The Best Films of 2012

Well, it's Oscar weekend, and I think it's well past time that I look back and pick my favorite films of 2012.  I know, it's almost March, and most people do this sort of thing back in December.  But, as a regular paying filmgoer, I choose to hold off on this list until I can see as many of the year's films as I can.  And since many of the big end of the year films usually expand slowly (sometimes very slowly) into wide release around January-February, I choose to wait until around Oscar night to post my picks.

As usual, I will be naming my favorite film of the year, followed by what I felt were the great films of 2012.  The great films can be anything that truly grabbed my attention, so they can be dramas, comedies, kid's films, whatever.  Then I'll be listing the "honorable mentions" (the runner ups), followed by my 10 favorite actor and actress performances of the year.  Aside from Best Film, all of these choices will be listed in no particular order.

So, with that out of the way, let's get down to the important stuff - the movies.


THE BEST FILM OF 2012

 

ARGO - A spellbinding, intense, and sometimes hilarious look at how a fake sci-fi movie sound up saving the lives of six Americans during the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, Argo was easily my favorite movie of the year.  Yes, it could be argued that director and star Ben Affleck did play up the drama a bit too much in certain scenes.  But, there's also no denying that this is a genuine crowd pleaser, that mixes an intense story of human survival, with an incredible eye for detail and a sharp sense of humor.  Argo tells its story with an incredible sense of urgency.  There's never a moment where I was not completely involved or not on the edge of my seat.  Affleck's precise direction allows us to follow the events unfold minute by minute, so we become all the more involved.  With its incredible tension and detail, not to mention some wonderful performances (including inspired comic turns by Alan Arkin and John Goodman), there is no doubt in my mind that Argo was the best time I had at the movies all year.


THE GREAT FILMS OF 2012

 

CHRONICLE - Here was one of the year's genuine pleasant surprises.  It starts out as somewhat of a mess, as I wasn't sure whether the movie was trying to be a coming of age story concerning an alienated young man, a sci-fi thriller, or a teen comedy.  But, as the film played out, I became greatly intrigued, and for once, my fascination was warranted.  Chronicle is that rare kind of movie that seems to be truly fascinated in its own ideas, and gives them time to develop.  The movie follows three teenage friends who develop super powers after discovering an alien object in a cave.  From there, the very well-thought out script by Max Landis develops beautifully, turning what could have been a gimmicky and cliched film into a powerful experience.  This is a great entertainment, and while it works as a reimagining of the classic superhero/super villain formula, it also works wonderfully as a tragic human drama.

 

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL - One of the gentlest and most charming movies I have seen in a long time.  The heartfelt story of a retirement community in India, and the people who work and live there, juggles its multiple plots and characters beautifully.  No one seems underwritten or unnecessary.  The winning cast includes such names as Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith, all of whom working at the top of their game.  The cast and the performances would probably be enough to recommend this film, but the script itself is genuinely funny, and quite sweet.  Is this a deep or personal movie?  No, not really.  But it is bright, wonderfully acted, and a genuinely beautiful film.

 

PARANORMAN - My favorite animated film of the year, this stop motion animated film from the studio that produced Coraline is yet another winning and surprisingly sympathetic look into the darker side of children's animation.  The film follows a young outcast boy who has the ability to see and talk to the dead, and becomes his town's only hope in stopping an invasion from beyond the grave, and the vengeful return of a witch long buried.  Mixing humor, horror, and genuine heartfelt drama, ParaNorman is a wonder to look at, with its beautiful visual style, and numerous hidden jokes that the animators have thrown in.  It's also emotional, frequently very funny, and quite involving.

 

MOONRISE KINGDOM - For those of you who have grown weary of writer-director Wes Anderson's combination of whimsical fantasy and dead-pan humor, this movie probably isn't going to change your mind.  But, I apparently have not yet tired of it, as I found it to be quite charming.  At its core, it's a simple first love story, of two young children on the verge of becoming teenagers running away together.  But, thanks to the imagination and wit of Anderson, we get a film filled with absurd humor, imagination, and creativity.  This is the kind of movie that is so full of affection and creativity, that we are transported into its strange little world.  I have seen this movie many times, and each time, I get lost in its wonder and heart.

 

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS - For all the fame that filmmaker Joss Whedon achieved for his Avengers film, I personally was more enthralled by a much smaller project he worked on.  A little comedic horror film that had actually been filmed years ago, and was left sitting on the studio shelf until it could find a distributor.  The Cabin in the Woods is a hilarious, thrilling, and intelligent dissection of horror cliches, urban legends, slasher films, and the horror genre in general.  It's been made with so much cheer and invention, it's hard not to get caught up in its spell.  While its far more successful generating laughs than actual scares, the movie still manages to be thrilling, due to its fast-pace, and the sheer creativity on display.  This movie has "cult hit" written all over it.

 

SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD - A bittersweet apocalyptic love story about two very different and lonely people who connect during the Earth's last few days before it is hit by a massive asteroid, this is a surprisingly thought provoking film, that explores how different people would react to the news that the world was ending, and actually made me think of how I would react in such a situation.  But at its core are its stars, Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, who play the lovers who develop feelings for each other during a road trip to try to fulfill their individual final wishes before humanity ends.  Thought provoking, and sadly was advertised as a wacky comedy, when it really has so much drama, heart, and emotion that it really can't be placed into just one category.  This is a movie that stays with you long after it's over.

 

END OF WATCH - This film, sadly overlooked during its theatrical run, is one of the best cop dramas I have seen in years.  Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena come across as naturals playing cops and life-long best friends as they cover the streets of L.A.  Not even the film's sometimes obnoxious "shaky cam" style of shooting cannot diminish the power and drama of this film that follows their everyday lives.  This is the rare cop movie that's not about corruption within the force, or officers being forced to decide what side of the law they are on.  It is a simple, engaging, and dramatic look at the lives of these two men both on and off the force.  Despite its often laid back atmosphere, the movie is slowly building tension, which comes to a head during its thrilling climax.  End of Watch is unforgettable, and powerful entertainment.

 

LINCOLN - Steven Spielberg's Lincoln is not your typical bio-film.  Instead of covering the entire life of our 16th President, it focuses on the last few months, which may have been some of his most important.  In showing his efforts to abolish slavery and end the Civil War on his own terms, the film manages to show the greatness of the man much more than it would by showing his entire life.  And thanks to one of the strongest casts assembled for a film in 2012 (including Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln, as well as equally strong turns by Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field), we become even more immersed in the story.  With its somewhat small scale and intimate tone, this film was somewhat of a gamble for Spielberg and the studio, as I'm sure many were expecting a much bigger and grander film.  However, everything comes together beautifully, making this one of the more memorable films of the year.

 

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY - My other favorite animated film of the year comes from Japan's acclaimed Studio Ghibli, and is a beautiful and heartwarming rendition of the classic story of The Borrowers.  With an incredible eye for detail and story, this gentle and leisurely-paced story creates a lot of emotion in the relationship that grows between a tiny young woman (a borrower), only a few inches tall, who lives under the floorboards of a house, and a human boy who is gravely ill.  With its stunning hand drawn visuals, haunting music score, and touching story, there is so much to admire here, it requires multiple viewings.  A rewarding movie that was sadly overlooked at the theaters, but has gained a cult following.

 

ZERO DARK THIRTY - Kathryn Bigelow's controversial film may lack the raw intensity of her last film, The Hurt Locker, but this does not make Zero Dark Thirty any less compelling.  The story concerns a female CIA agent (played memorably by Jessica Chastain) and her obsession in hunting down Osama bin Laden.  The lead character intentionally is an enigma to us, as her mission and her obsession slowly consumes her during the course of the film.  For all of its realistic depictions of torture practices and terrorism violence, the most powerful moment comes at the very quiet and bittersweet end, where Chastain's character finds herself uncertain now that her mission is over.  This is a harsh, uncompromising film, and it's frankly all the better for it.

 

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER - One of the best teenage dramas I have seen in quite a while.  Based on the acclaimed young adult novel by Stephen Chbosky (who also wrote and directed this film), the movie follows a young man named Charlie (memorably played by Logan Lerman), an introverted young man and the titular wallflower.  As Charlie enters high school, he befriends step-siblings Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson), who invite him into their circle of friends.  The remainder of the film deals with Charlie's troubled personal past, and his attempts to prevent his new life from unraveling.  While it all sounds familiar, the film is captivating, and told with an emotional depth we seldom see in films targeted at youth audiences.  Filled with strong performances, this is an enriching film that should be mandatory viewing for teens.

 

THE IMPOSSIBLE - A dramatization of the aftermath of a tsunami that struck coastal Southern Asia in 2004, The Impossible is a harrowing and gripping tale of survival, as a family who was vacationing for Christmas, becomes separated during the tragedy, and struggle to find one another.  Filled with unforgettable and emotional moments, the movie also boasts one of the better performances of the year, namely Naomi Watts, as the mother of the family who struggles to survive from life-threatening injuries she suffers from the tsunami.  A straightforward film, but nonetheless powerful and inspiring, this is a movie that is completely captivating, and never once feels forced or manipulative.

 

DJANGO UNCHAINED - Strip away all the controversy that this film has attracted, and you'll see that Quentin Tarantino has essentially made a highly effective action film, driven by a simple love story.  It's a basic "good punishes evil" story, told with a high amount of style and wit.  It's not deep, but it has no delusions of being deep.  It's instead a constantly surprising spectacle of action, dark humor, romance, and adventure.  Filled with wonderful characters and thrilling moments, Tarantino has made more than just a tribute to the classic Westerns of old.  He has made his own skillful movie, one which sits amongst some of his greatest film achievements.


HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Woman in Black, Safe House, John Carter, 21 Jump Street, American Reunion, Chimpanzee, The Pirates: Band of Misfits, The Five-Year Engagement, Safe, The Avengers, Snow White and the Huntsman, A Cat in Paris, Bernie, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, Brave, Magic Mike, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises, Hope Springs, The Bourne Legacy, The Campaign, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Premium Rush, Looper, Trouble with the Curve, Frankenweenie, Here Comes the Boom, The Master, Seven Psychopaths, Cloud Atlas, Wreck-It Ralph, Skyfall, Rise of the Guardians, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, This is 40, Jack Reacher, Les Miserables, Silver Linings Playbook


MY 10 FAVORITE PERFORMANCES BY AN ACTOR (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Alan Arkin in Argo
Jack Black in Bernie
Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook 
John Goodman in Argo
Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master
Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln
Logan Lerman in The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Daniel Day Lewis in Lincoln
Joaquin Phoenix in The Master
Christophe Waltz in Django Unchained


MY 10 FAVORITE PERFORMANCES BY AN ACTRESS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty
Sally Field in Lincoln
Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables
Kara Hayward in Moonrise Kingdom
Keira Knightley in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook
Charlize Theron in Snow White and the Huntsman
Quvenzhane Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild
Emma Watson in The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Naomi Watts in The Impossible

With that said and done, I guess all that's left to say is enjoy the Oscars tomorrow night, everyone!!

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