Best Movies of the Half Year and Awards

Note: All of this is based on my personal opinion, and remember I haven't seen everything that has been released this year.

5. This is the End
I'll be the first to say I thought this movie was going to be terrible, when I first saw the trailer I said to myself "this looks dumb." And I held onto that thought as long as I could, but then the reviews starting coming in. I heard from many people that it was actually funny, I was in disbelief. So when a friend invited me to go see it I was on board. And leaving the theater, I thought it was one of the funniest movies I had seen in a while. It's dumb, it's crude, but it really is funny. What I like most about it is that it is obvious that everyone had fun making it. The guys were sitting around drinking and someone threw the idea on the table and they rolled with it. The movie won't be remembered as a classic but it's fun to go see with some friends.

4. Much Ado About Nothing
I have never been a huge fan of Shakespeare, there's probably only one or two plays by him I really like. But when I heard Avengers director Joss Whedon was doing a modern day representation of what many consider to be his best comedy, I decided to give it a chance. Mainly to see how good of a director he really it, and what we got was one of the most delightful movies of the year. The movie is funny, touching, and downright enjoyable. Most of Shakespeare's plays put me right to sleep, but I was fully invested in this one. I cared about the characters and was really interested in seeing what happened to them. I'm not sure how true it is to the actual play but I couldn't care less, I loved it beginning to end.

3. Star Trek: Into Darkness
Going into 2013, Star Trek: Into Darkness was my most anticipated movie of the year. The long awaited sequel to the 2009 Star Trek movie had more pressure on it than almost any other movie this year. With the previous film widely considered one of the best movies of the year, and the fact that it was announced that director J.J. Abrams would be making the next Star Wars movie means that all the pressure was on him. And he did better than we could have imagined, in my opinion Into Darkness was even better than the previous. Pulse pounding action, astonishing visuals, and superb acting (especially from supporting actor Benedict Cumberbatch) doesn't just make this one of the best movies of the year; but my favorite as well.

2. The Place Beyond the Pines
This movie got a lot of bad press, many saying it was pretentious and overrated. They must have watched something else because what I saw was one of the most unique and ambitious films released in the past decade. This is a story of consequences, and how the decisions we make can build up or destroy those around us as. I saw this months ago and it has stayed with me ever since, it is a deeply emotional and impacting movie that won't soon be forgotten. While not everyone loves it know, I am sure that a couple years down the line people will look back at this movie and call it a misunderstood masterpiece, but I'll look back and see a movie that is just as great as when I first saw it.

1. Mud
If there was one movie that I knew was going to be good, one movie I would have put money on to be one of the best of the year, it would have been Mud. The film is written and directed by Jeff Nichols who made movies like Shotgun Stories (one of my top 10 of 2008) and Take Shelter (my pick for best movie of 2011). Mud has everything you could ask for comedy, drama, love, action, adventure, ect. Bolstered by Matthew McConaughey's Oscar worthy performance, Mud is a movie that captures American hopes and values; the ability to follow your dreams and be happy. Mud is one of the best movies I've seen in years, and a front runner for best Picture. If I had to suggest a single movie from this year you need to watch, it would be Mud.

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Matthew McConaughey (Mud)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Benedict Cumberbatch (Star Trek: Into Darkness)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Amy Acker (Much Ado About Nothing)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Eva Mendez (The Place Beyond the Pines)
Best Animated Feature: Monsters University
Best Animated Short Film: The Blue Umbrella
Best Cinematography: The Place Beyond the Pines
Best Costume Design: Star Trek: Into Darkness
Best Director: Jeff Nichols (Mud)
Best Documentary Feature: Sound City
Best Film Editing: Star Trek: Into Darkness
Best Foreign Language Film: A Hijacking (Denmark)
Best Live Action Short Film: The Runaway
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Star Trek: Into Darkness
Best Original Score: The Place Beyond the Pines
Best Original Song: Snow Angel (The Place Beyond the Pines)
Best Picture: Mud
Best Production Design: Star Trek: Into Darkness
Best Sound Editing: Star Trek: Into Darkness
Best Sound Mixing: Star Trek: Into Darkness
Best Visual Effects: Star Trek: Into Darkness
Best Adapted Screenplay: Much Ado About Nothing
Best Original Screenplay: Mud