As per usual, I'm chickening out of ordering the ten. I've found it hard enough, particularly this year, simply to pick a ten, let alone have to number them! And, as with previous years, sticking to UK 2012 releases means that although some films were released in other countries in 2011, they'll find themselves considered for inclusion in this list. It also means that films getting huge awards buzz in the States at the moment having been recently released, namely 'Les Miserables', 'Zero Dark Thirty', 'Lincoln' and 'The Sessions', will not be considered for this list (as they haven't been released over here yet!). The only release in the remaining days of 2012 that I intend to see is 'The Life of Pi', so it should be noted that I have not considered that for inclusion here. I've obviously missed some other big releases here and there this year, though do have a look at the long list of star ratings at the end of this blog post to see briefly what I thought of all the films I saw at the cinema this year (there really are a lot of them!). Happy reading, and do comment below and let me know what you would have done differently in your list.
TOP 10 FILMS OF 2012 ------->
Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love (IMDb). 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' is a remarkable first film for director Benh Zeitlin, and anchored by a truly beautiful, naturalistic performance from nine-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis as Hushpuppy. It's sheer poetry on film, a small movie with a big, big heart, stunningly shot by Ben Richardson, bringing 'The Bathtub' (home of Hushpuppy and her family) to colourful life. 'Beasts' teases your tear ducts and makes you smile - a little marvel.
A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran (IMDb). Ben Affleck, having impressed with his first two directorial efforts, 'Gone Baby Gone' and 'The Town', takes a huge leap forward with 'Argo' and deserves to be inundated with project offers after this. The film, based on a peculiar and astonishing true story, sizzles with almost unbearable tension at times as we follow the unique operation that Tony Mendez (Affleck) undertakes to rescue the American diplomats. The thing that really sets 'Argo' apart from other recent political thrillers is its undeniable sense of fun, brought out in particular by Alan Arkin and John Goodman (both terrific). In the end, you'll feel like fist-pumping your way out of the cinema.
Young writer Sal Paradise has his life shaken by the arrival of free-spirited Dean Moriarty and his girl, Marylou. As they travel across the country, they encounter a mix of people who each impact their journey indelibly (IMDb). Adapted from the supposedly unfilmable Jack Kerouac classic - one of my all-time favourite books. People had their gripes – that it was overlong, that it was too full of hedonism and not a lot else. This has been the case for the book, and the film was always going to encounter the same criticisms. To see the film for just this is to do it a great disservice, and to miss the inherent, overwhelming sadness at its heart.
‘On The Road’ follows characters who embrace the madness of the road, the colours and smells, the culture, the jazz music, the women, on their search for ‘it’ (that point of all-consuming joy), and characters who swiftly reject all those who try to bring them down to earth. Characters who are too young to understand or take responsibility for the damage their actions so often cause. Garret Hedlund was an absolutely perfect Dean Moriarty, all charisma and freedom until the cracks begin to show, until he can ignore the world and his responsibilities no more. Kristen Stewart has never been better, bringing a wounded beauty to the character of Dean’s wife Marylou, and the film features memorable cameo roles from Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst and Steve Buscemi. Walter Salles has done a remarkable job of translating Kerouac’s autobiographical novel to the screen, featuring a beautiful score by his usual collaborator Gustavo Santaollala. A sad, reflective paean to youth and freedom.
In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self (IMDb). Writer/director Rian Johnson adds to his sterling work on 'Brick' and 'The Brothers Bloom', stepping up to the bigger budget and greater pressure with consummate professionalism. He has crafted a science fiction film that takes the best of classic sci fi while adding a new spin to it, a really quite original idea, and comes up with one of the few recent fresh entries in a sometimes stale genre.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, having previously worked with Johnson on the little-seen but terrific 'Brick', showcases not only his range ('Looper comes amongst the comedy of '50/50', the superhero thriller of 'The Dark Knight Rises' and the period drama of 'Lincoln') but also his ability as a leading man. Bruce Willis (as the older Joe) is the best he's been in years, excelling in both the action scenes and more emotional moments. There are also superb performances from Emily Blunt, and young Pierce Gagnon as the creepy, troubled Cid. 'Looper' is not only successful in its full throttle action, but in its thought-provoking concept and matters of the heart, connecting emotionally with its audience as well as getting their pulses racing.
Georges and Anne are in their eighties. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter, who is also a musician, lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne has an attack. The couple's bond of love is severely tested (IMDb). Described by some (aptly) as the best horror film of the year, 'Amour' makes for truly uncomfortable viewing in its unflinching, uncompromising depiction of ageing. Of course, you'd expect nothing less than uncomfortable and unflinching from master filmmaker Michael Haneke, the Austrian crafting perhaps his best film yet. From Anne's first attack to Georges' one moment of frustrated weakness to the heartbreaking ending, Haneke is not afraid to show anything, the camera lingering on the tormented faces of the film's protagonists.
'Amour' follows the majority of Haneke's output in having no non-diegetic (added after filming, ie music) sound, adding to the intense, claustrophobic feel and meaning that sentimentality is not shoved down the audience's throats. The acting is nothing short of astounding. Though all the fuss has been made of Emmanuelle Riva as the rapidly deteriorating Anne, I think the real gem of the piece is Jean-Louis Trintignant in the subtler, less showy role of Georges. As he tries to hold it together and attend to his dying wife, the cracks begin to show and you can see the real pain in his eyes, a real testament to the deliacy of 82 year old Trintignant's performance. Isabelle Huppert is also memorable as the couple's daughter Eva. If you haven't seen it yet, do. And take tissues.
A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader (IMDb). Paul Thomas Anderson's latest challenges and unsettles, and is led by some of the very best performances this year. It may not be the easiest film to love, as such, keeping itself at a distance from the audience at all times, but it is certainly easy to admire, beautifully shot and filled with haunting moments. Think of Hoffman's creepy, vaguely threatening rendition of '(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China', eyes fixed on Phoenix the whole time.
The film can be read in several ways, but translates most easily as a take on post-war America and those who chose to rise up amongst all the uncertainty and take these uncertain, vulnerable people under their wing, bend them to their beliefs. Phoenix's Freddie Quell is just one of these people, a man broken by war and the things he has seen and done, and really quite unsure of what to believe in anymore. He finds his comfort at the bottom of a bottle, and is a perfect target for Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman) and his brand of conditioning. Phoenix gives the best performance of his career so far - Freddie is an actor's dream of a character, bruised and battered, and Phoenix gets the very best from him, all slurred words and big laughs, anger always threatening to boil over. Hoffman, in his fourth collaboration with director Anderson, brings a dark, dangerous quality to Dodd (a thinly veiled representation of Scientology founder L.Ron Hubbard), his surface warmth often hinting at something uglier beneath. Amy Adams, as Dodd's wife, is also terrific.
When 30-something Jesse returns to his alma mater for a professor's retirement party, he falls for Zibby, a college student, and is faced with a powerful attraction that springs up between them (IMDb). Written and directed by 'How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor, 'Liberal Arts' is a lovely little coming of age story about a man who is struggling to accept his years. Jesse (played by Radnor) has never been able to truly leave college behind, so much so that he works in New York in Admissions just to feel closer to that college environment. It is commonly said that college/university equals the best years of a person's life, and Jesse looks wistfully back at that time, unable to shake the idea that nothing has been quite the same since.
Radnor is brilliant - just the right mix of boyish energy and enthusiasm, and the intelligence and sensibilities of his years (his character is not dissimilar to 'How I Met Your Mother's Ted). He captures the dreamer/lost soul side to the character so well that you wonder if the film is perhaps semi-autobiographical. Elizabeth Olsen, as Zibby, is an absolute gem, and it is quite easy to see why Jesse would be attracted to her despite the age gap that always plays on his mind. The two are supported by a reflective Richard Jenkins and a very amusing Alison Janney. 'Liberal Arts' breaks no real barriers but is a memorable little film, funny and warm and full of heart.
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own (IMDb). 'Silver Linings Playbook' is made by its performances. Bradley Cooper is the best he's ever been, finally finding the right role to showcase his talents. Robert De Niro is the best he's been in years as Pat's Dad, all worry and frustration at his son's self-destructive nature. The film is really set apart by Jennifer Lawrence, in one of the performances of the year. 'Silver Linings' flits successfully between genres - a rom-com, dark drama, sports movie - creating a unique mix. It's very much a follow-up to 'The Fighter', David O.Russell's last film, a real ensemble piece that says much about family bonds and the fragility of the human condition. I would be surprised if this didn't do well come Oscar nominations time. Despite its rather clichéd, rom-com ending, the film overall achieves a superb balance between dark and fun, pulling at the heartstrings and making you truly care about its oh-so-human characters.
A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them (IMDb). The new film from the marvellous Wes Anderson ranks as one of his best, a whimsical little tale and really a tribute to youth and adventure. It's certainly one of his funniest, and boasts the best cast (and one of the best ensembles of 2012) - Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray (of course), Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman all support the strong central pairing of Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the youngsters in love. Willis and Norton in particular are wildly against type (note Norton saying lines like 'Jiminy Cricket, he flew the coop!'), which is really very fun to watch. It's unlikely to win over any Anderson detractors - in fact the quirkiness is perhaps lifted to a whole new level in 'Moonrise' - but if you're a fan then you'll struggle to do anything but love this.
Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult (IMDb). A wonderfully understated little movie, 'Martha' is thought-provoking, intelligent, and acts as a fitting showcase for Elizabeth Olsen's burgeoning ability. Olsen's Martha is withdrawn, hiding some dark secrets about her past, and her behaviour starts to become more and more erratic as she struggles to separate dreams from reality. John Hawkes followed up his Oscar-nominated turn in 'Winter's Bone' with another tremendous performance here as cult leader Patrick, unsettling and unpredictable - his 'Marcy's Song' is beautiful and yet horrifically disturbing, knowing what we know of him. The film, non-linear in its storytelling as it flits between Martha's new life back with her family and her old life in the cult, is slow-paced and atmospheric, getting under the audience's skin. 'Martha' represents a great calling card for first time writer/director Sean Durkin, a creepy, paranoiac indie film with an ambiguous ending which frustrates and fascinates in equal measure.
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Honourable mentions go to 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', 'The Hobbit', 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'The Descendants', 'Take This Waltz', 'Skyfall', 'Rust and Bone' and 'The Muppets' (yes you heard right, I bloody loved it).
2012 was an absolutely huge year for Michael Fassbender. Having already established himself previously with terrific turns in 'Fish Tank', 'Inglorious Basterds', X-Men:First Class' and, most impressively, Steve McQueen's debut feature 'Hunger', this year saw Fassbender cement his reputation as one of the greatest character actors around. He reunited with director McQueen for 'Shame', a bleak and harrowing depiction of sex addiction, in which Fassbender's subtle performance brings to life a man always seeming on the edge of a breakdown. Fassbender's Brandon is a cold, really quite creepy creation, all long, lingering glances and forward mannerisms. He sometimes brings to mind the more reigned in parts of Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman, a simmering madness barely buried beneath manly charm.
As Carl Jung in Cronenberg's 'A Dangerous Method', Fassbender put in yet another solid, memorable performance. His scenes with Viggo Mortensen (playing Sigmund Freud) crackle with tension, a titanic psychological struggle between two masters at work. Finally, he was arguably the best thing about 'Prometheus', Ridley Scott's 'Alien' prequel. Playing android David, Fassbender always hinted at a darker side, at hidden secrets, at being one step ahead of all those around him. 2013 should be no less a year for the actor, as he reunites with Scott for 'The Counselor', McQueen for 'Twelve Years a Slave', while appearing for the great Terrence Malick for the first time in a currently untitled project.
Honourable mentions must go to Joaquin Phoenix for 'The Master' and Jean-Louis Trintignant for 'Amour'.
Rising to prominence in 2010's wonderful 'Winter's Bone', Jennifer Lawrence hit the big time in 2012, producing performance after performance of class, and ending on the highest note of her young career so far as Tiffany in 'Silver Linings Playbook'. Firstly she played the 'other girl' Sam with warmth and likeability in Drake Doremus' Sundance favourite 'Like Crazy'. Next up was her biggest role to date, the leading lady of the blockbuster adaptation of Suzanne Collins' 'The Hunger Games'. Lawrence nailed the role of heroine Katniss Everdeen, finding the right moments for Katniss' hard-edged nature and the right ones for her vulnerability. Showcasing her range, the film has catapulted Lawrence into the Hollywood limelight and proved she is perfectly capable of handling the pressure of leading a franchise - indeed, I found her to be by far the best thing about 'The Hunger Games'. She was solid in horror 'House at the End of the Street' - another genre successfully conquered.
Finally, she gave one of the best acting displays of the year in David O.Russell's 'Silver Linings Playbook'. It was a performance well, well beyond her years - there certainly aren't many actresses of just 22 who could have pulled off the role of depressed, damaged Tiffany with quite the skill that Lawrence has. Her chemistry with Bradley Cooper (who is also superb) is electric, as they give one of the great one-two Actor-Actress displays of the year - both deserve to be rewarded with Oscar nominations. Taking into account Lawrence's age, it is scary to think how good she could be in the years to come.
Honourable mentions must go to Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone) and Emmanuelle Riva (Amour).
I love Paul Thomas Anderson. Love love love him. I've yet to feel anything but blown away by one of his films, and this year's 'The Master' is no exception. Almost a companion piece to his previous feature, 'There Will Be Blood', Dodd/Quell's master-disciple relationship similar to that of Plainview/Sunday (Daniel-Day Lewis/Dano), 'The Master' continues Anderson's skill at bringing to life characters who display both the highest power and lowest weakness of human beings, characters who you simply cannot tear your eyes from. He gets the most fantastic performances from his actors, truly remarkable - think the ensembles of 'Boogie Nights' and 'Magnolia', Adam Sandler in 'Punch-Drunk Love', Day-Lewis in 'There Will Be Blood'. The acting from Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman (one of my all-time favourite actors) and Amy Adams in 'The Master' is so spectacular, the story so thought-provoking, that I felt it only right to bestow this year's Director award upon the brilliant Anderson.
Honourable mentions must go to Michael Haneke (Amour) and Ben Affleck (Argo).
Rather than simply bestow this award upon 'Amour', which has already made it onto my Top 10 films of the year, I have decided to look at my 2nd favourite foreign language film, and one that very very nearly made my Top 10, 'Holy Motors'. Director Leos Carax's first feature since 1999's 'Pola X', 'Holy Motors' is a truly original take on the themes of identity and features arguably the performance (or should that be eleven performances?) of the year by previous Carax-collaborator Denis Lavant. It's certainly one of the most bizarre films released in 2012, following Lavant's Monsieur Oscar around Paris in the back of a limousine, as he 'journeys from one life to the next. He is, in turn, captain of industry, assassin, beggar, monster, family man...' (IMDb).
In turns a thriller, a melodrama, a comedy, a horror, 'Holy Motors', just like its main character, constantly changes before your eyes, leaving you unsure of what to trust. The film is dominated, owned, by the astonishingly powerful Lavant, and also features a couple of inspired cameos from Eva Mendes and, intriguingly, Kylie Minogue. 'Holy Motors' is a surreal, twisted portrait of the fluidity of identity, making interesting comments about the nature of performance, the human condition... I really do recommend it.
Honourable mention must go to 'Rust and Bone'.
Displaying a real versatility, Elizabeth Olsen produced two wildly different performances this year, both fanastic, to step out from the shadow of her older sisters and achieve an acting reputation that they never could. Her title role in 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' brought critical acclaim and awards buzz. Playing the wounded, disturbed Martha with such dedication that her performance, and character, became unnerving, Olsen set her name in lights across Hollywood and beyond. She followed this up by playing the ball of youthful energy that is Zibby, in Josh Radnor's 'Liberal Arts'. Always smiling, laughing, Zibby is almost the antithesis of Martha, but Olsen plays her with just as much enthusiasm and skill. Interestingly, both films ended up on my Top 10 list for this year. Watch out for Elizabeth Olsen, who will be seen as Edie Parker in 'Kill Your Darlings', before appearing in Spike Lee's US remake of 'Oldboy'.
Honourable mentions go to Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Shailene Woodley (The Descendants).
Director Sam Mendes brought the world the best ever James Bond film this year with 'Skyfall'. In this scene, Javier Bardem's Silva arrives with his minions at Bond's childhood home, intent on destroying Bond (Daniel Craig) and M (Judi Dench). The house gets blown to pieces in the ensuing shoot-out, but not before M and house gamekeeper Kincade (Albert Finney) escape. Chased across the marshland by Silva, Bond not far behind, the scene crackles with electricity, the audience's hearts in mouths. It is stunningly shot by the masterful Roger Deakins (this could, and should, get him his tenth Oscar nomination, and perhaps his first win), much of it bathed in orange light from the burning house. Oliver Lyttelton's Indiewire blog post wrote that 'every frame could hang in a gallery'.
This is more than just a great action scene - it's a genuinely terrific piece of filmmaking, beautiful, full of agonising tension and superbly acted by Craig, Bardem, Dench and Finney. The scene contains a very real threat, unusual for a Bond film, culminating in that devastating finale at the church, when the stakes seem greater, more real, than in perhaps all previous Bond films put together. Mendes has created an emotional connection with the audience that is like no previous Bond movie, worked Craig into the most human and vulnerable of 007s, and there was stunned silence around the cinema at the great shock at the end of this scene.
Often the laughing stock of the acting world (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74MZNhBC5No), Matthew McConaughey shocked critics and audiences alike this year by being, actually, rather good. First there was the creepy turn as the titular killer in the little-seen but brilliant 'Killer Joe'. Then he ended up being the best thing about the otherwise disappointing new Soderbergh effort, 'Magic Mike', stealing every scene he is in as the fun, slick, slightly sleazy Dallas. All this has led to McConaughey being cast in Martin Scorsese's next film, 'The Wolf of Wall Street', alongside Leonardo Di Caprio and Jonah Hill.
Honourable mentions must go to Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) and Zac Efron (Liberal Arts).
Gustavo Santaolalla's score for 'On The Road' manages to beautifully capture the colour and energy of the road; if you close your eyes and just listen, the sights and smells and tastes soon enter your consciousness. The soundtrack also features a number of lovely songs (in particular Santiago Laserna's 'Goodbye' and Billie Holiday's 'A Sailboat in The Moonlight') to backdrop Sal, Dean and Marylou's journeys across the heart of America.
Honourable mentions must go to Jonny Greenwood for 'The Master' and Howard Shore for 'The Hobbit'.
Old-fashioned, beautiful, playful.
Honourable mentions go to 'Ted' and 'Shame'.
The ominous opening music and lines ('There's a storm coming'). Anne Hathaway's delectable Catwoman ('I'm adaptable'). The awe-inspiring shot of the bridges being blown up in succession. The broken, beaten Bruce Wayne, showing a superhero's vulnerability like perhaps no film had before. Tom Hardy's near-camp delivery of 'Your punishment must be more severe'. Bane dropping Batman's mask on the ground. Alfred's teary 'I won't bury you. I've buried enough members of the Wayne family'. And the light relief of 'This isn't a car', as 'The Bat' takes to the sky. Pushed excitement levels to breaking point, as fans worldwide prepared themselves for one of the biggest film releases of the new millennium.
Honourable mentions go to 'Les Miserables' and 'The Hobbit'.
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Here's the full list of films that I saw in the cinema this year, along with my star rating of each film.
THE IRON LADY - 2/5
MARGIN CALL - 4/5
SHAME - 4/5
WAR HORSE - 2/5
J.EDGAR - 2/5
THE SITTER - 2/5
LIKE CRAZY - 4/5
THE DESCENDANTS - 4/5
CHRONICLE - 3/5
CARNAGE - 3/5
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE - 4/5
YOUNG ADULT - 3/5
A DANGEROUS METHOD - 3/5
THE MUPPETS - 4/5
THE WOMAN IN BLACK - 3/5
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL - 4/5
PROJECT X - 2/5
THIS MEANS WAR - 3/5
WANDERLUST - 2/5
BEL AMI - 2/5
21 JUMP STREET - 4/5
WE BOUGHT A ZOO - 3/5
THE HUNGER GAMES - 4/5
THE PIRATES! IN AN ADVENTURE WITH SCIENTISTS - 4/5
SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN - 3/5
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE - 4/5
AMERICAN PIE: REUNION - 3/5
DARK SHADOWS - 3/5
THE DICTATOR - 2/5
MEN IN BLACK III - 3/5
MOONRISE KINGDOM - 4/5
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN - 3/5
PROMETHEUS - 3/5
ROCK OF AGES - 3/5
COSMOPOLIS - 4/5
THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT - 3/5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN - 4/5
MAGIC MIKE - 2/5
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES - 4/5
TED - 4/5
TAKE THIS WALTZ - 4/5
KEITH LEMON: THE FILM - 1/5
ANNA KARENINA - 3/5
LAWLESS - 4/5
HOPE SPRINGS - 3/5
TO ROME WITH LOVE - 4/5
NOW IS GOOD - 3/5
KILLING THEM SOFTLY - 2/5
HOLY MOTORS - 4/5
LOOPER - 4/5
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER - 4/5
LIBERAL ARTS - 4/5
PRIVATE PEACEFUL - 3/5
RUBY SPARKS - 3/5
FRANKENWEENIE - 3/5
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD - 5/5
SKYFALL - 4/5
RUST AND BONE - 4/5
THE MASTER - 5/5
ARGO - 5/5
AMOUR - 5/5
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 - 2/5
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK - 4/5
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY - 4/5
LIFE OF PI -
Phew. So that was where all my money went this year!
