2013 is already underway, but the first two months of the year are generally dominated by major awards contenders from 2012. With the Oscar nominations already established and the Oscar race heating up, I have decided to take the opportunity to unveil my favorite films of the past year. I did not watch every single film, but have viewed the most notable domestic and foreign releases of the past year.
Two days ago, I revealed my honorable mentions for the top films of 2012. For those who missed that article, the films included were "Bernie," "Compliance," "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Kid With a Bike," "Safety not Guaranteed," "The Sessions" and "Skyfall."
This list was very difficult to put together and it is likely that as I see more films from 2012 it will change. Here are, in my opinion, the top 10 films of 2012 as of this moment.
10. The Forgiveness of Blood (Directed by Joshua Marston)
This film came out early in 2012 and narrates a blood feud between two Albanian families. The story is a tense but intimate affair that delves into the psyche of a son trying to break away from his perpetual prison at home despite knowing that one step outside of it could spell doom for him. Tristan Halilaj delivers a nuanced performance and director Joshua Marston provides some chilling moments that are hard to forget long after the film has come to an end. In one particular scene Nik, played by Halilaj, points a gun at his younger brother knowing that it presents him with the freedom he seeks. In another, he destroys a wall in the house as an expression of his resistance. The film is pregnant with such hostile moments and makes for a tense ride.
9. Life of Pi (Directed by Ang Lee)
"Life of Pi" is a pensive film that narrates the voyage of a young man with only a Bengal Tiger as his companion. Despite the minimal scenario, Lee's direction creates a film that is vast in range and color; it is humorous and energetic at one point as Pi narrates how he will train the tiger and introspective at another as the two companions look out into the grand mystery of the ocean. However, Lee never loses sight of the film's central story and is able to pull off a deeply emotional journey from the start to its conclusion. Claudio Miranda's cinematography is equally expansive as it evokes the dreamlike imagery of painter William Turner at some points and the dream-like impressionism of Claude Monet at other times.
Read My Review HERE.
8. Declaration of War (Directed By Valerie Donzelli)
"La Guerre Est Declarée" is another early 2012 film. It tells the story of two parents (named Romeo and Juliet) on a mission to save their child from dying of cancer. In the process, the young parents also struggle to cope with their own immaturity and lack of preparedness for the circumstance. The beauty of the film is that director Valerie Donzelli opts for a fairy tale quality (underscored by the protagonists' names) that has a plethora of swagger and charm in its diverse styles. Montages permeate the film emphasizing Romeo and Juliet's everyday activities, including activities they do for fun simply as an indication of their vitality and positive thinking. There is even a sing-song moment as Romeo and Juliet, miles apart, sing a duet to one another. Some of the choices initially seem strange, but their power comes from that unexpected quality.
7. Les Miserables (Directed By Tom Hooper)
"Les Misérables" is a mammoth film with tons of characters, plots, and subplots that are narrated over the course of many years. The film's epic nature is only emphasized by the fact that it is a musical. Hooper does not shy away from the scale of the emotions or intensity but his approach to the genre gives the film a new intimacy that is usually absent from most musicals. While extending the running time considerably, his decision to make no musical or dramatic cuts enables each character to develop fully and ultimately packs a greater punch when the film comes to its rousing conclusion. Probably too unwieldy for some, but the raw intensity and catharsis it creates for the spectator make it one of the top films this year.
Read My Review For "Les Miserables" HERE.
6. Argo (Directed By Ben Affleck)
Affleck's "Argo" is an adrenaline rush from start to finish. The film's climactic escape sequence is easily one of the most riveting action scenes of the year and the cast is loaded with strong performances throughout. Most impressive of all is that despite the high stakes, Affleck is able to meld comic touches to create a balanced story that never goes overboard with its dramatic edge. For a pure, well-paced thrill-ride no film was better in 2012.
Read My Review For "Argo" HERE.
5. The Master (Directed By Paul Thomas Anderson)
One person I spoke with described this film as "an onion." The reality is that the feeling one gets after watching this film is of confusion and bewilderment. But Anderson's intention is not for the audience to digest all of his material in one fell swoop. He wants to leave the audiences baffled so that they continue thinking and gestating it. I had the same reaction to the film but the more I thought about it, the more I immersed myself in its bizarre world, the more I came to realize how powerful it really is. The film is an experience that each individual will interpret differently but there are no questions about the potent performances given by its three leads Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. It is also impossible to ignore the film's poignant cinematography or its spotless production design (though the Academy naturally did).
Read My Review for "The Master" HERE.
4. Moonrise Kingdom (Directed by Wes Anderson)
"Moonrise Kingdom" is a charming coming of age story that combines Wes Anderson's colorful and quirky style with some truly tender and raw moments. The film includes incredible performances from veterans Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Bill Murray but is led by breakout turns from newcomers Jared Gliman and Kara Hayward. Anderson brings in unpredictable (and often unbelievable) twists at every turn that keep the audience guessing, but it all builds into one cohesive symphony of visual splendor and emotional warmth.
3. Zero Dark Thirty (Directed by Kathryn Bigelow)
"Zero Dark Thirty" may have spurred controversy, but it is a testament to the film's importance that politicians would actually waste the time they should be using to fix the country on debating the truth in a movie. The film does not shy away from its most contentious issues, but Bigelow maintains an objective stance that elevates the work. Jessica Chastain's complex portrayal makes for one of the best performances of 2012 and the climactic raid at the end of the film is easily the best action sequence of the year.
Read My Review For "Zero Dark Thirty" HERE.
2. Amour (Directed by Michael Haneke)
Director Michael Haneke's cold and distanced style can put off audiences, but in this film, it only accentuates the beauty and love between the elderly couple George and Ann. Haneke's minimalism returns here but with even more poignancy. The lengthy wide shots and lack of music signal the emptiness of the household and even create a deathly atmosphere. Every word of dialogue enhances the audience's involvement in the world of these characters. At one point, George tells his daughter that he does not want to talk about Anne's illness. His daughter turns around to him and asks, "What do you want to talk about?" The scene comes to an end, but her question lingers long after, almost as if asking the audience "What else would you want to talk about in this circumstance?" The entire experience of watching "Amour" is cerebral, but Haneke does include many understated moments of tenderness.
1. Silver Linings Playbook (Directed By David O. Russell)
"Silver Linings Playbook" is a film replete with unforgettable characters, an emotional story, and a mature treatment of the subject matter. Russell maintains a healthy balance between the serious implications of mental illness without ever indulging in their difficulties. His attempt is to create a positive experience that heals the viewer as it does its characters; he delivers on this promise abundantly all the while creating captivating and unforgettable moments that audiences will want to revisit time and again. I will admit to watching this film more than any other (4 times) and the experience of "Silver Linings" never gets old. Every comic moment remains fresh upon repeat viewings even when you can anticipate it; every dramatic moment becomes all the more visceral upon revisiting. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence give career defining performances while Robert DeNiro reminds the world why he is one of the world's greatest screen legends.
Read My Review For "Silver Linings Playbook" HERE.
To read about my honorable mentions that did not make this list, click HERE.
To read my Top Films from 2011, click HERE.
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