Following
on from my previous article, my Top Ten Games of 2012, here are my Top 10 Films
of 2012.
Once
again, these are the best films that I
have watched this year and not the best out of all films released this year (after all, I’m just one dude!). Oh, and if you want to check out last year's list, its HERE.
Anyway,
here we go:
10) Argo
Sure, it
embellishes the truth a little, but this based on a true story tale of a daring
rescue via the use of a fake film crew is one of the most tense and nail-biting
films I have seen.
The
period is recreated authentically and the opening raid on the embassy is terrifyingly real. Ben Affleck is
proving himself as a capable director, managing to effectively balance these
moments of tense drama with the more comedic ‘Hollywood’ portion of the film,
with sharp zingers regularly fired out by supporting actors Alan Arkin and John
Goodman.
Criticisms
have been largely aimed at the authenticity of the depicted events or the apolitical
nature of a film but these are minor issues as the film never really sets out to be anything other than an engaging story of daring-do. Just go along for the ride!
Favourite
moment: Scoot McNairy's character rising to the occasion and charming the soldiers with his animated
narrative using the Argo storyboards.
You can read an earlier article I wrote
about Argo concerning the reality of the facts portrayed in the film, HERE.
9) Young Adult
Charlize
Theron plays a character in this film that is pretty unlikeable. And yet her
turn in this is so mesmerising and the writing and direction are so sharp that
like a slow motion car crash you find yourself unable to look away.
Playing
an obnoxious and self absorbed writer Mavis, who journeys back to her hometown
in an ill advised quest to win back her high school sweetheart, this is quite
possibly Theron's best performance to date. At times darkly funny, cringe worthy and
even occasionally sad – this film was a pleasant surprise for me.
Also
features a strong turn from Patton Oswalt. Recommended.
Favourite
moment:
Mavis hiding her dog in her bag when checking in at a hotel.
Lets face
it, it was never going to live up to the ridiculously high level of expectation
set by the Lord of the Rings trilogy,
but that aside the film is still pretty good.
Jackson
knows his Tolkein inside and out and is a master at crafting the world and telling an epic
story. It’s difficult to imagine anyone but Martin Freeman in the title role (he
is the perfect choice for Bilbo), but Richard Armitage also impresses as the
lead dwarf Thorin.
Most
of the problems that are apparent in the film seem to stem from the inferior source
material of the book compared to LOTR -
although at times it tries to pass itself off as a direct prequel to those films, and this is where it stumbles a bit. The somewhat artificial stretching-out of the narrative to cover three
long films means the pacing sags on occasion.
Problems aside, it is still definitely worth catching this film on
the big screen whilst you can.
Favourite
moment: The ‘Riddles in the Dark’
segment.
You can read a more in depth review of The
Hobbit HERE and also a verdict on the HFR technology used in the film HERE.
I’m a fan of stop motion and a fan of Aardman
(the makers of Wallace and Gromit). I also like pirates. Just as well then that
this film is also hilariously funny and very entertaining to watch.
The
animation is brilliant, the jokes fly thick and fast (many of them of very
British sensibilities), and the film features loveable characters and a great
voice cast. The scope is much bigger than Wallace and Gromit too - which makes
some of the complexities of the animation mindboggling. Queen Victoria, Charles Darwin and singing about ham... great fun!
Although Pirates! is based on a series of
children’s books, due to low performance at the box office, there are unlikely
to be any sequels – but I urge you to seek this one out if you
can.
Favourite
moment:
The pirates upstaging each other with their grand entrances.
6) Dredd
To my great relief they managed to get it
right. Despite being a relatively small production and on a budget, they
used this to their advantage to keep the story focussed, character driven and
mostly in a single location (pretty much the exact opposite of the overblown
90s Stallone version).
The 3D
also worked very well, especially in combination with the ‘slo-mo’ sections
that not only looked utterly beautiful but also made sense in the context of
the story.
It's
uncertain whether or not there will be a sequel due to modest box office
takings, but here’s hoping the same production team can expand upon this
franchise with a bigger sequel sometime in the future.
Favourite
moment: Any of the slow motion parts. Even Ma-Ma splashing about in a
bath turns into a mesmerising spectacle.
You can read an earlier article I wrote about Dredd
entitled How Correctly Adapt a Comic Book Character, HERE.
5) The Raid
Although
very similar to Dredd in terms of the
initial set-up of the story, The Raid stands on its own as a simple yet utterly
visceral smack to the head that the action genre is so in need of.
It’s an
adrenalin fuelled, full-on action ride – filled with the kind of hard-hitting
action that is guaranteed to make you wince – not just because its brutal (and
it is very brutal) but because you
also feel for all the stuntmen in this film who genuinely seem to be taking the
knocks. Wirework and CG is virtually nonexistent in this film and the camerawork
and editing allows the viewer to marvel at the insanely intricate fight
choreography that's not constantly interrupted with quick cuts and camera tricks.
With Iko
Uwais a star is born and the future looks very bright for him and Welsh
director Gareth Evans - a seemingly odd partnership that just works.
I’m
definitely looking forward to the next film they make together.
Favourite
moment: Realising he can't run anymore, Rama has to take on a corridor full of
machete wielding henchmen, the scene ending in death by broken door frame.
You can read an earlier article I wrote about The
Raid, HERE.
This film
was definitely one of the most enjoyable of the year because a) I’m a huge fan
of horror movies and loved the deconstruction of the genre, not to mention the meta qualities
of this film, and b) it totally took me by surprise as I went into it not
knowing anything – which is actually the best way to watch it.
The
script, written by Joss Whedon, is a clever one that flips everything on its
head – and even makes the sillier moments of this film forgivable as the final
act pay-off is a horror fan’s dream.
The less
said about it the better but if you like your horror movies then you need to
watch this film!
Favourite
moment:
What follows after the ‘purge’ button is pressed.
3) The Avengers
(AKA Avengers Assemble)
It's a
small miracle that this film managed to even get made let alone the fact that
it’s actually quite good. So many things had to come together and work in order
for it to be successful - both in terms of the actual logistics of getting the
film made as well as having so many huge iconic characters on screen at once
without any of them getting sidelined or short-changed.
Sure, the
story isn’t the greatest but it serves its simple purpose: to bring the characters
together, get them to interact and fight one another and then ultimately work
together. Writer and director Joss Whedon certainly had his work cut out for
him but he proves to be the right man for the job as the character interactions
and dialogue frequently sparkle.
Almost
all the principal actors (and quite a few side characters) reprise their roles
from their respective films, the only exception being Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Ruffalo however steals the show with his portrayal of Bruce Banner and his
raging green alter ego – giving us the best film version of The Hulk yet.
I haven’t
even mentioned the spectacle of the film’s set pieces or the action sequences
yet – suffice to say that they don't fail to deliver. This is a blockbuster hit
in all senses of the word and is easily the best comic book movie of recent
times, if not ever.
The only
thing that could manage to top it? The next Avengers
film.
Favourite
moment: “That's my secret, Cap... I’m always angry…”
You can read a more in depth review of Avengers
Assemble, HERE.
2) Looper
Looper is a film about time travel. Except it’s not really a film about time travel (we are actively told not to think
too much about it), but instead it’s really about human connection and how it
can save (or lack of it destroy) another human. Its that central tenet combined
with the sheen of interesting sci-fi that makes this film so affecting and
compelling. This film has a big heart – and that's what makes you care.
And yet it’s
anything but formulaic. There are many brave choices throughout: Joseph Gordon-Levitt wearing prosthetics, Bruce Willis murdering children, seemingly
shifting genres half way through the film… but with brilliant central
performances (even the kid is eerily effective and believable as a child
genius) – this film has plenty of surprises up its sleeve and will have you
thinking about it long after its over.
Favourite
moment:
The ‘30 years sequence’. For me this was one of the most beautiful and moving
sequences I have seen this year – all presented without uttering a single word.
Amazing.
You can read a more in depth review of Looper,
HERE.
For a
long time I wasn't sure about putting this as my number 1 film of 2012, but
having watching it again recently for the third time it still affected me,
confirming its place at the top of this list.
Now I
know I said that Avengers was the
‘best comic book movie’, but that's because I don't really see this as being
one. Nolan’s take on Batman has always been more like a grounded epic crime
drama that just happens to feature characters of comic book origins. Sure,
watching Batman in action is kick-ass, but that's not what makes this film so
good. For me, it's the richness in themes and their resonance throughout not
only this film, but also the trilogy as a whole, and that is what makes this a
masterpiece.
Of course
there are plenty of people who didn't like the film – its definitely polarising
- just as much as the character of Bane is – but that's because Nolan refuses
to play it safe – he reaches beyond the more clear cut characters of the comic
books and adds further layers of complexity and ambiguity - and indeed humanity, that makes it all the more meaningful
than just a straightforward translation of Batman from page to screen ever
could.
Anne Hathaway as Catwoman
is great, the Hans Zimmer score is great, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Michael
Caine are great… There is too much awesomeness here to fully mention. Although I cannot
say definitively which is the better film, The
Dark Knight Rises is certainly up there with The Dark Knight, but in terms
of scope and ambition the former easily surpasses the latter.
It is
epic in every sense of the word and a fitting end to the Nolan Batman trilogy.
Favourite
moment: The whole ending of the film is a cinematic tour de force. It’s concise,
uplifting and as perfect an ending to the Batman saga as you could wish for.
So there
you have it. My Top Ten Films of 2012.
Agree?
Disagree? Got any suggestions of other films that should have been up there or
that I should have watched? Let me know!
26
Dec 2012
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