Rønning and Sandberg depict Heyerdal’s (Pål Hagen) journey with an intrinsic beauty that stirs the imagination and allows the heart to soar. From the moment he and his team of adventurers set foot on their small balsawood raft, to the second their feet touch the Polynesian shore, I felt as if I were making this dangerous trek across the Pacific Ocean right along with them.

Nichols once again subverts genre convention and slowly goes in directions you don’t always see coming. If his debut was a Hatfield and McCoy descent into familial darkness and his sophomore effort a psychological freak-out combining nature in upheaval and a devoted father slowly losing his marbles, then Mud (2013) is a coming-of-age drama of faith, understanding and friendship that defies convention resulting in an authentic urgency unique unto itself.

There’s nothing of merit to take away from Pain & Gain other than the fact that maybe in the hands of a different filmmaker something worthwhile could have been crafted, this pile of bombast as instantly forgettable, and in some ways lamentable, as anything I’m likely to see in all of 2013.

In the House is an incredible work of art that remembers the greatest stories start from the most blasé of scenarios, and that even when the ending to the tale borders on perfection the ultimate destination a masterpiece is headed for is for future generations to determine its value and worth for themselves.

The Lords of Salem is a giant step in the right direction for Zombie, and for a director I’ve thought precious little positive about in the past the fact I’m now excited to see what he’s got in store for us next is no small achievement.

It’s hard for me to say that Oblivion didn’t keep me entertained, and even though after it was over I wanted to pick all 126 minutes to pieces, while I was sitting in the theatre I was more than content to soak in the visuals and not worry about anything else.

Helgeland delivers Robinson’s rookie season with the Dodgers like a two-seam cinematic fastball fired with authority, and while the director might hang the pitch a bit too far in the middle of the plate the fact he still manages to ring up a strike isn’t anything to scoff at.

It’s a Disaster is a satirical triumph, an almost instant cult sensation I can’t help but hope audiences discover and hold dear for many years to come.

“This character is a subversion of genre, a subversion of self. The whole movie is a subversion of genre. It should defy expectations. It’s a mystery that I hope the audience is always curious to try and figure out.”
– Brady Corbet