The Super Network

December is in fact upon us, 2013 is almost at a close and it is that time of year where the lists start to pop up. I thought I might get the ball rolling by sharing my Top 5 Performances of 2013. Now when I say performances I mean acting performances in cinema, just to clarify incase you were wondering.

Now I haven’t seen every film that came out this year so this list is going by what I have seen, so naturally I am sure there will be those that disagree. This is just simply my opinion and how I see it, so please enjoy.

Honourable Mention – Sandra Bullock as Dr. Ryan Stone (Gravity)

She just missed my top 5, but Sandra gave a hell of a performance in Gravity, and it really was the reason why I was invested in the human element at all. This is unlike anything she has ever done and in turn, for me this is her best performance.

5.) Tom Hanks as Captain Richard Phillips (Captain Phillips)

Tom Hanks is an actor that admire, I think he does great work with the right material. But I haven’t seen him give a performance quite like this, in quite some time. In fact I would easily rank think as one of his best performances. He went through a lot, and this resonated with me, I felt like I was in his position and every little bit he went through, I really could feel it. This is the stuff that truly great performances are made of, and it is something that is going to certainly stick with me for a very long time.

4.) Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki (Prisoners)

I have been a Jake Gyllenhaal fan since Donnie Darko, I do believe he is a fantastic actor and when the right material for him comes along he can be something truly amazing. Prisoners definitely provided him with material that was both challenging and intriguing and Jake really blew my mind. With all the great actors and performances in this film, his was the one that struck out at me and that is the character I was really left thinking about. There are so many intricate pieces to Loki, and Jake really brought that all across. It is already at that point I couldn’t picture anyone else in the role.

3.) Barkhad Abdi as Muse (Captain Phillips)

Yes another one from the same film, and placed in a higher spot than Mr. Hanks. But to be fair both men were phenomenal in this film, but I need to give credit to the guy who doesn’t have the experience like Hanks. This performance is one of the most honest and raw I have seen this year. The sad part about this film is the Somali pirates feel they have no choice but to do what they are doing, and fear is what drives them. The fear is something that Barkhad Abdi made me believe in and feel every time he was on screen, every moment could be felt and that was just through his eyes. I am not sure how he managed this role, but I have nothing but respect for it.

2.) Mia Wasikowska as India Stoker (Stoker)

Mia has fast become one of my favourite working actresses today, and Stoker was one of my most anticipated for the year. So naturally she makes the list here, because she really did not disappoint and she gave a performance that I wont soon forget. Her character of India may not seem complex on the surface, but she really is, and that credit does go to the actress who manages to keep her mysterious yet lets in enough for the audience to try grasp on to to figure out. With one of the best working directors today and a bloody magnificent script, it is no wonder she managed one of the top performances of the year and easily won me over yet again.

1.) Daniel Brühl as Niki Lauda (Rush)

Words really cannot do this performance justice, nothing I can say can really explain it. Daniel Brühl is a top notch actor, and I was pretty excited to hear he was cast as Niki. But I really had no idea just how much he would put into this role, not only does he become Niki, he gives us a real character. This isn’t just an imitation, oh no, there is so much more here. Yes he gets a lot of the mannerisms down, but the real heart and soul is in everything else. I could believe everything he did, from how he drove a car to how he reacted with his accident, I was there with him every step and I honestly did not want to let go. Magic was made here, and just thinking back about it fills me with the emotions I felt while experiencing the performance.