The PDC Staff Picks the Most Underrated/Overrated Movies of 2013

To call something overrated or underrated is usually pretty controversial, but especially when you're a critic. What it tends to mean is that you're battling back against the popular opinion of learned colleagues, and those discussions can get pretty heated. It's not as simple as saying "Hey I like this better", what you're saying is a certain movie doesn't deserve the respect it's getting, or another is deserving of more than your colleagues are willing to give. There's a little bit of personal criticism that comes with it that can't really be avoided.

We here at the Punch Drunk Critics engage in our share of disagreements (Julian is dead wrong about Man of Steel and he knows it!!) in which one of us has had to face an uphill climb to back or rip a certain film we feel strongly about. And so we got together to list the movies we felt were underrated or overrated during 2013, and as usual it turned out pretty interesting. Enjoy. And no, Anchorman 2 isn't on anybody's list, but it probably should be.

Roxana Hadadi

UNDERRATED

Teens in 2013: The Kings of Summer, The Bling Ring, The Spectacular Now

When did everyone stop caring about movies starring teenagers, unless they were Twilight or The Hunger Games? The ‘80s and ‘90s were full of great coming-of-age films, and yet it feels like the 2000s have been shortchanged when it comes to the genre—which was especially frustrating when 2013 saw the release of some great teen-centric films that were slapped with R ratings, isolating them from the younger audiences who really should have been seeing them. No surprise, then, that the three movies were promptly forgotten by moviegoers. The summer releases of The Kings of Summer, The Bling Ring, and The Spectacular Now went largely unnoticed by the general public—bringing in about $1.5 million, $19 million, and $6.8 million, respectively—which is frustrating given how well-acted, emotionally true, and affecting they all were. If Emma Watson licking her lips and dancing seductively in a club couldn’t get people out for Sofia Coppola’s “Bling Ring,” then The Kings of Summer (about three boys who rebel against their parents and run away) or The Spectacular Now (about young love between a teen alcoholic and his too-kind-for-her-own-good classmate) didn’t have a chance. And yet these are movies that you need to see, to remember how those ages felt and to wrap yourself in the yearning and desire and freedom that went along with adolescence. We shouldn’t forget those feelings, or these films.

OVERRATED

Gravity

Sure, Alfonso Cuarón’s film starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney was undeniably beautiful—to look at. But can we all admit that the story was lacking; the dialogue sometimes clunky and frustrating; and the final plot twist obvious and expected? Bullock’s and Clooney’s performances were solid and the tension omnipresent, but the fantastic visual effects, for me, didn’t engross me in the story; they kept me outside, looking in. Instead of feeling engrossed, I felt like an interloper. Gravity is a visual achievement for sure, but let’s not pretend it was the best film of 2013.

+Julian Lytle 

UNDERRATED
Rush

Man I don’t understand why there isn’t more people talking about one of the best films I’ve seen all year and clearly the best sports film all year. Let’s be honest here movies about the actual sport of car racing are pretty much boring. For me the greatest film in the car racing genre is Talladega Nights. Now you can say “Julian don’t you love The Fast and Furious franchise” and I say “ Man that ain’t about no sports, that’s about awesomeness”  but seriously Rush got me so involved in this story of these two men James Hunt and Niki Lauda probably got me the most invested in two characters this whole year. It let me see Chris Hemsworth as something other than Thor and it showed me just how good of an actor Daniel Bruhl is. Between this and Cinderella Man, Ron Howard has the lock on making dude movies that make dudes cry.

OVERRATED
The Butler

Man I don’t really even get how this movie is doing so well. This movie is essentially "Black Forrest Gump" in terms of the way it handled its main character’s travel through history. I think for me main issue with the movie is how it’s far too loose with the facts for to completely sell itself on being a TRUE story. For all the acclaim for Oprah’s performance I think what bothers me the most is that her character arc makes no sense at all. It didn’t work for me and it’s one of the few times where I don’t get how or why it worked for many others. I think this half decent movie is being boosted by the situation of Hollywood neglecting an audience.

+Travis Hopson

UNDERRATED

Blue Caprice

I don't shock easily; nor do many movies come out of nowhere and punch me in the face quite as hard as Alexandre Moors' Blue Caprice. One of the very first films I saw this year back before it ever had a hint of distribution, the subject matter was both worrying and intriguing. The Beltway Sniper shootings of more than a decade ago are still an open sore here in the District, and other movies on the matter have done a good job of sensationalizing it. But not Moors, who instead turns it into a terrifying character study on killer John Allen Muhammad, played with unsettling efficiency by Isaiah Washington, and the forces that turned him into a monster. Moors and writer R.F.I. Porto delve deep into Muhammad's twisted, "me against the world" psyche, but the real trick is how they make us understand without sympathizing. They're also quick to show how quickly Muhammad's sickness can be spread as he takes on a fatherly role to the wayward Lee Malvo (Tequan Richmond), the two forming a deadly and disturbed pair taking out their frustrations with the world on total strangers. But this isn't about the shootings themselves; it's about the shooters, and by the time they finally do take up arms we are sufficiently shaken to our boots. I turn up my nose every time I hear someone listing the likely Best Actor contenders because Washington's name is never mentioned when it needs to be in the discussion.

OVERRATED
Blue Jasmine
Two movies with Blue in the title? Guess what my back-up choice would have been? Yep, Blue is the Warmest Color. So overrated. But no, Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine wins it, mainly because it sits at a staggering 91% right now on Rotten Tomatoes, which boggles my mind. You ever ask anybody what they like about the film? The answer is always the same: Cate Blanchett. Well, first of all nobody should be surprised by that. But second, she's not that damn good, and the problem with her can be laid at Allen's feet. Allen has never been the type to hover over his actors and give them notes on how to play a scene (unless they're playing a role he would've done himself), and there were a handful of times when someone needed to rein Blanchett's twitchy self in just a little bit. Tone it down a notch, take it up a notch, whatever. She's good, but let's not go overboard because she insults a lot of people and always has a drink in her hand. Speaking of insults, Allen's ruminations on class divisions  are amateurish at best. Whether it's the blue collar working stiffs or the high-minded rich everybody falls neatly into caricature, and Allen doesn't seem the least bit interested in exploring what really makes these people tick. Throw in a couple of extraneous characters; you could merge Bobby Cannavale and Andrew Dice Clay and the story wouldn't miss a beat; and what you've got is another decent if uninspiring Woody Allen effort. Can he go back to just touring us through Europe, please?

+Mae Abdulbaki 

UNDERRATED
Rush

Like Julian, I'm surprised that this film kind of came and went and never really got the attention it deserved. People just seemed to forget about it and it flew right under the radar, becoming overshadowed by its competitors. What's great about Rush is that you don't have to know that much about race car driving because Ron Howard chooses to focus on the film's main characters and their rivalry and interactions with each other. It's a film for everyone really, and is able to balance great drama and emotion, sprinkled with lighter moments throughout and, of course, race cars. Daniel Bruhl and Chris Hemsworth are both fantastic in their roles as real race car drivers Nikki Lauda and James Hunt, respectively, and make the movie all the more worthy of watching.  Overrated Captain PhillipsThe first time watching this film didn't really do anything for me. Sure, it's Tom Hanks, but really Barkhad Abdi is much more entertaining as a character than Captain Phillips ever was. Yes, I also know that it's based on a true story, but the whole film was underwhelming, Tom Hanks' performance only great in the last few minutes of a film that goes on for far too long and doesn't carry enough emotion. Watch A Hijacking. It's not based on a true story, but its premise is generally the same and is a much higher quality film.

OVERRATED
Captain Phillips

The first time watching this film didn't really do anything for me. Sure, it's Tom Hanks, but really Barkhad Abdi is much more entertaining as a character than Captain Phillips ever was. Yes, I also know that it's based on a true story, but the whole film was underwhelming, Tom Hanks' performance only great in the last few minutes of a film that goes on for far too long and doesn't carry enough emotion. Watch A Hijacking. It's not based on a true story, but its premise is generally the same and is a much higher quality film.

John Nolan

UNDERRATED
Disconnect

As per usual I go against the rules…or rather misunderstand the rules. I had to put in my due diligence before choosing Disconnect here and the consensus on RottenTomatoes.com holds this flick at a fresh 68%, so the issue here isn't’t really that people were saying it was bad…it was more that they weren't saying it was good loud enough for the audience to hear. The genius of this movie is that it works on two totally different levels, one of which the director did not intend (though I’m not sure how he didn't see this aspect of the interpretation coming). Disconnect is a movie of intertwining story lines, ala Crash, all revolving around the dangers of the internet… be it identity theft, online bullying, or underage webcam sex workers, this is the description the film’s director,  Henry Alex Rubin, hates. He prefers to think of it as a film about innocent lies with dire consequences, the realization that our preconceived notions are extremely off, and the odd way we can connect anonymously with people whom we would never associate with face to face. It’s win win, you can watch this film on a surface level and be extremely entertained, if not a bit freaked out. You can also watch it on the deeper meaning level and have your world view…or at least certain specific views, brought into question. A film that never got the attention it deserved and will sadly fall into the void of overlooked films Disconnect is easily my most underrated film of the year.

OVERRATED
Inside Llewyn Davis

I’ll just get this out of the way, Oscar Issac is amazing in the film, that part of this movies hype is deserved. This movie was very Drive-like in that there are a lot of silent and awkward scenes, the biggest difference is that Issac says more with a look than most do with their complete faculty’s… even with that the awkward feel is overbearing. The best way I can describe my feelings on this flick is to compare it to something you’d see in an art gallery. You know the old cliché where all the rich ladies in their mink coats with their monocled husbands standing close by, checkbook in hand, talking about the genius of a particular work. Then you walk up to see said work and it looks like someone sneezed on a canvas with a bloody nose and called it something catchy like “Eternalus” or some other pretentious made up word…yeah that’s how I felt about Llewyn Davis outside of Issac’s performance. You need only know that there was talk of a best supporting actor nomination for John Goodman, who I normally love, who’s entire performance consisted of acting like a stoned whacked out weirdo who spoke nonsense randomly for 5 minutes in the middle of the movie. I. JUST. DON’T. GET. IT.

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10 Great Overlooked Films from 2013

It's not possible for every movie to receive the same amount of attention. There are literally hundreds of movies that came out every single year, and out of those maybe two or three will end up in your local multiplex. The rest will unspool at the art house or possibly On Demand, and really it's never been easier to get your hands on high-quality films at all times. But even with movie lovers having greater access than ever, there are still plenty of movies that slip beneath the cracks. So to kick off my end-of-the-year round up, I've selected ten of the movies that I absolutely loved that didn't have a lot of buzz....or didn't make a scratch at the box office....or were just severely under-appreciated. Two of these, Blue Caprice and Crystal Fairy, I caught at Sundance and my reviews suggest that I had some extremely high hopes for them. Just goes to show my radar is on the fritz more often than not. These are in no particular order, by the way.

Computer Chess
Director: Andrew Bujalski

There have been a lot of great movies about chess. There have been a lot of great movies about nerds. What do you get when they're put together? You get Andrew Bujalski's retro, offbeat charmer, Computer Chess. Shot in black and white and extremely grainy analog video, the film is set 30 years ago as tech geeks gather for to test out the next wave of computer chess software in a weekend tournament. Technological paranoia and social awkwardness make for a hilarious and offbeat mix as Bujalski methodically pulls back the layers of his quirky cast of characters with his trademark naturalistic dialogue honed through years in the "mumblecore" movement. There couldn't be a less commercial film than Computer Chess but it's well worth the effort to seek out.
+1
Director: Dennis Illiadis
Cast: Rhys Wakefield, Ashley Hinshaw, Logan Miller

Part Invasion of the Body Snatchers, part Can't Hardly Wait, Dennis Illiadis' +1 pretty much had me at 'Hello'. Basically one big "end of the year" bash gets sent to The Twilight Zone when clones of the partygoers start showing up, and since we're talking about a room full of drunken, drug-fueled, hormonal teens all their poor decisions have a chance of being repeated again and again until their world collapses in on itself or something. Yeah, the actual sci-fi stuff is a little messy but no other film has a girl making out with her own clone, or a dude watching himself have sex. Hope he took notes.

At Any Price
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Zac Efron,  Clancy Brown, Heather Graham, Maika Monroe

It's understandable that audiences didn't turn out for Ramin Bahrani's heartland drama At Any Price; his movies weren't made for the multiplex experience. But critics....really? Where are you? Especially now during awards season there should be some heat behind this powerful melodrama, which explores the idea of the American Dream in today's corporate society. Dennis Quaid has never been better (and I mean that, like ever) as a struggling farmer forced into some dirty tactics just to compete with his rivals. Although it's a low bar, Zac Efron gives the finest performances of his career as Quaid's racer car-driving son, who has no plans of ever joining the family trade. Issues of family loyalty, professional obsession, and the corporatization of America collide in this intimate, old fashioned film. There's a reason why Roger Ebert called Bahrani "the director of the decade", and At Any Priceis a perfect example of his gifts.

Crystal Fairy
Director: Sebastian Silva
Cast: Michael Cera, Gaby Hoffman

I typically turn up my nose at drug comedies. They've just never done much for me and as someone who has never so much as lit a cigarette, I always feel like I'm missing out on the joke. But Crystal Fairy isn't your typical drug comedy by a long stretch. Michael Cera plays a boorish, drug-addled American on a frenzied quest through Chile to partake of the San Pedro Cactus' hallucinogenic qualities.  While it's fun to watch Cera play a character that is a bit rougher around the edges, Gaby Hoffman steals the show as the titular eccentric hippie weirdo accompanying him. With her bizarre outfits, hairy armpits, and apparently foul body odor, it's the sort of character that easily could have fallen into cliché. But Hoffman never lets it get that far, and Crystal Fairy becomes an honest, empathetic story about being true to one's self.

A Hijacking
Director: Tobias Lindholm
Cast: Pilou Asbaek,  Søren Malling

My colleagues probably got tired of hearing me say that Tobias Lindholm's Danish thriller A Hijacking was better than Captain Phillips but I've yet to find someone who disagrees. While it lacks the true-life aspect of Paul Greengrass' film, A Hijacking more than makes up for it with an engrossing, in your face style that straps you in right alongside the victims of a sudden Somali pirate attack. You’ll have a hard time convincing me Tom Hank's anguished-but-calculated performance compares to Pilou Asbaek's quiet desperation. Branching out beyond the ship to the real world impacts, we see the effect the kidnapping has on the crews' family, and what happens when the hostages' freedom is negotiated by the company CEO. Suffice it to say, you don't want your boss thinking about stock prices when lives are at stake.

Gimme the Loot
Director: Adam Leon
Cast: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson

You hear about the plot of Adam Leon's SXSW hit Gimme the Loot and it's hard not to worry: Two African-American graffiti artists cook up a plan to bomb (spray paint for you lay people) that stupid Mets apple in Citifield. Hollywood would do unspeakable things to a plot like this; fill it with racially insulting stereotypes of urban youth and refashion it into some sort of manic heist film.  Fortunately, Leon's film rattles to the beat of its own spray can with a defiant, anti-mainstream spirit that channels the old school hip-hop movement. With an eye towards the early street-level works of Spike Lee, the film is led by Ty Hickson as brash Malcolm, who wears his braggadocio like a badge of honor; and Tashiana Washington as his best friend Sofia, a whip smart tomboy just beginning to flower into a beautiful young lady, although she'd never admit it. Endearing, optimistic, and totally free of pretension, Gimme the Loot should be the model and not such a rare find.

Drinking Buddies
Director: Joe Swanberg
Cast: Jake Johnson, Olivia Wilde, Anna Kendrick, Ron Livingston, Jason Sudeikis

If you're one of those who follows my Pinterest board (thanks to those who do!), then you might notice that Joe Swanberg's Drinking Buddies was one of the most recent movies I saw. The truth is I've not been very interested in it, largely because so many of my colleagues have sung its praises for so long. Sorry, that's just how I'm wired. But finally catching up with it I discovered that not only is Drinking Buddies hysterical and chock-a-block with unexpectedly terrific performances, but it may be the smartest relationship movie of the year. New Girl star Jake Johnson and the ubiquitous Olivia Wilde are best friends working at a local brewery, and there's rarely a scene when a beer isn't in somebody's hand. There's an obvious romantic attraction but both are involved with others who may or may not be a better fit. It's a film that explores whether men and women can just be friends without the pull of sexual entanglement, and if not can they at least be good drinking buddies?

The Hunt
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Cast: Mads Mikkelsen,  Annika Wedderkopp, Alexandra Rappaport, Thomas Larsen

One thing you won't find a lot of in a Thomas Vinterberg film? Laughs. His latest harrowing personal drama The Hunt returns to the familiar theme of sexual abuse, explored in his breakthrough film The Celebration fifteen years ago. Teaming with co-writer Tobias Lindholm, who appeared on this list earlier for A Hijacking (these guys just don't do funny), the film features a Cannes Best Actor-winning performance by Mads Mikkelsen as a small town teacher falsely accused of molestation by a young student. The firestorm that sweeps the village engulfs his personal and professional life, while internally he's reeling with the incredulity that his claims of innocence are falling on deaf ears. It's a harrowing, surgical look at how only a few small words can reduce a person's life to ashes.

Blue Caprice
Director: Alexandre Moors
Cast: Isaiah Washington, Tequan Richmond, Tim Blake Nelson, Joey Lauren Adams

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Blue Caprice didn't play anywhere outside of the Nation's Capital. Heck, it barely played here and frankly I don't blame theaters for not wanting to run with it. The impressive directorial debut by Alexandre Moors dares explore the twisted logic of the DC sniper John Allen Muhammad, played with remarkable intensity by Isaiah Washington, who frankly should be in the Best Actor race right now. This isn't just another blow-for-blow depiction of the three week ordeal that paralyzed DC eleven years ago, but a terrifying look inside the mind of a monster.  In fact, the killings themselves soon fade into the background, which only makes Muhammad's twisted philosophy, one he spreads to the mind of a young Lee Boyd Malvo (Tequan Richmond), all the more disturbing. It's a delicate balancing act trying to figure out Muhammad without sympathizing, but Moors pulls it off effortlessly.

In a World...
Director: Lake Bell
Cast: Lake Bell, Demitri Martin, Fred Melamed, Michaela Watkins, Nick Offerman, Ken Marino

My good friend, voice actor, and WETA Around Town colleague Robert Aubrey Davis will probably faint with joy that Lake Bell's In a World....has made my list of great overlooked movies.  Bell, who has always been a talented lady in front of the camera, does literally everything to make this film about the sexist world of trailer voice-over actors shine. As director, producer, writer, and perky lead she delivers a charming and insightful comedy about a career path none of us having given a lot of thought to. In a way it's like a cousin to those terrific Christopher Guest movies like Best in Show, only a whole lot funnier if you ask me. She gets a lot of help from a hilarious ensemble of comedic heavyweights such as Fred Melamed, Dmitri Martin, Ken Marino, Michaela Watkins, Rob Corddry, Demetri Martin, Tig Notaro, and Nick Offerman (with a couple of sweet cameos best left unspoiled), but it's Bell whose voice is loudest and most welcome. Hopefully we'll be hearing a lot more of it.

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