Films like Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Danny Boyle's Trance, Kon-Tiki, Prince Avalanche, The Grandmaster, The Iceman, Enough Said (featuring a great performance by the late Jame Gandolfini), In a World..., Drinking Buddies, What Maise Knew, Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, It's a Disaster, A Hijacking, Fruitvale Station and Disconnect were a fantastic showcase for some great independent cinema.
It was also a good year for horror films. A few cracked the top 50, but movies like You're Next, American Mary, Byzantium, Evil Dead, Resolution, and Warm Bodies really showcased the genre. One special mention has to go out to V/H/S 2. I was a big fan of the first film in the anthology series and the first viewing really scared me. Subsequent viewings have kind of lost a little luster, but I was excited for this one. While I wasn't as scared this time around, the second one was much more impressive quality-wise. Especially the Safe Haven segment, directed by Gareth Evans and Timo Tjahjanto. One of the most bonkers, crazy, awesome things I saw this year. If it had been a full length movie, no doubt it would have been comfortably in the top 50.
Documentaries also had a big year. There are seven of them in the top 50 and I was really hard-pressed to leave films like 20 Feet From Stardom, Blackfish, Leviathan, Cutie and the Boxer, Salinger, and Dirty Wars off the list.
Then I have a few guilty pleasures. Zack Snyder's Man of Steel left a little to be desired, but I definitely enjoyed it. Ridley Scott's much maligned The Counselor may have been a little strange, but I admired it. Ditto for Gangster Squad. I liked the Tom Cruise-led sci-fi flick Oblivion a lot as well. Bad Grandpa showed me I still have a lot of growing up to do. It's hilarious, as was Anchorman 2. Then there's my guiltiest of guilty pleaures, a Twilight-wannabe called Beautiful Creatures. I caught it one day on HBO and for some reason (I really don't know what it was) I liked it.
A few more special shout-outs go to The Hangover Part III, Identity Thief, Olympus Has Fallen, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, and Parker for being frickin' awful. But let's move on from that and get to the the good stuff.
#50
The Armstrong Lie
Dir. Alex Gibney
We kick off this year's list with a film by master documentarian Alex Gibney. In his career, Gibney has tackled many controversial subject from Enron to Hunter S. Thompson to the War on Terror to hockey fighters and he's done it all with such precision. With this film, he turns his camera on one of the sports world's most vilified figures, cyclist Lance Armstrong. Tagged as the greatest deception in sports history, Gibney explores the who, what, when, where, and why of the scandal. What makes this film so interesting is it isn't a just an exposé on the disgraced cyclist with interviews with peers and tireless research (which it also has), but it seems to have the complete cooperation of Lance himself. Now, I'm not entirely what his reaction to the finished product was, but the whole film revolves around him setting the record straight, or at least in his mind. If you are a fan on ESPN's 30 for 30 series (which Gibney contributed to with Catching Hell) or just a sports fan in general, then this is one film you do not want to miss.
#49
Side Effects
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
It's rare that a film that came out in the first week in February sticks around long enough to make the best of list, especially in a year as stacked as this, but Steven Soderbergh's Side Effects is special. Soderbergh has always been a filmmaker I admire. His ability to jump from genre-to-genre is amazing and the speed he works at is incredible. Last year, he had two movies in my top 50 (Magic Mike and Haywire) and this year he came pretty close to doing so again, with Behind the Candelabra just missing out. With Side Effects, Soderbergh crafts a thriller of Hitchcockian proportions. With twists and turns galore, this is a film that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Rooney Mara gives an impressive lead performance and is backed by great supporting turns by Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Channing Tatum. The movie is available to watch instantly on Netflx, so I definitely suggest checking it out.
#48
A Band Called Death
Before The Ramones, before The Clash, before The Sex Pistols, there was Death. Who? Yeah, I didn't know either. Then I saw this tremendous documentary about three brothers from Detroit who in the early '70s who picked up instruments and instantly became Punk pioneers. Well, not really. This is a great rock-n-roll story that really has never been told before. It's such a gripping and amazing tale that may have changed the course of music history forever. If you don't come away from this one with a new favorite band, then you're doing it wrong.
Dir. Shane Carruth
Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Dir. Pablo Larraín
Dir. Terrence Malick
#47
Upstream Color
At #47 we have Shane Carruth's Upstream Color. Now, I have to preface this by saying that I would take this ranking with a grain of salt. I only watched the film once and that definitely is not enough. I can't even begin to explain the film because I'm not really sure there is a correct explanation for it. It's an abstract piece of work for sure. Carruth has a reputation for his thought provoking films and has really cemented himself as a must-see filmmaker. I may not have really had a grasp on what was going on, but I couldn't look away from the screen. It's a very abstract film and it may turn some audiences off, but it's much too fascinating to ignore.
#46
Dallas Buyers Club
The first of eight Best Picture nominees on this list, Dallas Buyers Club is a very good film made great by some ace performances. I know a lot of people really love this film and I can fully understand why. It's a good story with an uplifting message. It has something for anybody. For me, it wouldn't normally be my thing. That said, the film was saved by the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. As AIDS-stricken Ron Woodroof, McConaughey continues his unprecedented career rejuvenation. He has a commanding screen presence that carries the film, a complete 180 from the rom-coms he was making a mere five years ago. He's the odds-on favorite to take home Best Actor, an award he definitely deserves. Then we have Jared Leto as transgendered Rayon. I can honestly say I didn't think Leto had a performance like this in him, but I was dead wrong. I shouldn't really be surprised. He has shown in the past he has acting chops, but I think it's hard for some (including myself) to take him fully as a serious actor. Well, he is and he's going to take home an Oscar for his work here. Between those two, I enjoyed this movie a lot more than I probably should have. The performances alone are worth price of admission.
#45
No
It was almost a year and a half ago in May 2012 when Pablo Larraín's No premiered at Cannes to resoundingly positive critical reviews. A few months later, the film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. Finally, in 2013 it saw a theatrical release in the United States and I have to say it was well worth the wait. The film tells the story of the 1989 Chilean referendum against dictator Augusto Pinochet, a story I had absolutely zero knowledge of. That fact didn't effect my interest in the film at all, in fact it may have enhanced it. The film is shot in a very interesting style, almost like a VHS camcorder from the 1980s documenting the work of Gael Garcia Bernal and his advertising team as they fight to change a nation. Don't worry, it's not a hard-nosed history lesson in South American history, it's actually a dark comedy. It has some very funny moments to keep it fun, while maintaining the seriousness of the situation at hand. Larraín is a filmmaker who I was familiar with going into this one which is why I was looking forward to it. As much as I've liked some of his previous work, this is his masterpiece, a true display of filmmaking prowess.
#44
To the Wonder
Now we're at one of the most divisive films on the list. After 2010's The Tree of Life everyone was waiting to see just what director Terrence Malick was going to do next. Given his track record (he's only made five films in 30 years), people were a little surprised to get a film this quickly. The result was shown at the Venice Film Festival in late 2012 to some interesting reaction. Some heralded it as another masterpiece by a master filmmaker (this includes famed film critic Roger Ebert, who gave it three and a half out of four stars in his final review before his death in early 2013), while others brushed it aside as incomprehensible and one of the worst things ever. I obviously fall on the positive end of the spectrum. I found this film to be a very existential, almost religious, experience (in no small part to the religious themes presented throughout the film). There is a story here, but like most of Malick's work, it's unimportant. He makes films that make you feel. Here his actors (Olga Kurylenko, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Javier Bardem) are given very little dialogue, which is frustrating to a lot of viewers, but again, Malick and director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki keep you invested in the story with stunning visuals. That's what they do better than just about anyone out there (Lubezki was DP on another visually groundbreaking film that will be coming up a bit later in the countdown). It looks like Malick may have not one, but two films coming out in 2014, so fans of this film won't have to wait long to quench their thirst for more.
#43
The Way Way Back
Dir. Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
After the success of their first feature screenplay (The Descendants, which won the Best Screenplay Oscar), Nat Faxon and Jim Rash return with their second script and this time, they stepped behind the camera to bring it to life. The Way Way Back is a coming-of-age tale about a boy named Duncan who discovers himself one summer while at his mom's new boyfriend's beach house. Pretty straight forward stuff here by that description, but this movie is definitely more than that. The film is hilarious when it has to be and it's serious when it has be. The film is incredibly relatable for anyone who has experienced the ups-and-downs of life. All the actors are fantastic, especially Sam Rockwell, who for my money may be the most underrated actor working today. If you are currently suffering through the dog days of winter, then I suggest watching this one to bring a little slice of summertime back to your life.
#42
Simon Killer
Dir. Antonio Campos
Simon Killer marks the return of filmmaker Antonio Campos, five years after his first feature Afterschool debuted. Here, Campos paints a picture of loneliness and despair of a young American in Paris. Only one word really comes my mind to properly describe this film: dark. This film is as dark as a film could be. We watch as Brady Corbet's Simon spirals into madness, taking us down the disturbing path with him, every step of the way. It's truly scary, even though this isn't a horror film per se. This definitely isn't the most uplifting film on the list and it's a difficult watch for sure, but a must-see without a doubt.
#41
Sound City
Dir. Dave Grohl
Now this is Rock-n-Roll. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl makes his feature film debut with this documentary about famed Los Angeles recording studio Sound City. Boasting interviews with the people who made the studio what it is, the film feels like a history lesson in the School of Hard Rock. If you name a classic American rock album from the last 40-50 years, chances are, it was recorded at Sound City. Understandably, the film comes with an awesome soundtrack, which is one of the factors that help it move and the frantic pace of a rock concert (Would you expect anything less from Grohl?). It's not just about the music, though. The film has a lot of heart and you begin to feel for the people in it. This place meant a lot to them and by the end of the movie, it will mean a lot to you too.
#40
We Are What We Are
Dir. Jim Mickle
Horror remakes seldom work, and by that I mean maybe once or twice. Jim Mickle's We Are What We Are is definitely one that works. Now, I haven't actually seen the original Mexican film, so maybe I shouldn't be judging, but by most accounts, this American remake is far superior. The film is a taut thriller that builds and builds the tension until a brilliant finale where everything just snaps. The two leads Julia Garner and Ambyr Childers show why they are two of the most up-and-coming actresses working, both primed for a break out, while Bill Sage gives a chilling performance as they're over-bearing father. Not really a film full of "name" actors, but sometimes that's for the best. It allows you to connect better with their characters, even if they aren't really characters you want to connect with. Jim Mickle is the one in command here. He blends the right amount of psychological elements and gore necessary for the story. I look forward to watching him progress as a filmmaker.
Dir. Edgar Wright
#39
The World's End
The World isn't the only thing that ended in this one. The World's End marks the final installment in Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy, one of the great movie trilogies of our time. It's no easy task to follow up on Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, but Wright, along with stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, were up to it. While I feel this latest installment was probably the weakest of the three, it's still wickedly funny with the Wright-patented dramatic undertones. Throw in some top-notch action sequences and what else could you ask for? Simon Pegg is on display here, proving that he not only has the comedic chops, but he can hang in there as a dramatic actor also. All in all, the film is the great capper to the series and it leaves me interested to see where Wright goes from here.
Dir. Jehane Noujaim
Dir. James Wan
#38
The Square
One of the major news stories of the last couple of years has been the rising tensions in Egypt. Now I am not really the mos up-to-date when it comes to current events. I knew there was turmoil, but I didn't really know why. Thanks to Jehane Noujaim's documentary, I now understand. Noujaim takes you right to the frontline of the conflict and inside of the minds of the people fighting it. The film isn't just about a revolution, it's about the yearning every human being has for freedom. We meet a colorful cast of characters, some of who have conflicting ideals, but all of them wants what's just. The film takes some twists and turns and it a fascinating watch. More than that, it's important. Sometimes us Americans take for granted what we have in our country. This film shows what it would mean to others to have it too.
#37
The Conjuring
Sometimes marketing campaigns use hyperbole when they want to get people to the theater. With The Conjuring, advertising usually included the phrase "THE SCARIEST MOVIE SINCE THE EXORCIST!!" Every horror movie since 1973 has used that tagline, almost never has it been true. That is until now. I really feel James Wan's film takes the cake on this one. I will admit I was beyond terrified watching this in a theater. I'm talking white-knuckling my chair, shivering, just flat freaking out. But why? In reality, the film does nothing different than any other horror film. It's very generic, even a little clichéd, but in the sure-fired hand of horror master James Wan, the film takes off to a whole new level. With brilliant cinematography, great set design, terrific performances (especially from Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson), and just pitch-perfect horror direction, the film is a few steps above the rest in the genre. Not only that, after you get past that initial terrifying viewing, the film really is a lot of fun.
Dir. Xavier Dolan
Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Dir. Peter Berg
Dir. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Dir. Sarah Polley
#36
Laurence Anyways
It has been noted in many critics circles that 2013 was a landmark year for cinematography. The list of visually-stunning films released this year is a long one. Maybe the most stunning film on this list up to this point is Xavier Dolan's Laurence Anyways. For just under three hours, Dolan takes you on this 10 year journey through the life of a male-to-female transsexual and her relationship with her female lover. If that doesn't sound very enticing to you, you're not alone. Honestly, it didn't sound like something I would enjoy to me either, but I had heard good things about it, so I watched it with an open mind; I'm really glad I did. If anything you will be drawn in by how well directed it as and by some of the incredible dream-like sequences scattered throughout the film. It should also be noted that Xavier Dolan is only 23 years old and this is already his third film. I think we have an incredible talent here, one that will only get better as he further hones his craft.
#35
Captain Phillips
Dir. Paul Greengrass
Coming in at #35 we have another Best Picture nominee, Paul Greengrass' Captain Phillips. We should all know the story of Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage during a hijacking of the ship by Somali pirates in 2009. The film had a very similar feel to a film from last year that I really loved, Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty. Both of those filmmakers took real-life intense situations and told the stories in engaging and nail-biting fashions. Here, Greengrass' docu-thriller style is on full-display, building off previous efforts with Bloody Sunday, United 93, and the Bourne series. Many have tried to duplicate his "shaky-cam" approach to cinematography, none have really succeeded. Of course we can't talk about this film without commenting on the acting. We've all come to have high expectations of Tom Hanks and here he definitely delivers. He gives one of his best career performances, made more apparent by the last 10 minutes of the film, maybe the best work in a single sequence of his storied career. It's a shame he couldn't crack the stacked Best Actor race. Someone who did get nominated was newcomer Barkhad Abdi. The former limo driver from Minneapolis had never in his life acted before this film and now he's an Oscar nominee. He really is great and completely steals the show from Hanks. No easy task, but maybe he really is the Captain now.
#34
In the House
Dir. François Ozon
In the House was one of the last films I saw before making this list and usually those last films I see get shoved to the side when it comes to actually forming the top 50. Think of those movies as just something to pad my statistics on total films seen. But In the House was different. I didn't expect much out of it, in fact I didn't even really know what it was about. I heard some good things about it and it was on Netflix, so I checked it out and WOW! Was that awesome. The film is a great mix of comedy, thriller, mystery, drama, coming-of-age, I don't know, everything. It's kind of a hard movie to explain in that respect, especially because I think it warrants multiple viewings to fully understand. All I know at this point is that I was glued to the screen for two hours and haven't stopped thinking about the film since I finished it.
#33
The Hunt
The Hunt is a great film. It's nominated for Best Foreign Language Picture. Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg is someone I admire. A lot of things go into this being what it is. But really the one thing here that puts the film over-the-top is the performance by Mads Mikkelsen. Most people know Mikkelsen as 007's nemesis Le Chiffre in Casino Royale or maybe from NBC's series Hannibal, where he plays the title character, Dr. Lecter (side note: if you're not watching that show, I highly suggest it. Surprisingly[?] pretty great). I personally became aware of Mads from his work with fellow Dane, Nicolas Winding Refn (who will pop up a little later on this list). However you've become acquainted with Mr. Mikkelsen or if you haven't yet, then you have to watch this film. He gives one of the year's best performances, but it's not in English so it won't get any recognition. Still, he is the show here. His performance is heartbreaking and is given with so much emotion that only a select few actors working can bring to the table. I guess that means Mads is one of the best working today. Yeah, I'm gonna go with that.
#32
This Is the End
Dir. Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen
So my expectations for this movie were zero. I had no expectations whatsoever going into this one and I told myself that I wouldn't be surprised if it was an absolute disaster (pun very much intended). Well, it made the list so I'm already assuming you figured out that it's not. In fact, it borders on genius. Seriously. I'm a pretty tough sell when it comes to laughing at comedies and this film at moments had me laughing so hard, I was actually making no sound and I was choking. It was like the dry heaves but not awful. In truth, the film is utterly ridiculous, but I think that's the beauty of it. The script is ridiculous, the actors playing "themselves" are ridiculous, the set pieces are ridiculous, it's all intentional. I'm not going to go into a big explanation of the hidden meaning behind everything because that would be over-thinking it. This is just a absurdly hilarious film and when you're talking comedy, that's good enough.
#31
Sightseers
Dir. Ben Wheatley
Ok Ben Wheatley, you have my attention. Last year, the British filmmaker and his film, Kill List, made my top 50 list, surprisingly coming in at #32, so apparently he's pretty consistent. If you haven't seen that film yet, please watch it. We're not here to talk about Kill List again, so let's move to Sightseers. This film is along the same lines as Kill List, but entirely different. Does that make sense? No? Good. This film is weird and I mean that in the most sincere sense. This is a very dark comedy about a couple touring the countryside in a motor home, running into some, let's say, obstacles along the way. The film has some moments that are so strange and disturbing that you can't help but laugh. The two leads, Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, also co-wrote the script and you can tell they are very committed to bringing justice to their work. As for Wheatley, I think he's joining the list of my must-see directors. I think it's becoming apparent that he is going to make a career out of being weird and macabre and that's perfectly okay with me. In fact, his new movie, A Field in England just came out and is supposed to be even weirder. Don't know how that's possible, but I'll be sure to check it out.
#30
Lone Survivor
Dir. Peter Berg
It was pretty consensus that Peter Berg's Battleship was among the worst films of 2012. I never saw the movie, but I just took everyone's word for it. Berg has always been a bit of a hit-or-miss director. For every Friday Night Lights, there's a Hancock. Luckily, he is on top of his game here with the Afghan war drama Lone Survivor. The title is a little unfortunate because it gives away the end of the movie, but this is a true story, so it wouldn't be that hard to find out what happened in the first place. Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, and Ben Foster all work well together here and you really get the sense that they are the brothers-in-arms they're playing. The roles were very physically demanding and they all pulled them off tremendously. Now, back to Berg for a second. He really directs this film well and considering the last hour or so is one giant action sequence, it's actually pretty impressive. He has talent, now I hope he can just get a little more consistent with it.
#29
Don Jon
Don Jon marks the debut for writer-director Joseph Gordon-Levitt and for the first-time feature director, I'd say he did a pretty good job. This is a bit of romantic-comedy, but for the first time (or at least I think for the first time) it's geared more towards the guys. For just about any guy, this movie is going to be pretty relatable. Whereas most movies of this nature would most definitely be seen from the female point-of-view, here we see everything through JGL's character Jon's eyes. It's kind of a breath of fresh air. In fact, the whole film is a bit of a critique of the Hollywood perception of love and relationships. Gordon-Levitt assembled a pretty stellar cast for this outing being joined by Brie Larson, Julianne Moore, Rob Brown, TONY DANZA (yes, the Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon is back), and one Scarlett Johansson, who pretty much steals the show. All in all a solid debut for a guy with solid potential to be the next great actor-turned-director.
#28
The Broken Circle Breakdown
Dir. Felix Van Groeningen
Well, this is a bit of a downer. We go from Don Jon, which is a fun, light-hearted, and funny look at relationships to Felix Van Groeningen's The Broken Circle Breakdown, which is none of those things. This is probably the most depressing film on this list and easily one of the most depressing things I have ever seen. It's a tough watch. The film shares a lot in common with a similarly depressing film, Derek Cianfrance's 2010 drama Blue Valentine (probably my favorite film of that year by the way, but it never made my list because I saw it a year later). Both those films have very similar plot structures, always jumping between past, present, and future and both deal with similar themes, in this case heartbreak and divorce. The only difference is Broken Circle deals with an added piece to the puzzle that makes it even more difficult to watch. If there is one not crappy-feeling thing about this film, it's the soundtrack. The whole movie revolves around bluegrass music and that's really the only semi-happy thing about it. Still it's a great film, if you can handle it, and it's what I'm rooting for to take the Best Foreign Picture Oscar (though, it won't).
#27
Stories We Tell
Dir. Sarah Polley
Now this is an interesting film. This is an autobiographical documentary by actor-writer-director Sarah Polley where she just recounts her life story growing up in a big family in Toronto. She traces the history of her mother and father and how they helped shape her to be the person she is today, but not without a few twists and turns along the way. Admittedly, there is no reason why I should care. I personally didn't even find her story to be relatable, which a film of this nature should be. But, I was and I couldn't figure out why I was. Many times throughout the film I was asking myself why am I so invested in this story right now? I just was. That's the mark of a great film and a great filmmaker. Polley painted such an intimate portrait of her family that you couldn't help but be riveted by it. And although I didn't find myself connecting to her story on a personal level, it makes you wonder what would happen if you made your own film like it. What would you learn about your family? This is top-notch feat of documentary filmmaking that should be seen by all.
#26
Stoker
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
He has arrived. Park Chan-Wook is one of my favorite filmmakers of all-time and after years of churning out brilliant films in his native South Korea, he finally makes landfall in North America with his English-language debut Stoker. When it comes to visual filmmakers, very few do it as well as Park. His films are full of lush cinematography and luckily for us, his style translated perfectly to America. This film is great to look at. Each and every scene brings you something new and wonderful to look at. Great stuff. Something else Park does very well is violence. He is able to take the act of violence and frame it in a beautiful picture fit for a gallery. A little disappointing that this film seems to be a little toned down from his Korea fare, perhaps to better appeal to American audiences, but it still has it's moments. Throw in some great performances from leads Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, and Nicole Kidman and a stellar script from Wentworth Miller and I'd say Park Chan-Wook made a pretty powerful entrance in Hollywood.
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