Best Movies of 2013

1: Gravity

23 points | 3 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"It really really ruled. The special effects are revolutionary." –Evie Totty

"Simultaneously visually engaging, intense, and subtle." –Samir Mehta

"Every superlative that you hear about this movie is accurate. It looks and sounds incredible." –Scott Hardie

2: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

20 points | 3 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"Better than the first one. I was pleased with the film and pleased with the portrayals." –Evie Totty (#1 pick)

"This franchise is knocking it out of the damn park with, so far, two extremely high-quality films. What I pictured in my mind as I read the novels is being recreated phenomenally on the screen." –Erik Bates

"Fantastic. With very few missteps, it faithfully adapts the second book and continues to build." –Samir Mehta

3: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

18 points | 2 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"Beautiful, and fun." –Erik Bates (#1 pick)

"The barrel scene makes it more than worth it and reminds me why I love Legolas so much." –Evie Totty

"As in every production he appears in, Benedict Cumberbatch continues to be worth every penny they're paying him; the character of Smaug is an incredible creation." –Scott Hardie

4: Side Effects

15 points | 2 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"Great movie, immensely satisfying, and not what it seems." –Scott Hardie

"Soderbergh wins in his typical way: He mixes rich characterization and thoughtful social criticism with a freaking amazing potboiler of a plot." –Samir Mehta

5: Man of Steel

13 points | 2 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling more than any others I've seen. Whereas the story line is similar, technology has helped bring new life to it." –Erik Bates

"The last 45+ minutes of this movie are just pure, over-the-top action and fighting that I've craved from this series for so long." –Matthew Preston

6: The World's End

12 points | 3 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"Uproarious. I laughed throughout, more and more towards the end as the energy ramped up." –Scott Hardie

"It was cool picking out the common actors from each film. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost were brilliant in this as usual." –Evie Totty

7: Iron Man Three

10 points | 2 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"I like the entitled-kid-with-baggage character that Tony Stark is. This whole franchise has been fantastic, in my opinion, and the third installment is no exception." –Erik Bates

8: Upstream Color

10 points | 1 vote | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"Excellent movie! Shane Carruth retains the complexity of Primer but finds the emotional heart in his characters." –Scott Hardie (#1 pick)

8: 12 Years a Slave

10 points | 1 vote | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"The word masterpiece gets thrown around a lot, but this is hands down a masterpiece. The acting, cinematography, writing, score, and everything else come together perfectly." –Samir Mehta (#1 pick)

10: 56 Up

9 points | 1 vote | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"It's like seeing old friends after many years. The Up series continues to be an apex of documentary filmmaking." –Samir Mehta

Honorable Mention: World War Z

7 points | 2 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"It starts out just action jam-packed. I found myself holding my breath more than once." –Evie Totty

Honorable Mention: The Heat

7 points | 2 votes | read reviews | read about it on IMDb

"McCarthy is just as funny as ever with her brash delivery and physical comedy." –Erik Bates