Technologi

Yes, finally, the best, but, really, what does "best" mean? It's kind of relative to the one giving the opinion. The matter of choosing the best movie of the year is additionally complicated by the fact that not all the entries are in yet. Most noteworthy from these concerns, we have to hedge our bets a little, since we still haven't seen part 2 of The Hobbit.

We're going to go out on a limb, though and anticipate that - since they were produced more or less simultaneously - part 2 will share the first installment's virtues and vices: which is to say, somewhat fresher humor than was expected, but a tad excessive on the action front. Lord of the Rings mostly did well striking the right balance between action and introspection. (You know, all that dark night of soul, battling the evil within, stuff.) Part one of the Hobbit erred too much in the direction of the action genre. Hope reigns supreme though that the second part will recover the initial recipe of the franchise's success. The jury is still out.

Nevertheless, taking account of those movies that have been released, as well as our secret advance screenings, we are confident declaring our choice for the best movie of 2013! Now, some will say that majority rules. The people have voted with their hard earned dollars. There may be something to be said for that.

The winner in this category would appear to be Iron Man 3, which this morning Box Office Mojo had listed as pushing $410 million Shekels gross. This fact, I confess, blows my mind. Who would have predicted that the star of The Pick-Up Artist and Two Girls and a Guy, or the purveyor of Larry Paul from the Ally McBeal show, would wind up being the superhero star of a megabuck successful action franchise? Not I. That's almost as weird as Tobey Maguire being the superhero star of a megabuck successful action franchise. Almost as weird.

But, gentle sirs (and ladies), by no means is The Best Movies of 2013 dot Net a democracy. We'll have none of that, here. We have our own esoteric and somewhat elitist standards, thank you. And, I assure you, bums in seats ain't it. We have to at least give honorable mention to a film that many will consider the best of the year. Sound City is a wonderful documentary that tells the story of one of the treasures of American rock and pop music. Tucked away in the San Fernando Valley, this remarkable studio, on the strength of its technical superiority became a recording Mecca for many of contemporary music's iconic figures.

From Fleetwood Mac and Neil Young to Nirvana and Metallica, they came to refine their sound. The story is told through the experience many of the iconic musicians that found and benefited from the acoustic magic. No arguing that this film is a great experience. It's highly recommended, but, come on, now. You know we're not so namby-pamby as to declare a documentary as our best movie of the year.

No, rather, we're leading the charge, ahead of the curve, throwing down the gauntlet: declaring that soul scorching flick, Le Week-End as our the best movie of the year. Don't freak out, it's not some obtuse foreign film (that would be as bad as naming a doc best movie). The Frenchified title points to the film's location, in Paris. It's there that we find a British couple in the throes of marital ennui. They are fantastically portrayed by still astoundingly gorgeous Lindsay Duncan and the painfully dowdy Jim Broadbent.

It would be a shame to give too much away. The dialogue is too die for, with all its bite and subtle insinuation. Let's just say, if you enjoyed Richard Linklater's Before Sunset series, just try picturing the barbs and retorts that might be forthcoming from Jesse and Celine in the twilight of their relationship. Then you'll have some idea.

Also in need of special recognition is the magnificent supporting performance of Jeff Goldblum. In the twilight of his career he has become something of a master at there richly textured, ambiguous character roles. The one in Le Week-End doesn't rival his darkly menacing portrayal in Igby Goes Down, but it's a memorable performance. Indeed, I suspect it is one we'll all look back upon fondly when reflecting on the tall guy's great career.

So, that's our story and we're sticking with it. There were some other really good movies in 2013, which have received a well deserved not. It is though Le Week-End, dark and brooding, funny and cruel, scorching the soul and maybe welling up just a tear or two, which is our pick for the very best movie of 2013. And, if you think we're wrong, well, tell us why.