In alphabetical order:
The surprise film of 2012. A film that ought to have been a bomb of the worst order. Its success may be due to incredibly low expectations. Nonetheless, the film made me laugh, kept me laughing, and is infinitely re-watchable.
The best part of the film is the short history lesson that kicks the film off. Detractors are right to criticize the flat treatment of Iranians in the remainder of the film. Although it paints with broad brushes and prefers black and white to the nuance of grey, the film still tells a good yarn.
Highly engaging re-imagination of the fairytale genre. More than anything the film captures how little we need if our lives are filled with love, joy, and community. A gem of a film that more audiences ought to enjoy and discuss.
A brilliant, genre eviscerating film. Cabin is so well layered with insights about film troupes, storytelling, and horror movies. A true masterpiece of horror-comedy. The story is captivating, frightening, and fun. The exact opposite of the ham handed satires that fill theaters.
If you think the violence in the film is offensive, you are missing the point. I am never certain if Tarantino is just brilliant at borrowing from his predecessors or a visionary. But, it matters little when a film is this successful. Both by capturing everything from Blaxploitation to Peckinpah to Kurosawa to Leone and viscerally challenging the atrocities of slavery and exploitation Tarantino has made a terrific film. Plus a terrific performance by Foxx.
Washington soars in Flight. A tremendous performance in a year when male actors made bold choices with great effect. The crash scene was as realistic and white knuckle as can be imagined without being on the flight itself.
Yes, Crowe made every bass/baritone cringe with his performance. Yes, they sing talk. Yes, it diverges from a musical that diverged from the book. Yes, the revolutionary focus was toned down. But, it is still a terrific film. The cast is transformative. The use of closeup head shots made the film more gritty and emotional than the musical (which given the subject matter is hard to do).
A painting on celluloid. I loved the book and the film does it justice. It is a feat to keep an audience rapt with so few characters, but that is the marvel of good storytelling.
There is a reason all the major actors in Lincoln were nominated for Oscars. The ensemble and individual performances are brilliant.
A truly manic search for meaning an purpose. The film seems as frenetic as its characters. But, in the end it exposes the need for us to be more honest with each other and ourselves. We all are scared and meandering on this journey. Revealing that to each other and ourselves may give us the opportunity to look for those silver linings.
If you want to fill in some of the holes left by Argo, start here. It captures what it means to be an artist deprived of his art. A humanizing journey, exposing both horror and hope. A simple and beautiful struggle.
An indulgence of my nerdy childhood. A smart and touching little story about the need for acceptance and the small cruelties of our interactions.