The Top 10 Films of 2012
10.) Game Change: I'm cheating a little with this selection, an HBO movie never released in theaters, with the hope that more people get a chance to see it. One of the most intelligent movies of last year, Game Change relived the 2008 presidential campaign, when Arizona senator John McCain chose an unknown governor from Alaska named Sarah Palin as his running mate. Director Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Meet the Parents) would not be the obvious choice to handle this material, but working from a terrific script based on the best selling book, he crafted a hugely entertaining movie that seemed to please novices and experts alike. Unlike many political movies that too often feel like plodding Biography specials, Game Change was refreshingly breezy, cruising on the strength of its perfectly chosen cast. As Palin, leading lady Julianne Moore gave a superb performance. Equally convincing were Woody Harrelson as strategist Steve Schmidt and Ed Harris as McCain. HBO has already optioned the rights to a sequel that will focus on the 2012 election. Time will tell if it lives up to it's predecessor.
9.) Zero Dark Thirty: Certainly one of the most intense releases of last year, ZD30 generated controversy over it's graphic depiction of torture, particularly scenes that showed a prisoner getting water-boarded during questioning. I was not bothered by those scenes, nor did I find them exploitative. Kathryn Bigelow's film was not a documentary, but rather an original story that focused on the decadelong hunt to find Osama bin Laden. Those early scenes served to harden Maya (Jessica Chastain), who began the film as an inexperienced agent and eventually emerged as a fierce leader willing to confirm bid Laden's whereabouts with 100% certainty. Chastain was absolutely terrific in the role, creating one of the year's most compelling characters. Jason Clarke and Kyle Chandler were also strong in key supporting roles. I got hooked early, though my lack of familiarity with several real life events probably aided my overall experience. Zero Dark Thirty never felt like a history lesson, a credit to Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal. Despite running nearly 160 minutes I never once checked my watch, although I do think the climax ran on too long. Ultimately, the only reason the film doesn't rank higher on my list is that I'm not sure I'd want to see it again. Some movies are best served by a single viewing and I suspect that's the case here.
8.) Looper: My initial reaction to 2012's most unexpected thriller led me to consider placing it as high as #3 back in early October. Since then several newer releases have left indelible impressions, though this one may rise on subsequent viewings. Director Rian Johnson wrote the year's most intriguing premise and his omission in the Original Screenplay category was arguably the worst snub of 2012. By the 2070s, time travel will have been invented, but will be illegal. To get rid of someone, the mob will send their enemies 30 years into the past, where hired guns called "loopers" will take them out immediately. The majority of the film took place in 2044, where a looper named Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) learns that his target is the older version of himself (Bruce Willis). I won't say more except that I admired Johnson's willingness to pull a 180 around the half way point, as he took the audience in an unpredictable direction and introduced a pair of crucial new characters. With the exception of Channing Tatum, Gordon-Levitt was the breakout star of 2012, his most impressive work coming here. In supporting roles, Jeff Daniels and Emily Blunt were fantastic, the latter turning in her best performance to date. And with three separate titles in my top 20, I'm firmly on board with Willis again after an up and down stretch in his career. Now cross your fingers that all the critics who've seen A Good Day to Die Hard are liars.
7.) Silver Linings Playbook: David O.Russell has only directed six feature-length films in two decades and although his track record isn't perfect, he chooses interesting projects across a variety of genres. Silver Linings Playbook, about a man with bipolar disorder trying to put his life back together, was a personal film that managed a tricky balancing act. It was a romantic-drama with lots of laughs, despite mental illness affecting the three main characters. Given the material, the film was less sentimental then it might've been and never felt manipulative. It was also boosted by one of the year's finest ensembles, led by Bradley Cooper in the strongest performance of his career. Robert De Niro delivered his best work in over a decade as his father, a rabid Eagles fan suffering from mild OCD and a gambling problem. Best of all was Jennifer Lawrence, who's quickly becoming the finest young actress of her generation. Almost through shear force of personality Silver Linings Playbook became her film, and if there's any justice in Hollywood, Lawrence should be taking home her first Oscar this weekend.
Note: With nominations in every relevant category and Harvey Weinstein pulling the strings, some have already compared a potential Playbook upset over Lincoln to the stupefying 1998 race when the well-received Shakespeare in Love defeated the Spielberg juggernaut Saving Private Ryan. This is just silly, as the current gap is nowhere near as large this time around. Silver Linings Playbook was much better than Shakespeare in Love, while Lincoln wasn't even in the same league as Saving Private Ryan. Let's just move on.
6.) The Avengers: Despite being my favorite movie from the first half of 2012, I had doubts whether the year's biggest smash would even crack the final 10. After taking it in again on Blu-Ray, it jumped up to number six. The Avengers offered an adrenaline rush that left audiences drooling for a sequel. After a somewhat muddled opening 15 minutes, the film picked up steam in a hurry, building to a climactic destruction of the Big Apple that was the most unapologetically entertaining stretch of filmmaking last year. Because The Avengers offered such a smooth ride, it's easy to miss how well director Joss Whedon handled this material. The film looked great and the action was clearly mounted, despite engaging in multiple viewpoints at any given moment to accommodate a sizable cast. The script was much sharper than the norm for a blockbuster of this magnitude, with at least a dozen laugh out loud moments spread nicely amongst our heroes. My only tiny nitpick has nothing to do with the quality of the film. Disney still plans to release a number of solo vehicles for these Marvel characters, but after seeing this assemblage, it's doubtful any will fully satisfy viewers' expectations. It'd be like eating an original Oreo after trying the Double Stuf. What's the point when you know something better is out there?
5.) Cloud Atlas: The most controversial choice on my list, Cloud Atlas seems destined to divide viewers for years to come. I rated the latest film from the Wachowskis (The Matrix Trilogy) and Tom Tykwer as high as #2 and as low as #8 before splitting the difference. I probably won't be sure until I watch it again, but for now I'm content to call Cloud Atlas the most immersive theatrical experience since Avatar. And yet it was a huge financial disappointment, no doubt a result of its odd structure. Just a shade under three hours, this ambitious epic intercut six separate stories taking place in vastly different locations over a period of 500 years. Furthermore, the principal actors appeared in multiple segments as members of various races, ages, and genders. Only one or two storylines likely could've sustained their own movie, yet each gained substance when connected with the others. Ultimately Cloud Atlas became some kind of spiritual masterpiece about good and evil, choice and oppression, freedom and captivity, and the impact a single human being can have in the most dire circumstances. With Tom Hanks, Jim Broadbent, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Hugo Weaving, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, Susan Sarandon, and a truly frightening Hugh Grant.
Note: Cloud Atlas should be a front-runner in every technical category, including Best Editing, Cinematography, Makeup, Original Score, and Visual Effects. It's complete shutout is only the most recent reminder that poor box office plays a far more important role in the nomination process than it should.
4.) Life of Pi: Bearing more than a passing resemblance to Cloud Atlas, Ang Lee's masterful Life of Pi combined spectacular visuals with similar themes on a more intimate scale. Based on the 2001 best-selling novel that many considered unfilmable, this story of a teenage boy, a lifeboat, and a Bengal tiger was one of the most life affirming movies I've ever seen. After an affecting prologue, the bulk of the film took place at sea, showing the title character's fight for survival following a horrible storm that claimed his family on their passage from India to Canada. In his acting debut, Suraj Sharma was absolutely perfect, conveying hope and fear as our guide on this journey. Meanwhile, his computer generated traveling companion Richard Parker was probably the best looking animal in movie history. Admittedly, I wasn't sure I wanted to see Life of Pi at first, but I'm glad I did. It reinforced the notion that the little things in life are, in reality, the big things. Of all the major awards, Best Director should be the easiest choice for voters. I'd pick Lee without hesitation, even though he's a former winner (Brokeback Mountain). Unfortunately, this means I'm supporting one of only two non-Jews in that category. Apologies to my grandmothers.
3.) Skyfall: Since I've already reviewed the second best Bond movie of all time (trailing only Goldfinger), we can pretty much skip ahead to the top two. I'm running out of superlatives anyway and other than chopping ten minutes from the final act, there's nothing I'd change about it. The direction, writing, pacing, music, and overall excitement level measure favorably against the best modern action films. Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, and Javier Bardem all brought their "A" games to Sam Mendes' modern, yet nostalgic contribution to the long-running franchise. Skyfall was perhaps the most fun I had at the movies in 2012, but it's ceiling fell just short of the two that follow.
2.) Django Unchained: About an hour into Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, a large Ku Klux Klan group on horseback was preparing to attack their prey from the top of a hill. But before they could, one Klan member began complaining about the poorly made bag limiting his vision. Another member became offended, because his wife had spent so much time cutting eye holes in the head covers. Before you knew it, a running dialogue developed among these faceless criminals that had nothing to do with the story. This wealth of discovery is what makes Tarantino unique. Most directors would be content to provide a shot of the hooded mob with torches in hand just before they caused havoc. Tarantino took a throwaway moment and produced a completely unexpected conflict that became one of 2012's funniest scenes. That generosity, combined with his unmistakable style, energy, and the year's best soundtrack, made Django his fourth film that I've chosen as one of the two best from its respective year (along with Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, & Inglourious Basterds). QT's script consistently created tension, while finding clever ways to keep the audience just one step behind his characters, particularly Christoph Waltz's Dr. King Schultz. Waltz deserves another Supporting Actor trophy, but the film's best shot rests with Tarantino's original screenplay, which kept me on my toes from start to finish. The action in Django was never one-sided. Every character reacted to every situation, the best example being the dinner table scene in Candie's (Leonardo DiCaprio) mansion. The subtle ways in which his servant (Samuel L. Jackson) picked up information was particularly noteworthy. And then just when I thought the film was over, it extended another 30 minutes, using that time to mythologize Django himself (Jamie Foxx) as a legend of the west.
I realize I've said almost nothing about the plot, which is intentional. Tarantino's work is best experienced with as little information as possible. He only releases a new film every three or four years if we're lucky, so don't take him for granted. Django Unchained was violent, unpredictable, funny as hell, and would be my choice for the top spot in many years. But in 2012, QT had to settle for the silver.
1.) Argo: I'm pretty stingy when it comes to awarding perfect scores. The last time I gave four stars was for David Fincher's The Social Network (2010), and before that I couldn't say. But on the heels of Gone Baby Gone and The Town, Ben Affleck is now three for three behind the camera. Argo was his best film to date, a tightly-wound thriller that never took a wrong turn. Shot deliberately to evoke movie styles from the 1970s, Affleck integrated archival footage into the story of Tony Mendez, a CIA exfiltration specialist who successfully snuck six Americans out of Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis. The rescue mission depended on the perceived credibility of a fake science-fiction movie that would hopefully provide convincing identities for the hidden Americans, who were hiding in the home of the Canadian ambassador. That Argo was "based on a true story" worked to it's advantage, as this premise might've been hard to buy otherwise. The real mission was declassified in 1997, so considering anyone could've researched the details ahead of time, it's amazing how involving the finished product was. Unavoidable predictability became a minor detail during the closing airport sequence, the most compelling stretch of any 2012 film. Chris Terrio's script crackled with tension, his dialogue brought to life by an exceptionally well-chosen cast, including Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, & Alan Arkin. Clocking in at precisely two hours, the pacing never flagged, with Affleck deftly balancing the instability abroad with lighter moments in Los Angeles.
Regardless of what happens on Oscar night, Argo was unequivocally the best film of 2012. And if you disagree, well, "Argo **** yourself."
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