2012: A Top Ten of the Best Films

Finally, my top ten of 2012 is here.  It's later than I would have liked, but some movies took quite a bit of time to expand and a recent cold has kept me from writing.  Making a top ten list is more difficult than one would expect and I was constantly fighting with myself over what movie to keep and what to drop.  This usually happens to me every year, even though last year (2011) was especially more challenging than 2012.  After all is said and done, these following ten movies stuck with me most of the year and defeated their competition. Important to note however, are the many other movies I loved from 2012.  As usual, the list is made up of movies that received their US theatrical release in 2012. Without further ado, here is my top ten of 2012, runner ups, and other citations.

Honorable Mentions- The Other Films That Defined the Year:

5 Broken Cameras (Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi), Argo (Ben Affleck), The Dark Knight Rises (Christopher Nolan), The Day He Arrives (Hong Sang-Soo), Farewell, My Queen (Benoit Jacquot), Frankenweenie (Tim Burton), Haywire (Steven Soderbergh), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Peter Jackson), Keyhole (Guy Maddin), Magic Mike (Steven Soderbergh), Miss Bala (Gerardo Naranjo),  Oslo, August 31st (Joachim Trier), Polisse (Maiwenn),  and The Secret World of Arrietty (Hiromasa Yonebayashi)

The Runner-Ups:

Life of Pi (Ang Lee)

Skyfall (Sam Mendes)

Wreck-It-Ralph (Rich Moore)

All three of these movies came close to making my top ten list and all three are visual wonders.  Roger Deakins has incredibly cinematography in Skyfall which is buoyed by Mendes' direction.  Ang Lee's Life of Pi is one of the most spectacular films of all time and its use of 3d technology is incredible (too bad the framing device of the movie drags it).  Wreck-It-Ralph is the best animated movie of the year and may also be the most exciting and fun.

#10 Once Upon a Time in Anatolia

Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Nuri Bilge Ceylan's most atmospheric and ethereal film to date slowly burns in the back of your mind during its nearly three hour run time while its beautifully lensed cinematography (Gokhan Tiryaki) of the Anatolian steeps make its glacial pace easier to endure and appreciate.  While he not only dissects a crime in his Anatolian procedure, Ceylan slowly connects his characters with themes of middle age male identity and an ever urbanizing Turkish society.  Anatolia will not be appreciated by all viewers, but if you are interested in high art and world cinema it is one of the films of the year.    

#9 The Kid with a Bike

Directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Yes, the critics are right,  The Kid with a Bike is just another movie in the Dardenne brother's filmography.  It doesn't overtly push their thematic or stylistic limits.  The critics are wrong in criticizing the movie for not being groundbreaking because  regardless of how the filmmakers pushed their limits, The Kid With a Bike is spectacularly made and the Dardennes direct the movie with precision and ease.  Celine de France inspires in her role as a French hairdresser and Thomas Doret gives a great performance as Cyril, the kid.  The Kid with a Bike tied Once Upon a Time in Anatolia for the Cannes Grand Prix award (the equivalent to the runner up position).  It's fitting that both films finish back to back in my yearly rankings.

#8 Zero Dark Thirty

Directed by Kathyrn Bigelow

Two movies in my top ten list took me multiple viewings to warm up to.  The first was Once Upon a Time in Anatolia and second was Zero Dark Thirty.  Both films are procedural studies and extremely atmospheric in portraying the bureaucracies that surround the mysteries that are being solved.  In a way, the movies may very well be good companion pieces as both examine the psyche of the separate sexes and middle aged work related mileu.  While Once Upon a Time in Anatolia dissects male identity, Zero Dark Thirty gives a strong voice to feminine strength, fortitude, and persistence.  With The Hurt Locker and now Zero Dark Thirty, Kathyrn Bigelow has surprisingly became of the directors of our times.

#7 Silver Linings Playbook

Directed by David O. Russell

After seeing Silver Linings Playbook I declared the movie the best of David O. Russell's career.  The entire ensemble gives great performances and David O. Russell's stylistic and thematic abilities as a director shine through (hopefully this pushes O. Russel for his first Best Director win at the Oscars).  Most importantly though, the movie represents a slice of Americana with its football and crab snacks.   A circle of critics and bloggers though have disagreed and have called it one of the most overrated movies of the year, but I simply do not agree as it is one of the most enjoyable, pleasant, and funny.

#6 Damsels in Distress

Directed by Whit Stillman

There is nothing quite like a film from Whit Stillman.  They are funny, charming, and most importantly genuine.  His newest, Damsels in Distress, after a thirteen year hiatus, is a bustling and modest portrayal (and critique) of a clique of four female students at a northeastern liberal college campus.  The group is lead by Violet, played by the ever radiating Greta Gerwig, but the entire cast is outstanding.   The most important players in the movie however are Whit Stillman's witty lyricism and delightful atmosphere.  Damsels in Distress is charming, delectable, and must be seen.    

#5 Cloud Atlas

Directed by Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, and Lana Wachowski 

Cloud Atlas is the most ambitious movie of 2012 and it never fails to impress.  While its aspirations might lead to some slight hiccups in various spots, its storyline transcends to create a thematically rich world set in the future, the present, and the past.  The Wachowski's amazed us years ago with The Matrix and they have done it again with Cloud Atlas.  Adding to the impressiveness of Cloud Atlas are its great technical achievements and its very strong performances, most notably the emotionally rich portrayal of heartbroken love given by Ben Winshaw.  

#4 Lincoln

Directed by Steven Spielberg 

I have never been a huge fan of Steven Spielberg, but Lincoln is a new personal high for me with the director.  He combines two of my favorite things, congressional politics and film and makes it exciting.  More importantly to the film are the great performances, the technical achievements, and the emotional relevance of the theme of equality.  It should be difficult for anyone to sit through the movie without feeling a sense of elation to the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment.  Lincoln shows us how the nation once dealt with passing equality to all races and is still ever so relevant in our current age when equality has not been presented to all peoples.

#3 Moonrise Kingdom

Directed by Wes Anderson 

Nearly every West Anderson film makes my top ten whenever they are released.  Anderson is such an immaculate and zany filmmaker and it's hard to not love him and the beautiful pastiches that he creates.  The island of New Panzance is no different as it is lavishly and wonderful designed in Moonrise Kingdom.  The ensemble in the film is likewise great with a standout performance from Bruce Willis.  Important to note is Alexandre Desplat's excellent adapted score. 

#2 Amour

Directed by Michael Haneke 

 

Amour is one of the most emotionally moving films I have ever seen.  Its simply beautiful and painful while being wonderful yet harrowing.  Michael Haneke is a master at what he does, and with Amour he portrays one of the most universal stories of all time, love during the time of dying and death. 

#1 The Master

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

 

Earlier in the year I read a few articles on how the mantle of most important filmmaker alive had been passed from Terrance Malick to Paul Thomas Anderson.  Malick's new film had gotten rocky reviews at Venice, while Anderson's had been the talk of the festival.  Having not seen Malick's new film yet, I cannot say whether or not his film is a flaw or not, but its hard to argue that Paul Thomas Anderson is not one of our most important living filmmakers.  The Master is brilliant, yet obscure;  it's not easy to dissect or even describe.  For those who don't believe its themes are resonant or even existent (which I believe they are), you can rest in solace in the great technical achievements, and the powerful performances given by its cast.

The Unlucky Ones- The 6 (Major) Movies That I Haven't Quite Gotten a Chance to See:
Barbara (Christian Petzold)
On the Road (Walter Salles)
Sister (Ursual Meier)
Tabu (Miguel Gomes)
This Must Be the Place  (Paolo Sorrentino)
West of Memphis (Amy Berg)

A note to distributors- release your movies earlier and make them more available theatrically or on demand (This means you Adopt Films).  Of these, I will see West of Memphis and This Must Be the Place in March.