Dan's Favourite Films of 2013

Posted by Daniel Mann (follow me @danielma861)

We’re already three months into 2014 and I am fashionably late with this list. I guess in some ways there really is no point now since 2013 is so passé. But screw it, I wrote this list. I’m posting. For the delay I do apologize, but life has been rather hectic lately and I just haven’t had much time to check in the site lately. But perhaps it is better to be late then to never post. So without further ado, let’s get this long overdue “Best Of 2013” list rolling. Why 20? Well, I overcompensated. As an added bonus, I’ll throw in my "Favourite Albums of 2013”, “Favourite Games of 2013” and "Favourite soundtracks” to try and make up for my long delayed post. Again, I do apologize, but life has been flat out lately.

Dan's Favourite Films of 2013

20.) My P.S Partner

Director: Sung-Hyun Byun

A raucously raunchy sex comedy with a good measure of heart. A woman accidentally calls a stranger, instead of her boyfriend, and has phone sex with the unknown man. Realizing her mistake, she hangs up embarrassed. But by turn of events, it turns out that she may have more in common with the stranger then she initially thought. With strong and likeable leading performances from both Seong Ji and Ah-jung Kim, ‘My P.S Partner’ is a pure crowd pleaser from beginning to end. But really, they had me at the “Panty Song” alone. I always reserve at least one spot on this list for my guilty pleasure pick. This year’s spot goes enthusiastically to ‘My P.S Partner’. Sure, its overly cliché, but I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t enjoy it for those reasons.

19.) Wolf Children

Director: Mamoru Hosoda

Move over Studio Ghibli. A new challenger has arrived to compete for your throne. Continuing on from previous hits ‘The Girls who leapt Through Time’ and ‘Summer Wars’, Director Mamoru Hosoda crafts a genuinely moving tale of love, and the ties that bond a family. If you love Studio Ghibli or Anime in general then ‘Wolf Children’ is not to be missed.

18.) Cheap Thrills

Director: E.L Katz

It’s ‘Breaking Bad’ meets that Thai film ‘13 Game of Death’. What’s not to love here? ‘Cheap Thrills’ is a demented plunge into the recesses of human despair. Observing a man who is willing to stoop to the lowest of lows in order to provide for his family. Penned by former Troma alumi Trent Hagga and backed with strong performances from Pat Healy, Ethan Embry and David Koechner. ‘Cheap Thrills’ is one demented howler of a horror-comedy guaranteed to leave you both gagging and laughing at the same time.

17.) Prisoners

Director: Denis Villeneuve

’Prisoners’ is a strong, mesmerizing, ambiguous and gritty thriller about the kidnapping of two girls at the hands of a serial killer. It’s something of a cross between a moody Police Procedural (think ‘Zodiac’ or ‘Memories of Murder’) and a morality tale. Well played by its star studded cast, including Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano and Maria Bello and tightly reigned in by ‘Incendies’ director Denis Villenevue. ‘Prisoners’ is a moody and gripping thriller that will stick with you long after the credits have rolled.

16.) Drug War

Director: Johnnie To

Johnnie To delivers another genre crowd pleaser. Woven together by an intricate and methodical plot and payed off with one of the most thrilling (and blood soaked) shootouts of the year. ‘Drug War’ is a genuine genre loving crowd pleaser from beginning to end. 15.) Frances Ha

Director: Noah Baumbach

On paper ‘Frances Ha’ seems like the type of movie that I should have been annoyed with. So of course, I became sceptical of the hype it had garnered. Then I watched it and found myself completely won over by its whimsical charm. ‘Frances Ha’ is a simple character study of a woman in her late twenties trying to find herself. By all accounts, I expected its quirkiness to annoy the living hell out of me. However, I was surprised to find myself won over by its charm.

14.) New World

Director: Hoon-jung Park

What is ‘New World’? Think ‘Infernal Affairs’ (or alternatively its American remake ‘The Departed’). Now take that same undercover story of loyalty and allegiances and transplant it to Seoul South Korea. And that’s pretty much all you need to know for now. Keep an eye out for ‘Oldboy’ himself Choi Min-Sik as the grizzled operative leader.

13.) Maniac

Director: Frank Khalfoun

Yes, I am cheating a little bit. ‘Maniac’ is technically a 2012 film. I first saw the film way back in 2012 at the International Melbourne Film Festival. I raved about it back then although it never got a general release until 2013. Therefore I’m counting it as a film from 2013.

For my money, Frank Khalfoun’s ‘Maniac’ is not only an honorary tribute to William Lustig’s original film, but it also manages to stand very well on its own two feet. The moral complicity combined with the staggering brutality presented in first person mode makes this version of ‘Maniac’ a compelling retelling. ‘Maniac’ is easily the best horror film of 2013 bar none.

12.) Pacific Rim

Director: Guillermo Del Toro

It’s Kaiju versus Giant Robots wrapped up in an Anime container as seen through the eyes of visionary director Guillermo Del Toro. Remind me. What’s not to love about that combination?

11.) Gravity

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

This may be controversial to say, but I think ‘Gravity’ is not without it’s problems. All of which are aimed directly towards the somewhat predictable and flimsy rebirth plot. None the less though, whatever grievances I have with the flimsy or predictable rebirth story are ultimately forgiven. For ‘Gravity’ is predominantly about the experience first and foremost. It is that sense of “awe” which Director Alfonso Cuaron nails so perfectly. ‘Gravity’ is a stunning technical achievement that is only let down by its flimsy story. Still, the technical achievements rightfully deserve to be applauded and the experience of watching that technical craftsmanship is second to none.

10.) Only God Forgives

Director: Nicolas Winding-Refn

Ryan Gosling seeks to punch God Square in the Face. I guess that’s the easiest way I could describe ‘Only God Forgives’. Reviled and despised by a large portion of mainstream critics. ‘Only God Forgives’ remains as one of the most misunderstood and underrated films of 2013. Refn has served up a brilliant slice of Old Testament. Telling a grim atmospheric story of vengeance where vengeance will get no sympathy.

09.) Stoker

Director: Park-Chan Wook

South Korean Auteur Park Chan-Wook makes his English Language debut and thankfully it did not disappoint. ‘Stoker’ is pretty much everything that I’ve come to expect from a Park Chan-Wook film and nothing was watered down in the process of translation. It makes absolutely no compromises in telling a sinister coming of age tale where Evil just might triumph over Good. As Director Park has described it: “it is a film about Bad Blood passed through the family blood lines”.

It’s an incredibly dark albeit beautifully shot tale concerned with the blossoming of a murderer in the making. ‘Stoker’ will certainly polarise its audience. However, I loved every last frame of this film. It’s everything that I’ve come to expect from Park Chan-Wook. Only now it’s in the English language.

08.) Moebius

Director: Kim Ki Duk

So let me set the scene for you. A man in his early forties is having an affair with a much younger woman. His scornful wife catches him in the act. In a fit of rage, his wife attempts to cut off his penis while he sleeps. However, her plan is thwarted as her husband wakes up and kicks her away. Much to her chagrin, the mother then turns her attention to their sleeping teenage son instead. The sins of the father come back to haunt the son as she proceeds to cut off his penis. Then she swallows it much to the sheer horror of both the father and son. The mother then runs off hysterically into the night leaving the father and son to deal with the ramifications of her actions.

And that my friend is all you need to know as to why ‘Moebius’ made this list. Enjoy Kim-Ki Duk’s gloriously depraved Tragi-Comedy”

07.) Spring Breakers

Director: Harmony Korine

Spring Break Bitches!!!! Look at Mah Shit. I got shorts, every fuckin’ colour. I got Scarface, on repeat y’all.

Oh I’m sorry, I was channelling James Franco’s hilarious stand out performance as the Wannabe Gang Banger Alien. I don’t really know what more needs to be said about ‘Spring Breakers’ that hasn’t already been said. ‘Spring Breakers’ is flat out awesome and it’s easily Harmony Korine’s best film to date. It’s a drug induced fever dream of a movie that is both absurdist in surrealism and grounded with satirical commentary in a real world. If you haven’t already seen this film then see it. I can’t guarantee you will like it, but it’s an experience unlike any other. It’s an inspired piece of punk art from someone who has become a master of his craft.

06.) Her

Director: Spike Jonze

Spike Jonze’s ‘Her’ is a beautiful, tender, and melancholic film about love, loss and technology. The beauty of the film is its ability to deeply engage and connect on an intimate level with its viewers. In spite of the concept being so inherently cold and distant. As a love story, it provides the kind of perspective that Hollywood has almost all but lost. The falling of Phoneix for Johansson is subtle, but winds up feeling so entirely natural that you can absolutely believe why this lonesome guy would fall for her in the first place. And as a Science Fiction piece, it garners itself an even greater standing as it explores the themes of what it is to truly be human. Beautifully shot by ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema and impeccably Directed by Spike Jonze.

05.) Blackfish

Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

The one documentary from 2013 that will give you the motivation to stand up and violently scream “FUCK SEA WORLD”. And I don’t mean, “fuck” in a kinky Troy McClure fashion either. I mean ‘fuck’ in the “lets burn Sea World down to the ground” fashion. All right, perhaps I still have a little bit of that angst ridden teen rebellion within me. But this documentary truly made me want to burn Sea World down to the ground. It's that powerful (if not potentially manipulative) of a watch.

04.) The Wolf of Wall Street

Director: Martin Scorsese

Hookers, Coke, Blow, Quaaludes, Midget Tossing and filthy, filthy, filthy Greed fuel Martin Scorsese’s latest opus. Needless to say but debauchery has never been so damn entertaining. One could say that ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ is pretty much Martin Scorsese’s take on something like ‘Spring Breakers’…and one would be kind of correct in such assessment. It’s the type of cinema that I love best. Wildly entertaining and wildly challenging in its assessment of amorality.

03.) Before Midnight

Director: Richard Linklater

The (presumably) final instalment of (perhaps) the greatest love story ever committed to cinema. Jesse and Celine return to both endear and break apart our hearts with the many observations of the effects of a long-term relationship. Funny, endearing and heart wrenching in equal measures. If ‘Before Midnight’ is indeed the final chapter in this saga then it is indeed a strong note to play out with.

02.) The Wind Rises

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful if not challenging in theme. Which is the way I like my films. I saw ‘The Wind Rises’ back in September of last year in its raw form. I may not have understood the dialect, but the beauty of the craftsmanship stayed with me all year. Having now seen the film with English Subtitles. I stand by my statement. ‘The Wind Rises’ is something very special indeed. I think it is destined to be a misunderstood masterpiece. But I’ll go into more detail about that soon enough.

01.) The Act of Killing

Director: Josuha Oppenheimer

Josuha Oppenheimer’s documentary ‘The Act of Killing’ is the oddest, most disturbing and utterly compelling film I saw all of last year bar none. It is nothing short of completely and utterly engrossing in its subject matter. To watch these war criminals re-enact their hideous crimes with certain enthusiasm will most likely chill you to your bone. To hear them reminisce about the glory of the crimes they partook in will leave you wanting a long hot shower.

This film is utterly astounding in every sense of the word. It employs that old Werner Herzog brand of ‘ecstatic truth’ as audience members will be individually challenged over what it is they are witnessing. Oppenheimer refuses to condemn these men; rather he simply presents them as reminder of humanity at its most brutally honest. This is a documentary that will stay with me for a long time and as such, it is more then deserving of my number one spot.

13 Favourite Games of 2013

Disclaimer: For the sake of time, I’ve decided not to post blurbs for these. If you want to know why these games/soundtracks/albums made the list then feel free to ask me on Twitter, Facebook or the Comment Section below.

13.) Killzone Mercenary (PS Vita)

12.) DMC: Devil May Cry (PS3/X360/PC)

11.) Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (PC/PS3/X360)

10.) Beyond Two Souls (PS3)

09.) Tear Away (PS Vita)

08.) Guacamelee (PS Vita/PS3/PC)

07.) Resogun (PS4)

06.) Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

05.) Papers Please (PC)

04.) Ni No Kuni (PS3)

03.) Rayman Legends (PS Vita/PS3/X360/PC/Wii U)

02.) Grand Theft Auto V (PS3/X360)