The 25 Best Films Of 2013
2013 was the best year for movies in a very long time. Here's the 25 that stood above the rest.
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- DirectorAbdellatif KechicheStarsLéa SeydouxAdèle ExarchopoulosSalim KechioucheAdèle's life is changed when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire and to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adèle grows, seeks herself, loses herself, and ultimately finds herself through love and loss.Just about everything about this film is perfect. Adele Exarchopoulos gives the performance of the year as a young woman who discovers herself through a relationship with another woman. One of the most honest portrayals of love ever committed to film, and easily the best movie of 2013.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJonah HillMargot RobbieBased on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.Leo and Marty have done it again. Booze, drugs, sex, drugs, money, drugs, sex, booze, and more drugs. Oh yeah, and a great story with fantastic performances as well. The most fun I've had at the movies since Django Unchained.
- DirectorSpike JonzeStarsJoaquin PhoenixAmy AdamsScarlett JohanssonIn a near future, a lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system designed to meet his every need.This film is simply captivating. Gorgeous production design, cinematography, and an excellent script penned by the one and only Spike Jonez. This movie will not leave your head for days after viewing it.
- DirectorAlexander PayneStarsBruce DernWill ForteJune SquibbAn aging, booze-addled father makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim a million-dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize.A heartwarming story about family filmed in gorgeous black and white. Bruce Dern, Will Forte, and June Squibb give outstanding performances. The feel good movie of the year.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsOscar IsaacCarey MulliganJohn GoodmanA week in the life of a young singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961.A fascinating look at the 60's folk scene. It's bleak and depressing, and the hero isn't a very likable guy, but we root for him anyway.
This is a testament to Oscar Isaac's brilliant performance. The Coen's best since No Country For Old Men. - DirectorSteve McQueenStarsChiwetel EjioforMichael Kenneth WilliamsMichael FassbenderIn the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.An unflinchingly brutal and honest portrayal of slavery in America. Ehiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, and Lupita Nyong'o give career defining performances. Hard to watch, but it should be required viewing for any serious fan of movies.
- DirectorRyan CooglerStarsMichael B. JordanMelonie DiazOctavia SpencerThe story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer shine in this gut-wrenching exploration of corruption and racism amongst the authorities that we are supposed to believe are there to protect us.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsHugh JackmanJake GyllenhaalViola DavisWhen Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts.The best thriller of the year. Brilliant cinematography and a great script help make this one of the stand out films of 2013.
- DirectorDerek CianfranceStarsRyan GoslingBradley CooperEva MendesTwo men and their sons must deal with the unforeseen consequences of their actions.This one has been forgotten by many critics because of its early release date, but that doesn't mean it isn't a great movie. Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper continue to prove why they are two of the best actors in Hollywood today.
- DirectorBaz LuhrmannStarsLeonardo DiCaprioCarey MulliganJoel EdgertonA writer and wall street trader, Nick Carraway, finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his mysterious millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby, amid the riotous parties of the Jazz Age.Leo turns in another great performance, this time as the enigmatic Jay Gatsby. The art direction and costume design is the best you'll see in any film released last year.
- DirectorStephen FrearsStarsJudi DenchSteve CooganSophie Kennedy ClarkA world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman's search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.The always great Judi Dench stuns again as an aging woman looking for her long lost son. Steve Coogan's performance is underrated, as he holds his own with the legendary Dench. The end had me cheering in the theatre.
- DirectorScott CooperStarsChristian BaleCasey AffleckZoe SaldanaWhen Rodney Baze mysteriously disappears and law enforcement doesn't follow through fast enough, his older brother Russell takes matters into his own hands to find justice.For some reason, this film was largely ignored upon it's release. It is part revenge film, and part meditation on the daily lives of people living in the Rust Belt. Perhaps I'm a bit biased since I myself live in the Rust Belt, but I found this to be one of the most entertaining films of the year.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsSandra BullockGeorge ClooneyEd HarrisDr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first time on a space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking.The most beautiful movie I've seen since Avatar. It's no wonder this film swept the technical categories at the Oscars, and surely no surprise Alfonso Cuaron won the best director Oscar. Without Cuaron, this movie might not have been the stunning epic it turned out to be.
- DirectorJean-Marc ValléeStarsMatthew McConaugheyJennifer GarnerJared LetoIn 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is diagnosed with the disease.Matthew Mcconaughey and Jared Leto won Oscars for their performance in this awesome 80's based AIDS drama, and deservedly so. This film will floor you.
- DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsTom HanksBarkhad AbdiBarkhad AbdirahmanThe true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.Sure, the movie might have taken some liberties with the book it is based on, but it is still a pulse-pounder with terrific performances from Tom Hanks and newcomer Barkhad Abdi.
- DirectorJames WanStarsPatrick WilsonVera FarmigaRon LivingstonParanormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.The horror genre continues to make a comeback with this excellent haunted house film. It got an R rating off the atmosphere of the film alone, which should tell you all you need to know about this terrifying gem.
- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsChristian BaleAmy AdamsBradley CooperA con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild F.B.I. Agent, Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and the Mafia.David O. Russell is one of the best director's alive, and this 70's ABSCAM based romp is one of his best films yet. The entire cast is great and truly brings that era back to life.
- DirectorJohn WellsStarsMeryl StreepDermot MulroneyJulia RobertsA look at the lives of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose paths have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Oklahoma house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.It feels very much like a stage play (because it's based on one), but that doesn't matter. Osage County is entertaining, and the legendary Meryl Streep turns in another amazing performance.
- DirectorFede AlvarezStarsJane LevyShiloh FernandezJessica LucasFive friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.A fun, brutal re-imagining of the original. A really cool film, and a great way to spend an hour and a half.
- DirectorShane BlackStarsRobert Downey Jr.Guy PearceGwyneth PaltrowWhen Tony Stark's world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.The Iron Man series continues to be the best superhero series not involving Batman. Robert Downey Jr. exudes coolness as Tony Stark. In a summer of disappointments, this flick stood out above the rest.
- DirectorGabriela CowperthwaiteStarsTilikumDave DuffusSamantha BergA documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales.The Square was great. The Act Of Killing was great. But this was the documentary of the year. An exploration of the consequences of keeping sentient animals in captivity.
- DirectorJeff TremaineStarsJohnny KnoxvilleJackson NicollGregorio86-year-old Irving Zisman takes a trip from Nebraska to North Carolina to take his 8 year-old grandson, Billy, back to his real father.The funniest film of the year. Sometimes it's nice to just relax and watch a good comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously. That's exactly what Bad Grandpa is. Kick back, grab your favorite drink, and prepare to laugh your ass off.
- DirectorRawson Marshall ThurberStarsJason SudeikisJennifer AnistonEmma RobertsA veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.Speaking of comedy's that don't take themselves too seriously. Rent this and Bad Grandpa for your next movie night and there's no way you won't be in hysterics with laughter by the end.
- DirectorLee DanielsStarsForest WhitakerOprah WinfreyJohn CusackAs Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.Very far fetched, but heartwarming nonetheless. Oprah Winfrey and Forrest Whitaker are great.
- DirectorChris BuckJennifer LeeStarsKristen BellIdina MenzelJonathan GroffFearless optimist Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.The year's best animated film by a long shot.