Director Adam Leon’s Favorite Movies of 2013

Movies Features

In the lead-up to the unveiling of our definitive Top 50 Movies of 2013 list, we’ve asked some friends of Paste to tell us their favorites of the year. Tune in for a different list each day. Today’s contributor is Adam Leon, the director of this year’s ‘Gimme the Loot’ (pictured) and winner of the Someone to Watch Award at this year’s Indie Spirits.

Gravity
Recently an eleven-year-old asked me what is my favorite movie ever. I replied, “Barry Lyndon.”
She said, “Hmm, yeah, that’s good although I always found the Captain Potzdorf plot too broad.”
“Well,” I asked, “What’s your favorite movie ever?”
Gravity. Because for 90 minutes you get to hang out with movie stars and go to space.”
“Oh, I love Gravity too,” I said. “But you know, some people, not me, but some people complain about clunky dialogue, sappy spirituality, and scientific inaccuracies.”
She stared at me blankly as if I was the greatest fool that has ever lived. Finally she replied, simply and calmly:
“But you get to go to space with movie stars.”
And that’s how I lost an argument to an eleven-year-old and Gravity became my favorite movie ever. Or at least my favorite of 2013.

Inside Llywen Davis
A beautiful, brilliant film from a national treasure.

American Hustle
Oh yeah, this is the stuff right here. I’ll take my movies in the “ridiculously entertaining thrill ride” model every time out. Plus, true story, the first day my mom brought home a science oven I put metal in it. Just sharing that one.

Before Midnight
If you only knew this Before film existed you’d be amazed as to how the storytellers created such rich characters, with an incredibly formed backstory, told with such a relaxed confidence. But because of the history of the Delpy/Hawke/Linklater collaboration, we do know how they were able to harness all of those remarkable elements, and yet it’s no less of an accomplishment.

Frances Ha
This is about a white girl and her white friends and their white problems in gentrified New York. If only it wasn’t an absolutely spot on, thrilling, and joyous piece of art from top-to-bottom, I could really have enjoyed hating this. Damn you Gerwig and Baumbach for making me feel such love and happiness!

Computer Chess
I believe this movie’s reputation will continue to grow and it will be remembered as an all-time classic by the time the Film Forum does their Bujawski retrospective in 2034.

Short Term 12
In the first scene I said to myself, “Oh, I know how this is going to end, and they’re going to try to make me cry. Good luck indie filmmakers.” By the last scene I was a weeping mess. Plus, as a bonus, it’s also goshdarn fantastic.

Prince Avalanche
My favorite Super Mario Brothers movie ever.

Upstream Color
Yes. Thank you. More of this please. Cause indie movies don’t have to be about mopey losers and their kooky girlfriends overcoming bullshit problems. They can be about drugs and pigs and whatever the hell this amazing thing is about.

her
I would like to use this space to go on record as saying Where the Wild Things Are is a masterpiece and one of the most incredible and touching films I have ever seen. Her is wonderful too. That is all.

Cause I’m full of love: Side Effects, Crystal Fairy, Best Man Holiday, Fruitville Station, Enough Said, Spectacular Now, Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years A Slave, The Bling Ring, The Conjuring, …In A world, Ginger and Rosa, Spring Breakers. Also, they’re last year movies to me, but major love to No and Elektrick Children.

Lists from other friends of Paste:
Director Lynn Shelton
Director Megan Griffiths
Producer Natasha Giliberti
Author Kayli Stollak
Actor Josh Radnor
Author Anna Goldfarb
Director Dan Mirvish
Director Paul Rachman
Director Karin Hayes
Producer Anne Hubbell
Director Stacie Passon
Actor Sophia Takal
Actor Beth Grant
Actor Tallie Medel

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