Producer Natasha Giliberti’s Favorite Movies of 2013

Movies Features

In the lead-up to the unveiling of our definitive Top 50 Films 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 producer Natasha Giliberti, whose short film Chute Fighter is currently in post-production.

Frances Ha
(dir Noah Baumbach)
I decided to watch this film because a few people told me I reminded them of Frances, and I ended up watching it three times over. I love this film because it’s an honest, simple story about a girl in her 20’s who’s going through a quarter-life crisis (no wonder people say I remind them of her…oy vey)! Frances Ha is about the bumps in the road; the falling down and picking yourself back up again that no ever fully prepares you for when you’re a child.

Mud
(dir. Jeff Nichols)
This film reminds me of two of my favorite movies of all time: Great Expectations (the Alfonso Cuarón version), and Days of Heaven. What I love most about these three movies, is that their stories are told from a child’s point of view. Take Shelter (Nichols’ last film) had incredible acting and beautiful images; but I thought it took itself too seriously and was overdramatic at moments, so I was pleasantly surprised when Mud had me laughing. And the acting is so good that I actually forgot I was watching Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, two Hollywood actors of Romantic comedy fame.

Stories We Tell
(dir. Sarah Polley)
Sarah Polley’s beautiful, intimate tale about her mother is amazing and totally unclassifiable. Polly combines documentary and narrative techniques to completely draw you in and make you feel like a part of her family. I hate to play the “girl power” card, but I feel like only a woman would be capable of revealing herself to the audience in such an extraordinarily honest and brave way.

American Hustle
(dir. David O. Russell)
American Hustle is a really cool movie, because even though the plot is very complex, it’s basically just a movie about survival. The characters are all essentially good, they’re all lovable in their own way; however, each individual’s fight to survive puts them at odds with each other and the world. Now, whenever I’m feeling frustrated or like I can’t get a break, I lock myself in my room and belt out “Live and Let Die” like Jennifer Lawrence does in the movie.

Blue is the Warmest Color
(dir Abdellatif Kechiche)
Its not often that a movie makes you seriously question your sexual preference. During the steamy girl on girl sex scenes I kept thinking, ‘actually, maybe I could be into this..’ But there is of course more to Blue is The Warmest Color than just sex: its an epic coming of age tale, in which Kechiche makes this typical French girl’s life seem like a Greek tragedy. Kechiche shows us, through Adele’s relationship with Emma, that the people we are most chemically attracted to aren’t always the most compatible.

Lists from other friends of Paste:
Director Lynn Shelton
Director Megan Griffiths
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
Director Adam Leon

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