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Sunday, March 10, 2013

The Cinema of 2012 - The Final Word


First off – a disclaimer: there are still a few big films that I have yet to see this year. I still haven’t finished watching Ben Affleck’s “Argo”. And I haven’t had a chance to see Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” or Katherine Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” yet. They probably all could have sprinkled somewhere in my list but seeing as how I don’t do top ten list and just seemingly pick a random number of films to talk about, who knows where they would end up and I wouldn’t remove anything that’s on this list… I don’t go to the cinema very often so I’m always a little late to this party but this year I was able to see a lot more of what peaked my interest because of Netflix and other various forms of VOD. So, I came up with 14….. Sounded like a good idea at the time.. Well, here you are. Two weeks after the Oscars and I'm finally posting it... Let's just call this one the final word.


14 - Moonrise Kingdom
Directed by Wes Anderson

This is the most Wes Andersony film that Wes Anderson (or anyone else for that matter) has ever made. It’s so full of the very typical minutia we cinefiles have come to expect and love or hate over the years. Of course, if you’re not a fan of his previous work, my God you will probably despise this film. I don’t think this is his best film, just the one most obviously created by him.


13 – Cosmopolis
Directed by David Cronenberg

I’m not going to pretend I understood all of the themes going on this film. There are times it had me pretty lost. But there is beauty in its complexity and the chords it struck with me peaked my fascination as much as any of Cronenberg’s best films. This one deals with a search for personal identity (big surprise) in an increasingly chaotic world. It also speaks to the very nature of commerce and the principals of anarcho-capitalism in a global market. It reminded me of episode 31 of the 2nd season of ‘DuckTales’ in which Scrooge McDuck unwittingly destroys the morale of a peaceful village by flooding them with bottle caps that they use a currency…. But then again, most of the films I saw this year remind me of some episode of ‘DuckTales’….


12 - Beasts of the Southern Wild
Directed by Behn Zeitlin

This is a very sweet and touching film about community told from the perspective of an adorable six year old girl name Hushpuppy. Quvenzhane Wallis’ super realistic portrayal blends perfectly with the fantastical elements of her imagination. He tells a relatively simple story about a very interesting portion of the country, one far off the grid in which government workers in helicopter appear to be aliens from another planet. This film is comparable in that sense to 2010’s “Winter’s Bone” and cinefiles should be eagerly awaiting what comes next from both the director and the star.


11 - Cabin in the Woods
Directed by Drew Goddard

This is a great example of deconstructionist horror. I think it’s important to note that this movie is actually deconstructing a very specific type of horror and all of the tropes that it relies on. I've heard a few complaints about how weak this film’s horror story aspect is but I don’t think it would have worked as well if it had been a “good” horror flick. Ultimately, this film doesn't quite work as well as Scott Glosserman’s 2006 film “Behind the Mask” or Eli Craig’s “Tucker & Dale Vs Evil” but it threw its hat into the mix and achieved what it was attempting.


10 - The Master
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

So you want to make a film that seriously conflicts and confuses the Academy?.. It’s simple really. Just make a great movie with amazing performances, fantastic cinematography and score. Write a brilliant screenplay and then use it to poke fun at Scientology. You should get several nominations and zero wins. I’m kidding a little. I saw this film really early and I honestly had no idea that it had anything to do with Scientology while I was watching it. It wasn't until a few weeks later that I heard some stuff coming out that it could be a topic of controversy… I also passionately don’t care one way or the other. I just saw a very well made film about male relationships, self-loath and control. Joaquin Phoenix gave what I thought was hands down the best performance of his career and of the year for that matter. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams were also great.


9 - The Imposter
Directed by Bart Layton

Lying is part of human nature. This is self evident. We come to lie from a host of different paths but they all stem from the same reason. We don’t want the truth… says Captain Obvious. Luckily this film digs into something even deeper than our very natural tendency to tell a lie. It takes a look at our similarly natural need to believe one. This is my favorite documentary this year. I've said before that the types of docs I prefer are just like this one. They tell a very specific story that you would have otherwise been unexposed to and are relatable because of the universal truths they explore.


8 - Holy Motors
Directed by Leos Carax

Leos Carax’ latest film is an episodic storytelling of the past present and undeniable future of cinema. Denis Lavant brilliantly portrays 11 different characters as he travels via limousine through Paris, fulfilling each one of his appointments as a different character. This is one of those films that I really loved but I’m not too sure who I could recommend it to. Not to sound too much like a condescending snob but, if you don’t spend a significant portion of your life watching, discussing and studying cinema, there’s just a lot of stuff in here that you’re not going to get.


7 - The Avengers
Directed by Joss Whedon

I don’t think I had more fun with a film this year. I was really setting myself up for a disappointment with this one too. The origin stories leading up to this one have been a pretty mixed bag so I really wasn't sure what to expect when the big one hit. I feel like I should have just trusted director Joss Whedon to deliver what he always brings, a fun, intelligent action film with an ensemble list of characters. It took a little while to get going but all is forgiven once the action starts to fly. This blu-ray will surely be one that gets plenty of use.


6 - Django Unchained
Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Any new film by Quentin Tarantino that is not at the very top of my list is kind of a disappointment to me, especially after 2009’s “Inglourious Basterds”. I really tried to watch this one without those types of expectations but Tarantino’s films simply don’t just exist in a bottle. He has spent the past two decades creating his own cinematic world that each one of his films play a specific roll in. That being said, this is a pretty great addition to that world. It was thoroughly enjoyable and featured a standout performance by Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie. This film is not without its missteps though. I found some of the comedic moments to be a bit ham-fisted and Tarantino should really stop casting himself in rolls. His acting usually leans on the distractingly bad side.


5 - The Raid: Redemption
Directed by Gareth Evans

This is the year I learned what Silat is. It is a form of martial arts practiced in Indonesia and Malaysia.  I've always liked martial arts flicks but I think it would be pretty rare for me to include them in a top ten list. This film starts out fast and never lets up throughout. It’s great to see a director of a fighting film put so much effort not only in the choreography of the fighters but of the camera as well. If you’re on the fence about seeing this one, I would highly suggest you check out Gareth Evans previous film, “Merantau” on Netflix. It features some of the same actors and great stunts and choreography.


4 - Amour
Directed by Michael Haneke

Amour is a great title to Michael Haneke’s latest film. This film is an uneasy, sometimes downright disturbing portrait of a very long lasting love and the grief associated with it. This is not a flick for the weak of heart because the characters involved are not as such. This is also why Haneke was the perfect filmmaker for it. His fans (myself included) have come to expect his unflinching and often punishing technique. He does a great job at showing the true nature of an impatiently patient and imperfectly perfect love.


3 - Lincoln
Directed by Steven Spielberg

I would say that this is Spielberg’s best film since 2005’s “Munich”. It’s a captivating and in depth procedural about one of the most crucial times in our nation’s history. Daniel Day Lewis is amazing and supported by a fantastic cast. And cinematographer Janusz Kaminski uses his incredible control of light, shadows and color to create a beautiful and picturesque portrait of a debate that is still relevant today. I also appreciated that the story’s focus was on the events that took place in Washington and it left out all of the stuff about zombies and vampires.


2 - Compliance
Directed by Craig Zobal

Whether or not a film is based on a true story has almost never informed my opinion one way or the other as to how good of a film it is. This is an exception. If this had been just some story that someone had made up, it would not have been a story worth telling. It’s just too unbelievable… But alas, this actually happened. I actually remember the news story about this and although I can’t attest to how accurate the film is to real events, this thing has actually happened. That fact alone means that it is a story that should be told. I would suggest that you watch this film as though it is a low budget horror and the titular character is the great evil lurking in the dark.


1 - Cloud Atlas
Directed by Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer

This film got probably the most mixed review of the year. Rolling Stones added to their worst of 2012 list and Time Magazine named it the worst film of the year. Fortunately for me, my opinion of the film is the only one that matters to me in my own head and I loved this one. This film features six different timelines, all interwoven with multiple impacts on each other and one single strand of truth. Everything that anyone and everyone has ever done or been has an effect on everything that anyone and everyone is and ever will be. No man is an island despite all of our best efforts. I am a little disappointed in the fact that most references that I've heard of this film mention the Wachowski siblings and rarely Tom Tykwer. Fans of Tykwer’s previous work like “Run Lola Run”, “Heaven” and “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” have come to expect greatness from him and I feel his influence delivered a great film…. Whereas, the last great film the Wachowskies have given us was “The Matrix”, 14 years ago.... but I digress. This film is exactly what I want cinema to be. It's big, bold, beautiful and completely audacious.