In recent years, the great Quentin Tarantino has done what few other writer-directors do, and announced his own personal Top 10 Movies of the Year, starting back in 2010, and continuing in 2011.
Last year, his focus on Django Unchained understandably meant that we were left without his Top 10 for 2012, but he’s making up for it now by announcing his Top 10 Films of 2013, so far.
The folks over at The Quentin Tarantino Archives exclusively debuted the list over the weekend during the government shutdown in the US, and as usual, it includes a number of diverse and very interesting choices. So in alphabetical order, here are Tarantino’s favourite ten films of the year, so far.
- Afternoon Delight
- Before Midnight
- Blue Jasmine
- The Conjuring
- Drinking Buddies
- Frances Ha
- Gravity
- Kick-Ass 2
- The Lone Ranger
- This Is The End
Given that the critical reception for The Lone Ranger was, in my opinion, undeservedly mounted against Gore Verbinski’s blockbuster, it’s very nice to see someone of Tarantino’s stature coming out in favour of it as well.
Woody Allen makes another appearance, following Midnight in Paris with Blue Jasmine this year, and after topping the box office with a record-breaking October opening over the weekend, Alfonso Cuarón’s acclaimed Gravity makes an appearance here as well.
It’s also really nice to see Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s directorial debut, This Is The End, earn a nod, along with the likes of Kick-Ass 2, which wasn’t as well received by the box office or most critics as I thought it ought to have been.
In all likelihood, I don’t think that the list will really look like this come the year’s end, which is a really good reason why I think Tarantino has published it now. The awards race is already upon us, but it’s always nice to give credit where credit’s due, and whilst some of these films likely won’t make it to the final cut – I have a feeling Tarantino will be making room for 12 Years a Slave, and a handful of other films still to come this year – they’ve at least got the attention they deserve now.
