I actually caught up on movies a while ago but as usual there is something particularly daunting about throwing down with a top ten list. Of the movies that I have seen this year some just floated to the top. The order as always is pretty subjective.

1. American Hustle – Darned if I don’t like a good hustle flick, and darned if this wasn’t a good hustle flick, and not only because of the great cast; an always irresistible (to me) Christian Bale, even when he’s gross he’s good, but Cooper, Adams, Lawrence, Renner, and a wonderful use of Louis C.K. really didn’t hurt.
2. Her – Spike Jonze’s odd take on topics is often a hit for me but this futuristic romance with almost a seventies stylized look took me along a poignant romance path, even if I do normally hate Johansson her roboticness worked for me in this tale.
3. 12 Years a Slave – Our protagonist gets tossed into an awful life where we are made to see in him fish out of water but what’s worse, that he’s not really a slave or that slavery exists? Good performances show a lot to be bothered by.
4. The Way Way Back – The cast and script bring charm to this coming of age tale, summer vacation with mom and her new boyfriend starts out a little rough, but our protagonist starts to come into his own, who knew a water park and its management could be just what it took, Rockwell, Collette, Carell, and Janney add lovely if not lovable character performances.
5. Enough Said – Second takes on romance through beautifully touching performances by Louis-Dreyfus and Gandolfini, maybe I’m getting old, ok older, but the realness in the still cinematically unreal relationships was a nice touch.
6. Out of the Furnace – Did I mention that I love Bale? Well he’s not quite weird enough in this role for it to be my fave but when he tries to do right by his messed up brother he goes from blue collar bad company to back woods worse, violence much?
7. The Spectacular Now – Admittedly I often enjoy these teen coming of age tales and this slant on the ‘party’ guy and the ‘nice’ girl gives just enough of a less than typical character and path to make it feel sincere and effective.
8. Captain Phillips – Based on true stories make me a little crazy but I was brought along with the tense turns of the hijacking with Hank’s well played captain, wondered if paying more attention to what really happened would have helped or hurt.
9. Dallas Buyers Club – The performances from McConaughey and Leto in particular were almost enough to make the movie, but the somewhat historical look at this ’80s cowboy navigating the AIDS medical system kept our story engaging.
10. Much Ado About Nothing – I do love me some Joss Whedon but I also love an interesting slant on existing material and this modern setting shot on a small break at Whedon’s home brings new light to the romantic Shakespearean pairing.

What were your picks and pans from 2013?

Another fine year for film. Following you will see some of the critics and award noms that might point you in the right direction, or not. I haven’t seen them all, but I have done what I can so my seen are shown in bold. And stay tuned for my top picks. Critics key with links below for reference.

• 12 Years a Slave – RC, AFI, CN, GG, CC, MD, AOS, SH, IS, F, AA, KT, BS, CFC, GA
• The Act of Killing – RC
• After Tiller – MO
• Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – F, MO, GA
• All Is Lost – CN, AOS, IS
• American Hustle – RC, AFI, GG, CC, MD, AOS, SH, AA, KT, BS, CFC, MLS
• The Armstrong Lie – BS
• At Any Price – MLS
• Before Midnight – CN, MD, SH, F, GA, MLS
• Behind the Candelabra – MD
• Beyond the Hills – F
• The Bling Ring – AOS, MO
• Blue Caprice – F
• Blue is the Warmest Color – F, AOS, SH, BS
• Blue Jasmine – F
• The Butler – AOS, BS
• Captain Phillips – AFI, CN, GG, CC, MD, F, AA, KT
• Computer Chess – MO
• The Conjuring – CN
• The Counselor – MD
• Dallas Buyers Club – CC, AA
• Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay – CN
• Drug War – F
• Enough Said – CN, AOS
• Frances Ha – AOS, IS, F, KT, MO
• Frozen – RC, BS
• Fruitvale Station – AFI, CN, F, KT, BS
• Furious 6 – RC
• The Grandmaster – RC, MD
• Gravity – RC, AFI, CN, GG, CC, SH, F, AA, BA, KT, BS, CFC
• The Great Beauty – RC, MD, SH
• The Great Gatsby – AOS
• Hannah Arndt – AOS
• Her – RC, AFI, GG, CC, MD, F, AA, KT, NS, MO, CFC
• The Hobbit  – RC
• Inequality for All – BS
• Inside Llewyn Davis – AFI, GG, CC, MD, AOS, SH, IS, F, KT, BS, CFC, GA
• The Invisible Woman – KT
• Manakamana – MD
• Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – BA
• Much Ado About Nothing – MLS
• Mud – F, BS
• Nebraska – AFI, GG CC, SH, IS, F, AA, KT, BS
• Out of the Furnace – CN
• Pain and Gain – AOS
• Paradise: Love – SH
• The Past – SH
• Philomena – GG, AA, BA, BS
• The Place Beyond the Pines – F
• Post Tenebras Lux – MO
• Redemption – MD
• Rush – GG, MD, BA
• Saving Mr Banks – AFI, CC, BA, BS
• The Selfish Giant – BA
• Short Term 12 – KT
• The Spectacular Now – F
• Spring Breakers – MD, AOS, SH, MO
• The Square – MD
• A Touch of Sin – MD, AOS, SH, MO
• Touchy Feely – F
• The Unknown Known – BS
• Upstream Color – MO, GA
• The Way Way Back – BS
• The Wolf of Wall Street – AFI, GG, CC, AOS, SH, F, AA, MLS

AA – Academy Award Nominations, AFI, AOS – A.O. Scott for NYT, BA – BAFTA, BS – Betsy Sharkey for LAT,  CC – Critic’s Choice Nominations, CFC – Chicago Film Critics, CN – Chris Nashawaty for EW, F – Flavorwire, GA – Gotham Awards, GG – Golden Globe Nomination, IS – Independent Spirit Award Nominations, KT – Kenneth Turan for LAT, MD – Manohla Dargis for NYT, MLS – Mick LaSalle for SFGate, MO – Mark Olsen for LAT, RC – Richard Corliss for Time, SH – Stephen Holden for NYT