The Best Films of 2013

The+Great+Gatsby%2C+one+of+the+best+films+of+the+year.

The Great Gatsby, one of the best films of the year.

The Great Gatsby, one of the best films of the year.
The Great Gatsby, one of the best films of the year.

Many are saying this has been the best year for film in a very long time.  From my perspective, it’s no different than any other year—there were good films, and there were bad films.  What made this lineup different is that the good films out numbered the lousy ones. Films such as Gravity and 12 Years a Slave amazed critics and audiences alike. Along side  these bigger pictures came a large crop of profitable Indie pics that included Blue Jasmine, Inside Llewyn Davis, Mud, and Nebraska, which were warmly received and performed well along with other independent productions.

One notable characteristic of this year’s slate is that were so incredibly varied.  From the stark and bleak film, Upstream Color, to the dizzying array of color and excess that was displayed in The Great Beauty and Spring Breakers. Although it was not necessarily the best year for film, it was certainly an entertaining one. And so, without further ado, here are my top 10 films of 2013, along with a few honorary mentions.

Blue Is the Warmest Color
Blue Is the Warmest Color

1. Blue Is the Warmest Color

Director: Abdellatif Kechiche

Starring: Lea Seydoux, Adele Exarchopoulos

Runtime/Rating: 179 min, NC-17

Trailer

 

Upstream Color
Upstream Color

2. Upstream Color

Director: Shane Carruth

Starring: Amy Seimetz, Frank Mosley

Runtime/Rating: 96 min, NR

Trailer

Spring Breakers
Spring Breakers

3. Spring Breakers

Director: Harmony Korine

Staring: Vanessa Hudgens, James Franco

Runtime/Rating: 94 min, R

Trailer

Frances Ha
Frances Ha

4. Frances Ha

Director: Noah Baumbach

Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner

Runtime/Rating: 86 min, R

Trailer

12 Years a Slave
12 Years a Slave

5. 12 Years a Slave

Director: Steve McQueen

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender

Runtime/Rating: 134 min, R

Trailer

Nebraska
Nebraska

6. Nebraska

Director: Alexander Payne

Starring: Bruce Dern, Will Forte

Runtime/Rating: 115 min, R

Trailer

 

The Great Beauty
The Great Beauty

7. The Great Beauty

Director: Paolo Sorrentino

Starring: Toni Servillo, Sabrina Ferilli

Runtime/Rating: 142 min, NR

Trailer

Prince Avalanche
Prince Avalanche

8. Prince Avalanche

Director: David Gordon Green

Starring: Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch

Runtime/Rating: 94 min, R

Trailer

Ain't Them Bodies Saints
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints

9. Ain’t Them Bodies Saints

Director: David Lowery

Starring: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck

Runtime/Rating: 96 min, R

Trailer

Behind the Candelabra
Behind the Candelabra

10. Behind the Candelabra

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Michael Douglas, Matt Damon

Runtime/Rating: 118 min, NR

Trailer

Honorary Mentions (In Alphabetical Order): Bastards, The Bling Ring, The Great Gatsby, Inside Llewyn Davis, Mud, and Only God Forgives.

Reviewer’s Note: There are a few films that are not yet available to the general public, but may very well be worthy of the list. These films include The Wolf of Wall Street, Her, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and August: Osage County.