End of 2013 - Top Ten

Here is the most important Top Ten of 2013...

For a longer list of the films I have seen in 2013, follow the link at http://mubi.com/lists/films-of-2013--6

10. The Bling Ring

Sofia Coppola’s film has been almost forgotten since it debuted in the Un Cert Regard section of Cannes, despite having the big calling card of Emma Watson involved. Coppola has fallen out of favour it seems with critics, which has meant her last two features have been largely ignored. The Bling Ring however looks at extreme celebrity fandom while remaining playful and funny. She also extracts strong performances all-round. Hopefully The Bling Ring will pick up some reconsideration over time.

9. A Field in England

Ben Wheatley’s mixture of hallucinogenics and 16^th century England created more of a stir for its simultaneous release in cinemas, VOD and DVD on the same day. A Field in England however is a crazy puzzle of a film that never reveals itself too much to the audience. The magic mushroom scene is one of the best moments of 2013 cinema. Wheatley is a unique figure in British cinema.

8. Blue is the Warmest Colour

Despite the backlash after its Palme D’or win, Blue is the Warmest Colour remains a powerful no holding back feature on how love comes and goes. Held together by two fantastic leading performances, which Kechiche allows to flourish by using constant close-ups of both Exarchopoulos and Seydoux.

7. Computer Chess

Perhaps the weirdest movie of 2013, Andrew Bujalski has more than cemented his place as a leading figure in independent film making. Computer Chess is a massive leap forward from his original films, and has created a film that is simultaneously nostalgic and futuristic. Computer Chess never allows you to settle, right up until the very final seconds.

6. The Worlds End

Edgar Wright has rounded up the Cornetto Trilogy with the best British film of the year. Wright balances between being constantly funny, and relevant to the issue of commercialisation and globalisation. Wright makes it look extremely easy to do so and elevates a film into become an important piece of work.

5. Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmine holds back nothing in its portrayal of depression, and both Woody Allen and Cate Blanchett deserve equal praise for their work. Allen plays against the comedic expectations that follow him extremely well, when scenes that could have easily have been funny, instead become traumatic to watch.

4. Upstream Colour

It took 9 years, but Upstream Colour is the follow-up that has more than matched the expectations that followed Shane Carruth after his début feature, Primer. Carruth comfortably floats between symbolism and fragments of stories that always just seem out of reach. We are never left completely behind with the story, yet always one step behind. An extremely hard thing to do, but Carruth does it with ease.

3. Before Midnight

Another conclusion to a trilogy, Before Midnight looks simple, but is so full of tiny details that will keep giving more on each viewing. The long walks and conversations remain true and honest, displaying everything out in the open. Hard to ask for more.

2. The Great Beauty

Extremely fun, extremely beautiful and extremely watchable. Sorrentino makes 150mins seem like a quick breeze as we are allowed access to the Bunga-Bunga parties in Italy, and all of the high-life that comes with it. Sorrentino freely flows around the streets of Rome with such ease, it is almost impossible not to be drawn into its seductive nature.

1. Gravity

Just what you want to see from an extremely high-budget film from Hollywood. The technical achievements are clear to see, the long takes that require an incredible amount of pre-planning. However Gravity is more than just a little bit of showing off. It taps into fears of death, isolation, rebirth, nature, evaluation and survival, all in 90 minutes. The recycling of high budget, hollow comic-book films with little redeeming value is put to shame by the work of Cuaron and Lubezki.