2013 was one of the best years in a long time for great films and great performances…They were so great in fact, it was hard to come up with our favorites.

But we did!…Now these aren’t John’s picks, but another ‘Jew’…Marilyn, has opinions are as strong as my wonderful husband’s.

This is the year that reminded us of how cruel and ignorant us humans can be…

’12 Years A Slave’, ‘Mandela’, ’42′ and ‘Philomena’, At the same time, these films. also demonstrated the power of the human spirit, to overcome adversity and in the end, to more than prevail.

2013 was also the year of ‘heroes’. All one has to do is look at ‘Captain Phillips’ and yes. ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ who gave us a different kind of ‘hero’.

And this was definitely the year of ‘the con man’. ‘American Hustle and ‘Wolf Of Wall Street, brilliantly and humoroulsy showed us just how far people will go to ‘make a buck’.

‘Nebraska’ beautifully demonstrated that you’re never too old to dream while…

‘Gravity’ took us into space in such a realistic way that I cancelled my ticket on the space shuttle…and finally there was ‘Her’ which showed ‘Miss Siri’ that she’s not ‘all that’

As for the acting performances…

Well it doesn’t get much better than watching, the ridiculously brilliant, Miss Cate Blanchett have a nervous breakdown, Judi Dench’s pain, as she searches for a child, she was forced to give up as a teenager, Amy Adams use her sexuality to turn men’s minds to mush, the always magnificent, Meryl Streep giving us a delicious take on ‘motherly love’ and finally…

Sandra Bullock, who just wants to go home again.

As for the male performances, we have three different kinds of heroes…

Matthew McConaughley, a man slowly dying from AIDS, as he fights the unscrupulous pharmaceutical companies, and the FDA, who were slowly killing the ‘gay’ community with their deadly drugs..

Bruce Dern, a person nearing the end of his life, who’s not quite ready to pack it all in…

Chiwetel Ejofor, who despite the horrors he suffered, never lost his dignity or his hope, and….

Tom Hanks, as Captain Phillips, a man who kept his cool and saved his crew, after they were attacked by Somali pirates

And as for the aforementioned ‘con men’…Christian Bale demonstrated what we can do with only a few strands of hair and Leonardo DiCaprio, took us back to a time, when no party was complete without a ‘Lemon’ or two.

It’s hard to say, there was a ‘best’ perfromance or even a ‘best’ picture…Personally, I think that title should be replaced with the Academy’s ‘Favorite’…But in any case, it was the audience, that were the true winners. We got to experience, great films, great acting, and great times at the ‘movies’. Hopefully 2014 will be just as good.

The Oscars will air on Sunday, March 3rd 2014…What are your favorites to win?