Targeting help

I've been playing for awhile now, but no matter what I seem to do in the menus, the targeting is still bullocks to me.
I'm on PS3, so I use a controller, and pretty much whatever I want to target, the game decides to target something completely different.
Example: A friend is standing right in front of me, center screen. Go to target...Oop! You wanted to target that summoning bell way in the background right?
This goes the same with mobs/bosses.
Any help?

Targeting goes from left -> right or right -> left. The easiest way to do this with tab/controller targeting is to use target filters to specify what you're trying to target (ie party members, monsters, etc).

Also if you press X, objects and enemies in front of you have a higher priority than players.