2012 FILM IN REVIEW

Another year, another slew of films, some bad and some good. 2012 was an interesting year for movies. We saw the culmination of years of individual films and characters coming together in one epic masterpiece. We saw the end of what will go down in history as one of the greatest trilogies ever with a bit of a whimper. We also saw a reboot of yet another series just a mere 5 years after the last entry.

And that was just the superhero genre.

With as many near misses as hits, the box office ended up growing to the highest ever in history, no doubt thanks to the up-charge of 3D, HFR and IMAX. Maybe in 2013 we will see movies offered in WTF, SMH and HTTR.

For every movie I loved this year, there were ten I hated. Some films that I walked out disappointed in were: Headhunters, The Dictator, Prometheus, Brave, The Amazing Spider-man, Sleepwalk With Me, The Details and Lincoln. Yeah that's right, a three-hour talky set over a hundred years ago just didn't do it for me, not even if Steven Spielberg directed it himself.

But by far the worst movie I saw last year was Wrath of the Titans, I mean, what the hell were they thinking? I won't waste your time picking apart this abortion of cinema.

Biggest surprise: The Three Stooges. The Farrelly Brothers have been on quite a downslide over the last decade and this was one film I expected to loathe. Seriously, what could this movie be other than a big steaming pile? But I was pleasantly surprised. It was smart that they kept Moe, Larry and Curley's humor in their slapstick dimwitted yet innocent way, and threw them into modern times. You may judge the film and that's fine, but you must see it first to do so.

Before I get into my top ten, realize that I am only human and there are a number of films that either I missed out on in the theaters or they weren't released in my area at all. Some films I desperately want to see but haven't yet are: Les Miserables, Zero Dark Thirty, The Hobbit, Silver Linings Playbook, Life of Pi, Killing Them Softly and Seven Psychopaths.

And now... roll out the red carpet, start up the band, here is my top ten favorite films of 2012. 

10. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

directed by Christopher Nolan

“There's a storm coming, Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches, because when it hits, you're all gonna wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us.”

-Selena Kyle

Christopher Nolan’s conclusion to the Dark Knight Trilogy was going to disappoint. Even those who loved it don’t love it as much as the second entry, The Dark Knight. I flirted with the idea of leaving this film off of the list, even including it on my list of disappointments. But let’s be honest here, this film is an ambitious, bare knuckles brawl of a tale that gives a well-deserved and fitting end to arguably one of the greatest trilogies ever. Even with its gaping plot holes and unnecessary exposition, this movie was epic in every possible way. Nolan has created a believable universe seeded in reality. There are no mystic creatures or body-morphing villains here. Christian Bale IS Batman. Yeah his voice was a little over the top at times, but it served a purpose, much like every motion Nolan made with this film does. While not the definitive Batman film, Christopher Nolan has given DC Comics, Warner Bros. and whoever has the gall to take on the inevitable reboot of the character a lot to compete with.

 9. ARGO 

directed by Ben Affleck

“Bad news, bad news. Even when it's good news, it's bad news. John Wayne in the ground 6 months and this is what is left of America.”

-Lester Siegel

Ben Affleck is three for three in my book. And yeah we are talking about that Ben Affleck, the Ben from Bennifer, the guy who fell in love with a lesbian, and Gigli. How did what was once a laughing joke in the media sphere become one of the greatest actor turned directors ever? With his third film, Affleck parted ways with his comfortable south Boston heritage and expertly directed a true life story set in 1979 that led from the posh rooftop pool parties of Hollywood to the dangerous streets of a revolutionary Iran. A plot almost too unreal to be real, Affleck played the lead operative on a joint CIA-Hollywood mission to extract six U.S. diplomats using a fake science fiction film as a cover. To say that the makers did the story justice is an understatement. Argo is wrought with tension through a streamlined script written by Chris Terrio and perfectly cast with a number of strangely familiar character actors. If Affleck continues this line of success he may finally be forgiven for Reindeer Games.

8. TAKE THIS WALTZ

directed by Sarah Polley

“Life has a gap in it... It just does. You don't go crazy trying to fill it.”

-Geraldine

Sarah Polley’s second feature film is a very straightforward tale about marriage, infidelity, and the desire to be wanted. Michelle Williams plays Margot, a woman who is deeply in love with her cookbook-writing husband Lou, played by a surprisingly reserved Seth Rogan. But when an innocent flirtation with her neighbor Daniel (Luke Kirby) turns into a not so innocent relationship, Margot is left with a decision to make. She loves them both and desires to be with Daniel, but does not want to cheat on her husband. Polley does such a great job inviting the audience into the lives of these three people. You truly believe that Margot is in love with both men through their simple day-to-day interactions and they way they speak and act towards each other.  Make no mistake; this is Williams’ movie from start to finish. She radiates the screen with her presence and even though her character makes some decisions some viewers may disagree with, she never plays the character unlikeable. In fact, no one is unlikeable in this film, even when they are breaking each other’s hearts. This wasn’t the biggest release of the year by far, but it is available on Netflix Instant and I highly recommend it.

7. THE AVENGERS

directed by Joss Whedon

“The Avengers. It's what we call ourselves, sort of like a team. "Earth's Mighiest Heroes" type thing.”

-Tony Stark

Is this real? Am I dreaming, or do I really see Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the Hulk on screen together? Black Widow and Hawkeye are great in their own way but those other four are characters I grew up with. Characters I had action figures, comics, and piggy banks of. This can’t be reality! But oh yes, it is. This movie really does exist. Whedon was an inspired choice to take on what could have gone down as the biggest mistake ever put to celluloid.  But he peppered in is “Whedon-isms”, crafted larger than life action set pieces, and directed what is no doubt the most fun film of the year. He was up against the wall with giving each character their own storyline, arc and fitting all of them into a cohesive and comprehensive plot, but the Gods of Asgard must have been watching over him because not only did he pull it off, he pulled it off in under 150 minutes. This is without a doubt the best Marvel film yet, and set’s up their “Phase II” quite nicely. Puny God.

6. JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME

directed by Jay & Mark Duplass

“Everyone and everything is interconnected in this universe. Stay pure of heart and you will see the signs. Follow the signs, and you will uncover your destiny.”

-Jeff

About six years ago I saw a film called The Puffy Chair and I knew that I had seen something different, something new, something special. Three movies later, the Duplass brothers, with their distinctive shooting style (yet slightly polished) are back with another road trip about growing up, sibling rivalry and finding your place in life. They owe a lot to M. Night Shyamalan’s film Signs for their latest offering starring Jason Segel and Ed Helms.  Segel’s character, Jeff, who lives at home, is obsessed with the idea that everything happens for a reason. And in this film everything does. He resembles a wandering prophet with his quiet innocence and positive attitude towards everything, including being mugged by who he thinks is his newest friend. There is no other movie this year that celebrates positivity as much as Jeff, Who Lives At Home does. And that makes me very happy.

5. MOONRISE KINGDOM

directed by Wes Anderson

“It takes time to figure things out. It's been proven by history. All mankind makes mistakes. It's our job to try to protect you from making the dangerous ones, if we can.”

-Captain Sharpe

When Anderson was in the process of casting this film I’m sure he had the obvious names on his list: Murray, Schwartzman, McDormand, Balaban, Norton. All of them: perfect. But there are three actors in Moonrise Kingdom that truly give career making and career reaffirming performances. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward ARE Sam and Suzy. No other actors could play these roles. Gilman reminds me of a young Daniel Radcliffe but has the sarcasm and wit of a modern Bill Murray. Hayward has a vulnerability to her that all young girls her age possess, but she is able to turn on a dime and demand attention when the time calls. These kids make this movie. But then there is Bruce “Yippe Ki Yay Mother Fucker” Willis. The scene where his character, Captain Sharpe is sitting with Sam and pouring him small amounts of beer as they get to know each other on a level no other person in Sam’s life ever wanted to know him, is so nuanced and expertly performed that I almost forgot Sam was having a beer with John McClane. Almost. This film may be Anderson’s best film to date, but with the filmography he has created for himself over the last near-twenty years, that is most certainly up for debate.

4. CLOUD ATLAS

directed by Lana & Andy Wachowski & Tom Tykwer

“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime; and every kindness we birth our future.”

-Sonmi-451

Six storylines, two dozen main characters, hundreds of years and 171 minutes. This is by far, the single most ambitious film I have ever seen. To think that a hundred million dollar independent film could get financing blows my mind, because who would have ever had the balls to fund a film of this scope, size and structure? Time magazine may have called it “the worst film of the year” but I’m inclined to think that they either A. didn’t actually watch it, or B. never saw Adam Sandler’s That’s My Boy. Even with its length and multiple storylines, not once did Cloud Atlas leave me bored or confused, quite the opposite actually.  The editing was perfectly done and paced the film with a streamlined flow that made the last ninety minutes fly by like a speeding freight train. Aside from some questionable makeup, I have a hard time finding wrong what most critics did. Always thrilling and acted to the standards we expect from Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, this film is an epic masterpiece that will age much better than most other films released this year.

3. THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

directed by Stephan Chbosky

“Right now we are alive and in this moment I swear we are infinite.”

-Charlie

Steven Chbosky’s 1999 novel has been critically applauded since its release and has been considered a modern classic. The tale of Charlie entering high school with no true friends to call his own is a universal story that could have easily gone down the clichéd route. But Chbosky (who adapted and directed the film himself) is much smarter than that. This is the most realistic approach to a coming of age story I’ve seen in such a long time that I really believe this happened to either a friend or Chbosky himself. The story goes into some dark places as we learn more about Charlie, and why he is the way he is. Emma Watson (Hermione from the Harry Potter series) delivers a performance that will no doubt separate her from the role she earned as a child and has played for over decade. Logan Lerman plays Charlie with the nervous quietness that truly helps him hide among the rest of the cast, which makes him the perfect wallflower. This is by far the best teen high school film I have seen since John Hughes was alive and directing.

2. DJANGO UNCHAINED

directed by Quentin Tarantino

“Gentlemen, you had my curiousity. But now, you have my attention.”

-Calvin Candie

This violent throwback to the blood soaked spaghetti westerns of the seventies is by far Tarantino’s most entertaining and funny film to date.  Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz are a dream team and the way they play off of each other makes me want to see all of their side adventures leading to the climax of this film. I didn’t think he had it in him, but Leonardo DiCaprio gives the best performance in the film as slave owner Calvin Candie. He is a truly despicable character and the moment he is introduced, you want him to be dispatched of immediately in the most gloriously violent way.  Amidst the tongue snapping dialogue, gorgeous landscape photography and scene chewing acting there is a very simple story of a man hell bent on revenge and searching for his wife. I know the character was written for Will Smith, but I cannot see him in this role. I only see Foxx. Foxx is Django, and the D is silent.

1. THE GREY 

directed by Joe Carnahan

"Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I'll ever know. Live and die on this day. Live and die on this day."

-Ottway

This film…. this film.  After seeing it, I could not stop thinking about it. I still can’t stop thinking about it. Liam Neeson gives the best performance of his career. Carnahan made the best film of his career so far. By far. A story about life and death, this film is far different from the “Liam Neeson fight wolves” movie that the marketing campaign had make you think.  This is man vs. nature, man vs. man, man vs. the elements, man vs. himself.  The character of Ottway is so rich with angst, frustration and loss that you would think that half of the movie is his back-story. But in only a few brief glimpses, Neeson and Carnahan make everything Ottway is feeling apparent. It’s a strong performance in the middle of a number of strong supporting performances. One of them, Diaz, played by Frank Grillo is so well done that he sometimes steals the show from Neeson. Without any doubt, Grillo will be in high demand very soon.  The movie may have disappointed some with the lack of Neeson/wolf action, but I believe it is stronger for it. It gave a much deeper story with rich characters and the battles they fight to either live and die on this day.

Well, that is 2012 and I am already looking forward to 2013. Here are a number of films I am looking forward to seeing in the next twelve months:

Zero Dark Thirty (wide release), A Good Day To Die Hard, The Place Beyond The Pines, The Evil Dead, Pain & Gain, Iron Man 3, The Great Gatsby, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Only God Forgives, Man of Steel, This Is The End, World War Z, Kick Ass 2, Pacific Rim, Elysium, Sin City 2, The Worlds End.