Her (2013) - ★★★★★

Director: Spike Jonze
Writer: Spike Jonze
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde

Her is such a unique, magnificent film. I can't even begin to describe how much I adored this movie. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it even made me flail my arms with sheer joy! I loved this movie so much, that it has already made it onto my Top 50 Favourite Movies of All Time list. Spike Jonze crafted 'Her' in such an exquisitely beautiful way. From the gorgeous cinematography, to the outstanding score, to the beautiful performances, to the touching relationship between man and computer. I haven't felt this elated, or enthusiastic about a newly released film since the magical Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) came out. 'Her' had everything I love in a movie, and so much more. By far the Best Picture of the year!

American Hustle (2013) - ★★★½

Director: David O. Russell
Writers: Eric Singer, David O. Russell
Stars: Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, Louis C.K, Robert De Niro

I really liked American Hustle. It has a flare for great music, great style, and great performers. We haven't really seen a film such as this since the peak of Tarantino, yet I can't help but feel that it's not on par with his greatest films, nor is it on par with the films of Scorsese. It falls short because we never truly get to know the characters and form real attachments to them. It's over two hours long, yet it lacked the character development that should have brought heart and soul into the crazy plot. Sure, we see the surface value of these people, and then some... but I left feeling like I still didn't know anyone. There were elements of greatness in American Hustle that deserve credit, but it was lacking the key ingredient that would have made it a masterpiece. In my opinion, it is the most critically overblown movie of 2013.

The Master (2012) – ★★★★½

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

Jaoquin Phoenix gives one of the greatest performances in cinematic history in Paul Thomas Anderson’s captivating new film, The Master. It explores the deep dark recesses of a troubled man with an alcohol problem. What’s more, it explores the starting of the religion/cult Scientology. We see the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, in a way we’ve never seen before. The whole movie is just absolutely fascinating, and is certainly one I could watch again.