By Patrick Gibbs
In publishing this
list of my choices for the ten best films of 2012, it's important to
point out that due to an unfortunate (and incredibly irritating
error) I have not yet seen Zero Dark Thirty, the film that is topping
so many awards lists, and that is one of the reasons why I have
chosen to do my list in alphabetical order, rather than to rank them.
But regardless of that film, 2012 turned out to be one of the
toughest years in recent memory to narrow down. For example, it kills me to leave The Hobbit off of the list, but I felt the need to take a stand against Peter Jackson horrifying choice in shooting and screening the film in 48 frames per second, a choice that makes George Lucas and C.G.I. fish donkeys look like the greatest moment in cinema history, and Les Miserables hovered in place for some time before I decided that, in my opinion, the "Master of the House" sequence was just too sloppy, silly, poorly performed and clashed with the rest of the film. (I don't care if his singing was off, I actually loved Russell Crowe. Deal with it.).
Anyway, here goes:
ARGO
Ben Affleck's third film proves to be
his best yet, and cements his place as Hollywood's most exciting
young director. Rivaling any action film for suspense and any
screwball comedy for number of laughs, this intelligent, fact based
thriller has everything, including John Goodman.
BRAVE and WRECK IT RALPH
Despite not ranking the films, I'm
still tying these two for a spot because I simply couldn't choose
between them, and they are so utterly unique in that BRAVE is the
better Disney film and WRECK IT RALPH the better PIXAR film, and yet
their actual pedigree is opposite of this. Where many critics (and
audience members) made a mistake was in thinking they had like one at
the expense of the other.
CLOUD ATLAS
This film was lost on most of the
public, and most of the press as well, but I was enthralled by this visually breathtaking, epic saga of interwoven stories throughout time, and was delighted by
the awesome range of characters portrayed by Tom Hanks, who has two
Academy Awards for Best Actor and still manages to be underrated.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Christopher
Nolan's groundbreaking and brilliant take on Batman came to a
thrilling and emotional conclusion with this Dickensian tale, full of
tragedy, sacrifice and redemption.Super hero movies don'tget better than this. MOVIES don't get better than this
HITCHCOCK
There's an undeniable delight in
watching Hannibal Lecter direct Norman Bates, and the scene where the
venerable “Master of Suspense” conducts the audience like an
orchestra is my favorite of the year. But what really made this film
soar was the relationship between Hitch (Anthony Hopkins) and his
wife and creative partner Alma (Helen Mirren.).
SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED
A low budget indie film that did not get a wide release, this whimsical,
charming and ultimately inspiring film is the one this year that you didn't see, but you should have. Mark Duplass and Aubrey Plaza are luminous in this quirky tale of unexpected romance and (possibly) time travel. Go ahead - watch the trailer and I guarantee you'll think "it can't be as good as it looks." Well, guess what? It is.
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Of all of this year's films, this is
the one that resonated most with my on an emotional level, and I had
seen three times by the second day of it's release. Writer/Director
David O. Russell may not be easy to get along with in real life, but
if anything his personal baggage only adds to this hilarious and
touching tale of a man (Bradley Cooper) coming to terms with a broken
heart and a broken mind, and the young woman (Jennifer Lawrence) who
makes it that much harder, and that much easier. Redefining the term
“feel good movie” for me, this may be the most pleasant surprise
I've had in a theater in years.
SKYFALL
Everyone praises Daniel Craig as “the
Bond who can kick anyone's ass,” but he made an even bigger
impression in this film as the Bond who had a past, and not only was
capable of crying, but of making us cry. Few people would have
predicted that Sam Mendes would ever direct a 007 flick, and even
fewer would have guessed that it would turn out to be his best film.
LIFE OF PI
Ang Lee, the innovative and often
unappreciated director behind Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon,
Brokeback Mountain and Hulk
(yes, I liked it) creates a visual marvel that touches the heart and
soul. Quite possibly the most impressive visual effects ever on film
are used to tell a gripping tale that will stay with you forever.
LINCOLN
Arguably the greatest director, the
greatest actor, and the greatest U.S. President, is a tough trio to
beat, and this is a movie that would have still been pretty good even
if it had been terrible. But Daniel Day Lewis manages to somehow
surprise once again with his lovable and all too human portrayal of
the legendary figure, and Spielberg and writer Tony Kushner manage to
make a Civil War film that is all but devoid of epic battles but
portrays more interesting conflict and daring than has ever been
captured before. A complete, unqualified triumph.
Runners-Up: THE AVENGERS, THE
HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, LES MISERABLES, LOOPER, MEN IN BLACK
3, MOONRISE KINGDOM, RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
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