2013 was a spectacular year for film. Looking back, it was evident that the year featured films that both redefined the medium in many ways while others really reminded viewers of the power of simplicity in storytelling. Compiling this list was pretty difficult to say the least and included a number of heart-breaking omissions. Without further ado, here are the honorable mentions that just failed to get into the top 10 in addition to this writer's best / favorite films of 2013.
Honorable Mentions
Her: Spike Jonze's existential meditation of what it means to be in love and what it truly means to exist is a quiet but tender and moving piece that features a terrific performance from Joaquin Phoenix. Scarlett Johanssen gives what may be her best performance as the operating system Amanda. Jonze's slow pacing gives the film a feeling of emotional expansiveness.
Captain Phillips: In many ways the antithesis of "Her," Paul Greengrass' raw and urgent depiction of the Somali Pirates' hijacking of a cargo ship is one of the most tense film experiences of 2013. Tom Hanks gives his best performance in years, especially in the final moments of the film which are bound to stay with audiences long after the viewing experience. Barkhad Abdi announces himself on the international stage with a poignant performance as a poor pirate looking to survive in a hostile world. Read Review HERE.
Place Beyond the Pines: In another year, Derek Cianfrance's ambitious masterwork makes it on the list with relative ease. The film's structure and execution is absolutely marvelous in every possible way while the performances from Ryan Gosling, Dane DeHaan and Bradley Cooper manage to keep the audience enthralled. Read Review HERE.
Fruitvale Station: The ultimate breakout film of 2013 features terrific direction from first-time helmer Ryan Coogler as well as star-making performances from Michael B. Jordan and Melonie Diaz. Octavia Spencer adds gravitas to the work with some of the most painfully beautiful moments in film thus year. Coogler manages to keep the audience guessing throughout the film, until the shocking climax hits the viewer tremendously hard. Read Review HERE.
What Maisie Knew: Scott McGehee's film throws out convention by handing the protagonist reins to a child who rarely speaks and barely acts throughout the film. Instead, Maisie is pushed around by the forces around her generated by an unstable family situation. Despite the unorthodox narrative structure, the film manages to move at a rather even keel that ends in a satisfying climax.
No: The Chilean film is pregnant with style and energy that makes the viewer truly feel like a part of the Chile it attempts to depict. Gael Garcia Bernal is at his finest in one of the most intriguing political thrillers of the year.
And here is the list of the Top 10 of 2013.
10. S#x Acts: Sexual depravity and the abuse of women is a tough subject that many directors often treat carefully. In the case of "S#x Acts," Director Johnathan Gurfinkel is unafraid of the material and attacks it with boldness and vision. Actress Sivian Levy manages to infuse the protagonist Gilli with vulnerability, but enough underlying savagery to really create an anomaly if there ever was one. Question about her motivation and desires are sure to surface after the viewing experience, but Gurfinkel layers the film with enough hints to keep the conversation vibrant and interesting.
9. Gravity: Alfonso Cuaron's seven-year hiatus came to an end this year and it could not have been a more stunning return to cinema for the Mexican auteur. "Gravity" is a revolutionary work from a technical standpoint as it recreates space with arguably the greatest computer animation ever conceived. The use of 3D is the best it has been since 2009's "Avatar" and the film's constant tension makes it impossible for the viewer to get out of his/her seat. The content of the film is pure metaphor, but includes a heart-rendering climax that is sure to move anyone and everyone witnessing the spectacle. The script seems a bit over-written at times, particularly in the latter half, but this does little to detract from the overall potency of Cuaron's creation.
8. All is Lost: A fraternal twin to "Gravity" if there ever was one. "Gravity" features a woman in space, while "All is Lost" features a man lost at sea. The visual splendor in this one is just as marvelous as in the aforementioned space drama, but "All is Lost" succeeds with its tremendous ambiguity; this lack of knowledge about the main character, played by Robert Redford, makes him all the more relatable and elevates the film tremendously.
7. American Hustle: David O. Russell continues his fine string of recent films with a hilarious thriller about love and identity. As with "The Fighter" and "Silver Linings Playbook," Russell manages to show the universality of humanity by imprinting the entire world of the film with the flaws and major characteristics of his main characters; that he does it without being overemphatic only adds to the greatness of the film. The cast, which features Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, is spot on throughout, while the film's emotional peaks and valleys keep the audience enthralled throughout.
6. Before Midnight: Many films try to pull off the lengthy conversation piece, but few manage to keep the viewer interested for the duration of the film's running time. Richard Linklater not only succeeds in this feat, but he has done it over the course of three films. The latest installment in the "Before" trilogy is arguably the finest of the three with more commanding performances from the leads. With Jesse and Celine in the midst of adulthood, the tension is already more palpable from the film's opening than it is in either of the first two films. The film involves more characters than either of the first two installments, thus adding a nuance and variety that was not felt or perceived for most of the first two. The climactic sequence is arguably the most arresting in the entire trilogy.
5. The Spectacular Now: Undoubtedly the most charming and beautiful film on this list. Teenage angst and love is often disastrously portrayed but director James Ponsoldt and actors Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller manage to generate irresistible chemistry. Despite the jovial and often juvenile dream-like qualities of the film, Ponsoldt does not shy away from more difficult subject matter such as identity and alcohol. More than a few viewers will cringe every time Teller's Sutter hands Woodley's Aimee a flask of alcohol.
4. What Richard Did: Michael Bay actually stated that he chose Jack Reynor to spearhead his "Transformers" series after watching the young actor in this film. Reynor carries this rather somber and painful viewing experience, which in the hands of another actor could have turned into a disastrous mess. Director Lenny Abrahamson manages to craft a film that is divided into two parts by a central, tragic event; the two halves actually unite to create a rather perplexing character study about a teenager looking to retain control of his life and those around him. The second half of the movie, in which silence and emptiness take over will undeniably test some audience members, but Reynor manages to keep the viewer not only interested but viscerally invested.
3. The Wolf of Wall Street: Martin Scorsese is one of the great geniuses of cinema, but there is no doubt that his consistency of form has dipped a bit in the past decade or so. "Wolf" is excessive in every possible way, but the execution by Scorsese and leading man Leonardo DiCaprio is simply fearless. There is nothing left unturned in this often raunchy drama about greed, addiction and... excess. The narrative is not groundbreaking, but Scorsese and his team's ability to constantly surprise the viewer with the emotional and technical twists and turns makes for a hugely enjoyable journey.
2. Inside Llewyn Davis: "Inside Llewyn Davis" is in many ways serves as a companion piece to the Coens' masterful "A Serious Man." Both men are looking to re-establish control over their lives while dealing with their own inherent loneliness and their Sisyphean existence. However, unlike the central character in "Serious Man," who it is easy to empathize with, "Davis'" central character is a bit of an anomaly; the viewer wants to love him, but his behavior often makes it difficult to fully accept him. On the surface the Coens showcase a man who can't catch a break, but a closer look at the film reveals that the opportunity is actually everywhere and that it is Davis himself who is inflicting his own pain and failure on himself. The ambiguity remains long after the viewing experience, but revisiting the work proves endlessly rewarding on an intellectual level even if the film comes off as cool and often emotionless. The Coens prove their genius once again through their deceptive simplicity in one of their finest films to date.
1. 12 Years a Slave: When "12 Years" was first unveiled, everyone hailed it a grand masterwork. The hype machine has unfortunately done its damage in the public view in recent weeks, but there is no doubt that the film itself is a wondrous work of art in every possible way. Steve McQueen's third feature is his most potent and really confronts the viewer with material that is often overlooked. The now famous hanging scene is arguably the most wondrously executed moment in all of cinema this year (and among the finest in the last decade) with its ability to break the proverbial fourth wall and force the viewer to be an active participant in the cruelty taking place onscreen. McQueen engages the audience directly in a number of other moments throughout the film, making for the most visceral cinematic experience. The cast, lead by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o and Michael Fassbender, is pitch perfect in every possible way. "12 Years a Slave" is the most unforgettable film of 2013.
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