The Movie List from A Film Look for 2013.
For other years click: Movies 2011; Movies 2012
Keeping up with 2011 and 2012, and a little late but always useful, here is the ranking for the 2013 movies watched. This ranking is, as in any such list, subjective. The criteria used are: emotional impact, movie moments and magic, acting that stirs, originality, and fulfillment of the premise and promise of the story. And, of course, it only includes movies watched, whether in the theater or at home.
Key movies bucket listed for now are Lee Daniel’s The Butler, Fruitvale Station, Blue is the Warmest Color, The Way Way Back, Upstream Color, Lone Survivor, Short Term 12, The Great Beauty, The Hunt, and The Past, among others and, why not as well, Machete Kills and Spring Breakers.
While the average score for all films was 7.00, Dramas was an exceptional 7.54, which reflects the high quality of movies in the genre this year. By contrast, Comedy had a relatively low 6.06. Saving the average in this field were The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle. Special shout outs go to The Heat, and This is the End.
There are eighty one movies in the list and this year a box office and BO rank against each other (not for all movies released) is added to the analysis. In the top movies, you can link to their movie sites and to their Box Office Mojo. Film titles with asterisks signal screenplays available upon request for instructional purposes only (see NOTE). These also have links to their movie sites. Some movies have a specific commentary or note from A Film Look to which a link is provided.
For the award season scoring of the most critic-buzzed movies read HERE.
NOTE: Studios, producers and writers will often post screenplays for public viewing during a limited time. To obtain a copy of screenplays indicated as available you may contact A Film Look to request a copy, free of charge and only for legitimate educational purposes. All copyrights are of their respective owners.
Top Fifteen, All Genres (81 movies)
|
Rank |
Genre |
Title |
Score |
Grade |
Box Office |
BO Rank |
|
1 (tie) |
Action |
Gravity (AFL commentary) * |
10 |
A |
6 |
|
|
1 (tie) |
Drama |
12 Years a Slave * |
10 |
A |
42 |
|
|
3 |
Comedy |
The Wolf of Wall Street * |
10 |
A |
21 |
|
|
4 |
Comedy |
American Hustle * |
10 |
A |
14 |
|
|
5 |
Drama |
Nebraska (AFL note) * |
10 |
A |
62 |
|
|
6 |
Drama |
August: Osage County * |
10 |
A |
46 |
|
|
7 |
Drama |
Philomena * |
10 |
A |
47 |
|
|
8 |
Animated |
Frozen * |
10 |
A |
3 |
|
|
9 |
Drama |
The Bling Ring (AFL commentary) * |
9 |
A- |
68 |
|
|
10 |
Drama |
Before Midnight * |
9 |
A- |
65 |
|
|
11 |
Drama |
Dallas Buyers Club * |
9 |
A- |
52 |
|
|
12 |
Action |
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire |
9 |
A- |
1 |
|
|
13 |
Drama |
The Spectacular Now * |
9 |
A- |
66 |
|
|
14 |
Drama |
Prisoners * |
8 |
B+ |
39 |
|
|
15 |
Drama |
All Is Lost * |
8 |
B+ |
67 |
———–
Top Five, by Genre
Categories listed by amount of movies seen in that category.
DRAMA (35 movies – Avg. score: 7.54) – 14 out of the top 25 in the full list are in this category.
| Rank | Title |
Score |
Grade |
Box Office |
BO Rank |
|
1 |
12 Years a Slave * |
10 |
A |
$ 50,260,000 |
42 |
|
5 |
Nebraska (AFL note) * |
10 |
A |
$ 17,133,000 |
62 |
|
6 |
August: Osage County * |
10 |
A |
$ 37,073,000 |
47 |
|
7 |
Philomena * |
10 |
A |
$ 37,654,949 |
46 |
|
9 |
The Bling Ring (AFL commentary) * |
9 |
A- |
$ 5,845,732 |
69 |
ACTION (21 movies – Avg. score: 6.67) – Top notch Action, and some real stinkers.
|
Rank |
Title |
Score |
Grade |
Box Office |
BO Rank |
|
1 |
Gravity (AFL commentary) * |
10 |
A |
$ 274,012,743 |
6 |
|
12 |
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire |
9 |
A- |
$ 424,668,047 |
1 |
|
17 |
Rush* |
8 |
B+ |
$ 26,947,624 |
51 |
|
21 |
World War Z |
8 |
B+ |
$ 202,359,711 |
11 |
|
25 |
Man of Steel |
7 |
B |
$ 291,045,518 |
5 |
———–
COMEDY (17 movies – Avg. score: 6.06) – Big comedies this year, but after that, they taper off.
|
Rank |
Title |
Score |
Grade |
Box Office |
BO Rank |
|
3 |
The Wolf of Wall Street * |
10 |
A | $ 116,900,694 |
21 |
|
4 |
American Hustle * |
10 |
A | $ 150,117,807 |
14 |
|
27 |
This is the End |
8 |
B+ | $ 101,470,202 |
25 |
|
30 |
The Heat |
7 |
B | $ 159,582,188 |
12 |
|
48 |
In a World |
7 |
B | $ 2,963,902 |
72 |
———–
ANIMATED (4 Movies – Avg. score: 8.00) – To be fair, the sample size is not large.
|
Rank |
Title |
Score |
Grade |
Box Office |
BO Rank |
|
8 |
Frozen * |
10 |
A | $ 400,024,000 |
3 |
|
22 |
Despicable Me 2 * |
8 |
B+ | $ 368,061,265 |
4 |
|
24 |
Epic |
7 |
B | $ 107,518,682 |
22 |
|
38 |
Monsters University * |
7 |
B | $ 268,492,764 |
7 |
———–
HORROR (4 Movies – Avg. score: 7.25) – Veery selective on this category too.
|
Rank |
Title |
Score |
Grade |
Box Office |
BO Rank |
|
23 |
Mama |
8 |
B+ | $ 71,628,180 |
34 |
|
49 |
The Conjuring |
7 |
B | $ 137,400,141 |
16 |
|
52 |
Warm Bodies |
7 |
B | $ 66,380,662 |
36 |
|
53 |
Stoker |
7 |
B | $ 1,714,221 |
75 |
———–
THE FULL LIST
|
Rank |
Genre |
Title |
Score |
Grade |
Box Office |
BO Rank |
|
1 (tie) |
Action |
Gravity (AFL commentary) * |
10 |
A |
6 |
|
|
1 (tie) |
Drama |
12 Years a Slave * |
10 |
A |
42 |
|
|
3 |
Comedy |
The Wolf of Wall Street * |
10 |
A |
21 |
|
|
4 |
Comedy |
American Hustle * |
10 |
A |
14 |
|
|
5 |
Drama |
Nebraska (AFL note) * |
10 |
A |
62 |
|
|
6 |
Drama |
August: Osage County * |
10 |
A |
46 |
|
|
7 |
Drama |
Philomena * |
10 |
A |
47 |
|
|
8 |
Animated |
Frozen * |
10 |
A |
3 |
|
|
9 |
Drama |
The Bling Ring (AFL commentary) * |
9 |
A- |
68 |
|
|
10 |
Drama |
Before Midnight * |
9 |
A- |
65 |
|
|
11 |
Drama |
Dallas Buyers Club * |
9 |
A- |
52 |
|
|
12 |
Action |
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire |
9 |
A- |
1 |
|
|
13 |
Drama |
The Spectacular Now * |
9 |
A- |
66 |
|
|
14 |
Drama |
Prisoners * |
8 |
B+ |
39 |
|
|
15 |
Drama |
All Is Lost * |
8 |
B+ |
67 |
|
|
16 |
Drama | The Secret Life of Walter Mitty |
8 |
B+ |
$ 57,782,226 |
40 |
|
17 |
Action | Rush * |
8 |
B+ |
$ 26,947,624 |
51 |
|
18 |
Drama | Blue Jasmine |
8 |
B+ |
$ 33,303,963 |
49 |
|
19 |
Drama | Don Jon |
8 |
B+ |
$ 24,477,704 |
54 |
|
20 |
Drama | Saving Mr. Banks * |
8 |
B+ |
$ 82,688,765 |
31 |
|
21 |
Action | World War Z |
8 |
B+ |
$ 202,359,711 |
11 |
|
22 |
Animated | Despicable Me 2 * |
8 |
B+ |
$ 368,061,265 |
4 |
|
23 |
Horror | Mama |
8 |
B+ |
$ 71,628,180 |
34 |
|
24 |
Animated | Epic |
7 |
B |
$ 107,518,682 |
22 |
|
25 |
Action | Man of Steel |
7 |
B |
$ 291,045,518 |
5 |
|
26 |
Action | Iron Man 3 |
7 |
B |
$ 409,013,994 |
2 |
|
27 |
Comedy | This is the End |
7 |
B |
$ 101,470,202 |
25 |
|
28 |
Action | Star Trek Into Darkness |
7 |
B |
$ 228,778,661 |
10 |
|
29 |
Action | Fast & Furious 6 |
7 |
B |
$ 238,679,850 |
8 |
|
30 |
Comedy | The Heat |
7 |
B |
$ 159,582,188 |
12 |
|
31 |
Drama | Her * |
7 |
B |
$ 24,604,000 |
53 |
|
32 |
Drama | 42 * |
7 |
B |
$ 95,020,213 |
27 |
|
33 |
Action | Now You See Me |
7 |
B |
$ 117,723,989 |
20 |
|
34 |
Action | Oblivion |
7 |
B |
$ 89,107,235 |
30 |
|
35 |
Action | The Lone Ranger |
7 |
B |
$ 89,302,115 |
29 |
|
36 |
Drama | No (2013) |
7 |
B |
$ 2,343,664 |
75 |
|
37 |
Action | Gangster Squad |
7 |
B |
$ 46,000,903 |
44 |
|
38 |
Animated | Monsters University * |
7 |
B |
$ 268,492,764 |
7 |
|
39 |
Drama | Captain Phillips (AFL Commentary) |
7 |
B |
$ 106,957,071 |
23 |
|
40 |
Drama | The Great Gatsby * |
7 |
B |
$ 144,840,419 |
15 |
|
41 |
Drama | Out of the Furnace |
7 |
B |
$ 11,330,849 |
65 |
|
42 |
Drama | Inside Llewyn Davis * |
7 |
B |
$ 13,119,163 |
64 |
|
43 |
Action | White House Down |
7 |
B |
$ 73,103,784 |
33 |
|
44 |
Drama | The Book Thief |
7 |
B |
$ 21,225,363 |
59 |
|
45 |
Drama | Mud * |
7 |
B |
$ 21,590,086 |
57 |
|
46 |
Drama | The Place Beyond the Pines * |
7 |
B |
$ 21,403,519 |
58 |
|
47 |
Drama | Enough Said * |
7 |
B |
$ 17,550,872 |
61 |
|
48 |
Comedy | In a World |
7 |
B |
$ 2,963,902 |
74 |
|
49 |
Horror | The Conjuring |
7 |
B |
$ 137,400,141 |
16 |
|
50 |
Drama | About Time |
7 |
B |
$ 15,322,921 |
63 |
|
51 |
Drama | The Company You Keep |
7 |
B |
$ 5,133,027 |
70 |
|
52 |
Horror | Warm Bodies |
7 |
B |
$ 66,380,662 |
36 |
|
53 |
Horror | Stoker |
7 |
B |
$ 1,714,221 |
77 |
|
54 |
Drama | Much Ado About Nothing (2013) |
7 |
B |
$ 4,328,849 |
71 |
|
55 |
Drama | 2013 Oscar Nominated Shorts |
7 |
B |
$ 2,142,342 |
76 |
|
56 |
Action | Pacific Rim |
6 |
B- |
$ 101,802,906 |
24 |
|
57 |
Action | 2 Guns |
6 |
B- |
$ 75,612,460 |
32 |
|
58 |
Action | Olympus Has Fallen |
6 |
B- |
$ 98,925,640 |
26 |
|
59 |
Action | Kick-Ass 2 |
6 |
B- |
$ 28,795,985 |
50 |
|
60 |
Action | Elysium |
6 |
B- |
$ 93,050,117 |
28 |
|
61 |
Drama | The Purge |
6 |
B- |
$ 64,473,115 |
37 |
|
62 |
Comedy | We’re the Millers |
6 |
B- |
$ 150,394,119 |
13 |
|
63 |
Comedy | Last Vegas |
6 |
B- |
$ 63,914,167 |
38 |
|
64 |
Comedy | Admission |
6 |
B- |
$ 18,007,317 |
60 |
|
65 |
Drama | Parkland |
6 |
B- |
$ 653,651 |
79 |
|
66 |
Comedy | The To-Do List |
6 |
B- |
$ 3,491,669 |
73 |
|
67 |
Comedy | The Incredible Burt Wonderstone |
6 |
B- |
$ 22,537,881 |
55 |
|
68 |
Drama | Girl Most Likely |
6 |
B- |
$ 1,378,591 |
78 |
|
69 |
Drama | The Reluctant Fundamentalist |
6 |
B- |
$ 552,959 |
80 |
|
70 |
Comedy | Frances Ha |
6 |
B- |
$ 4,069,826 |
72 |
|
71 |
Drama | Room 237 |
6 |
B- |
$ 296,359 |
81 |
|
72 |
Action | Oz The Great and Powerful |
5 |
C+ |
$ 234,911,825 |
9 |
|
73 |
Comedy | Identity Thief |
5 |
C+ |
$ 134,506,920 |
17 |
|
74 |
Comedy | The Internship |
5 |
C+ |
$ 44,672,764 |
45 |
|
75 |
Comedy | The Big Wedding |
5 |
C+ |
$ 21,819,348 |
56 |
|
76 |
Drama | The Call |
5 |
C+ |
$ 51,872,378 |
41 |
|
77 |
Comedy | Anchorman 2: Legend Continues |
5 |
C+ |
$ 125,168,368 |
19 |
|
78 |
Action | Pain and Gain |
4 |
C |
$ 49,875,291 |
43 |
|
79 |
Comedy | R.I.P.D. |
4 |
C |
$ 33,618,855 |
48 |
|
80 |
Action | A Good Day to Die Hard |
3 |
C- |
$ 67,349,198 |
35 |
|
81 |
Comedy | Grown Ups 2 |
1 |
D |
$ 133,668,525 |
18 |
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