CliqueClackLooking at Hollywood’s best and worst of 2013
It’s a new year, and time to look back on the past to see what Hollywood had to offer. These are a few of my favorite things (and some not-so favorite).
I had high hopes for Vin Diesel’s return to the character of Riddick, having enjoyed both Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick. The new movie tries to quickly erase the events of the second movie (since most people hated it), then plops Riddick on an uninhabited planet for the first third of the movie in which we have to endure Diesel’s grating voice over (with some of the worst dialog ever written). Then he disappears as teams of bounty hunters arrives for the second third, and they finally all come together in the last third, which then becomes a remake of Pitch Black, but without any of that tension or originality. I would have liked to see the Riddick universe expanded, but this attempt to get back to the roots of Pitch Black fell flat and felt like it was much longer than it was.
And last on the list is Battle of the Year, which turned out to be a very low-rent version of the successful Step Up franchise. Poor Josh Holloway is cast as a coach who has to wrangle a bunch of street dancers into a team in order to compete in an international competition. The story is forgettable, the film is cheaply shot, but at least there is some amazing dancing to take your mind off all that … for a few minutes at least, then it’s back to the story. Unfortunately, not even the 3D – used to excellent effect in the last two Step Up movies — could redeem this one.
Now that 2014 is here, let’s hope that Hollywood can keep delivering the goods, and that some of the year’s most anticipated films won’t end up on the worst of the year scrap heap. I’m looking at you, The Amazing Spider-Man 2. What were your favorite or worst movies of 2013? Let us know in the comments section below.
2 Comments on “Looking at Hollywood’s best and worst of 2013”
I almost entirely agree with you, although I preferred Her to American Hustle, and I can’t countenance support for The Lone Ranger. Sorry to say, but I think The Heat is overrated. Die Hard 5 though… worst movie I saw this year, and I saw it in January!
I just saw Her last night, but I still enjoyed American Hustle more. The Heat made me laugh and I forgave Melissa McCarthy for Identity Thief. I think The Lone Ranger may get some love sometime down the road once people forget about the budget and production history. It has problems, to be sure (too many subplots and unnecessary characters), but I had a great time watching it and it delivered on the action. A Good Day to Die Hard … I think I’ve said more than enough here and in my initial review. This is a good day to just let it die. Period.
Now if I could just find three hours to squeeze in The Wolf of Wall Street.