With the year officially halfway done, it's time to take a look at 2013's best offerings. Though there are few truly great films, 2013 continues in the tradition of 2012 and 2011 by being filled with rich diversity. Even some of the films I wasn't fond of (such as Upstream Color) were at least admirable in their ambitions. Many of the entrants here will likely be gone by the time I compile my Best of the Year list some time in January or February, so here's to their brief moment in the spotlight.
Best Picture
Before Midnight
In the House
Lore
Something in the Air
Stoker
Stoker
To the Wonder
Haunting, lyrical, and poetic all describe Cate Shortland's outstanding WW2 character study. Intelligently crafted, and beautifully atmospheric, Lore is a striking examination of one girl's realization that she has been raised on the lies and prejudices of her parents' generation.
Haunting, lyrical, and poetic all describe Cate Shortland's outstanding WW2 character study. Intelligently crafted, and beautifully atmospheric, Lore is a striking examination of one girl's realization that she has been raised on the lies and prejudices of her parents' generation.
Best Director
Olivier Assayas - Something in the Air
Park Chan-wook - Stoker
Terrence Malick - To the Wonder
Francois Ozon - In the House
Cate Shortland - Lore
Lore's script is spare, and it's thanks to Shortland that it comes to life so vividly. Neither shallow nor pretentious in its artsy flourishes, Shortland's direction is elegant and understatedly powerful.
Lore's script is spare, and it's thanks to Shortland that it comes to life so vividly. Neither shallow nor pretentious in its artsy flourishes, Shortland's direction is elegant and understatedly powerful.
Best Actor
Ethan Hawke - Before Midnight
Fabrice Luchini - In the House
Mads Mikkelsen - The Hunt
Tye Sheridan - Mud
Ernst Umhauer - In the House
His character is an observer, but Luchini's performance is anything but passive. Despite the script's wordiness, he navigates his character effortlessly, jumping from deadpan comedy to drama with remarkable precision.
His character is an observer, but Luchini's performance is anything but passive. Despite the script's wordiness, he navigates his character effortlessly, jumping from deadpan comedy to drama with remarkable precision.
Best Actress
Julie Delpy - Before Midnight
Olga Kurylenko - To the Wonder
Andrea Riseborough - Shadow Dancer
Saskia Rosendahl - Lore
Mia Wasikowska - Stoker
The definition of a breakthrough performance. Lore could have easily been strictly a director's piece, but Rosendahl beautifully captures the character's complex dilemma, as well as her struggle to evolve. Hopefully this is but the start of a long and fruitful career.
The definition of a breakthrough performance. Lore could have easily been strictly a director's piece, but Rosendahl beautifully captures the character's complex dilemma, as well as her struggle to evolve. Hopefully this is but the start of a long and fruitful career.
Best Supporting Actor
Benedict Cumberbatch - Star Trek Into Darkness
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Great Gatsby
Joel Edgerton - The Great Gatsby
James Franco - Spring Breakers
Matthew McConaughey - Mud
One of the best performances of his career resurrection, and all the more noteworthy because it doesn't play into the smarmy smugness of his usual roles. His character has dark secrets, but there's also genuine compassion, and McConaughey knocks it out of the park with his refreshing sincerity.
One of the best performances of his career resurrection, and all the more noteworthy because it doesn't play into the smarmy smugness of his usual roles. His character has dark secrets, but there's also genuine compassion, and McConaughey knocks it out of the park with his refreshing sincerity.
Best Supporting Actress
Julie Christie - The Company You Keep
Nicole Kidman - Stoker
Carey Mulligan - The Great Gatsby
Kristin Scott Thomas - In the House
Maribel Verdu - Blancanieves
We already knew that Maribel Verdu could be down to earth and natural on screen. But now she gets to show us that she can vamp it up and go bad up with the best of them. All the more impressive that she does so without speaking a single word.
We already knew that Maribel Verdu could be down to earth and natural on screen. But now she gets to show us that she can vamp it up and go bad up with the best of them. All the more impressive that she does so without speaking a single word.
Best Original Screenplay
I'm So Excited
Mud
No
Something in the Air
Stoker
Assayas sometimes meanders, but his scope is impressive. He captures the turbulence of the decade without becoming overly supportive of all of the tactics used by his characters.
Assayas sometimes meanders, but his scope is impressive. He captures the turbulence of the decade without becoming overly supportive of all of the tactics used by his characters.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Before Midnight
In the House
Lore
Shadow Dancer
The Great Gatsby
Ozon may be adapting the work of another, but there's no doubt that he's absolutely made the material his own. Smart, tight plotting, enjoyable writing, all leading up to a perfectly framed conclusion. This is one that deserves to stick around for end-of-the-year honors.
Ozon may be adapting the work of another, but there's no doubt that he's absolutely made the material his own. Smart, tight plotting, enjoyable writing, all leading up to a perfectly framed conclusion. This is one that deserves to stick around for end-of-the-year honors.
Best Editing
In the House
Lore
Stoker
The Grandmaster
To the Wonder
There's nothing flashy about the cutting in In the House, which might actually be its best trait. The move from reality to fiction (or is it?) seamless, and perfectly plays into the constant puzzle of Claude's stories, as well as Germain's interpretations.
There's nothing flashy about the cutting in In the House, which might actually be its best trait. The move from reality to fiction (or is it?) seamless, and perfectly plays into the constant puzzle of Claude's stories, as well as Germain's interpretations.
Best Cinematography
Lore
Spring Breakers
Stoker
The Grandmaster
To the Wonder
There are technically 'prettier' films than Stoker, but the slick (almost sticky) glossiness of Chung Chung-hoon's images is the perfect compliment to this atmospheric mystery-thriller.
There are technically 'prettier' films than Stoker, but the slick (almost sticky) glossiness of Chung Chung-hoon's images is the perfect compliment to this atmospheric mystery-thriller.
Best Art Direction
Lore
Man of Steel
Stoker
The Grandmaster
The Great Gatsby
Appropriately larger than life. Everything from Gatsby's mansion to the speakeasies is filled to the brim with stunning detail and design. Catherine Martin has outdone (or at least equalled) her work on Moulin Rouge.
Appropriately larger than life. Everything from Gatsby's mansion to the speakeasies is filled to the brim with stunning detail and design. Catherine Martin has outdone (or at least equalled) her work on Moulin Rouge.
Best Costume Design
Blancanieves
Lore
Man of Steel
The Grandmaster
The Great Gatsby
The perfect compliment to Luhrmann's full-on embrace of the excesses of the Roaring Twenties. A veritable fashion show. Martin strikes again.
The perfect compliment to Luhrmann's full-on embrace of the excesses of the Roaring Twenties. A veritable fashion show. Martin strikes again.
Best Foreign Language Film
In the House [France]
Lore [Australia/Germany]
No [Chile]
Something in the Air [France]
The Grandmaster [China]
See above.
See above.
Best Documentary Film
Stories We Tell
Fades somewhat on memory, but this extremely personal doc is an intriguing look at a family's secrets and lies.
Fades somewhat on memory, but this extremely personal doc is an intriguing look at a family's secrets and lies.
Best Original Score
In the House
Man of Steel
Oblivion
Spring Breakers
Stoker
Sometimes over the top, but always stirring and evocative. Clint Mansell crafts another winner as the main composer, but Philip Glass' piano duet steals the show in the film's best scene.
Sometimes over the top, but always stirring and evocative. Clint Mansell crafts another winner as the main composer, but Philip Glass' piano duet steals the show in the film's best scene.
Best Original Song
"Becomes the Color" - Stoker
"Oblivion" - Oblivion
Strange and mysterious, just like its adolescent protagonist.
Strange and mysterious, just like its adolescent protagonist.
Best Make Up
Iron Man 3
Lore
Man of Steel
Mud
Star Trek Into Darkness
With all of those demigod-esque being smashing each other, there's little need for the damage to show. When it needs to, however, Man of Steel makes it count.
With all of those demigod-esque being smashing each other, there's little need for the damage to show. When it needs to, however, Man of Steel makes it count.
Best Visual Effects
Iron Man 3
Man of Steel
Oblivion
Star Trek Into Darkness
The Great Gatsby
Though not the most technically perfect across the board (that would be Oblivion), the renderings of Krypton alone are spectacular enough to earn this the win.
Though not the most technically perfect across the board (that would be Oblivion), the renderings of Krypton alone are spectacular enough to earn this the win.
Best Sound Mixing
Berberian Sound Studio
Fast and Furious 6
Man of Steel
Star Trek Into Darkness
Stoker
For all of the movies with explosions and machine guns, its the small details of Stoker that stand head and shoulders above the rest. The emphasis on everything from a sharpening pencil to cracking egg shells is ingeniously woven into the story's orientation around India's mindset. Succeeds where We Need to Talk About Kevin went wrong.
For all of the movies with explosions and machine guns, its the small details of Stoker that stand head and shoulders above the rest. The emphasis on everything from a sharpening pencil to cracking egg shells is ingeniously woven into the story's orientation around India's mindset. Succeeds where We Need to Talk About Kevin went wrong.
Best Sound Editing
Berberian Sound Studio
Fast and Furious 6
Iron Man 3
Man of Steel
Oblivion
Explosions, machine guns, lasers, and alien creatures are just the tip of the iceberg in Man of Steel's expansive world of sounds.
Explosions, machine guns, lasers, and alien creatures are just the tip of the iceberg in Man of Steel's expansive world of sounds.
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