2013 was a great year for film. While it wasn’t an endless barrage of awesome, there were some that outshone the rest in big ways.
The Ink and Code’s Top Films of 2013
(This list is later than most, but I refuse to apologize)
Inside Llewyn Davis
Ok, just as Randall suspected, I finally saw this and had to make a revision. Oscar Isaac kills it, voice, face, and soul. Who is this guy? He’s amazing. The music is absolutely lovely. Yup, I said lovely…because it is. The story is heartbreaking and hilarious, and a little bizarre (it wouldn’t be a Coen Bros movie otherwise). Sadly for me, its also wholly relatable. Justin Timberlake is coming into his own, finally, and Cary Mulligan is beautiful as always, and drops hundreds of F bombs, to my delight. Do yourself a favor and get the soundtrack. So good.
Blue Jasmine
Not only is Cate Blanchett one of the most striking women to ever hit the big fat silver screen, she’s a talent to reckon with. I’ll watch almost anything she does. Last year’s coupling with Woody Allen, a literal cinematic genius, gave us one of the most original, engaging dramas in 2013.
Spring Breakers
Refer to my review here. James Franco gives one of the performances of his life here. It’s dirty, loud, and sometimes just freakin’ weird. The end scene is a spectacle of pop culture violence that can’t be emulated if someone tried.
In a word: awesome.
Only God Forgives
What a strange bird this movie is. It’s like David Lynch borrowed a little from Quentin Tarantino, minus the dialogue. It’s colorful, trippy, very violent, and unendingly entertaining. Plus, Ryan Gosling. I mean, shut up. The soundtrack is pretty badass, too.
Catching Fire
Fine, it’s a big budget event movie. Don’t care.
I didn’t read the second Hunger Games book on purpose – I didn’t LOVE the first movie. I thought it was because the book was better, but apparently that’s not the case for this one. This is an awesome ride. I’m not a serial novel junkie, but this could convert me.
Grand Piano
Again, see my review here. This is Elijah Wood’s adult breakout role. It’s indie filmmaking at its finest. Tight, amusing, exciting, and a really great soundtrack. This movie truly surpassed expectations when I saw it at last year’s Fantastic Fest, only because the plot sounded contrived. Boy, I was wrong.
Wolf of Wall Street
The drugs. Oh my god, the drugs. This movie is a f-in great ride. There was a lot of controversy prior to its release because people claimed it glorified what Jordan Belfort did to hundreds of investors, which was screw them out of all their money. But you know what? I found it to be downright repugnant, and that’s part of the story. Just because people in Hollywood are telling it doesn’t mean its glamorous. I wish soapboxers would take the time to understand storytelling.
Plus, it set a profanity record. FUCK YES!
Honorable mentions
Kill Your Darlings
The movie about Allen Ginsberg’s first love, a sociopathic murderer who introduced the beats to each other. This film is compelling in so many ways. From the performances to the script, top notch. John Krokidas is getting a lot of high fives for this, and they’re well deserved. Oh, and it has a KILLER opening title sequence.
This is the End
One word: Hilarious.
One name: James Franco
C.O.G.
Certainly not a BEST of the year, but absolutely worthy of a mention for a few reasons. This is the first ever true adaptation of a David Sedaris story, and while it’s not a complete success, it’s really fun to watch. The filming choices are odd, and that’s a good thing. The ending is what really sealed the deal for me. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The film is lyrical, simple, and quirky (editor’s note: I hate that word).
There you have you it. What movies am I missing?
On to the next….