Total Film Team's Top 10 Of 2013
Jane Crowther Editor-In-Chief
1) Gravity : “Visually, aurally, emotionally and intellectually satisfying event cinema. And all done in 90 minutes. A revelation.”
2) Filth
3) Anchorman 2: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
4) Rush
5) Zero Dark Thirty
6) Iron Man 3
7) The Way Way Back
8) Thor: The Dark World
9) The Place Beyond The Pines
10) Mud
Follow Jane on Twitter @totalfilm_jane
Kathryn Twyford Managing Editor
1. Rush : " Rush is an exciting, adrenaline-fuelled ride charting one of the great rivalries from the glory days of F1. Great performances, thrilling racing scenes and an amazing real-life story. Edge-of-the-seat stuff - I loved it."
2. Gravity
3. Zero Dark Thirty
4. The Way Way Back
5. Behind The Candelabra
6. Django Unchained
7. Anchorman 2: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
8. Don Jon
9. Blackfish
10. Iron Man 3
Follow Kathryn on Twitter @kathryntwyford
Matt Risley Online Editor
1. Gravity: “From a technical point of view, Gravity is astonishing. That Alfonso Cuaron managed to craft a movie so complex and yet make it appear so natural and effortless is mind-boggling.
And from an emotional, pacing and performance angle, Gravity is simply the most exhilarating cinematic thrill ride of the year. Sure, it has the odd plotting or script snafu, but with Bullock on fine, dramatic form, and a host of incredible, heart-pounding setpieces, it really was the movie to beat in 2013.”
2. Before Midnight
3. The Way Way Back
4. Iron Man 3
5. Blackfish
6. Rush
7. Kill Your Darlings
8. Much Ado About Nothing
9. Filth
10. Don Jon
Follow Matt on Twitter @spliggle
Sam Ashurst Deputy Online Editor
= 1 The Place Beyond The Pines – “Probably the best filmic representation of a very specific type of grief, Pines is a rich, complex, piece of work that rewards repeat viewing. It hit me like a gut-punch when I first saw it, and has stayed with me since.”
= 1 Django Unchained – “My most-watched film of 2013, Django is Tarantino at his boldest and best. Electrifying support from Leonardo DiCaprio and Christoph Waltz may have got all the attention, but, for me, this is Jamie Foxx’s film. You might have hated the horse-dance sequence, but I definitely didn’t: it’s achingly cool. Every frame of this film is justified, and perfect.”
3. Man Of Steel
4. American Hustle
5. Evil Dead
6. Star Trek Into Darkness
7. This Is The End
8. Rush
9. Kick-Ass 2
10. Texas Chainsaw 3D
Honourable mentions: Oz: The Great And Powerful , Filth , Kill Your Darlings , Oblivion , The World’s End , Prisoners , Mud , You’re Next.
Follow Sam on Twitter @samashurst
Matthew Leyland - Reviews Editor
1. Behind The Candelabra - "Back in the days when there were only three TV channels, Liberace seemed to be on at least two of them every Saturday evening. That's my foggy childhood memory of the time, anyway. Steven Soderbergh's film gave me an unexpected nostalgia rush and reminded me why Michael Douglas is such a great movie star. Even if his subtle/spectacular performance is upstaged by Matt Damon's rhinestone budgie-smugglers. In a year where Superman binned the Y-fronts, Matt took up the pants mantle with style."
2. Blue Jasmine
3. Filth
4. Before Midnight
5. Rush
6. The Way Way Back
7. The Kings Of Summer
8. Don Jon
9. Django Unchained
10. Star Trek Into Darkness
Rosie Fletcher Associate Editor
1. Gravity - “Head-spinning sci-fi that marks an evolution in cinema. The best 3D I have ever seen and an experience akin to being inside an emotional tumble dryer.”
2. Rush
3. American Mary
4. You’re Next
5. The World’s End
6. Blackfish
7. The Place Beyond The Pines
8. The Paperboy
9. Star Trek Into Darkness
10. Blue Jasmine
Matt Maytum News Editor
= 1. Before Midnight - " Before Midnight was this year's Dark Knight Rises for me, the eagerly awaited third part in a trilogy I'd already invested so much in. A rare sequel that's actually significantly different to its predecessors (while retaining the essential spirit) and acknowledges the passage of time, and is all the more poignant for it."
= 1. The Place Beyond The Pines - "While The Place Beyond The Pines did review well, I was shocked that it wasn't met with a more elated response (although I think that will come over time). An almost overwhelmingly powerful drama; for all the haunting imagery and moody scoring, it has an almost organic vitality, with Derek Cianfrance's sparse style cutting right to the emotional core."
3. Django Unchained
4. Blue Is The Warmest Colour
5. American Hustle
6. Filth
7. Much Ado About Nothing
8. The World's End
9. Gravity
10. Rush
Follow Matt on Twitter @mattmaytum
Sarah Tully - Senior Picture Editor
1. Les Misérables - "Really emotional and a brave piece of work. Jackman and Hathaway's performances were both amazing and heartbreaking."
2. Monsters University
3. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
4. The Kings of Summer
5. Ain't Them Bodies Saints
6. Mud
7. Spring Breakers
8. McCullin
9. The Railway Man
10. Gravity
Emily Ip Digital Designer
1. Prisoners - “Constantly gripping, keeping the audience second-guessing throughout. Amazing performances from everyone involved."
2. Iron Man 3
3. Despicable Me 2
4. Trance
5. Anchorman 2: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
6. Les Misérables
7. Star Trek Into Darkness
8. Blackfish
9. Don Jon
10. Rush
Follow Emily on Twitter @totalfilm_emily
Dale Pratley - Art Editor
1. Rush - " Rush was a big surprise for me this year. Being an F1 fan and not a huge fan of Ron Howard's recent efforts I thought it wouldn't live up to my expectations but it exceeded in all aspects."
2. Only God Forgives
3. Zero Dark Thirty
4. Iron Man 3
5. The Place Beyond The Pines
6. Django Unchained
7. Star Trek Into Darkness
8. Filth
9. Pacific Rim
10. Man Of Steel
Follow Dale on Twitter @totalfilm_Dale
Louise Brock - Designer
1. Prisoners - "This film really affected me and made me think a lot. Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano gave great performances."
2. American Hustle
3. Thor: The Dark World
4. Wreck-It-Ralph
5. Oz The Great And Powerful
6. Iron Man 3
7. Gravity
8. Rush
9. The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
10. Django Unchained
Josh Winning Freelance
1. Frances Ha - “Like being injected with pure sunshine. Superficial comparisons with Woody Allen's early stuff (um, it's set in New York and it's in black and white) are anything but redundant; though Frances Ha recalls the likes of Tiny Furniture in its girls-roaming-wild plot and its cut-glass dialogue is determinedly Allen-esque, the film's take on big city friendships both steadfast and transient is nothing short of beautiful.”
2. You're Next
3. Gravity
4. The Way Way Back
5. Star Trek Into Darkness
6. Much Ado About Nothing
7. Blue Jasmine
8. Captain Phillips
9. Iron Man 3
10. Mud
Simon Kinnear Freelance
1) The Act Of Killing - “Getting killers to act out their crimes sounds like a gimmick, but becomes instead a profound use of form to challenge function. Sickening, illuminating and vital documentary making.”
2) Captain Phillips
3) Neighbouring Sounds
4) Blue Is The Warmest Colour
5) Filth
6) The Selfish Giant
7) Before Midnight
8) Beyond The Hills
9) I Wish
10) Stoker
Gem Seddon - Freelance
1. Before Midnight - "Before Midnight exacts a promise about happiness with a burgeoning heart and an awe-inspiring excitement we all should strive for in our lives. And it’s dead funny."
2. Stoker
3. The Way Way Back
4. Rush
5. Drinking Buddies
6. Frances Ha
7. Behind The Candelabra
8. The Heat
9. This Is The End
10. The Impossible