My 13 favorite movies of 2013

Alright, now that I've got the disappointments out of the way, it's time to go all out with my favorites of 2013. Limiting myself to only 10 proved to be quite a task as there were some films that really needed a shout out in my opinion.

But first, let me list the films that could have possibly ended up on this list if I would have already found time to watch them: The Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustle, Saving Mr. Banks, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Her, The Spectacular Now, Fruitvale Station, Blue is the Warmest Color, Mud, Dallas Buyers Club, Nebraska, The Hunt, All is Lost and Short Term 12. Damn, I didn't realize there's been that many apparently good films I missed this year, guess I should have skipped all these silly disappointments. But enough of this awfully dry introduction, let's get to the juicy stuff, here's my 13 favorite movies of 2013.

13. The Way Way Back

The Way Way Back doesn't break any new ground in terms of storytelling but it's almost perfect in its execution. The film tells the coming of age story of 14 year old Duncan who has to deal with his single mother and her douchebag boyfriend. When they spend the summer vacation in a sleepy coastal town in Massachusetts, Duncan learns to stand up for himself thanks to his job at a water park and his work buddy Owen, played by the always awesome Sam Rockwell. As far as stories go, you'll never really be surprised by the plot's progression, but the acting and writing is just so damn charming and heartfelt that you can't help but go with it.

12. Wrong

Calling this film odd would be an understatement, as nutso as a squirrel on ecstasy might be a better way of describing it. Dolph Springer's dog disappears and we follow him on his journey to get him back. And a journey it is, giving away any of the weird characters or situations of this film would ruin it for you, you need to go see Wrong yourself to experience its unique style and craziness. No film this year made me laugh as much as this one did, the jokes range from profound to completely gaga, always incredibly off-kilter. Director Quentin Dupieux (aka Mr. Oizo, the guy behind the 90s Electro House staple Flat Beat) is a talent that needs to be watched. Give this guy a bit more leverage and we might just have another Michel Gondry on our hands.

11. Room 237

Stanley Kubrick was a cinematic genius, I think we can all agree on that. He's made some tremendous films and was known for being completely meticulous and detail driven when shooting a movie, everything had to be perfect to him. Now due to his obsession with details people have started reading things into his films and coming up with their own theories, especially about his Stephen King adaptation The Shining. That's where Room 237 comes into play. This self-proclaimed subjective documentary presents us 9 different readings of the film, ranging from plausible to completely ridiculous. Even if you regard The Shining just as a plain horror movie, you cannot deny that Room 237 will have you fascinated with the theories at hand. This movie is a love letter to Stanley Kubrick, to film analysis and to anybody who watches movies not just to be entertained, in short, I love it.

10. Filth

How can this film still not have a release date in the US? Boy, am I glad to have seen it on a plane trip to the UK, I knew this one would be great. It's the adaptation of Irvine Welsh's very, very, VERY dirty novel and it doesn't pull any punches. James McAvoy plays Bruce Robertson, a cop in Edinburgh, who is the worst of the worst, an abusive, alcoholic, scheming piece of shit who is aiming for a promotion in his department while also trying to solve the murder of a foreign student. The humor is dark and twisted, and Robertson is an incredibly unsympathetic screen creation. Nonetheless we stay interested in his tale, not a small feat for a guy who drugs his friends and shags their wives. This is mostly due to the casting of the always friendly McAvoy who's playing completely against type and leaves quite an impression. Filth is uncomfortable, hilarious and completely bonkers at the same time and needs to be seen to be believed.

9. Inside Llewyn Davis

After I've been slightly disappointed with the Coen's last film True Grit, I am happy to say that their latest is a return to form. Inside Llewyn Davis is about a struggling folk singer in the 1960s. He's not making any money, doesn't have a place to stay, his partner just committed suicide and he's knocked up the girlfriend of his pal Jim. As depressing as that sounds, this is still a Coen film, spiked by quotable dialogue en masse and enlivened by a ton of superb supporting characters. The standout, however, is the set design and musical score, atmospherically this ranks up with the best of the Coen movies which really says something. Inside Llewyn Davis simply is a film that looks, sounds and feels right in every aspect.

8. Pacific Rim

GIANT ROBOTS PUNCHING GIANT MONSTERS!!! AND IT DOESN'T SUCK!!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!? THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!!! SCREW TRANSFORMERS, PACIFIC RIM RULEZZZZZ!!!

...ahem....

This is film is a lot of fun for your inner child. Enough said.

7. Blackfish

I've never been to SeaWorld or any other oceanic theme park and after watching Blackfish I probably never will. This documentary tells us at the example of killer whale Tilikum about the terrible consequences of keeping an animal of this size in captivity for people's pleasure. It's an enriching experience, it will make you angry and it will make you rethink the concept of wildlife theme parks and zoos. It does everything a documentary should do, it presents us with its subject matter, makes us care about it and eventually broadens our horizon. Movies like Blackfish really speak for themselves so I urge you to go watch it.

6. The World's End

The ingenious trio of Pegg, Frost and Wright returns to deliver the final entry in their Cornetto trilogy and they do not disappoint. After Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz we are treated to a riff on the sci-fi genre with aliens invading Earth while a bunch of man-children go on a legendary drinking tour in their hometown. It's funny, fast-paced and full of fantastically frantic action scenes (/*Note to myself: I like me some contrived alliterations*/). I heard some people moaning about the ending of the film, but don't be fooled, The World's End delivers the goods and then some. If you want to know more (or if you just like to click on things), then check out my original review of the film.

5. Much Ado About Nothing

If you've seen my 90s movie list you know that I'm a sucker for Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. That's why I was skeptical going into Joss Whedon's version of it. Could it live up to the source material? Would it be as cheerful and life-affirming as the Branagh film? Yes and yes! Whedon applies the age-old trick of planting the bard's story in our time while using the original dialogue. The showstopper though, is the fact that he shot it in black and white at his own house with his best friends over a couple of days. It gives the film an immediacy that makes you feel as if you were attending a giant party with everyone being dressed really, really well while speaking delicate lines from one of the greatest playwrights ever. Much Ado About Nothing is, in the purest sense of the word, fun of the highest order.

4. Rush

I didn't expect to like this film very much. Formula 1 I mostly find boring, Ron Howard's films have always been hit-or-miss to me and I didn't think Chris Hemsworth has much more to offer than a decent body and pretty damn good hair. Well, how wrong I was. Right from the start Rush had me entranced in its depiction of the rivalry between race drivers James Hunt, played by Hemsworth, and Niki Lauda, played by Daniel Brühl. You might get a kick out of the high octane action on the race track but the interplay between Lauda and Hunt is what really makes the film work. While Hemsworth gives a very good performance that goes way beyond his Thor schtick, it is Brühl who's stealing scenes as the uptight and cocksure Lauda. Unfortunately due to the Formula 1 theme Rush might have tanked at the US box office, but you really don't need to be a fan of the sport to appreciate a film as entertaining and intriguing as this one.

3. Before Midnight

Before Midnight is the third entry in the Before series by Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy and up until now it is the crowning achievement of the franchise. We again meet Celine and Jesse, 9 years after their last get together in Paris, and this time we find them to be married and on a vacation in Greece with their two daughters. A lot has changed since 2004, they've become more mature but buried under the seemingly normal family surface there is still the fire that burns between these two fascinating characters that we first met in 1995's Before Sunrise. Outstanding acting from both Delpy and Hawke, and a script that rings true to real life make this film the most accessible and best of the Before films, it's a must-watch for anybody with a knack for wonderful dialogue and believable movie romances.

2. Captain Phillips

I'm sick of people bitching that the real Captain Phillips supposedly isn't such a nice guy, who cares about that stuff when you're watching a FICTIONALIZED retelling? Sorry, I just really felt the need to let off some steam, trolling like that just entirely misses the point, especially when it's about a film as good as Captain Phillips. Tom Hanks plays Richard Phillips, captain of a cargo ship, who gets taken hostage by Somali pirates. This could have easily become a mindless, one-dimensional, pro-American piece of junk but in the capable hands of director Paul Greengrass it is elevated into a critical piece on inequality and justice. But don't worry, as heavy as the themes are, the film never leaves its grip on you, it is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will satisfy you even if you already know the outcome of the story. It is an impressive showpiece for star Tom Hanks, director Paul Greengrass and newcomer Barkhad Abdi as the main hijacker Muse.

1. Gravity

If I had to summarize the experience of watching Gravity in one word, it had to be WOW. This film gets everything right: The acting is great, the direction is flawless, the script is tight, the visual style is beautiful, the cinematography is innovative, and the special effects are boundary-pushing. If you still haven't seen it, you have to drop whatever you are doing right now and go see this film, it is that awesome. Sandra Bullock plays an astronaut stranded in space and that is all you need to know before going in, it will sweep you off your feet and take you for the greatest trip you can have at the movies in 2013, it is simply a masterpiece and my favorite movie of the year.