As 2013 draws to a close, we’re sticking to our annual tradition of appreciating our favorite geeky things from the past year. We polled the Fandomania staff to find out what everyone’s favorite movies for 2013 were, and here are the results.
Pacific Rim
“I saw Pacific Rim on Blu-ray and instantly I knew I was gonna love it. It’s got giant monsters and robots for one, and a great story for the other. Plus, so many diverse characters and a ‘hero’ character who turns out to be what you least expect!” – Nikki Day
“What appears at first glance like a straightforward action movie manages to subvert a lot of tropes of the genre, with the ultimate message of the film being the strength of unity, human connection, and all types of love in the face of seemingly impossible odds.” – Celeste Monsour
“Guillermo del Toro’s monsters versus robots spectacle rode into theaters on a massive wave of hype that had been building since the film’s original announcement at a previous Comic-Con. Del Toro is a geek’s geek and shows his chops with a big budget adventure that manages to pack in fantastic characters and actual heart amidst all the explosions and hydraulics.” – Jason Dorough
“This movie was a nerd’s wet dream. It had mecha, big monsters, girls who looked like anime characters, and Charlie Hunnam. This movie may not have had a deep plot but I had a blast watching it.” – Mandi Harris
Thor: The Dark World
“This second Thor movie had more action and lots of fun moments. Of course, Thor is my favorite Avenger and watching him on screen for two hours is always a good experience. Christopher Eccleston also added to this film with his portrayal of Malekith.” – Mandi Harris
“It’s not often a sequel surpasses the original in a series, but Thor: The Dark World far exceeds its predecessor. The actors have become at ease in these roles and it has deepened the performances. Set more in Asgard than on Earth, the story is given the opportunity to showcase the beauty of that world in full glorious movie ‘magic’. That setting also allows many of the great actors sprinkled throughout the movie more screen time that the first Thor movie — Sir Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, and Idris Elba, to name a few. Of course, there’s Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Christopher Eccleston as the villainous Dark Elf Malekith. Be still, my Fangirl heart.” – Ava DiGioia
“Loki! Loki! Loki! Sure, good-brother Thor is the title character, but this movie is all about the devilishly intriguing Loki. Throw in a return of The Warriors Three and Sif, along with a great turn by Christopher Eccleston as Malekith, and you’ve got a great time had by all. And I’m still left wondering, what happened to Odin?” – Kimberly Lynn Workman
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
“What can I say? I’m a Tolkien fan. Yes, I know there were great departures from the book. However, Peter Jackson has an incredible skill for storytelling and keeps the whole story in the spirit of that world. Plus, all the major plot points are kept. If PJ is guilty of any sin against Tolkien, it’s more in trying to expand on the world than anything else. DOS is simply fun to watch. I dare even the most hardened purist to not get caught up in the action, cheering for our heroes and fearing for their safety. Smaug may be the best CGI/mo-cap creation to date. It’s worth seeing the movie just to see one of the most famous dragons in literature brought to life. The Middle-Earth conceived by Jackson and Weta is exactly the way I’ve always imagined it to be.” – Ava DiGioia
“It’s always great to see Middle Earth on screen — the visuals are stunning as usual, even when Peter Jackson plays fast and loose with the story. And Benedict Cumberbatch is awesome as Smaug.” – Ann Wells
“At the time of writing this, I haven’t seen DoS yet, but I know I’ll love it. I loved AUJ and this seems to be more of what I loved. Plus, dragons and elves and more!” – Nikki Day
Iron Man 3
“Tony Stark, how great you are. When I first heard that they were taking on not only Extremis, but The Mandarin as well, I knew the movie would have a lot to live up to. I was not disappointed. With twists and turns, and a chance to see Pepper save the day, we got to see the real repercussions of New York on Tony’s psyche. He’s not okay, but he’s getting there.” – Kimberly Lynn Workman
“While I did have some problems with Iron Man 3, I think overall it was fantastic. Tony, Pepper, and Rhodey were perfect and the bad guys were great too. It had just the right mix of funny and angst. It was a great start for post-Avengers movies.” – Nikki Day
“Marvel Studios had a big act to follow after last year’s The Avengers, and they delivered a fantastic and fun blockbuster with Iron Man 3. This third movie serves as an excellent bookend to the initial Iron Man movie trilogy while providing a stepping stone for the larger Marvel movie universe.” – Jason Dorough
The Conjuring
“James Wan has a unique and refreshing vision of the horror genre that makes me look forward to each of his new releases, and The Conjuring is an even better movie than Insidious was. Without resorting to gross-outs or cheap scares, The Conjuring presents a genuinely disturbing tale inspired by the real-life paranormal investigation couple, Ed and Lorraine Warren.” – Jason Dorough
“I’m a huge fan of horror movies, so a horror movie based on the adventures of real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren was right up my alley. It delivered on all fronts, and did so quite well. No jumpscares, minimal gore, but still plenty terrifying!” – Jess Roth
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
“I was beyond impressed with the second film. The pacing, adaptation, the island, and the acting were just amazing. It’s like the director and the actors stepped it up a notch to make the sequel even better than the first film.” – Mandi Harris
The World’s End
“The third movie in Edgar Wright’s loose trilogy that began with Shaun of the Dead is every bit as weird and enjoyable as its predecessors. The beauty of Shaun and Hot Fuzz is the interloping of horrifyingly supernatural events into mundane British life, and The World’s End presents that scenario beautifully with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost once again at the center of the maelstrom.” – Jason Dorough
Much Ado About Nothing
“Technically it’s not a genre film, but it’s Joss Whedon’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s play and features plenty of actors from his various TV shows and movies. Of course Nathan Fillion as the comedic constable Dogberry steals the scenes he appears in. That said, all of the actors’ performances are amazing; it’s easy to see why Joss keeps using them.” – Chad Walker
“I got everything I wanted out of this, and more. It brought me right back to Romeo + Juliet.” – Jess Roth
This Is the End
“While certainly a very vulgar movie, the amount of funny in this made me feel a lot less angry at James Franco for trying too hard in Oz the Great and Powerful. It was also the only film in 2013 to feature Whitney Houston, the Backstreet Boys, and Psy, and that has to count for something.” – Jess Roth
The Wolverine
“This movie erased the bad taste of the prior stand-alone and gave proper acknowledgment to our forever-conflicted X-Man Logan. Hugh Jackman is this character, through and through, so anytime he gets to reprise the role, I’ll be in the theatre.” – Kimberly Lynn Workman
The To-Do List
“The ’90s, Bill Hader, and awkward sexual awakenings? Count me in. Granted, my lists in that decade were far more G-rated, but I couldn’t help but love this movie from the second it started. I went for Hader but I stayed for Aubrey Plaza, whose prim and proper Brandy Klark was on point as she used her brainy tactics to secure all the bedroom antic knowledge she needed before she headed to college.” – Kendra Beltran
Oblivion
“I’m a huge fan of big-concept science fiction stories that focus more on the setting and ideas than on the specific characters. Oblivion fills that niche perfectly and is a rare pure sci-fi flick in an era that presents action movies in the guise of science fiction.” – Jason Dorough
Despicable Me 2
“Villains and Minions. Despicable Me 2 has appeal for all age ranges, and it’s actually funny. Laugh out loud funny. You won’t be able to not laugh.” – Ava DiGioia
World War Z
“Zombies! Lots of zombies! While it swayed away from the book, and the ‘solution’ left me greatly confused, there’s something satisfying in a movie whose cure for a wandering plot is to just throw more zombies onto the screen.” – Kimberly Lynn Workman
Monsters University
“While it wasn’t the Boo-filled sequel we’d all been hoping for, it was still a pretty adorable movie. Young Mike Wazowski quickly entered my list of favorite Disney characters when I left the theater. Plus, the lesson learned turned into a personal mantra, ‘Don’t let being different scare you from being the best.'” – Kendra Beltran
The Great Gatsby
“While it’s never going to top my list of best movies ever, and the soundtrack was a bit obtrusive, The Great Gatsby was visually stunning and did well to serve the material. Besides, Leonardo DiCaprio is always a winner where I’m concerned.” – Kimberly Lynn Workman
