What Are the Best Movies of the Decade So Far?
![What Are the Best Movies of the Decade So Far? What Are the Best Movies of the Decade So Far?](https://johnlikesmovies.com/wp-content/themes/arts-culture/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fjohnlikesmovies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F01%2Ftree-of-life-jessica-chastain-best-of-the-decade.jpg&q=90&w=630&h=350&zc=1)
It’s hard to imagine we’re five years removed from the myriad “Best Movies of the Decade” posts of 2009. That was fun, and each intervening year since has produced more than enough titles worthy of appearing on such lists. Of course, most of those titles won’t eventually make it when we get to the end […]
The 5 Best Leading Female Performances of 2013
![The 5 Best Leading Female Performances of 2013 The 5 Best Leading Female Performances of 2013](https://johnlikesmovies.com/wp-content/themes/arts-culture/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fjohnlikesmovies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F01%2Fcate-blanchett-blue-jasmine-oscars.jpg&q=90&w=630&h=350&zc=1)
Click here to check out my 5 favorite leading male performances of 2013. On to the leading ladies! One could plausibly argue 2013 was as strong a year at the top for leading women as it was for leading men, and one couldn’t plausibly argue that most other years. It was a great year for […]
Revisiting My Most Anticipated 2013 Movies
![Revisiting My Most Anticipated 2013 Movies Revisiting My Most Anticipated 2013 Movies](https://johnlikesmovies.com/wp-content/themes/arts-culture/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fjohnlikesmovies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F01%2Fto-the-wonder-terrence-malick.jpg&q=90&w=630&h=350&zc=1)
I was writing up my most anticipated movies of 2014 when I realized I couldn’t quite remember what topped (or even placed) on my 2013 list at this time last year. Revisiting the list, as I’ll do below, simply confirms my suspicions that this exercise is a little foolhardy. There’s no predicting what you’ll respond […]
The Best Movies of 2013
![The Best Movies of 2013 The Best Movies of 2013](https://johnlikesmovies.com/wp-content/themes/arts-culture/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fjohnlikesmovies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F10%2Foscar-predictions-12-years-a-slave.jpg&q=90&w=630&h=350&zc=1)
Outstanding. That’s the simplest but most appropriate way to sum up the year in movies that was 2013. Outstanding. A more interesting way would be to discuss the year in movie themes. The American dream, in one way or another, was a noticeable theme in seven of my top ten movies movies this year. It […]
What Else I’m Watching: December 2013
![What Else I’m Watching: December 2013 What Else I’m Watching: December 2013](https://johnlikesmovies.com/wp-content/themes/arts-culture/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fjohnlikesmovies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F12%2Fleviathan-documentary-review.jpg&q=90&w=630&h=350&zc=1)
Because you can’t review them all. Sadly, life gets in the way of writing about everything I see, so this space is as much for keeping track of what I’m watching as it is for you to share your thoughts on what are, with any luck, a group of high-quality films. Today, I’m bringing you […]
2013 Movies You Should Watch Right Now
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December is top-10 list month, which means most bloggers and journos will be spending the next few weeks catching up with some of the year’s smaller titles that are now available on DVD and streaming outlets. I’ve highlighted 20 movies that are worth your time and attention. 5…on Netflix Instant Three great docs and two […]
Gifts for Movie Lovers
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The holidays—Black Friday and Cyber Monday, that is—are fast approaching, and if you’ve got a cinephile in your life, you’ve got plenty of possible gifts to choose from. I’ve selected some of the best—or at least most interesting—products out there (some that I own, some that I just want) to recommend whether you’re shopping for […]
2014 Oscars: Don’t Forget About Us
![2014 Oscars: Don’t Forget About Us 2014 Oscars: Don’t Forget About Us](https://johnlikesmovies.com/wp-content/themes/arts-culture/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fjohnlikesmovies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F11%2Ffrances-ha-oscars.jpg&q=90&w=630&h=350&zc=1)
Films released in the first two thirds of a given year are automatically at a disadvantage when it comes to possible Oscar nominations. There are exceptions, of course—Beasts of the Southern Wild, Midnight in Paris, Winter’s Bone, for example—but the nature of campaigning rewards those films that don’t have to remain in voters’ minds very […]
Sunday Afternoon with Criterion: The Grey Gardens Edition
![Sunday Afternoon with Criterion: The Grey Gardens Edition Sunday Afternoon with Criterion: The Grey Gardens Edition](https://johnlikesmovies.com/wp-content/themes/arts-culture/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fjohnlikesmovies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F11%2Fgrey-gardens-criterion-review.jpg&q=90&w=630&h=350&zc=1)
I: Intro II: Grey Gardens III: What’s New? Intro Welcome to Sunday Afternoon with Criterion, a series of posts on JohnLikesMovies.com covering everything Criterion—the company’s newest releases, just-announced projects, reviews, lists, links, and more. It’s been a while since my last post in this series, but the deluge of doc screeners I’ve been going through […]
Sunday Afternoon with Criterion: The 39 Steps Edition
![Sunday Afternoon with Criterion: The 39 Steps Edition Sunday Afternoon with Criterion: The 39 Steps Edition](https://johnlikesmovies.com/wp-content/themes/arts-culture/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Fjohnlikesmovies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F08%2Fthe-39-steps-criterion.jpg&q=90&w=630&h=350&zc=1)
I: Intro II: My Hitch Criterion Wish List III: The 39 Steps IV: What’s New? V: Links Intro Welcome to Sunday Afternoon with Criterion, a series of fortnightly posts on JohnLikesMovies.com covering everything Criterion—the company’s newest releases, just-announced projects, reviews, lists, links, and more. This past week, we celebrated what would have been Alfred Hitchcock’s […]
Noah Baumbach Movies
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Noah Baumbach, over the course of seven movies, has become the master of melancholy. Noah Baumbach movies typically feature characters in a state of personal disarry, and as such, his movies tend to be very much character-driven. Just look at the Noah Baumbach filmography, and you’ll see film after film that derives its title from […]
Frances Ha Review
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RATING: (4 STARS) Who would have thought the best film from writer/director Noah Baumbach—master of the melancholy—would be so light and airy? Frances Ha is simple, but delightful—a film carried on the back of clever writing and a dynamite lead performance. It also packs a surprising amount of emotion and insight, even if it isn’t […]