2013 at the Movies: The Best, The Worst, Breakthroughs, and Special Mentions

As I think back over the past year, these are the films I remember best:

Top ten:

Inside Llewyn Davis

The Kings of Summer

The Way Way Back

The Wolf of Wall Street

American Hustle

20 Feet from Stardom/Muscle Shoals

No

Gravity

12 Years a Slave

Nebraska

Honorable mention: Before Midnight, Museum Hours, In a World, Frozen, The Spectacular Now, Her, Much Ado About Nothing, Short Term 12, Don Jon, Fruitvale Station, Enough Said, Upside Down, Philomena, 56 Up, The World’s End, Still Mine, Rush, What Maisie Knew, 42, Trance

 

Best ensembles:

What Maisie Knew

American Hustle

Kings of Summer

The Wolf of Wall Street

Best romantic couple: Celine and Jesse

Runners-up: Beatrice and Benedick

Worst romantic couple: Romeo and Juliet

Best Superhero: Iron Man

Best Supervillain: Loki

MVPs: Benedict Cumberbatch is this year’s Jessica Chastain, with lead roles in five major films plus the narration of the 3D IMAX “Jerusalem”  Runners up: Louis C.K. and Jennifer Lawrence for outstanding work in two roles each and Brie Larson for three

Breakthroughs: Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Coogler

Overdue breakthroughs: Oscar Isaac, Brie Larson, Lake Bell, Tom Hiddleston

Everything old is new again: Black and white cinematography in “Nebraska,” “Frances Ha,” and “Much Ado About Nothing”

Still getting better: Dame Judi Dench

Just Plain Fun: Now You See Me, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, About Time, Populaire, Austenland

Worst: Identity Thief, Out of the Furnace, After Earth, Free Birds, Getaway, Lone Ranger, The Host, To the Wonder, Gangster Squad, Romeo & Juliet, Escape from Planet Earth, Burt Wonderstone, Hangover 3, Only God Forgives, Broken City