2013 was a great year for films of all genres. My colleague Tom Tangney posted his Top Ten list and we recently chatted on my show (for an hour, which, truth be told, is not much based on how often we chat during the day about movies). Here were the ten best films of 2013 that I highly recommend you check out.

10. (tie) Much Ado About Nothing and This is the End

These two films reimagined somewhat tired genres. Joss Whedon’s adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing doesn’t rewrite the plot or change the script. He simply filmed it in contemporary times with popular TV actors. And like most Shakespeare plays, it takes a few minutes to adapt to the dialogue. But after about five minutes, you really can appreciate just how funny and inventive it is.

This is the End is just plain funny. Probably the funniest movie I’ve seen since In the Loop . Starring Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill and an all-star cast of young stars, this romp invigorates the tired post-apocalypse genre.

9. The Kings of Summer

Local boy Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, and Moises Arias, along with a very talented screenwriter, Chris Galletta, reminded me how coming-of-age tales can be refreshing and contemporary. In the ultimate act of independence, three teens ditch their parents to live on their own in the woods. Though there are some clichés at work here, the movie transcends them with tight dialogue and believable relationship between the teens and their parents.

8. Captain Phillips

Based on the true story of the pirate-captured Maersk Alabama, Tom Hanks will easily earn an Oscar nod for the title role. Following his tested style, director Paul Greengrass manages to tell a tense story, even though we all know how it ends.

7. The Hunt

This meticulous and measured Danish drama tells the tale of a school teacher (Mads Mikkelsen, from TV’s Hannibal) falsely accused of sexual misconduct against a child. The child also happens to be the daughter of his best friend. The allegations happen to occur while he’s trying to get his life together after a nasty divorce. What happens in this movie is unsettling and will make you scream in anger at your TV screen. It also has one of the most intense final scenes of any film last year.

6. Lone Survivor

This important film tells the true tale of four SEAL Team 10 members tasked with taking down a notorious Taliban leader in Afghanistan. But the mission goes terribly wrong, as you can probably tell from the title. This is a tough, brutal movie but one you should see. It stars Mark Whalberg and an under appreciated Ben Foster and Taylor Kitsch.

5. Gravity

The Sandra Bullock thriller is not a perfect movie (not the story, anyway), but this is an experience. You feel like you’re in space and the action never lets up, making it a near perfect movie experience. The question, however, is whether the film will hold up on Blu-Ray or DVD. I hope it will.

4. Her

Though you don’t see her on film once, Scarlett Johansson manages to be charming and sexy and real… despite playing the voice of an operating system that Joaquin Phoenix’s character falls for in this quirky, funny, heartbreaking film by director Spike Jonze. Will this film stand the test of time, given the subject matter? That remains to be seen. But for now, it does just fine.

3. The Wolf of Wall Street

A movie about excess that lasts about three hours? Makes sense, at least when your film’s lead actors (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill) make the time pass so quickly. This epic film is a lot of fun, stars Matthew McConaughey for just five minutes in a scene that should earn an Oscar nod, and packs a ton of energy, despite being so tightly controlled by Martin Scorsese.

2. The Place Beyond the Pines

Ryan Gosling stars as a traveling motorcycle stunt driver who turns to bank robbery to take care of his son’s mother (played beautifully by Eva Mendes). The film explores how Gosling’s irresponsible behavior affects his family (and others) for generations to come. This film is gorgeously shot, wonderfully acted, incredibly poignant and, unfortunately, criminally overlooked because it was released in March of 2013.

1. American Hustle

I went into this film thinking it was a drama, and quickly realized I was wrong. Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence (in her best role to date) ham it up to awesome effect in this David O. Russell comedy crime flick. Each character is rich and distinct, with razor sharp dialogue and clever direction. I loved this film.