Typically “Top 10 Movies of the Year” lists are both boring and challenging to me. I couldn’t possibly narrow down my ten favorite films from 2013 when I’ve seen so many list-worthy movies during this past Fall alone. While I have no issue stepping up and saying that Before Midnight is my favorite film of the year, figuring out the exact order of #2-#10 would be a bit more iffy for me. Besides, all the major critics do it too, so why not try something different? Why write up a list of movies you’ve probably seen already or plan on seeing soon anyway? Why not try to introduce you to something your eyeballs probably missed?
Instead, here’s a list of ten films I saw in 2013 that I think deserve more recognition. Most of these weren’t necessarily flops or underperformers — a number of them were low budget and were released in only a handful of theaters, and a few of them are by first-time filmmakers. At the very least, they certainly didn’t have the runaway box office success of the films on most critics’ top 10 lists, so I hope my little list here will bring at least a handful of new viewers to these films.
OUT OF THE FURNACE
Out of The Furnace is a victim of timing more than anything else. Not only was it released during the most jam-packed December in years, but it was released a mere week before American Hustle, a much more heavily promoted movie that also starred Christian Bale. Writer/director Scott Cooper, whose directorial debut was the magnificent Crazy Heart, definitely poured his heart into this film about two brothers in a dying Rust Belt town whose lives take very different paths. It’s hard to argue with the talent of this movie — particularly Woody Harrelson in the most vicious role he’s ever played — and though the narrative has some questionable moments the acting puts this movie on a completely different level. It also tackles numerous issues that our country has faced over the last several years, including economics and post-traumatic stress disorder. As a result, it’s a film that deals with numerous social issues that is entertaining enough that it isn’t an “issues” film. I think if Out of The Furnace had a better release date you would’ve heard a lot more about it. When the worst thing you can say about a movie is its release date, I think that means it’s worth a look.
CUT TO BLACK
Cut to Black is a neo-noir by Brooklyn writer/director/actor Dan Eberle about a disgraced cop who finds himself wrapped up in an increasingly surreal situation. While Cut to Black isn’t a four-star movie, it’s a deeply intriguing one because of its twist-filled plot that raises more questions than it answers. The stark black and white cinematography is gorgeous, and the jazz music adds to its otherworldly atmosphere. The New York City of Cut to Black isn’t the New York City I live in, but it certainly is a great place to tell a neo-noir story. It’s not a film that all viewers will like — it’s the type of movie that you need to invest all your attention in — but if you’re willing to wade into it the payoff is worth it.
WILLOW CREEK
Putting a found footage horror movie on a list of great movies for me would normally be out of character because I really dislike the genre. But Willow Creek is one of the most fascinating revitalization of a stale genre that I’ve ever seen. It seems like it took an outsider director like Bobcat Goldthwait — best known for being a loud 1980s stand up comedian and for directing wickedly clever black comedies like World’s Greatest Dad and God Bless America — to create a found footage movie that actually looks like what one would expect a video of a couple hunting Bigfoot would look like. I’m tired of found footage films supposedly shot by “amateurs” that look anything but amateur (a prime example of this is the World War II found footage movie Frankenstein’s Army, which was supposedly somehow shot in color with sound and in English in 1945 Russia with a portable camera). In contrast, Willow Creek is a 77 minute movie with only 67 cuts, like most amateur movies, including a 19 minute sequence that I consider my favorite scene of the year. Most importantly, Goldthwait gives a reason to care about the main characters before he tosses them into scary situations because roughly the first half hour is an endearing comedy. Willow Creek is so refreshing that it’s impossible not to admire it. (FULL REVIEW)
ZERO CHARISMA
Being a “nerd” simply isn’t what it used to be in a time when comic book movies are the highest grossing blockbusters and hot models and actresses talk about how “geeky” they are on late night talk shows. In fact, Zero Charisma is the best example of the clash between “classic nerd” and “hipster nerd” I’ve seen. Scott (perfectly portrayed by Sam Eidson) is the overbearing, obnoxious gamemaster of his friends’ RPG game. When a hipster nerd joins the game, Scott feels threatened about the only thing in his life that he has control over. Though Scott has a loathsome personality, it’s impossible not to feel for him once you realize that he never had a chance to be anything else because of how he was raised once the film begins to peel back the story of how he grew to become who he was. First-time directors Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews (Matthews also wrote the film) have done what dozens of Hollywood comedies have yet to do: a true portrait of nerd subculture. (FULL REVIEW)
NEBRASKA
Nebraska has landed on a number of best of lists and has received a number of awards, including 5 Golden Globe nominations. So why is it on a list of overlooked films? Well, as of press time Nebraska has grossed less than $5 million dollars, meaning most people haven’t seen it yet. That’s a shame, because Nebraska really is a much better film than director Alexander Payne‘s highly praised previous film, The Descendants. A fantastic Bruce Dern portrays a confused elderly man who is convinced that he has won a million dollars because he received one of those “You May Be a Winner!” certificates in the mail. Will Forte, who plays Dern’s son against type as a straight man, attempts to placate his father by taking him back to the town he grew up in to visit family and old friends in the hope that it will deter him from collecting his “winnings.” This leads the film to a number of hysterical observations about small-town American life and the way families operate when money comes into the picture. On top of all this, June Squibb deserves special mention for playing Dern’s character’s loudmouth wife, Kate, in the performance of her career. Look, no matter how many nominations Nebraska gets it’s a shame that a movie this good has grossed less than garbage like Movie 43 — and that’s why it’s overlooked! (FULL REVIEW)
DRINKING BUDDIES
I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the “mumblecore” filmmakers, although I certainly recognize their talent. While I appreciate improv, I think having a bit more structure makes for a better film. That’s why I think Joe Swanberg‘s Drinking Buddies is his best film, and he even told us that he started with more of a structure to this film in our interview with him. This comedy about two co-workers at a brewery who struggle with their feelings for each other is a perfect “will they or won’t they” movie… with tons of beer involved. The four leads — Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston — have excellent chemistry and makes this film easy to relate to for anyone who has ever wondered if the grass is greener on the other side when it comes to relationships. Or, perhaps in the case of this film, if the hops are greener. (FULL REVIEW)
UNFINISHED SONG
While Before Midnight was unquestionably the most emotionally moving movie I’ve seen in 2013, Unfinished Song is not far behind. I never expected that I would enjoy a movie about singing senior citizens this much because, well, I won’t be a senior citizen for another thirty-five years or so. But Terrence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave are wonderful actors regardless, and the movie is built around their relationship to each other and to music. The scene in which Stamp sings solo in the film’s climax is as good as it gets. Sure, it’s sappy and syrupy, but damn it, it works, and an ultra-cute Gemma Arterton as the choir director certainly doesn’t hurt.
MUD
Matthew McConaughey has gotten a ton of well-deserved praise (and awards) for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, but in my opinion Mud is a much better movie. There is so much about this movie that is classic cinema — a mysterious stranger who is hunted for breaking the law, the woman he loves but can’t have, and the boy who idolizes him. It’s also very classic Spielberg in the sense that it is a coming-of-age story about a boy looking for a father figure and discovering what love is, though its southern setting sets it apart from anything you’d probably have seen before. Writer/director Jeff Nichols has yet to make a film that was any less than “very good,” and Mud might be his most accessible. (FULL REVIEW)
GIMME THE LOOT
I think a lot of critics tend to forget that one of the main reasons we love movies is because they can just be a hell of a lot of fun. Perhaps the most fun I had watching a movie this year was seeing Gimme the Loot, a coming-of-age comedy about two Bronx teenagers who plan to tag the home run apple at the New York Mets’ stadium Citi Field to get back at rival Queens graffiti artists. However, there’s a significant underlying theme of the social struggle between the haves and the have-nots of NYC that adds so much texture to the story, making this a comedy that actually is about something significant but doesn’t wield that theme like a sledgehammer and spoil the fun. Stars Ty Hickson and Tashiana Washington are newcomers, and their enthusiasm adds to the film’s charm. I have no idea what first-time writer/director Adam Leon plans on doing next, but I’m definitely there. (FULL REVIEW)
JUNCTION
It’s so hard to find movies that can still shock you in chilling ways. It’s even harder to find a first time director who tackles such challenging material for his first film. Four meth addicts break into a house in an affluent suburb to steal a TV for drug money. However, the dark secret they discover in the house not only derails their plan, but accelerates their situation far beyond anything they anticipated. It’s rare for a movie to feature actors so dedicated to being so ugly (I mean that more emotionally than physically), and the word “standoff” doesn’t even begin to cover what happens in this thriller. Of course, on a personal note I’ve ranted and raved about how much I enjoyed Junction so much that I think writer/director Tony Glazer felt compelled to quote me on the poster. However, I assure you that had no bearing on my list-making! (FULL REVIEW)
What are some 2013 movies on your “worth another look” list? Let us know in the comments below!
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