Favourites of the Year 2013

      Another year has passed, we are reaching the end of the Oscar season, and just before the new films and creators enter the historic list of Oscar winners this Sunday, here is a list of my personal favourites of the 2013.

       This has been a peculiar year when it comes to filmmaking. We saw many strange little films, a lot of big summer and autumn blockbusters, the rise of independent cinema and a return to sci-fi, stunning performances, amazing musical scores, breathtaking and pioneering special effects. It was a great year, one that we'll possibly remember for a long time when we look back at the films that were released during this decade.
        So, after this small introduction, let's take a look at what stuck with me from 2013. Bear in mind that what I am going to present to you, is just my favourite films/performances/scores etc. and it isn't necessarily a recitation of the best of the best as they could be presented by professional critics. Let's begin.

BEST ACTOR

This may be one of the most difficult categories this year (along with the Best Actress category), as many were the performances that left me speechless, and it is pretty unfair to choose one out of a bunch of near-perfect acting jobs. So, for this reason I'm going to have a lot of runners-up.

Leonardo DiCaprio

If there is one movie for which DiCaprio deserves the Oscar for Best Actor, then The Wolf of Wall Street is it. It is true that Leonardo DiCaprio has delivered countless amazing performances over the years, and even though he has already been nominated 3 times for an Oscar -this is his fourth nomination-, he hasn't won one yet. So, naturally, he is considered one of the most extremely-snubbed actors when it comes to recognition by the Academy. Could this -finally- be his year? [ The internet campaign that roots for his Oscar would keep their fingers crossed. ]

Runners-Up

• Robert Redford for All is Lost (an amazing performance by a legendary actor who manages to keep the audience's attention throughout an almost-silent film)
• Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club (DiCaprio's only true competitor for the Oscar)
• Christian Bale for American Hustle and/or for Out of the Furnace (another great performance by a true professional)
• Bruce Dern for Nebraska (what a performance! This is one of those times that coincidence and timing don't work in favour of an actor)

BEST ACTRESS

Adele Exarchopoulos

This is another amazingly difficult category, so I'll go with the performance that stayed with me the longest. La Vie d'Adele or Blue is the Warmest Colour, as it is known in the English-speaking audience, is a film that has divided, shocked and surprised viewers and critics all around the world for good or not so good reasons. The truth is, however, that the film that won the grand prize at 2013's Cannes Festival should remain in our minds for just one reason: and that is the exceptional and breathtaking performance of its young protagonist, Adele. Even the harshest and most difficult movie-goers should admit that what stays with you the most after having watched this 3-hour film is not the sex scenes or the realistic representation of life, but the eye-catching performance of an unknown young actress who manages to grasp the audience's attention and it never lets go. Bravo!

Runners-Up

• Emma Thompson for Saving Mr. Banks (she manages to portray a character that could easily become a caricature in the hands of a less-talended actress. However, she succeeds in bringing to life one of the most heartwarming and touching performances of the year, and guess what! She isn't even nominated for an Oscar! Pff, marketing!)
• Meryl Streep for August: Osage County (yes, it might be a cliché but Streep still manages to dominate the screen and her performance in this film is one of her best ever. I honestly believe that if she hadn't been awarded the Oscar two years ago, she would take it this year.)
• Julie Delpy for Before Midnight (this is the performance that stayed with me for a long long time since the moment I first saw the third part of the "Before" trilogy. Delpy acts so realistically that at times it feels like a documentary and she is certainly one of this year's best. She also isn't nominated.)
• Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine (this year's -almost- sure winner, Blanchett needs no introduction and she most certainly deserves the award for an amazing performance in Woody Allen's latest feature)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Daniel Brühl

Who could imagine that Daniel Brühl (Goodbye Lenin!, Joyeux Noël) could give such a flawless performance? Having seen him in many films, I was expecting a good job from this European actor, but never such perfection. Portraying the famous driver Niki Lauda, he managed to dominate the film, persuade the audience and steal the show from everyone else in Ron Howard's Rush. Still, he isn't nominated.

Runners-Up

• Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club (Leto appears every few years but he always manages to do a good job. He is most probably, this year's Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor and I can live with that!)
• Barkhad Abdi for Captain Phillips (if an actor manages to trick even the most critical movie-goer into believing that he is who he portrays, then he has done an excellent job and this is what Abdi did.) 
• Tom Hanks for Saving Mr. Banks (Tom Hanks had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play a real person who had never before been portrayed on screen -Walt Disney. He did it with such a delightful and respectful approach, proving once more that he is one of Hollywood's best.)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Julia Roberts

August: Osage County may not have been one of the year's best pictures, but it sure had some of the greatest performances by its all-star cast. Julia Roberts is no exception. She managed to deliver one of the best performances of her entire career and she succeeded in facing in equal terms without fear or trepidation the acting monster that is called Meryl Streep. Nice job.

Runners-Up

• Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle (last year I had been a bit cautious when it came to Lawrence's Oscar. I truly believe that she is a good actress but I thought that her Oscar came a bit too early and for a part that wasn't neither demanding, nor great. However, this year, with her performance in American Hustle she convinced me of her talent and she stole the show in every scene that she was in. I have no doubts any more.)
• June Squibb for Nebraska (having been part of a large number of films, ironically this was Squibb's "breakthrough" performance, and what a great performance it was!)

BEST MUSIC

Surprisingly, I didn't single out many scores from this year's films and this is peculiar, as "music scores" are one of my favourite things when it comes to films. However, I can say that Frozen's score was more that amazing and its songs were easily the best that Disney has offered to its audience after lots of years. Good job!

BEST DIRECTOR

Alfonso Cuarón

I might be a bit biased when it comes to Cuarón as he is one of my top-5 contemporary directors but let's face it. This year, with Gravity, he managed the impossible and he even outdid himself. 

Runner-Up

Martin Scorsese. The Wolf of Wall Street may be controvertial but it is one of the director's best films, and Scorsese managed to capture every moment through a raw -yet ironic- point of view, something that he is known to be the best at. What a relief it is to see that successful people have still a lot to offer!

FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2013

What a difficult top-10 this has been for me. Somehow, I couldn't easily find 10 films to complete my list, as I went back and forth with a few of my choices. But, the final -for now- list is as follows and it is presented to you in alphabetical order:

1. All is lost

Watching Robert Redford's one-man-show has been one of my post memorable experiences this past year. This -literally- breathtaking film about a man who struggles to survive in the middle of the ocean may not be a fun and easily re-watchable ride but it surely is one of the greatest examples of true cinema. As I said here when I reviewed the film back in September during the Athens International Film Festival, it is a soul-shattering and riveting story that had me on the edge of my seat throughout its 109 minutes and if you want to see a legendary actor give his best, then this is the film for you.

2. Before Midnight

Richard Linklater's third part of his Before trilogy may even be the best of the three films. Set in Greece (yay!) and starring once again the exceptional Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, it tells the rest of Jesse and Céline's story that began in Before Sunrise (1995) and continued in Before Sunset (2004). This time, the couple has to face their own demons as they have been together for some time now and they can no longer blame distance for their problems. Acted marvellously and realistically by both actors, this series of films has always been the truest representation of human conversations and interactions and Before Midnight is a truly great movie.

3. Begind the Candelabra

Originally planned for a theatrical release but finally produced by and aired on HBO (in my country, it was released in cinemas nonetheless) this Liberace semi-biography is a great film. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Michael Douglas, who gives an amazing performance as Liberace, and Matt Damon, who plays equally amazingly Liberace's young lover, Behind the Candelabra is a delight to watch from beginning to end. Flirting with the ridiculous but never crossing the line, Soderbergh's film deserved much more than TV and if it was released properly it would easily be a serious contender at this year's Oscars.

4. Gravity

Alfonso Cuarón's directorial and technological masterpiece has received a lot of critiques by movie-goers and critics alike but the truth is that even if you didn't enjoy it, you most certainly still remember it. This is Cuarón's biggest box office success in the US and second best in the Worldwide Box Office following his adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. So, with such a hugely successful film, many can be the people who -naturally- speak their mind about it. Gravity is one of my most favourite films of 2013, not because it is directed by one of my favourite contemporary directors -as I previously mentioned- but because it is both a poetic homage to great movies of the past (2001: A Space Odyssey) and also an original cinematic and technological achievement. What it lacks in story, it gains in stunning visuals and glorious music and sometimes that can be enough. Moreover, how often do we see sci-fi films that treat the genre with such respect and seriousness? Being a huge sci-fi fan, trust me when I tell you "not often". Whether you like it or not, after watching Gravity, you'll never see space the same way again.

5. La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty)

European Cinema. That's what it's like. That's how it's done. Paolo Sorrentino's great movie follows its protagonist's journey to his spiritual, intellectual and emotional maturity. Gep Gambardella is the rich and famous author of only one successful book, who, after his 65th birthday, realises that he has spent his life among unimportant, vulgar people, meaningless parties and forgettable women. The movie is a poetic view of his journey towards the true meaning of -his- life and what an amazing journey it is! Sorrentino's glorious directing is so riveting that you don't want to miss a scene and Toni Servillo's performance is equally fantastic. This is a film that needs more than one viewings to appreciate it properly, as there are so many things to discover watching each scene. This is a true masterpiece of Italian cinema. Bravissimo!

6. Nebraska

And after the cosmopolitan streets of Rome, here we go to the black 'n' white rural roads of central Nebraska. Alexander Payne's road trip is a touching story about the relationship between a father and a son as the second accompanies the first on a trip from Montana to Nebraska in order for him to claim a million-dollar prize. Bruce Dern gives a heartwarming performance as the aging and not all there dad and he is not alone as Will Forte is also great in the role of the son. The story is simple, yet sentimental as all road-trip movies should be. Nebraska's cast directors have also done one of the greatest casting jobs ever, as every face that appears on screen is unique and irreplaceable.

7. Rush

I was a bit prejudiced when it was time for me to watch this film. I thought I wouldn't like it and here it is now, in my top 10. Ron Howard's film about the rivalry between two great Formula One drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt is a well-made and greatly-acted film that respects the true story without weighing in favour of one of the two rivals. Daniel Brühl and Chris Hemsworth are both great in this and Ron Howard manages to realistically present the life of these two personalities without making anyone a hero or a villain. They are just two people who make different choices in order to succeed in the thing they seem to love the most. It is a must-watch even for people like me, who aren't really interested in racing.

8. Saving Mr. Banks

I still can't believe that this has been snubbed by the Academy as it seems to have been made following the right recipe, but there you have it. It is the more or less true story of how Walt Disney managed to buy the rights to Mary Poppins and film the overly successful movie even though the writer of the book, P.L. Travers was full of complaints and corrections and made the producers' life a living hell. Tom Hanks plays Walt Disney in a heartwarming way, but it is Emma Thompson who dominates the film. This isn't a typical story of how they made a movie and for that it doesn't present any Julie Andrews or Dick Van Dyke's look alikes. It is a story about a father and a child and about how a traumatic childhood can haunt someone even when they get a lot older. The film had me and my family bawling our eyes out, something that, let me tell you, doesn't happen often and it is one of the best films of the year if you ask me.

9. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Can the 2nd part of a trilogy be better than the first? Even if usually the answer to this question is no, this time it is a loud yes. It seems like Peter Jackson managed to find himself after last year's bumpy beginning to his 3-part Hobbit adaptation. This time around -and even though there still isn't much character development for all the dwarves- the film seems to move faster and without any obstacles along the way. Is it the appearance of elves that gives a breath of fresh air? Is it the great, fun adventurous and long fight scenes that make it better that An Unexpected Journey? Is it the amazing visual effects (I am still not a fan of CGI orcs, though) and the great Howard Shore score? Is it the dragon? In any case, while watching The Desolation of Smaug I, more than once, caught myself sitting with my mouth open out of amazement and awe, and many were the times that I said to myself: "I can't believe I'm seeing this!". And for a person that has seen a lot of films, that is saying something.

10. The Wolf of Wall Street

Martin Scorcese directs this fun and surprising adaptation of Jordan Belfort's autobiography. It is the story of a man who managed to dominate Wall Street and did everything along the way. And by everything, I mean everything. Money, cars, sex, drugs, women. Everything happened in an exaggerated way and if you start making criticisms on Belfort's way of life because it insults yours, then you've missed half the film. Scorsese doesn't glorify this way of living, he just presents it cynically and bluntly. What you get from it, is entirely up to you. Leonardo DiCaprio gives the performance of a lifetime as the title hero and what's left for us to see is if he'll manage to upset the predictions and win the much-wanted golden statue. In anyway, this is a great addition to both Scorsese and DiCaprio's filmography and it surely belongs in my top 10.

Honorable Mentions

It was really difficult to exclude some of these films from my top 10 so, if you haven't watched them, try and find time for:

• Much Ado About Nothing Joss Whedon's adaptation of the famous Shakespearean play, starring people from his TV shows is a must-see fun and modern view on a classic.
• Frozen Disney's new film is one of the best that the studio has produced in many years, with a great story, powerful and memorable music, sweet characters and a great meaning at the end.
• Short Term 12 This small film about a woman who works at a youth's residential treatment facility and at the same time tries to fight her own childhood demons is a great example of why sometimes little and poorly-advertised films can be equally -if not more- important that the big blockbusters. Watch it.
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire And on the other side, this is a thought-provoking blockbuster that doesn't follow the recipe and is both a great adventure and an ironic critique to media and politics. It also is one of the last films starring the recently late Philip Seymour Hoffman.
• Out of the Furnace Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart)'s new film, starring many big names such as Christian Bale, Zoë Saldana, Willem Dafoe, Woody Harrelson and Casey Affleck is a powerful thriller about how wrong choices and the twist of fate can dramatically affect someone's life.
• Side Effects Steven Soderbergh directed two great films this year (this and Behind the Candelabra). This one, starring Jude Law is a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end, hoping for the protagonist to succeed in getting out of the mess he unwillingly got himself in.
• Star Trek: Into Darkness It might not have been as great as its predecessor but J.J.Abrams new Star Trek sure was a fun adventure.
• La Vie D'Adele If it wasn't so long and it didn't present some things just for the sake of shocking the audience, 2013's Palm D'Or winner would most definitely be in my top 10 as it is a really good film.

So, there you have it! Until next year!

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