Spotlight: Ten Favorite Films Of 2013

December 30, 2013 / Leave a Comment

As the year draws to a close, the “best of” lists begin to surface, with the cinefiles putting the best and worst of 2013 behind them and getting ready for the onslaught of brand new movies to come in the new year. Having seen almost 400 films this year, it feels only fitting to compile a list of my favorites as well. I look at these films as ones I’d never want to lose, ones that I anticipated months and even years before their release dates, ones that I remember fondly as I sat in the theater viewing them, most of them even multiple times and then ones that I sought out to purchase when they became available on home video. These films are the ones I will remember decades from now and will refer to as my favorite films that year, like “Lawless” last year or “Drive and “Like Crazy” the year before. These films encapsulated what I go to the movies for, whether it be the performances or the story, the era or the genre. No matter the reason, I loved these films without a shadow of a doubt. This is my brutal honesty, against the norm or not. So without further ado, here are my favorite films of the year:

10) Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (Dir. David Lowery)
When you have a modern day Western on top of a cast of Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, and Ben Foster, it’s like you’re designing a film I’m going to love. Great, simple screenplay and some fantastic performances.

9) Byzantium (Dir. Neil Jordan)
Saoirse Ronan is becoming one of my favorite actresses and with “Interview With A Vampire” director Neil Jordan returning to the vampire lore, he brings out one of her best performances yet. Gemma Arterton is stunning as always and this female driven, modern day vampire tale is better every time I see it.

8) Gravity (Dir. Alfonso Cuarón)
No one quite knew how well “Gravity” would go over, but we were all pleasantly surprised. Proving that a female driven film from an original screenplay can still be a blockbuster, Sandra Bullock pulls off one of my favorite performances of the year. The cinematography is the best part of the film, coming from Emmanuel Lubezki, who is Terrence Malick’s cinematographer. On top of some great visual effects, this will definitely have some strong awards considerations. The only reason this isn’t higher on my list is that it will lose a large portion of its luster by not being on the big screen.

7) Mud (Dir. Jeff Nichols)
The best performance of Matthew McConaughey’s career, “Mud” is a modern classic. Twenty years from now, I feel like this will be considered one of the best films of the era. Jeff Nichols is becoming one of my favorite directors, with two amazing prior films in “Take Shelter” and “Shotgun Stories”.

6) Star Trek Into Darkness (Dir. J.J. Abrams)
Before 2009, I was never a fan of “Star Trek”. So the “blatant remake” comments made towards these films are lost on me. “Star Trek Into Darkness” is one hell of a ride of a film that never quite quits. I love Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain. Yes, he was Khan, but for someone that’s never seen any of the previous “Star Trek” films, he could have been any villain. The fact is, he was fantastic in this role and it was an amazing sequel by Abrams, who I continue to love as a director.

5) 12 Years A Slave (Dir. Steve McQueen)
“Intense” was the word I used directly following this film and it still sticks. Steve McQueen is a monster of a director and delivers an Oscar-worthy film with several Oscar-worthy performances including Chiwetel Ejiofor, who is now on my radar, Lupita Nyong’o, and Michael Fassbender. One of the most memorable films of the year.

4) Gangster Squad (Dir. Ruben Fleischer)
Widely panned, I absolutely adored “Gangster Squad”. With a glossy feel brought to the ‘50s, seeing all these characters run around in a revenge film against the biggest villain of the era, Mickey Cohen, I was taken by the visuals, the costumes, and the performances. Ryan Gosling is the best actor of our generation and even in a film like this he shines, especially next to the gorgeous Emma Stone, who pulls off this performance. Sean Penn is a great Mickey Cohen and turns one of the best villain performances of the year.

3) Inside Llewyn Davis (Dir. The Coen Brothers)
Music based films often end up being my favorite films of the year and with the Coen Brothers at the directing helm, we also get an amazing film. With music from T Bone Burnett in collaboration with Marcus Mumford, we get some of the best original music of the year. Also, cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel delivers a strong visual desaturation that I have fallen in love with. Oscar Isaac lands on many people’s radar playing the lead while the dark comedy of the rest of the film is lead mostly by an interesting turn from John Goodman.

2) Iron Man 3 (Dir. Shane Black)
A big kid at heart, “Iron Man 3” was not only a great film from a great director, but it continues exploring a world that could have easily been exhausted already. It builds wonderfully off “The Avengers” by giving its lead Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) post-traumatic stress, which effects his relationships as well as his ability to fight. With an already all-star cast, we add Ben Kingsley, Rebecca Hall, and Guy Pearce who are great villains. The visual effects are amazing in the film, with the destruction of Tony’s mansion, the monkeys in a barrel sky fall, and the army of Iron Mans climax. Probably one of the best installments into the Marvel universe yet, giving this high profile film to a director like Shane Black really brings out the down-to-earth nature of the film and makes it hit home with me that much more.

1) Her (Dir. Spike Jonze)
The most emotional time I’ve had in a movie this year, I could consciously feel the smile on my face throughout the lighter parts of the film. Spike Jonze is rarely on my radar, but with “Her” bringing to life a futuristic world of intelligent operating systems, Joaquin Phoenix is the real factor that sells this film, the absolute only actor I could see in this role. Exploring complex feelings through the relationship between Phoenix’s character and his AI computer leaves you contemplating this film weeks after you see it.