Jenni's Top 10 films of 2012
It's hard to choose favourites between beloved children... or when you're faced with a whole score of mediocre kids, and half of them haven't even turned up for assembly. But never fear - I have persevered for you, the people. Here are my top ten movies of 2012.
It's impossible to see them all, and you may think the following list is missing some films that deserve a slot, but I've selected ones that have surprised me or shown me something new - films where I have left the cinema feeling positive about the future of my chosen medium. Plus it's my opinion, so what do you care?
Note: I recorded a version of this for Arts Mitten on SYN that differs slightly because I saw some 2012 movies after the fact. This is my Top 10 Films of 2012, version 2.0.
So! Let’s get the honourable mentions out of the way...
Honourable mentions:
Ruby Sparks: The “Woah, this wasn't horribly sexist” award - kudos to screenwriter/actress Zoe kazan who handled it tastefully.
Looper: The “unsettling make up” award - a great time-travel-action movie once you can get past gawking at Joseph Gordon Levitt's prosthetic face.
The Avengers: The “I knew this would be good and it was” award - and thank god, the Hulk was finally an entertaining character.
50/50: The “poorly marketed” award - a nice personal little flick about dealing with cancer that is not at all about Seth Rogan as the posters would suggest.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: The “cast of Harry Potter reunion” award - including the boy I wish had played Harry Potter.
The Grey: The “beautifully shot, surprisingly emotional and apparently I was the only that liked it” award - it was less Liam Neeson beating up wolves and more about accepting the inevitability of death.
The Hobbit: The "nostalgia" award - I love Lord of the Rings, so. Yeah.
21 Jump Street: The "was on my top ten list until I saw Argo and it got bumped" - Surprisingly very funny. And made Channing Tatum respectable in my eyes.
Alright, enough already.
10. Hotel Transylvania
Okay, I'm a sucker for animation. And while this had a predictable storyline and perhaps a bit too much LMFAO, the animators and the writers had a lot of fun with the concept of throwing all kinds of horror icons into a hotel. The character design is great across the board, from the leads to throwaway jokes - and I will happily watch this again.
9. The Hunger Games
I dismissed this movie - and this franchise - pretty quickly. Just another book adaptation to cash in on the success of Twilight. So... I was wrong. Even though it's a story set in a dystopian future, I was amazed at how absolutely brutal it was for young adult fiction. It's a faithful adaptation, an entertaining film and the most unexpected blockbuster of the year. Brava!
8. Tyrannosaur
A movie should be judged on the sum of its parts - and this particular little British gem was well-acted but unremarkable... until the climax crashes down on you and justifies the entire film. It turned everything around and imploded my mind - forceful, fantastic writing.
7. The Rum Diary
I'm including this purely for the emotion and inspiration it left me with. When the credits rolled, all I wanted to do was run away to the wild places of the world to get lost amongst strangers and find my voice. It even led to me taking an experimental week off the internet and mobile phones. It just worked on me, okay?
6. Skyfall
Awesome Javier Bardem Bond villain. Wonderful Dame Judi Dench storyline. Stunning Roger Deakin cinematography. And... Daniel Craig. It's way up there in the highest echelons of James Bond classics.
5. Argo
Eight years ago, if you had said to me, "Ben Affleck is going to be a really great director", I might have scoffed in your face. Turns out - he is. Argo, his latest effort starring himself, is tight, engaging, suspenseful and realistically light-hearted. People aren't robots - they have a sense of humour even in the most serious times... and this movie captures that beautifully.
4. Pitch Perfect
Sassy, catchy and made Rebel Wilson hilarious - which is apparently not... impossible. It's a Clueless for a new generation. I think it might have been the most enjoyable movie experience I had all year. Honestly. And I did not expect that.
3. Cabin in the Woods
Joss Whedon is really at the top of his game at the moment (as is Chris Swoonsworth) - Cabin in the Woods is a playful homage and deconstruct of a typical horror film. It manages to be all of the things - smart, scary, funny - while delivering en pointe set-up-pay-offs and completely turning the genre on its head. It is perfectly constructed horror fun.
2. Cosmopolis
The newest Cronenberg cyber-future flick is dramatic and theatrical - wholly confusing and strangely beautiful. It is 100% pretentious cinema. And I f**king loved it.
1. Beasts of the Southern Wild
There is nothing else like this film - it is a new page in American cinematic folklore. Told through eyes of a young girl living in the Louisiana Swamps, it is magical and uplifting while weaving in the heartbreaking moments that are an inescapable aspect of reality. It was unforgettable from go, and won me over, body and soul. Best of 2012, hands down.
Now bring on 2013.
It's impossible to see them all, and you may think the following list is missing some films that deserve a slot, but I've selected ones that have surprised me or shown me something new - films where I have left the cinema feeling positive about the future of my chosen medium. Plus it's my opinion, so what do you care?
Note: I recorded a version of this for Arts Mitten on SYN that differs slightly because I saw some 2012 movies after the fact. This is my Top 10 Films of 2012, version 2.0.
So! Let’s get the honourable mentions out of the way...
Honourable mentions:
Ruby Sparks: The “Woah, this wasn't horribly sexist” award - kudos to screenwriter/actress Zoe kazan who handled it tastefully.
Looper: The “unsettling make up” award - a great time-travel-action movie once you can get past gawking at Joseph Gordon Levitt's prosthetic face.
The Avengers: The “I knew this would be good and it was” award - and thank god, the Hulk was finally an entertaining character.
50/50: The “poorly marketed” award - a nice personal little flick about dealing with cancer that is not at all about Seth Rogan as the posters would suggest.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: The “cast of Harry Potter reunion” award - including the boy I wish had played Harry Potter.
The Grey: The “beautifully shot, surprisingly emotional and apparently I was the only that liked it” award - it was less Liam Neeson beating up wolves and more about accepting the inevitability of death.
The Hobbit: The "nostalgia" award - I love Lord of the Rings, so. Yeah.
21 Jump Street: The "was on my top ten list until I saw Argo and it got bumped" - Surprisingly very funny. And made Channing Tatum respectable in my eyes.
Alright, enough already.
10. Hotel Transylvania
Okay, I'm a sucker for animation. And while this had a predictable storyline and perhaps a bit too much LMFAO, the animators and the writers had a lot of fun with the concept of throwing all kinds of horror icons into a hotel. The character design is great across the board, from the leads to throwaway jokes - and I will happily watch this again.
9. The Hunger Games
I dismissed this movie - and this franchise - pretty quickly. Just another book adaptation to cash in on the success of Twilight. So... I was wrong. Even though it's a story set in a dystopian future, I was amazed at how absolutely brutal it was for young adult fiction. It's a faithful adaptation, an entertaining film and the most unexpected blockbuster of the year. Brava!
8. Tyrannosaur
A movie should be judged on the sum of its parts - and this particular little British gem was well-acted but unremarkable... until the climax crashes down on you and justifies the entire film. It turned everything around and imploded my mind - forceful, fantastic writing.
7. The Rum Diary
I'm including this purely for the emotion and inspiration it left me with. When the credits rolled, all I wanted to do was run away to the wild places of the world to get lost amongst strangers and find my voice. It even led to me taking an experimental week off the internet and mobile phones. It just worked on me, okay?
6. Skyfall
Awesome Javier Bardem Bond villain. Wonderful Dame Judi Dench storyline. Stunning Roger Deakin cinematography. And... Daniel Craig. It's way up there in the highest echelons of James Bond classics.
5. Argo
Eight years ago, if you had said to me, "Ben Affleck is going to be a really great director", I might have scoffed in your face. Turns out - he is. Argo, his latest effort starring himself, is tight, engaging, suspenseful and realistically light-hearted. People aren't robots - they have a sense of humour even in the most serious times... and this movie captures that beautifully.
4. Pitch Perfect
Sassy, catchy and made Rebel Wilson hilarious - which is apparently not... impossible. It's a Clueless for a new generation. I think it might have been the most enjoyable movie experience I had all year. Honestly. And I did not expect that.
3. Cabin in the Woods
Joss Whedon is really at the top of his game at the moment (as is Chris Swoonsworth) - Cabin in the Woods is a playful homage and deconstruct of a typical horror film. It manages to be all of the things - smart, scary, funny - while delivering en pointe set-up-pay-offs and completely turning the genre on its head. It is perfectly constructed horror fun.
2. Cosmopolis
The newest Cronenberg cyber-future flick is dramatic and theatrical - wholly confusing and strangely beautiful. It is 100% pretentious cinema. And I f**king loved it.
1. Beasts of the Southern Wild
There is nothing else like this film - it is a new page in American cinematic folklore. Told through eyes of a young girl living in the Louisiana Swamps, it is magical and uplifting while weaving in the heartbreaking moments that are an inescapable aspect of reality. It was unforgettable from go, and won me over, body and soul. Best of 2012, hands down.
Now bring on 2013.