The 2013 awards season is heating up, which means it is also that time of year to start looking back at the best films of the year. Film fans will start seeing the same movie titles over and over again popping up on lists of award winners and nominees. Just this morning, the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations came out and there were hardly any surprises there.

For 2013, the movie names you’ll be hearing over and over again are Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave, the Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis, Spike Jonze’s Her, David O. Russell’s American Hustle, Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity. Other films that have earned acclaim this year include Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips, Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine, Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station, J.C. Chandor’s All Is Lost and Jean-Marc Vallée’s Dallas Buyers Club.

Doing a best of 2013 is hard to do in early December, unless you live in New York and Los Angeles, where you can see all these films before they go wide. Inside Llewyn Davis was just released in NYC and LA this week, while American Hustle is out there this weekend. It hits theaters wide next week. Her may not reach the entire country until next month. So, to the best of my ability and based on the film’s I’ve seen this year, here’s my personal 10 favorite films of the year.
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10. Monsters University - Dan Scanlon
Pixar needed some kind of refresher after the creative disappointments of Cars 2 and Brave. I’m not saying Monsters University returned Pixar to its former glory, but the film does bring back some of the studio’s charm and inventiveness. It’s not exactly Animal House for kids, but it is a unique way to spend more time with Mike and Sully.


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9. Frances Ha - Noah Baumbach
After the dreariness of Greenberg, The Squid and the Whale director Noah Baumbach decided to go simpler and black & white. The film centers on Greta Gerwig’s Frances, a woman in New York searching for herself, now that her life is falling apart. It is an ode to the great French New Wave films of the 1960s, but it’s more fresh for today’s 20-somethings than expected.

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8. To The Wonder - Terrence Malick
Unlike 2011’s masterpiece The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick’s To The Wonder only had a very short theatrical run before hitting home video and Netflix. It’s a beautiful, but flawed film and not as ambitious as Tree. However, that’s the beauty of it, taking Malick back to the simplicity of Days of Heaven. Here’s my full review.

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7. Pacific Rim - Guillermo Del Toro
It’s big, it’s stupid, but so much fun. Guillermo Del Toro’s tribute to the great classic monster movies is short on plot, but why should you care when there’s giant monsters and giant robots beating the sh*t out of each other? The film succeeds because it knows what it is and doesn’t try to be any more than big, loud entertainment.

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6. The Place Beyond The Pines - Derek Cianfrance
This film really should get some awards buzz, but probably won’t since it was released so early in the year and is already out on home video. Still, this is a powerful epic that may be a little too long, but still features good performances from Eva Mendes, Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling. Here’s my full review.

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5. Prisoners - Denis Villeneuve
I did not go into this one thinking I would like it, but after seeing it, I do think it’s among the year’s best. Denis Villeneuve’s film is dark, brooding and depressing, but he captures the pressure of trying to find a missing child perfectly. Hugh Jackman gives a good performance, but I think Jake Gyllenhaal steals the show.

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4. Blue is the Warmest Color - Abdellatif Kechiche
The movie is a stunning portrayal of one girl’s obsession with an older woman, but the sex scenes have taken the attention. See this film when you get a chance, because the drama is riveting and the performances - especially from lead Adele Exarchopoulos - are amazing. I really hope this young 20-year-old gets more recognition. Here’s my full review.

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3. Blue Jasmine - Woody Allen
Woody Allen has been on a tear as of late and Blue Jasmine proves that Midnight In Paris was not all that he had left in the tank. Cate Blanchett’s performance is epic and career defining. If there is at least one lock heading into the Oscars, I think it’s her Best Actress Oscar. Check out my full review.

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2. Gravity - Alfonso Cuaron
The only knock I could come up with for Gravity is that the dialogue is corny in spots. But the overall product is better than its individual parts. It is also rare that audiences and critics actually agree and the 90-minute film turned into a blockbuster. Gravity is the only movie I’ve ever seen that actually left me breathless. Here’s my full review.

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1. 12 Years A Slave - Steve McQueen
It really is the best movie of I’ve seen this year. 12 Years A Slave is more mainstream than Steve McQueen’s past films, but that doesn’t mean he’s pulling anything back. The performance by Chiwetel Ejiofor is heartbreaking and powerful and the supporting cast is just as good. It would be great to see Michael Fassbender earn a supporting nomination and Lupita Nyong'o’s nod is already a given. Here’s my full review.

top image: trailer screenshot