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 author Anna Goldfarb, who wrote this year’s Clearly, I Didn’t Think This Through: The Story of One Tall Girl’s Impulsive, Ill-Conceived, and Borderline Irresponsible Life Decisions. Follow her blog here and her Twitter here>
The Top Ten Movies That Blew My Hair Back in 2013
1. The Movie That Would’ve Been Perfect Except for George Clooney’s Annoying Smarmy Character:
Gravity.
This movie is a masterpiece, a bold cinematic feat in story, style, and pacing. But did George Clooney have to play such a smarmy dick? His country music sucked, his “funny” stories were lame, and his half-hearted come-ons made me roll my eyes, which is doubly annoying because I was wearing 3-D glasses. No one wants to roll their eyes wearing extraneous eyewear. I will say that Gravity boasted the best use of 3D technology all year and I liked it so much that I saw it in the theater twice, which for a cheapskate like me, is pretty much unheard of. Take all my money, Gravity. Just take it.
2. The Movie That I Loved in the Theater But Bored Me When I Watched It At Home:
Pacific Rim.
I guess kaiju fight scenes belong on the big screen because I loved this movie when I saw it over the summer, but I tried to watch it over the weekend and I fell asleep. Bummer.
3. The Perfect Movie To Watch When You’re Hungover:
This Is The End.
At this point, I think I’d watch anything Jonah Hill, Seth Rogan, Danny McBride and James Franco barfed up—cough Your Highness cough—but this movie was a gem. It was funny, brainless, and entertaining. The only thing missing was a wacky Will Ferrell cameo.
4. The Movie I Went Into With Low Expectations But Ended Up Enjoying Immensely:
Pain & Gain.
This movie is basically Fargo set in ‘90s Miami. It had humor, thrills, and a compelling (true!) story. One of my favorite things to watch is Mark Wahlberg being exasperated, and he’s exasperated in like, 80% of the film, which was a total treat. I also liked how it seamlessly switched narration between both major and minor characters. It was a fresh take on fun genre. This ended up being one of my favorite movies of the year.
5. The Movie I Enjoyed The Most While I Was Watching But Don’t Ever Feel the Need To Watch Again:
Behind the Candelabra.
If I never hear Michael Douglas’s nasally Liberace voice again, I’ll die a happy woman. Rob Lowe’s pinched face was a highlight. So was seeing Matt Damon in a speedo. Thanks for that, Hollywood, but I can’t imagine sitting through this crazy movie again.