Sooz Kempner, winner of the 2012 Funny Women Variety Award, gives us the lowdown on the films she has seen in 2013.
Here are my top films of the year…the order isn't massively important but I was able to pick my number one…
A Field In England – Ben Wheatley's trippy English Civil War oddity takes my top spot. It's not just me trying to be a wanker either, A Field In England stayed with me the longest and I guarantee it will fascinate you. It would have been easy for a film like this to have no substance and just be a load of disturbing imagery but Wheatley gives it real depth and the performances are excellent. The scariest film of the year has no special effects. A scene with Reece Shearsmith on the end of a rope will give you chills.
Behind The Candelabra – Funny, moving and a feast for the eyes. You'll believe Matt Damon is a teenager and that Michael Douglas is a Vegas legend. Rob Lowe nearly steals the show as a plastic surgeon who is pretty much wearing his ears on the back of his head.
Alan Partridge : Alpha Papa – Definitely the funniest film of the year for me. Sticking Alan on the big screen was handled perfectly and I can get behind any film that makes a star out of Tim Key. All the major players from the TV series (including Lynne, Dave Clifton and Michael) have made it in but never feel like in-jokes or cameos. Anyone worried this was going to be like an On The Buses movie needn't have been.
Philomena – The most impressive thing about Philomena is that it doesn't attempt to take down the Catholic, nor does it treat it gently. We are invited to make up our own minds. Judi Dench and Steve Coogan prove a surprisingly ideal pairing.
Blackfish – A tough watch, this documentary on the treatment of Killer Whales in Seaworld must have been hard to make. If I was part of Seaworld's PR department I'd have been attempting to shut it down from the start. Focusing on Tilikum, an orca linked to 3 deaths of Seaworld employees, you'll never consider watching one of these whale shows again.
Blue Jasmine – Woody Allen's latest film is excellent, Cate Blanchett's performance is even better.
Gravity – "Be prepared to be disappointed". Gravity had been hyped to such a degree that I was ready for some good old-fashioned schlock and nothing more. It was as good as I'd hoped from the initial teaser and whilst I'm not going to say, "THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!" it certainly is a landmark cinema event. I'm not really interested in how the physics of the film are laughable because if we're going to use that as a stick to beat a film with we should all be hating Grease because a car flies at the end AND THAT CAN'T HAPPEN! I wasn't moved by the personal aspects of Gravity, the soapier dialogue chunks. But I found Sandra Bullock's brief radio contact with the Inuit (it was an Inuit wasn't it?) very powerful.
Captain Phillips – Terrifying, brilliantly played and Greengrass manages to keep up the jeopardy despite the fact you know Phillips survives. If Tom Hanks doesn't climb the Oscars podium I'll eat my stupid hipster hat.
I didn't see:
Anchorman 2
Hunger Games 2
Rush
The Place Beyond The Pines
I did see Les Mis. And it hasn't made the list. Ditto Great Gatsby. Both were hugely disappointing.
You can comment direct to Sooz on Twitter @soozkempner or via our Twitter @funnywomen.
If you want to write a review any of the films that Sooz didn't manage to see, please send it to editor@funnywomen.com.
