First of all, yes, we’re aware that it’s April, that the Academy Awards have come and gone and that with the arrival of truly decent, actually enjoyable movies like Muppets Most Wanted and The Grand Budapest Hotel that the 2014 film season has already arrived in force. So why did this take so long? Well, we’re pretty busy for one thing, and this list was a fairly massive undertaking, not as massive as, say, translating Siddhartha into Klingon (which I’m sure someone somewhere has done by now) but more massive than, say, not finishing this list.
So if that’s the problem, why not just make it shorter? Because last year was such a remarkable year for film that we just couldn’t. Most years we both do top tens, include a little blurb at the bottom with some runner ups listed and leave it at that, but 2013 was so special that we couldn’t do anything less than a top twenty each. So, finally, here it is. We hope that by the end of it you’ll have added a few more films to your list for the next time you go to the video store or the Pirate Bay. Anyway, fuck the Academy Awards. Who cares? They don’t run our lives. THEY CAN’T CONTROL US. THEY’RE NOT OUR REAL DAD. Here are our top 20 films of 2013.
Honorable Mentions (Chad):
Captain Phillips, Don Jon, The Kings of Summer, You're Next, Drinking Buddies, Anchorman 2, This is the End, Frances Ha
Honorable Mentions (Max): Spring Breakers, The Kings of Summer, Upstream Color, Dallas Buyers Club, Captain Phillips, Rush
20. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues - Anchorman is one of my favorite comedies of the last decade, and as such I was a bit wary of its sequel. After all, the original film didn’t exactly cry out for a follow-up, and it is almost a decade later. As such, I went into Anchorman 2 expecting it to be a step down from the original, and it was. That being said, it’s still pretty hilarious. There aren’t as many quotable lines this time around, but there are plenty of standout sequences, like that one where Ron goes blind and raises a baby shark. The bizarre romance between Kristen Wiig and Steve Carell's characters was wonderful and it would have been the highlight of the film if not for an appearance late in the game by John C. Reilly as the ghost of Stonewall Jackson. Overall, much like Wayne’s World 2, it doesn’t quite rise to the level of the first film but it’s more than good enough to stand as a worthy successor. -- Max
20. Dallas Buyer's Club - I think for some it's been quite obvious that Mr. McConaughey was a talented guy. That is, anybody who's seen Dazed and Confused and didn't just dismiss it as some silly stoner movie, and realized that his performance as the permanently juvenile Wooderson was more than just funny, but also an accurate depiction of every former high schooler who just can't let the glory days go. I know some Woodersons. But I'll be honest, before this year when I heard Matthew McConaughey was going to be in the new Jeff Nichols movie (Mud) I was kinda puzzled. Not the bright blond California, I'm contractually obligated to remove my shirt in every film, boy, not him. How could he replace the brilliance of Michael Shannon (via Shotgun Stories and Take Shelter). Then I saw Mud. My mind was changed. Then I saw the Wolf of Wall Street, and I began to like this...pretty boy, all the more. Then I saw this film, and I took back every mean joke, every time I doubted him, every time I referred to him as "That guy in that Kate Hudson movie", and something amazing happened; I fell in love with the guy. No, really, I now am rooting for this guy to continue this streak of great films, starting back with The Lincoln Lawyer (Which I actually haven't seen, but have heard semi-decent things about) and will hopefully continue with Interstellar. He's a real talent, and I'm sad I ever doubted him. -- Chad
19. Don Jon - Amidst so much remarkable work Joseph Gordon Levitt’s debut film as a writer/director sort of got lost in the shuffle, which is a shame because it’s pretty fantastic. There’s a sense that Levitt was kind of throwing everything at the wall and seeing what stuck from a stylistic perspective, but for the most part his flourishes work quite well. Overall, it’s quite assured for a first film. Going into Don Jon it seemed like a pretty vain concept. After all, Levitt did cast himself as a man who is absolutely irresistible to 99% of the female population. Actually viewing the film reveals that this is not the case, though its complete lack of vanity is just one surprise among many. Also, Tony Danza steals every scene he’s in, which is a sentence I never thought I’d write. -- Max
19. Upstream Color - Did you see Primer, writer/director Shane Caruth's first film? Did you understand it? Or how the time travel worked in it? Why are you lying? But seriously, Shane Caruth's films are immense complicated labyrinths, which I feel don't always have a set path. His first film filmed on 16mm on just barely enough film to make up it's runtime; no seriously Mr. Caruth himself claims that at most only an 80 minute film could of been made from the footage they shot, and the film is 78 minutes long. This time he opted to use a DSLR camera, which as an aspiring filmmaker myself, I find to be rather encouraging, and again made as I already stated, an immense labyrinth. It's been months since I've seen it, and still I would have great trouble explaining to you the plot. So, I won't. Instead I will comment on Shane Caruth's unique new age Lynch-ian style and his workman-like dedication to making HIS movie, HIS way. -- Chad
18. Prince Avalanche - After a few years making broad comedies (the best of which was 2008’s Pineapple Express) David Gordon Green returned to his roots with Prince Avalanche, the best film he’s made in a long time. It isn’t exactly a major statement like George Washington or All the Real Girls, but it’s certainly very enjoyable. The interplay between Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch is beautifully performed. As I’ve typically thought of Hirsch as the better actor I was surprised to find that Rudd’s work is, in my opinion, the highlight of the film. He does things in this film that I had no idea he was even capable of, and the results are fascinating to watch. Here’s hoping that this year’s Joe is another step in the right direction for Green. I don’t blame him for wanting to relax and have a bit of fun with his friends, but I’m glad that he’s back to doing what he does best, at least for now. -- Max
18. Blue Jasmine - If Woody Allen were to make a remake of A Streetcar Named Desire this is what it would feel like; wait a minute, actually this kinda does feel like a remake of A Streetcar Named Desire. Rich socialite loses love, has mental breakdown, moves in with poor relative, gets bullied by her brutish lover, loses her mind. WAIT A MINUTE!!! Nice try there, Woody! But, all jokes aside and all comparisons aside, this movie is well worth existing. And much like its Tennessee Williams penned doppelganger it is the acting that really is worth the price of admission. Beyond Blanchett's titular character, (who by the way delivers one of her best performances to date) the film is one great performance after another. Even by actors whom you would never expect to be, well, so damn good. PSST! I'm talking about Andrew Dice Clay. Who delivers a surprisingly subtle performance as Jasmine's sister's ex-husband. And somehow Woody convinced him to not wear a ridiculous leather jacket. All weird accusations aside, Woody Allen has found a way to quietly deliver a good film once yearly. Sometimes they're great (like Manhattan) and sometimes they're not so great (like that one with Jason Biggs), and as a fan of film, I'm kinda happy he's still willing to continually crank out films at his age. As a fan of his work, I'm quite happy to still have him around and that he still feels the need to work, without having to have his films be much more than an enjoyable hour and a half or so. -- Chad
17. Gravity - As its fairly low placement indicates I didn’t go as crazy for Gravity as most people did. Honestly, I have no idea why. It’s obviously an excellent film, full of tension and emotion and impressive set pieces and remarkable special effects. Even the 3D was great. I’ve never thought of Sandra Bullock as a particularly good actress but she really holds her own here and carries the film quite effectively. Overall, the film is a very unique experience, one which feels simultaneously expansive and claustrophobic. Honestly, I think this one was perhaps just a bit too hyped for me, and it suffered a bit in comparison to Children of Men, Cuaron’s previous film and one of my all time favorites. That being said, my memories of the film are very fond indeed, and in time I’m sure my appreciation for it will only grow. Regardless, it is quite a stunning achievement, and Cuaron more than deserved his Oscar. -- Max
17. The World's End - Okay, I will admit that I jumped on the "Simon Pegg/ Edgar Wright train" after seeing Shaun of the Dead, and it took me several years before I gave Spaced, their brilliant sitcom its right due. But ever since I have been a loyal, loyal fan of anything they touch. I even watched that movie Ross from Friends directed, which wasn't that bad, really. Not only do they make movies for nerds, some references so nerdy they even go over my head; that's how nerdy, but I feel like I would be a fan even if I wasn't a nerd. In fact I just find that they write characters that I like hanging out with, nerdy or not. Which I feel is the key to any good comedy, TV or otherwise. Yes, you have to write funny jokes, but only because you have to find your friends to be funny in order for them to be your friend, right? I mean at least a little bit. But even their more serious characters, even the ones who don't induce full on belly laughs are at least enjoyable to be around. You know, like a good friend. And speaking of good friends; well, this is a movie about friendship. As most of their work has been, in some respect. But none so openly as this one. And yes, it is brilliantly funny, yes it is awesomely nerdy, but what made it stand out so much for me, and what made Shaun of the Dead stand out for me all those years ago, and Hot Fuzz, and Paul (despite Edgar missing from the project) and Spaced is that ultimately there was a lot of heart packed behind all that nerdiness and all those jokes. And this film was no different. Simon and Edgar and Nick Frost might be nerds, but they're nerds with hearts. And The World's End had a lot of it, even at times eliciting from me a considerable amount of nostalgia for my own friends and even a tear or two as Frost's character learns in the final minutes of the film a hard truth about on of his best friends. It's possibly their most touching moment, for me, in all of their work, and lest we forget the Queen infused video game friendship ending of Shaun of the Dead. -- Chad
16. Prisoners - This film is very hard to watch, but it’s more than worth it. The cast is absolutely fantastic, particularly Jake Gyllenhaal who has simply never been better. The script is just as good. Prisoners asks some very unnerving questions and provides few answers. Everyone who watches this film will have a different reaction to the actions of Hugh Jackman’s character. Some will be revolted by his cruelty while others will sympathize with his plight and understand his position. The film doesn’t place judgments on its characters, instead letting us decide which among them are truly evil. It is from this moral ambiguity that Prisoners derives its extraordinary power. In any other year this film would likely be in my top ten, if not my top five. It’s absolutely worth seeing once, but you might not be able to stand to watch it again. -- Max
16. The Conjuring - I was fully expecting to dislike this film. And I only went for two reasons. One because when the film came out there wasn't much else out, that I was interested in seeing, or that I hadn't already seen. And two, being that Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" usage in the trailer had me curious to see if there was something of worth here, because, you know, that song is fucking awesome and any movie that chooses to use it, for its utter creepiness knows what its doing, at least a little bit. And thankfully, I was rewarded on that hunch. James Wan's record is a little muddy, but I will admit that the guy knows how to make an effective scare here and there, that and he's REALLY FUCKING OBSESSED WITH CREEPY DOLLS! LIKE REALLY FUCKING OBSESSED! But in The Conjuring he delivered a surprisingly elegant and and genuinely suspenseful horror film, that yearns to be in the same category as genre classics like The Shining and The Exorcist, and its kinship to the latter of the two is definitely noticeable. Though it does fall short of that films place in the annals of film history, it does indeed claim a firm, respectable spot as a well made, genuinely fun to watch and re-watch horror story that will no doubt solidify Mr. Wan as one of the better horror filmmakers in our time...maybe -- Chad
15. The Conjuring - If this were a more objective list The Conjuring might not be this high, but this list isn’t about which films were the best, it’s about which I liked the most, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. In fact, it’s probably the best horror film I’ve seen in years. Recently it’s seemed like the horror genre has basically devolved into a ineffectual mush of jump scares, CGI monsters and absurd plots. That’s why it’s great to see a horror film as old fashioned and personality-driven as The Conjuring. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson make for a likable and engaging team, so much so that I wouldn’t mind seeing a sequel to this one (a sentiment I’ll probably come to regret, but oh well). The film doesn’t bombard you with scares, taking it’s time to let a sense of real dread seep in before unleashing the worst of it. Overall, it’s just a tremendous amount of fun to watch. I had almost forgotten how enjoyable a scary film can really be. -- Max
15. Prisoners - When I first saw this film, I seriously debated putting it at the top of this list, and by the point of its release a lot of the films on here had already come out. My only reason for changing my opinion was that upon second viewing I realized something. The first watch through this movie, like any well done detective story should take your breath away, and this film did. So, I do agree that this film is immensely brilliant, and that in another year it would of easily broke the top ten (as is the case with almost all of the films on here), I simply had to push other movies ahead of its place. But that doesn't take away just how effective this film is. A detective story so good that few like it come along that often. In fact, for my wager the last thriller/detective story that hit me as hard as this film did was Eastwood's Mystic River, made more than ten years ago. Yes, it does have its faults, but ultimately it is without a doubt one of the best films of its kind to come out in quite awhile, and I doubt few would argue with that. Revealing beautifully its plot, bit by bit, until its heartbreaking ending that stuck with me for weeks and weeks after I saw it. -- Chad
14. 12 Years a Slave - Back in 2002 I saw a movie called Dirty Pretty Things. The film was quite good, mainly due to the efforts of the ensemble cast and despite a few plot holes here and there, but the thing I really noticed was the performance of an actor named Chiwetel Ejiofor. His work in that movie made a real impression on me, and I assumed that based on the quality of his work he would be a highly respected actor in no time. For more than ten years I waited for Ejiofor to get the recognition he deserved, and as such it was very gratifying for me to see his work on this film so widely praised. He’s remarkable in 12 Years a Slave, but there’s little that’s not remarkable about the film. Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o are stunningly good, and the rest of the cast isn’t far behind. Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson, Dwight Henry, Paul Giamatti and the rest all turn in fantastic work. As a beautifully rendered depiction of the most horrific moment in the history of America, 12 Years a Slave is not easy to watch, but that’s the way it should be. Director Steve McQueen doesn’t romanticize or dress up anything. The film is full of brutality and violence, and the beauty with which it is all presented makes the pain of it all stand out even more. 12 Years a Slave is necessary as a history lesson, but it’s also vital and hugely impressive as a film. -- Max
14. Catching Fire - When previews came out for the first film in this series my eyes rolled and I scoffed, writing it off as the next in a line of bestselling book series that were turned into a cash cow for some lucky studio execs. And it for the most part has been, in all honesty, but in a good way. But, after giving the first film a chance I found that yes, it is another in a long line of the Monomyth persuasion, much like the Star Wars and the Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potters and the Flash Gordons of yesteryear. But, save for that last one I've been quite fond of all of those series, in one way or another. I mean, there is nothing wrong with a nice little bit of escapism and a little drift on down the "Hero's Journey River", is there? But, that being said there are a lot of films of this kind, namely Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" first installment, that not only bombed, but just kinda got forgotten. And lest we forget Travolta's attempt to bring L. Ron Hubbard to the masses, an adaptation that Travolta planned on at least making a sequel for before the film even released. We all know how that went, right? But what makes this series work, for me at least, is the fact that they've made quite brilliant choices with casting (Jennifer Lawrence has blossomed into America's sweetheart, Woody Harrelson provides excellent comic relief and is skilled at also playing the wise old sage and in this film the addition of the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman put them over the limit, in my book), and hired competent writers and directors. But, I feel that based on what I know from the books (having not actually read them myself) they're of good quality. Unlike Stephenie Myers unreadable trash, sorry, I had to say it. And the well crafted story that was presented deftly in this series' first installment grew with further intrigue in this one, ending with a darkly brilliant (if not at least slightly Empire Strikes Back-esque) cliffhanger that leaves me, the viewer wanting more. -- Chad
13. Only God Forgives - Nicolas Winding Refn’s follow up to 2011 surprise hit Drive was perhaps the most vehemently hated film of the year by cinephiles, and I’m not going to claim that I don’t understand where the people who feel that way are coming from. Only God Forgives is slow, enigmatic, more than a bit pretentious, a little awkward here and there and, worst of all, it feels truly incomplete. So why do I like it? For the beautiful cinematography, for the complexity of Ryan Gosling’s character, for Cliff Martinez’s typically excellent score, and for the fact that I’ve never seen another film like it. Only God Forgives does feel incomplete, but what is here is rendered in a pretty stunning way. Some of the scenes are poorly executed or even frustrating but some of them are absolutely wonderful. In short, I completely understand why so many people detest this movie, and most of the complaints those people have are in fact complaints that I share. But the good aspects of this movie are so good that, for me, the overall experience of watching it is still a positive one. Plus that fight scene between God and Ryan Gosling is pretty great. -- Max
13. 12 Years a Slave - Without a doubt one of the most brilliantly crafted films of this year. Steve McQueen is an incredibly gifted and original filmmaker in his own right, and by all rights this is without a doubt quite easily the best film of the year, so yeah, basically the Academy got it right this year. Though, it doesn't place within my top ten simply because there is a clear distinction for me, between the best of something and a favorite. For instance, Tommy Boy is one of my favorite comedies of all time, but it is by no means the best, nor would I even enter it into competition as the best. Nonetheless, I do have to applaud this film for its absolute brilliance. Many movies of this kind have been made over the years and many have received a great deal of acclaim, but none of them have affected me like this film did. Many films have dealt with American slavery, and racism in the United States and especially in the South, but none of them, for me, have felt as personal, as immediate as McQueen's film. For me, as a white free man, who's never felt racial prejudice, who's never really even seen it, in truth, I always felt like an outsider in such films. I was always appalled by the prejudices, and always knew that they definitely existed, as I grew up in a small town in middle-America, and knew that such things existed, even in my small town. But, I never saw it firsthand, beyond that of a few ignorantly racial remarks. So, when it came to watching a movie on the subject I always felt like I was watching a film that was discussing something that happened hundreds of years ago, and as such it depressed me, but never affected me. This film, McQueen's film makes that subject matter feel real, lets us know that it still is very much, sadly, alive today, and that it is not only appalling that such things happened, but that they are dark, dark parts ingrained in the outline of our human souls, and that as such it is important not just to know that such atrocities existed, but that it is important to not just sympathize, but to empathize. And this film does that, in my book, better than any film on such subject matter to of ever been made. It is a brilliant masterpiece and rightfully it holds easily the highest acclaim this year. -- Chad
12. The World's End - Finishing off Edgar Wright’s Three Colours Cornetto trilogy, The World’s End more than stands up to its highly enjoyable predecessors, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. In many ways The World’s End is really the best of the three. It certainly has the largest scope, and the whole cast and crew have obviously gotten better not just as comedians but as filmmakers. The fight scenes are so much fun that you might not notice how incredible the choreography is. The film is very funny, but its dramatically resonant as well. Surprisingly, Nick Frost, typically cast as immature morons (which he can play very enjoyably, don’t get me wrong), has to do a lot of the heavy lifting emotionally. With every film he’s gotten more capable as an actor, but here I feel he really comes into his own. I don’t love the film as much as Shaun of the Dead, but I very well might in time. It’s certainly an impressive achievement for any number of reasons. This film is everything that a big summer comedy should be, and more. -- Max
12. The Wolf of Wall Street - I see a lot of movies. I see so many movies that sometimes they just kind of play and they sit there, and though I enjoy them, they just kinda play. If that makes sense. Basically, the best way to explain this is that, even the movies that I like, even the movies that I watch and I enjoy, because I've seen so many, I kinda understand where they're going (most of the time) before they get there. I've seen so many movies that I know almost every method for telling a film on screen, and as such, even if I genuinely like them, I'm just kinda waiting for the end so that I can smile and put in another one. This movie was not like that, for me. I'll be honest, when I saw the previews I thought it was a bit weird to see Scorsese doing a straight comedy, or at least the straightest comedy he's ever made. Yes, he has used humor effectively in the past. But never so much. And to be honest, as a fan of Scorsese, it was probably what he needed. One of the better filmmakers for decades had solidified his spot in film lore with movies like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, and he built his way into our hearts with the explosive viscera of Goodfellas and to a lesser extent The Departed, but his routine was well known. Even copied and copied by every Tarantino-esque disciple to come along since that guy started copying Scorsese's routine. So, I went into this expecting to see a Scorsese movie, and that's pretty much what I got...kinda. You see, with The Wolf of Wall Street Scorsese managed to use all of his old staples perfected in films like the aforementioned Goodfellas and flip them and take them in a new direction, creating for me, a movie that I didn't see coming, and as a result ended up up thoroughly enjoying. No, it is not a better film than the film that precedes it on this list, but purely as a film I enjoyed it and feel like I will end up enjoying it many, many more times. In the end, it was nice to see Scorsese at 71 move in a new direction. -- Chad
11. Blue Jasmine - When you go to a Woody Allen film (and there’s one just about every year) you never know whether it’s going to be a masterpiece, a complete disappointment or something in the middle. Fortunately, Blue Jasmine is, in my opinion, easily one of five best films he’s made since the 80s. As it was with Midnight in Paris Woody is not featured in the film as an actor. He leaves that to a truly remarkable ensemble cast, including Sally Hawkins, Bobby Cannavale, Louis C.K., Peter Sarsgaard and Alec Baldwin. They’re all very good (and Hawkins and Cannavale are flat out excellent), but the biggest surprise here is Andrew Dice Clay, one of my absolute least favorite comedians, who turns in a truly impressive performance as Hawkins’ unrefined husband. Best of all is Cate Blanchett, who gave what was easily one of the finest performances of the year as Jasmine, a snobby, self-possessed woman who’s slowly going insane from stress. The script is witty and sharp and Allen’s use of music is enjoyable as always, but in the end the real reason to see this film is its actors. There’s not a weak link among them. -- Max
11. American Hustle - It seems funny to me that the trailers for this film have two somewhat ridiculous, somewhat amazing songs, by two somewhat ridiculous, somewhat amazing bands. Those songs being Led Zeppelin's "Good Times, Bad Times" and ELO's "10538 Overture". And I say that because they couldn't of picked a better pair of songs to represent exactly what this movie is; somewhat ridiculous, somewhat brilliant. Acted beautifully, absolutely, because David O'Russell's machine gun dialogue lends itself to the quality actors who can run with the punches he delivers. And by punches I mean the fact that the guy literally comes up with shit on set and yells at his actors to do every weird new idea he comes up with. Don't believe me, well look up "David O' Russell/ Lily Tomlin Fight" and you'll see how frustrating that can be. But when it works, it works. Sometimes it is admittedly goofy, as some of the deleted scenes in Silver Linings Playbook provide the evidence to, but what it does do is create a film so fast, so riddled with mania that you can't help but enjoy it, and the guy has been doing it since the early 90's, with great success. This film is no different. It moves at a pace almost impossible, it flows with such ease, it bounces, it dances, it's hilarious, it's brilliant, and it knows exactly what it is. Like some of the best Coen brothers films there are scenes that are so brilliantly funny, and still simultaneously dead serious and occasionally heartbreaking. It is what some might call a master class at film making and at film acting. And once it's over it'll hang in your brain for weeks and weeks, with its absurdity. Simply put, I loved this film. -- Chad
10. The Wolf of Wall Street - Considering that I was born the year Goodfellas came out I’ve never had the opportunity to see a true Scorsese classic in theaters, not until now. The Wolf of Wall Street is vintage Scorsese, the kind of film that I didn’t think he was capable of making anymore. I actually don’t mind some of the films he made with Leonardo DiCaprio, particularly The Departed and the oft-maligned Shutter Island, but they were certainly flawed films, and for me they were just nowhere near the level of his earlier work. For my money, Wolf is easily the best film he’s made in 13 years, if not 23. Also, I’m not a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s effective as an actor certainly, but for me there isn’t much of a difference between, say, the way he played Howard Hughes and the way he played Calvin Candie. With the notable exception of his remarkable work in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape every performance I’ve seen DiCaprio give has felt quite similar from the last, and it’s not even that his work here feels that different. It just clicks. They’ve finally gotten the formula right. Here Scorsese and DiCaprio are both at the top of their game, both working at an entirely different level, and it’s hugely enjoyable to watch. If this isn’t the absolute peak of their collaborative efforts I’ll be shocked. For me, the highlight of the ensemble cast (and every single one of them is fantastic for the record) is Jonah Hill, who is borderline perfect as DiCaprio’s sidekick. He completely disappears into the role, and it really is something to see. For me, it doesn’t get any better than the quaalude overdose sequence, featuring some wonderful physical comedy from DiCaprio and a hilarious fight that must be seen to be believed. It’s pure virtuoso filmmaking in every regard, and if it doesn’t have as much substance and weight as Goodfellas it makes up for it with pure madcap entertainment. If you were disappointed by much of Scorsese’s work since Gangs of New York, as I was, see The Wolf of Wall Street and be amazed. The guy’s still got it. -- Max
10. Prince Avalanche - It's been a long time since David Gordon Green made a movie on such a low budget. In fact, at a budget of under a million it is the smallest budget he's had since his best film, George Washington, his low budget labor of love that became one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2000 and kick started his career. And no, this film is not even half as good as that one, but in all fairness, that movie was arguably one of the best films of the 2000's. Though, as a major fan of David Gordon Green's (which I REALLY AM) it's good to see him decide to make this small budget indie films again, after years worth of bad comedy movies--except Pineapple Express, which I still enjoy, albeit for non David Gordon Green reasons. And so, it wasn't exactly a return to the depressing, honest, films he began his career with, but it was a fine mutation between those films, with little enjoyable comedic flourishes and characterizations, which he undoubtedly picked up from his excursion into comedy, peppered in here and there. And with the hilarious, quirky chemistry between Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsh providing a truly "feel good" affair, as Paul Rudd ends up turning in one of his best, if not best, dramatic (or even comedic) performances to date. It's a quiet, peaceful, quirky little film, and I loved every second of it. And even after repeated viewings I still very much enjoy the film, and as a fan of David Gordon Green it excites me for what he's got coming up. -- Chad
9. Mud - Though his remarkable comeback started with 2011’s The Lincoln Lawyer, 2013 was the year that it became a universally accepted fact that Matthew McConaughey is indeed a truly good actor. A very good one in fact, perhaps even a great one. I always knew he had it in him. I’d watch Lone Star or EdTV or Dazed and Confused and wonder why a man with so much obvious talent was wasting his time with films like Sahara and Failure to Launch. Apparently, McConaughey started asking himself that very same question. Though his greatest performance of the year was his Academy Award-winning turn in Dallas Buyers Club (and he was likewise fantastic in his smaller Wolf of Wall Street role), my favorite film of his to be released last year was Jeff Nichols’ Mud. The director of Shotgun Stories and Take Shelter, Nichols continues his perfect filmography with this mysterious and compelling coming of age film. The ensemble cast is of the best assembled in 2013. Seriously, even Joe Don Baker is good in this movie. The script is likewise one of the most original of the year, and Nichols’ direction is spot on. I can’t wait to see what he does next. -- Max
9. Mud - Probably the best experience I had with the film was upon second viewing, which I watched with my dad. Yes, I enjoyed it thoroughly the first time through, but upon second viewing it began to grow on me even further. You see, my dad had just had surgery on his knee and I had just bought the film on DVD, having loved it when I saw it in theaters, and so I took it up to my parent's house for him to watch. And it was in my parent's living room that my real love for the film developed. Because, yes, it is is without a question to an homage to various other kids movies from the 1980's. But I think that was intentional, in fact I saw an interview by Jeff Nichols who confirmed this. But this film holds something completely new, and takes the outline provided by such films as Rob Reiner's Stand by Me and Richard Donner's The Goonies and places it in a more realistic, less sentimental setting more akin to David Gordon Green's George Washington-- whom Nichols actually attended college with, and who actually produced his first film, Shotgun Stories. And the results are something wholly new, as if the adventure films of my childhood suddenly grew up, and began to proceed on, a little older, a little wiser, a little less sentimental, but ultimately at their core, just the same. Kinda like me, in my parent's living room. Oh, and also, my dad ended up loving the movie quite a lot, and has since mentioned it in various conversations about movies since, which is nice. -- Chad
8. Short Term 12 - One of the biggest surprises of the year, Short Term 12 has the distinction of feeling more real than pretty much any other film on this list. Throughout I truly felt for these characters and grew to genuinely like them. This heightened the emotion of the sometimes tragic/sometimes triumphant story. When they endured hardships I felt awful, as if I were seeing an old friend struggle against unfortunate odds, and when they succeeded I felt genuinely happy, as if a burden had been lifted not only from their shoulders but from mine as well. The entire ensemble is fantastic, but in my opinion Brie Larson’s performance here is perhaps the single greatest performance I saw all year. There isn’t a trace of fakery in her work. Every line delivery and movement feels wholly genuine. She disappears into her role in a way that most actors can only dream of. Wonderfully, the rest of the film rises to her level, and the result is one of the most emotional and powerful experiences I had all year. Sometimes we go to films to escape the real world and indulge in something fantastical, but sometimes we need a film like this to remind us all of what we’re truly capable of. -- Max
8. Nebraska - For my wager, Alexander Payne has never made a bad movie. In fact, I doubt he's ever even made a movie that was just "okay". Instead like Woody Allen before him he's quietly made brilliant drama/comedies about average people, with average problems. And he's always done it incredibly well. Though, where Woody writes mostly about people living in New York, or various other bigger cities, Payne writes almost exclusively about Middle-America. (Though he didn't actually write this film, ironically.) And I haven't for one enjoyed one of his films this much, since About Schmidt, which I went to having no idea who Alexander Payne was at the time. And though he didn't write this one, there is no movie that could very easily define an Alexander Payne movie more than this one. The script must have flown through his window by some sort of serendipitous miracle, as if it were destined. But the truth is that Bob Nelson (the writer) wrote the script and was recommended to Alexander Payne way back when he was filming About Schmidt. So, still kinda serendipitous, right? And the pairing, is incredibly funny, inducing from me in various scenes full on belly laughs in a pretty quiet, pretty empty theater. And often, much like Payne's other films simultaneously found a way to find the tragedy in the simplest and most mundane aspects of American life. A movie about family, and about legacy and about so much more. It's a brilliant, little, tragic and hilarious film. -- Chad
7. Nebraska - Since I saw Election at what was, in retrospect, probably an inappropriately young age, Alexander Payne has been one of my favorite filmmakers. Since then he’s made three films, About Schmidt, Sideways and The Descendants, and not one of them has let me down in the least. Still, I feel that something has changed in Payne. When I saw The Descendants in 2011 I felt that Payne had become a bit less cynical and a bit more sentimental. That transformation is in full effect in Nebraska. That’s not to say that it’s a sentimental film, because it’s not, not in any conventional sense anyway. Rather, I view Nebraska as a “kind” film. For the first time, Payne doesn’t want us to laugh at his main characters, he wants us to laugh with them. As such, Nebraska is a deeply enjoyable film. Not a false note is hit throughout. Phedon Papamichael’s cinematography makes Nebraska more beautiful than any of Payne’s films have ever been before. The script is razor sharp and beautifully realized. However, the best thing about Nebraska is the acting. June Squibb takes what seems at first like a one-dimensional nag of a role and transforms her character into a likable, hilarious highlight, and Bruce Dern ably serves as the film’s heart and conscience, never once making you question why Will Forte’s character is indulging him in this absurd journey. In my opinion they both deserved Oscars. Nebraska isn’t for everyone. It’s slow in places, there’s not much suspense or excitement to be found, but if you give it a little time Nebraska soon reveals itself to be something truly special. Also, it contains perhaps my favorite ending of the year, so there’s that… -- Max
7. The Place Beyond the Pines - For most of the year this film and Mud were my solid one and two atop my list. Which is an indicator to not only the quality of those films, but of the films released this year on the whole. This one a dark crime tale about legacy, that unfolds one timeline after another, and ends almost where it began. In a manner of speaking. (You'll see what I mean.) I had been anticipating it very, very much, having been a fan of Derek Cianfrance's (the director) second film, Blue Valentine. The man is a talented filmmaker and here he furthers on the talent promised more than 15 years ago, when his first film Brother Tied played at Sundance. Which is a story you've heard over and over and over again about this guy, so that's all I'll say about it. The Place Beyond the Pines unfurls in one long timeline, jumping from one story to the next, a risky, risky movie that still somehow pays off, as we end up leaving Ryan Gosling's Luke Glanton in the first third of the film. Though, his presence much like Harry Lime's in The Third Man haunts throughout the rest of the movie, never for more than a few seconds is he ever off our minds. Though, unlike Harry Lime, we see Gosling's character solely at the beginning of the film, and Lime's character appears near the end, after a considerable amount of debate as to whether or not Lime died, and if not then where is he and why, and so on and so forth. The point being, that there is a considerable buildup. And not to take anything away from Welles' brilliant performance but even he admitted that it was easy to play the part because they talked about him the whole time, that all he had to do was come on and wink and the crowd would go wild...or something like that, because I can't find his actual quote. My point being that Gosling's character manages to haunt the rest of the film, long after his last scene in a film about legacy, and when I say haunts, I mean HAUNTS. As for the rest of the runtime, you're practically on the edge of your seat, gripped with loss at the slow slip this one life played in the lives of those around him--and he wasn't even a good guy. It's easily one of the most brilliantly rendered films of this year, and though it's been somewhat ignored since its release, I feel, in time it'll be counted as the great Neo-Noir it is. -- Chad
6. The Place Beyond the Pines - For most of the year The Place Beyond the Pines was number one on this list, and it really felt like it deserved to be. More than any other film I saw until the winter it felt huge and significant, the rare kind of film whose greatness feels virtually undeniable. Writer/director Derek Cianfrance’s debut film, Blue Valentine, was a fantastic project overflowing with potential. With Pines, Cianfrance reaches that potential. Only two films in he has made his masterpiece. At first a dark but touching story about a stunt driver who robs banks to provide for his child, about forty-five minutes in the film takes a remarkable turn, revealing itself as not a simple story about a bank robber but instead a three-act epic about the very nature of family itself. The cast is remarkable, with great performances by Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Ray Liotta, Dane Dehaan, Bruce Greenwood and, perhaps best of all, Ben Mendelsohn as Gosling’s partner in crime. The fact that it’s fallen a few slots on this list shouldn’t indicate that I love The Place Beyond the Pines any less than I did the first time I saw it. It’s a hell of a piece of work, and I still strongly recommend it. -- Max
6. Gravity - Simplicity is not always a bad thing. Really, it isn't. When I first heard about this, after becoming a huge fan of Alfonso Cuaron after watching his last film Children of Men, and further exploring his work with Y Tu Mama Tambien, and also the fact that he ended up directing, in my opinion the best of the Harry Potter series, well, I was excited. And so, I conjured up visions reminscent of the Ray Bradbury short found in The Illustrated Man called Kaledoscope, in which a group of astronauts slowly float apart after the destruction of their ship, the narrator bitterly reflecting on his life, disappointed that his life never amounted to that much (besides the fact that he's an astronaut) and who ultimately burns up in the Earth's atmosphere and becomes a shooting star for a kid in Illinois. Sure, I knew it would be different, but the idea that was planted in my head was choked full of beautiful metaphors on life and death and legacy and space. Then the trailer came out, and most people I've spoke to have either loved the movie, like me, or disliked it. The fault being, I feel, because the trailer painted the wrong movie. It painted a big action-adventure extravaganza, and yes, there was action, but ultimately the movie was very quiet and reached its greatest heights in the space between all of the action sequences. When the big archetypal characters revealed their inner most pains, and the metaphors then began to flow right out of the screen. As Hemingway once said, in talking about The Old Man in the Sea, he commented that he didn't intend to put metaphors in there, he simply told a story about an old man, the sea, a fish, and some sharks. The metaphors end up coming out of the realities of the situation. Basically, the simplicity of this story, however grand it was or wasn't, is simply about a woman, stuck out in space trying to return home, and dealing with the death of her son. That's it. And on such barren canvas' are some beautiful pieces of art most often created. -- Chad
5. All is Lost - I wasn’t sure about this one going in. I knew I had to see it, because the premise was too intriguing to dismiss, but I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. The writer/director, J.C. Chandor, had only made one film previously, the Wall Street “thriller” Margin Call, and it hadn’t done much for me. And, though this may sound like sacrilege to some, I wasn’t sure Robert Redford could carry the film entirely on his own. Indeed, Redford is the only actor featured in the film, which tells the story of a sailor who becomes lost in the middle of the ocean with a broken boat and rapidly dwindling supplies as his only company. Redford’s always been a good actor, don’t get me wrong, but him alone, for an hour and a half, with virtually no dialogue? I’ve always admired Redford more as a director honestly. When he was onscreen Redford mostly relied on his charm and deadpan humor, a pleasant presence but not a remarkable one. That’s all changed now. Redford’s work is absolutely stunning in All is Lost. He commands every moment of the film. We learn virtually nothing about his character, listed in the credits as “Our Man,” but Redford tells you all you need to know by the way he moves and the look in his eyes. It’s the best work of his career by far. The good news is that Chandor matches him every step of the way. It was a huge risk for him to undertake, as Margin Call was almost entirely reliant on dialogue, but it pays off tremendously. Alex Ebert’s music complements Frank G. DeMarco’s stunning visuals beautifully. While I was watching it I couldn’t help but compare the film to 2012 hit Life of Pi. Though both featured a man on a boat in the middle of the ocean dealing with the harsh realities of the natural world Pi was fantastical and vivid where All is Lost is stark and almost frighteningly real. No offense to Ang Lee, but I prefer Chandor’s film greatly. Here’s hoping A Most Violent Year is just as good. -- Max
5. The Spectacular Now - Some of my favorite films involve stories about growing up, hell, some of my biggest guilty pleasure movies have to do with growing up. I think, whether we want to admit it or not, most of us are infatuated with that part of our lives, for better or worse. From the time we're about 12, till the time we're either in or past college. It is a period of time, most of us, kinda wish we could forget. And this movie is an accurate depiction as to why. Quite possibly one of the most accurate depictions, in my opinion. When I went in to see it, I actually hadn't heard anything about it. I had just got off work, and our friend (my roommate and I) from a few towns south had expressed an interest in seeing it. And see that it was mid-summer and we had exhausted all of the popcorn fare at the time, I agreed, having no idea what I was about to see. Just that it featured some kid from the remake of that movie with Kevin Bacon. (You know which movie I'm talking about, come on, you do, admit it.) What I found out was that not only did it have three of the best young actors, and some of my personal current favorites in Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, and my personal favorite, Brie Larson (So amazing, so talented!), but that it also was--to be frank, one hell of a goddamn movie. No, I was never Miles Teller's character growing up, but I knew a lot of people like him, some of whom good friends of mine. And so accurate was the depiction that various times throughout the movie I found myself overcome with emotion, and by the films end, I remember us walking to the car in silence, in awe. Well, beyond truths (no offense) that John Hughes ever dared to hit, the film hits you hard and ends with the bittersweet melancholy of a summer night, somewhere on somebody's floor at the party where you tried for your shot at that girl you'd been eyeing for months and months, only to fail; being forced then to pick yourself up and drive home happy that you tried, happy to be young, but feeling your youth slip from you with each yellow line on your drive home. -- Chad
4. Inside Llewyn Davis - Anyone who’s read my introductory top ten films post knows how important the work of the Coen Brothers is to me, and for those who didn’t read it I’ll say this: it’s VERY important. These guys made three of my favorite films of all time and quite a few others that I love tremendously. That being said, as much as I love their 90s work I wasn’t too into the large majority of their post-The Man Who Wasn’t There output. Intolerable Cruelty felt too slight, Burn After Reading was fun but inconsequential and The Ladykillers was flat out awful. Their dramas fared much better, but to me they just didn’t feel right. They were beautifully made and artfully constructed, but to me they just didn’t feel like the classic work of my favorite filmmakers. With Inside Llewyn Davis, I finally accepted the truth: the Coen Brothers have changed. They’re a bit less wildly unpredictable now, a bit less showy, less flashy, more subtle and more concerned with the visual component of filmmaking than ever before. It’s not all about crazy characters and brilliant dialogue these days, it’s about craft, and there’s a real emphasis on beauty and emotion that their more cynical work just didn’t have. Their films are more patient than they used to be, but they’re no less powerful, and in many ways they’re more mature. Watching Inside Llewyn Davis, loving it, and appreciating the Coen Brothers for what they’ve become instantly made me want to watch No Country for Old Men and A Serious Man again to see all that I surely missed the first time I viewed them, back when I was concerned more with the past than with the present. Inside Llewyn Davis is a gorgeous film. In true Coen Brothers fashion the characters are sharp and extremely memorable, the acting is on another level, the music is great and the script is terrific. There’s not a single thing I would change about this movie. After years of self-inflicted disappointment I’ve finally realized that the Coens really are right where they should be. And it’s not like Fargo and Miller’s Crossing and The Big Lebowski aren’t still there for me too when I need them. -- Max
4. Her - I have always loved the career of Spike Jonze, and especially the fact that he's never tried to be too serious. He's always had a lingering adolescence hanging over his head. Whether it be from his involvement with the Jackass fellas, or his Beastie Boys music videos, or even the bits of pieces of immaturity that find their way into his films. He doesn't pretend to be anything that he isn't. He understands that he's a little immature and a little weird, and despite his feelings towards that he doesn't hold it back, or paint over it. He lets it sit there, right out front. And up until now all of his films have been written by great writers; Dave Eggers and Charlie Kaufman, and as such he's had the ability to keep himself out of it, at least to agree. In Her he doesn't have that luxury, in fact I doubt he's trying at all to hide the heart on this movie's sleeve. And for it, this movie provides not only his most personal film, but possibly his best, and easily his most touching. The man-child is indeed growing up, and it is exactly that fear that rests at the heart of this film. Because Spike's Theodore, I think would assume that he is failing at life. He's shy, he's anti-social, he's heart broken. And he's trying to sort his way through this mess of adulthood, ill-equipped, and scared. It's an honest, heartbreaking film, and I'll be quite honest, like some of the best films of this year, it drew some tears from me. I'll be watching this movie with a great deal of joy with years to come. -- Chad
3. The Spectacular Now - Here’s a film that wasn’t on my radar at all. Indeed, had my friend not alerted me to its existence I might never have seen it. In the end, I put The Spectacular Now in my top three mainly because of how genuinely awful it made me feel. I saw plenty of great films in 2013, but none hit me harder emotionally than this movie. Sutter Keeley and Aimee Finecky truly do feel like people, not characters, mainly due to the highly naturalistic and deeply affecting performances of Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, but also due to Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber’s beautiful screenplay and James Ponsoldt’s deft direction. The film is nostalgic, but it’s wholly (sometimes almost disturbingly) realistic. It doesn’t pull any punches, but it also doesn’t wallow in negativity. It simply presents these people as fully-formed humans, full of flaws but good at heart. I’m trying to convey how profoundly this film affected me without seeming corny or absurd, but I’m not really sure there’s a way to put it into words. Basically, the film punched me in the gut, and I’d let it do it again without a second’s hesitation. I saw better films this year, but I didn’t see a single one which could match The Spectacular Now’s power, at least not from where I was sitting. I’m not sure if it would have the same effect if I saw it again, but I can’t forget the feeling that this film left me with that first time, and that’s really all that matters. -- Max
3. All Is Lost - Simplicity is not always a bad thing. And don't worry I didn't post the Gravity review twice. We actually saw this movie (we being my roommate, our filmmaker friend from a few towns south, and myself) on the same day as 12 Years a Slave, and though I feel that 12 Years a Slave is EASILY a better film, I still ended up connecting to this film more. Thou, I think there are obvious reasons for that. I'm a white male, who has never really felt persecution for my ethnicity, nor have I felt anything far greater than that. 12 Years a Slave is easily a better film, but I also connected with this film for far less obvious reasons. I have tried to be more upfront and honest about this in the past couple of years, and every time I am, I end up still feeling weird about it, afraid that people might think it as some form of attention grabbing. And it's not, believe me, I'd rather just keep it to myself. But, I have to defend placing this film so high, so I'll talk about it, briefly. As I've mentioned before, as a child I spent a lot of my early life in and out of hospitals, and still to this day I wake up with heart pain until I take my meds. And still I often have chest pain and dizzy spells and all kinds of fun stuff during the day. The reason being that I was born with a congenital heart defect. And that ends my talking about it. But it is in this film's take on dealing with mortality and dealing with struggle and dealings with larger themes like life, and death, and God that really got me. And really touched me and gave me considerable comfort. I think the reason we love the art we do is simply put, because it is what (and this'll sound cliche) "speaks to us", for one reason or another. It is what we need to hear, what we want to hear. Because ultimately we need to know that we're not alone, that what we're going through is understood by somebody else out there and that in that way we're in some way connected. We yearn for connection. On some level, and in this film I feel a great deal of connection. -- Chad
P.S. The soundtrack to this film is easily the best to be written all year. And no, I'm not a Magnetic Zero's fan -- Chad
2. Her - Spike Jonze has only made four films over a period of fifteen years, but each is absolutely remarkable. Even in a year as crowded with innovation as 1999 Jonze’s Being John Malkovich stood out in sharp relief. It truly was like no other film before it. Adaptation was, in my mind, even better, a remarkably bold and enjoyable film which is hilarious and moving in equal measure. 2007’s Where the Wild Things Are earned mixed reviews, but I thought it was fantastic. Once again, Jonze took a tremendous amount of risks, filling his adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book with frightening imagery and strange, often seemingly non-sensical dialogue, and once again his efforts paid off beautifully. Her is his first full length film since Wild Things (though in the interim Jonze took the time to make a REALLY odd short film with Kayne West which deserves to be seen, if only once), and the wait was entirely worth it. In fact, it’s almost certainly my favorite film he’s released so far. Previously, Jonze chose to collaborate with some truly brilliant writers (Charlie Kaufman for his first two projects and Dave Eggers, my favorite novelist, for his third), but this time Jonze went it alone, writing the script himself and earning a richly deserved Academy Award in the process. The film’s story seems absurd, so I was pleasantly surprised to find just how natural it all feels. Against all odds, the romantic relationship between Theodore Twombly and Samantha, an operating system which Theodore programmed to keep him company, is truly affecting. At first the idea seems like a novelty, but it quickly becomes much deeper. Overall, it’s a very refreshing take on the typical “OS going rogue” sci-fi trope, but it’s much more than that as well. It’s one of the funniest films I saw all year, but it’s also one of the most beautiful. If all you know about the film is the plot I implore you to at least give it a try. Needless to say, it moves in a few truly unexpected directions. -- Max
2. Inside Llewyn Davis - If you love movies, then most likely you in turn love Coen Brothers films. Just as sure as the sky is blue, it's just a fact. To not like them would be like to like football, and to think that Walter Payton was overrated. (I'm sorry if you don't get that, it's the best I could liken it to.) For they in their own weird way represent some of the best things to love about film in general, much like what Payton represents for football. (Again, I'm sorry if you don't get that.) But beyond that, and in what is becoming one of the weirdest reviews of any of the films on this list, I would rather like to move beyond my comparisons (whether they make sense to you or not) and talk about this film. The story of a Greenwich Village folk singer in 1961, who is too honest, and possibly too bitter, or wise (depending on how you want to see it.) for his own good. And about one week in his life, wherein he visits his sister, finds out he's impregnated the girlfriend of a "friend" and makes a cross country trek to make a plea to get his career a boost. It's brutally honest and funny, and at times pretty heartbreaking. And like some of their best movies it sucked me in, long after the credits rolled. As I pondered it over and over for the next few days. Digesting its main character, its ending, its cyclical plot, and the cat, and why the fuck it was there. And I could tell you what I got out of it, but that's not the point of art, right? Llewyn is a tornado, nay, a biblical flood (I'm looking at you Arronofsky) in the lives of the people he loves and call his friends. I doubt he intends to be, I doubt he even wants to be, but he is, and he can't help it, it is quite frankly beyond his control. And through all that mess that he creates, he creates really beautiful art. So, without giving too much away, or rather without giving you too much of what I took from it, (Cause the point is that you should take from it what you take from it, not what I took from it) I think just given that, I found this to be one of the most compelling films of the year, and like some of the Coen's best films, one I will watch hundreds of times, as the years slowly pass on. -- Chad
1. American Hustle - This is, as I previously stated, a list of favorites, not some attempt to objectively catalog the “best” films of the year. As such, number one really has to be the film I enjoyed the most, the film which I will return to most often in the future, and there was no film last year which I enjoyed more than American Hustle. I loved every minute of it. Hell, show me a still photograph from it and it’ll probably make me happy. This is the kind of film I always knew David O. Russell was capable of. While I enjoyed Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter and appreciated Three Kings, none of his other films have affected me as much as this one did. The ensemble cast is just absurdly good. Everybody’s hilarious, from the major characters played by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence to the smaller supporting roles by actors like Michael Pena, Louis C.K. and, for one expertly crafted scene, Robert De Niro. Amy Adams’ character is perhaps a bit less amusing (though she certainly lands a few solid jokes), but no less memorable. She has to carry more dramatic baggage than anyone else, and she does it admirably. As for Christian Bale, here he proves once again that he is the most chameleonic actor working in film today. I may not have enjoyed Out of the Furnace, the other film that Bale was in last year, but I thought he was incredible in it. Together the two performances make Bale’s absurd level of talent plainly obvious. In Furnace, Bale is wiry, quiet, careful, nuanced; in Hustle he is loud, overweight, hilarious and absurd. The characters are essentially opposites, but Bale makes both of them equally convincing. If you only saw his work in photographs or even film trailers you might think of his regular weight fluctuations, his drastic changes in appearance from role to role, as gimmicky, but when you see him in action it’s impossible to deny the amount of raw talent he possesses. But it’s not just the cast that’s great about American Hustle. The script, the editing, the cinematography, the music, the costuming, the hair… all of it comes together to create a truly unforgettable experience. I was smiling from the first scene on, and as soon as it ended I knew this would be the kind of film I’d need to see again and again. This is a film that’s so full of life, so brimming over with talent and passion, that I simply couldn’t give this slot to anything else. There may have been better films last year, but American Hustle just made me happier than any of the others. I can’t wait to watch it again. And, though I know that I can’t say for sure, I think 20 years from now I’ll feel exactly the same way. -- Max
1. Short Term 12 - I almost didn't get to see these last two films, as I live in an area of the country where you have to hunt for indie pictures. And this one here, I rented solely because it showed up on two top ten lists, and because I watched the trailer and was blown away by it. Then I watched the film, and my anticipations were far too low. Directed by Daniel Destin Cretton, his second feature, based on a short that almost won him an Oscar a few years back, the film is everything that "Teacher movies" should be. You know the type. Bad neighborhood, underprivileged, you know the type of film. Then some teacher comes in and teaches them about life...or some shit. Except this isn't that type of movie. In fact one of the counselors in the film mention the phrase "underprivileged" and is promptly met with anger from one of the kids. I knew I was going to love this film early on, when a comedic story that opens the film is revealed to have a much more tragic ending than was originally billed. But that's exactly the type of film this is, a film that's brutal and honest and doesn't pull any of it's punches. It's an incredibly special film, the likes of which doesn't show up all that often. Wherein pitch perfect and well defined, yet realistic characters play out their demons in honest, true ways and we as audiences members join them in their tears on more than one occasion. Honestly, my roommate was right next to me when I was watching it, so close on our tiny, shitty couch that our legs were touching, and I remember a point where I started to cry, then remembered he was there, so I tried to hide it. In fact, possibly the most telling thing I could say about this film, is that when it finished, not a word was spoken by him or I for the entirety of its credits. Then we both agreed, almost on the verge of joyful tears that it was an amazing film. Then we proceeded to not talk for a bit. And I can speak for myself, that in that silence I played the movie over in my head, happy and sad at the same time, knowing that something like this was out there and that somebody got it, what real pain felt like, and had the decency to put it on film. One of the finest films I've come across in a long time, I couldn't recommend it more. It ripped me apart and put me back together, and I'm immensely grateful for that. -- Chad
