MY TOP 5 FAVORITE FILMS OF 2012!
It's 2013! Hooray! It's that time again for me to gather the films I've seen this year, and somehow sort them into a dignified list of the most quality films I've seen in 2012. As noted already, in the history of cinema, 2012 has been one of its greatest years, financially or otherwise. Bloated sequels and bland remakes still crowded the cinemas, but the majority of films managed to blow me away. Keep in mind I'm not a professional critic, and only count movies released this year I've seen from 1/1/12-12/31/12. On my wish list are "Zero Dark Thirty," "Silver Linings Playbook" and "The Impossible," but I welcome criticism. Let's begin, and don't forget to see the ones that juuuuuuust missed the mark, and the ones that were, well....unremarkable.
5. BERNIE
I didn't review this or the following film on my list because I saw them way too late, but I caught it on DVD over winter break. Jack's nomination for best comedy actor garnered my interest in this film, and wow, I was enormously surprised. The movie's subject matter could have easily made it a horror flick if Wes Craven had gotten his hands on it, but Richard Linklater, who worked with Black on "The School of Rock" got a rarity from Mr. Black: a subdued performance. Not to say I don't love the over-the-top spontaneity he usually brings to roles, but this was so blissfully out of character. What got this film on the list, however, is the commentary from the townspeople of Carthage, where Bernie is located. Shot like a mockumentary without the irritating shaky-cam, the good folk of Carthage try to noodle through what went wrong with Bernie, and why he committed his act of violence; the man was a genuine saint. Hilarious and real, in a duller movie year "Bernie" could have been in the running for my favorite film of the year.
4. SKYFALL
Keep in mind I'm a total Bond noob; I thought I had the genre figured out when I saw Mike Myers' "The Spy Who Shagged Me." Villain comes in, Bond's in trouble, kills some people, gets the girl, saves the world. While I may not have seen another Bond film than this one, I certainly know they can't all be as masterful as "Skyfall." You know a movie does its job when it makes you want to watch the other 22 films. In this enticingly gripping thriller, Bond battles with "death," the balance of old vs. new, something the series might have been experiencing itself, but this breathes such gorgeous life into it. Javier Bardem is surely Oscar worthy as Silva, a cyber terrorist mastermind, who provides the film's best scene, where Silva interrogates Bond by, well, flirting with him. What made this scene was how cool Bond played it off, and how unfazed he appeared, displaying utter neutrality against the enemy. Judi Dench's M is also a revelation, and I can't wait for number 24.
3. LINCOLN
The only film this year I was in where the audience unabashedly applauded the ending, summing up all my thoughts on Spielberg's latest masterpiece. First off, the passion put into this thing shows like an aura, Day-Lewis' performance deserves three Oscars, embodying a man we see so often and idolize in fourth grade history, that he's practically a Paul Bunyan like myth. Tommy Lee Jones as a crotchety, spitfire abolitionist and Sally Field as Lincoln's devoted, criminally misunderstood wife might secure golden boys as well, and you won't hear me complaining. Some movies are made, but this epic about Lincoln doing what in his heart he knew was right, not what others expected him to, was crafted by some brilliant people.
2. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Back in 2008 when I was twelve and Nolan's "Dark Knight" came out, I wasn't allowed to see it on account of the PG-13 rating. I saw it when I got it for Christmas and popped it in eagerly, and didn't fully comprehend its dark genius. I watched it a week before "TDKR," and I was able to understand how truly explosive it was. This threequel may not be quite as classic, but this was my favorite film of the year for quite some time. The scale is enormous, the pressure intense (something Peter Jackson couldn't match this year sadly) and the cast a dream. Tom Hardy was the year's best villain, even while speaking through a word garbling mask. I was sucked in entirely, immersed in Nolan's Gotham city that refused to play by cliched superhero guidelines. A best picture nomination may be just a hope, but it more than secures my #2 spot.
1. ARGO
It really is true they don't make movies like "Argo" anymore. A sleek, 70's set thriller involving secret agents, Hollywood, and whatever was on top of Ben Affleck's head. Affleck has more than earned his seat with a trio of well received films showcasing his director expertise. Alan Arkin is (deservedly) getting the most attention for his role as a darkly humorous Hollywood producer, but show some love for John Goodman as a kindly, weathered makeup guru and the predictably amazing Bryan Cranston as the distressed supervisor of the "Canadian Caper" mission. Devising a fake movie and locating six hostages in Iran and bringing them back to the States as workers is a genius idea to work with...and then you realize it all happened. Believe everything you hear about the white knuckle airport scene, that's what really pushed the film into the top spot. "Argo" is simply the movie of the year.
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HONORABLE MENTIONS:
I cheat here a little because I haven't seen the really bad movies of the year (sorry "John Carter" and "Battleship,") but here were a couple I was disappointed in:
5. BERNIE
4. SKYFALL
Keep in mind I'm a total Bond noob; I thought I had the genre figured out when I saw Mike Myers' "The Spy Who Shagged Me." Villain comes in, Bond's in trouble, kills some people, gets the girl, saves the world. While I may not have seen another Bond film than this one, I certainly know they can't all be as masterful as "Skyfall." You know a movie does its job when it makes you want to watch the other 22 films. In this enticingly gripping thriller, Bond battles with "death," the balance of old vs. new, something the series might have been experiencing itself, but this breathes such gorgeous life into it. Javier Bardem is surely Oscar worthy as Silva, a cyber terrorist mastermind, who provides the film's best scene, where Silva interrogates Bond by, well, flirting with him. What made this scene was how cool Bond played it off, and how unfazed he appeared, displaying utter neutrality against the enemy. Judi Dench's M is also a revelation, and I can't wait for number 24.3. LINCOLN
The only film this year I was in where the audience unabashedly applauded the ending, summing up all my thoughts on Spielberg's latest masterpiece. First off, the passion put into this thing shows like an aura, Day-Lewis' performance deserves three Oscars, embodying a man we see so often and idolize in fourth grade history, that he's practically a Paul Bunyan like myth. Tommy Lee Jones as a crotchety, spitfire abolitionist and Sally Field as Lincoln's devoted, criminally misunderstood wife might secure golden boys as well, and you won't hear me complaining. Some movies are made, but this epic about Lincoln doing what in his heart he knew was right, not what others expected him to, was crafted by some brilliant people.
2. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Back in 2008 when I was twelve and Nolan's "Dark Knight" came out, I wasn't allowed to see it on account of the PG-13 rating. I saw it when I got it for Christmas and popped it in eagerly, and didn't fully comprehend its dark genius. I watched it a week before "TDKR," and I was able to understand how truly explosive it was. This threequel may not be quite as classic, but this was my favorite film of the year for quite some time. The scale is enormous, the pressure intense (something Peter Jackson couldn't match this year sadly) and the cast a dream. Tom Hardy was the year's best villain, even while speaking through a word garbling mask. I was sucked in entirely, immersed in Nolan's Gotham city that refused to play by cliched superhero guidelines. A best picture nomination may be just a hope, but it more than secures my #2 spot.
1. ARGO
It really is true they don't make movies like "Argo" anymore. A sleek, 70's set thriller involving secret agents, Hollywood, and whatever was on top of Ben Affleck's head. Affleck has more than earned his seat with a trio of well received films showcasing his director expertise. Alan Arkin is (deservedly) getting the most attention for his role as a darkly humorous Hollywood producer, but show some love for John Goodman as a kindly, weathered makeup guru and the predictably amazing Bryan Cranston as the distressed supervisor of the "Canadian Caper" mission. Devising a fake movie and locating six hostages in Iran and bringing them back to the States as workers is a genius idea to work with...and then you realize it all happened. Believe everything you hear about the white knuckle airport scene, that's what really pushed the film into the top spot. "Argo" is simply the movie of the year.________________________________________________________________________________
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Les Miserables- The best musical in years (take that, "Glee: The Concert!") took you to the lowest lows and made you dream a dream of Anne Hathaway taking an Oscar home. This opera resurrected a genre long given up on and improved it by implementing the actors singing live. A voyage this epic landed into the right hands of Tom Hooper, now a true force for coming years.
- Moonrise Kingdom- An utterly adorable film by quirk-master Wes Anderson that made me reminisce over summer camp days when I had three crushes at a time. Shot only in the way the master hipster could, it gave us two breakouts from Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, and an out of character role for the usually macho Bruce Willis.
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Another film that showcased the glory of youth, this 90's set gem showcased an American Emma Watson and a feisty Ezra Miller who befriend a loner. The movie works on a number of levels, and it succeeds as a coming of age story where you actually feel a sense of character development.
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS:
I cheat here a little because I haven't seen the really bad movies of the year (sorry "John Carter" and "Battleship,") but here were a couple I was disappointed in:
- Dark Shadows- Burton redeemed this pale, bloodless mess with "Frankenweenie," but Johnny Depp as a vampire should be anything but uninteresting!
- To Rome with Love- Woody Allen blew it out of the park last year with "Midnight in Paris," and he even won an Oscar for it! But while "Rome" is a tad clever, it feels overlong even when it only clocks in at under two hours. You know that's bad when you can't enjoy a movie more even when Penelope Cruz plays a hooker!
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