2012 Movie Recap

It's that time of year again, one of maybe 4 times where I actually update this useless blog.  I'm still not sure why I continue, but meh, whatever.  In any case, time for my top 10 films of 2012 (not feeling the awards post this year).  I'll try to do a quick blurb describing my reasoning for each placement.

Honorable Mentions
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Looper
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Dark Knight Rises
The Avengers
Seven Psychopaths
Argo (This missed my top ten by 1 spot.  Nearly flawless film from a film-making standpoint, but it was rather forgettable and was missing that extra something necessary to capture my attention)

Top Ten

10. Skyfall
A thrilling deconstruction of the new, grittier James Bond of the Daniel Craig films and a rebirth into the suave, sophisticated secret agent we all know and love.  An excellent and fitting tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise.

9. Flight
Denzel Washington owns the screen once again as an alcoholic hero pilot who deals with a disaster in the sky while battling his own demons.  Washington's performance elevates a unique but sometimes uneven script into the top 10.

8. End of Watch
This movie completely blew me away.  Everything comes together perfectly, from the tight direction and focused script to the fantastic performances of all members of the cast.  Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena are excellent, and Anna Kendrick's barely-there side character will stick in your head.

7. Life of Pi
I will be very, very disappointing if Ang Lee loses out on a best directing Oscar for this movie.  One of the most beautifully shot movies ever, not just this year, and the best use of 3D to date.

6. Lawless
I honestly don't know why I loved this movie so much, but the simple story of a bunch of moon-shining brothers captured me.  The cast is excellent, lead by the unexpected ranged Shia LeBeouf, even if he is outclassed by Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce.  John Hillcoat is going to enter the upper echelon of great directors someday.

5. Cabin in the Woods
I'm never going to look at a horror movie the same way again after this genre-bending gore-fest.  The most fun movie of the year.

4. Lincoln
Great performances, great direction, great script.  This would probably be the best film of the year in a large percentage of the last decade.  Unfortunately, this was one of the best years in film of the last two decades.  This one also ends about 3 scenes after it should have, lessening the emotional impact of an otherwise excellent film.

3. Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino's second best film.  Not much else needs to be said.  If you don't like Tarantino, Django isn't going to change your mind, but for those of us that do, this one is a treat.

2. Silver Linings Playbook
This movie has gotten lots of flak from some who consider themselves "enlightened" film critics.  However, I consider this a great slice-of-life story about people dealing with mental illness.  It's billed as a rom-com, but is anything but, and Bradley Cooper gives the performance of a life-time.

1. Zero Dark Thirty
Best film of the year.  ZDT is a visceral, tense, emotional and interesting roller-coaster, and Jessica Chastain gives an wonderful performance.  Do not listen to the criticisms of anyone who hasn't seen the film, because almost all of the controversy surrounding this film is completely baseless.  Katheryn Bigelow, coming off The Hurt Locker, manages to top it in every way.

I'll be doing my annual write-up of the Oscar nominations soon as well, although you may be surprised at the length of the post given my generally positive reaction this to year's batch of nominees.