So here it is! My top films of 2013, something that I felt was like an arduous journey to compile. This was a year of film binging to the extreme. The consequence of this was that I couldn’t always remember if I’d seen a film and whether or not it qualified for the 2013 timespan. With this in mind, I had to revise my original list as there were quite a few entries that have a 2014 release. Although I managed to whittle down my choices to 15, I haven’t put them in order as I have to admit I don’t have a single favorite film of 2014. That’s not to say because there weren’t any good films. There were many, well made documentaries making their presence felt this year. But my enjoyment of them has been much more equal, so I have a sort of three way tie. I know that sounds like a bit of a cop out but that’s how it is. Without further ado, here are my best films of 2013. Please also read on for Part 2 and my honorable mentions list:

Blue Is The Warmest Colour

There’s not much more I can say that hasn’t already said about this striking feature about first love. I have to say though that this was a film that grew on me post-viewing. To be absolutely honest, I wasn’t sure about the film at all. I knew I didn’t hate it. I understood all it’s virtues – the virtuoso performance of Adele Exarchopoulos, only 20 years old, exuding the acting confidence of a seasoned acting veteran, the unabashed honesty in the story of all consuming lust and the difficulties of relationships, whether that relationship is a gay or straight one – yet I felt like all the hype and controversies of the film (the long lesbian sex scenes and the public bust ups between cast and director Abdellatif Kechiche) didn’t allow any room for any honest critique of the film. I felt at times that any hint of dissent in the universal praise it received left one open to vilification as someone less progressive, prudish or doing an “Armond White” (if there’s any way to dismiss a person’s opinion about a film, that last one is the most hurtful). I found myself not really wanting to discuss my true feelings about the film which made me not only resent it but believe I didn’t like it. I told myself if this had been a love story between a hetereosexual couple, this film would not have nearly been as publicised. But I realise now that evaluation is not only dismissive, its also wrong.

The central story despite it’s (somewhat misleading) English title is not so much about a lesbian love story as the media so salaciously twist it to be (holding onto that element of the narrative and never letting go), it is much more than that, it is a quintessential coming-of-age film. For me this is the most striking and refreshing element to the story. I came to realise while the coming-of-age story has become a genre of its own, they are usually male-centric. There are universal truths to Blue Is The Warmest of Colours that have been mostly overshadowed by the same sex relationship element of it and the talk of the long explicit sex scenes.

The focus (paid) critics gave to the sex scenes help only my loss of faith in the media. The universal salaciousness in which female sexuality was documented in this film confused and angered me no end. What is so hard to grasp about women enjoying consensual sex in and outside the male perspective? The scene that had people in all a tether is in not that titillating. That’s because  it’s not meant to be. It serves an enjoyable act that is becoming an important part of Adele’s life, just as eating is also an enjoyable activity for Adele. Why didn’t the same critics comment on the many scenes of Adele eating? They are obviously just as significant as her sex life. Both are essential to her character. If anything the sex scene reminded me of an extended scene out of Team America: World Police. It thus serves to be integral to the story but not essential enough to overshadow the story as it seems to have done with certain critics. It’s a young woman discovering her sexuality and embracing that aspect of her personality. She likes sex. Also no mention as far as I have read of the previous sex scene between Adele and a male classmate, which for me had more emotional impact and consequence.

My ambivalence to the particular focus given to certain elements of the story is no way an attempt on my part to negate their significance. The same sex element of the central relationship adds complexities to Adele’s journey of maturity. Her relationship with Emma (Lea Seydoux) succeeds two folds: exploring the  universal highs and lows of relationships as well including the dynamics and specifities of same sex relationships.  And as a coming of age tale, it includes all the heightened emotions of falling in love, both the euphoria and the difficulties with getting to grips with your feelings. These are all explored.

There are particular scenes that stand out concerning these aspects such as Adele being forced to come to terms with her desires sooner and more publicly than she’d like. The explosive blow out that proceeds is both devastating and distressing as the abuse she receives highlight the added prejudices she will have to endure in order to be true to herself and her desires. However overall, the gay element is still quite generic in presentation because the love story is both central and seemingly not. It’s again more about Adele and adulthood. Adulthood amongst other things (work, responsibility, family etc) is about relationships.  It’s about relationships, how they can build a person and break them. How actions have consequences and in this story the journey of a relationship – the attraction, the love, the anger, the heartbreak – are all universal traits of which we all can relate.

Once I reconciled myself with the issues I had with the film- of which there are a  few,  despite it’s faults I feel I can appreciate it for what it strives itself to be – a story of a young girl’s journey into adulthood. It is ultimately it’s original title La Vie d’Adele – Chapitres 1 & 2 and an amazing one at that. It’s a powerful piece of work grounded in a tour de force central performance, which is why it rightfully deserves a place in the best films list.

The Great Beauty

A visually scrumptious affair that if you can subvert your sensibilities and allow yourself to immerse yourself in the experience, this is one of the most grandest cinematic experience you’ll have all year. This is a film made for the cinema. Despite being set in the world of Rome’s bourgeois society, the film’s protagonist – portrayed by Tony Servillo – giving a subtle grounded performance of a cynical aging playboy, who despite being immersed in world of outlandish decadence for decades views his life in a detached disgusted manner, trying and failing to ignore the impending  awareness of the emptiness and the ugly shame of feeling like a failure after living of the success of one novel he wrote when he was a young ambitious man.

The film is outlandish and very surreal and might turn some with more delicate or realistic sensibilities off (this is not for the Neo-Realists) but it’s a luscious banquet for the eyes and ears. It caused me some whiplash as I was forced to do a 180 concerning my opinion of the film’s director Paulo Sorrentino who’s previous year’s feature This Must Be the Place achieved high status as one of the worst films of 2012.

Selfish Giant

If my affection for  decadent The Great Beauty disgusted you, my next offering might be more to your taste. Clio Bernard’s The Selfish Giant is English Neo-Realism at it’s best. It’s grimy, it’s grey, it’s  quintessentially North England (apparently). Like Ken Loach but not half as preachy, this film warmed and then destroyed me. Based on the Oscar Wilde story of the same name, the story follows the brotherly bond of two friends Arbor and Swifty and the mischievous adventures they embark on, one of which includes falling into an illegal but lucrative scheme of stealing copper (a real thing that occurs in the UK. That’s why the trains are always late. So they say).

Although marketed as a children’s film, no way is this a children’s tale, despite the youth of the two leads, they are indeed boys, but they find themselves in a man’s world filled with terrible consequences.  It’s cautionary at best. The film however never manipulates in order to sway viewer’s opinion. Much of this can be attributed to the naturalistic and charming performances, particularly by the two young leads Connor Chapman and Shaun Thomas. They present fully realised kids living in poverty, violence and broken communities, although making grave mistakes along the way to the heart of their journey is their relationship, filled with touching moments and heartbreaking consequences.

Like any film set in or about the UK, the subject of class permeates the soul of the film, even if the ‘C’ word is never mentioned. Despite  While the film looks distinctly working class English, with the grey skies, grey landscapes and perpetual rain, it skirts the line capably enough and never quite falls into the trap of becoming stereotypical farce. The feeling of poverty porn that often afflicts British films about working class is mostly avoided bar one or two dodgy scenes. Instead there is a genuine attempt to portray the lives of those so routinely vilified in recent media in an honest light. Not all of the behaviour of those we watch on screen is acceptable but much more of it is understandable.

This message is succinctly delivered in the well written  script, smart direction and the likeability and the relatable qualities of the leads. Somewhat similarly to Blue Is The Warmest Colour in both subject matter and execution. Arbor and Swifty are in their own way coming of age (consequently the leads in Giant are like Adele Exarchopoulos display a naturalness that exceeds their acting experience. Marlon Brando would be proud). However in this case these boys are forced to grow up much faster than they should with devastating effect.

A must see.

Others included on this list but I’ve already talked about:

Django Unchained

House I Live In

I am Devine  

Upcoming: Part 2 of Best Films 2013