Best Movies of 2013 - Part 1

9)  Inside Llewyn Davis

I am the first to admit, I like everything that the Coen brothers do - one exception might be "Intolerable Cruelty," a movie that has a hilarious first half, then fizzles to a disappointing close.  When I read that they would turn their camera toward the folk rock scene of the 1960s, I was eager to see what they would produce.

"Inside Llewyn Davis" follows Davis through a week in his life as he struggles to make a living as a musician.  As with any Coen brothers movie, there are subplots (including a hilarious story line involving a cat) and bizarre, but not completely unbelievable, characters who dot Davis' adventure.  This is, after all, New York City during the 1960s.

The movie also incorporates the trademark Coen brothers "repeat."  Often times, it is a line said again and again, however, during "Inside Llewyn Davis," the brothers cleverly use time as the film's "repeat."  It caught me off guard.

There is some great acting, especially by Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver and a few famous faces playing smaller roles.  Music plays a central role and has an authentic sound (some of it so corny, I have to wonder how people found this so revolutionary and exciting).

Not as flat out funny as some of their other films, it is a movie that will be appreciated as time goes on.

A final kudos to the Coens' nod to their fellow Minnesotan during the film's final act.  Unforced and completely appropriate.


8)  Dallas Buyers Club

Matthew McConaughhey has quietly become America's best actor.  In 2013 and early-2014, he has turned in three very memorable performances in "Mud," "The Wolf of Wall Street," and "True Detective."  His role in "Dallas Buyers Club" is no exception.  McConaughhey  plays the title character with the same recklessness and physicality that the real Ron Woodroof lived (in turn leading to his contraction of HIV).  I would be surprised if he doesn't win the Best Actor Oscar this year.  It's unforgettable.

The same can be said about Jared Leto, nearly unrecognizable as Woodroof's transgender business partner - another memorable performance.

The film itself is honest and brutal.  Woodroof lives selfishly and without regard to himself or others.  When he finds himself with just months to live, he must look elsewhere for ways to extend his life so that he may eventually be given a cure.  A tough cowboy, he finds unconventional ways to survive, in turn finding a business opportunity to help others in a similar situation.

Much like Soderbergh's "Side Effects," the film is a criticism of our medical system and big pharmaceutical companies.  Public health versus profit versus ethics.

Fantastic direction and an interesting story make this one of 2013's best.  While it presents a small period of time in the 1980s, it is a story with modern relevance.


7)  All Is Lost

The fact Robert Redford did not get nominated for a Best Actor Oscar is a mystery.  In "All Is Lost," he plays a lone-sailor whose boat begins to sink due to a nearly-improbable incident.  With nearly no dialog and no supporting actors, Redford battles the elements to survive.

There are no flashbacks, no telling of his previous life.  There is only the immediate - water, food, weather.  Over time, rational thought turns to panic and desperation.

The direction by J.C. Chandor is nearly perfect.  I can't imagine that shooting on water is an easy task - for actor or director.  To say that Redford is completely alone might be a bit unfair.  Much like Spielberg's "Jaws," Chandor's directing turns the ocean into another unpredictable character, one that mirrors Redford.

The film also asks viewers at what point does one decide to give up?   When is the struggle no longer worth the fight?

The end of the film is open to interpretation.  The quality of the production and acting in the movie is not.