Here are my picks for the best films of 2013. All but
12 Years a Slave I saw at the local indie theater — I cannot stress enough how awesome it is to have such a wonderful venue playing great films in my town.
1.
12 Years a Slave
Can Steve McQueen do no wrong? From Hunger, to Shame and now 12 Years a Slave. Lupita Nyong'o is amazing, Benedict Cumberbatch is amazing, Michael Fassbender is disgusting but amazing. A must see, immediately, but be forewarned it is a typical unflinching Steve McQueen film and will require most of your mental capacity to watch it and time afterwards to process it.
2.
Blue is the Warmest Color
See more of my thoughts on Blue
here.
3.
Ain't Them Bodies Saints
Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara were so painfully perfect in this.
4.
Enough Said
Tavi Gevinson! I loved this movie, I love everyone in it, I cried at the credits dedicated to "Jim" aka James Gandolfini in his last role.
5.
Frances Ha
Greta Gerwig as Frances in
Frances Ha and Lola in
Lola Versus are two of my favorite young female characters in film of the last few years. Awkward, unflinchingly, and somewhat incapable of navigating real life — my kind of lady.
6.
Fruitvale Station
I saw this movie on a first OkCupid date — what am I? An idiot? Clearly. This movie is superb but do not make the mistake of seeing it with someone you met 5 minutes before it starts.
7.
Short Term 12
Great portrayal of life in the foster care system, great acting both by the adults and all the kids.
8.
The House I Live In
I don't actually remember when I saw this but it was the most amazing documentary I saw this year and now it's on Netflix instant watch so hurry up and see it.
9.
Rust & Bone
I don't remember when I saw this either but after seeing
Blackfish I was reminded how great this film was, how incredible both Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts were and what great an impact it made on me.
10.
Wadjda
How incredible is it that
Wadjda is the first feature-film to be entirely shot in Saudi Arabia, and the first ever made by a female Saudi director? The actors in this film, specifically Wadjda, her mother, and the headmistress of her school demonstrated to me the juxtaposition of new and old Saudi Arabia. Wadjda wants a bike, to finance it she sells mixtapes and football bracelets. She wears Converse sneakers under her niqāb, she flirts with the neighbor boy, she plays video games with her father. Go see Wadjada for a glimpse into life in Saudi Arabia but also an awesome mother-daughter relationship.
P.S. Honorable mentions include: West of Memphis, Blue Jasmine, and Muscle Shoals.
