End of 2013: Favourite Performances of 2013 - Ladies First!

I feel like I always say this at the end of the year but 2013 was a great year for films. Even though it took me two more months to catch up with it, with 70 films watched and Oscars done, I am finally going to call it done! Like last year, that comes up with End of the year lists but unlike last year, I am going to do them in reverse order starting with this list of my favourite female performances of last year. Probably not as rich as last year but this year offered many good ones to us to choose from. Theses are 10 that I liked the most, that I noticed more and have stuck with me more.

First, Honourable mentions: Amy Adams for American Hustle, Amy Acker for Much Ado about Nothing, June Squibb for Nebraska and special mention for Deshpande Aunty in The Lunchbox who we don't even see but she is such a quintessential character in our society that I loved her presence.

Berenice Bejo for The Past: I will have much more to say on this film a bit later but this films works as much as it does for me because of host of amazing performances from everyone involved. Reason Bejo stands out for me is because her character is at the center of everything. She is the reason previous wife of the guy she wants to marry is in the hospital which is why her teenager daughter and his son throw fits at her. You see that burden weighing on her in every scene, you see that guilt in her eyes all the time and that makes this film so much better(or worse!).

Adele Exarchopoulos for Blue is the Warmest Colour: I saw Blue much later than many of my peers. By then, there were many singing praises of her acting but my first impression wasn't in line with them. To me, her performance felt like no performance at all. Then, I always felt like she is just being there and people feel she is so natural. When I finally saw it, I realized she does so much more than just being there. And her being so natural in those moments is probably her biggest strength, especially when cameramen is so close to you all the time that you could slap him hard on the face and he won't be able to do anything.

Greta Gerwig for Frances Ha: The fact that not only I actually really liked this movie but how much I adored Gerwig's performance in it has got to be the biggest surprise for me this year. Frances is a small kid in grown-ups body. She is oblivious to any social norms or responsibilities any person her age is usually bogged down under. Just this one thing could easily have made Frances an obnoxious, insufferable brat who thinks she is too good for all this nonsense. But Gerwig does an excellent job of making her endearing, personable and even relatable despite all her flaws. To me, she is leaving that life which most of us really want to but can't.

Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine: I think Natalie Portman must be the last actress to dominate awards season the way Blanchett did this season. She must have won every single award that is humanely possible for an actress to win for this role and all for a very good reason. Blanchett is one of those actresses who has always been good in any role she is given but she is absolutely on fire in every scene of Blue Jasmine. Not only her character has similarities to Blanche DuBois, she manages to stand toe-to-toe with one of the best performances of all time.

Veerle Baetens for The Broken Circle Breakdown: Even though there is word breakdown in title of this film, I am not sure I was ready for what I saw. Both lead characters of this film go through a lot but it's Baeten's Elise that goes through biggest transformation starting from a firecracker of tattoo artists to someone who is devoid of any hope or desires. I certainly did not expect it to go where it did till last minute but, as surprising as it was, it was her performance that took me there. It was first time I ever saw her and don't even know how to pronounce her name but she certainly has my attention now.

Julia Roberts for August: Osage County: August: Osage County is one of the films I liked way more than I expected to this year and majority of its credit goes to its script and performances. If it wasn't so hateful that all I wanted was to run as far away from it as possible, it might have made into my favourite films of this year. There is a whole bunch of performances I could have picked from this film including Meryl Streep and I really like Julianne Nicholson as well. Some of them might even be better than Roberts, but the only reason I am picking her over everyone else here is because I have never seen Julia Roberts in a performance like this before.

Nirmat Kaur for The Lunchbox: Whenever I make any kind of 'Best of' lists, I feel like I have to have a spot for Bollywood on them. Let me assure you, this is not that spot. Nirmat Kaur, like Sridevi Last year, is here purely based on her craft at display in another movie I will have more to say soon - The Lunchbox. I don't remember seeing her anywhere else and that probably works to her advantage as this is such a simple, non-glamorous role. Nirmat Kaur brings a lot of depth and honesty to this role and, like Adele, looks so natural while doing so that it is hard to imagine she is putting up a performance.

Sandra Bullock for Gravity: Gravity was a spectacle to behold. It remains to be one of the two or three films that made me think that 3D can be useful somewhere than just moneymaking machine for studios. Obviously, Lubezki's work with camera and Cuaron's direction, for which both deservedly won their Oscars, deserves much of praise for this but I kept on thinking that Bullock's equally courageous work somewhere took a backseat to them. Maybe Blanchett's clean sweep also has something to do with this as in any other year, she easily could have gone home with that statuette but I really liked Bullock's work as well.

Lea Seydoux for Blue is the Warmest Colour: These next two performances are supporting turns, sort of companion pieces that makes their leads, as good as they are and they certainly are great as both have featured in this list earlier, even better. Blue hs always been in the news since its premiere at cannes and as overshadowing sexuality of this film has been, what makes it work is brilliant understated and at the same time uninhibited performances by both its leads. Adele is more understated though she has many momemts where she lets her emotions flow. Seydoux is exactly opposite - as audacious, as extrovert as she is, her understated moments like one in the cafe near the end are what make her performance noteworthy.

Sally Hawkins for Blue Jasmine: As good as Blanchett is in this role, she probably would not have been if not for Sally Hawkins holding her own in every single scene and I am so happy to see her acknowledge that. Hawkins' performance in Blue Jasmine is probably 'the' definition of supporting turn. She makes every scene better just by being in it, and she is in almost every damn scene, but she never becomes the centerpiece of it. She never diverts your attention from where you are supposed to look at but somehow always manages to accentuate it. Those are the best kind of roles!

Keep your eyes and feeds open people! Men shall follow soon... and by soon I mean this weekend.

Wrapping it Up: December

Another month, another wrap-up post full of this month's viewings. I have few things to say at the end but first, lets talk movies!

December

The Broken Circle Breakdown(2013): If anyone asks me which was the last movie to make you cry? and I can not think of an answer, remind me of this one. I don't know any of the actors or directors(though I'd certainly keep an eye out for Veerley Baetens now). So I don't know if it's one of his trademarks but it was a good example of how jumping up and down the story can be used to its benefit. Usually, I'd be lost in connecting the dots but here whenever they went back, it had something to do with the present and it drew more emotional response out of me, as if it needed any more.

The Past(2013): Farhadi seems to be taken too much by couple going through separation. I am not at all complaining because if he can make such powerful films time and again, all the more power to him. Over the last two years I've been blogging, when I have made my end of the year lists I see a trend in them. Both the years were topped by foreign tragedies. I won't make those lists for at least two more months and I hope to see many more movies by then but don't be surprised to see this name there at the top as it does fit both the criterion. Just saying, it's possible!

Tokyo Story(1953): This month's Blind Spot entry. I find it rather funny that I saw these two films on the same day and there is also a good chance that this will be at the very top of another list I will do - Best First-watches of year 2013. Don't worry, you won't have to wait two more months for this list. It should be up by next week. My first film by Yasujiro Ozu but it would be hard to find a simpler story made any more compelling than this. I'll be certain to get my hands on few more of his next year. More here.

Frances Ha(2013): I will freely admit I had my doubts about this film, especially since I had never seen Gerwig in anything before and my only previous encounter with Baumbach wasn't exactly merry. But, with her writing as well as her performance, Gerwig won me over completely. I thought she was very quirky but endearingly so even at her lowest. She was doing everything that everyone of us wants to but can't just because we are supposed to be 'grown up'. It was sort of refreshing to see that for me.

Captain Phillips(2013): Tight as a Drum! (You know, I've always wanted to use that term) There are about 2 minutes of Hanks with his wife at the start and then he gets on his ship. From that very moment, film grabs your attention and never lets it go for one second. It's so great to see the return of vintage Hanks in all his glory. I know I have a lot to see yet but if anyone wants to give Best Actor Oscar to Hanks just based on that scene after his release, I am alright with it. I haven't seen United 93(2006) yet but if it's anything like this one, sign me up please.

MASH(1970): I had never seen an episode of TV series nor was I aware of this movie until last year. So I had no idea what to expect from this movie since all I know about it was long form of MASH. It took me some time to get into its style of humour with all those typical Altman styled overlapping dialogues, horde of characters and multiple things happening simultaneously but I got to say it was one of the funniest movies I have seen. Loved that football match in the end, end credits were genius touch and I still yell out "Mr. Geller!" whenever I see Elliot Gould. That will never change, I guess!

Catch Me if You Can(2002)(Re-watch): If you scroll down to the bottom of this post, you will know that I am not a big re-watching guy. I always feel like there is so much left for me to see that my time is better invested in watching a new film. But that wasn't always the case! Before I became serious about my movie-watching, I had my stock of films that I often watched again and again. This was one of them. There is so much to admire in it and I was so happy to see it this time and still able to find something new, interesting about it. 






Drinking Buddies(2013): I am not sure how to put it in the words exactly but I like the fact that this film had its own feel. I also admire this film for not taking the relationship between Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson usual route. There was palpable tension between them throughout the film and on many occasions, even I thought they will start kissing or get in the bed together. I don't know how much it would've changed my opinion of it but I think it just would have been 'one of those' movies if they did.

The Act of Killing(2013): I saw 159 minute extended version of it and for good two hours of it, the reason people are praising this documentary for was the reason I was completely turned off by it - the brazenness, the utter lack of remorse for something atrocious done over and over again by horrible person. I don't see any reason to glorify that. But that is probably why the last 30-40 minutes hit me much harder. It really rubbed me in a wrong way to be one of my favourite of the year but now I get it why do we need this?

The Spectacular Now(2013): Anything that reminds me of Friday Night Lights(2006) is a good movie in my book. The reason I liked that series was because it portrayed people that were easy to believe actually exist; while I was in states I have seen some such people. Characters in this film maybe aren't the most interesting people but they feel so realistic, sometimes painfully so. If I could find some reason for Amy to stay with Sutter after the accident or at least see her struggling with it, it would have become one of my favourite of the year.

The Great Gatsby(2013): What makes the novel great is the emotional core of this story it gets to in the second half and romantic in me always falls for it. All the Gatsby's parties and his overabundance does make them look amazing but it's more of a distraction than anything else and it's gets old very fast. In first 30 minutes or so, before Daisy and Gatsby meet, I was beginning to be turned off by Luhrmann's lavishness but he toned it down just at the right time to make room for what's real point of whole thing. And we all know he can do a great job with combination of romance and tragedy.

Prisoners(2013): Incendies(2011) was my favourite film of 2011. I don't think I have still recovered from the shock of its reveal. So I was down for this one as soon as I saw Villeneuve's name on it. I still think it is a good film, not at the same level as Incendies but still quite good and especially memorable for all its performances from top to bottom. But why so bleak? I desperately wanted something good to happen at least at the end but it just kept getting worse and worse. I don't think I can handle that much bleakness. 

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close(2011): One of the 6 BP nominated movies I haven't seen in last 15 years. I remember it coming out of nowhere during that year. I did not 'hate' it but first 90 minutes of this film didn't do much to make me like it either. Max Von Sydow was great but that kid kept on behaving like a 30-something year old with weight of whole world on his shoulders and everyone was behaving like that's normal. It's really not! Last half hour catered to a lot of problems I had with it. So I may have a little favourable opinion on re-watch, if I do watch it again.

Sense and Sensibility(1995): I really don't have anything against this film. I think it is extremely well done and if I didn't know Ang Lee directed it, I never would've guessed a non-British director can make such an exquisite British film. I also like most of the performances but it's Jane Austen! I have seen and/or read her work previously. So even though I was watching this for the first time, it felt like I know everything about it. It has happened with some of her other works I have seen in the recent past as well. I am no literary genius and might get clobbered for this but it seems so repetitive!

Leviathan(2013): I am not sure how to feel about this exactly. On one hand, I can certainly see the artistic quality behind a movie like this but on the other, I don't see any reason why would anyone be interested in watching anything like this. To tell you the truth, main reason I saw this is because they filmed it on the coasts of New Bedford, MA, very place which inspired Mobey Dick and very place where I spent 2 and half years during my stay in US. But half the time I had no idea what was going on on the screen. I was like that crew member sitting in front of TV, dozing off most of the time.

Star Trek Into Darkness(2013): Except for the 2009 film, I don't know shit about Star Trek universe. So sorry to all the fans if I have no idea of some basic stuff. Apparently who Cumberbatch's character is was a big thing for everyone. Admittedly he was the best thing in it or only thing I liked in it. Everyone else, even those who worked well for me first time around, I wasn't much into. And every time Bones was on screen, he infuriated me; almost ruined the whole film.

The Kings of Summer(2013): I never got into this film. I didn't find the earlier lighthearted part funny, I didn't see the twist coming and didn't really care for sudden and complete change in tone for last 30 minutes. I don't really know the exact reason but I guess the fact that I did not buy the basic idea of the film might have a lot to do with that. I never believed it for one second, I swear! They were suppose to be 15. Sure, they would want to run away from their parents but build a house in the woods and start hunting and stuff? Nah...

The Way Way Back(2013): Another film that I don't get the appeal of. Sam Rockwell was great in it and I also like Annasophia Robb as well. Everyone else, including Liam James, meh! I know he is supposed to be loner and awkward but I never felt much for him even after he finally finds people he is comfortable around. And then there were so many absolute throwaway secondary characters. Allison Janney, as great as she was, and both the directors in their cameos were just there! If you are going to put them in, at least give them some reason.

The Vow(2012): There are films on this list that I know are better films but I don't know if I'll defend them if I had to. In a weird way, I find myself defending the second lowest ranked film of the month. I knew going in that it won't be a best film material and I was fine by it. I am just glad that it wasn't cringe-worthy. It was all lovey-dovey and predictable, typical Nicholas Sparks type thing and we know both the actors are capable of far superior things. But I think I can see it again if it comes on TV sometimes.

Post Tenebras Lux(2013): It took a lot of effort from my side just to get through it. There were couple of sequences that worked as stand alone scenes but I didn't find much of a narrative in it as a whole. Apparently using non-professional actors is director's trademark but they were terrible actors mostly, especially when it came to dialogue delivery. I am really sorry to dismiss it as such but it was an amateur effort at best. Maybe I am not as highbrow person here but if there was any real artistic value to it, it was lost on me completely.

Total Count: 20. 19 First Time Watches and 1 Re-watch .

Final 2013 Count

Total : 256. 235 First Time Watches and 21 Re-watches.

Another year has vanished into thin air and I have finished with 256 movies for the year, wayy less than last year. 72 to be exact but I sort of knew that from very start. 2013 was a year of lot of changes. I changed couple of jobs, moved back from US to India; two things that aren't directly related to movies but affected my movie-watching the most and despite starting the year well, slowed me down a little in the last few months. I also started this year with every intention of being more frequent around this parts of woods but ended up writing even less than last year. But it was all for good reason and I am not going to complain for that.

If these last few months are any indication, 2014 will be even more slower movie-wise but I am fine with that too. I am going to take it as it comes. For all I know I might settle down in my routine soon and find some more breathing room for films. As for 2014, I don't have any specific resolutions; I am not a resolution making kind of person but I am going to try and knock down remaining 16 Best Picture winners. Wish me luck! For the next couple of months, I will continue to be in 2013 mood as many films will slowly continue to travel down here. From the looks of it, February might be our December! Only after that will I make my 'Best of 2013' lists but my favourite first-watches of 2013 should be up around weekend or right after it.

I hope 2014 brings as many great films and as many amazing discoveries as 2013 and I continue to write this place to see another year pass by! I hope all the amazing people that visit this place keep on coming and continue to produce great stuff that would inspire me to do that as well! I hope each and everyone one of you have rewarding, prosperous and movie-filled 2014! HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!

So, how was your month? Did you see anything interesting? What do you think of the movies I saw? Any favorites?

Catching up with 2013 Mini Reviews: Part II

Gravity(2013): I know I am very late to the party. First of all, it got here couple of weeks late and then I saw it almost a month after it did. Only thing is, I am really glad that I got to see it on the biggest possible screen because it is totally worth it. Alfoanso Cuaron’s latest is one of the best visual masterpieces I have seen and Emmanuel Lubezki deserves every credit for it. I am not a big fan of 3D but after Hugo(2011), this is first film that made me think that it can be used to good effect.

Set in space, Dr. Ryan Stone, on her first ever space mission, and Matt Kowalski, on his last, are on a small mission to service Hubble. However things soon go south as debris from Russian missile strike causes a chain reaction and puts everything in danger. Hands down favourite thing about this film is the kind of atmosphere Cuaron creates around us. With the help of amazing camera movements assisted by some quality editing, Cuaron manages to get viewers into the head of Dr. Stone, sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively, to give them a first hand experience that makes everything so much more better. One of the predominant reactions after watching this was this is closest a normal person will get to being in space and it has a lot of truth to it. One of the frontrunners in this year's best actress race Sandra Bullock, who spends most of this movie alone, also has done a great job in this role. These days it's rare we have a movie that revolves around a female character, which incidentally all three movies in this post do, but it is even rarer to see a movie treat it's female character the way Gravity does. Bullock had a great chance to prove her mettle with this role and she takes it with both hands.

Since I was one of the last 5 people on earth to watch this film, I'd heard lot about it before going in. As much as I was aware of its technological achievements and acclaim it was getting, I also knew it was being criticized for script problems. I never got into specifics of it but I certainly was aware of them and while watching it, I realized why they are important. I am not going to flack it for portraying Russians as villains here or space Jetpacks being retired 30 years earlier. Neither was I too concerned about it getting the names of space shuttles wrong nor did I think Bullock in her shorts sexist. None of these are major plot points that dampen the whole experience but there are some valid points which do affect it. I guess everyone knows what major plot point I am talking about. I am also not sure what I think about unlikelihood of three space ships being in such close proximity at such an attainable altitude. More I think about it, more I have problems with it. I know that it will still be one of my 10-15 favourite films of the year but I will always have a lingering feeling that it could have been better.

Rating(out of 5):

The Bling Ring(2013): I have a very non-typical reaction to Sofia Coppola. I have seen them all except Marie Antoinette(2006) and I haven't disliked any of them but I don't react to them as strongly as many others seem to. There are many aspects of it that I like - stylistic look of it, loneliness it portrays but I guess it doesn't resonate as strongly with me. Even in case of Lost in Translation(2003), which would probably be her highest regarded film, I am much colder to it than everyone else though it certainly is overdue for a rewatch. I am saying all this because it's interesting that despite this history, my reaction to her latest which received much less critical reception than usual is much stronger than the consensus. So much so that even though I will rate both Gravity and The Bling Ring at the same level in stars, I think I like it even more than the former. Yup, I said it! And it is not a dig against Gravity, I just like this one more.

Since its premier in Cannes earlier this year, The Bling Ring is getting a mixed response. For those unaware, it is based on a real story about a group of teenagers in Hollywood who would break into houses of various celebrities and steal from their houses for fun. First of all, it looks fabulous. It has always been Coppola’s strong suit but their clothes, houses – even the ones they break into, lingo they use, locations are done meticulously. It is shot beautifully; background music is used very well. I think it does a great job of poking fun at the current celebrity culture. It really shows the frivolousness of all the characters involved in those robberies for no reason than materialist values in it. There are so many reality shown these days on any network that indulge in exactly this kind of behaviour which Coppola is making fun of in this movie. It is like a satire on that lifestyle. She shows the glamour and glitz of their lifestyle but without making them glamorous. The ending is yet again little jarring but that might my non-typical reaction to her movies.

One problem many people have with it is it lacks any depth. I don’t know how do you make these characters, whose first concern after being caught breaking into Lindsay Lohan’s house was “What did she say about us?” or “Is this long enough to appear conservative?” before appearing in court, look more deep, more real? I doubt if they know the meaning of being one. In their own way, in their own world, they are being as real as they can. At the end, after being caught, Nikki even tries to look more responsible, to look less disconnected to the rest of the world. But we all know it is a sham and Coppola treats it like one. I don't think I would've liked it any other way.

Rating(out of 5):

Frances Ha(2013): Bless Greta Gerwig in all her awkward glory! I think this one sentence is more than enough to express everything I want to about this film. I had been hearing a lot about this movie and especially about her for quite a while now. I won't say I was too excited for it because, despite all the acclaim, it still looked like a chick-flick. I had my expectations in check but it delivered what it promised and some more. The best thing about this film is, even though I actually laughed a couple of times - sometimes with her and sometimes at her, I had a faint smile on my face for all 86 minutes of it. There aren't many movies that have managed to do that! I have a hunch that glorious Black and White played some part in that too.

Frances Ha is a story of Francis Halladay, 27 year old woman leaving in New York who is unsure about everything in her life. She is not sure if she wants to have cats with her boyfriend or move in with him or if she wants to be a dancer or choreographer where she is an apprentice currently. She is not even sure if she doesn't want to any of these things. At one point, she asks her teacher at the academy if she can take some more classes, any more responsibility and after being rejected admits she is proud of herself just for asking. So she is not particularly interested in achieving something or reaching somewhere in her life, she is perfectly content with just trying for it. She's like what one character says about her - she is much older but less grown-up. And despite all this, and we have to give credit to writers for this, she is neither annoying nor pitiable. She is actually very sweet and charming; awkward, little weird and sometimes embarrassing but endearingly so.

Maybe she should think seriously about her future, maybe she should have been somewhere in her life already but she is not and she knows it. Thing with Frances is she lives in the moment. She does what she thinks like doing like going to Paris for a couple of days while being broke. This is probably the stupidest thing you can do but somehow Baumbach and Gerwig even manage to make that endearing. Maybe because we all want to do exactly that; we just don't do it because we are supposed to be more responsible, more grown-up. Not Frances! and its liberating in some way to see at least someone else can do that. Knowing what I did before watching this film, I was almost certain that I will hate her for being plain immature and behaving as if she has some existential crisis. But I did not, even for one minute. Her sudden transformation in the end might be too sudden but I was happy to see her get there, to see her mature through all these experiences and get somewhere at the end of them to be Frances Ha. That was a deft touch by the way!

Rating(out of 5):