New York Film Festival 2013: Top Five Films to See From the NYFF

With the New York Film Festival having come to a close, here's a list of some of our favorite five films at the festival.

Honorable Mention: Among the films that I enjoyed that did not make the list included the Chilean Oscar selection "Gloria" by Sebastian Lelio and Ralph Fiennes' "The Invisible Woman," which proved that period movies can be intelligent and at the same time beautiful to look at. Alexander Payne's "Nebraska" brought out a beautiful portrait of middle America while Spike Jonze's "Her" showed one of Joaquin Phoenix's most subtle and alluring performances to date. Finally "The Immigrant" was a wonderful entry that will most likely get a lot of attention in 2014.

5. "Captain Phillips": Paul Greengrass' latest thriller is one of the most heart-pounding films in recent years. The movie tells the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama. Tom Hanks gives his best performance in 13 years while Barkhad Abdi is a revelation.

4. "Only Lovers Left Alive": Jim Jarmusch's latest Vampire movie is a beautifully told love story about two lonely souls. The movie subverts the vampire genre and gives a comical element to a dramatic circumstance. Featuring great performances by Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston, the film is a must see in 2014.

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3. "Blue is the Warmest Color": The Palm D'Or winner has been the source of controversy throughout the past months for its sex scenes. However, there is more to the film than that. Abdellatiff Kechiche creates an engrossing story about a girl trying to discover her sexual identity.  

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 2. "Inside Llewyn Davis": Joel and Ethan Coen's latest feature is one of the most absorbing films and features a breakout performance by Oscar Issac. The movie, which also stars Carey Mulligan, John Goodman and Justin Timerblake, recounts a week in the life of a young singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. The movie is by far one of the best of the year and one that should be seen.

1. "12 Years A Slave": Steve McQueen's latest film is the work of a master filmmaker and one that is hard to top. The film tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man, who is captured and put into slavery. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender give incredible performances - some of the best of the year - while Sean Bobbit's vivid cinematography captures some of the most disturbing and powerful images in recent times.