10. Pain & Gain
I don't really need to explain the inclusion of this film in my top ten. Pain & Gain sits proudly next to Bad Boys 2 as Michael Bay's best film. One of Hollywood's most reviled auteur's turns in a great film which is over the top in ways that the Transformers series would never be. It wallows in the terrible nature of the characters with an amazing amount of black comedy - especially for a Michael Bay film. Sorry Bad Boys 2, but Pain & Gain has taken your place as my go to over the top film. Oh, Dwayne Johnson, he fucking rocks in this as well.
9. Captain Phillips
The saddest thing about the 2013 Oscars is the fact that Tom Hanks was overlooked for a nomination as Captain Richard Phillips. In a career as varied and as strong as Hanks', Captain Phillips showcases him at his finest. Simply, this is Tom Hanks best performance. Some may know the story of Cinderella Man in which I lost it about halfway through, I was an emotional wreck. Well, Captain Phillips has a scene which brought me to that same emotional point. It's a moment which feels like it is above acting, where you're no longer seeing an actor playing a person on screen, but that real person.
8. Before Midnight
When people talk about great trilogies, they usually bring up the original Star Wars trilogy, or the Lord of the Rings trilogy, or more relevant, the Three Colours trilogy. All are very good without a doubt, but for me my favourite trilogy is far and away the Before trilogy. Acting as almost a 7-Up style assessment of a relationship over the years, Richard Linklater's Before series has continually been a truthful portrayal of a couple in love, and with Before Midnight, a couple potentially falling out of love. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are never better than Jesse and Celine.
7. Blue Jasmine
For a while there it looked like Woody Allen films were doomed. Anything Else and Hollywood Ending hinted at a master near the end of his game. Then Match Point and Vicky Christina Barcelona hit and something happened. Woody's films were relevant again. Blue Jasmine then comes along as the most relevant Woody Allen film in a while. Not only that, but it showcases career best performances from Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins and (the always under appreciated) Bobby Cannavale. Blue Jasmine is a film which can sit proudly alongside Husbands and Wives and Hannah and Her Sisters as one of Woody's finest dramas.
6. Amour
Michael Haneke has always created challenging cinema. It's what draws people back to his films. Amour is that great kind of challenging, it demands you watch and empathise. Emmanuelle Riva gives - in my opinion - one of cinemas greatest performances. There's subtlety to her performance, a gentle humanity to it. People often say that it's easy to play the dying person in a bed because it doesn't ask much of you, but Riva brings a level of acting hardly seen in films nowadays.
The next five films could all have vied for the top slot so it was quite difficult to chose their order.
5. Only God Forgives
The first time I watched Only God Forgives I didn't know what to think of it. At first I tired of the long takes of empty hallways and the strange karaoke scenes. And when I finished it I still didn't know what to think. About two weeks later though, it was all I could think about. It somehow crept into my mind. I've watched Only God Forgives the most out of my top 22 films and I'm still in awe of how great it is. I'm sure most people were assuming this would be Drive Part 2, but this is more in line with earlier Winding Refn films and it's better for it. I still love Drive, but I feel this is the film I will revisit more often.
4. Stoker
Stoker is a masterclass in film making. From the sound design, to Chung-hoon Chung's cinematography, to Clint Mansell's score, there is not a poor moment in Stoker. Mia Wasikowska continues to prove why she is one of the better young actresses working today. Nicole Kidman delivers another great performance that has hints of Birth. Matthew Goode is also in fine form; his performance a nice opposite to his performance in Burning Man. It's also great to see the Australian talent on display here with Wasikowska, Kidman and Jackie Weaver as well as Wentworth Miller writing.
3. Zero Dark Thirty
I no longer have a deep resentment towards Kathryn Bigelow for winning the Oscar for The Hurt Locker. Without her having made The Hurt Locker, she wouldn't have been able to make Zero Dark Thirty. This isn't a film which makes you feel comfortable with the state of the world. Nor does it take a side with who is good or bad. It presents the story of Osama Bin Laden's capture as fact (something many people had problems with) and is a better film because of this. The torture scenes aren't pleasant to watch, but nor should they be. Jessica Chastain is just perfect here.
2. Rust & Bone
Also known as 'the other killer whale movie'. Rust & Bone is a lot more than just that though. Yet it would detract from the story to explain more. Marion Cotillard has simply never been better, and Mathias Schoenaerts is deeply affecting as well. But it's Jacques Audiard who once again asserts that he is a director to be remembered. From The Beat that Skipped My Heart to A Prophet, and now Rust & Bone, he is one of Europes modern great directors.
1. Gravity
Gravity is a more important film than 12 Years a Slave. It's a career best from all involved, but that's not why it's more important. It's simply more important because at a time when film piracy is rising, Gravity presents itself as a film that demands a cinematic viewing. It demands to be seen at the cinema on the biggest screen possible. Where 12 Years a Slave is a good film - and a very effective one - it serves as a reminder of what has gone on in our past. Gravity on the other hand is more universal than 12 Years a Slave. It promotes the experience of visiting the cinema. It is never better than on the big screen where you're immersed in the darkness of space. I could go on, but really, Gravity is more than just a great action film. It's more than a space adventure. It's about the power of cinema.
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