Review Of 2013

It's that time again when we embrace a new year and take a look at the past. After the monster year that was 2012, I didn't know what to expect in 2013. At the beginning it was looking a bit dreary but by the end it was a brilliant year for cinema. If 2012 was for the blockbusters then 2013 was for the more independent films, as most of the big films disappointed this year whereas the smaller films did anything but. Keep reading to find out my top 10 of the year, and although in the UK we didn't get Her or The Wolf of Wall Street in December, my list is made of what I think are still some pretty impressive pieces of work. In fact, some of my favourite films of all time are on this list.

10. Thor: The Dark World

I see thee yay! Thor: The Dark World was the least disappointing of the blockbusters and Marvel films this year. What we got was a great action, adventure film that was packed full of punches, hammer time and Tom Hiddleston. The end result was great and the film was one of the most enjoyable of the year! You can read my full review here.

9. Don Jon

Joseph Gordon-Levitt wasn't messing around when he made his directorial debut. He's no fool when it came to casting himself as the porn addicted John who gets to date Scarlett Johansen. He's also no fool as a director and writer as he proved by making a fast paced, very funny film about a subject that has been rarely touched upon in cinema. A great piece of work, I look forward to what he comes up with next!

8.  Catching Fire

This film surprised me as I was very negative towards it in the build up to it's release. But what came was a great sequel that was on par with its excellent predecessor and even made me question as to whether I enjoyed it more than the book. Katniss Everdeen and Jennifer Lawrence herself are great role models and I can't wait to see what's in store for the character and the actress next! Read my full review here.

7.The Dirties

After hearing about the film through one of Kevin Smith's podcasts, I made sure to check it out. The found footage film genre may be getting a bit tedious but this film goes and reinvents it all over again! A great story about young filmmakers and a subject that could cause a lot of controversy, but is handled in such a great way. If you haven't seen it yet then check it out! It's a very well made, touching and funny film. Read my full review here.

6. Blackfish

This is a documentary that made me very angry but thankfully in a good way. It's one the best documentaries I have seen and came as a bit of a shock to me. If you haven't seen it then you must do so straight away. You will never go to Sea World again. A well made portrayal of a scary and shocking subject. A must see.

5. Prisoners

Prisoner is one of the best made thrillers I have seen in a long while and it contains two of the best performances of the year from Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman. A brilliant film that will have you on the edge of your seat for the whole viewing. You can read my full review here.

4. Gravity

Every now and then a film comes along that pushes the boundaries of filmmaking further than ever before. This year Gravity was that film. An absolute masterpiece of a film of the likes that I have never seen before on the big screen. Cinema at its best. Gravity was truly exceptional. Read my full review here.

3. Mud

Mud is a great example of brilliant storytelling within a film. I am a sucker for a good story and this one feels straight away like an untold american classic. Matthew McConaughey puts on a brilliant performance as Mud, the fugitive who needs the help of two young local boys to reunite him with his love. It's a heartbreaking tale of love and innocence that really struck a chord with me. You can read my full review here.

2. Rush

Ron Howard may have made his finest piece of work in Rush, the true tale of two Formula 1 drivers and their competitive rivalry. The film itself is a high speed spectacle that truly does justice to the men and their stories as well as giving us a racing film for fans and non-fans of the motorsport a like. The story is almost too good to be true, but it is! And it is one that must be seen to be believed. A superbly brilliant film. You can read my full review here.

1. Before Midnight

Although I came in late to the Before trilogy it still saddened me deeply when we finally started to see some cracks in the what seemed perfect relationship of Jesse and Celine. After falling in love with both of the characters from the previous two films, it was easy to love this film straight away but, also like the first two, it feels honest and real. Richard Linklater is a brilliant writer and director but he would be nothing without his perfect leads who truly bring the film to life with a film that made me laugh and cry. I hope we see the couple again in film 9 years from now or, if we're lucky, maybe sooner. I haven't reviewed Before Midnight on my blog fully yet but I will probably soon do a piece on the whole trilogy as they are some of the best films I have ever seen.

Now onto my favourite TV shows of the year, this definitely could be one of the biggest years for TV yet.

5. Arrow Season 2

Arrow season 1 was a bit hit and miss, with a lot more misses than hits! However after its explosive finale it seems as if the show has embraced its comic book mythology and superhero genre with every episode of season 2 being solid. Black Canary, Deathstroke and The Flash are just a few of the exciting things already being pushed in the season. I cannot wait to see how the rest of it turns out!

4. Eastbound & Down Season 4

Eastbound & Down never fails to make me laugh, like really laugh, and that is why I love it! I'm not going to lie, the finale of the show was a bit of a letdown for me but the rest of it was comedy gold. The great thing about the show is that it also has these great heartfelt moments that really make it something special. It also proved to me that TV wasn't dead after the finale of Breaking Bad. Surely this isn't the last we've seen of Kenny Powers is it? I demand a film!

3. Girls Season 2

There is something about Girls that really gets me. Although I am male, I seem to find something in all the characters that I can relate to that really makes this show close to my heart. I feel Girls is doing for my generation what Kevin Smith did with Clerks for his. It truly captures the emotions and heart of the moment in my life that I am going through right now. I cannot wait for the third series to start!

2. Game of Thrones Season 3

The Red Wedding. I think that's all I need to say. One moment that truly captured the spirit of the show. Nobody's safe and unfortunately now in its third season I am starting to connect more and more with characters, making me worry as to who is going to make an exit next. The show looks incredible and boasts one of the most well rounded series around at the moment.

1. Breaking Bad Season 5

I'm not going to lie. I love Breaking Bad  more than any film I've seen. Blasphemy from a film student I know but it truly is a gem. We will not be seeing a show like this for a while. The story, the characters, the cinematography, I fell head over heels for it all. I'm still getting over the final episode but one thing is for sure, Breaking Bad will always have a special place in my heart. It's TV at its very best, the Citizen Kane of the small screen if you will. You can read my farewell post to the show here.

That concludes my review of the year. It's been a good one hasn't it! Next we have 2014, the passing year whilst we wait for the big daddy that is 2015. However we still have some crackers to come. If you want to check out what I am most looking forward to next year then you can do so here.

What were your favourite films and TV shows of the year? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading.

Goodbye Breaking Bad

SPOILER ALERT! Do not read unless you have seen Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 15 'Granite Slate'.

Still reading? Good. As you probably know Breaking Bad is coming to an end this Sunday and I wanted to write a post on it. This may be a movie blog but with TV as good as it is at the moment how could I not talk about the best show there is? In fact Breaking Bad is better then anything I have ever seen. It is one giant movie that has the most interesting storylines and brilliantly complex characters that every filmmaker can only dream of making.

I haven't been a viewer since day 1 and like a lot of people I started the show pretty late in. Actually it was about a year ago I was recommended the show and started watching and I have not turned back since. 3 T-shirts and 1 poster later we come to the finale, the episode we have all been waiting for and dreading at the same time. So what makes Breaking Bad so good?

For me it's the characters and the writers who have developed them. They are so well written that at times you love them and at times you hate them. Of course the most obvious example is Walter White, the good guy turned bad, the underdog who became a feared criminal in the drug rings of Albuquerque, as the notorious Heisenberg. Walter White is evil and manipulative yet we still find it in our hearts to root for him. Did anyone really want Hank to take him down? He was our underdog, he was the nerd that went out and did something. We've been with him from day one and we can't turn our backs on him just yet because we want him to succeed in a weird and twisted way. Maybe this is just me but I want an ending for Walter White that he is satisfied with, where he can take something from his experience before dying instead of thinking it was all for nothing, which at the moment it is and even more so after the heartbreaking phone call between him and Walter Jr. I must give credit where credits due though, I don't think anyone could pull off the character like Bryan Cranston, who is one of the best actors around at the moment along with the whole cast of Breaking Bad.

The character I most care for however is Jesse Pinkman. If Walter is breaking bad then I want Jesse to break good. Can Jesse be the only kind of happy ending for the show? I don't want him to die and I have spent every episode worrying that he would. I have been on edge ever since Walter gave him that one final hug before Jesse found out some horrifying truths. And last weeks episode even more so, I almost had heart failure when he was caught trying to escape creepy Todd and his neo-nazi buddies, only to find out that they would not kill him but instead make him suffer, with one of the shows most shocking and darkest moments. Unfortunately I've got a feeling the show may have a few of those left for the finale. But please Vince Gilligan, please let Jesse live, hasn't he been through enough?

The next best element about this show is it's filmmaking. Whoever comes on board to direct seems to to do a stellar job of making every episode of the show look and feel amazing. A lot of this may be down to the cinematography which has made some of the most beautiful looking shots on TV that just adds to the professionalism and ultimate cool style of the show.

I truly cannot get enough of Breaking Bad. It is an incredible piece of art that will remembered as the Citizen Kane of Television. I would be surprised if another show could come around soon and be just as good. This is why am dreading the finale, I just don't want it to end but know that it must. The final episode has a lot of plots to tie up but I know that the insanely good writers and filmmakers can create an ending that is entertaining, emotional and satisfying all whilst giving us the usual Breaking Bad charm that nothing will ever be as you expect. I don't want to predict the end, I want the writers to do that themselves and end it the way they believe is best. No doubt I will be an emotional wreck by the time the show is over. Goodbye Breaking Bad.

Thank you Breaking Bad for truly being the best show ever made.

SDCC 2013 Thoughts #6

This will most likely be my final post on the San Diego Comic Con of 2013, and what a convention it has been! Now this post has no new news on any of the latest films, this time it is a few bits of TV news from Breaking Bad, Doctor Who and Workaholics.

I love Breaking Bad more than anything out there in the film and TV world, so with the last 8 episodes ever soon to air I was hoping for a trailer with a little bit of footage to salivate over. However everything was kept on the down low without really any new information released in the panel. To be honest none of us want to know any spoilers from the last episodes as it is bound to have a few twists and turns on the way to the big finale. We were treated to a recap trailer which shows no new footage but relives the transformation of Walter White. Cue the goosebumps. 

Now onto Doctor Who where yet again the audience were treated to footage of the 50th anniversary whilst us at home have to wait for it to come online. Not too much new information was releases but we do now know that Matt Smith's version of The Doctor will be teaming up with David Tennant's Doctor and the previously revealed John Hurt version of The Doctor to fight the Daleks and the Zygons, a alien race last seen in an episode in the 70's. Whatever happens the 50th anniversary episode will sure be a monumental event in British television.

Lastly some tight butthole news (watch the show!) on my favourite comedy show Workaholics. Although it's too early for any footage reveals for the 4th season, Blake, Adam and Ders did tease possible cameos from Jamie Foxx and Robert De Niro. They are probably taking the mick but who knows from these guys? Here's a interview with Blake and Adam about the process of making the show and possible story lines for the next season:

Thanks for reading all my thoughts on the latest news from SDCC! It's been a great year for reveals from the convention and hopefully it will be just as big next year, in time for the monster of a year planned for 2015!