HONORABLE MENTIONS
Cabin in the Woods
Go ahead and ask me what my favorite Joss Whedon 2012 release was (well, viewing, not necessarily release — it’s not my fault they shelved it for a year). Give you a hint — it did star Chris Hemsworth.
Silent House
A one-take ninety-minute horror film. Go ahead and try to find the cuts. Even if you don’t love the genre or the story, you kind of have to love the ingenuity and the emergence of Elizabeth Olsen.
Ruby Sparks
A writer invents a dream girl in print; then she shows up in real life. Favorite premise of the year.
JGL double: Premium Rush, Looper
Joseph Gordon Levitt is sort of the current generation’s version of Tim Robbins. There’s nothing about him I love, but he keeps being an integral part of films I like.
Barfi!
Lessee … mute simpleton kidnaps a mentally challenged girl. You’ll just never believe this film works until you see it.
Life of Pi
A gorgeous, gorgeous movie. Is it one giant metaphor? You tell me.
Holy Motors
Every year there’s a film that is absolutely incomprehensible, but in a good way. I generally don’t go for films that are confusing on purpose; it says to me either the director isn’t doing his job, or is but the material isn’t strong enough on its own to merit your attention without the chicanery. Holy Motors is the kind of movie you talk about rather than give up trying to piece together.
Chronicle
When you look at films that shouldn’t work, Chronicle leaps at you. It’s another horror of the self-footage variety – a genre that, in general, cannot be obliterated with greater expediency. Two big differences between this and the norm – the kids develop superpowers thus making their collective callousness the story rather than random “what’s going on?” behavior. Secondly, the camerawork is stationary. I can’t emphasize enough how important that is. I never ever ever ever again need to see another blurry hand-held action scene.
Ted
Funniest movie of the year. By itself, that doesn’t get you a top-10, but call it a quality miss.
THE TOP 10
10. Wreck-It Ralph
Being a bad guy
And working as a bay guy
Isn’t quite the same
9. Hunger Games
Not as good as book
Many glaring omissions
Really, I don’t care
8
. The Words
Story in story
Of plagiaristic sort
Truth is unsettling
7. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Humanity is doomed
So why not develop a
Casual friendship?
6. Lincoln
The war will end soon
Slavery question remains
Pal, do the right thing.
5. The Intouchables
Wealthy invalid
Gets pedestrian employ
Weird friendship happens
4. Silver Linings Playbook
He and she crazy
Romance is problematic
Here we go, Eagles?
3. Moonrise Kingdom
Boy Scout gone AWOL
Running off with That Girl
Not in the handbook
2. Argo
Six trapped in Iran
Ben Affleck to the rescue
Mixed blessing, perhaps?
1. Django Unchained
Freed slave gets new job
Legally hunting evil
What is not to love?
