This is the fourth year I've put together a "Top Films" list (previous lists 2010, 2011, 2012), and I believe this has been the best year yet! Achieved a personal record for number of films seen in a calendar year (over 30+), which included some exceptionally good pieces of cinema.
Right, it's all pretty self-explanatory from here so let's get on with it!
Right, it's all pretty self-explanatory from here so let's get on with it!
10. THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
The second film, that should've been the second half of the first film (or arguably the second act of one film) turned out to be a pretty exciting outing. I didn't mind the first chapter in this saga, released in 2012, but it tested the resolve of some. This one had much more purpose about it as Bilbo and his crew of Dwarves close in on their objective, the all important Arkenstone, in the current possession of Smaug, the Dragon. PJ uses his skills as a filmmaker to keep us sufficiently engaged during the chit-chat exposition scenes, interspersing action set-pieces to ensure we get our money's worth (the barrel-whitewater-luge sequence was the pick of the bunch). I started to feel a little fatigued around the 130 minute mark when Bilbo and company were busy aggravating poor Smaug, but enjoyed the cliffhanger and look forward to it all coming to an end in the final film!
Tom Hanks, Paul Greengrass, Somali Pirates. Right from the outset it's an easy one to like. Sure there have been some post-release stuff contesting the veracity of what actually took place, but the film realism was very convincing and that's what mostly matters. What I appreciated about this one was the screen-time afforded to the Somali Pirates. They could've easily been portrayed as faceless tormentors, but instead we see them established and developed over the course of the narrative (I actually started to side with them, or at least sympathise). The story lends itself very easily to the thriller genre, especially in the expert shaky hands of Greengrass, and was probably the best tension generator of the year.
8. NEBRASKA
Alexander Payne's characters are an adventurous bunch who do like to cause no end of mischief. Old man Woody Grant is no exception to this, and his quest to travel across two states to claim a million dollars in prize money offers plenty of opportunity for fun to be had. But there's much more to be gained than fun as Payne's careful use of tone allows it to move between moments both light-hearted and heavy, in a natural and effective manner. The black and white photography, the ensemble, the soundtrack, all work fantastically well together and Bruce Dern (as Woody) is so convincing you'll forget it's the acclaimed actor with 144 credits to his name.
7. PHILOMENA
My feel-good, crowd-pleaser for the year is Stephen Frears' 'Philomena'. It's just nice. You know how some films are just nice? This one is one of those... Even though it's about evil nuns ripping babies from young mothers and selling them to the highest bidder, it's done in a very nice kind of way, you know what I mean? Steve Coogan makes the most of a great opportunity to act alongside Dame Judi Dench, and the partnership is a complimentary one right throughout. Hard to go wrong here.
6. LINCOLN
It feels like a long time ago when I watched this one, but I vividly remember enjoying it a great deal. I was a little bit disappointed with Spielberg's's previous film 'War Horse', so had my doubts, but this one I thought was amongst his best. A smart, interesting, well-made, well-performed historical biopic. Sure there was a slightly over-toned sense of sweeping romanticism to the whole thing, but as far as Spielberg goes, it was fairly restrained. They funny thing for me was, the hero of the whole story wasn't even Lincoln. It was abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens played by Tommy Lee Jones. This guy could've warranted a film all his own, but his place in this was no less important as it provided political context for Lincoln and the players of the time. A really good watch.
5. DIRTY WARS
My documentary inclusion for this year is 'Dirty Wars' which follows author Jeremy Scahill and his exposé of the dastardly dealings of secretive US commando group JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command). This one is structured and presented like a real-life covert thriller. It starts off with an inciting incident, a military night-raid in a remote village in Afghanistan with casualties which the author investigates, following leads and clues, which quickly unravels and is revealed to be something bigger and scarier than originally thought. The hidden truths are indeed frightening (beyond wanting to know almost), and the production, especially with the cinematography give it a great seal. A must-see if you can find it.
4. ALL IS LOST
Robert Redford has been through a lot over the years, but never has he been as severely tested and punished as he was in 'All Is Lost'. The 77 year old veteran actor finds himself in a calamitous situation in open water with this encounter that operates with surprising unapologetic minimalism. Redford is the only character, who has no name, no backstory and about 3 lines in the whole film... and it's all for the better. The focus falls entirely on Redford and his shear determination and will to survive. Man vs. Nature stories like these need no fat and it's that recognition of the fact that make this a success. The brilliant poster for the film, summed this up perfectly. A grumpy retired McGyver with a scowl, and all god has to throw at him. Class.
3. LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
There have been some great Japanese masters of cinema and with 'Like Father, Like Son', Hirokazu Kareeda looks like he's one to be added to the list. The emotionally involved story follows two families and the crisis they face when told their sons were babies swapped at birth. The concept alone is enough to draw you in, but it's the execution that's the best thing about this. Everything is handled so delicately, with beautiful precision. You find yourself watching in this observed state of hush, as if not to disturb the fine fabric of the film. The inner layers of Japanese tradition, culture and psyche weave perfectly in the scenario put forth by Kareeda and what results is a film with powers of strength to move.
2. THE SELFISH GIANT
In many ways, the smallest film on the list, but quite possibly, the most powerful. The film's narrative, inspired by the Oscar Wilde short story, places us in a rough part of Bradford as we watch two young lads make their way through everyday life. The British do certain things in drama very well. Shakespeare is one, and grim social realism is the other. The authenticity is the first thing that hits you when watching 'The Selfish Giant', and a huge part that is due to the young actors that lead the film. Their naturalistic performances give such weight to every turn the narrative takes, and it takes some sharp ones. Writer/Director Clio Barnard deserves much credit in her treatment and interpretation of this text, and her raw and relevant portrayal. It's a film that rings true with tremendous heart. Brave, bold, brilliant.
1. GRAVITY
One of the first films ever made was called 'L'arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat' or 'The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station' by the Lumiere Brothers in 1895. Legend has it that during its premier screening in Paris, members of the audience, unfamiliar with this new projected moving image medium, fled from their seats in fear as the approaching train in the film, steamed towards them. This is the where the power of film was first realised. The way we watch and enjoy it now is based largely on this reaction back then.
Equivalent experiences like this are rare in cinema these days. We're more sophisticated viewers and technological advances have raised visual expectations, the saturation of which, has numbed our senses. We'll see things that from time to time will impress us, but not often astonish us (to the point where we're running from our seats in any case). 'Gravity' by Alfonso Cuarón is the first film I've seen that comes close to doing just that.
'Gravity' is a space drama/thriller of immense ambition. Much like 'All is Lost' it is a survival story, pure and simple, but the complexities within its method are anything but. Made for 3D IMAX, Cuarón makes full use of this format to immerse us into the film. We float around the Zero-G environment as almost a third astronaut within the film itself. His use of long continuous shots from start to finish (the first sustained for well over 15 minutes) establish and maintain this effect seamlessly. Placing, and keeping us in the film is forefront to Cuarón's agenda. It's where he can have his real fun, when disaster strikes. Instead of being mere spectators, the action is all around us, and there is no escape.
The CGI models/physics/effects etc, needless to say, are flawless. They had to be in a sense, to match the director's vision, and are. Done badly, this can often pull you out of a sequence or moment in a film, but with 'Gravity' you are there the whole time, without question. Of course, none of this would matter without the human element of the story and Sandra Bullock handles this especially well in the lead. She is afforded a few nice character moments (in between scenes of carnage) which heightens the emotional stakes, necessarily so. George pretty much floats around for the most part playing as an idealised version of himself, but he knows and plays this version of himself very well.
I'm still not sure how they made this film. The best guess I had was that they took the actors up to the International Space Station, put suits on them, and got the cameras out. I've since discovered this is wrong after a friend posted a 'behind-the-scenes featurette (contains spoilers)' video on Facebook. The craft is simply amazing. The innovation is on a level where TIME recognised their 'Light Box' mechanism (featured above) as one of the Top 25 Inventions for 2013. I mean anyone who has owned a handycam knows how difficult it is to shoot anything of any quality. It's hard enough getting that air bubble in the circle to level a tripod, nevermind trying to do it all in Zero-G in a scenario with the scope and scale of something like 'Gravity'. The magic of movies has always been as much about the creation of the effect as the effect itself, and here the production must be applauded.
In summary, there a very few films that change the landscape of things upon release. With 'Gravity' Alfonso Cuarón has achieved that. The film is one about appreciation, on so many levels. As a survival story, as a technical achievement, as a contribution to an artform, it is a complete success. Film was founded on the principle to amaze those whose eyes took its view. Through 'Gravity', Alfonso Cuarón has reminded us what the Lumiere Brothers first imagined through this possibility. How proud, they would be.
