Best Movies of 2013

Its been an interesting year for the movie industry, whether we talk Hollywood or Bollywood. Big tent-pole movies were the norm at the box office, and there were both successes and flops from each region. It can’t be denied either that some of the box offices successes have proved to be quite surprising, such as the runaway hits Frozen and The Hunger Games #2: Catching Fire, which continue to tell studio executives that female-led movies, especially action movies, CAN be successful if given a chance and that hiding behind ridiculous sexist attitudes and thinking just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Or let’s talk Guillermo Del Toro’s Pacific Rim which underperformed in the US but was a big hit in international markets and the reason for the former can no doubt be laid at the feet of the subversive trend in American media of trash-talking movies that are different.

But enough of that. This post, the first such that I’m doing, is meant to celebrate the movies that I thoroughly enjoyed this year, whether Hollywood or Bollywood, and that’s what I’m going to focus on here. So let’s have at it.

The Hobbit (An Unexpected Journey): The Adventure Begins

I first read The Hobbit back in ninth grade. In many reviews and editorials over the years I’ve said that that was a time when I was really beginning to explore the science fiction and fantasy genres. And that was a time when I was reading the works of some of the biggest names in either, authors like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, J. R. R. Tolkien, Raymond E. Feist, Ursula K. Le Guin, and many others. So suffice to say that (almost) 13 years on, I’ve had a long relationship with the Middle Earth setting. I’ve read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Unfinished Tales and The Silmarillion. And whenever I’ve read either of them, or re-read them, its always been a joy.

A little over a year ago, following the incredible success of his The Lord of The Rings adaptations, Peter Jackson released his long-awaited The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first in a new trilogy that is based on The Hobbit but not as faithful an adaptation as his previous trilogy. First two movies, and then three, he has said that he would be including materials from various appendices and what not to pad out the entire trilogy, and this is a move that I welcomed. When I saw the movie in 2012, I was extremely impressed with it. It had a few flaws, but the overall effect was just as grand as I remembered from the novel.

Note: The review may contain spoilers.

Are Classics Re-readable?

As part of my “Top 25 Series To Read In 2013” reading challenge, I’ve read a fair amount of books this year that can be considered to be classics of science fiction and fantasy, in all their different forms. There is a certain charm to all these novels that has persisted long after they were first published. Whether we talk about Frank Herbert’s space operatic political intrigue epic Dune or Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman’s true-to-style epic fantasy Dragons of Autumn Twilight, I’ve had a lot of fun with these novels.

And that is my question: are they re-readable? I’ve read Dune and Dragons of Autumn Twilight several times since when I first read them in 2001. I think they are rereadable, but I’m not completely sure. Is the question answerable in part with regard to whether the book is good or not? We shall see.

The A-to-Z Book Survey

So a few days ago my reviewing/blogging buddy Ria at Bibliotropic posted a nice survey of sorts on her blog. It was a cool article and with her permission, I’m sneaking off my own spin on it.

Hope you enjoy! And even if not, do share your thoughts in the comments!