5. 13 Assassins
No other film on this list can be described as “badass” more than Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins. I saw this way back near the beginning of the year, but that only goes to show how good it is to have left a lasting effect up until today. This is an epic, violent, and masterful film about a group of thirteen ronin warriors who take it upon themselves to assassinate the cruel and vicious Lord Naritsugu (Goro Inagaki). Naritsugu has tortured and killed many innocent victims during his reign, and this small group of men knows that it is time to put end to his wrath of terror. The film is told in two sections, the first being the set-up in which we are introduced to each of the assassins, learn about their backgrounds, and why they decide to go on what is certainly a suicide mission. The second hour is non-stop action, in which the team barricades Naritsugu and over two hundred of his bodyguards in an abandoned village. There is an almost breathless sort of exuberance in how the film is relentlessly non-stop in the second section, in all of its bloody and violent glory. But what makes the film far superior to other modern day action films is that it continues with the character development while in the midst of the chaos. We come to care about these characters, rather than seeing faceless men used as a catalyst for such mayhem. The direction is keen and controlled, allowing us to be well aware of the spacing and fully knowledgeable of how one action leads to another and vice versa. Clearly influenced by Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece Seven Samurai (1954), this is a fantastic tale of brotherhood, sacrifice, and honor. A must-see not only for martial arts or samurai fans, but also for movie fans in general.
4. Attack the Block
There have been a good number of alien invasion movies recently, but by far the best one of late is Joe Cornish’s clever and energetic Attack the Block. What this film does best is take something that feels familiar, and flip it to make something entirely new. Yes, there are hints of past films here (The Goonies being one of them), but Cornish sets this apart by making the characters and story memorable, so that it can stand on its own. The film features a ragtag group of British street kids who unexpectedly become the sole defenders of their rundown apartment complex (nicknamed “The Block”) from a horde of black-furred, glowing-toothed alien beings. While the film has fun action scenes, a thumping soundtrack, and well-done special effects, it’s the focus on character that really stands out for me. The gang’s leader, Moses (John Boyega), is a fascinating person. He starts out as a despicable one, involved in a crime that would normally eliminate any kind of sympathy we would have for him. But as the story goes on, and we learn more about Moses and his background, we start to turn for him. By the end of the film, when Moses finally takes responsibility for his actions and does what is needed to do to save The Block, I found myself rooting for him one hundred percent. Credit that to great writing and acting, two key elements in what I found to be one of the most flat-out entertaining films of the year.
3. Hugo
Martin Scorsese’s latest picture is a love letter to the cinema itself. Set inside the world of a 1920s train station, Hugo follows the story of a young orphan boy of the same name (played with unlimited charm by Asa Butterfield), who yearns to fix an old automaton left to him by his late father (Jude Law). What starts out as a simple means to connect with his parent becomes so much more, as the film weaves its way to also tell the story of Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley), and his own personal redemption. Méliès was one of the pioneers of early film, and a large section of the movie is devoted to the achievements that he and his contemporaries set. In a year that had many movies about nostalgia, no other exhibits the passionate joy of its maker more than this. Scorsese’s masterful craftsmanship is felt from first frame to last, showcasing an energetic enthusiasm for his subject matter. For a director known to make dark and violent films, this family film can arguably be considered the one most representative of his ideals. A technical wonder, this is the essential argument for the continued use of 3D, while at the same time promoting the use of film and the importance of film preservation. I walked out of the theater feeling renewed—this is a movie clearly made for movie lovers.
(Cont.)
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