My Top 10 Films of 2013

Although I’ve been a film critic almost 5 years, this is my first year-end top 10 piece. Why did I wait so long to do one? Well, for a while I just relished going against the pack. But now that my top 10 movies are factored into BOFCA’s yearly awards, I believe that my selections merit explanation. Before I voted a couple of weeks ago, I was unable to see a few films, so you’ll notice that my list has changed slightly. Without further ado, here are my top 10 films of 2013. Judge away.

12 YEARS A SLAVE

Hands down, this was the best film I saw all year. And no, that’s not white guilt talking. 12 Years a Slave is amazing across the board. The directing, writing, acting, editing, and score work superbly in concert to tell a harrowing and deeply disturbing true story. Director Steve McQueen’s movie took me inside the horrifying reality of slavery without any sugar coating, which is why I found his film so emotionally affecting. It’s not the kind of flick I’d watch repeatedly, but 12 Years a Slave definitely deserved all 134 minutes of my time.

THE WAY, WAY BACK

I fell for this retro coming-of-age comedy hook, line, and sinker when I saw it at IFFBoston because it brilliantly bottles the sights, sounds, and smells of summer. As a former amusement park employee, I can attest that The Way Way Back adeptly captures the exuberance and camaraderie you’d find working at parks like Water Wizz. I appreciate this tale’s intensely optimistic stance that life gets better once you find the right friends. Plus I was entertained by the great ease with which Sam Rockwell portrays his charming and hilarious character Owen.

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

I was certain that Martin Scorsese lost his touch as a filmmaker, until I saw The Wolf of Wall Street. The debaucherous, darkly comic ride whips through at classic Scorsese pace and throbs with a vitality I haven’t seen from him in years. It’s basically Goodfellas on Wall Street, trading excessive violence for extreme amounts of sex and drugs, but that doesn’t make it any less captivating. I was utterly disgusted by the depravity of DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort and his associates, yet couldn’t believe how much I laughed at their f***ed up antics.

THE SPECTACULAR NOW

The Spectacular Now hooked me at IFFBoston with its unabashedly earnest look at young love. One reason this film stuck with me is the genuineness of James Ponsoldt’s stripped down directing. Heartwarming chemistry between Miles Teller and Shelaine Woodley is the other key piece. Writers Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter provide some beautiful highs and bittersweet lows for these lovers, although spirited performances by supporting cast members Kyle Chandler, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Bob Odenkirk truly bring everything together.

THE WORLD’S END

No one mashes film genres better than Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg. They wowed me again by mixing just the right amount of buddy comedy with ‘90s nostalgia, science fiction, and action in The World’s End. I found their picture to be fast-paced and fun, with fantastic homage to sci-fi classics like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Another excellent facet of their movie for me though, is the comedic chemistry of its cast, which includes Eddie Marsan, Paddy Consadine, and Martin Freeman. Having Pegg and Nick Frost playing against their usual roles, is also quite refreshing and humorous.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Normally to make Shakespeare accessible to audiences, filmmakers modernize their adaptations or stack them with big name actors. I was thrilled that Joss Whedon didn’t need to do either with his version of Much Ado About Nothing, since his fantastic stable of actors all play well together. I dug that Whedon keeps Shakespeare’s language intact, while still finding new ways to play with his words. However my favorite part of Whedon’s Much Ado, is how he recreates the experience of live theater and the illusion of a stage around his home.

GRAVITY

Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity sucked me in right from its opening shots and didn’t let go until its credits rolled. At times, I couldn’t believe how much kept going wrong and had tense moments where I actually let out audible sighs of relief, a rarity for me. The movie’s special effects are phenomenal. I can’t think of another film that makes space feel so real. What truly impressed me though was how few edits there are and how well they are concealed. Some of the dialogue and the story can be corny, but Gravity accomplishes amazing feats in filmmaking.

RUSH

This type of film isn’t in Ron Howard’s typical wheelhouse, which is why his skillful execution pleasantly surprised me. Rush makes Formula 1 racing riveting, even for someone like me who knew nothing about it beforehand. Howard’s editing is top notch and so are the turns by his leads Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl. At this movie’s core is an absorbing story of friendship and intense rivalry. It’s kind of like a F1 version of Days of Thunder, except the relationship between the two guys is much more intriguing because they are fighting on an ideological level.

WHAT MAISIE KNEW

What Maisie Knew is a heartbreaking film many people probably missed, which is a shame; because it’s well crafted. Directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel sensitively show the confusing situations Maisie is thrown into by her parents divorce and their selfish behavior. McGehee and Siegel use solid camerawork, editing, and music to create an engrossing tale that made me outraged about the way poor Maisie is treated. Thankfully McGehee and Siegel aren’t all gloom. They provide a wonderful silver lining to her situation, which I won’t spoil.

DON JON

Don Jon isn’t the strongest film on my list, but it’s a great directing debut by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I found this flick to be very funny and poignant with good messages about relationships (not just romantic ones). I love JGL’s confidence behind the camera and the stream of consciousness style his movie has. It reminded me a bit of The Rules of Attraction. JGL takes some risks and not all of them work, yet he deserves credit for really putting himself out there. Don Jon’s third act is a bit rushed; however it wraps things up nicely without being too neat.

Honorable Mentions: Now You See Me, Iron Man 3, Elysium, and Pacific Rim. I was also impressed by the cinematography in Spring Breakers and Inside Llewyn Davis even though I didn’t care for the films as a whole.

What are your top 10 films of 2013?