It’s 2014 now…and while it’s still the first month of the year, I think it’s the perfect time for me to share my Top- 5 Most Memorable Movies and TV Series I Saw in 2013.
Just like in 2012, I didn’t watch much movies than came out in 2013. I didn’t say I didn’t watch movies, watching movies will always be one of my favorite leisure time, but I watched movies from many countries in different released time. So, my top-5 list is from movies (from any year) that I watched in 2013.
Before I begin my list, I want to announce this good news 🙂
Here are the movies I have watched:
- From England: Help! & Monty Python and The Holy Grail
- From Japan: Twilight samurai & Detroit Metal City
- From China: Flowers of War
- From Austria: Funny Games
- From France: The Intouchable
- From Korea: Yonguaji X (Perfect Number)
Thank you sooooo much Caroline 🙂
I hope you do this event again in 2014. I really like watching different kind of movies.
Here are my top 5 most memorable movies (in alphabetical order)
Coraline
What I like the most about Coraline is how vast the imagination is. It’s a wonder to see many things transformed to another thing and even though I can guess how it might end but throughout but the way to get there is unpredictable. And that is the kind of journey I love. I know I will see this animation again soon. The animation is also amazing, a feast to the eyes. And don’t forget the scoring…Coraline has marvelous scoring and a great closing theme.
My review> here
Funny Games
Watching Funny Games made me realize that you don’t need excessive scary music, blood splattered everywhere and gruesome act of torturing to make a good suspenseful movie.
What’s so interesting about Funny games is the way Haneke creates the atmosphere. The absent of background music makes this psychological thriller feels closer to reality. Even though there is no real violence in the movie but it scares the living sh*t out of me. The whole movie is really annoying and yet very addictive. It forces us to look at the screen unblinking.
My review > here
Gravity
Watching Gravity is a 90 minute suspense. We barely have time breathe air of relief. Can you imagine yourself being lost in space? So dark, quiet and lonely…all you can think of is finding a way home to earth. This movie delivers the panic and the will to survive really well.
Some said that Gravity is overrated…for me, it deserves to be the best movie in 2013…but then again I don’t watch many movies released in 2013.
My Review> here
Monty Python and The Holy Grail
My love toward The Mighty Boosh brought me to Monty Python and this is the first movie I saw.
The best thing about Monty Python and The Holy Grail is the dialogue…it was witty and funny at the same time. Just few minutes after the movie starts, I already laughing so hard because of their dialogue. I love how silly they can be!! The movie is full of their silliness. The way they mixed animation in the story is also interesting…the one with the monster in the cave is freakin hilarious. They are really crazy!!
My review> here
The Intoucahable
The Intouchable is a very lovely movie, I always enjoy friendship movie more than any movie because I value friendship a lot.
The Intouchable shows good movie doesn’t need extravagant special effect which is quite a trend in nowadays blockbuster movies…all it needs is good story with a lot of heart. It’s also a nice comedy.
My review> here
Those are the movies that I found really memorable throughout 2013. Have you seen any of those? Do share your thought 🙂
Now, let’s move on to TV Series that managed to capture all my attention…again, this is an alphabetical order kinda list:
Broadchurch
An 8 episode miniseries From ITV
I really like this drama because I couldn’t guess who did it till the last few episodes…and when I finally had my suspicion, I was still unable to figure out the motif. And for me, a not so easy to guess mystery is very enjoyable! It was a thrilling ride to see whether that person or this person was the murderer…and to those who rarely seen mystery, the ending might be a bit “WHAT??” moment.
My Review> here
Doctor Who series 6
A 13 episode series from BBCOne
After the amazing series 4, series 5 felt so plain. FORTUNATELY, series 6 was a knock out! I love all the episodes and it’s far more interesting than series 5. Each episode made me accept the quirky Doctor more and more.
My review> here
Peaky Blinders
A 6 episode miniseries from BBC 2
This is a brilliant miniseries (apart from my love toward Cillian), you should go and read my 10 reasons why you should watch Peaky Blinders to know why this show is brilliant! The list mentions: the characters built up, the story/plot, Thomas Shelby, strong female characters, the music, the setting/cinematography, the cast, based on true story, less violence and (of course) Cillian Murphy.
10 reasons why you should watch Peaky Blinders > here
Shingeki no Kyojin
A 25 episode anime from MBS
I am not going to claim Shingeki no Kyojin as the best anime I have ever seen…but I can easily said that it is one of the best series I have seen this year. There are some parts of the series that make me questioning the plot but as a whole it is a brilliant anime.
My review> here
Shokuzai
A 5 episode miniseries from WOWOW
If I put a rank to my most memorable TV Series in 2013…I would put this miniseries as my number 1, I even dare saying it as One Of The Best Miniseries I have Ever Seen!
This is the most daring and different dorama I have ever seen.
Shokuzai feels more like movies rather than typical dorama (Japanese TV drama). Each episode is around 1 hour 14 minute whereas normal dorama is around 40-50 minute. Shokuzai is something I considered as SO JAPANESE because it has everything that defies Japanese cinematography, slow plot but very intriguing, depressing but you can’t help wondering what will happen next, and it shows a lot of how people in Japan behaves daily. The feeling of guilty, the reason for doing suicide, the way teacher-parents behave toward each other, the whole society in this miniseries is truly Japanese.
My review> here
Those are my most memorable TV series/miniseries in 2013, have you seen any of them?
Note: I don’t put The Mighty Boosh in this list even though I wrote the review in 2013 but I first watched it in 2012.
I know for sure which miniseries will be in my top5 list in 2014 ;)…but it will have to wait till January 2015.
I track down almost all the movies and series I watched in 2013, here is the full list along with my rating. I am well aware that I spent more time in watching series than movies in 2013…might not change that much in 2014.
Movies I have watched:
- Help!
- Rurouni Kenshin
- The Flowers of War
- A Fantastic Fear of Everything
- Detroit Metal City
- The Intouchable
- 용의자X (Yonguija X or Perfect Number in English)
- Pacific Rim
- Run Fat Boy Run
- The Third Man
- Confetti
- 127 Hours
- Third Star
- Four Brothers
- Toy Story 3
- Hugo
- Finding Neverland
- Brave Story
- Stardust
- The World’s End
- Ranma 1/2
- Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs
- Bolt
- Watchmen
- Chonmage Purin
- Elysium
- The Hobbit – the Desolation of Smaug
Rewatch:
- The Boat That Rocked
- Sherlock
- Doctor Who series 4
- Doctor Who Series 2
TV Series/ TV Show:
- The Mighty Boosh Series 2
(6 eps) - Unubore Deka
(11 eps) - The Big Band Theory
(24 eps) - Hunderby (6 eps)
- Doctor Who Series 5 (13 eps)
- Spaced
(14 eps) - The Mighty Boosh Series 3
(6 eps) - Doctor Who Series 6 (13 eps)
- How Not To Live Your Live (20 eps)
- Doctor Who Series 7 (13 eps)
- Broadchurch (8 eps)
- Shingeki no Kyojin (pre-review) (Final review) (25 episodes)
- Under The Dome
(5 eps) - Shokuzai (5 eps)
- Bates Motel (10 eps)
- The Stand (4 eps)
- Peaky Blinders: Episode 1; episode 2; List of 10 reasons
(6 episodes) - The Escape Artist (3 Eps)
- Being Human
(6 Eps)
Polychrome Interest 
Nov, you convinced me to search 贖罪 (Shokuzai) :-). As for Shingeki no Kyojin, should I watch all 25 episodes to enjoy it or could I skip some (somehow I don’t think I have time to watch all of them)?
I know you will like it 😉 … if you like good thriller.
Yes you should! Every episode is important.
Very cool stuff you’ve been watching! I’m half way through Series 6 of Dr. Who. I like how every episode feels like a movie. I still need to see Coraline, I’m a fan of the author and it sounds very imaginative. Haha, Under the Dome gets one star, we definitely had our lengthy chats about that mess of a show. 🙂
Thank you SKR 🙂
One of the reasons why I love Doctor Who is because of that…each episode is a new story even though they still have something that tie them together.
Coraline is amazing!! I will definitely put it in my top 10 fav anime of all time.
Huahaha 1 star was still TOO nice for Under The Dome, I stopped watching it before it’s over and not planning of watching the second season at all.
Wow this is a brilliant posting and with such a wonderful insight on everything that you have seen gives everyone a chance to view them for themselves. I liked Monty Python and the Holy Grail too.
If you get time, watch The Big Lebowski, it is a comedy with Jeff Bridges and is hilarious, I have seen it many times now and still laugh all the way through it 🙂
I like your thoughts on everything that you have added here Miss. Novia and thank you for putting such a fine effort into it, I have enjoyed reading your pages today, as always you take great care in presenting your posts, adding lots of information to keep it interesting. Have a lovely rest of day my sweet friend 🙂
Andro xxxx
Thank you Andro 🙂 you are always so kind.
The Big Lebowski…noted! Will see if I can find it 🙂 I will let you know i8f I have watched it.
Have a nice week Andro 🙂
A lot of stuff 😀
A lot of series to be precised 😉
‘Precise
Mwahaha. I win again!
hahahaha! good one 😉
😉
That’s a lot of movies! I really liked Monty Python and the Holy Grail as well. It’s a true classic. The original Monty Python’s Flying Circus TV show is just as good or even better in my opinion. Similar in some ways to the Mighty Boosh. And you might like Fawlty Towers TV show too ( I think I mentioned it before) by one of the Monty Python guys.
A lot of series to be precised 😉 I used to watch more movies than that and less TVSeries/shows.
I have seen another Monty Python’s movie, The Secret of Life (or something like that)..it wasn’t as good as the holy grail.
Yup, you have mentioned it before and I already have it but haven’t found the right time to watch it yet.. I always watch something based on my mood 😉
Life of Brian maybe? The Holly Grail was their first and best movie, I think.
Have you ever seen Life of Pi? I thought that was a very good movie. Doesn’t sound like much, but it was very well done.
It’s The Meaning of Life (I just checked it) it’s a miss and hit, I laugh at some scenes but I scratch my head in confusion in other scenes.
No, not yet. Everyone said it’s good but I don’t know, the trailer doesn’t intrigue me. Maybe one day I will see it.
I have only seen Coraline and I enjoyed it. My partner watched Intouchable on one of our flights and I will admit I kept looking at the screen and paying closer attention to it than the movie I was watching. But I need to sit down and watch if from start to finish.
The Intouchable is a beautiful movie and you’re right, you have to watch it as a whole to fully get its beauty
Glad to see Gravity on your list Nov!
It was the best movie of 2013 for me (well I only saw 3 movies ;p )
Thanks for the tip of Peaky Blinders, I love great British miniseries, they just know how to do them. Plus Cillian. And I did watch Broadchurch and I totally agree with you, it was the best mystery for a long time (and usually I know the culprit before the end, this time I didn’t). Plus David Tennant. 🙂
Hear Hear!! The more I see British series the more I like it. I like that fact that they took their time to create a show, they didn’t rush things even though the show is a famous one (just look at Sherlock). Peaky Blinders is very well done and yes a lot of Cillian scene adds the spice up 😉
Did you know that Broadchurch is going to be remade by one of US TVChannels?
Yeah, I read about it. I’m not that excited about it but we’ll see.
I don’t like remake … so it’s a no for ne
The Monty Python crew really is silly. I like their movies better than the TV show. And you certainly started in the right place. I’m pretty sure that’s where they started too. There’s a biography film about them that talks about having to finance the entire film on their own because no one would take them seriously. The coconut business came from that. They couldn’t afford real horses and had to improvise, then decided the improvisation was better anyway.
No, the TV Show started first, I remember reading about it…as for the movie, The Holy Grail is the first.
I haven’t read that bit yet…that’s very interesting and the horse thing is my fav in the movie…hilarious
That and the air speed velocity of a swallow.
Thanks for participating in my event and so sorry I’m so late to your post. thansk for mentioning the event as well. I haven’t really decided whether I’m still doing it as I have hardyl participated at all and it’s already the end of January.
I really need to watch Coraline. I think we often have a similar taste in movies, the only exception is Gravity. I did so not like it. I need to watch Broadchurch as well.
Don’t worry 🙂
I have seen one foreign movie this month …. and of course, it’s Japanese 😉
You didn’t like Gravity? Why?
I thought the first five to ten minutes were not bad, but then I found it extremely corny, and totally unbelievable. Not the fact that it happened, but the many elements that were not logical. In my opinion this was a typical Hollywood blockbuster. I liked it even less than Oblivion, which I really didn’t like.
Ah I see! I have never heard of Oblivion before…you intrigued me, I want to see it and compare it to Gravity