One nice thing about the respected French film publication Cahiers du Cinéma is that despite its somewhat erudite image, it has always been all about a careful, critical enthusiasm for American mainstream cinema. Now in its 63rd year, its top 10 list still reflects that spirit. Let’s take a look at its picks for the year of Our Lord 2013, shall we?

Cahiers du Cinéma's Top 10 of 2013

1. Stranger by the Lake
2. Spring Breakers

STOP. STOP EVERYTHING.

First of all, it warms my bass-thumping heart to see Vanessa, Selena, Ashley, and Rachel right underneath the Cannes Un Certain Regard pick and Queer Palm winner Stranger by the Lake. It’s a little bit of validation if you’ve been spending the whole year falling over yourself defending the artistic merit of slow-motion dubstep boobs. This might be all we get, as SB is all but fated to get shut out at the Oscars this year (despite a laudable FYC campaign for James Franco).

Then there’s also the small victory of what comes right below it on the list:

3. Blue Is the Warmest Color

Cahiers du Cinéma might feel obligated to include Abdellatif Kechiche’s controversial, Palme d’Or–winning coming-of-age film in the list, but I hope the decision to rank it under Spring Breakers was at least partially motivated by the fact that it reminded us what a creeper-director really looks like. Perspective is always appreciated.

Anyway, here’s the rest of this list. Pourquoi Lincoln? Je ne sais pas. Sacre bleu! Fin.

4. Gravity
5. A Touch of Sin
6. Lincoln
7. La Jalousie
8. Nobody’s Daughter Haewon
9. You and the Night
10. La Bataille de Solférino

[h/t Indiewire]