End-Of-Year: Top 25 Films of 2013

To say this list is a bit behind schedule would be understating things, but here we are nearly four months after this year's Academy Awards and I'm finally posting my favorite films of 2013. Hell, 2014 is nearly halfway done, but for completeness sake I thought it was better (super) late than never. Overall, I saw about 115 films that came out theatrically last year. The number isn't super exact since a good chunk of those came in the early months of 2014 in an effort to catch up. Anyways, here are my top 25 with my very (very) brief impressions months later...

#25 Captain Phillips - Superbly and tensely directed with riveting lead performances.
#24 Fruitvale Station - Harrowing, emotional, and introspective.
#23 Frances Ha - A delightful not-quite coming-of-age New York tale.
#22 Blue Jasmine - Blanchett steals every scene in all her caustic glory.
#21 The Way, Way Back - Charming and fun summer fare.

#20 Trance - Sexily and wonderfully trippy with some extra style.
#19 Now You See Me - Fresh spin to the heist genre with witty twists and performances.
#18 The World's End - A fitting and epic end to one of the best modern trilogies of our time.
#17 Broken Circle Breakdown - A bittersweet look at love, family, and loss.
#16 The Great Gatsby - Audacious adaptation that visually dazzles for better or worse.

#15 Pacific Rim - Huge blockbuster visuals without the loss of character.
#14 About Time - Awkwardly charming time travelling tale.
#13 The Wolf of Wall Street - Funnier than I expected with DiCaprio doing a career best performance.
#12 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Confident sequel that's better in every sense than the first film.
#11 The Heat - Hilarious to the max with heart to spare.

#10 Frozen - An instant Disney classic whose songs have yet to outstay their welcome.
#9 Short Term 12 - Powerful in its subtlety and focus on its heartfelt and real characters.
#8 Out in the Dark - Best gay film of 2013, touching, affective, and beautifully realized.
#7 12 Years A Slave - Tough to watch at times, but it's a definite must see for the story/acting.
#6 Stories We Tell - Crafty piece of documentary filmmaking that is touchingly personal.

#5 Much Ado About Nothing - Utterly delightful, hilarious, full of charm and then some.
#4 Inside Llewyn Davis - One of the Coen's brothers best; a joy to watch and listen.
#3 Her - Inventive and illuminating, Phoenix and Johansson shine in unexpected roles.

#2 Before Midnight - Funny and poignant; superb performances from Delpy and Hawke as usual.
#1 Gravity - Masterful in its direction and effects, the film is an unforgettable experience.

There were a few other films that just missed my list such as World War Z, What Maisie Knew, The Bling Ring, Place Beyond the Pines, 20 Feet From Stardom, G.B.F., The Spectacular Now, Don Jon, The Kings of Summer, and a bunch more. Didn't you see the part where I said I saw 110+ films last year? Anyways, here's to another year full of movies (and hopefully better time management)!

More year-end film posts:
- 2013 Film Winners
- Favorite Movie Couples of 2013