For those of you who actually care about my movie reviews, I sincerely apologize for not keeping up on hit this fall. However, I hope to rectify this a bit now and, fortunately, a lot of these movies are still in theaters. So without any further adieu, my favorites of the year:
Honorable mentions: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (Not as serious as the LOTR movies, but neither was the novel), "Chronicle" (Not so much a found-footage superhero as a superhero take on "Carrie"), "The Secret World of Arrietty" (Studio Ghibli's take on "The Borrowers" and one of the most buoyant movies of the year).
10. Wreck-It Ralph - A year ago, I couldn't have conceived that I would prefer Disney's latest to a Pixar movie entrenched in Scottish legend, yet here we are. While "Brave" was strong, but emotionally inconsistent because of a case of "too many cooks", "Wreck-It Ralph" was every bit as fun and laugh-inducing as it seemed it would be, but it was also loaded with a huge amount of heart and ingenuity. Plus, it's a continuation of Disney animations current winning streak. They are no longer trying to be like DreamWorks, but they are owning what Disney has been and what it can be. If "Tangled", "Winnie the Pooh", and now "Wreck-It Ralph" are the future of Disney, then it is a bright future indeed.
9. Beasts of the Southern Wild - Many critics have praised this film as a commentary on a post-Katrina south, but that's not what this movie is. It's a movie about what happens to the innocence of children when they are forced to deal with grown-up issues. Starring current Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis (who was, extraordinarily only six years old when she filmed this movie), "Beasts" is a lyrical, poignant and dark ode to the defiant strength of youth. It's not an easy movie to watch, but it's a stunning one.
8. Moonrise Kingdom - Marketed as a typical Wes Anderson quirk-fest, "Moonrise Kingdom" is sort of a sillier, less-graphic, yet more insightful take on "The Blue Lagoon". Which is to say that it's a comedy-drama about the exploration of romantic love among pre-teens. And it's also about the decaying of romantic love among adults. And it's also about the desire too fit in with a group even if the group requires the stifling of individual thought. And it's also about Bill Murray chopping down a tree in the middle of the night. Most of all, it's a well-written, phenomenally-acted addition to Wes Anderson's cavalcade of mirth.
7. Skyfall - Works as an action movie, as a drama, and as a political thriller. I still stand that the casting of Daniel Craig and the decision to reboot 007 with 2006's "Casino Royale" were the smartest things MGM could've done for the decades-old super-spy. They've taken Bond from being an enjoyable, but somewhat laughable caricature to a fully formed character. He's still debonair, still funny, but also far more believable when he's chasing and fighting the bad guys and when he's grieving. "Skyfall" steps up the drama by deepening the relationship between Bond and M, fantastically brought to life by Judi Dench. Also, it has the most disturbing Bond villain since the 60's in the form of Javier Bardem's truly creepy Silva.
6. The Dark Knight Rises - A perfect ending to one of the best film trilogies in movie history. It brings the story full circle, building off the events of "The Dark Knight" while answering questions raised in "Batman Begins". Christopher Nolan did something with this trilogy that was pretty amazing. He brought respect to the superhero genre. How did he do it? He chose to make a crime-drama trilogy instead of a superhero trilogy. Yes, Batman is a comic-book character, but the "Dark Knight" films have far more in common with the works of Martin Scorsese than it does with the original Tim Burton-produced Batman films. Filled with terrific dialogue, great performances (including one of the two stunners from Anne Hathaway this year) and a very real sense of danger and grief, "Rises" will be used in film classes for years to come as an example of how to get the third installment in a trilogy right.
5. The Avengers - Is "The Avengers" as important as "Rises"? Nope. However, between the two, "The Avengers" is the one I'm going to be re-watching the most. There are so many different reasons that "Avengers" shouldn't have worked at all. Combining the vision of not only four different directors, but technically, four different genres (the "Iron Man" movies - modern action, "The Incredible Hulk" - psychological, man-on-the-run action drama, "Thor" - fantasy, "Captain America" - WWII epic), "The Avengers could've been a disaster. However, it didn't just succeed, it blew away expectations. Sharp dialogue, terrific character-based humor, lightning pacing, and jaw-dropping special effects, this movie is the definition of a fun popcorn-movie that also manages to be a solid piece of film art.
4. Argo - The type of complex and taut thriller that defined the film world in the 70's, "Argo" feels like a lost Coppola masterpiece. It is, of course, a look at a previously unknown chapter in the Iran hostage crisis, the details of which have only recently been released. It's sort of stunning that Ben Affleck wasn't nominated for the Best Director Oscar, because this is a brilliantly executed bit of political thriller/critique of the Hollywood machine at work.
3. Life of Pi - Just a beautiful, beautiful movie. Visually it's the best use of 3D I've seen since "Avatar", but what's terrific about "Pi" is the visual is in the service of a thoughtful and insightful story which explores the power of spiritual faith. It's rare that you see a film use this level of technical brilliance in the service of a very "indie"-style story and it's breathtaking to see the film-making prowess on display here, especially in the service of a very non-actiony premise (a man shares his mythical story of surviving for weeks stranded in the ocean on a lifeboat with a man-eating tiger).
2. Les Miserables - One of the most difficult challenges facing the filmmakers of this movie musical is the fact that the song score is so well-known that it is robbed of its emotional resonance. The way director Tom Hooper dealt with this was brilliant.....emote first/sing second. The vocal performances in this cinematic mass of raw emotion are definitely not concert ready, in spite of the fact that many of the performers are certainly capable of such a performance. No these are performances that are whispered, sobbed, and wrenched out of characters at their most emotionally vulnerable, and it turns songs that are borderline cliched among those familiar with them into brand new and raw musical experiences. Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman, both a-list stars who have extensive vocal training, give the most heartbreaking performances of their careers by downplaying their natural glamour and charisma and staying true to plot and character. Beautifully done.
1. Lincoln - There are many movies that are worth your time. However, this is the first movie I've seen in a very long time that I believe should be required viewing. Not only a rich look at our beloved 16th president, but an in depth look at the political roller-coaster ride required to get anything positive done in our democracy. It's an exquisitely written, brilliantly acted, highly entertaining film, that also manages to be a profoundly important work of American art. For Spielberg to still be stretching and exploring and growing as a director after four decades of creating some of the best films of all time is inspiring, as is this wonderful movie.
So, there's my top ten. If you have any time to catch these movies while they are still in theaters, I highly recommend it. Thanks for reading!!!
