Curtis' Best of 2013.

Before I start let me first say there are a few movies I haven't seen yet that I wish I had gotten to... Inside Llewellyn Davis, All Is Lost, Dallas Buyers Club, and Her would be the main ones, but I got get this list done, so here you go.

This year has been killer for movies. I've seen a ton of great shit, and some not so great shit. I must say I've been pretty consistent with reviewing everything I watch, but a few of these titles I never got too... sorry. Either way, here are my top ten, then the rest of 2013 ranked.

1. The Wolf of Wall Street (Review)
2. Before Midnight (Review)
3. To the Wonder (Review)
4. Star Trek: Into Darkness (Review)
5. 12 Years A Slave (Review)
6. The Place Beyond the Pines (Review)
7. The Lords of Salem (Review)
8. Captain Phillips (Review)
9. Spring Breakers (Review)
10. The Hunt (Review)

There it is, feel free to disagree, I don't care... you are wrong. Here's the rest of what I saw in 2013.

11. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Review)
12. Stoker (Review)
13. Only God Forgives (Review)
14. Fruitvale Station (No Review: 4 1/2 Arnolds)
15. The Conjuring (Review)
16. Pacific Rim (Review)
17. Gravity (Review)
18. Behind the Candelabra (Review)
19. Side Effects (Review)
20. You're Next (Review)
21. Maniac (Review)
22. Prisoners (No Review: 3 1/2 Arnolds)
23. Frances Ha (No Review: 3 1/2 Arnolds)
24. Upstream Color (Review)
25. Mama (Review)
26. American Hustle (Review)
27. Bad Milo! (Review)
28. The Lone Ranger (Review)
29. World War Z (No Review: 3 Arnolds)
30. Elysium (Review)
31. Riddick (No Review: 3 Arnolds)
32. This Is the End (Review)
33. Pain & Gain (Review)
34. The Last Stand (Review)
35. Oz: The Great and Powerful (Review)
36. Prince Avalanche (Review)
37. Evil Dead (Review)
38. Man of Steel (Review)
39. VHS 2 (No Review: 2 1/2 Arnolds)
40. After Earth (Review)
41. A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (Review)
42. The Purge (No Review: 2 Arnolds)
43. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (No Review: 1 1/2 Anrolds)
44. Sharknado (Review)

12 Years A Slave

12 Years A Slave
(2014) [Trailer]
Director: Steve McQueen [IMDB]

It's crazy to think that slavery was abolished in the US only 150 years ago. It's also crazy to think that the practice of slavery still exists in some parts of the world today. The human species is a strange animal capable of incredible things and also horrific things. Slavery is an ugly scar in the timeline of humanity, it's something that should never be stamped out, and it shouldn't be sugar coated. George Orwell once said “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”

Synopsis: A free man living in New York is abducted from his family and forced into slavery for 12 years.

Before watching this, I heard a ton of hype... "best film of the year", "it's gonna win tons of oscars", "It's the most powerful film ever made"... after watching it, I can see why. Hype or no hype, 12 Years A Slave is a profound film and one that deserves any accolades it receives.

12 Years is a harsh and blunt look at slavery, taking no liberties with the subject matter. Within all the despair and heartache McQueen found way to take his style and make it work. The score, cinematography and editing bring a level of mastery that shows the promise he has as a director and I'm absolutely looking forward to more films from him. Side Note: I've only seen one other Steve McQueen film, Shame, and I really enjoyed it... read about it HERE.

History is important and 12 Years A Slave captures a part of it so effectively that it's hard not to recommend it. For what it was trying to achieve, it's perfect.