"LOOK AT MY SHIT!"- FAVOURITE MOVIES OF 2013

      And finally, we have arrived to the ultimate "Best of 2013" list where I talk about 25 movies that have entertained, inspired and educated me from last year, which is why I love them so much.

Honourable mention:

The Day of the Doctor
I know this is technically a TV show but it was screened in 80 countries (not in mine but what's new about that) and it was almost movie length and well, it was awesome. I regret not writing a big post on it (I was too busy watching it again and again and again). To make an episode that not only pays tribute to the Doctor Who tradition but also paves a new path for the future, bringing together two of the most popular modern Doctors and one superb John Hurt as the War Doctor, giving us action, humour and heartbreak in equal amounts, and at the end of the day make it all about the children because it is a show for children- so many proper feature films are incapable of achieving that "The Day of the Doctor" does, and with such success.


25.

 Beautiful Creatures
Yes, I liked it more than probably everyone in the world. It just makes me happy to see two normal teenagers in love, even though one of them might technically be a witch or whatever. Plus, Emma Thompson and Emmy Rossum are a blast!

24.

 Ernest and Celestine
One of the most beautiful looking films of the year with such a special story about artists and true companionship at heart.

23.

 Pacific Rim
'Cuz it's fucking awesome.

22.

 Captain Phillips
The most thrilling movie of the year with a surprising debut and career-best work by an acting giant.

21.

 20 Feet from Stardom
Incredibly inspiring. When true talent doesn't get the due it deserves but people continue making art in spite of everything. Also, I wish I could sing! :'(

20.

Frozen

Yes, the singing thing again. Also, great to see Disney breaking away from its own tropes and embracing more human princesses while retaining all the splendour from its classic era. Hilarious, beautiful and in spite of the name, heartwarming.

19.

 Short Term 12
Such a delicate story told with such control and balance and insight. Short Term 12 was nothing like I had expected to be and it really blew me away. Excellent performances by everyone, from the adults to those amazing kids.

18.

The Bling Ring

"Only the shallow know themselves." People were put off by the hollowness of the teenagers depicted in the movie, but what we see is really what they are made off. One of the most biting portrayals of modern celebrity-obsessed culture but shown with such a patient, observant eye that we almost don't see the satire and get swept away by its exquisite look.

17.

Blue Jasmine

While this year has been full of figures who absolute greed has corrupted absolutely, none have been as tragic as Cate Blanchett's Jasmine. A perfect balance of comedy and drama, with fantastic performances by Blanchett and Sally Hawkins.

16.

 The World's End
Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost end their Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy with another genre-bending near-masterpiece about the dark effects of personal stagnation and alcoholism hidden under the facade of an apocalyptic comedy. I still have issues with its ending, but it honestly keeps getting better and better for me with every rewatch.

15.

 Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
I had intended to make a post on why YJHD is one of my favourite movies of the year but if I were to narrow it down to one reason only, it would be because it is the closest thing to a 90s Bollywood movie I have seen in years. No, it's not perfect but it's thoroughly enjoyable, has addictively fun songs and Ranbir "Sex Eyes" Kapoor has never been better.

14.

Nebraska
There is a sense of nostalgia that runs through Nebraska that really touched my heart. It could've been a really harsh comedy about the kind of people shown in the movie, but instead the film is incredibly human and gentle in the way it treats the chief characters.

13.

This is the End

Just so freaking hilarious. Did not see that coming at all. It is kind of a spoof but it transcends that with a properly sensible plot and what it does with it. Kudos to all the actors playing madder versions of themselves too. Just look at Cera! If looks could kill...

12.

 The Blue Umbrella
At one point during last year, I was convinced this will end up topping my year end list. I have a special place in my heart for Pixar shorts and this is one of their best. They take a simple idea and just make something extraordinary out of it. The path of true love for our little blue umbrella is not smooth and it has to get to its beloved, the red umbrella. All of this is shown in splendid animation.

11.

 Mud
A cross between a coming of age movie, a fairytale and a thriller, Mud moves with such an assured pace, interweaving these elements effortlessly. Of course none of this would have been possible without its perfect cast- Tye Sheridan, Matthew McConaughey and Jacob Lofland.

10.

 Blue is the Warmest Colour
My film studies professor said that he was disappointed by Blue because he felt it was too conventional. The only reason the story seems conventional because it has happened to most of us. The film captures the pleasures and pain of first love better than I have ever seen in this medium. Of course, the film's life resides in its two actresses, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux, who are both stunningly good in it.

9.

 Spring Breakers
It is the most wildly original movie I saw in 2013. It has so much to say and so much to show that even trying to define it in any way seems pointless and kind of insulting to the grand scheme of Harmony Korine. Just take it all in and spring break forever, bitches.

8.

 Wadjda
I love simple stories that have something important to say. Wadjda, in a sentence, is about a girl in Saudi Arabia who wants to ride a bike. It is as uncomplicated and as profound as that.

7.

 Stoker
'Cuz it's so pretty! Yes, there is also disturbing stuff and "finding your true self" stuff and Matthew Goode's sexy stuff but ultimately, I adore Stoker because of the way it looks and sounds. Gorgeous.

6.

 The Lunchbox
Exactly what I said about Wadjda except this also has a romance angle to it and it has a superb cast of Indian character actors. It is the kind of movie Indian filmmakers should focus on making.

5.

Her

I occasionally suffer from movie-induced depression and I swear I went through that after watching Her. It is so lovely and so sad. As I read somewhere on Twitter, "it is both a timely and a timeless romance." This is the most perfect description of Her that I have seen. Also, the world that Spike Jonze has created in this film, along with the performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson- all of it just floored me.

4.

Gravity
Many people are scared that Gravity won't be as good when seen on small screen and I disagree because though we definitely don't get the total movie theatre effect, this film expands far beyond the idea of  "visually spectacular blockbuster". There is such heart in the movie and a very important theme about the strength of human spirit that can strive against all odds, and once you do see that, the film is revealed to be a cinematic treasure for doing the things it did and being so deceptively powerful.

3.

Frances Ha
It's one of those movies that I love because I can relate to it. No, I'm not 27 or a dancer and I don't live in New York either. However, the idea of being directionless and confused is something I know far too well. Again, it is not on the level of Frances, but I have my days, and she has become an almost role model in the sense that she she still manages to remain funny and charming throughout it. It is altogether a delightful movie that is full of unforgettable moments and one wonderful performance by Greta Gerwig.

2.

The Wolf of Wall Street

The most fun I have had in the theatres in the longest time. The film is outrageous, crazy, obscene, astonishing and I love every second of it. From the direction to the writing to all those brilliant actors, lead by Leo DiCaprio who surpassed all my expectations of him and then some in this movie, to the bleak truth that it confronts its audiences with, WoWS is basically amazeballs and I want to see it over and over again.

 1.

 Stories We Tell
There were moments in Sarah Polley's Stories We Tell where I just wondered about how awkward it must be for her to dig into her own past in this way. But then, the film reveals its main ploy and it becomes something more than a film about personal discovery- it becomes an exploration about memories and stories and how they are universal things that all human beings can relate to. But at the same time, the heart of the movie remains very much with these loving people in Polley's family and their feelings and thoughts. It is that balance that Polley manages, never losing the emotional gravity of these personal memories while also intellectually investigating this common human trait, that impressed me most about this film. It is one of the best films I have ever seen.

      And that's it. I hope you liked my choices. You can also check out my: 

1. Favourite Performances
2. Favourite Shots
3. Favourite Scenes
4. Favourite Everything Else including Characters, Villains, Objects, Ensembles, Accents and Quotes

     Now to move on to 2014. Anyone wants to make bets on whether or not The Lego Movie will remain in my top 10 of 2014? Too soon? :/

Motifs in Cinema 2013- "Coming of Age"

       I chose the motif of "Coming of Age" for Andrew’s Motifs in Cinema blogathon for a number of reasons: 1) It’s one of my favourite sub-genre of movies, in any year, 2) this year had a really interesting crop of these kind of movies, 3) the other motifs were harder and so on. The biggest reason why I chose it though is because, and I know how profoundly douchebag-y this is probably going to sound, I came of age in 2013. It wasn't after some major traumatic event in my life; it was a truly random moment, the kind I have had thousands of times before, and a thought suddenly came to my mind and I understood what it meant and that was it.

         Don't worry though, I have no intention of going all philosophical on you. I am not going to write about that thought because I feel it’s different for everyone, much like the movies that I have chosen.

      I have a list because I like lists :)

Honourable mentions: The Kings of Summer and The Way, Way Back, both of which were a lot of fun, but they were more stereotypically “coming of age” and I wanted to pick some more unusual films.

Stoker

There has been a lot said about the visuals, acting, Hitchcockian influences, Matthew Goode's oozing sexiness etc. in Park Chan-Wook's Stoker, but ultimately the movie is a "coming of age" tale where India Stoker, played to icy perfection by Mia Wasikowska, comes to a conclusion about her dangerous true self and how embracing it is the only way for her. The film opens with her whispery proclamation, "Just as a flower does not choose its colour, we are not responsible for what we have come to be. Only when you realise this do you become free. And to become adult is to become free." Though that may seem almost too in-your-face, the events that lead up to that declaration just validate it even more. One of the things that come with growing up is the understanding of who you are, which in India's case is *SPOILERS* that she's inherently a psychopathic murderer *END SPOILERS* but you know, at least she's happy being who she is. Right? :/

Mud

Immediately after I saw Jeff Nichols' Mud for the first time, one of my professors started her lectures on James Joyce's short story 'Araby'. It was impossible to read the latter without thinking about the former. Both of them are about young adolescent boys who have a romanticized notion of the world and then have to come to terms with reality. Tye Sheridan's Ellis is someone who has such faith in the idea of true love and how it never ends, even in the face of real danger, that the bitterest cynics cannot question his innocent belief. We all know that that moment is coming when his trust will be broken and when it does, it is nothing short of shattering: partly because of the script and the way it is handled, partly because of Sheridan's prodigious ability to show so much pain so sincerely, and partly because I think we have all felt that way at some point in our lives- when the fairytale ends and what is left is much stranger and sadder. It is a cruel realisation that is an element of growing up.

Spring Breakers

Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers is a great many things, one of which is the "coming of age" of our young heroines. The film starts with the starlets, who play college students, bored with their monotonous life, one which is shot in dull, hospital-like colours. They dream of an escape, the ultimate escape- spring break, and are ready to do anything for it. The spring break is in contrast painted with vivid hues, as though it is life itself for the girls, but of course it is not real. When they get arrested and subsequently "saved" by a gangster named Alien (James Franco's best performance to date), this limitless dream world comes to an end, even if all of them don't realise it. Two stay and two leave, but all of them are changed through their experiences. For Selena Gomez's Faith, the spring break reaffirms her, well, faith and for Rachel Corine's Cotty, it literally wounds her and she has to learn from her mistakes. As for Ashley Benson's Brittany and Vanessa Hudgens' Candy, though they proclaim their slogan "Spring break forever bitches" till the end, they have perhaps come the longest way, accepting their inner criminal, darker selves, much like India above. Spring break may well last forever, but do you stay the same person throughout it?

The To Do List

One of the reasons this is an odd year for films with the "coming of age" theme running through them is because they have focused more on girls. Usually, such movies are about a boy's journey into manhood and that is accompanied by sexual discoveries. In Maggie Carrey's The To Do List, these gender roles are reversed. The ambitious and determined Brandy Klark, played by Aubrey Plaza, wants to be completely sexually proficient before she starts college and so she makes a to-do list, full of various sexual acts and embarks upon achieving all of them during her summer break. Even though the film was uneven as hell, it tackled issues like virginity and female sexuality with a frankness that I have rarely seen before. Much of this is thanks to Plaza's natural deadpan style that is both funny and nonchalant. The "coming of age" element comes when amidst all her sex-capades, Brandy realises that while sex is important, there are more essential things in life that one cannot do without. Sexual maturity is almost always thought if in relation to actual maturity and it was refreshing to see a girl's handled so well.

Frances Ha

All the other movies in my list so far have revolved around teenage characters because ideally, that's when we are supposed to "come into our own" and "become the person we are supposed to be". Frances Ha however shows a 27 year old, "which IS old" as one of her roommates reminds her, as adrift in her life as she is when it comes to finding living arrangements. It was impossible not to connect with Frances, never more than when she says "I am not a real person yet." She is shown as almost regressing in her life in the movie, going from someone with a dream to someone who has to make-do with living in her old college. This is because she is constantly finding someone to hold on to since her previous anchor, her best friend Sophie, has moved on in her own life. Of course, Frances realises that the only person she really needs is herself and the film shows this subtly and beautifully. It is the kind of phase a lot of people go through, especially in this day and age when we are constantly told that anything can be achieved, but life, obviously, has other plans. The way by which we cope with this truth is what helps us to become the person we are supposed to be. 

The World’s End

In contrast to these "coming of age" movies, there are some which show the failure in crossing this threshold of maturity. 2013 gave us the king of all man-children- Gary King. Gary was the coolest guy in town when he was 17, and so he decided to stay that way forever, not realising how lonely that would make him once everyone else grows up. Deceptively sold as a comedy, The World's End is a bleak look at people like Gary, who are ultimately tragic in their inability to accept reality and themselves, giving in to things like alcohol in order to forget that. They hold on to the "good ol' days" and can manage to cause a lot of pain and hurt to themselves and those who care about them. Of course, the end of the movie and of Gary is more hopeful, but the portrayal and ideas are still sad and dark.

"The real question is this: was all this legal? Absolutely not."- FAVOURITE EVERYTHING ELSE OF 2013

Just a mix of all my other favourites of the year. The favourite performances and favourite films lists are yet to come :)

• Ethan Wate, Beautiful Creatures- Because he talks about Titanic and Bukowski within 5 minutes of each other.
• Samantha, Her- She was just such an incredible person and, as weird as it may sound, so full of life.
• Shaikh, The Lunchbox- So simple and friendly. Both a common and an incredibly rare kind of man.
• Anna, Frozen- Because she wakes up like a normal female human.
• Gary King, The World's End- Even though I know he's kind of sad, Simon Pegg just infuses him with so much energy.
• Wadjda, Wadjda- Total badass heroine.
• Mason, Short Term 12- Just the way he connects to these troubled kids is amazing.
• Shannon Mullins, The Heat- Not just funny. But still, my god, soooo funny!
• Rosalyn, American Hustle- Because she's basically Jennifer Lawrence, and Jennifer Lawrence is awesomesauce.

Favourite Character of 2013- Frances from Frances Ha

Yes she's confused and whiny and all that, but she's also so likeable and funny and undateable. I love her.

• The Wolf of Wall Street- This would have been on the list on the basis of having Spike Jonze and Rob Reiner as part of the cast alone.
• Blue Jasmine- While our ladies shine the most, they are supported by a number of other fantastic actors.
• Nebraska- Ugh just look at those beautiful old faces!
• Prisoners- Though everyone doesn't get equal footing in terms of script, I thought all the actors did great work in this.

Best Ensemble of 2013- This is the End

So many reasons this could have been awful, but the actors play caricatures of themselves and really elevate the movie.

• Kaijus, Pacific Rim- Who needs character development when you can have supremely cool-looking monsters?
• Ted Hendricks, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty- I love Adam Scott to death but good lord, he can play an excellent a-hole! I wanted to slap him so much.
• The Eppses, 12 Years A Slave- While most of the white characters in film can be included in this list, Mr. and Mrs. Epps were a special breed of terrifying, loathsome creatures.
• Danny McBride, This is the End- "The fucker's gots to GOOO!"
• Bathsheba, The Conjuring- In order for a horror movie to work, it needs something truly frightening and Bathsheba was just that. We never see her properly but her presence is scary enough.
• Loki, Thor: The Dark World- This is the 3rd year in a row Hiddles' Loki has made it into this list. That's because he always manages to steal the show in every scene he is in.
• Pigs, Upstream Colour- Because whaaaaaaaaaat?? My brain shut down every time they were on screen.
• Alien, Spring Breakers- No, he is not a "villain" villain but he is a bad guy, completely corrupted by his desire and greed.
• Smaug/Khan- 2013 was supposed to be Benedict Cumberbatch's year but that didn't happen because his big films didn't use him well. Still, he was a more than decent villain for his screentime in both The Hobbit: blahblah Smaug and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Biggest villain of 2013- Uncle Charlie from Stoker

Oh he is just so sinister AND attractive. Forget India, I was confused by these feelings myself. And the film really just basks in Matthew Goode's gargantuan sex appeal.

• Gypsy Danger, Pacific Rim- It's mindblowingly amazeballs and it comes with a sword!
• Jonah Hill's teeth, The Wolf of Wall Street- They're a thing of beauty, aren't they?
• The clothes, Laurence Anyways- From that showstopping gown to those raining scarves- ugh I want it all!
• Milky Way, This is the End- We all want a bite of that Milky Way, and I don't even like Milky Way.
• Nail polish, Spring Breakers- It is literally a trend maker. Love it.
• The Gos' arms, Only God Forgives- I *might* have made this list just for this entry. But seriously, look at them.
• The video game, Her- Theodore's lonely life is reflected in the video game. It is both funny and tragic.
• The shoes, Stoker- When are a pair of shoes not just a pair of shoes? Also, I adore them.
• The lunchbox, The Lunchbox- That one lunchbox is sent to the wrong person, and lives are changed!

Favourite Object of 2013- The bicycle, Wadjda

Such a simple wish for a girl to have and to have so much riding on it, literally. It is a symbol and a ray of hope.

(newest addition, especially for 2013)

• Scarlett Johansson, Don Jon- Accompanied by her gum chewing, ScarJo sounds like something out of the Jersey Shore, but she still keeps it classy.
• Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine- It just sounds so affected, so made up. I love it.
• Margot Robbie, The Wolf of Wall Street- Kinda amazed that an Aussie can get that accent so right.
• James Franco, Spring Breakers- Franco just gives it his all. It's brilliant.

Favourite Accent of 2013- Emma Watson, The Bling Ring

I have been trying to learn it ever since the first teaser came out. It's hilarious.

Favourite Quotes of 2013

"Beautiful things don't ask for attention."- 13 FAVOURITE SHOTS OF 2013

And my absolute favourite shot from a 2013 movie is-

A lot has been said about how 2013 movies focused on the idea of the American dream and the way it has been corrupted. There were a number of films that showed excess, practically indulged in it, and then there was Alexander Payne's Nebraska. Shot in black and white, set in small towns which almost seem to have been forgotten, Nebraska shows the "other" America. 

You might wonder why someone like me would care about all this. Though I don't really give a hoot about America or its ideals or whatever, the whole concept of the American dream to me is basically a place where everybody gets to be somebody. We all have places like that in our lives, whether it's a college or a company or a city or a country, and all of us, no matter where we come from or what age we might be, still harbour the hope, or dream the dream, of getting there. 

Woody Grant wants to get to Nebraska to get his million dollars. He is an ordinary man and has been so throughout his life. Who knows what his dreams were. "I never knew the son of a bitch even wanted to be a millionaire!" as his firecracker of a wife exclaims at the beginning of the movie. We also find out, apart from a new truck and an air compressor, Woody's whole desire for getting the million dollars is to leave something behind for his sons. But in the moment above, when the customers at the local diner in his hometown start applauding him for his new apparent status, we see for the briefest of moments, Woody feeling like somebody who is important, probably for the first time in a long time. He is shown as someone who is barely aware of his surroundings half the time, but here, for a second, Woody glimpses at that dream where he has achieved something that makes people appreciate him. It is sad that this moment has come so late, and also oddly affirming that a man like Woody did get to feel that way at some point in his life. It is a moment caught between regret and hope and it is absolutely incredible.

There are technical things to appreciate too. I loved that Nebraska was shot in black and white because old people have such wonderful faces that can only be done justice to in monochrome. The poster had already highlighted the wispiness of Bruce Dern's hair in this movie and this shot really captures that too. Also, the bulb behind makes it look like Woody is in the limelight, which is in tune with what is written above.