Wasn't this supposed to be a great movie year? Only 2 fit the bill for us....

[NRaleighLiberal]

We are trying...really trying to love some of these top Oscar pics and other highly regarded releases. (for the most part, we stretched to even like them). We've yet to see Nebraska or Dallas Buyers Club or Her.

But...we have now viewed Saving Mr. Banks, Philomena, Gravity, August Osage County, Inside Llewyn Davis, 12 Years a Slave, Kill Your Darlings, Mandela Long Walk to freedom, About Time, Hunger Games, The Butler, Hobbit, American Hustle, The Counselor. For various reasons, none reached greatness, and a few didn't even get to "good".

Our two favorites (So far) - Captain Phillips and Blue Jasmine.

I know we have edgy tastes and ask a lot of movies...I suspect it is that dreaded "generation" thing....

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. The industry said it was supposed to be a great movie year

Of your list, I saw. about 1/2.

I agree, no truly great picks... but I liked Philomena and Osage County.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. Did "All is Lost" with Robert Redford come out this year?

I really liked Saving Mr. Banks. Captain Phillips and Blue Jasmine were good, too. There was too much scenery chewing in August Osage county but I thought Jared Leto was excellent in Dallas Buyers Clube. I also like American Hustle pretty well. I haven't seen Philomena yet.

Nebraska ... meh ...

Her, Have not seen yet.

Disappointed in 12 years A Slave and The Butler. They were okay-ish not, great.

Inside Llewyn Davis was interesting.

I don't care for The Hunger Game Series.

The Counselor - I was totally LOST ... Did not get IT at all.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. All is Lost is soon on the way via Netflix...forgot to list it.

I guess my great movie yardsticks are things like Howard's End, Remains of the Day, English Patient, Lost in Translation - kind of minimal, a well told, patiently told story....

Too many recent movies just lack depth, character development, are too slick and hollywood, etc.....as I said, we ask/expect a lot from movies.

We actually enjoy many series much better (Breaking Bad, Six Feet Under, Sopranos).

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. I like all of those, too with one exception - I absolutely despised English Patient. The part with

the French Actress was good but, I could not get with The Kristen Scott Thomas character and that blew it for me.

Let me know what you think about All Is Lost.

Did it come out last year and, if so

Was it nominated for anything?

[JustAnotherGen]

5. I enjoyed All Is Lost

But it is very action driven as opposed to dialogue driven.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. LOL ... that is an Understatement, JAG. made me snort coffee, you did.

and I am not sure I enjoyed it as much as I was mesmerized and horrified, sitting on the edge of my seat for most of it. Personally, I think Robert deserves an Oscar nod for it.

[JustAnotherGen]

8. He really did deserve an Oscar Nod

But he was clear during Sundance Press that he could care less.

At the end of the day - he is always and forever Double R Superstar!


PS - he lost his hearing in one ear doing his own stunts. I want to be like him if I live into my late 70's.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. I liked Nebraska..

both for Bruce dern's work and as a character study. It is actually a thoughtful and at times humorous movie.
I find myself thinking about it off and on weeks later.

Dallas Buyers Club was very good, IMHO, for the subject matter and pacing, as well as acting.

The Butler and Mandela could have been "made for tv" films, as far as I was concerned.

blue jasmine did indeed stand out. In fact, I watched it twice, back to back. Have been disappointed in Woody Allen over the years, but this film was deserving of the Oscars.

More and more I find myself preferring foreign films and tv series.
Borgen is so top notch, it has set a new standard for what I watch.( Danish tv series)

[JustAnotherGen]

9. I thought Dallas Buyer's Club

Has some amazing acting in it. Leto and McCon-CanNeverSpellHisName really deserved their awards for that.

But I'm always a sucker for anything Scorsese. And a character actor named Dicaprio.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

10. I was disappointed in The Wolf of Wall Street &

The Baz Luhrman production of The Great Gatsby.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. Dicaprio flat out amazed me with his comedy skills in WOWS...

I had started the book, gave up 1/3 of way in, the movie was much better.
Must admit I was skeptical of film at first, very glad I watched all way thru.
the scene of him getting into car is gonna be a classic.

[JustAnotherGen]

12. We've watched the

Qual/car scene 7 times since we bought the DVD!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. I agree totally NRL ! Wish I could remember

the publication - saw an editor on TV - who said they did their own poll
after the Oscars - of all these one-off film type people across the globe
of the true best movies. The results were supposed to be announced
the next day and then I forgot. will keep looking. I do remember him
saying that his two favorites were Philomena and Nebraska.

I want to see Llewyn Davis (just for the GV vibe) but my sister said it was very depressing. Your
thoughts?

I agree Captain Phillips held my interest - but I abhor fake accents (Boston). And like
everyone who tries it - they always seem to fade in and out - which makes it
even more fake (think Kevin Spacey in House of Cards).

Did find this list - which isn't loaded with the usual suspects - you may have some you can catch...

AO Scott's top films 2013
1. ‘ Inside Llewyn Davis’ The musical performances — especially from Oscar Isaac, who plays the title character — are hauntingly lovely, and they anchor Joel and Ethan Coen’s exploration, at once mordant and melancholy, of the early-’60s New York folk scene. A ballad of bad luck and squandered talent that already seems, like the music it celebrates, to have been around forever.

2. ‘12 Years a Slave’ Its historical seriousness and topical resonance are considerable but should not distract attention from Steve McQueen’s artistry. Suspenseful and dramatic in the best Hollywood tradition — and full of first-rate performances — this story of bondage and the longing for freedom unfolds with startling clarity and immediacy.

3. ‘Blue Is the Warmest Color’ Yes, the sex scenes are explicit, but they are both necessary to the love story and tangential to the film’s main ambition, which is to illuminate the life of its young protagonist, played by Adèle Exarchopoulos, in full. So yes, Abdellatif Kechiche’s Cannes prize winner is about sex, but it’s also about everything else: food, work, art, social class, education and, perhaps above all, France.

4. ‘Enough Said’ Nicole Holofcener’s midlife romantic comedy, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini, spins what at first seems like an anecdotal premise into a rich and insightful examination of the peculiarities and contradictions of courtship and parenthood in 21st century America.

5. ‘A Touch of Sin’ Jia Zhangke’s angry, meticulous collection of violent vignettes paints a somber picture of modern China as a place of inequality, greed and indifference. And not only China.

6. ‘All Is Lost’ An old story — man against the elements — grandly and thrillingly told by J. C. Chandor. Robert Redford commands the screen with barely a word.

7. ‘Frances Ha’ With its nouvelle vague black-and-white imagery and its eye for the pleasures and foibles of young-bohemian New York, Noah Baumbach’s lightest and loosest feature, written with and starring Greta Gerwig, is a sweet bedtime story for anxious millennials.

8. ‘Hannah Arendt’ Those who complain that movies can’t think don’t really know how to think about movies. This one, focusing on the controversy surrounding its subject’s 1963 book “Eichmann in Jerusalem,” brilliantly dramatizes the imperative at the center of her life as a writer and philosopher, which was to compel the world to yield to the force of the mind.

9. ‘Lee Daniels’ The Butler’ Movies about American history tend to be somber, responsible and pious, even as the history itself is completely crazy — violent, tragic, ridiculous and contradictory. Lee Daniels, never known for his restraint, turns America’s most agonized and contentious subject (that would be race) into an opera of wild melodrama, canny naturalism and political camp. None of it should have worked, and yet nearly all of it does.

10. ‘The Great Gatsby’/‘The Wolf of Wall Street’/‘The Bling Ring’/‘Spring Breakers’/‘Pain and Gain’/‘American Hustle’ Six variations on the big theme of our times: “Just look at all my stuff!” It’s capitalism, baby! Grab what (and who) you can, and do whatever feels good. We’re all going to hell (or jail, or Florida) anyway.

And: “Before Midnight,” “Beyond the Hills,” “Caesar Must Die,” “Computer Chess,” “Fill the Void,” “Fruitvale Station,” “The Great Beauty,” “Her,” “In a World, ” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Museum Hours,” “Nebraska,” “An Oversimplification of Her Beauty,” “Viola,” “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.”

Documentaries

1. ‘The Act of Killing’ Joshua Oppenheimer’s harrowing, hallucinatory visits with unrepentant mass murderers in Indonesia.

2. ‘Stories We Tell’ Sarah Polley’s sly, sensational investigation of family secrets and the camera’s ability to reveal and invent the truth.

3. ‘The Square’ Jehane Noujaim’s on-the-scene, up-to-the minute chronicle of the Egyptian revolution and its aftermath.

4. ‘Let the Fire Burn’ Jason Osder’s reconstruction — entirely from archival video, — of the 1985 bombing of Move headquarters in Philadelphia.

5. ‘Cutie and the Boxer’ Zachary Heinzerling’s lovely and surprising portrait of the marriage of Ushio and Noriko Shinohara, two Japanese artists who have lived in New York for more than 40 years.

[NRaleighLiberal]

15. Some on my list we really wanted to like...

Philomena actually suffered from some of the same stuff Saving Mr. Banks did, for us - flashback overload, which broke up the story flow pretty badly. Hank's odd Disney "accent" was as annoying as his Captain Phillips "Bahsten" one. Judi Dench really didn't handle her Irish accent consistently and well, either. (Meryl Streep continues to be the queen of remarkable assimilation of accents!)

Llewyn Davis - yes, depressing. Best part of it was really the music. Very dark movie overall.

12 Years just hit us wrong - certainly incredibly relevant topic, but the onset of the movie was so brutal in the whipping of the slaves, the awfulness of the kidnappers - we just couldn't handle it that night (kind of a first scene Saving Private Ryan visceral response)...we will probably give it another chance due to its relevance.

We look forward to seeing Blue is the Warmest.... - it is on Netflix streaming. Probably soon.

And the Gandolfini one is soon up in our queue.

We didn't like Frances Ha at all - extremely annoying characters/actresses that made us cringe.

The Butler - important topic, but just utterly "hollywoodized" - as well as "Oprahed". We liked, not loved, it (and when we found out how much of the real story was altered....well, we just don't care for that - same with Mr. Banks - why not keep it real?)

Great Gatsby - utterly hated it, but I hated Moulin Rouge as well - the whole over the top, singing/dancing, loud, fast scene and color shift thing leaves me seasick. I really like the original Redford/Dern version.

I won't chance "before midnight" because I've not liked any in the series - far too talky, and I really didn't connect with the characters at all.

Fruitville station - we will try again; disc was damaged in our first attempt to watch. We have "Her" and "Walter Mitty" in our queue.

There are others on the list that are interesting - thanks.

We loved "Stories we Tell" - but pretty much anything Sarah Polley does/acts in is superb, to us. (Sweet Hereafter, etc).

I am sure I come across as an awful movie snob - but we like what we like - and we don't what we don't!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. 19 Best Movies of 2013 you haven't seen

The 19 Best Movies That You Didn't See in 2013 - Find & Watch Them
by Alex Billington
February 18, 2014


A Band Called Death

Opened on June 28, 2013
Directed by Mark Christopher Covino & Jeff Howlett
A documentary on the 1970s punk trio Death, and their new-found popularity decades after they disbanded.
Why it's on here: An exceptional mix of intriguing storytelling and badass, punk rock riffs, A Band Called Death is the latest in a string of brilliant docs designed to make you take notice of the artists and talent at the films' subject matter heart. The punk band, Death, was made up of three African-American brothers. They formed their band before punk rock even had a blip on the radar, before the rest of the world was ready to be as rebellious as they were, and before anyone was ready to listen to a band with such a pessimistic, downer name. These reasons all factored into Death never finding the success they were striving for. However, thanks to music docs such as this, the works of these gifted artists are finding an audience. A Band Called Death is not only an engaging story with awesome music, it is important that stories like this and Searching for Sugar Man be told, that the artists these films are about be given their moment to shine. This is an amazing part of a greater, documentary movement when it comes to discovering lost music. For what these films do, and for how wonderful they are, here's hoping there are dozens more just waiting on the horizon. (Written by Jeremy Kirk)

Ain't Them Bodies Saints

Opened on August 16, 2013
Directed by David Lowery
The tale of an outlaw who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife and the daughter he has never met.
Why it's on here: After premiering at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, I called this breakthrough film from director David Lowery a "slow-burning, western thriller with magnificent visuals, conservative performances, and a spectacularly twangy score." The film begins where most heist films end as a group of outlaws face off with policemen in a shootout. A freshly pregnant Ruth (Rooney Mara) and her husband Bob (Casey Affleck) are taken away in handcuffs, clinging to each other as they're escorted by police. Bob takes the blame for shooting a police officer, leaving Ruth to raise their child on her own, awaiting his release. The story that unfolds is a quiet, gorgeously shot thriller, focusing on whether or not love can overcome such overwhelming obstacles. (Written by Ethan)

The Act of Killing

Opened on July 19, 2013
Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer
A documentary that challenges former Indonesian death squad leaders to reenact their real-life mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.
Why it's on here: This is an unbelievable, astounding, confounding, remarkable documentary that deserves every last award it's won so far. Joshua Oppenheimer's The Act of Killing is an extraordinary achievement in documentary filmmaking, and pushes boundaries in storytelling in the way it's constructed, and the way he captures something happen, not to mention being released for free in Indonesia. Recalling the stories of Indonesian death squad leaders, The Act of Killing is one of the most powerful docs ever made and is a landmark debut for Oppenheimer. By now, many have heard something about this doc, thanks to all the awards it's getting, but it's time to finally watch it. Be prepared to be shocked and moved.

The Attack

Opened on June 21, 2013
Directed by Ziad Doueiri
An Arab surgeon living in Tel Aviv discovers a dark secret about his wife in the aftermath of a suicide bombing.
Why it's on here: A highly underseen drama, one of my favorites from the Telluride Film Festival. The Attack tells a heart-wrenching, emotionally frustrating story of love in Israel, about a husband who loses his wife in a suicide bombing and struggles in the aftermath as he begins to learn more about the event. It's a riveting drama with a very powerfully touching core, and is a film that will challenge your own beliefs and put you in the thick of discussion by the end. Ali Suliman gives a stellar lead performance as Dr. Amin Jaafari. Highly recommended, thought-provoking film.

Bastards

Opened on October 23, 2013
Directed by Claire Denis
Marco returns to Paris after his brother-in-law's suicide, where he targets the man his sister believes caused the tragedy - though he is ill-prepared for her secrets as they quickly muddy the waters.
Why it's on here: An intricate, deep, tender film that, if anything, will introduce more people to French filmmaker Claire Denis (of Beau Travail, Trouble Every Day, 35 Shots of Rum). Denis' latest film, featuring Vincent Lindon and Chiara Mastroianni both giving great performances, is an immersive and mesmerizing experience. It will leave some confounded, but others will fall for it's enchanting visuals and eerie story. As said best by my friend Raffi of The Film Stage: "Packing in thematic metaphors about the secrecy of elitist people, the world of their mistresses, and their obsessive vices no matter how disturbing, the subtle emotional layers in this experience are vast while incongruous to what we are shown."

Blue Caprice

Opened on September 13, 2013
Directed by Alexandre Moors
An abandoned boy is lured to America and drawn into the shadow of a dangerous father figure. Inspired by the real life events that led to the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks.
Why it's on here: In what could easily be seen as a subtle monster movie, Blue Caprice focuses the unlikely duo of an abandoned young boy and grown man as they begin a makeshift father-son relationship inspired by the heinous Beltway sniper attacks. Isaiah Washington and Tequan Richmond play the killers in question in a story told from their point of view. From director Alexandre Moors turns the title car into an important character, allowing it to linger in an intimidating fashion, making it one of the most terrifying vehicles since Duel or Christine. But the real meat comes from seeing inside the mind of these misguided devils as they carry out their own form of inexplicable justice on everyday people. It's cold-blooded, haunting and powered by two fantastic performances. (Written by Ethan)

Blue is the Warmest Color

Opened on October 25, 2013
Directed by Abdellatif Kechiche
Adele's life is changed when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire, to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adele grows, seeks herself, loses herself and ultimately finds herself through love and loss.
Why it's on here: Because it's one of the grandest, most exhilarating loves stories ever told on film. Screw the controversy and complaints from the actresses, forget any concerns about there being too much shown, it's just a beautiful film telling a wonderful love story. That's it, simple as that - and there's so much to appreciate. Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux, as Adèle and Emma, both give best-of-their-lives performances as two lesbians exploring falling in love, and we follow their romance intimately, from their first physical moments to the fall out. I've seen this film multiple times and love it for so many reasons, from the depth of the characters, to the extended but intricate storytelling, to the food scenes, and much more. It's worth it.

Concussion

Opened on October 4, 2013
Directed by Stacie Passon
After a blow to the head, Abby decides she can't do it anymore. Her life just can't be only about the house, the kids and the wife. She needs more: she needs to be Eleanor.
Why it's on here: A sensual drama that has a powerful undercurrent, the kind that gets under your skin and makes you think back to it, days, weeks, or even months later. Originally a Sundance film, Concussion features a fantastic lead performance from Robin Weigert as a mom who decides to explore her sexuality in a risque way as a call girl. It's not too explicit, or overly sweet, but it is an edgy and well-made indie drama that's worth your time exploring. It will challenge your own feelings, and make you think deeply about sentimentality and sexuality. Just don't watch this one with your kids.

The Congress

Opened on November 10, 2013
Directed by Ari Folman
An aging, out-of-work actress accepts one last job, though the consequences of her decision affect her in ways she didn't consider.
Why it's on here: An extremely mesmerizing and utterly thought-provoking sci-fi mind bender starring Robin Wright (as "Robin Wright&quot , of all people. The film, which starts out live-action, turns into animation part of the way through and goes to some very odd places, bringing up existential and metaphysical questions. At first I was completely bewildered, but the more I think back to this film and what it contains, the more I admire it and wish that more people would take a look at it. The way it asks questions and the oddly alluring cartoon animation, there's just something about it. I hope more people get the chance to see The Congress and really peel back the layers of it.

Europa Report

Opened on August 2, 2013
Directed by Sebastián Cordero (Interview)
An international crew of astronauts undertakes a privately funded mission to search for life on Jupiter's fourth largest moon.
Why it's on here: Because it's awesome. I love this film, it's perfect. Everything they got wrong in Prometheus, everything that didn't deliver in Apollo 18, it's all fixed in this found footage sci-fi exploration film. Ecuadorian filmmaker Sebastián Cordero gets everything right about this, from the setup to the incredible set design, to the minimal effects, to the way the story unfolds and the little glimpses he gives us. It's honestly one of my favorite sci-fi movies of the decade, the way it gets science right so much of the time, and the way it approaches space travel from a realistic standpoint. The cast is notable as well, lead by Sharlto Copley, Daniel Wu, Christian Camargo and Karolina Wydra. It's a great discovery, and a movie that is well worth it to experience.

Frances HaFrances Ha
Opened on May 17, 2013
Directed by Noah Baumbach
A story that follows a New York woman (who doesn't really have an apartment), apprentices for a dance company (though she's not really a dancer), and throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as their possibility dwindles.
Why it's on here: This black and white comedy starring Greta Gerwig in a compellingly honest performance made the list of my favorite films of 2013, coming in right at #8. And looking back at the film Gerwig co-wrote with director Noah Baumbach, it's easily one of the best films that sadly more audiences didn't catch. Whether you're experiencing your 20s or look back on them far in your past, this story of a young girl still finding her place in the world is something we can all relate to. But what's spectacular about Frances Ha is that it doesn't approach the subject matter melodramatically or with any obviously revelatory story arc. Instead, the film lets Frances learn from her mistakes, live life spontaneously and occasionally haphazardly, just as we all have. It's a true delight to watch. (Written by Ethan)

Life According to Sam

Opened on October 21, 2013
Directed by Sean Fine & Andrea Nix
A documentary about one family's courageous fight to save their only son from a rare and fatal disease, progeria.
Why it's on here: Progeria is an extremely rare genetic disorder in children wherein symptoms resembling the effects of aging are manifested at a very early age. Sam Berns is a normal teenage boy afflicted with this easy-to-spot affliction, and he wants everyone to know about this disease that is part of his life, but he also wants everyone to understand that it's not what defines him. While progeria limits Sam in certain activities, he strives for life goals like any other teenager. Whether it's aspiring to be part of the high school drum corps or tutoring students in math, Sam doesn't let life get him down as his medical doctor parents work hard through the Progeria Research Foundation to hopefully find a cure. This is a charming, informative and eye-opening documentary about a rare disease that only impacts dozens, but deserves no less of our dedication and support in fighting it. Sadly, Sam passed away early this year, making the documentary that much more bittersweet, but you can honor him by supporting the Progeria Research foundation right here. (Written by Ethan)

Like Father, Like Son

Opened on November 9, 2013
Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda
Ryota Nonomiya is a successful businessman driven by money. When he learns that his biological son was switched with another child after birth, he must make a life-changing decision and choose his true son or the boy he raised as his own.
Why it's on here: This is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful film that will make you cry. Especially if you have kids of your own. Koreeda (of Nobody Knows) tells an emotionally heartbreaking story - two families had their babies switched while first at the hospital, and they've raised sons not their own over the past few years. Confronted with this information, how do they cope, and could they switch children before it's too late? What a tough situation to be in. Set in contemporary Japan, this story is told with a refined delicacy and masterful precision that makes every moment of it riveting to watch. It's not completely depressing either, there's a joyful side to it, but above all it's just a touching, accessible human story.

Like Someone in Love

Opened on February 15, 2013
Directed by Abbas Kiarostami
In Tokyo, a young prostitute develops an unexpected connection with an elderly widower over a period of two days.
Why it's on here: A very charming film beneath its otherwise opaque surface. There's so much to adore about this Tokyo-set film, from the intriguing long shots themselves, to the lovely performance from 86-year-old Tadashi Okuno as Takashi Watanabe. I saw this at the Cannes Film Festival and was mesmerized, and I can't help but recommend watching just about anything from Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. That said, Like Someone in Love tells a very sweet story about love and truth and honor, contrasted by the harsh reality of today's real world, captured exquisitely by Kiarostami. Even if these kind of films aren't your thing, it's still worth seeing.

Newlyweeds

Opened on September 18, 2013
Directed by Shaka King
A match made in stoner heaven turns into a love triangle gone awry when Lyle can't decide which matters most, Nina or Mary Jane.
Why it's on here: For some laughter! This Sundance-selected indie is a wacky, one-of-a-kind, stoner comedy-drama about a couple, played by Amari Cheatom and Trae Harris, who encounter some turbulence when marijuana stress gets a bit too much. It's set in Brooklyn, of course, and is hilarious while at times sweet and thoughtful. Yes, there's plenty of marijuana use but that's what makes it great - a sort of brand new kind of modern 2013 stoner drama, with some good lessons and a beating heart deep down at its core. Isiah Whitlock Jr. shows up briefly, too, which should be more than enough to convince you this is worth your time. It's a real gem, a fun watch whether you're stoned or not.

Short Term 12

Opened on August 23, 2013
Directed by Destin Cretton
A 20-something supervising staff member of a residential treatment facility navigates the troubled waters of that world alongside her co-worker and longtime boyfriend.
Why it's on here: "Sometimes you watch a movie and, at the end, can't think of anything in the film that could have been done better. The whole thing just feels perfect or magical, a shining example of what cinema is all about. Short Term 12 is one of those movies," proclaims SlashFilm's Germain Lussier in his 10/10 review. If those two lines didn't sell you, I hope this will. Everything about this film is a magnificent achievement, from the down-to-earth performances to the heartfelt story that connects with everyone in its own ways, to the cinematography and care put into the storytelling, Short Term 12 is one of those films you just have to see, you must discover. Brie Larson and John Gallagher Jr. are exceptional in the lead performances as two counselors struggling with their own lives while trying to manage the lives of a couple of troubled young kids. Fall in love with this film like everyone else has, you won't regret it.

The Square

Opened on October 25, 2013
Directed by Jehane Noujaim
A group of Egyptian revolutionaries battle leaders and regimes, risking their lives to build a new society of conscience.
Why it's on here: Because it's another outstanding doc that needs to be seen. As I tweeted right after I first saw this doc at the New York Film Festival last year: "a powerful, intimate, infuriating, inspiring, moving doc about struggles of revolution in modern day. Required viewing for all." The doc has already earned an Oscar nomination and plenty of acclaim throughout the year. It's even being updated as things continue to happen, after first premiering at Sundance back in early 2013, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim has continued to add more footage to the doc as the Egyptian revolution evolves. As stated, it's required viewing, there's so much to gain from it; it's like watching history in the making and learning so many lessons about how cultures change and what it means to be free in this day and age.

Wadjda

Opened on September 13, 2013
Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour
An enterprising Saudi girl signs on for her school's Koran recitation competition as a way to raise the remaining funds she needs in order to buy the green bicycle that has captured her interest.
Why it's on here: Because it's the first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and the first feature film made by a female Saudi director - Haifaa Al-Mansour (watch her Jon Stewart interview). This film is also on here because it's a charmer, it's the kind that will win you over in heart and head, about a young girl who just wants to get her bicycle. The young girl who stars in Wadjda, Waad Mohammed, is wonderful and brings so much joy to this story. There's also a slight political agenda behind this and it's refreshing to see such impressive filmmaking coming from even the most oppressed places in the world. Another terrific discovery that you will want to tell all of your friends about after.

We Steal Secrets

Opened on May 24, 2013
Directed by Alex Gibney
A documentary that details the creation of Julian Assange's controversial website, which facilitated the largest security breach in U.S. history.
Why it's on here: To make you think twice about the way we all instantly judge, and to highlight an utterly fascinating documentary. Think you know everything about Julian Assange and WikiLeaks? Guess again. In one of Alex Gibney's two 2013 docs (the other being The Armstrong Lie), he spends over two hours exploring the complete story of whiz kid and controversial figure Julian Assange: who he is, how he came to be, and why he caused his own downfall. It's expertly arranged, and delves deep into the person, exploring why everything turned out the way it did, with inside access. I liked this more than The Armstrong Lie, and fought it completely captivating from start to finish, tweeting that I "didn't want it to end." This is another doc worth diving into, whether you're fond of the subject or not.

I hope we've been able to introduce everyone to a few more great must-see films that you have never seen. Not everyone will love all of them, that's certainly expected, but I guarantee there is something unique to discover in every last one of these. Support an indie filmmaker today, watch one of these 19, it will make a difference! Let us know what you think of it after, too.

Honorable Mentions (more to see!) other fantastic films: James Ponsoldt's The Spectacular Now, Jordan Vogt-Roberts's The Kings of Summer, Shane Carruth's Upstream Color, Jem Cohen's Museum Hours, Derek Cianfrance's The Place Beyond the Pines, Zal Batmanglij's The East, Drake Doremus' Breathe In, Cristian Mungiu's Beyond the Hills, Rick Rowley's Dirty Wars, Shaul Schwarz's Narco Cultura, Lucien Castaing-Taylor & Verena Paravel's Leviathan, David Gordon Green's Prince Avalanche, Park Chan-wook's Stoker.

[NRaleighLiberal]

16. Cool - thanks. we went back to stream "cherry blossoms" the other night...

wow - now THAT was a movie.