TOP 10 of 2013 –BAYLEY
In 2013, many critics have come out and said this was one of
the strongest years in recent memory for film for a number of reasons. It was
not only one of the most lucrative years at the box office, but also one of the
toughest years to decipher your favorites from this crop of strong performances
and bold/original filmmaking. When a Best Actor race is being decided by strong
performances from Ejiofor, Dern, McConaughey, Hanks, Dicaprio, Redford,
Whitaker, Phoenix, Isaac, and Bale, while your lead actress contenders consist
of great work from Blanchett, Bullock, Thompson, Streep, Dench, Exarchopoulos and
Adams, you know it’s a special year. So
without further ado…
Below is the list of my TOP 10 Favorites of 2013.
10. Drinking Buddies:
This was one of the last movies I saw this year and I confess, I would have
skipped it if not for The Hollywood Reporter. As I watched their “Breakthrough
Performers of 2013” panel, I noticed Olivia Wilde was included. Having known
her work since The OC ten years
prior, I wondered why she was considered a breakthrough performance for this.
Drinking Buddies
is not the typical rom-com the title would have you believe, but the closest depiction
to a reality you’ll find this year of a group of adults who explore their
feelings for one another in the most everyday setting. Watching Swanberg’s film
is the closest to being a “fly on the wall” and watching reality unfold as you may
get. Wilde has mentioned in interviews that the entire film was improvised by
the actors (having been given the plot points and storyline from the director).
What this allows is the freedom to explore where the story takes them and
develop strong character relationships, as Wilde and New Girl star Jake Johnson’s chemistry provide. This is
improvisation fully utilized gracefully to enhance story and avoids getting
lost into overacting or arresting experimentations. You might not know this movie, but I recommend
you look for it.
Written and Directed by Joe Swanberg.
Reference: THR
Roundtable: Breakthrough Stars
9. Short Term 12- Brie
Larson is getting much acclaim for this picture and rightfully so. As Grace,
the supervisor of a foster-care facility for teenagers, she faces intense
struggles of connection and real-world difficulty. I was particularly taken by
her on-screen chemistry with John Gallagher Jr. as her boyfriend, Mason. Any
scene with them together is electric, right down to the most heartbreaking
moments they share. I really would like to see Larson recognized at the Oscars,
although it’s a longshot without her having pre-cursor award recognition. Giving
strong work in Don Jon and The Spectacular Now also this year, she is one of the best
actresses from her generation to watch out for.
Written and Directed by Destin Cretton
8. Nebraska- Alexander
Payne is really tapping into strong stories of family drama, coming off the
2011 hit The Descendants and now bringing
us Nebraska, which is garnering much
acclaim for Bruce Dern as Woody Grant. In the film, Woody is an aging alcoholic
who believes he has won a million dollar sweepstakes which is a clear scam to
his son David, played by Will Forte. Forte, from SNL fame, is no doubt a very talented comedian (Note: I am a huge
fan of MacGruber and am not ashamed
of it), but here he gets a lot of heartfelt dramatic notes as well to play with
as he struggles with his father’s bad temper and brings tenderness to his
plight. The film is quietly funny, especially with any scenes involving June
Squibb as Woody’s straight-shooting wife. As Woody and David’s journey to
receive this so called “prize” unfolds, you see Woody doesn’t even fully
believe this prize exists. There’s a real interesting subtlety to the character’s
motivations and to what the prize truly is to him. Shot in beautiful black and
white, it’s a great visual feast of the American landscape as well. What else can I say? Payne has crafted a
solid work here.
Directed by Alexander Payne
7. Saving Mr. Banks- After
watching this movie, depicting the pre-production of the classic Disney film Mary Poppins, it’s a wonder a kite was
ever flown on-screen. That is to say, Saving
Mr. Banks really shows the struggle Walt Disney had to go through to have
P.L. Travers (writer of the Mary Poppins book
series) sign away the rights to this character for a feature film. Why was this
so hard, you ask? Through a series of flashbacks, we discover Travers’
backstory and how personal the characters she created were to her. She is
undoubtedly particular and uncompromising (especially when Travers requests no
“silly cartoons” and no color red in the entire movie…Yikes).
Saving Mr. Banks turned out to be a much
greater story than I imagined. It is not simply about the creation of a
groundbreaking new work, but how one must let go of one’s past to make way for
a new future. Emma Thompson will certainly garner Oscar consideration as P.L.
Travers, who is so hard-edged and troubled, you’ll be praying for someone to
give her a plate of Mickey Waffles to cheer her up. Hanks, although absent for quite
a bit of the film, makes his mark as Disney and gets his moments to shine as
well. It’s an unexpected little treasure of a story that is charming and
engaging. I dare you not to walk out of this film singing “Lets Go Fly A Kite”
or any of the Sherman Brothers’ Poppins songs.
There truly was something special grown out of all that difficulty, and this
film helps remind us of that.
Directed by John Lee Hancock
6. Inside Llewyn
Davis- This was my most anticipated movie of 2013. With the Coen Brothers
taking on the 1960’s folk era, reuniting with legendary film musician T. Bone
Burnett (O. Brother, Where Art Thou?) and
locked and loaded with an amazing cover of “Dink’s Song” as a duet by Marcus
Mumford and the film’s lead, Oscar Isaac, this Coen Brothers musical was stacked.
What you’ll find is the Coens doing what they do best…not falling into any
Hollywood formulas. They tell a story their way, of an artist who will just
never get to where he sees himself going.
With
Llewyns’ singing partner having committed suicide, he goes out on his own as a
solo act. This brings about struggles of artistic integrity. When is enough
enough? When do you throw in the towel and say you’re never going to make it?
Llewyn will make huge mistakes and will deny opportunities just to see how far
he can go to make this happen. The character is a stray cat (aided by the many
visual metaphors the Coens throw at us). He is homeless and losing meaning and purpose.
The world doesn’t want him and shows him this often.
I don’t want to make this all sound
dreary or uninteresting. It is a very funny movie, with signature Coen oddball
humor. And Oscar Isaac is an inspired casting choice who is talented enough
that you believe he would be a great folk act, but sings songs that aren’t catchy
enough where you wonder why he isn’t getting famous quicker.
All in all, the film touches
something deep…that not everyone is meant to be what they want. But you might
as well try because it’s in your nature. And when you use up all of your nine
lives, you’ll have to see where the signs lead you.
Written and Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
5. The Spectacular
Now- This is the resurgence of the good teen movies we saw come out of the
‘80s. This film has gotten plenty of comparisons to the great Cusack film, Say Anything and I have no problem with
that (heck, throw it as a double-feature one day and I’d pay).
Centered
around Sutter, a high school senior whose philosophy is to live in the “now”,
we find him struggling with letting go of the good times and popularity... the
safety the high school “bubble” has given him. Feeling the weight of the “real
world” coming toward him, this is counteracted with a surprising budding
romance for him with Aimee Finickey [what a great film name] played by Shaliene
Woodley of The Descendants fame. It’s
a painfully young and real romance filled with first love mistakes and still
the air of wonderment of it all. As Roger Ebert pointed out in one of his last
reviews, these are “smart characters who make dumb mistakes”.
This is a
film that explores the realities of young love and doesn’t shy away from any of
the seriousness and importance these moments and this time in a person’s life
can mean to them. The lead actors bring life to this “realness”, especially a
very endearing turn from Woodley. Writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber
of 500 Days of Summer fame, adapt the
Tim Tharp novel into a film you shouldn’t miss.
Directed by James Ponsoldt
4. 12 Years A Slave- Wooof.
This is a powerful film. It’s leading the surge for a Best Picture win at the
Oscars in 2014, which might get you to go out and see it. When you do, you’ll
see the adaptation of the true story of Solomon Northup, an African American
freeman in 1841 who was snatched and sold into slavery for 12 years. A film
that holds nothing back, we see Americans greatest sin told through the eyes of
the enslaved Solomon. Chiwetel Ejiofor is a powerhouse as his character falls
deeper and deeper into desperation, seeing the most psychologically and
emotionally gripping violence anyone may face. This is director Steve McQueen’s
best work by far and the film makes its points quite clear with no restraint. Like
Schindler’s List, it’s so heavy that
I think I’ll never need to see it again. But I’m glad I did.
Directed by Steve McQueen
3. The Wolf of Wall
Street- I might go to hell for this, but I thought this film of American
excess and greed was utterly hysterical. Leonardo Dicaprio seems to lump together
his similar performances in time periods of his career; did you notice 2010’s Inception and Shutter Island involved his characters going through clinical
depressions over the loss of their wives? And now with his three most recent
films, it seems he is lightening up with three characters who have wealth and
in some cases great greed: Django
Unchained, The Great Gatsby, The Wolf of Wall Street. Comedy just might be
the key to Dicaprio’s success. His on-screen physical comedy is outstanding and
his over-the-top breakouts of insanity are scene-stealing in this genre.
Scorsese’s
3 hour madhouse romp, based on the true accounts of the corrupt real-life
Jordan Belfort on Wall Street, is gratuitous and loud…polarizing audiences and
critics. With its main character lacking a good amount of humanity, some might
find this soulless and hard. I think it’s an entertaining take on the dark
sides of the “American dream”, taking elements of Goodfellas and finding what happens when the mighty fall hard. Like
it or not, you can’t fault it for it’s boldness.
Note: The scene involving Kyle Chandler’s FBI Agent Denham interrogating
Dicaprios’ Belfort is priceless and one of my favorites of the year.
Directed by Martin Scorsese
2. Gravity- In
all its 3D IMAX glory, this film will knock you to the ground. It’s a visual
feast that does to space what Jaws did
to the sea. With Sandra Bullock as virtually the only actor on-screen for the
majority of the film, as well as an opening one-take shot that is incredibly
well crafted, there is plenty to marvel at. But what really got me thinking
during the film was the score. By now, you may have seen the film but if you
haven’t, you’ll most likely know the premise involving Sandra Bullock falling
adrift in space. How do you keep the drama going when there is no sound in space?
Steven Price’s score gets so intense with the impending doom of space debris as
the main antagonist, inching its way through space toward the leads. As this
score plays, I can’t imagine anyone not gripping their chair.
Alfonso
Cuaron is an imaginative genius and I’m so pleased that this film found it’s
way to the audience. He grips you with suspense and an amazing visual feast of
space. And after it all, you look up and realize it’s a really scary place up
there. You’re reminded life cannot be sustained in space…any astronaut who goes
up there is insane.
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron
1. Her- In the age of iPhones and technological dependence, it might
take us a second to step back and realize how close we are to our devices. Spike
Jonze’s Her takes us a little ways
into the future where Joaquin Phoenix’s lonely Theodore purchases a fully
functional Operating System named “Samantha”. Voiced by Scarlett Johansson,
Samantha is not just a voice on Theodore’s device. She is a life form that is
questioning the world around her and discovering herself at a rapid speed. She
speaks privately to him through his earpiece and they share all the plateaus of
a relationship and even develop a form of love towards each other.
I don’t
want to spoil anything about this film. It’s a heartfelt and completely
strange, off-the-wall kind of picture. But what it leaves you with are
questions about basic human connection. Has technology made us so connected
that we are actually detached from each other and growing lonelier? The film is
a great satire of social media and a reminder of romance in today’s world.
Kudos to Spike Jonze for this work…my favorite film-going experience of the
year.
Written and Directed by Spike Jonze
Other Great Films to Watch from 2013 (in alphabetical order)
Before Midnight
Blue Jasmine
Frances Ha
Frozen
The Great Gatsby
The Hunger Games:
Catching Fire
This is the End
The Worlds End
It took me a while to jump on this bandwagon, but when I
looked at all the films I got to see this year, I was very pleased to compile a
list of favorites. I hope these will bring you just as much enjoyment as they brought
me. Thanks for reading!
-Daniel
FINAL NOTE: The following are the films I did NOT get to see
at the end of 2013 that are said to be contenders for awards season: Dallas Buyers Club, Fruitvale Station, August
Osage County, Philomenia, Rush, All Is Lost, Prisoners, The Past, and Blue Is the Warmest Color. I’m looking forward to seeing all of
these.
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