Top Ten Films of 2013

We are now eight days into the year 2014 and it is probably past the time for me to give my top ten favourite films of 2013. I deliberated over this list for a long time and it was in creating it I realized what a strong year for film 2013 had been. There are a few important things to note before unveiling this list. First of all I have yet to see the likes of 12 Years A Slave, American Hustle, Her and The Wolf of Wall Street. Why then am I making this list having yet to see four of the films which are frequenting other such lists? Primarily because by the time I will have had the opportunity to see such films it will be approaching February and list season will have passed with awards season in full swing. Also I thought this would provide me with a nice opportunity to shine a light on films which aren't appearing on many other top ten lists due to films such as the aforementioned quartet. With this list I have attempted to be unique and personal. It is always important to recognize that lists such as these are subjective snapshots. In a year or even in a week I may look back on this top ten and have a completely different idea as to what should be ranked where and what should even be on the list. At the end of the day we don't truly know what our favourite films from a given year were until that year is much more in the past than eight days. However these are the ten films which I enjoyed the most and had the biggest personal significance for me in the year 2013.

10. White House Down

A choice that for some may immediately invalidate my list and opinion. White House Down can stake a legitimate claim in my eyes to being one of the year’s most underrated blockbusters, both critically and commercially. In a year which contained two White House under siege movies this bested Olympus Has Fallen by being much lighter, more aware of its ridiculousness and most importantly, left-wing. This is one of the most preposterous and liberal blockbusters of the year with a screenplay that won’t get the credit it deserves. Whilst intelligence is not a word commonly used in association with this film the script by James Vanderbilt pays off every single thing, no matter how small, that it sets up in the first act. Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx are great together with the former demonstrating what a movie star he is. Roland Emmerich constructs some of his best action sequences in years and displays what a fun director he can be when on form. A piece of surprisingly cleverly constructed, movie star led, preposterous and political blockbuster fun, that I want to fly the flag for.

Read my full review of White House Down here.

9. The Conjuring

A horror movie had to be on my list and The Conjuring was undoubtedly THE horror film of 2013. Though whilst we’re on the genre I must also mention some others, all of whom nearly took The Conjuring’s place on this list. Those movies? A Field in England, Stoker and Insidious: Chapter 2 (One of the year’s most underrated films, does what a sequel should and was just as scary if not more so than The Conjuring. The Back to the Future Part II of horror movies.) However why is it that The Conjuring has made my top ten? The Conjuring is a film with a couple of instantly iconic sequences and images. It’s a classy horror film both in construction and methodology. It’s character based with true arcs and a central relationship at its core. Meanwhile the film’s final shot is one of my favourite images and endings of the year. Modern master of mainstream horror James Wan has delivered his masterpiece to date with this film. Coupled with his other effort this year (The aforementioned Insidious: Chapter 2) it is legitimate to call him one of the best directors of 2013.

Read my full review of The Conjuring here.

8. Star Trek Into Darkness

Another film I feel the need to defend is J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness. This is a film I saw three times in cinemas and each time found it an absolute thrill from start to finish. Despite its incredibly alien and futuristic settings this was a film that reminded me of classic Indiana Jones. From the opening sequence right through to the final frame this was a non-stop thrilling adventure. Benedict Cumberbatch is superb as John Harrison, ok who am I kidding we can all say it now...Benedict Cumberbatch is superb as KHAAAAAN and the rest of the cast continue to shine in their roles. J.J. Abrams shows how we should all be excited about Star Wars Episode VII as he directs with an energy and enthusiasm that is unparalleled amongst his contemporaries. For those who criticize this as insubstantial I put it to you that this is a Star Trek film that is truly of its time and will stand the test of it. This is a film all about how we respond to and deal with terrorism, with discussions had which echo debates regarding drones. A fun, well-directed adventure, with one of the year’s most enjoyable performances, that does have something to say about its time...Star Trek Into Darkness was one of the summer’s best blockbusters, and year’s best films.

Read my full review of Star Trek Into Darkness here.

7. Inside Llewyn Davis

A film that has grown on me since I saw it and may age better than many films on this list, the Coens have delivered one of their finest films with Inside Lllewyn Davis. A bittersweet, melancholic, meandering and mysterious film, Inside Llewyn Davis is deeply moving and poignant underneath the elusive and arguably cold Coen brothers exterior. The music is superb all the way through, whilst Oscar Isaac delivers one of the year’s very best performances as the titular, Llewyn Davis. Perhaps the year’s best character study, Inside Llewyn Davis is a film about grief and failure that sticks with you and I’m sure will reveal more on repeat viewings. Also, that cat.

Read my full review of Inside Llewyn Davis here.

6. The Place Beyond the Pines

The film with the earliest release on this list, The Place Beyond the Pines is a film that has stayed with me all year. An ambitious triptych, The Place Beyond the Pines is an epic about consequence, legacy, fate and family that spans two generations. Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper both give my favourite performances of their careers to date, whilst Dane DeHaan continues to demonstrate what a big star and great actor he already is and is going to be. Derek Cianfrance’s screenplay is thoughtful and believable, whilst his direction manages to be stylish without being obtrusive or distracting. With personal fears regarding fatherhood and broader musings on constant and cyclical class divisions, The Place Beyond the Pines is a superb film.
Read my full review of The Place Beyond the Pines here.

5. The Spectacular Now

Graduating from ‘high school’ last year, The Spectacular Now is a film I could relate to being of the same age as the characters. Miles Teller gives a career changing performance in this film, showing just what he is capable of and completely deconstructing the character he has become known for playing in films such as 21 and Over. In one crucial scene when his character, Sutter Keely, discovers something which shatters his entire universe, the look on Miles Teller’s face is one of the best, most affecting pieces of acting I’d seen all year. Shailene Woodley however gives what is perhaps the film’s best performance and the best leading actress performance of the year. Kyle Chandler shows how he’s arguably the most dependable man in Hollywood, with a small yet significant role which changes the film entirely. Bubbles (Andre Royo) from The Wire and Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) from Breaking Bad (two of my favourite TV shows of all time) also make appearances in what is top to bottom a superb cast. The film is so much more than your normal teen romance with it being darker than you'd expect, with considerations beyond the central relationship. A coming-of-age film which reaches an incredibly emotional and satisfying conclusion, with a final scene that has a The Graduate-esque level of ambiguity to it, should you wish to interpret it in such a way, The Spectacular Now is spectacular and you should see it right now (Sorry).

Read my full review of The Spectacular Now here.

4. Frozen

The best animated film of this and many a year, the best musical of this and many a year and a modern Disney classic. Frozen is a film that had me laughing to the point of tears (Thanks to Olaf the Snowman) and has a collection of songs which I haven’t been able to stop listening to since seeing the film. Like many films on this list (Spectacular Now, Place Beyond the Pines, Inside Lllewyn Davis and yes, even The Conjuring and Star Trek Into Darkness) at the heart and centre of this film is a story of connection between two people. While it’s first love in The Spectacular Now, the father/son struggles in Place Beyond the Pines, the husband/wife dynamic in The Conjuring or the lost and gained ‘bromances’ in Inside Llewyn Davis and Star Trek Into Darkness (As well as in two other films about to feature on this list), Frozen explores the strained relationship between two sisters. Frozen also reflects other themes of this year and this list, ones of restraining and embracing who you are, as well as of letting go. A simply wonderful film from start to finish, Frozen can be dismissed as ‘just’ a kids film, yet few films in 2013 were this entertaining and satisfying.

Read my full review of Frozen here.

3. This is the End

Another film with friendship at its core, This is the End was for sometime my favourite film of 2013. An absolutely bonkers tale of redemption, This is the End for all its crude comedy has more to say about religion and peoples attitudes towards it than many films solely about the subject. With the year’s best cameo and ending, This is the End is a film which I could relate to last year in particular and which has many positive memories of that year attached to it. The film from last year I watched more than any other, This is the End was in many ways, THE film of 2013 for me.
Read my full review of This is the End here.

2. The World's End

A film that originally was not this high on the list but jumped up significantly on a repeat viewing. With Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz two of my favourite films of all time, with the latter being instrumental in me becoming the film fan I am today, this conclusion of the Cornetto trilogy was my most anticipated film of 2013. The most substantial of the three, The World’s End is a thematically dense film that not only deals with friendship but also addiction, depression, conformity and identity, with it addressing what makes us human in an unpretentious and profound manner. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost give the best performances of their respective careers to date, with both trying something different. Edgar Wright meanwhile shows how far he has come as a director with the action sequences in this film being among the best of the year. Fun and inventive, crazy yet coherent, each action scene is better than the last, with the film functioning just as well as an action film, a sci-fi and a drama as it does as a comedy.

Read my full review of The World’s End here.

1. Gravity

At this point it’s cliched to have Gravity as your number one film of 2013 but...cliches exist for a reason. I considered putting something else at number one to be different but the truth is, Gravity was THE cinematic experience of 2013 for me. I was lucky enough to see the film at the Zurich Film Festival where director Alfonso Cuaron spoke to us before the screening. What he has achieved with this film is truly awe-inspiring and in the future, when filmmakers are asked what film inspired them to go into filmmaking and ignited their love of film, it’ll be Gravity that they cite. However I defy anyone who says the film is just a technical triumph. Gravity is a film which showcases the best performance of Sandra Bullock’s career and has an emotional tale of survival at its very core that I found incredibly moving, particularly during the floating tears scene, which is one of the year’s very best. Steven Price’s score is superb, Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography masterful and as many have said, this is true total cinema, a film that has truly been made for the biggest screen you can find. In this Netflix age we are entering, trips to the cinema are becoming less necessary and revered. It is films like Gravity which remind us just how magical, inspirational and transportive the cinematic experience can be. Will it work as well on a smaller screen when the DVD hits? Well the emotion and performances certainly will. But no, the experience will most likely not be the same. Do I care? No. Films shouldn’t be made for the small screen but the big screen. Gravity is the film that dominated this year and which gave me that cinematic rush this year like no other.

Read my full review of Gravity (With exclusive) video of Cuaron's pre-screening interview here.

And that's all. Give us your top ten lists (Or criticize mine) in the Your Say section and we'll post and argue about them below. Happy new year. And may 2014 be a great year at the movies.

By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton