2.  Despicable Me 2 - My coworkers would unfriend me if this didn't make the list since we are all pretty much obsessed with minions.  I absolutely positively loved Despicable Me, and I was over the moon when I heard there would be a sequel.  I was even happier when it was just as funny if not funnier than the first.  Despicable Me 2 is the best animated film this year, and I hope my review will convince you to see it if you haven't already.  Despicable Me 2 review

1.  World War Z - There weren't any vampire movies this year for me to place on the list, but zombies made up for it.  I'm not into zombie movies, but World War Z and Brad Pitt were pretty bad arse.  The action and graphics were amazing!  I was on the edge of my seat, and looking over my shoulder for a zombie attack.  My review is short and sweet, but don't let my few words fool ya.  This is one great movie that everyone will enjoy.  It's the best zombie movie of 2013, and to me, the best movie of 2013.
World War Z review

And what is the worst movie of the year?  It's a tie between Tyler Perry's Temptation and Monsters University.  Both had their problems and issues.  I wouldn't recommend either.  Temptations review

Monsters University

In 2013, we saw many sequels and prequels.  The next year shall bring even more.  I'm most excited to see the new Transformers and X-Men movies.  I hope they live up to their predecessors.  Check out this  list for 2014'a upcoming movies, and check back here with Coach C for my thoughts on them all (or all that I get to see).  Have a happy and healthy new year!!!

47 Ronin - Samurai, need I say more

I love a good action film that involve samurai.  Doesn't everyone?  Well, if you do, you should definitely go see 47 Ronin starring Keanu Reeves as Kai, the half-breed slave.  It's full of mystic, mayhem, and melee.

Kai is asked to help Oishi get revenge on Kira for murdering their master and marrying his daughter, Mika.  Kai and Mika have a forbidden love because of their different heritages.  After a year of banishment, Oishi rounds up his samurai group of warriors to take down Kira who has a witch doing his bidding.

The sword play in this feature is great!  I love to see good hand to hand combat along with the slicing and dicing of a samurai sword.  There is little blood even with all the fighting, and only 2 heads roll, so if you don't like blood and guts, then you are in luck because this PG-13 movie keeps the excitement of fighting without the gore.  If you or your man likes a great fantasy action film based on some truths, then 47 Ronin is for you.

Grudge Match - 12 rounds too many

My family has a tradition of going to the movies Christmas night, and trying to support a black movie if possible.  We tend to celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, go our separate ways on Christmas Day, and then come back together for a movie that evening.  I've missed a few years living in NY, but I happened to make it home this year, and this year we decided to see Grudge Match starring 70-year-old Robert De Niro and 67-year-old Sylvester Stallone.  Let's be clear, my family only wanted to see it because of Kevin Hart, not the two old, wrinkly, shirtless men.

Grudge Match is about two boxers passed their prime coming together to settle a 30 year old grudge match.  During this process, Razor, played by Stallone, rekindles an old flame played by Kim Basinger who has aged well, and Kid, played by De Niro, connects with his son and grandson after 30 years.  During all of this, Kevin Hart's character, Dante, is trying to kick start his promoting career with this silly fight because who really wants to see two old men battle it out just to say they finally settled things?

This isn't a bad movie; it's just a long movie.  It has 12 rounds too many.  The point could have been made around round three.  But no, they had to go on and on and introduce new information in the 10th round.  It's less than two hours long, but it felt like a three hour movie which isn't very good.  It was slow in a lot of parts, and it took forever to get to the actual boxing match.  The only saving grace is Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin who plays Razor's long-time and ailing but comical trainer.  Kevin Hart is hilarious without even opening his mouth, and Alan Arkin plays the old guy very well...because he is.

I don't understand why Hollywood won't let old stars go, but I guess they gotta make a living somehow.  Hollywood keeps letting actors fight in the 12th round when their career should have been knocked out around round six just like in Grudge Match.  Well Stallone still looks pretty decent, but neither him nor De Niro should ever be shirtless and sweaty on film ever again in life.  I'd only watch this movie again just to laugh at Kevin Hart, other than that it was 12 round KO to me.

The Hobbit 2 - Ain't nobody got time for that long arse name or movie

I'm going to keep this short and sweet unlike this 3 hour movie...The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is long but entertaining if you can stay awake through it all.  I'm not 100% sure what's happening throughout the entire film, but I will say this sequel is slightly easier to follow than the first one: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

From what I can understand, the dwarves and Bilbo, a hobbit, have to go to this castle to steal the Arkenstone from a dragon to help Thorin, the leader of the dwarves, reclaim his kingdom somehow.  At the same time, they are being chased by Orcs, these hideous creatures, and elves.  One of the elves has kinda fallen for one of the dwarves who is in danger.  Gandolf is somewhere with his brother, at least I think it's his brother, doing something for some reason.  That part I clearly didn't understand.

Needless to say, there was a lot of action and the dragon and other creatures were pretty cool.  I did fall asleep for about 15 minutes, but when you have 3 hours to sit there, what's 15 minutes?  The sequel was much better than the first, and if this is anything like The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the third one will be even better and even longer.  We'll see how true this statement is next year.  Until then, I'll take a few naps.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom - RIP Nelson Mandela

One day after the passing of Nelson Mandela, I finally was able to see Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.  Nelson Mandela was such an uplifting and inspirational man, and yet his movie really wasn't.  Mandela's story is one of triumph and perseverance, and sadly, his biopic didn't do his powerful story justice.

Truth be told, I only wanted to see ii because I'm hopelessly in love with Idris Elba, not really because I was interested in Mandela's story.  Sad, but true.  I was hoping that after I stopped lusting after Idris, I could focus on the movie, learn something new, and be inspired.  It was easy to stop lusting after those shower and sex scenes, but focus and inspired I was not.  Mostly because the movie wasn't really focused or inspirational.  I did learn something new, but it's nothing I couldn't have learned from google or wikipedia.

Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela was superb.  I'm really hoping for an Academy Award nomination for him.  He really transformed himself.  But, I've known how great of an actor he is for some time, and now it's time for others to recognize his talent.  Naomie Harris as Winnie Mandela was strong and emotional, but these two weren't enough to make this movie great.  It just seemed like a hodge podge of scenes showing the actors at their best and worse with little to no backstory, information, or reason for what is happening.  If you had absolutely no clue what really happened in real life, you'd be left wanting.

In the two and a half plus hours of movie, you would think I'd feel ready to take on the world, but instead, I left feeling disjointed and disappointed.  I really wanted this movie to be great for the sake of my future husband and for the legacy of Nelson Mandela, but it wasn't.  It was tv movie good at best.  The world lost a great freedom fighter and civil rights leader yesterday, but unfortunately Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom doesn't even begin to explain how great of a man he was and how important he is to South Africa and the world.  Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela.  You deserve it.

Next week:  The Hobbit Part 2