Top 5 films of 2013

12 Years A Slave- Directed by Steve McQueen.

In a year full of great films, 12 Years A Slave stood out amongst the rest as one of the most important movies in recent memory. Chiwetel Ejiofor leads a brilliant cast, along with scene stealing turns from Paul Dano, newcomer Lupita Nyong'o and a genuinely frightening performance from Michael Fassbender that will leave viewers squirming in their seats for generations to come. McQueen's visceral, no nonsense direction creates an intense and bleak atmosphere that reflects the grim stain in American history the film depicts. A truly powerful film that will resonate through the ages.

Before Midnight- Directed by Richard Linklater

My most anticipated film of the year did not disappoint. If 12 Years A Slave hadn't brought the historical/social gravitas, Before Midnight would have reigned supreme as my favorite film of 2013. The latest in Richard Linklater's "Before" film series is a raw examination of adult relationships. Less romance, more melancholy and monotony but captivating all the same. The characters of Jesse and Celine have come along way from their starry-eyed first encounter in Before Sunrise. Unlike in previous chapters (of this... possibly the greatest trilogy ever?) it's not time that's their enemy, it's everyday life.

Her- Directed by Spike Jonze

I've always liked Spike Jonze. I grew up watching his music videos and commercials before I realized he was goofy Conrad from Three Kings. When I saw Adaptation, I was too young to fully understand his ingenious subtlety behind the camera but I knew something awesome was taking place onscreen. Well, Spike's latest film Her is nothing short of a masterpiece and I can say with confidence, Spike, I love you man. Joaquin Phoenix delivers another career defining performance as Theodore, a lovelorn writer who falls in love with his computer OS. This movie encapsulates the emotional weight of Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep's elevator scene in Adaptation, but takes it into the stratosphere. A truly beautiful film.

The Place Beyond The Pines- Directed by Derek Cianfrance

The most overlooked film of the year? I think so. Derek Cianfrance's sprawling crime/family epic is one of the most emotionally jarring films of 2013. It's dark and morbid, but poetic and touching. Everyone in the large ensemble cast delivers great performances but Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper do the best work of their careers in this film. Say what you will about the plot or execution of this ambitious film, the acting, cinematography and musical score are untouchable and are all worth a viewing in their own right.

Pain & Gain- Directed by Michael Bay

A Michael Bay film that I didn't hate, let alone standing tall in my top 5 list?! Well, Pain & Gain is that good (in a horribly callous, despicable way) folks. This thoroughly deplorable yet jaw-droppingly funny film follows the real life exploits of quite possibly, the dumbest criminals in recorded history. Bay grabs this project by the horns and turns what would otherwise be a dark and twisted film into a tongue and cheek self aware eye wink to all the haters (such as myself) who have chastised the man since Pearl Harbor. Let it be clear that no one does lowbrow entertainment (juvenile humor, explosions) like Michael Bay. Hail to the king.


*HONORABLE MENTIONS*

2013 was an amazing year in cinema. I should have posted a top 10 list for all the great stuff I saw this year but for the sake of continuity, kept the top 5 tradition going. Anyways, here are the rest of my favorite films from last year:

Prisoners
Dark, Law & Order: SVU plot, with Jake Gyllenhaal's scene stealing performance/hair.

Pacific Rim
The most fun I had at the movies all year. In IMAX 3D or standard, Gypsy Danger rules in any format.

American Hustle
David O. Russel continues his streak of awesomeness. Enough said.

Spring Breakers
I will defend this film til my dying breath! James Franco and his neon lit femme fatales are amazing to watch.

Only God Forgives
Despite it's flaws, I simply could not stop thinking of Refn's latest film long after I left the theater. Don't agree with me? "Wanna fight?"

Check my Letterboxd profile for all things film related and reviews for my entire top 10:

Movie Review: 12 Years A Slave

There are great films and then, there are important films. Technically great films serve as a blueprint for Hollywood movie magic, while the important ones resonate in our collective consciousness for generations to come. Director Steve McQueen's latest film 12 Years A Slave, does both and is easily one of the best films of 2013.

First things first. 12 Years A Slave may be a great achievement in the pantheons of cinema...but that doesn't  mean it's an enjoyable movie. Based on a true story, McQueen's film is devoid of the glossy eyed sentimentality that permeates most historical biopics. 12 Years A Slave doesn't paint the antebellum South in simple shades of black and white or good and evil. Like real life, the film is swathed in complicated strokes of grey. Dark and muddled, but grey nonetheless. It would be fair to say that 95% of all characters depicted in this film are utterly despicable, but their reasoning and motivation for their actions, as vile and misguided as they may be with our 21st century hindsight, while not justified, are at least partially explained. This helps portray the film's many antagonists as human beings (albeit, extremely repulsive and ignorant) and not the cartoonish villains we've all seen before. In short, there is not an once of glamor or pageantry inside this film. 12 Years A Slave explores a painful chapter of American history rife with racism and bigotry and holds a mirror to our present "culture wars" and the seemingly never ending war with ignorance we wage as a society. This film does not glaze things over, instead it wallows in slavery's festering wound.

So yeah, now that you're an emotional wreck, let's talk about the movie. Steve McQueen has crafted another melancholy masterpiece here folks. If you thought 2011's Shame wasn't bleak enough, then you'll be astonished at the levels of woe and sorrow 12 Years A Slave reaches throughout it's duration. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Solomon Northup, a free black man living in the New York who is tricked and kidnapped to the South. He is forced to assume the identity of a runaway slave and sold off to a plantation where he  begins a decade plus struggle to maintain his sanity/soul. Everyone in the film's all star cast is phenomenal. Most play horrible, horrible people, but do a damn fine job in the process. Really, if I wanted to highlight every fine performance I would end up copy and pasting the IMDB cast list. I'll just say that Paul Dano proves he's one of today's best character actors and Michael Fassbender is simply frightening in this film. The acting is amazing, the cinematography and costumes/set design  make the film feel like a documentary at times, it feels so painfully authentic you might want to jump through the screen and kick start the Civil War yourself.

I really can't say enough good things about this film. 12 Years A Slave is a beautiful and twisted movie that should be seen by as many people as possible. It shows how far we've come as a society and reminds us how much more work there is to be done. When the black coat of justice swoops in during the film's gut wrenching conclusion, you can almost hear the generations of souls ruined by the wrong side of history rejoicing. Powerful stuff and one of the best films of this, or any year.